TFDL: Prelude - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: The Mom Taunts the Child and the Hidden Devil is Targeted

Indeed, Jaejoong and Yumi were working together too soon. Somehow, he had become responsible for the makeup of her music video. Unfortunately for Yumi, he was distressed over his previous client, who kept complaining to him about her boyfriend’s lies, and ultimately kept crying in between her rants. So when Yumi arrived late due to heavy traffic, Jaejoong bawled, “Hurry! We don’t have time! Gosh, what’s up with people being divas these days?”

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Status Update: Unexpected Bad News

Truthfully, I haven't been sleeping well these days. I didn't know why it was so difficult. I had always been an easy, heavy sleeper. I'd collapse on my bed with a tired mind, but whenever I tried to sleep, I'd be awake. Sometimes, I felt there would be something in my room keeping me awake, but my mind became energized without any reason.

Spiritual moment? I guess.

Today, I received notice of a passing among my relatives and family. This wasn't that much of a surprise to me, but of course, there is sadness. I'm not sure what to think or do actually. Sometimes, I think I'm too calm. I can't cry, and when I do cry, it's something silly. I tell myself that death is a natural process of life. People come, and go during the appropriate times. Things can't be controlled, and even if you do try to prolong life, there is typically pain involved. Why let someone endure so much pain just for you to cling onto that delay of death?

Maybe, I'm too pessimistic or unemotional. Compared to other people, I feel that way. Instead of crying, I searched on Google for funeral etiquette. I'm supposed to be packing my clothes, but I'm not sure what to pack. How long will I be staying there? I'm supposed to be studying right now, but how can I? How can I open a book and study while others are mourning?

Actually, I want to study more now. Ironically, I feel more motivated to do work. I don't feel like relaxing in my summer. I'd like to open my book and do the questions. I don't want to see people sobbing for the whole time. Sure, death is sad, but in the end, you have to move on. You can't bury  yourself with the dead. You live because your time isn't up yet. There are other duties for you to do. I doubt the deceased would have wanted you to be sad all the time, and it's certainly not an excuse for you not to do work, or to become angry at other people for trivial things.

I'm not good at comforting people, and I'm sure people deal with death in different ways. I'm sure there will be those that won't understand my behaviour, and will judge, but it doesn't matter. I can't force tears out of my eyes. Rather, I feel a sense of heaviness in my chest. I don't know when it will go away, and I actually envy those that can cry. Catharsis. Yes, I think that would help at any moment. 

I guess, in the end, we all figure out how you handle death. Please, I beg you, don't try to convert my way to yours. I'm not like you. I don't feel much, and I don't put on a show.

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What I wanted to say to my readers is that I won't be able to update this blog for several weeks. Actually, it all depends whether or not I have internet access, etc, but please be patient, and wish me luck. It's going to be a rocky journey for me.

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Chapter 23: Enlightenment from Rebirth

          There were hoards of people scourging, bending their heads up and down, thinking, pushing, and eventually, presenting their findings to the King, who now sat in his regal chair. The desire for awards activated the animalistic, barbaric side of them. Simply put, it was a stampede of overtly hungry buffaloes. Where was I then? I was walking around the palace, pondering. There wasn’t any incentive for me to find the King’s desire. What would a King desire?

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TFDL: Prelude - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: The Leader Experiences the Oddest Date

Rhett didn’t remember what exactly happened after their embrace, but somehow, they had agreed to learn more about each other by actually going on a few dates. Rhett did remember suggesting that they experience each other’s idea of the perfect date, yet he hadn’t expected himself to be at home, reading manga and manhwa with Kannei. She had brought her vast collection of manga, which was stored in a black, over-sized luggage, over to Rhett’s place.

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Chapter 22: Illness from Rebirth

        When I returned to the Palace, I was faced with an angered face, a worrisome one, and multiple inquisitive ones. The Queen kept glowering at me whenever she could. If it weren’t for Kuro’s blatant lie about how I had fallen while trying to learn how to ride a horse from him, the Queen would have banished me again. The King, on the other hand, didn’t even care if we had lied, and was happy that I was befriending a Koseian Prince. The King even had that happy smile, the sort that grandparents wore when they saw their grandchildren, and I knew exactly what he was thinking. He still had the audacity to say, “My dear child, perhaps, Prince Kuro would be a fine choice as your . . .”

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TFDL: Prelude - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: The Mom Is a Listener and the Free Spirit Meets the Troubled Woman

It was the most enjoyable time, yet the most murderous time for Jaejoong. He loved to forget about everything by becoming a workaholic, but he never understood why all of the singers loved to make their comebacks around the same dates, all packed closely together. Was this their way of establishing their spot as the top singer? Was it that enjoyable to flaunt their win in front of their foes’ faces?

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Chapter 21: Mistakes from Rebirth

         I was awakened by a cold breeze and as I adjusted my body leftwards, I saw Kuro with his eyes closed, arms folded, and his legs bent. He was sitting in the wooden chair, sleeping and looking rather peaceful. Peace, though, was temporary when I remembered about the King’s party and then about the Queen. That degrading look of hers would radiate and ultimately, she would try to find ways to shun me. Was there even a way to combat her?

