Something Beautiful
Chapter - 46

Yugyeom fulfills his grandmother's call to walk into the sitting room and finds the woman standing in front of the window, watching the beautiful trains returning from Upper Brook Street from the daytime ritual parading in the park.

"Let's go, Yugyeom," called the woman in the most authoritative tone of voice. "Look down the street and tell me what you saw."

Yugyeom peeked out of the window. "The horse-drawn carriages came back from the park, same thing every day."

"And what else do you see?"

"I saw Lisa coming home on one of those trains with Joshua Hong, and where their train was also accompanied by trains from various circles of noble families in London," Yugyeom chuckled. "Joshua sent me a letter wanting to speak to me personally this afternoon. So did a dozen other noble youths. They want to propose to him of course."

"Sure," repeated the grim grandmother, "and that's exactly what I meant. Today is exactly like any other day for almost a month. The admirers came in crowds, made a traffic jam, and jostled in the sitting room below, but Lisa had no intention of getting married, and she made it clear to all of them. Even so, they still marched to this house carrying a wreath, then galloped out with angry eyes."

"Well, Grandmama," Yugyeom tried to calm down.

"Don't say, 'Nah Grandmama' to me," the old woman said, surprising Yugyeom with her anger. "I may be old, but I'm not stupid. I can see something very unpleasant, very dangerous, happening in front of my eyes! Lisa gave that kind of a challenge to your stupid people. As soon as Lisa learned of Mingyu's feelings for her, and Seungkwan became her backer, only overnight did she begin to change and shine. When that happens, his relationship with this family and the dowry you and I decided he should have, becomes an attractive package for any bachelor who wants to have a wife."

The grandmother paused for a moment, waiting for her grandson to refute, but Yugyeom only looked at her while remaining silent. "If Lisa had shown a little interest in one man, or even liked a certain type of man," continued the grandmother, "the others might have given up and stepped aside, but he didn't show any sign. And inevitably I'm forced to blame all your people."

"My lady?" Yugyeom parroted in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean if a man sees something that seems far beyond the reach of others, then of course, that man should try to reach for it to prove he can take it." He paused for a moment to scowl in an accusatory manner to the bewildered Yugyeom. "That's a bad trait that men have had since they were born. Just try to get into the playroom and see the baby boy and his brothers. No matter if the child is bigger or smaller than him, the baby boy will try to snatch away any toys that other children are fighting over. Of course, it wasn't that they wanted the toy, he just wanted to prove that he could get it."

"Thank you, Grandmama," said Yugyeom flatly, "for condemning half the world's population."

"I'm just presenting the facts. You'll never see my people in line to sign up if there's a ridiculous contest."

"It's true."

"And that's exactly what happened here. The contestants grow more and more interested in the challenge and join the register trying to get Lisa. It's bad enough if he's just that, a challenge, but he's now become something worse, very bad."

"What's that?" yugyeom asked, but he frowned at his grandmother's intelligent assessment of the increasingly complicated and exhausting situation.

"Lisa has become a 'gift'" replied the grim grandmother. "He is now a gift that will be contested, or earned, by the first man who is quite reckless and intelligent." Yugyeom opened his mouth, but his grandmother raised her jewelry-filled hand and waved to silence Yugyeom's protest.

"Don't bother telling me that it won't happen, because I know it's already happened. As I know, three days ago, a young man took a short walk to Cadbury and Lisa agreed to go with him."

"One of her rejected admirers heard it heralded her plans to take Lisa to her country home in Wilton instead of Cadbury, and would have her stay there overnight. The man delivered the news to you. You, as far as I can tell, caught up with that damn young man and Lisa an hour away from here, before they got to Wilton, and took him home, and told the young man that I asked Lisa for her company. And I think your actions are pretty wise. If only you had gotten carried away with your emotions and asked for a duel, you would not only have worsened Lisa's reputation but also compounded our problems tenfold."

"But anyway," Yugyeom spoke up, "Lisa until now had absolutely no idea of the jerk's youth's plans that day. I don't see any reason why I should scare her. I asked him not to see the man again, and he agreed."

"Then what about the other boys? I heard someone's taking Lisa to the night market! The whole city of London talks about it."

"Lisa's little time loves to go to the night market. He had absolutely no idea that he shouldn't go there."

"The boys should be gentlemanly" said the granny. "They know better. What influenced them to be willing to bring an innocent girl like Lisa to such a place!"

