Frozen into a picture, at the end of my line of sight

You stay there forever

                Sixteen is not a good age to be uprooted. But it’s not something Kim Min Seok has a choice about. He was a regular teenager with normal teenager problems when the accident happened. It was quick, in a blink of an eye, he was parentless.

                The news came right about  the time soccer practice concluded. He, together with his friends were planning to go to a noraebang just to relax. He sent a text message to his Mother that he’d be arriving late and not to wait up for him. It was a few minutes later, after he’d showered and organized his things when the reply came.  He smiles at the way his Mom would answer his sms’s with emoticons. Enjoy your evening with friends, the message says. His Mom always ends text messages with an ‘I love you’. He wasn’t aware it was the last time he’d ever receive  a message like that.

                A phone call comes through while they were walking the crowded streets  of Myeongdong. It was too noisy to hear properly, what registers to him though was the unfamiliar voice on the other line and the mention of SNU Hospital and an accident. Everything was a blur after that. Min Seok at  a last attempt to ignore the news. Mom, Dad… Bring me pizza… Just… Get back safely… He sends a text message. One he doesn’t believe anyone would receive.

                He remembers a funeral, a slew of people wearing black with grave faces. Looking at him with pitiful gazes. He remembers most of them as  his Father’s business partners. A few of his friends and teachers offered their condolences though he doesn’t seem to know which is which. They all look the same to him. The last he remembers is of an aunt who he hasn’t seen for a while telling him to pack his things.

                When it finally sinks in that he was leaving his life in Korea, he was already a few feet off the ground. Going to a land he has visited once or twice during his childhood but never imagined permanently living in. The seatbelt he has on is suffocating, rather than providing him security. Looking out of the plane window, it’s for the best, he tries to convince himself. Korea is too painful to live in right now.

                He settles in with his aunt, his mother’s older sister. He recalls her being a widow without children. He wants to thank her for taking him in but at the same time, he wants to hate her for making decisions about his entire life. He’s too exhausted to be unpleasant though. So like before he let’s others make the decisions for him. Their architecture firm, the company his Father has been proud of is currently being managed by a trusted family friend and would be handed over to Min Seok after he graduates. He thinks that’s enough motivation to go on, he’ll come back to Korea one day. More prepared and hopefully, less hurt.

~o~

                His aunt has always been a quiet supporter. They don’t usually speak to each other unless necessary, but it was never awkward between them. Min Seok sees his mother in his aunt, though it’s only physical resemblance. They differ greatly in personality. Where his Mom was gentle, his aunt was stern. Indirectly rejecting any form of affection. Min Seok knows that his aunt cares for him so he decided to let her in about the reason for the Lu Invitation.

                It was the night before he was asked to make a visit that he was able to talk with his aunt about the incident. He was met with the same reaction as Yi Xing but more grimm. His aunt’s lips were a thin line and he hopes he doesn’t get reprimanded for being careless. He already got a handful of that from himself and from Yi Xing.

                “Is the Lu heir dead? I haven’t heard any news about it… They wouldn’t agree to this, not unless it was urgent…”

                “A co-worker told me the young master is sick… I don’t know how bad it is, but—“

                “Desperate times call for desperate measures again, Liu Yang…” his aunt murmurs. It was too soft for Min Seok to catch though. “Are you sure you’re willing to do this?” she spoke louder this time.

                “It’s just an invitation for tea… I’m sure they’re logical people. And besides, I’m thinking, it might be good for the company. A merger of sort…” Min Seok thinks that having the Lu’s as an ally would help with the architectural firm if they decided to branch out. He knows it’s still too far ahead. This isn’t a decision he made on a whim, he’s been thinking it over for a couple of days now. He’s just being practical.

                “it will be a good business deal, I agree. However, I hope you are aware that the hongbao is not simply a business deal…”

                Min Seok nods. He’s marrying a dead person if he agrees to it. He’ll be serving the Lu household and he won’t be able to marry again. He’s been doing a bit of research about the ritual. It is scary, he admits to that. But he’s more intrigued, besides he was never afraid of the dead.

