AAE -- Twists of Fate

Part 1 -- Chapter 11

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

 

Young-Mi maneuvers her car into a tight space along the curb directly in front of her building. The street lies still in the late-summer night. She shuts off the engine and remains in her seat for a moment, her hands resting loosely on the steering wheel.

 

She stares through the windshield at the entry light above the door.

 

All day she has performed through broadcasts, meetings, and polite congratulations -- while inside, her gut twisted every time she pictured Sun-Mi sitting in the News At Nine chair that should have been hers. Bae In-Soo will destroy what remains of her career when he releases the photos. And Woo-Jin, the only man she ever loved, is dead because of her.

 

She has nothing left to fight for. Nothing left to lose.

 

She pulls her hands from the wheel, steps out, and locks the car. The pavement still radiates the day's heat. The last trace of cool air around her dissipates in the humidity, her suit instantly adhering to her back, but she doesn't feel it. Her heels drag listlessly as she walks toward the empty chill of her studio apartment.

 

As she reaches for the door handle, a footstep crunches from the shadows beyond the entryway. Young-Mi draws a sharp breath. Her hand tightens on her shoulder bag as she pivots toward the sound.

 

Bae In-Soo emerges into the light, his face drawn, his clothes rumpled, his eyes darting with the jittery alertness of a man who hasn't slept in days.

 

Young-Mi freezes. Then she lifts her chin, masking her dread with practiced disdain. "You took your time," she says coolly. "I thought you'd show up sooner."

 

He studies Young-Mi, searching her face. She shows him nothing.

 

She pushes the door open. "Come inside."

 

He follows her into the stairwell.

 

 

Inside her studio, she switches on the overhead light. In-Soo goes straight to the window, pulling the curtain back with two fingers and peering down at the street.

 

Young-Mi sets her bag down. "If the police were here, you wouldn't have made it past the door."

 

He lets the curtain fall and turns sharply. "You called them. Don't deny it. You told them where to find me."

 

She folds her arms, watching him. "Why would I? You still have the negatives. If you go down, I go down. I'm not that foolish."

 

In-Soo turns from the window. A slow, unsettling grin spreads across his face. "I knew it when I saw you smiling on your morning show, that you still loved me."

 

Her jaw tightens, but she doesn't respond.

 

He steps closer. Before Young-Mi can retreat, he pulls her into a sudden, crushing embrace. "I was just angry," he mumbles into her hair. "I never meant to kill you. You know that. It was just the anger."

 

Young-Mi remains rigid in his arms. She waits for several heartbeats, then with both hands shoves him off. He stumbles back, his face darkening a moment before he lets out a short snicker.

 

"Sit," she says, pointing at the small table.

 

 

In-Soo drops into the desk chair and lights up a cigarette. She sits on the edge of the bed, scrutinizing him.

 

"You didn't come here to apologize," she snaps. "You need money."

 

He smirks. "And you want the photos and negatives."

 

She doesn't deny it.

 

He takes a long drag, then blows out a thin cloud of smoke. "I'll take the amount we agreed on. I'm not unreasonable." He tilts his head, his eyes narrowing. "But what if I don't give them to you? What then?"

 

Young-Mi does not blink. "Then we die together."

 

A dry, raspy laugh scrapes from his throat. "That actually sounds good to me."

 

 

She stands abruptly. "I'll see you tomorrow night. I need time to get the cash."

 

He pulls a crumpled slip of paper from his pocket and sets it on the table. She glances at it, recognizing the address of a love hotel near the Paradise Club he had run.

 

He stands, his posture threatening once more. "Don't set me up," he warns, his voice dropping to a guttural growl.

 

"Don't double-cross me," she replies.

 

He looks around the quiet sanctuary of her apartment, his bravado momentarily wavering. "Can I stay? Just for tonight?"

 

Young-Mi's mouth twists into a thin, mocking line. "Do you trust me that much? Do you think you'd wake up?"

 

He chuckles. "You're getting scarier, Young-Mi. Maybe ending things like this is fine. All I want is the money. After that, we're done."

 

He walks to the door and reaches for the handle.

 

"Wait."

 

He pauses.

 

Young-Mi's voice is calm. "I'll double the money… if you'll do one more thing for me. Before you disappear forever."

 

He turns slowly, eyes narrowing with a mix of interest and suspicion. "Double?"

 

"Yes."

 

In-Soo studies her face, searching for the trap. "To do what?"

 

"I'll tell you when we meet."

 

A slow grin spreads across his lips. "For that much money," he says, "I'd even kill someone for you."

 

Young-Mi doesn't answer, her expression frozen as her eyes bore into him. In-Soo shifts his weight uneasily, then breaks away, turning to leave.

 

The door swings shut with a solid thud.