Chapter 199
Seoul, Korea
Hotel’s Athletics Center
Rain rocked back and forth from her toes to her heels and back again as the elevator descended to the lower levels where the pools are located. She has wanted to go swimming for a while at the hotel pools, but she never brought it up to Kita.
Now, because Kita had to go up to the suite Rain was forbidden from going to for security reasons, he was taking her down to the pool to swim while he spoke with Prince Riku.
“I will not be long,” Kita promised.
“I know,” Rain said, looking up at him and smiled. “I need to float and sink in order to clear my head. You are more than welcome to join me when you’re done. I’d immensely enjoy floating in your arms before calling it a night.”
Kita nodded when the doors opened on the floor of the athletics center. “It should not take long to tell him then coordinate his guards to take him to the hospital if he wants to go, which he will. I will have guards posted down here and they will protect you until I can join you. Are you certain you do not want to stay in the suite until I am finished?”
“I will be okay,” she promised, following him down the hallway. “Just a short swim then I’ll wait for you to join me.”
Again, Kita nodded. “I will not be long,” he promised before heading to the security desk. “Snowdrop Suite, Seon Rain, one for protection until I return,” he instructed.
The guard nodded and entered the information into the system. “Pool or spa?”
“Pool,” Rain said. “Small one. Not doing laps. Just sinking to the bottom in order to think.”
The guard, Wei, gave her a look before smiling. “Very well. A mikveh pool?”
Kita shook his head. “Not deep enough for this purpose. Just a small single lap pool. Is Vann available?”
The guard nodded and scanned Kita’s access card, updating the access so he could get into the Vann pool. “One hour access.”
“Can you have a guard posted please?” Kita asked.
Wei looked from Kita to Rain. “I will arrange it. Is there a risk I need to be aware of?”
“No,” Kita said in a clipped tone.
“I’ll be okay,” Rain assured him. “Hurry and do what you need to and I will be waiting.”
With much reluctance, Kita bowed and turned her over to the young guard.
Rain watched him go. She hated it when they were apart, but this was something he had to do on his own. Not to mention, the risk of being in the vicinity of the Princess was too much to risk.
“This way, Ma’am,” Wei said, motioning for Rain to walk with him. “It is against the rules, but I have to ask, are you Myo Mi-Sun?”
She nodded. “I am.”
“I’m a huge fan,” he said with a smile. “I discovered your work when I moved to South Korea for school.”
“Where are you from?” she asked.
“Pireas, Greece,” Wei said. “My mother is Greek and my father is Korean. I went to school in Europe before finishing up my masters in Seoul.”
“You have a master’s degree but you are a guard?” Rain asked, confused. “What is your degree in?”
Wei blushed. “Music. My mother is a classically trained pianist, my father a solider turned NIS Agent that is also a world class cellist on the weekends. I followed in both of their footsteps, in a matter of speaking. Father got me a job here until I figure out what to do with my degrees or life.”
He reached around her and unlocked the door to the private pool then pulled it open.
The lights flickered on and illuminated the pool area; sparkling white and turquoise glass tiles shimmered in the overhead lights, making it appear like the white sandy beaches and turquoise waters they went snorkeling in on their vacation. Water inlets and returns circulated the water, causing it to shimmer.
“There is a private changing room and wash room over there where you can hang up your robe and grab a towel. Would you like me to put music on?” Wei asked.
Rain smiled. “No thank you. I won’t be able to hear it under the water anyway. You don’t have to stick around. Kita is just very protective and his gut is telling him something is going to happen. It’s been a very rough week for the family.”
Wei bowed. “I will stay posted as requested, Ma’am. You will be safe in my care,” he promised.
Rain bowed in return. “Thank you, Mister Wei. Once day I would like to hear you play, whatever you like, but it would be an honor to hear you play.”
A smile filled his face. “It would an honor to play for you,” Wei said, bowing again.
After hanging up her robe, Rain slipped into the water and allowed her body to adjust to the temperature. It wasn’t’ nearly as hot as bathwater but it was warmer than an outdoor pool.
On the walls at both ends of the pool were digital clocks that allowed for a swimmer to record and split their lap time. With each push off the wall, one clock would stop and the next would start, the cycle repeating with each lap.
Rain wasn’t a lap swimmer.
Yes, she could swim, but not nearly as well as Kita, Lucien, or Lula can.
While on vacation, she was very impressed with their diving ability and how proficient they are in the water. Rain had never snorkeled before so Lucien taught her with Kita’s supervision; it was beyond anything she had ever experienced before! It was as if she was in the Coex Aquarium and swimming with the fish, dolphins and stingrays.
Rain looked to the clock then took a breath before hitting the button and allowed her body to sink into the water.
The lap pool was two-meters deep, deeper than she was used to, but it worked for her purpose.
Straight to the bottom, wait, then to the surface.
Six minutes down.
Six minutes above surface.
Repeat.
Six minutes of utter and complete silence.
Six minutes of freedom where she could float or sink and just listen to herself think, and to organized the chaos of emotions she’s been struggling with since the explosion that may cost Lucien his life.
Six minutes to find her calm, her center, so she can put on a strong front for Kita…
He needed her strength right now.
Rain had heard Lula and Kita talking before Lula went to the Lilac Suite.
Kita’s words about how he feels towards her, how valiantly he wanted to protect her, and he told his sister what they did…
That was a heavy burden taken off Rain’s shoulders.
Truth was, she was terrified of what Lula would say when she found out the truth of what they did in Valencia.
To have her reluctant acceptance of Rain being in her big brother’s life was a huge burden lifted off Rain’s shoulders.
Lula still terrified her.
But baby steps.
That what Kita told her would be needed.
Baby steps.
Rain pushed off the bottom of the pool to the surface and took a deep breath.
When she did, she rubbed her eyes to clear the water from them.
Laying on the deck of the pool was Wei in a puddle of blood.
Rain’s eyes widened before something wrapped around her ankle and pulled her back under the water.
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