AAE -- For Better For Worse

Chapter 05

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

 

After dinner, Hyung-Chul and Sun-Mi catch a taxi to Galleria West. Sun-Mi wants to window shop before the store closes. She is already planning the wardrobe she'll need for a year in London.

 

Loath to end their evening early, Hyung-Chul gamely tags along. He offers humorous critiques on style and color.

 

When they leave the Galleria, the rain has let up to a bare drizzle. It is just a few blocks back to Sun-Mi's home, so they stroll the wet sidewalk under the shared umbrella. They speak little -- Sun-Mi deep in thought, preparing how to tell him about London.

 

But Hyung-Chul assumes that Sun-Mi's silence stems from her worry over Young-Mi.

 

"Since there haven't been any accident reports, we should accept that Young-Mi doesn't want to be found," he notes.

 

"But what could've driven her to do this?"

 

"In her resignation letter, she confessed to a crime. That's all I'll say."

 

"I didn't know."

 

"I expect that someday, she'll show up."

 

Sun-Mi nods. "You're right... Oh, did you hear about Joo-Hee?"

 

"Yes. I spoke with her and Kim Sun-Dal earlier today," he answers. "He said he wouldn't marry her if she went to London."

 

"What would you have done?"

 

"I'd let her go. She wanted to learn. It's good for her."

 

Sun-Mi frowns. It's exactly as Joo-Hee had predicted he would say. But not what Sun-Mi is hoping to hear.

 

"Of course," she mutters with a wry smile.

 

 

Sun-Mi forces a smile. "Did she tell you who will take her place in London?"

 

"Why do you want to know?"

 

 

They start down the lane to her house.

 

"We're almost there. I wish I wouldn't have to let you go so soon," he says wistfully.

 

She smiles mischievously and takes his arm.

 

"I have an idea. Let's me send you home first."

 

 

He resists. "What? Aren't you tired?"

 

"You don't have your car, and you said you don't want to let me go now."

 

"But, it's not how things are done," he replies with a raised brow.

 

"Then it's time that changed," she insists, pulling him along... just as he had done to her at the start of their date.

 

 

They retrace their steps to the main street. Sun-Mi, still playing her role reversal, hails a passing cab and gives the driver Hyung-Chul's address. The cabbie glances at Hyung-Chul, but he just grins and shrugs.

 

 

In the back seat, the gentle swaying rocks Sun-Mi to a deep slumber within minutes, her head drooping against the seat cushion.

 

A newspaper, left behind by a previous fare, is on the seat. Hyung-Chul opens it to browse the news, finding the missing person notice that Sun-Mi had the company place earlier that week. He folds the paper and looks down at Sun-Mi.

 

Slowly he slides his arm behind her back, careful not to wake her, and moves her head to rest on his shoulder.

 

Not wanting to send Sun-Mi home alone in the cab, Hyung-Chul asks the driver quietly, "Can you return us to where we got on?"

 

The driver grunts. "What?"

 

Hyung-Chul puts his finger to his lips.

 

Glancing into the rearview mirror, the driver immediately understands and nods.

 

The cab does a U-turn in the street, and heads back the way they came.

 

 

Hyung-Chul watches Sun-Mi sleep. Without a worry to crease her brow, she appears truly angelic.

 

An angel sent from God, who has changed his life forever ...