A Royal Engagement

Not Yet

(DAYU)

I sat beside my father as he reads his newpaper. Reading the newspaper has been his morning rituals since time immemorial. Since I had my memory, I always had this fact. It's morning, my father will read his newspaper.

"Baba..."

"No," my father turn the page of the paper while hiding his face from me.

"Well, you cannot ignore me forever." I pouted at him.

"I can and I will as long as you won't stop harping about marrying the Crown Prince," is what he replied.

"I can elope with him," I threatened him.

"Go. And never show your face to me again," my father turned the page again.

"Baba!" I want to snatch those papers away so he will face me. "I am serious. I will really elope with Qing and you will never see me again. I will just leave ninja messages to Mama to tell her where we can see each other behind your back. She will lie to you one day, saying that she will just buy tofu for the soup because she forgot to buy one this morning but in truth she will meet me in the supermarket. I am wearing a Prada trenchcoat and skirt and a five inched pumps on my feet, you forced me to dress like a woman, while Mama and I will cry and hug on the fish section of the supermarket surrounded by sea bass and salmon and fresh osyters. You force us to hug with seafoods!" I cried out. "You! It's you who will force us to do that!"

My father put down the newspaper and gave me a "are you crazy, boy" look.

I look down and started picking the loose thread on my cut out jeans. "Remember, tofu and seafoods." I mumbled.

I heard my father sigh. "Start going out on blind dates to meet other men. Go clubbing again. I will give you money,"

My mouth hanged open at what he said. "Y-you want me to go c-clubbing? And meet other men?Baba!" I stomped my foot on the tiled floor of our home. He is speaking blasphemous words. Other men? Like there is another man for me but Wang Qing?

"Dayu!" He gave me a squinty look behind his glasses. "Stop shouting my name, I can hear you."

"Baba! Baba!" I slid closer to him and hug his bulkier frame. "I will be the good son you always wanted. I will do whatever you want. Just let me marry Qing and I will be the best son. I will take care of you. I will not put you in home for aged senior citizens. Are you a senior citizen now? Never mind. I will convince Qing to let you have your and Mama's twice a year medicals in the Palace, the physicians there are good and discreet. They will never tell me when you are scheduled to have your prostate checked. I will ask Qing to let you guys use the honeymoon suite at the Royal Hotel here in Beijing at your anniversary. Free servings of steak dinner and champagne with strawberry dipped in chocolate." I moaned in his chest. "Baba. I love him..."

My father pushed me away using his one hand. I refused to let him go. "If you didn't mention prostate exam, I would have said yes already..."

"No prostate exam!"

"Nope, you already said it. Cannot be unsaid. I am ashamed of you. Stay away. And no! No marrying the Crown Prince. You want a Prince? I will go to England and kidnap that bachelor Prince Harry of Britain."

I let him go and slid away from him. "You are forcing me to do this. Fine! I have no choice now but to tell you the truth. Baba...I am dying..."

My father was stunned. Then he frowned. "Dying? How?"

"Heart failure..."

My father rolled his eyes, "Will this be sappy and cringy romantic?"