Hidden Love
Han Yu Pin Yin: Cang Ai
Author: Jennifer
Source: AAE Village
Translators: Evie

Today is Sunday and he is at home all alone...no where to go...going to bore to death already, so thought of calling her out but she already told him two days ago on the phone that she have something on this weekend.
In the end he decided to take a drive at Olympics road in the afternoon.

Although, in Korea it is unable to drive fast along the highway just like in England but the scenery along the highway in Korea is beautiful so in a way it is another type of enjoyment too. Furthermore, this is one of his mum favorite place in Seoul. Everytime when he comes back to Seoul, he will definitely take her here for a car ride. But she is no longer around....

It's the beginning of autumn, sun shines over the mountain, the weather is just prefect. Along both side of the road there are many tourist walking along enjoying the scenery.

After the first turning, he saw a little boy wearing blue t-shirt with a pair of brown color pants along the roadside all by himself. That little boy was standing on the tiptoe by the tree trying to pluck some wild fruits. This little boy reminded him....when he was young, he came here with his parents too for picnic, but was punished by them as he was too playful. He went to some other places to play without his parents knowledge...Thinking back of the past he couldn't help it but laughed at the little boy. In his mind, this little monster will definitely get a good scolding from his parents.

Suddenly, a familiar face flashed infront of him. He stop his car slowly by the roadside.

That person...is San Mei...she looks extremely worried and was talking to a bunch of kids at the same time as though asking them something.

He got down from his car, walked quickly to behind San Mei.

"Think carefully, did anyone of you see where Lee Zheng Hau walked to or not?"
She lost one of the children, how can she be so careless...blaming herself for not paying full attention to all the children. She have been searching everywhere for Zheng Hau for quite sometime already and have asked a lot of people whether did anyone see this little boy or not...but no one sees this boy.

"No...we have no idea....." Kids were still laughing around and playing with each other ...they have no idea how serious is the situation now.

"San Mei, what happened?" He asked her.

"Xue Zhang!" She turned around and saw him... The moment she saw him, her eyes all becomes red and watery already...
"What am I supposed to do, Xue Zhang? How?"

He put his hand on her shoulders, and speaks to her softly and gentlely to calm her down.
"Don't panic first ok? Tell me slowly what had happened?"
"I lost a kid......." She is so worried until going to cry already....
He tried to think carefully whether did he see any suspicious little boy along the way before he saw her...

"Is the little boy wearing blue t-shirt with a pair of brown color pants?"
"Yes!....... , how did you know?" She grab his hand and hold it tightly, staring into his eyes.
"I saw him somewhere infront there just now."
She got help from the park attendant to take care of the rest of the children, and hurrily got into his car to go back to look for Zheng Hau.

Not very far, there was Zheng Hau happily walking back to the assembly place with a handful of wild fruits...only then she felt relieved.
Looking at Zheng Hau safe and sound, she couldn't help as tears flowed down her cheeks...
Saw her crying next to him, he was stunned....
"Why are you crying now, San Mei? The boy is fine isn't it?"
She took out handkerchief wiping off her tears, "I'm just too happy!"
He stare at her, shaking his head and laughed at her, "Now I know...you are those that cry when extremely happy, right?"
She laughed at him...

Worried that she might couldn't handle so many children at one time, he decided to stay back to help her.

"Children, you all must be good and listen to San Mei Onni, if all of you listen to Onni, I'll take you all to McDonalds, deal?"

All the kids were jumping around in joy.
This trick works well on those little monster...they really behaved well and started playing at the field.
She smile, " Xue Zhang, it never crossed my mind before that you are good at children too."
"Yup...and I'm not just good at children, I'm good with 'big' kid too you know...?" Staring at her while smiling 'cheekily'...
'Big' kid? Is he implying her?

She blushed, asked him softly, "Who is that 'big' kid?"
"You know her too, all the time in London I have to keep her accompany to everywhere and be her psychiatrist.."
She stare at him angrily , slowly lift up her left hand....and then punched him!
"Ouch! What a fierce woman..! Not worry that no one wants to marry you in the future!?"
"None of your business!" She pouted her lips.
He likes to see angry because he never see anyone looks so cute when they are angry.

Both of them sitting on the bench by the field looking at those kids, she peeled an orange and gave 1/2 to him.
"You bring these kids out all the time?"
She just told him that she works as volunteer over at children welfare organization.
"Not really la! I just come to help once a while, or whenever the welfare organization lack of staff ..."
"Next time don't ever bring out a bunch of kids out again all by yourself all right? Nowadays kids are very mischivevious, so you won't be able to handle them all alone." He explained to her.
"I know." She nodded her head.
"Actually, my friend suppose to come here with me today, but last minute she had something on and I couldn't get anyone else to keep accompany me so I had to take these kids out on my own. I just didn't want to disappoint them. Who knows I almost screwed up! There won't be second time already!" She sticked out her tongue.

"San Mei Onni! Xue Zhang Oppa! Come and join us!"
Because of she greets him as Xue Zhang, the kids automatically greets him as Xue Zhang Oppa.
"Let's go! Let's join the kids now!"
He stood up and pull her to the field together with him to join the kids.

Both of them lead a group kids for baseball game. The loser have to buy the winner ice-cream so the kids play extremely hard to make sure they will get the ice-cream. This Sunday afternoon pass over happily and smoothly with him and a bunch of mischievous around her.

After all the parents came to bring back their children, it is already 5pm.
"Xue Zhang, Thanks a lot."
The last kid just left with his parents...she took a deep breath...feeling relieved that all the children went home safe and sound.
If it is not because of him, things won't goes smoothly...

