Chapter 17

Han Lee

After leaving Hyun-Ki and Dani in her room, I wander the foyer contemplating why I am annoyed. It's not like it matters where he went during his abdicated time. Now that I think about it, he has seemed very comfortable here, as if it's his second home. No one questions him; they seem to let him do whatever and go wherever he wants. He knew about the cultivation bow and didn't seem phased when we arrived here a few days ago. Even Lady Yanyun was willing to give him a room on the same floor as her sons. He's just a High-Class Lord that isn't even a member of their family. Why didn't I notice it before? After a while, a servant appears in front of me.

"Prince Han, Lord Bo Chen, and Lady Tang would like to formally meet you." He says after bowing to me in their traditional bow. I don't have anything better to do, so I follow the servant out the side door and down a stone path to a large Penthouse. This house is more like a modern house than the main family house. I walk through the big double doors into a marble foyer with stairs that lead up on both sides to connect to a landing in the center of the second story. The servant passes me to a Butler who bows formally to me and then leads me to a room on the left.

Walking in, I see an elderly couple sitting on a couch facing the door. Both rise and bow to me.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Prince Han." The lady smiles at me warmly. She seems nice enough, nothing like the rumors I heard. "I'm Lady Tang, the matron of the family."

"It's my honor to meet you." I bow in the Yaotián bow to her.

"No need to bow to us. I am Bo Chen Sr. I have waited long to finally meet you." He greets me. "Please sit. Have some tea."

"Mm. Thank you." I sit, waiting to find out why they wanted to meet me.

"So polite." Lady Tang compliments, then gestures to the butler to serve the tea.

"I'm sure you're wondering why we wanted to meet you." Lord Bo Chen Sr surmises. I just nod and take the cup offered to me. "Your father spent so much time here, he might as well have been a second son to me. Therefore, you are very much like a grandchild to us. We really just wanted to get to know you. How has life been treating you? How is your mother?"

"It's good. My mother's fine." I keep it simple.

"I see." There's a flash of sadness in his eyes, but he doesn't continue.

"I hear you have been watching over your cousin. Is she as barbaric as her heritage suggests?" Lady Tang asks.

"Tang." Lord Bo Chen Sr reprimands her. "Forgive her." He directs to me.

"My cousin isn't barbaric."

"What do you plan to do while you are here?" Lady Tang abruptly changes the subject.

"I'm waiting to hear back. Prince Jaidan and Lord Aiden were injured. I don't know the details."

"Probably got what he deserved." Lady Tang again with her comments. I am beginning to see why she is avoided. I am having a hard time not speaking up. Usually, I ignore such people.

"No one deserves to be attacked." Lord Bo Chen Sr comments. "Let the children handle the affairs."

"If it was you, this would never have happened." Lady Tang tells me.

"Perhaps," I say, draining my tea and rising to leave. "I should find Hyun-Ki. He may be worried." I have had enough.

"Lord Bu is here? How did I not know?" Lady Tang questions, but her tone is suspiciously feigned. I don't know what she is playing at.

"How could you know I was here but not that he was with me? He is my guard, after all." I say, then bite my tongue, realizing I have spoken out of character again.

"I should like to see him too. Such a nice young man." She ignores my question.

"If there's time, I will bring him here," I respond, then turn to leave.

Before I can take a step, a tall man stands before me with dried blood on his face and hair. The coppery stains in his air are abundantly evident due to the silver coloring of his hair. He has red contact lenses, wearing a red dress shirt and a black suit with an unbuttoned jacket. His hands are in his pocket, and he has a devilish smile as he looks past me to the elderly couple behind me.

"Hello, grandmother." He bows to her and then walks in. Lord Bo Chen Sr coughs suspiciously and looks away when Lady Tang glares at him. Her whole demeanor changed, and she gave off a cold aura. Conflicted, I stand unsure if I want to leave or stay and watch the show. This is Prince Xaoi-He, her most despised grandson.

