Chapter 17
Seoul, Korea
Snowdrop Suite
Kita inserted his security card into the electronic reader on an unadorned black door before pushing it open and went inside, dropping the luggage inside as he went.
Dae-Ho wrapped his arm around Rain’s waist. “This is exciting!” he beamed. “I feel like I’m in Pretty Woman meets James Bond, though you’re the one that’s been whorish lately.”
“Oh shut it,” Rain whined and allowed her cousin to drag her into the suite. “I’ve never done a lewd thing in my life… Oh wow,” her words trailed off.
“It looks like an apartment,” Dae-Ho said. “A poorly decorated one you’d see in a travel magazine for Western Europe, but an apartment nonetheless.”
The spacious suite had a wall of windows overlooking the Han River that ran along the back of the building. Privacy curtains lowered with the press of a button. The furniture was modern in design with metal and leather. Modern art hung on the white walls, and the tall ceilings were illuminated by modern light fixtures that hung down. Living spaces were clearly marked by their furniture; kitchen, dining room, living room, office, and doors leading to the bedrooms and bathrooms.
“This will cost Uncle a fortune,” Rain whispered, wiping her eyes. “It is too much.”
Lula looked at her; that wasn’t the response she was expecting. “It is European in design because we are European and it is a way to have a piece of home with us since we are far from it. It is the Snowdrop Suite-”
“Like the flower?” Rain asked.
Lula nodded. “Everything is named after a region specific animal or flower for security purposes. This suite is more modern Dutch thus it has a Dutch flower name. The building’s guards know the name of each suite and location by their codename. I had connections that I used to get it, but if it is not to your liking I can see if they have anything with more of an Asian flavor, as they say.”
“No, it’s fine,” Rain assured her, sensing that she offended Lula by her comment. “It’s just… It’s too much. Uncle will go bankrupt over this expense.”
Lucien headed to one of the rooms. “She is adorable,” he commented.
“Chairman Hu is not paying for this,” Lula explained, picking up the bags Kita dropped. “You had insurance on the home that was lost in the fire. After many heated phone calls and a favor or two that was called in, the insurance company is paying for your lodging until the investigation has concluded and a new dwelling has been built. That can take years, and they are now aware of that and have agreed to cover your housing until then. Miss Seon Rain, your room will be through there.”
Rain followed Lula to the room she was heading to.
Like the rest of the suite, it was furnished in modern furniture and artwork. The large bed took up a portion of the room, a vanity was next to the closet, there was a desk with stationary, burrow, and a doorway lead to the bathroom.
“Will this work?” Lula asked when Rain stood in the doorway, looking around the room as if she was scared to enter.
“It is too much,” she humbly said with a bow.
Lula wasn’t sure what to say; the young woman gave her very little to work with and it was hard to get a read on her.
That was what Lula did; read people.
With Seon Rain, Lula wasn’t sure what to make of the young woman. She was as timid as a field mouse, unbelievably awkward, struggled to articulate herself, and was a walking disaster. As amused as Lucien was with Rain and Kita’s bumbling interactions, Lula wasn’t finding amusement in them in the least.
It was a liability.
“Get settled,” Lula said with a smile. “When you are ready, we will have dinner. I think it would be easier for everyone to simply get to know each other over dinner. This type of security is unusual compared to the traditional guard detail that we are used to. And you and Dae-Ho are not used to this type of thing. Please, freshen up and unpack then we will dine.”
Rain bowed. “I fear your brother does not want to see me anymore than he has today. No need to torment him with dinner company that he loathes because it will only make things more difficult for our working relationship.”
“True,” Lula agreed. “There is a Japanese saying, ‘Melon field, under a plum tree.’”
Rain gave her a look.
“It roughly means avoid actions that could be taken on bad faith, such as the misunderstanding that you want to steal the fruits of the melon field and plum tree.”
“Stealing the fruit or not, your brother can’t stomach to be in the same room as me, let alone share a table,” Rain argued in a rush.
“With my big brother, don’t take him for face value,” Lula said. “The last time someone bloodied him was in a life or death situation that he barely survived,” she said, purposely keeping her voice down so Kita didn’t hear. “You bloodied him by simply apologizing. You can’t fault yourself for that, and neither can he. We are only half-French. The other half of our heritage and genetics is that of Japan where bowing is common, thus it was his fault for making you feel as if you had to apologize.”
Rain hated that Lula seemingly had a counter for each of her arguments, especially when all she wanted was to be left alone in her room for the rest of her life. “Is there not another Japanese saying, ‘Even sea bream is not delicious when eaten in loneliness’,” Rain argued. “It is not what you eat, but who you eat it with that matters,” she explained, causing Lula to cock an eyebrow. “Your brother doesn’t want to be in the same room as me, and he surely has no longing to eat a meal with me either. And I have no longing to share a meal with him. Dae-Ho will fill me in on everything you share with him and he’s an open book when it comes to me and my needs. I’m going to bed.” She bowed again.
Lula nodded. “Very well. If you need anything, just let us know,” she said with a slight nod of the head then closed the bedroom door behind her.
Lula turned on her heels and went in search of the root cause of this new issue, one that would be lucky to not be walking without a limp when she was done with him.
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