Chapter 8
Sunlight streamed in through the opened windows and breeze glided through the room, softly caressing Tae's face. Somewhere below, a car honked on the paved drive, and two birds landed simultaneously on his windowsill, embarking on a noisy quarrel over territorial rights. Their irate chirping slowly penetrated Tae's slumber, stirring him from happy dreams of home.
Still half-asleep, he rolled over onto his stomach, burrowing his face into the pillow. Instead of the slightly rough fabric that covered his pillow at home that smelled of sunshine and soap, his cheek encountered smooth silk. Dimly aware that he was not in his own bed with his mother downstairs making breakfast, Tae squeezed his eyes closed, trying to recapture his tranquil dreams, but it was already too late. Reluctantly, he turned his head and opened his eyes.
In the bright light of mid-morning, he stared at the silver and blue draperies that surrounded his bed like a silken cocoon, and his mind abruptly cleared. He's at Busan. He had slept straight through the night.
Shoving his tousled hair out of his eyes, he pulled himself up into a sitting position and leaned back against the pillows.
footman
"Good morning, Sir Tae," Greeted Shone, standing at the opposite side of the bed.
Taeh stifled a scream of shock
footman
"I didn't mean to startle you," the little servant apologized hastily, "but his grace is downstairs and he said to ask if you would join him for breakfast."
Vastly encouraged by the news that his relative actually wished to see him, Tae flung back the covers.
footman
"I've pressed your clothes for you," Shone said opening the wardrobe. "Which one would you like to wear?"
Tae chose the best of the five - a soft black button up Chinese collar long sleeves, embellished with tiny white leaves his mother carefully embroidered and black pants. Refusing Shone's offer to help him dress after washing himself quickly, Tae pulled the shirt over his undershirt and patted his pants.
While Shone made the bed and tidied the spotless room, Tae looked into the mirror to comb his hair.
He told Shone, his eyes alight with hopeful anticipation and his cheeks blooming with healthy color
Taehyung
Could you tell me where to find... Ah... His Grace?
Tae's indoor shoes sank into the thick red carpet as Shone led him down the foyer to where two footmen were standing guard beside a pair of richly carved mahogany doors. Before he had time to draw a steadying breath, the footmen swept the doors open with a soundless flourish, and Tae found himself stepping into a room perhaps fifty feet in length, dominated by a long mahogany table centered beneath three gigantic chandeliers dripping with crystal. He thought the room was empty at first, as his gaze moved over the high-backed gold velvet chairs that marched along both sides of the endless table. And then he heard the rustle of paper coming from the chair at the near end of the table. Unable to see the occupant, he walked slowly around to the side and stopped.
Seojoon's head snapped around and he stared at him, his face draining color.
Senior Jeon
"Almighty God!" he breathed, and slowly came to his feet, his gaze clinging to the young man standing before him. He saw Jiwon, exactly as she had looked so many years ago, less the long hair. How well, and how lovingly, he remembered that incredibly defined, fine-boned face with its gracefully winged eyebrows and long, thick lashes framing eyes the color of night sky. He recognized that soft, smiling mouth, the elegant nose, that tiny, enchanting dimple, and his stubborn chin, and the glorious mass of his silk black hair.
Putting his left hand on the back of the chair to steady himself, he extended his shaking right hand to him
Senior Jeon
"Jiwon - " he whispered.
Uncertainly, Tae put his hand in the old man's outstretched palm, and his long fingers closed tightly around his. "Jiwon," he whispered again hoarsely, and Tae saw the sparkle of tears in the old man's eyes.
Taehyung
"My mother's name was Kim Ji won," he said gently.
Senior Jeon
The grip on his hand tightened almost painfully. "Yes," he whispered. He cleared his throat and his voice became more normal.
Senior Jeon
"Yes, of course," he said, and shook his head as if to clear it. He was surprisingly tall, Tae noticed, and very thin, with hazel eyes that studied his features in minute detail. "So," he said briskly, "you are Jiwon's son."
Tae nodded, not quite certain how to take him
Taehyung
My name is Taehyung, but you can call me Taeh.
Senior Jeon
An odd tenderness glowed in his eyes. "Your father's name was Soo-Hyun am I correct?"