"You're welcome. I have lots of fun too."
Throughout the whole afternoon, it's full of her and the children laughter only, same goes to him...long time never have so much fun.
"The last time I played baseball is in primary school times, today it felt just like going back to my childhood times." She smile happily.
"Zhen San Mei, I didn't know that you are such a good baseball player!" He laughed at her.
'Well...there are more about me that you don't know yet!" She replied him smilingly.....

Took a look at his watch and said to her, "If you really want to thank me, then buy me dinner."
She smile, "Shouldn't be a problem, but this time I'll pay for the dinner, you don't try to pay again later, all right?"

Today he just spent so many kids at McDonalds, she felt really bad over it already.

"Don't worry! No one is going to fight with you to pay for the dinner ?"

"What are you buying me for dinner?" He followed her around to Central City.
"Guest follows where the host pleases, you will know when we get there."
She took him to a famous western restaurant in the city.
"oh....I took you going to buy me Japanese food tonight." He remembers that once she mentioned before that she likes Japanese food.
"I wanted to go for Japanese food but the one I'm buying dinner likes to eat western food." She took a deep breath and sighed loudly.
When she is in London for a week with him, he took her to try all kinds of western foods, so she assumed that since he have been staying in overseas for so long, he should prefer western food then.
"You likes to assume things on your own isn't it?" He's smiling at her.
"Why? Wrong again? You don't like western food is it?" She felt bad.

The waiter just came by and passed the menu to both of them and both ordered lamb chop.

"It's not entirely wrong, I'm not a fussy person over foods, just that western food are much easier to make since I eat all alone. But ....when I'm in England, my favorite restaurant is still our Korean food restaurant opened by 100% Korean. Maybe it is because I wanted to take the opportunity to try all kinds of western foods too at the same time, so took you everywhere to eat western food when we are in London."

At that moment, she was touched by his thoughtfulness.
He is really sweet, caring and thoughtful guy.
She lowered her head cutting the lamb chop while smiling to herself.
"Zhen San Mei, what are you smiling at?"
He stare at her curiously and smiling too.
She didn't said anything, just keep on shaking her head and smiling .
He kept on asking why and being 'forced' like that...she told him in the end...
"I'm just thinking, you are so sweet, caring, thoughtful man, and good cook, and most surprisingly good at children too...so I think whomever marry you must be the happiest and luckiest woman in the world."
He couldn't help it and laugh out heartily.
"Yes...you are right...but..."
"But...you are not going to get marry right?" She finished up the sentence for him.
"Xue Zhang, I don't believe you at all!" She definitely do not believe that he is going to be single rest of his life.

She loves the dessert very much, eaten 2 pieces of blueberry cake already.
"It's very delicious, isn't it? I miss this taste very much. Xue Zhang, try this..."
She cut 1/2 of the cake and put on his plate.
Her smile is really beautiful and sweet.
"Not bad,... not too sweet and not greasy too. No wonder you like it so much. But looking at the way you are eating it, I think I won't be able to recognize in a month time." He makes fun of her. Yong Xi wouldn't eat like this, because she watched her diet very closely, worrying that she might put on weight.
"Never mind...I'll just exercise more often." She is not bothered.
She happily told him that when she was young, whenever her dad comes back from outstation, will definitely brings back a big chocolate cake for her, the happiness written on her face somehow influence him too as he felt really warmth and happiness in his heart too.

After dinner, he went out to drive the car over first.
So she went to pay the bills over at the counter but who knows, the waiter brought her a strawberry yogurt cake to her, saying that it was the gentleman with her just now who bought it.

She got in the car and got really angry at him.
"Xue Zhang, don't we agree already that tonight everything is on me? Why did you buy this cake for him?!"
"Don't you like it a lot? You were staring at the cake...so I couldn't help it to buy it for you."
He likes to see her contented smile.
He looks at her, this time she didn't fight back at all, but just that big round eyes of hers becomes watery....

He thinks that she must be angry already, so quickly apologize to her, "Look..I'm just joking with you, don't take it so hard!"
"I'm not angry at you, just felt very happy!" She wiped off her tears.
He is so relieved listening to her. "I always thought that you are capable career woman, who knows you a crybaby.."
"What are you trying to say?!" She stare widely at him...

He stop infront of her house gate...notice that it was dark inside the house...
"Uncle is not home yet?"
"Hmmm...recently construction site are quite busy, so he can't come home so often."
"In that case....do you want me to stay a little longer to keep you accompany?"
She hold on to her tears....
In her memories, her dad is always rush in and out the house, other than aunty, no one ever said this to her already.
"It's ok, Xue Zhang, don't worry..." Sounded like going to cry already.
"You really do not need me to keep you accompany?" He don't know why he worry about her so much too .
"Yes. Really no need.... Stop treating me like a 'big kid'! And are all bosses the same? So long winded...." She pretended as though very irritated with him.
If he still not going to leave soon, she is going to cry again infront of him...then she will be really embarrassed.
"All right then....remember to lock the doors up! I'm going off now."
"I will....Xue Zhang,...bye bye..."
She stood at the porch looking at him going into the driver's seat, there's numerous different kinds feeling came up to her.
"Xue Zhang!" She stopped him.
She came to his car ..."Thanks for the cake and....drives carefully.." said it gentlely to him.
He smile and blinks to her...slowly he drives away.

Very soon, he can't see her anymore from the rear mirror but that her words "drive carefully" that gentle reminder before he left, let him felt so happy and sweet for a long time.

Why her smile, her tears, always bring him indescribable feelings...?
His emotion goes up and down together with hers...