AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 28

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2017

 

"Sometimes business has to come before love. Sun-Mi will understand." -- Yoon Hyung-Chul

 

 

MBS HQ AND STUDIOS, YEOUIDO ...

 

"Why did you want to see me?" Sun-Mi asks as she places two freshly-brewed cups of coffee on the canteen table, then takes the chair opposite Cho-Jeh.

 

"I was worried. When I listened to the message you left last night, you seemed beside yourself," Cho-Jeh explains as she carefully scrutinizes Sun-Mi’s face for any hidden signs of distress. "But now, just by looking at you, I couldn't tell that anything happened."

 

"Sorry... I overreacted," Sun-Mi apologizes. "When I saw them together like that... I couldn't breathe. It was like watching Young-Mi dig her claws into Woo-Jin all over again."

 

Cho-Jeh looks Sun-Mi over carefully again. "Woo-Jin? Young-Mi? Didn't you put that to rest a long time ago? Are you sure you're all right?"

 

"Of course I am," Sun-Mi reassures her. "It was a shock at the moment, but later I realized I'd probably misunderstood what I saw. Park So-Won knew Senior at Cambridge, so isn't it reasonable that if they were good friends before, now that Senior is signing her on an important contract, she acted a bit spontaneously? That would explain it, right?"

 

"Only if you believe in real-life fairytales," Cho-Jeh rejects Sun-Mi’s positive spin. "I still think your comparison to Young-Mi is more apt. I'll stick with my contention that Park So-Won has more in mind than a contract with MBS -- the only contract that is ‘sealed with a kiss’ is a marriage!"

 

"You don’t know Senior," Sun-Mi insists, dismissing Cho-Jeh's conclusion outright.

 

"I never thought I say this, but for once I don't envy you," Cho-Jeh remarks, shaking her head with disbelief at Sun-Mi's stubborn confidence. "You can keep the Prince and the palace intrigues; I'm happy to just have a date with Choi Jin-Soo and hot dogs at the DG game tonight."

 

"I'm glad to hear that," Sun-Mi smiles. "I knew from the beginning that you and Jin-Soo would be good together."

 

"Right -- if we can ever agree on anything about the wedding," Cho-Jeh complains. "We still don't even have a date set!" She checks the time on her watch. "Oh... I gotta go," she announces abruptly. "We'll be late for the game."

 

"Okay, see you tomorrow," Sun-Mi sends her off.

 

As Cho-Jeh hustles to meet up with Jin-Soo, Sun-Mi considers the untouched cups of vending coffee she'd just bought, still steaming hot. She has plenty of time before she has to be at the studio for 'Musical Postcards'.

 

She picks up the coffee cups and heads off for the elevators. "I’ll surprise Senior," she declares. "I'm sure he can use a coffee break..."

 

 

A FEW MINUTES LATER...

 

Arriving at Hyung-Chul’s office, coffee in hand, Sun-Mi finds the secretary's desk empty, the door open, and voices coming from inside. Rather than barge in unannounced, she pauses to listen first...

 

"Once the word about Park So-Won gets out, how long do you think the press will hold back reporting on your engagement?" Sun-Dal asks pointedly. "If Sun-Mi hears it from the media first, she’s gonna feel like the biggest fool in Seoul. You know how she hates to be the last to know!"

 

"I’ll just have to take that chance, and beg forgiveness later," Hyung-Chul replies. "Director Park’s support is crucial if we want to keep Director Kim at bay until my strategy has time to work out. It’s not just my mother's legacy at stake here, but also my father's position as Chairman. If I lose, he's the next target."

 

"Since when have you become the filial son?" Sun-Dal remarks dryly.

 

"It was Sun-Mi who showed me that family comes first," Hyung-Chul argues. "Nothing else is as important. It took me a long time to come around to that, and I give her all the credit."

 

"Still, this sudden business with Park So-Won... you're not concerned about Sun-Mi's feelings on the matter?"

 

Hyung-Chul responds testily, as if annoyed by the question: "Let me make this perfectly clear. It's strictly a marriage of convenience. Sometimes business has to come before love. I'm sure Sun-Mi will understand."

 

Sun-Dal is surprised. "Business before love? Wasn't that your father's reasoning when he married your mum? I thought you vowed you'd never follow in your his footsteps."

 

"I know, it sounds hypocritical," Hyung-Chul agrees with a sardonic chuckle. "But now I'm sitting where he was, the view looks a lot different than before..."

 

 

 

Listening outside the office, Sun-Mi's head is buzzing with everything she's just heard. The possibility that Cho-Jeh was right, and she was wrong, is inescapable... It's a marriage of convenience... The only contract that is 'sealed with a kiss' is a marriage contract...

 

The scene from the night before in front of Hyung-Chul's villa flashes into her thoughts, and Sun-Mi feels her chest tightening with the same visceral reaction as before -- she can hardly breathe.

 

When she realizes her hands are shaking, Sun-Mi quickly sets the cups down on the desk before they spill, and slowly backs away, anxious not to make a sound, lest she be discovered eavesdropping.

 

In the corridor, safe from being heard, Sun-Mi gasps for air, and in a few moments the tension drops and she can start thinking clearly again... She needs only a minute to settle her mind and cement a decision.

 

... 'Sometimes business has to come before love. I'm sure Sun-Mi will understand'...

 

"Yes, Director Yoon, I understand clearly now, what I need to do," she concludes as she flips open her mobile to make a call...

 

The secretary who picks up answers crisply: "Director Pyo's office..."

 

"This is Announcer Jin Sun-Mi," Sun-Mi identifies herself. "I'd like to speak with the Director..."

 

"I'm sorry, but he's in conference right now."

 

Sun-Mi had expected as much. With MBS bureaus worldwide to manage, Director Pyo was always in conference.

 

"Then tell him that I've made a decision," she relates her message, "to accept the London Special Correspondent position..."