"Are you trying to send me across the WangChuang River? Why are you here and looking like death?" She practically growls.

"I came to pay my respects and collect Prince Han. Why did you want him?" Xaoi-He asks. I'm still stuck between coming and going.

"We just wanted to meet Ji-Hoon's son. Kim Kurtis was here earlier with his lovely wife. After meeting him, I have high hopes for the Alliance's future. He seems well-rounded. Otherwise, I would suggest Bo Chen take over." Lord Bo Chen Sr answered quickly. Seems he was trying to avoid a confrontation.

"Kurtis is here?" I ask.

"Yes, my mom says he is in the gardens talking to Hyun-Ki. Or at least he was about 15 minutes ago." Prince Xaoi-He answers me.

"He's with Hyun-Ki?" I feel uncomfortable about this, so I bow and excuse myself.

Heading out, I turn to the left where the gardens are located and walk past the guards who greeted me with a bow. After a while, I find them by the statue of a boy looking at a teacher or a parent. They aren't saying anything at all. Just staring at it in silence.

"What are you guys doing?" I ask. They both turn around quickly, almost guiltily.

"Have you seen this?" Hyun-Ki asks.

"No," I respond. Then scrutinize my brother, who just eyes me for a minute.

"Where did you go?" Kurtis finally asks.

"I was invited to tea by Lady Tang and Lord Yaotián Sr."

"Oh? How'd that go?" Hyun-Ki.

"I can see why people are distant from her." My brother laughs, and Hyun-Ki smiles. "Why are you guys here?"

"I was just talking to Hyun-Ki. It's been a while. I should find Astari and see if she wants to attend the meeting. I'll head out first." He says and leaves.

"Why do I feel like he is avoiding me?" I finally voice aloud. Hyun-Ki looks in the direction Kurtis went before returning his gaze to the statue.

"What do you see when you look at this?" He asks. I stare at it for a moment. All I see is a boy and a teacher.

"It's just a child and his teacher." Hyun-Ki just smiles.

"I see. You had a good life then."

"What do you see?" I ask.

"I see Mari. I see my daughter looking at me." Hyun-Ki answers.

"I will find a way where you can see her again."

"Kurtis said much the same thing."

"Well, then it's likely to happen," I say.

"As for avoiding you. I don't know that Kurtis is avoiding you. Maybe he just doesn't know how to act around you."

"Is that what he told you?"

"Not exactly. I just get the feeling your brother cares."

"Now you're avoiding me." I accuse. Dammit. I am out of character again.

"Am I? Or is it you?" He sits down on a nearby bench and stares at the sky. "I'm being selfish again. I'm sorry."

"Okay."

"Your brother wanted to know my intentions towards you and told me not to force it or confuse you." He then looks at me, "I am not trying to force anything on you. I am okay with things being how they were."

"Okay." I don't really know what else to say. He smiles gently. Then gets up.

"Is it really okay?" Again with the loaded questions. I don't know how to answer this.

"Is what okay?" I decide I want to be clear and finally ask questions. Now isn't the time, but it's the first instance either of us is willing to talk about it.

"You tell me. You said okay. What are you okay with?"

"Hmm…Why did you…? You were married once… you have a child… I just don't understand you." Hyun-Ki looks back at the statues for a long time and doesn't respond.

"Never mind, the meeting is about to start," I say. I can hear the annoyance in my voice. Irritated with myself, I turn and stalk off down the grassy corridor before Hyun-Ki stops me.

"Are you jealous?" He asks. I try to jerk my arm back, but his grip is firm, so I stop.

"Why would I be Jealous? You're just not answering my question."

"True, but before, you would never have asked that question." I cannot refute this, so I say nothing. I wish I had never said anything, to begin with. "Lee, can we talk about this later. You have responsibilities, as do I. I promise I will answer your questions later."

"Okay." I sigh. He tugs me gently, and I finally turn to him. He smiles before walking back towards the house with me trailing behind.