"You just got to the heart of the matter" Yugyeom replied tiredly as he rubbed his nape. "Lisa's a widow, not a girl. Some good gentlemanly attitudes sometimes don't apply when dealing with experienced women, especially if the woman makes them intoxicated, as Lisa did."

"I can't say Lisa is an experienced woman at all! She's not even a woman yet."

Although the matter was so complicated, Yugyeom smiled widely at her grandmother's inappropriate description of the alluring young woman with a charming smile and beautiful curves. But the grin soon disappeared when the problem re-emerged on the surface.

"Have they done it?"

"Just two or three people, but they were busy whispering into the ear of the right person. You and I both know how easily one rumor triggers another, and if fanned, it spreads in all directions. In the end everyone will hear it and start believing the gossip is true."

"How bad?"

"Not so bad, not yet. By this time all the rejected admirers had succeeded in spreading the harmless little event that Lisa had done."

"For example?"

Yugyeom shrugged his shoulders. "Lisa spent the weekend at Southeby, attending a party. He and a gentleman agreed to ride in the morning and leave the cage at about eight in the morning. They haven't been home until dusk, and when they finally get home, Lisa's clothes look ripped and ruffled."

"Oh my God!" exclaimed the grandmother clutching her chest in horror.

Yugyeom smiled widely. "The man was seventy years old and he was a priest in Southeby. The man wanted to point out the location of the old cemetery he accidentally discovered last week, so Lisa could admire the gravestones the man had seen there. Unfortunately, the man could not remember the exact location, and when they found the cemetery a few hours later, he could not remember, Lisa was completely lost and the old man was too tired from riding for so long that he was afraid of riding on his horse. Of course Lisa can't go home without being with the guy, even though she wants to, but she certainly doesn't."

"What about the dress?"

"The faith in her riding dress is torn."

"Then the incident is worthless to tell."

"To be exact, but the story has been repeated and peppered here and there so that it is now something indecent. The best way out for us is to hire a fierce old woman to be Lisa's companion wherever she goes. But if we do that, especially in the midst of the rumors that are circulating, everyone will think we do not trust him anymore. Anyway, it'll ruin Lisa's fun."

"Omong empty!" the grandmother said stubbornly. "Lisa's not having fun, and that's exactly why I asked you to come see me here. He traveled to and fro, teasing, smiling, and bringing men to their knees before him for only one reason, which was to prove to Mingyu that he could do it. To show the late Mingyu that he could defeat the man in his own game. If all his admirers fall to the ground, he won't know, and if he does, he won't care."

Yugyeom. "I don't feel like a typical stroll to the night market, or horse racing in Hyde Park, or the various harmless little acts that Lisa does are arguably 'beat Mingyu in his own game'."

"Even so," said the grandmother, not to be outdone, "that's what she did, though I don't think she was aware of it. Don't you agree?"

Yugyeom hesitated then reluctantly shook his head. "No, I think what you're saying is appropriate."

"Of course" said his grandmother wholeheartedly. "Do you also agree that Lisa's current situation could put her reputation and future at risk, moreover, doesn't this situation seem to be getting worse?"

Facing her grandmother's fierce gaze and her precise assessment of reality, Yugyeom could only put her hand in her pocket and let out a sigh. "I agree."

"Good," said the woman, strangely looking satisfied. "Then I knew you'd understand if I didn't want to stay in London forever, especially since the house was overrun by Lisa's admirers, waiting anxiously for one of them to do what the young men who trapped Lisa, or did something worse to her, were trying to do to us. I want to spend the rest of my life at Rosemeade. But I can't do it because Lisa will definitely accompany me there, and it will make her future darker than here, but for different reasons. The only way out left was to let her stay here with you, and it was completely absurd. It'll only cause a big scandal." The woman was silent for a moment, staring fixedly at Yugyeom, waiting for the man's reply as if it was a very important moment.

"Both of those exits can't be done" Yugyeom agreed.

The grandmother snatched the opportunity with a sense of joy that could not be covered. "I knew you'd see this situation exactly as I did. You're a very understanding and soulful man, Yugyeom."

"Eh, thank you Grandmama," said Yugyeom, clearly amazed to hear the praise of his grandmother who usually ketus it.

"And now because we know we agree," continued the grandmother, "I want to ask for your help."

"Please, ask for anything."

"Married Lisa."