AAE -- For Better For Worse

Chapter 05

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

 

After dinner, Hyung-Chul and Sun-Mi caught a taxi back to Galleria West, where Sun-Mi wanted to window shop before the store closed, thinking of the wardrobe she'd need for a year in London. Loath to end their evening early, Hyung-Chul gamely tagged along, offering his comments on style and color. By the time they left, the rain had let up to a bare drizzle. From the Galleria, it was only a short stroll back to Sun-Mi's home. Under the shared umbrella, they spoke little, Sun-Mi brooding over how she'd tell him about London. Patiently, Hyung-Chul waited for her to divulge what was on her mind.

 

Nearing Sun-Mi's house, thinking that Sun-Mi's silence may be owed to her preoccupation about Young-Mi, Hyung-Chul broaches the subject again. "We should stop publishing the ad for Young-Mi. If she's in hiding, then we're just telling her to stay in hiding."

 

He can see that Sun-Mi is reluctant, so he adds, "Don't worry. She'll be fine."

 

But it isn't Young-Mi's fate that has Sun-Mi preoccupied. It is her own. She takes a few more steps before she is ready to address the subject, indirectly, "Oh, yeah, Joo-Hee isn't going to London."

 

"I heard. Apparently Sun-Dal said he wouldn't marry her if she didn't do it now," he reveals what he learned. "If she was happy to hear those words, maybe Joo-Hee wasn't so tough to love after all."

 

Sun-Mi smiles, still nervous, and probes to find out just how much he knows: "Do you know who's going to be the News Correspondent in London instead?" She watches carefully to gauge his response.

 

 

Joo-Hee had discussed that very matter with Hyung-Chul earlier that day, and told him her preference, but Hyung-Chul decides to withhold that for the moment to determine Sun-Mi's own feelings first.

 

"I'm not sure, Joo-Hee will probably pick someone," he replies noncommitally. "Why?"

 

Screwing up her courage, she decides to make the plunge. "Well, the truth is ..."

 

But just at that moment, Hyung-Chul turns to look at Sun-Mi. With those big, dark eyes focused inquisitively on hers, she quickly loses heart for tackling the subject directly, and diverts to ask a leading question, "Senior, what would you do if you were in Sun-Dal's shoes? Would you let Joo-Hee go?"

 

He answers affirmatively, "Of course I'd send her. She wants to study so it would be good for her."

 

It's exactly as Joo-Hee had told her, but not what Sun-Mi had hoped for. "I see," she mutters with a wry smile.

 

 

They walk in silence the remaining distance to the gate to her house. The windows are dark as her father is away at an out-of-town construction site.

 

"We're here," Hyung-Chul states the obvious, not wanting to say goodbye, just yet. "I don't want to let you go."

 

 

For a fleeting moment Sun-Mi considers inviting him inside, but her sense of propriety immediately kills that possibility -- what if one of the neighbors happens to see them going in, or later, sees him when he leaves? She has enough scandals, without causing more.

 

Another idea pops into Sun-Mi's head. She smiles mischievously and takes his arm. "Senior, let's go to your house."

 

Her out-of-character move surprises him. "Huh?"

 

She explains. "I wanted to send you home once when you didn't have your car."

 

"That's not how it's done," he protests half-heartedly, intrigued more than off-put at her reversing their usual roles.

 

"But you said you don't want to part."

 

He is ready to concede, if only to have a few more minutes with Sun-Mi, but practical concern for her well-being intervenes. "You worked since early morning. Aren't you tired?"

 

She is, but Sun-Mi will not be dissuaded, and orders his compliance, "Let's go!"

 

Taking charge, she pulls him along... just as he had done to her at the start of their date.

 

 

They retrace their steps to the main street, where, keeping up her role-reversal, Sun-Mi hails a passing cab and gives the driver their destination. The cabbie glances at Hyung-Chul for verification, but he shows only a grin and shrugs.

 

 

In the back seat of the taxi, despite her efforts to stay awake, the gentle swaying rocks Sun-Mi to a deep slumber within minutes. A previous fare had left the day's newspaper on the seat, and Hyung-Chul opens it to browse the news, finding the missing person notice that Sun-Mi had the company place earlier that week.

 

He closes the paper and sees that Sun-Mi's head has drooped to the side. Carefully he passes 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, "Sir, I'm sorry. Please take us back to where we got on."

 

"Huh?" The driver questions what he'd just heard, but Hyung-Chul puts his finger to his lips for silence. Glancing into the rearview mirror, the driver immediately understands, replying, "Oh, OK," as he turns the cab around.

 

 

Since reuniting with Sun-Mi after the miscommunication and confusion that had put a wedge between them, Hyung-Chul had regarded every day with her as a special blessing. Tonight's roundabout cab ride is no exception.

 

As Hyung-Chul watches Sun-Mi sleep, peacefully at rest in his arms without a worry to crease her brow, she appears truly angelic.

 

 

An angel sent from God, he contemplates his blessings gratefully, who had changed his life forever ...