AAE -- Twists of Fate

Part 1 -- Chapter 20

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

 

Young-Mi is seated at a narrow workstation in the Public Records Access office. Reporters researching for their stories work at the rows of similar stations on both sides. The harsh clatter of keyboards fills the small, windowless room.

 

Her brow furrows as she scrutinizes the stream of police reports scrolling past on the CRT monitor.

 

No new sightings.

No new leads.

No Sun-Mi.

 

She shifts back, resting the sleeve of her orchid jacket on the rigid arm of the chair. Her fingers loosen their grip on the mouse as a long sigh breathes out.

 

A shadow falls across the screen. The trace of a familiar floral scent wafts in the air. Young-Mi notices a sleek white pencil skirt move into her peripheral vision.

 

A soft but authoritative voice asks, "Any news?"

 

Young-Mi twists in her seat to look up at Joo-Hee's flawless, composed face. Warm, engaging eyes framed by precisely shaped brows gaze back with a steady fortitude.

 

"Nothing, Senior. No further sightings have come in today."

 

"I heard from Manager Kim that the police closed the file this morning," Joo-Hee tells her. "Officially it's suicide."

 

Young-Mi protests, raising her voice. "How can they say that, without knowing exactly what happened? What if Sun-Mi is still alive?"

 

"We have to be realistic. If she were alive, they would've found her by now."

 

"The searchers might have missed her. She might be injured. Yet we sit here and do nothing, while she might be out there, alone and frightened."

 

Several reporters turn to stare at Young-Mi.

 

"Lower your voice," Joo-Hee murmurs. "You're making a scene."

 

"If I don't, who else will? It's as if nobody cares," Young-Mi grumbles.

 

Joo-Hee gestures with her hand. "Come with me, Announcer Huh." She takes a step, then hesitates. "Now!"

 

 

Emerging from the Records office first, Joo-Hee heads down the windowed corridor at a steady pace, her 100mm spikes ringing brightly on the sun-swept terrazzo. Trailing a few steps behind, Young-Mi hustles with a staccato clatter to catch up. They fall into a matching stride, pale orchid side-by-side pristine white. Flashes of reflected light glint off the polished floor beneath their black pumps.

 

"I understand you feel responsible for Sun-Mi," Joo-Hee says. "I miss her too, but we need to focus on our jobs now. Until there's evidence otherwise, we must assume Sun-Mi is not coming back. If she is alive, she's hiding and doesn't want to be found. You have to accept that."

 

Young-Mi looks at the floor, gripping her notebook tighter. "Yes, Senior. I'm just afraid that once things return to normal, we'll forget that Sun-Mi ever existed."

 

"The people who knew her will never forget Sun-Mi's positive spirit," Joo-Hee assures her. "Somehow she found a silver lining inside every dark cloud. Now it's up to us to find that silver."

 

 

Joo-Hee stops. Her gaze drifts over the MBS back studio rooftops, across the gray expanse of Yeouido to the towering 63 Building gleaming gold in the distance.

 

"Sun-Mi's dream... it was to bring comfort to people in an uncertain world. She believed that a smile and a kind word could make it a better place. At first I thought she was naïve and immature. Just another pretty face with big dreams and no substance behind them. A rookie whom I'd have to force into seeing reality."

 

"But you know what?" Joo-Hee chuckles. "She changed me instead. Made me believe with her that a better world is possible." She sighs with regret. "Sun-Mi had immense promise. But she was more fragile than I realized. I pushed too hard -- and it broke her."

 

They stand in silence for a moment, looking up into the clouds. Then Joo-Hee turns to Young-Mi. "Here I am, rambling on like this, after saying we needed to refocus on our work."

 

"It's not rambling to honor her," Young-Mi says softly, her eyes moist.

 

They continue on to the door of a small conference room. Joo-Hee places her hand on the knob. "Let's go in. There's something we have to talk about."