AAE -- For Better For Worse

Part 2 -- Chapter 25

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

 

"Auntie is waiting in the Arrival Hall," Sun-Mi informs Hyung-Chul as she closes her mobile and returns it to her shoulder bag. "She brought lunch because she was afraid I might not have eaten on the plane."

 

"I still remember her tasty lunch box that day," Hyung-Chul raves.

 

His remark reminds Sun-Mi how he had sneaked her lunch away right from under her nose.

 

"If you're expecting me to let you steal my lunch again, just because we're engaged, you're quite mistaken!" Sun-Mi makes a pretence of still being upset over the past incident.

 

"I only ate two!" he repeats the same defense he'd used at the time.

 

But instead she smiles. "This time you can eat them all," she tells him. "Auntie brought two lunch boxes!"

 

 

They laugh together and Sun-Mi links her arm around his as Hyung-Chul pushes the luggage cart piled high with her suitcases.

 

"After I've unpacked, let's go to all the places we were together before, okay? I want to see them all again."

 

"Even the place I knocked you down with my car?"

 

"Especially that place. I don't remember anything about it. And also the little pavilion at Lucy Cavendish where you played the piano to cheer me up. I wonder if they'll let you play, now that you're not a student?"

 

"I wasn't a student at the college then, either," he points out. "Last time I just had to make a reservation to use it."

 

"We can have a picnic lunch and then punt the River Cam, like before," she recalls that day. "It'll be so much fun!"

 

Hyung-Chul contentedly listens as Sun-Mi chatters on, caught up in the moment, enthusiastically pouring out her plans for their outing, her bubbly voice music to his ears.

 

 

They enter the busy Arrival Hall, scanning the crowd for Sun-Mi's aunt.

 

Sun-Mi suddenly points, then waves as she squeals loudly to be heard over the din, "Auntie!" Leaving Hyung-Chul to catch up, she runs ahead, heels clattering, to give her aunt an energetic hug.

 

 

"How was the flight?" Auntie Jin asks after she recovers her breath from Sun-Mi's tight squeeze.

 

"It went quickly," Sun-Mi replies.

 

"Aren't you tired?"

 

"I was so exhausted from packing that I slept most of the time."

 

 

Auntie Jin scrutinizes her niece with a quick once-over, remarking, "You look prettier than before."

 

"Really? It must be because of this!" Sun-Mi cheerfully surmises, holding her left hand out for inspection.

 

"So beautiful!" Auntie Jin praises the sparkling engagement ring.

 

"Isn't it?" Sun-Mi beams proudly. "I'm so very happy!"

 

 

Hyung-Chul slowly trundles up with the luggage cart.

 

"And here's the man who's responsible!" Auntie Jin greets him.

 

"Hello, Auntie," he returns her smile with a jaunty grin. "Thank you for meeting us."

 

"Definitely, you're more handsome now than before," the elderly woman assesses his appearance with a critical eye. "Settling down and taking on responsibilities has lent you some gravitas."

 

"I owe a lot of that to you, Auntie, for bringing Sun-Mi to London." he credits her for the changing his life for the better. "After we met, I wanted to become someone she could rely on."

 

He steps over and slips his arm around Sun-Mi's waist, pulling her close. She momentarily looks up at him, starry-eyed, and leans her head against his shoulder contentedly.

 

"You two do look good together," Auntie Jin nods sagely, pleased that her matchmaking efforts had blossomed successfully. "I knew from the beginning that you'd be a good match!"

 

 

As promised, Sun-Mi's aunt had brought the two lunch boxes. They found some empty seats for an impromptu picnic.

 

"When do you start work?" Auntie Jin asks as she takes a lunch box from the bag she is carrying, removes the top, and hands it to Sun-Mi.

 

"Next week," Sun-Mi answers after a bite of scrumptious kimbap, "I need some time first to get settled in."

 

This is news to Hyung-Chul. "What do you have to do?"

 

"Go shopping, for my new wardrobe."

 

He motions toward the overloaded luggage cart. "What about all this?"

 

"That's for the TV audiences in Seoul," she explains in a matter-of-fact tone, as if he is totally clueless. "I need clothes for London, too."

 

His blank expression shows Sun-Mi that her assessment is correct, so she explains, "The styles here are different. Maybe to men it's all the same, but not to women, and I don't want to look dowdy as I make a first impression!"

