The One for Me

I bowed as people entered the royal ballroom. The King and Queen seats were decorated with vines and flowers. The room had velvet curtains and golden walls. The maids had prepared the snack table as we waited for the bride and groom. Flashes of my own wedding came tumbling in my head and I tried to force the memories away.

I had always had a feeling there was someone else. One night she came home smelling like lavender and I asked her about it but she pretended she had no idea what I was talking about. Key had that same scent. When I first met him, the lavender smell lingered around him like he bathed in it. Of course I wouldn’t ask him about it, he was only a boy then and was grieving over the loss of his father.

”I have to go,” she murmured. She looked like she was in a hurry to leave. She and Jonghyun held the same features. Puppy dog eyes and shiny lips. “I’m sorry.”

I grabbed her wrist. “Don’t I get a kiss before you go?” I asked. I had been in such a good mood I didn’t even realize she was leaving me, for good. For a noble at that.

“Of course,” she smiled. Her smile was bright and brilliant. She pecked my lips softly and the kiss lasted longer than it usually did. She pulled away slowly. “I love you.”

“I love you to,” I chortled unable to contain my happiness. My grin never faltered even as she walked away and never turned back. Whenever she left us, she always looked back. But that time was different. Of course being the idiot I was I awaited her return eagerly. But it never came.

“Sire,” Haku repeated. He had been calling me but I was too engrossed in the past. I looked at him and gave him my best smile.

“What is it Haku-ah?” I questioned tentatively. He looked worried.

“Well uh… I thought you said Kyun told us Hana-ssi parents weren’t going to make it,” he gulped. He looked over his shoulder and I followed his gaze to an middle aged couple standing at the buffet table.

I nodded. “Maybe he got them to come… I’ll be back.” I hurried over to them and bowed. “I’m King Onew… I’m glad you could make it.”

“We wouldn’t miss our daughter’s wedding,” Hana’s mother grinned. She held out her hand and I pressed a quick kiss to it. “I’m Yuri and this is my husband Jung-ho.”

He bowed to me and I did the same. “I thought you weren’t going to make it… we have followed all the necessary procedures.”

“For?” asked Jung-ho.

“The wedding and the treaty,” I said solemnly.

Yuri giggled. “Treaty? We are friendly with you young one! Your wife was good to us in our time of need.”

“My wife?” I repeated dumbfounded.

Jung-ho nodded. “She sent us money when we needed to borrow some… we are in debt to her forever. I’m sorry she passed, such a lovely woman she was.”

I tried to hide my grimace. “But you sent me a letter… saying that if my son and your daughter didn’t marry then you would go to war with us.”

“No,” gasped Yuri. “We would never send such a thing! Did you Jung-ho?”

He shook his head. “Maybe you got scammed!” Both of them met eyes and then threw their
heads back in laughter. I forced a smile.

“Well my son was under the impression he had to marry Hana-ah,” I sighed. I grinned as Jung-ho patted my shoulder roughly.

“Well their already getting married, so they must like each other!” he cheered.

Yuri nodded in agreement. “Let’s let them get married huh?” I let out a chuckle, which was from shock and less from agreeing but they nodded and scurried away. I picked up some soju in a cup and shot it down. A commotion was stirring at the door. Hana had arrived. But Jonghyun wasn’t here. I wondered if he knew about the fake letter. Hana searched the room eagerly and her face fell in disappointment.

”Sire! Queen Taeyon got in a accident! There is someone here to tell you,” Kyun yelled. I hurried out of my study and met the man half way.

“They are dead… I’m sorry,” he sighed.

I furrowed my eyebrows. “They?”

“She was in a carriage with Kim-ssi sire,” he nodded solemnly. I must have looked dizzy because Kyun grabbed me and spoke but I couldn’t hear. My wife was dead. She was dead and she had been in a carriage with Kim-ssi. The noble who went everywhere with me. He was like my second hand man. Why? Why would she go off to a meeting with him without my knowledge?
I walked over to Hana and pulled her aside. “Did you forge a letter to me?”

“W-what?” she looked stunned. Her hair was up in a tight bun and feathers were placed in her hair as a accessory.

“Did you forge the letter to me about war with Japan?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I would never do such a thing.”

”Don’t leave me,” I pleaded. I held her hand over my heart and kissed her forehead.

“I would never do such a thing,” she whispered as a smile crept over her face.

“Your parents don’t know anything about it,” I said. Her eyes widened.

“Then who would send it?” she questioned. She swallowed hard. And I scowled. I walked away
from her as she called my name. “Appa! Appa! Onew-san!!! Jonghyun will be on his way right?”
Her voice sounded strained, pleading. As if Jonghyun marrying her meant everything. Just like me marrying his mother meant everything. It meant so much I looked past the little things.

*******

“Father?” Jonghyun’s voice reached out to me. I turned to see him giving me a knowing smile. It pained me to see that smile on his face. “Is Hana-ssi ready?”

“Getting married to your mother was an adventure for me,” I sighed. “She showed me new things and opened her heart to me even when her parents forced her to; of course I didn’t know she was forced to then.” I stared out at the garden. It looked so small now. Jonghyun leaned on the cement railing and glanced at me. “I loved her so much I was willing to ignore the intimate glances she stole with Kim-ssi, Key’s dad. I always made an excuse for why she did. Maybe she was thinking about me, or I was just tired.”

“Dad,” Jong began but I cut him off with my hand.

I met his brown puppy dog eyes and saw his mother. “I don’t want you to have to steal glances at Key while you’re married to Hana… it’s hurtful. You must know that.”

“I’m finished with Key dad,” he reassured me.

“Love is never something you can just dismiss Jonghyun,” I scoffed. “The more you try to fight it, the stronger it will become. So choose for yourself… not for this country or for me. Just for you.”

I turned to head inside. “Dad,” he mumbled. I stopped. He was quiet for several moments. “Me and Key are finished.” I sighed and walked in after I heard a faint. “See you inside.”