AAE -- For Better For Worse

Chapter 28

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

 

 

In the Eve's Morning studio, the announcers are wrapping the first segment ...

 

"Today's Eve's Morning is Announcer Jin Sun-Mi's last broadcast. MBS is sending our best anchor to London," Sun-Dal reminds the audience. "So, I hear you're going to London as the Special Correspondent."

 

Sun-Mi smiles as she prepares to read her prepared script line, "Yes. I made many mistakes and stumbled along, but thank you for caring for me and supporting me the whole way. From far away, I'll definitely watch Eve's Morning, and I'll work hard to become a good announcer."

 

"Don't buy too many presents for us," Sun-Dal jokes.

 

 

In the studio control room, with his eye on the clock, the PD signals his assistant to ready a taped preview.

 

"OK, Camera 2, cut!" he orders with a snap of his fingers. "Preview standby!"

 

"We'll end the first part of Eve's Morning with this," Sun-Dal tells the audience. "Sun-Mi, what's coming up next?"

 

 

"Today, on Eve's Morning, we will visit a new tourist attraction near the face of Baek Du Mountain," she speaks as a map, followed by a photograph of a crater lake appears on the screen behind her.

 

"Next, on the Happy Change corner, for kids who are very poor, we made a study center and covered the tuition fees so that they may beautifully achieve their dreams," Sun-Mi introduces the topic as pictures of the exterior and interior of a building flash on the screen.

 

She flips to the next page and reads, "Finally, at an orphanage in Kang-Won-Do, we met with volunteers ..." as a pre-taped scene at the orphanage shows people working with the children.

 

 

Sun-Mi looks up at the studio TV monitor to time her next line. Watching the tape, she suddenly recognizes Young-Mi as one of the volunteers helping the children. Stunned, she stares wide-eyed at the TV monitor.

 

Instantly, everyone else on the set picks up on Sun-Mi's shocked expression, and their eyes also turn to the TV monitor.

 

In the control room, the PD is wondering what chaos Sun-Mi is about to unleash on his watch.

 

"What's the matter with Sun-Mi?" he shouts to no one in particular on his headset microphone, then specifically prompts, "Kim Sun-Dal. Hurry and pick up the next line."

 

 

But Sun-Dal is aware that his entire team is flustered along with Sun-Mi's sudden lapse, and opts for a drastic alternative.

 

"We are having some difficulties. We will resume Eve's Morning in a moment," he preempts the PD's instructions, directing the camera operators to go to standby mode.

 

 

In the control room, Hyung-Chul and the staff are now also scrutinizing the TV monitors. "Hey, isn't that Young-Mi?," the PD confirms what everyone -- including Director Yoon -- has seen, but are too incredulous to say.

 

 

On the set, everyone on the team except Sun-Mi, who is still too shocked to speak or move, is trying to figure out what is going on.

 

"Wasn't that Young-Mi on-screen a second ago?" Ki-Jong asks, pointing.

 

Jin-Soo gets up and hurries forward for a closer look. "No. It ended," he is quick to answer, then goes back to the desk. "Sun-Mi. That's Young-Mi, right? It is, right?" he seeks confirmation.

 

 

Sun-Mi doesn't answer. Snapping out of her daze, she gets up from her seat and turns to Sun-Dal.

 

"Senior, I want to go and see Young-Mi," she requests his permission.

 

"I'll arrange for a car at the main entrance," he replies. "Can you be ready to go in 15 minutes?"

 

"Yes!" she answers affirmatively, immediately heading for the studio exit.

 

 

In the Control Room, surrendering to the inevitable, the PD decides to pull the plug. "Put out the standard notice that the program is disrupted due to technical issues," he directs his assistant. "Then go to the backup programming."

 

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

After collecting her mobile from the makeup room and her office tote from her desk, Sun-Mi hurries to the lifts. Boarding, she presses the 'ML' button repeatedly until the doors slide closed. As the lift descends with what seems an interminable slowness, Sun-Mi impatiently checks her watch every few seconds, until finally with a 'ding' the doors open to the main lobby.

 

Exiting the lift like a racehorse bursting from the starting gate, Sun-Mi takes off in a dead run for the front entrance, heedless to the risk of turning an ankle in her high heels. Ignoring the surprised looks on everyone's faces, heels clattering loudly on the tiled floor warning of her approach, she weaves her way through the lobby to the exit doors.

 

 

Outside by the car, the Eve's Morning team, assembled to send her off, sees Sun-Mi approaching.

 

"She's coming," Cho-Jeh announces as Sun-Mi appears, waving her forward as she calls out, "Sun-Mi!"

 

"Sun-Mi!" Jin-Soo directs her to the front passenger side door as he opens it.

 

 

She runs to the car and quickly gets in. Meanwhile, on the driver's side, Sun-Dal exits the car and Hyung-Chul gets it unnoticed, as Sun-Mi is looking out the window, occupied in a last minute exchange of instructions.

 

"Sun-Mi, give us a call," Joo-Hee requests.

 

"Drive safely," Ki-Jong wishes her well for the journey.

 

"Take care," Jin-Soo chimes in.

 

"Bring Young-Mi back," Joo-Hee requests.

 

"Yes," Sun-Mi replies.

 

"Belt up," Cho-Jeh reminds her.

 

"See you soon," Kyung-Hee has the last word as the car starts off.

 

 

Sun-Mi puts on her seatbelt, then turns toward the driver. Discovering Hyung-Chul, instead of Sun-Dal, her face hardens.

 

"Where is Manager Kim?" she demands accusingly, thinking she was maneuvered by some trickery.

 

"At the last minute, I cancelled my meeting, and decided to go," Hyung-Chul informs her as to why the switch happened. "As Director, I thought I should talk with Young-Mi in person. After all, she left her resignation letter with me."

 

 

Faced with that logic, Sun-Mi can say nothing. And so she literally does -- say nothing -- the entire trip out to the orphanage.