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writetomyheart2014-10-15 01:46 am
jojibear.livejournal.com) wrote in writetomyheart2014-10-15 01:46 am
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[Team One] More Than Pretty Enough
This is not what I had planned to write but oh well! More Regency!AU not-quite-ChenYin to soothe the angst I'd created in the last Regency!Au installment (which you can read here if you missed it).
As usual, for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
xkeirafanx and edae.
/passes on the baton to you, April!
As usual, for
xkeirafanx and edae."I look" - Liyin frowned down at the dress she had come to the modiste to try on, her forehead knitting together in consternation - "utterly ridiculous."
From the nearby sofa, Jongdae's mother laughed lightly, her amusement hidden behind the fan she always carried around when Liyin raised her head.
"I think you look glorious, m'dear," her future mother-in-law complemented, watching her with twinkling eyes. Her eyes swept the length of Liyin's dress, then added, "Primrose really does become you."
Liyin looked back down at the dress with furrowed brows, picking up the net silk overlay of her skirt with two fingers. "Is this not a bit…" She paused, looking for the word.
"A bit…?" the matron prompted, curious of Liyin's opinion.
She dropped the skirt and looked directly at Mrs Kim. "Somehow, I cannot help but feel that this" - she gestured to the dress, waving one arm up and down to emphasise her point - "although really pretty, is a little too much. Certainly, it is entirely too pretty for me to wear."
"Ah," the matron breathed out in understanding, "I see what the problem is."
Before Liyin could ask what Mrs Kim was talking about, the older woman stood from her seat and dismissed the seamstress, waving her out of the private parlour. Then, she strode across the room and gripped Liyin by the shoulder, pushing them back so Liyin stood up straight.
"Liyin, m'dear," she began, leaning forward so that she could look at the other closely, seriously, "do you know why my son is often upset by you?"
Liyin jerked in surprise, then shook her head quickly.
"It is because you do not show your confidence often enough," Mrs Kim said sternly. "You are beautiful. You are more beautiful than most - if not, I daresay, all - of the debutantes who have been clamouring for my son's attention, and this goes beyond physical beauty. It takes more than good looks to pique my son's interest, and you have more than simply captured his attention - you have trapped it and made him a slave to your whims.
"But you are so painfully unaware of this, preferring to shy away into the corner of gatherings than notice how your acquaintances praise you to the skies. And this upsets Jongdae a great deal because he wishes you would see yourself how he sees you: a majestic beauty surpassed only by the beauty of your heart."
Liyin was close to tears now, moved by the matron's words, and the older woman gently ran the pads of her thumbs over Liyin's cheekbones soothingly.
"You will soon be my son's wife, Miss Zhang," she continued, leaning even closer so their foreheads touched. "One day, you will take my place as the Mistress of the house, and I sincerely believe that there is no-one more suited to the role than you. You are kind without being weak-hearted, understanding without easily bending to another's will, beautiful without being vain, and I could list so many more qualities that you possess and I would never run out of things to praise you with.
"But first, you must believe. You must believe that what we say is true. You must believe and make it a part of yourself, understand?"
Unable to speak, Liyin nodded, her eyes slipping close as she tried to hold back her tears.
"Then, we shall begin with you believing that you are more than pretty enough to wear this dress on your wedding day."
From the nearby sofa, Jongdae's mother laughed lightly, her amusement hidden behind the fan she always carried around when Liyin raised her head.
"I think you look glorious, m'dear," her future mother-in-law complemented, watching her with twinkling eyes. Her eyes swept the length of Liyin's dress, then added, "Primrose really does become you."
Liyin looked back down at the dress with furrowed brows, picking up the net silk overlay of her skirt with two fingers. "Is this not a bit…" She paused, looking for the word.
"A bit…?" the matron prompted, curious of Liyin's opinion.
She dropped the skirt and looked directly at Mrs Kim. "Somehow, I cannot help but feel that this" - she gestured to the dress, waving one arm up and down to emphasise her point - "although really pretty, is a little too much. Certainly, it is entirely too pretty for me to wear."
"Ah," the matron breathed out in understanding, "I see what the problem is."
Before Liyin could ask what Mrs Kim was talking about, the older woman stood from her seat and dismissed the seamstress, waving her out of the private parlour. Then, she strode across the room and gripped Liyin by the shoulder, pushing them back so Liyin stood up straight.
"Liyin, m'dear," she began, leaning forward so that she could look at the other closely, seriously, "do you know why my son is often upset by you?"
Liyin jerked in surprise, then shook her head quickly.
"It is because you do not show your confidence often enough," Mrs Kim said sternly. "You are beautiful. You are more beautiful than most - if not, I daresay, all - of the debutantes who have been clamouring for my son's attention, and this goes beyond physical beauty. It takes more than good looks to pique my son's interest, and you have more than simply captured his attention - you have trapped it and made him a slave to your whims.
"But you are so painfully unaware of this, preferring to shy away into the corner of gatherings than notice how your acquaintances praise you to the skies. And this upsets Jongdae a great deal because he wishes you would see yourself how he sees you: a majestic beauty surpassed only by the beauty of your heart."
Liyin was close to tears now, moved by the matron's words, and the older woman gently ran the pads of her thumbs over Liyin's cheekbones soothingly.
"You will soon be my son's wife, Miss Zhang," she continued, leaning even closer so their foreheads touched. "One day, you will take my place as the Mistress of the house, and I sincerely believe that there is no-one more suited to the role than you. You are kind without being weak-hearted, understanding without easily bending to another's will, beautiful without being vain, and I could list so many more qualities that you possess and I would never run out of things to praise you with.
"But first, you must believe. You must believe that what we say is true. You must believe and make it a part of yourself, understand?"
Unable to speak, Liyin nodded, her eyes slipping close as she tried to hold back her tears.
"Then, we shall begin with you believing that you are more than pretty enough to wear this dress on your wedding day."
/passes on the baton to you, April!
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*screeches some more*
...I think I know where Jongdae got his cheesiness from.
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jd mama is pure sunshine aaawww
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And hello you ♥ I hope your day was good~