                “Wait here… I want you to give them something when you vist. A gift… for their generosity.” His aunt stood up and went into a room he deems to be storage. His mother’s family is famous for having a huge antique collection. That’s how his parents met, at an antique fair in the smoggy streets of Beijing and maybe that’s also where his love for old things came from. A few minutes later, his aunt comes back carrying what looked like a parcel box.  Rectangular in shape, wrapped in the same expensive silk as the letter he received from the Lu’s. This one blood red with a crescent moon, probably an old family seal. “Give it directly to the Lady of the Household… Never hand it over to the servants. Only to the woman who you returned the hongbao from…”

~o~

                The day was bright, weirdly the sky is clear. Blue with a few wisp of clouds. It’s a wonderful Wednesday morning. Except one person feels like he’s being led to a noose. As much as Min Seok tries to convince everyone that he’s fine with this and that he thinks the invitation was just a, well, an invitation. He can’t help the fear that is crawling up his esophagus and making it’s way out of his mouth in the form of his pre-digested breakfast.

                Taking long, deep breaths doesn’t work. So he accepts the fact that he’s scared  to death and that his life wouldn’t go back to normal after this. He can cancel, he is well aware of that. But he’s resolved to the knowledge that part of him is stupid and that he is bound to fulfill a promise he didn’t even make to a person he only met in dreams.

                The front gate of the Lu Estate is more overwhelming now that he’s here for a purpose. An attendant ushered him in and he was momentarily frozen in his tracks at how vast the expanse of the estate is. He, again, feels  like he’s been transported to ancient China. The house structures are admirable and it’s done with great care and planning. Being an architecture student he was absorbed with looking through one of the building’s minute details not able to hear the attendant asking him to follow her, not until she approached him and addressed him directly.

                He was lead into one of the smaller courtyards, walking through endless galleries. Zigzaging towards  various types of elegant gardens. He was fascinated by the careful placement of pavillions, rocks, flowers and other ornaments signifying wealth but not too much that it hurts the eye. He was awed by the simplicity of the courtyards and a feeling of calm filled him. The servant introduced this part of the garden as the Hall of Lingering. He is aware that it’s tradition to name the sections of the gardens based on it’s purpose. Why they chose this courtyard for the tea ceremony is something that Min Seok is curious about.

                The servant stands by the sliding door separating the courtyard from one of the rooms in the main house. Or so he thinks is the main house. The house is grand so there’s a posibility of small residential houses besides the actual main house.

                He hears footsteps and decided to make himself presentable. The fear comes back in full force. He tries to swallow but it feels like something is stuck in his throat. He clutches the gift his aunt provided by his side for comfort. The sliding door opens revealing the same woman he met weeks ago. She is wearing the same traditional clothing, this time jade in color. He’s still overcomed by how lovely and graceful the woman is. He eventually stops staring and remembers to bow and present the tea invite to the woman.

                Smiling politely, the lady of the house instructs the servant to take the invitation and for Min Seok to take a seat. Remembering the offering in his hand, he hands the parcel to the woman. A frown marrs her delicate features and Min Seok can’t help but feel like he’s seen that same expression before in another person’s face. He dismisses the thought immediately to be silly.

                The woman sets the gift on a nearby table and unties the silk cloth. Min Seok hears a faint gasp and the woman suddenly summoning the servant to her side. She talks to the servant for a bit and excused herself, clutching what he thinks is a piece of parchment on her chest. The servant immediately wraps the box again and follows her mistress out the courtyard.

                Min Seok having no clue of what is happening, sits himself down and waits. A few minutes passed when another servant comes into the room and informs him that the tea ceremony would be moved to another date. And that he’ll be informed as soon as they’ve made the necessary arrangements. The servant too left after relaying the message to him.

                Utterly confused and left without a guide, Min Seok wanders around the estate for the main hall. He stumbles upon a familiar looking plum garden, it looks so much like the one in his dreams. Intrigued, he ventured towards an inner courtyard through a circular gate. A set of glass chimes welcomes him, hanging from the beams of what looks like another chamber.

                He walks through a short corridor, adorned with an ornamental window of a nightingale, giving you a small glimpse of the plum garden beyond it. A spacious chamber opens at the end of the corridor. The chamber is filled, oddly, with an assortment of books and soccer memorabilias. He walked further into the room disregarding the fact that he’s basically trespassing. Eager to know more about the room and feeling inexplicably bold, he stepped into another inner chamber with an alcove that houses a bed and medical equipment. Frowning, Min Seok approached the bed, a gasp escaping his lips.

                There lies unconscious is the young man plaguing his dreams.

a/n: it’s been a while~ I’ve been gone for a few weeks, well because real life and a few other priorities. So yeah here it is an update

the next update may take a while, thank you all for your patience ^^v

oh and you guys can message me or talk to me, I don’t bite. Unless it’s necessary. XD