Taehyung
Yes, Kim Soo hyun
Senior Jeon
Without a warning he enfolded him in a tight embrace. "Welcome home child," he said in an emotion-choked voice as he patted Tae's back and hug him close.
And Taeh felt oddly as if he might truly be home
The old guy let him go with a sheepish smile and pulled out a chair for him.
Senior Jeon
"You must be starved. Ohm!"
He said to the footman who was stationed at a sideboard laden with covered silver dishes.
Senior Jeon
"We're both famished."
footman
"Yes, your grace," the foot man said, turning aside and beginning to fill two plates.
Senior Jeon
"I apologize most sincerely for not having a car waiting for you when you arrived," Seojoon said.
Senior Jeon
"I never dreamed you would arrive early, and then there was a small accident along the way. But tell me, did you have a pleasant trip?"
He asked Tae as the foot man placed a plate filled with eggs, potatoes, ham, and crusty French rolls before him.
Tae glanced at the array of ornate gold flatware on either side of his plate and breathed a prayer of gratitude to his mother for teaching Sunoo and him the proper uses for each piece.
Taehyung
Yes, a very pleasant trip
He answered with a smile, then added awkward shyness
Senior Jeon
"Good heavens," Seojoon said, chuckling
Senior Jeon
"I hardly think we need to stand on such ceremony. If we do, then I shall have to call you Your Excellency Kim Taehyung or Your grace Taehyung.
Senior Jeon
I shan't like that a bit, you know - I'd much prefer 'Uncle Seojoon' for myself and 'Taehyung shi' for you. What do you say?
Tae found himself responding to his warmth with an affection that was already taking root deep in his heart.
Taehyung
I'd like that very much. I'm sure I'd never remember to answer to Your Excellency - or whatever that is. I'd very much like it if you just call me Taehyung.
Seojoon gave him an odd look as he placed his napkin on his lap.
Senior Jeon
"But you are a Excellency, your mother was the granddaughter on Honorable Hye Kyo, it was never formally removed from her, you are her son, therefore the title belongs to you and your brother.
Taeh twinkled with amusement
Taehyung
And what am I to do with it?
Senior Jeon
"Do what we all do," the older man said, and chuckled. "Flaunt it." He paused while Ohm deftly slid a plate in front of him. I think there's a small property in Dobong-gu that might go with the title. Perhaps not. What did your mother tell you?"
Taehyung
"Nothing. Mama never spoke of Seoul or her life there. Sunoo and I always assumed she was... well, an ordinary person."
Senior Jeon
"There was nothing 'ordinary' about your Mother,"
He said softly. Tae heard the thread of emotion in his voice and wondered about it, but when he started to question him about his mother's life in Seoul, he shook his head and said lightly
Senior Jeon
"someday I shall tell you all about... everything. But not yet. For now, let's get to know each other."
An hour passed with unbelievable swiftness as Tae answered Seojoon's pleasantly worded questions. By the time breakfast was over, he realized, he had smoothly gleaned from him an exact picture of his life, right up to the time of his arrival at his door with an armful of squealing piglet. He'd told him about the villagers at home, about his father, and about Bogum. For some reason, hearing about the last two seemed to severely dampen his spirits, yet those were the two people he seemed to be most interested in. About his mother, he carefully avoided inquiring.
Senior Jeon
"I confess I'm confused about the matter of your engagement to this fellow Park Bogum" he said when Tae finished, his forehead etched with deep frown.
Senior Jeon
"The letter I received from your friend Dr.Lee made no mention of it. Quite the opposite - he said you and your brother were alone in the world. Did your father give his blessing to this engagement?"
Tae said, wondering why the old man looked so distressed about it
"You see, Bogum hyung and I have known each other forever, but father always insisted that I must be eighteen before I became formally betrothed. He felt it was too serious a commitment for a young man to make."
Senior Jeon
Wise of him, Seojoon agreed
Senior Jeon
"However, you became eighteen before your father passed away, and yet you still are not formally betrothed to Mr. Park, is that correct?"
Senior Jeon
Because your father still withheld his consent?
---------------------------------
Comments