AAE -- For Better For Worse

Chapter 06

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

 

Sun-Mi feels a hand gently shaking her shoulder as a low male voice whispers into her ear, "Wake up, Sun-Mi."

 

"I'm awake, Daddy," she mumbles groggily, and then snuggles contentedly as she drifts back into sleep, like a person reluctant to leave the comfort of warm blankets on a chilly morning.

 

"We're here," the voice again attempts to rouse her.

 

 

Sun-Mi slowly opens her eyes and sees Hyung-Chul gazing down at her. Surprised at their intimate proximity, she immediately reacts by breaking eye contact and pushing herself away from his shoulder to sit upright.

 

Then she realizes that their 'moment of intimacy' is in the back seat of a taxi, with the cabbie amusedly taking it all in via the rearview mirror. Instantaneously her cheeks burn red. She quickly scoots away from Hyung-Chul, to the far end of the seat. There she fusses with her hair, buying time to regain her wits, before demanding petulantly, "If we're 'here', Senior, shouldn't you be getting out now?"

 

He grins and replies enigmatically, "Why? Are you inviting me in for the night?"

 

Her face fully flushes with embarrassment, which she quickly tries to hide by turning away. Only then does Sun-Mi look out the cab window to see that they are stopped outside her gate, not in his villa's parking lot.

 

"While you slept, I returned you back home."

 

Her eyes narrow, sparking with ire as she turns back to accuse him, "You watched me sleep, all the way to your house ... and back?"

 

"Not quite all the way," he answers, grin broadening as he contemplates how the fire in her eyes only enhances their attractive sparkle. "But otherwise guilty as charged."

 

 

Sun-Mi is not amused by his lame humor. Her plan to demonstrate a point of equality in their relationship had completely backfired, and now he is using it to poke fun at her in front of the cab driver. Furious, she reaches for the handle, shoves the door open, and alights from the cab.

 

Tossing back an icy "Good night, Director Yoon!" Sun-Mi slams the door, cutting off his reply unheeded.

 

She stomps away, the rap of her heels harsh on the pavement, storming through the gate without a pause or glance back. Hyung-Chul motions for the driver to wait while Sun-Mi enters the house, then lights come on successively in the vestibule, living room, and finally her bedroom.

 

 

"That's women for ya; never know what they're thinking," the driver philosophizes amicably as he idles the car with the meter running, in no hurry to move on if his fare isn't.

 

"Yeah, women," Hyung-Chul concurs, still smiling about the whole incident. Sun-Mi had reacted as expected, reprising the previous time she'd awakened in his car and rushed off flustered and upset after admitting, "Because it's you."

 

Then an idea strikes him, and he queries the driver, "Sir, when do you get off your shift?"

 

"About 6AM," the man informs him.

 

"Good. I'll get off here, too," he states. "Before you check off your shift, please come back to pick me up."

 

The driver's expression is puzzled, but he agrees. "See ya about five."

 

Hyung-Chul gets out of the cab. Opening his umbrella against the sprinkle, he steps into the concealing shadows.