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TFDL: Prelude - Chapter 20

 Chapter 20: The Hidden Devil Makes a Discovery and the Innocent Boy Becomes a Chauffeur

Changmin came to Ken’s classroom to know whether Ken would skip the staff meeting after school. Changmin only went to those types of meetings if Ken were there. At least, the two could occasionally talk to each other. “I’m surprised you don’t have an ulcer by now,” Changmin taunted when entering the room after school.

Ken, with his mouth half full, retorted, “You’re just jealous that I have something to eat right now.”

“You read my mind, psychic,” Changmin muttered.

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Chapter 20: Incongruity from Rebirth

           “Renelle,” Alanna quietly asked when we were studying together in the library, “I don’t want you to worry or anything, but . . . lately, I think Adri might be getting too close with Thayne.”

          “Nonsense!” I giggled. “Adri and Thayne are just close friends. She’s just really energetic and friendly.”

          “Too friendly,” Alanna murmured, “I even asked Eury and Zander. Both of them agree that—“

          I dropped my pen on the table, and cleared my throat. “Don’t worry about it. I trust them, and seriously,” I tried to cover my chuckle as I said, “you’ve got to stop your brother complex. It’s getting rather severe. Eury this. Zander that.”

          “Hey!” Alanna shrieked too loudly.

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TFDL: Prelude - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Free Spirit Attends the Wedding and the Mom Gives the Other Three Some Advice

Everything seemed so surreal to Yoochun. No one he knew was at the dinner for the wedding. He had missed the ceremony due to some conflict with work, but he had made sure that he was on time for the feast. A promise was a promise and he was a man of his words.

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TFDL: Prelude - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: The Leader Encounters the Ideal Girl and the Leader and the Queen of Spontaneity Prepare for Their Exam

Already known for his perfectionist behaviour for work, Rhett was firmly imprinting that image into his employees’ and coworkers’ minds. Today, his tolerance for slowness and mistakes was at a low. Why? He was already frustrated by what had happened with Kannei and him. He knew he was digging his own grave, and he hated how he was lying. The thought of living a lie had never crossed his mind. In fact, lying had never been a part of his life. He was going against all that he had believed in and that was exactly what irked him.

To forget all that he could, he worked, but he expected everyone to work at his pace. He was ordering his staff to prepare for the Christmas campaign, and what was worse was that the problems had all surfaced that day. Now, the phone was ringing constantly. Apparently, on several of the flyers, the ending date of the anniversary sale was printed a day late. Rhett had remembered checking the flyers, yet his employee had made this silly error. Now, he was to pay.

“Mr. Jung,” one of his workers, Reina, had answered, “The CEO is seeking you. He wants you to meet him now at his office.”

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Chapter 19: Beautifully Flawed from Rebirth

      Because Theo was enraged that Saburo and I left her at the brothel, I could only tag along with the Koseian Princes, Trenton, or Cael. After the trip with Saburo, he didn’t seem to mind if I stayed beside him. At the gardens, I would read a novel, while he played his bamboo flute. From time to time, however, he would reveal that look of dolor. Those moments proved to be more than disconcerting. He seemed to be remembering what pained him, and so, I would leave. I would challenge Trenton to a fight; of course, I had to be Ren during that time. Trenton would usually win due to his strength and when I grew tired of combats, I would follow Cael, who was always with Verrill or Ichiro. Verill tended to glower at me, merely bothered by my presence. Ichiro, on the other hand, treated me like his sister. He would remind me to be wary of this and that and occasionally lecture me for some trifling mistake. As for Kuro, I had no idea where he went as if he had magically vanished from these castle walls. No one seemed to care if he was gone either.

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TFDL: Prelude - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The End of the Party: The Hidden Devil Confronts the Femme Fatale and the Mom Suffers

It was close to the end of the party, where more than half of the guests had already left. Changmin had been wrathfully observing Naomi, but it wasn’t his fault that he was angry. Of all the women in the world, Junsu had picked her as his girlfriend. Naomi’s behaviour towards Changmin was already questionable; that sort of communication was unacceptable for someone who had a boyfriend. It was wrong, despicably wrong. For once, Changmin wanted to interfere with someone else’s life, and so, he approached Naomi, who was finally alone at the buffet table.

“What do you want?” Changmin roared from behind.

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Tiny News to Share

Hi!

So, I've signed up on soompi to participate in the gokon event. For those that don't know what I'm talking about, it's where writers and readers get paired up, but you don't know who is paired with whom. As a writer, you're given a prompt. Then, you're supposed to use that prompt to write something. This time, I signed up as a writer and the prompt was to write a script.

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Chapter 18: Saburo Rin from Rebirth

      Today was the day where I would learn the meaning of a name, Saburo Rin. Saburo Rin could be regarded as the most heartless man in the four kingdoms due to his countless love affairs. He would have said they were games, not love affairs. Somehow, I was part of his game. I had forgotten how he managed to convince Theo and me to join him on his trip to town, Urca, until Theo mentioned, “Ah! I cannot believe we’re going to the Ecstasy.” 

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