 

Auntie Jin concurs. "You have an astute fiancee, Director Yoon. Listen to her."

 

"Uh-huh... Whatever," Hyung-Chul shrugs, grudgingly accepting that he'll never fully grasp feminine logic.

 

He turns his attention to the lunch box contents, taking out a delicious-looking kimbap roll.

 

"Where are you staying, Director Yoon?" Auntie Jin asks as he bites into the tasty morsel.

 

"I still have my flat on Millwall Outer Dock," he answers, "It will do until we find a larger place in Mayfair to live together."

 

 

The presumption rankles Sun-Mi, who shows her displeasure by shooting a fiery dart his way with her eyes. They had been in England less than one hour, and already he is pushing to renege on their agreement to live separately until married!

 

"That will be next year, AFTER the wedding," she adds curtly, making their arrangement clear to her aunt. "I'll be staying with you, Auntie, as we discussed."

 

"I'm happy to put you up, but it'd be more convenient for work from Mayfair than Worcester Park," Auntie Jin points out.

 

"That's what I told her, too," Hyung-Chul chimes in, hoping that Sun-Mi can be persuaded by her aunt's opinion.

 

"I know, but some things are more important than convenience. And what would people think?" she counters, her voice on edge.

 

"This is England. People don't think the same as in Seoul," he argues. "Like women working after marriage, society is more tolerant here."

 

"I had enough scandals in Seoul to contend with. I'm not going to encourage any more!" Sun-Mi puts her foot down firmly. "Besides, you already agreed!"

 

"Yes, but then we were together every day. Now that we're going to be apart, I'm already starting to miss you," he pleads his case.

 

"My home is always open," Auntie Jin steps in, suggesting a compromise. "There's the spare bedroom, should Director Yoon need to stay overnight."

 

"But Auntie, we..." Sun-Mi starts to object, then Hyung-Chul cuts her off. "...are grateful for your thoughtfulness."

 

Peeved, Sun-Mi gives him the stink eye, a warning that she has more to say, later.

 

Instead Hyung-Chul grins back boyishly, gloating over his little win, compounding the offense.

 

Auntie Jin silently laughs to herself at the young lovers' spat.

 

 

But Sun-Mi sets her mind to make his victory is a Pyrrhic one. Showing her empty lunch box, she announces, "All done! Shall we go now?"

 

Auntie Jin puts the lunch box back into her bag and they get up. Sun-Mi wraps her arm around her aunt's and immediately starts off, pointedly turning a cold shoulder to Hyung-Chul.

 

He hurriedly wolfs down his last piece of kimbap, calling after them. "Hey! Wait for me!"

 

 

Ignoring his appeal, Sun-Mi freezes him out, hurrying her aunt along at a quick clip. Chatting as they walk, Sun-Mi peppers her aunt with an animated monolog...

 

"Do you have time today to go shoe-shopping with me? I desperately need a new pair of 'go-to' black sling backs, and I'm also hoping to find a pair of cute flats, and some dressy heels for evening wear. What do you think of the latest styles by Gucci and Prada? Or should I splurge on Louboutins?"

 

When she stops for a breath, Auntie Jin has a chance to get a word in. "I have the afternoon free until five, when I have to be at the restaurant," she suggests a schedule.

 

"That's great!" Sun-Mi is ecstatic for the companionship on her first day. "We'll have time to catch up. I have so much to share!"

 

"Tonight it's my treat for a special dinner," Auntie Jin offers, then whispers, "You will let him off the hook before then, right?"

 

Sun-Mi whispers back, "Of course! But I want to teach him a lesson first, not to disrespect me!"

 

They laugh together conspiratorially, Sun-Mi sneaking a glance at Hyung-Chul behind them, muscling the heavy, lumbering luggage cart, huffing from the exertion as he strains to keep up.

 

Pondering how to exact the stiffest penalty for his transgression, Sun-Mi plots her game plan...

 

First she will let him stew in silence on the ride to Worcester Park, jammed into the back seat of her aunt's Volvo with the excess luggage. Then she will enjoy a leisurely tea with her aunt while he hefts the bags up to her second floor bedroom. Only after he has sweated adequate penance for his sins and regretted the error of his ways will she raise the white flag for a truce.

 

After that, her Auntie's quiet, semi-private back yard will be the perfect place to 'kiss and make up', even if the neighbors are watching...