AAE -- For Better For Worse

Part 2 -- Chapter 02

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

 

Hyung-Chul awakens slowly, savoring the blissful images of Sun-Mi floating about casually in his mind. What a difference 24 hours had made in his life! At this time yesterday, he was resigned to Sun-Mi leaving him, possibly forever. Today, they are engaged to marry!

 

 

"Sun-Mi ..." he calls her name softly, intending to let her continue to slumber if she is not already awake.

 

When there is no response, he opens his eyes and looks to the side. The space beside him -- where earlier she had nestled languorously, content to linger in his arms after the fervent exertions of their impassioned embrace -- is empty.

 

"Sun-Mi?!" he calls out, louder, so she could hear him from anywhere in the apartment.

 

No response.

 

Curious as to her whereabouts, he gets up and throws on his robe, intent on finding what she is up to. With a quick, sweeping glance he scans the living room and kitchen. No Sun-Mi. Concern etching his face, he rushes to the bathroom. There, he discovers her baby blue pants suit, returned the previous night from the cleaners, is gone. Checking the entry vestibule next, he confirms that her black pumps and work tote are missing, too.

 

 

Opening the entry door, he look outside, hopefully, on the chance that perhaps she'd only gone out for air. But the open corridor is empty.

 

Hyung-Chul returns to the kitchen, perplexed. On the table, he finds a note written in Sun-Mi's hand. He picks it up to read ...

 

Senior --

 

I'm sorry. It was my fault.

Don't try to contact me. I need time to think.

 

-- Jin Sun-Mi

 

 

He stares at the paper in his hand. Only then does he notice -- on the table, previously covered by the note -- the engagement ring. Stunned, the note drops from his limp fingers.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

 

An hour later, determined to get the answers to his burning questions, Hyung-Chul parked his BMW outside Sun-Mi's gate, next to her father's Range Rover. Ignoring Sun-Mi's insistence on no contact, his immediate call to her mobile had gone to voicemail. But he had reasoned that she could not refuse him in person.

 

 

Alighting, he strides across the manicured grassy lawn, heading straight for the front door. But before he comes to the porch steps, the door opens and Jin Gui-Sung steps outside. From the dark expression on his face, Hyung-Chul quickly ascertains that this meeting will not bear any resemblance to their previous pleasant conversation in this same spot.

 

"Didn't I make myself clear, that if you hurt my precious daughter, I'd never forgive you?!" Gui-Sung bellows, raising a clenched fist in Hyung-Chul's face to back up his assertion.

 

Taking a quick step back, Hyung-Chul begs to be heard, "Please, Sir, don't jump to conclusions. Let me explain."

 

 

"All right, then, explain this!" Gui-Sung thrusts forward the newspaper he holds in his other hand, folded to show the blaring headline...

 

MBS Announcer Dallies With Mun-Yung Heir On Eve Of Engagement

 

A grainy photograph accompanies the article, obviously taken with a telephoto lens in less than ideal lighting. But Hyung-Chul can make out the faces of the couple embraced in a passionate kiss in the center of a busy street.

 

"First my daughter arrives in tears, too incoherent for an explanation, then this newspaper arrives on my doorstep, presenting a plausible reason for her distress," Gui-Sung declares angrily, shaking his fist with each word. "And now the apparent culprit in this sordid affair shows up, telling me that things are not what they seem to be?!"

 

 

"What you see here actually happened," Hyung-Chul confirms, "But..."

 

Gui-Sung instantly cuts him short.

 

"My precious daughter's reputation is being dragged through the gutter by a two-timing player!" he charges, glowering at Hyung-Chul. "Tell me, what should I do, to settle things?!"

 

"Er ... Perhaps talk it out over drinks, like two civilized men?" Hyung-Chul answers hopefully.

 

"Wrong! By all rights, it's my duty as a father, to punish you, big time!" Gui-Sung threatens stridently, slamming the newspaper to the floor.

 

 

Hyung-Chul gulps. The menacing fist is still within an easy jab, and although Gui-Sung is older and shorter, his arm appears beefy enough to deliver a knockout punch.

 

"But, Sir, if I could only talk with Sun-Mi? Just for a few minutes!" he pleads.

 

"Under no circumstances will I let you near her," Gui-Sung relates her stance. "So get out now, before I lose my temper and..."

 

 

The door bursts open and Sun-Mi appears, breathless from a frantic run down the stairs. She had changed from her suit to a pale pink A-line dress, and her eyes are red and swollen from crying.

 

"Daddy, don't hit him!" she cries anxiously, moving to put herself protectively between the two men.

 

"Who said anything about hitting anyone?" Gui-Sung retorts, dropping his threatening fist. "But now that you're both here, why don't the two of you have a talk? I'm going over to Ms. Song's for a cup of coffee."

 

Without waiting for a response, he strolls off across the lawn to the gate.

 

 

Hyung-Chul and Sun-Mi look at each other, puzzled, neither expecting this turn of events.

 

Watching her father drive off, Sun-Mi remarks drolly, "I think I've just been set up."

 

"If you'd rather not ..." Hyung-Chul gives her the choice.

 

"It's all right. At least I owe you an explanation," she replies, consigned to the new circumstances. "So come inside. If you like, I can make some tea."

 

"Thank you," he excitedly accepts her offer.

 

As Sun-Mi turns to open the door, Hyung-Chul reaches into his front pants pocket and grasps the engagement ring in his fingers, sending a grateful prayer up to heaven. With any luck, whatever caused her to run away will be resolved, and he can return the ring to it's proper place on her hand.