AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 34

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2017

 

"Regarding business, I thought Director Yoon would be the first to understand." -- Jin Sun-Mi

 

 

Still immersed in the warm glow of farewells from her colleagues in the News Center, Sun-Mi crosses the front lobby to leave MBS and go home. But she stops in the middle of the space to remember her first day on new job, coming in the revolving doors with a spring in her step, filled with the excitement and expectation of starting a new phase in her life.

 

Quietly, she reflects... today she is starting a new phase of her life, too ... shouldn't it be with the same anticipation and expectation? ...

 

With that thought, Sun-Mi tosses her hair, stands a bit taller in her Gucci slingbacks, squares her shoulders, and puts the same spring as before into her step as she pushes through the door...

 

 

Coming out on the other side, she sees a dark blue BMW parked near the entrance. Waiting by the car, Hyung-Chul is watching her. He isn't smiling.

 

All the warm feelings Sun-Mi had gained in the News Center evaporate instantly in the dark, brooding intensity of his eyes.

 

"Where were you?" he demands, stepping toward her. "Why haven't you answered my calls?"

 

Ignoring him, she turns aside to go around the car. But she takes only two steps before a hand grabs her wrist and spins her around...

 

"What do you think you're doing? Let me go!" she challenges his right to detain her, sending a harsh glare intended to match the raw indignation of her voice.

 

But Hyung-Chul tightens his grasp. "We need to talk," he insists.

 

"We have nothing to talk about," she disagrees crossly, struggling to pull free. "I have somewhere else to go now."

 

"I’ll take you wherever you want to go."

 

"Don't let me inconvenience you."

 

"Really, it's no bother."

 

"I can go myself!"

 

With the sharp twist and jerk move she had practiced from a self-defense course, Sun-Mi frees her wrist from his grasp. Realizing that physical force will not gain him anything now, Hyung-Chul doesn't try to restrain her again.

 

"I'm leaving first," she declares frostily. "Good...bye... Director... Yoon!"

 

Her stubbornness irks him, but Hyung-Chul doesn’t yield. "I said I’ll take you, so get in. That’s an order!" he barks the command.

 

Without a realistic alternative -- for another few hours, she does technically still work for him -- Sun-Mi reluctantly complies to his order. Hyung-Chul takes the shopping bag from her hand and stows it in the backseat as Sun-Mi gets into the front, holding her black office tote solidly in her lap.

 

But compliance has its limits, and she refuses to look at Hyung-Chul, keeping her eyes down, riveted on the tote.

 

"Take me home," she snaps.

 

 

Leaving the MBS main gate, Hyung-Chul turns right onto Yeouinaru-ro and then drives on Yeouidong-ro to the Yeoui-Upstream IC. Entering the Olympic Expressway, he heads east for Gangnam-gu, cruising with the traffic speed.

 

As he drives, he glances repeatedly at Sun-Mi, hoping for an opening to talk, but she sits stiffly in the seat, eyes downcast, the same unresponsive, ice-cold expression on her face since she'd gotten into the car.

 

Approaching the Dongho Bridge IC exit to Gangnam-daero, he suggests, "Let's go to ON River Station for dinner. The string ensemble is playing tonight. A little food and music will help you relax."

 

She declines his offer tersely: "I don't want dinner."

 

A minute later, after they exit the expressway at the Seongsu Bridge IC onto Eonju-ro, he tries again: "How about desert then? We could go to CREAM Cake House for your favorite tiramisu."

 

Sun-Mi's jaw tightens at his suggestion, fuming at his insensitive cluelessness ... does he really want to take me back to the place we broke up? ...

 

But all she says in reply is, "I'm really not hungry."

 

"Coffee?"

 

"No."

 

"Tea?"

 

"I... said... NO!" she blurts out, unable to hold in her angst any longer. "I can't stand the sight of that place anymore!"

 

"Then...?" he flails for an alternative...

 

"Just take me home," she says tiredly."I'm really not feeling well now."

 

"Sure," he sighs, conceding unwillingly... and turns right onto Apgujeong-ro at the traffic light.

 

They travel the next several blocks in silence in the congested, stop-and-go traffic. With the end of their drive rapidly approaching, Hyung-Chul is desperate to find out what is behind Sun-Mi’s decision...

 

"I heard you're leaving for London tomorrow," he broaches the subject warily.

 

"Yes."

 

"When did you decide that?"

 

"Two days ago."

 

"Why didn’t you tell me you’re leaving?"

 

"What does it matter to you?" Sun-Mi responds icily: "Regarding business, I thought Director Yoon would be the first to understand..."

 

Exasperated by her uncommunicativeness, Hyung-Chul persists: "This doesn’t make any sense!"

 

Wanting to avoid further questioning, Sun-Mi abruptly orders: "Stop the car! I want to get off... now!".

 

"Here?" he protests. "But it's only a few more blocks..."

 

"Now!" Sun-Mi repeats her demand. "I'll walk the rest of the way... thank you ..."

 

 

Grudgingly Hyung-Chul moves over to the curb, stops the car, and puts on the flashers. He turns toward Sun-Mi, but she is already unfastening her seatbelt...

 

"Wait," he tells her. "First, I have something to say."

 

Sun-Mi isn’t waiting. "I think you’ve said enough..."

 

She finishes disconnecting her seatbelt. But reaching for the door handle, she glances up, out the window... and freezes...