B L O O D W / R

C H A P T E R IX

The longer needle on the clock was getting further away from number 12 while the shorter one was slightly shifted from number 9. It would not be long until Ruby Jane Kim took the throne and held the title Kim-Sama. You could probably count the witnesses in the hall somewhere in Seoul, where Ruby Jane's supposed-to-be wedding was held, by fingers, yet it still created a commotion in the room, the air was lively as subtle murmurs were thrown from one person to another. Everyone in the room was excited, after all, they were on a happy occasion—even more so that the happy occasion would also be followed by a historical event; a historical event where the heir of The Kim Empire would be coronated and took over the throne.

Kim Jongin—Kai, had been standing at the altar. His chin was up, his build was sturdy—looking dashing and dapper. Kai was more than ready to be married to the heir. He looked at his family, the proud look on his father's face along with his mother's teary eyes, somehow it made him feel as if he had made it. He made it. The groom had nothing but a smile going from his left ear to his right on his face, right from the moment he stepped into the building until the moment the cellist and pianist started their music.

It was his cue.

It was time.

The soft calm melody filled the hall with an aisle laid from the entrance all the way to a beautiful altar where the groom and the officiant waiting for Ruby Jane Kim—the bride. She was supposed to show her shadow once the intro started, went through the hall entrance as the song entered its first verse, halfway through the aisle as the chorus was sung, and finally being handed over to Kai as the song came to an end.

But none of those happened.

It was when the chorus was sung that everybody in the room was aware that things did not add up—something was wrong. By everybody, it was Julian and his wife, Kim Min Ah—the woman he married four years ago, along with his family; James Kim and his, which included Jisoo and her older siblings, and also the cousin's oba-sama, the youngest of the three Kims, Sandara Kim who went solo to the wedding. While on Kai's side, along with his parents, there was also his sister, who went from happy to confuse in a matter of minutes.

The music finally came to an end after what was felt much like an eternity—exactly two minutes and thirty-eight seconds, when a figure finally appeared from the entrance. But instead of a beautiful bride in white appeared, it was a well-built man; face stoic as if he just came out of a gory crime scene or perhaps, he just encountered a ghost—there was no in-between, his blue eyes were frozen yet still composed, surely uncertainty came rarely to him, his dirty blonde hair was sleeked neatly back, complementing his attire, a suit pressing his tall steady figure. The man walked as if he was gliding, approaching the bride's side of the family, then to Julian, he softly spoke. Julian leaned slightly to the man catching every single word uttered, looking calm as he nodded in understanding. The older Kim inhaled his deep breath, there was no emotion portrayed on his face. He held such a high self-composure that it intrigued every eye in the room with the same thoughts.

What was happening?

The hall gave in to the silence offered by the stillness of the room. The excitement suddenly found its end and was quickly subbed by anxiety. It did not take long until the man left the room the soonest as he finished bringing Julian the latest news.

Ruby Jane Kim had left the building.

Julian Kim held his ground even after such news was brought up to his attention. He was sitting calmly—a bit too calmly, considering he was one whose daughter had just run away from her supposed-to-be marriage. The one who could not control the anxiety that seemingly had found its way to display on his exterior was none other than the supposed-to-be groom. From his lenses, Kai could already see how the odds were not in his favour—and it was at the moment when Julian finally got up from his seat that Kai knew he was fucked.