"You disgust me Jayi!"
The King's eyes blazed with fury as he stared contemptuously at the Queen shriveled on the floor. Her hair dishelved, her eyes swollen obviously from too much crying. Her chapped lips parted as if to say something else to the beyond enraged king but he would have none of it anymore.
"Have her return back to her Palace immediately!" He commanded, his voice reverberating throughout the hallway. The fire torches flickered as if sensing the impending danger.
Raindrops pattered gently on the rooftops, a contrast to the dense athmosphere in the King's palace. Jayi's gaze met the King's as the Royal guards lifted her up rather harshly.
"D..does His Highness really find me that despicable? Why?" Her voice quivered with pain.
She held her robe trying fruitlessly to resist the firm grip the guards had on her.
"Because I'm not her?" She asked filled with desperation.
She had tried everything just to get him look her way even just once. She even turned against her clan- her family. Just so she could have his love but his heart could never be hers.
Her eyes met the hateful stare of King as the doors closed shutting her out.
No, it was never hers.
It belonged to Kim Ji-a who was going to become a Noble Consort the following day.
How pathetic could her life be?
She had nothing.
Her love.
Her family.
Her dignity as a Queen.
Nothing was left.
She stared at the gate to the King's Palace. Pain and despair clawed at her heart. She let out a wry smile as she turned returning back to Her Palace. The heavens seemed to be in despair with her as the rain continued pouring.
Her frail hands moved to wipe the tears streaming down her cheeks. It hurt.
It hurt a lot.
Do I deserve this?
She asked no one in particular as she took weak steps towards the lotus lake.
Her steps halted at the lake's edge. Her gaze inclining upwards towards the heavens.
I guess this is it. The ending I truly deserve.
The Queen felt an abrupt push, she let out a gasp in shock. Her body reflexively turned to grasp on to something but it was too late.
Her body plunged into the lake. The cold water swallowing her leaving no trace.
"Fuck, you must be kidding me!"
Choi Jahee's finger flew across the tablet frantically. "That's the end?!" She yelled. The knife in her other hand stabbed the wooden tray. She scoffed raking her hair. "I can't believe this." She muttered shaking her head.
"What can't you believe?" Came the raspy voice of another person.
Jahee's head turned towards the voice. "You're awake?" The anger she felt seconds ago disappearing at an alarming speed. She gazed the time noting it was past three pm. "Did I wake you up?" She inquired as the person walked down the stairs and past her fiery red- black hair flying in random directions. She yawned opening the fridge and talking a bottle of water.
She removed the hair that had found its way into her mouth and took large gulps of water.
"You almost burnt my ears!" Came her reply as she dropped the bottle on the kitchen counter.
Jahee raised a hand. "Sorry."
She turned picking the knife feeling the anger return. " I just lost it."
Jayi picked her tablet skimming through it half seating on the the counter. " That novel again? She died. A shame." She noted with obvious disinterest.
She discarded the tablet and moved closer to her Jahee. "Another recepie?" She asked her eyes gleaming."
"Yup. There's a wedding party I have to cook for tomorrow. It's a traditional one."
Jayi reached over the counter and picked an apple bitting into it immediately. "I'm not a morning person." She stated her almond eyes carving into halfs as the sweetness spread throughout her mouth.
"You'd have to come with me though, I can't manage without you." Jahee replied stirring the steaming pot of Ginseng chicken soup.
Jayi took another bite out of the apple. "Would I have to wear an hanbok? Jahee gave her a cheeky grin. "It's not traditional if you're not wearing an hanbok"
Jayi palmed her face. "Fuck me" she muttered under her breath.
Stuffy clothes weren't her thing. Not a single bit. But she had no choice. She couldn't just stay back and let Jahee go through all that stress. She wasn't that inconsiderate.
But.... She really hated wearing stuffy clothes.
She struck out her last trump card against Jahee. "Shoes, what about them?"
Jayi watched as Jahee's movement paused. The corners of her lips carved up into a smile.
As unique as the heavens created her to be. Jayi was born with an odd foot size. Normal shoes didn't fit... Finding a perfect fit for her was like finding a needle in a haystack.
Her uniqueness didn't stop at her feet though, she had a picture like memory. She remembered things she had seen or heard once.
It was a shame that this unique creation ended up a rebel. Using her head for devising mean pranks on almost everyone she had a beef with.
Jahee turned down the heat. "I knew you would bring that up so I made preparations. I found this store by chance and they make custom sized traditional footwear. They'll have it ready by evening."
The half eaten apple in Jayi's hand dropped. Her eyes widening in shock. Finding such a shop wasn't by chance at all. Going this far just so she could tag along made Jayi finally concede.
She snuggled closer to Jahee who used her left arm to shove her away. "What are you that touched?" She asked her brows raising.
Jayi gave a jerky nod. "I'm so touched I'm about to cry. Where in the world will I find an angel like you?"
Jahee felt ants crawl all over her skin. "Are you a kid? You're 29 for the love of God. You're supposed to be married."
Jayi made an attempt to hug her again but Jahee was insistent on shoving her away. "We're both single. Nonna, won't you marry me? I'll take good care of you." Jayi prepped with a bashful smile.
"I'm not senile. Why would I want to keep a ticking bomb like you by my side for the rest of my life? I'd rather remain single. Piss off." Jahee replied this time using her feet to kick her away.
Jayi finally relented. "We're made for each other. If I leave you, don't come crying saying you miss me. I'll shove you away just like this." She pouted sulkily.
"Yeah, whatever. Get your ass out of here. Your shift begins in an hour."
Jayi's face paled. Shit I totally forgot.
She turned bolting upstairs.
Jahee yelled after her. "I'll send you the address of the shop. Pick it up and come meet me at the bus-stop alright!"
Later that evening.
Jayi walked along the bustling street of Seoul with a wooden box and a polythene bag of fresh apples in her hand. She held her phone in her other hand, her fingers flying over the keyboard.
"The shoes are pretty nice. I love them!" She replied Jahee
"Where are you guys? I'm at the bus stop." She added.
Her eyes left her phone scanning the crowd for Ja Hee. She spotted her standing at the other end of the road and replied Ja Hee: "I've seen you. I'll come over."
She stood waiting for the walk signal to turn green. As soon as the signal turned green, she began shoving her way through the crowd. For some reason, the road oddly seemed to be filled with lots of people.
Isitjustme?
Jayi felt a rough push on her arm sending the box and the bag on the ground.
"Hey! You've got potatoes for eyes?" She yelled bending to pack the fallen and scattered apples.
She picked the shoes that had gotten out of the box at some point. "Shit, I haven't worn them and they're stained." She muttered angrily wiping the stains off with the hem of her woolen shirt.
Gently tucking them back in place, Jayi gathered the apples and stood up but sudden blaring horn of an incoming truck had her frozen on spot.
"Get out!"
Words didn't seem to be getting to her at that point. It all seemed to fast for her to process. Her vision engulfed by the blinding brightness. Jayi felt her body leave the ground for a moment and crash back on the ground seconds later.
Then it all came crashing down on her. The yells, the hazy view of people rushing towards her. She then saw the silhouette of someone rushing towards her.
Jahee?
She made an attempt to move but she couldn't. She then noticed the other person behind Jahee.
Steps gentle and graceful contrasting Jahee's panicked and frenzied movements. Jayi noticed the distinct pattern of the hanbok the person had on. Her gaze met with the person just as they fluttered close.
Wasn'tthatme?!