AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 43

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2017

 

"I'm not sure I qualify as beautiful, or as a damsel, but I was in a bit of distress." -- Jin Sun-Mi

 

 

LONDON, THAT NIGHT…

 

The number you are trying to reach is turned off. Please call again...

 

Sun-Mi snaps her mobile shut in frustration and drops it into her office tote.

 

"Min-Cho, I'm really gonna punish you, big time!" she grumbles aloud to herself, repeating the vow she's recited through a difficult day. "Were you just laughing behind my back the whole time?"

 

Her foul mood reflects the dismal weather. She'd left the hotel that morning without overcoat or umbrella on an unseasonably warm, sunny forecast, but in the afternoon an unexpected shift of a cold front brought a bone-chilling rain. Now, waiting under the canopy in front of the MBS London Bureau entrance, she looks out into the downpour, shivering in the gusty wind.

 

Behind her, the door opens, and a familiar voice grates on her ears...

 

"Ms Jin, I thought you had a date for tonight," Hon-Yong remarks sarcastically. "If you've been stood up, my offer for a drink still stands."

 

"No thanks," she coldly refuses him again. "I'd rather be stood up."

 

"Tut-tut, such harsh words," he chides. "In a small office like ours, you'd help your position by being be less standoffish. After all, you never know when you'll need a friend to back you up."

 

"Good night, Mr. Jang Hon-Yong," she abruptly ends the conversation.

 

"Very well, if that's how you want it to be," he replies in a chipper tone. "See you tomorrow."

 

He pops his umbrella open, descends the stairs to the sidewalk and leaves without another word.

 

 

As Sun-Mi watches Hon-Yong walk off, she stomps her feet and slaps her hands against her arms, trying to warm her numb fingers and toes. She about to call Min-Cho again, just as he appears.

 

"Where were you? I've been waiting over half an hour!" Sun-Mi complains irately.

 

"And hello to you, too," he replies cheerfully, bounding up the stairs. He takes a quick glance at Sun-Mi's bare legs and crossed arms, instantly deduces the situation, and chuckles to himself.

 

"What's so funny?" she grumbles irately. "Can't you see I'm freezing?"

 

But Min-Cho had already stripped off his long overcoat, which he puts around her shoulders. "Here, this will help," he offers sympathy.

 

"Thanks," she mumbles gratefully, his gentlemanly gesture taking the edge off her temper.

 

"Some rain tonight," he makes innocuous light conversation, sensing she is not in the mood for his usual joking mannerisms.

 

Her cursory, "Ehm..." tells him she is not in the mood for light conversation, either.

 

"Shall we go?" he urges. "I'm parked just down the street."

 

Sun-Mi's thoughts immediately go to the practical. "What about your car?" she frets. "Didn't you say the top was a 'bit out of sorts'? Won't we get soaked?"

 

"Not to worry, that nice new 'do won't get a drop on it," he assures her concern. "My aunt is watching her favorite drama tonight, so I borrowed her car."

 

Sun-Mi is relieved she won't have to endure a drive under a leaky roof, but his snide comment irritates her. "It's not always about how I look," she disputes his assumption.

 

"Sorry, it was meant as a compliment," he apologizes, recognizing that she's not just upset at him. "Hard first day?"

 

"That doesn't begin to describe it," she blurts out, needing a willing ear to unload her frustrations on.

 

"Yeah, I've had days like that, too," he emphasizes. "Want to talk about it?"

 

"Well..."

 

She still wants to punish him, but that can wait a bit ...

 

"For starters, I'm beat. I was on my feet the whole day," she complains, and then sighs tiredly. "I don't think I could take another step."

 

Regarding her tall stilettos, he quips, "Can't say I blame you." Then he notices several dark stains on Sun-Mi's skirt. "What's that from?"

 

"It's nothing," she refuses.

 

"Coffee?" he guesses.

 

"Yes, coffee!" she snaps hotly, her eyes livid. "If I never see another cup of coffee, it will be too soon!"

 

"Whoa... what did I say?" he recoils at her ferocity.

 

Sun-Mi realizes that she is out-of-bounds. "It's not you," she answers contritely, and sullenly reports: "I'm the new office coffee girl."

 

"Coffee girl?" he questions.

 

"I can't believe how this office runs nonstop on caffeine! I was making and delivering coffee and tea all day long. It was crazy!" she complains bitterly. "And on top of that, clumsy me dumped a cup on my brand new suit!"

 

"Don't let a little spilled coffee get you down," he tries to encourage her. "There's always tomorrow to try again."

 

Then Min-Cho hears a sniffle and looks closer at Sun-Mi, but she turns away, trying to hide a trickle of tear running down her cheek.

 

"That's what I'm worried of," she whimpers quietly. "I don't know if I can do this. Everything I did went wrong; I couldn't even get the stupid coffee right... Everyone must think I'm a real idiot!"

 

"Idiot? They actually said that?"

 

"Whether they said anything or not," she pouts. "I can imagine what they're thinking!"

 

"Okay," Min-Cho allows her some self-pity, but then declares confidently, "I know the best cure for your problem."

 

"What problem?" Sun-Mi scoffs dubiously, remembering his 'solution' for her non-existent 'boyfriend problem' the night before. "I'm really not in the mood for anything. Just take me straight to the hotel."

 

"Do you think you can walk as far as the car?" he asks with a grin, alluding to her earlier complaint. "If not, I'll piggyback you. You don't look too heavy."

 

Sun-Mi gives him a stark look, sending a warning with her eyes that she is not amused by his joke. "Piggyback me? This isn't some TV drama!" she objects. "Of course I can walk. It was just a figure of speech!"

 

He shrugs, raises the umbrella over their heads, and offers Sun-Mi his arm.

 

Remembering her vow to punish him 'big time', she shuns his offer and starts off quickly down the steps before he can insist.

 

 

Whether Sun-Mi is more tired than she realizes, or she is in too much of a hurry, or the stairs are slippery when wet, on the second step down her foot slips, and she pitches backward, arms flailing up, headed for a nasty tumble.

 

But reacting instinctively, Min-Cho catches Sun-Mi with his free arm, arresting her fall. Simultaneously he steps down and pivots in front of her, pulling Sun-Mi forward into a one-armed embrace, holding her tightly against himself, supporting her weight.

 

Caught by surprise, Sun-Mi finds herself staring right into Min-Cho's face. She gasps for breath, as her heart pounds wildly from the adrenaline rush.

 

"Easy there," Min-Cho says smoothly. "I have you. You're safe now."

 

Looking into his steady, concerned eyes, what's left of Sun-Mi's ire melts. Taking advantage of the opportunity to recover from the shock, she rests her head against his shirt, relaxing in his arms.

 

... how comfortable a broad, masculine shoulder feels when she needs one...

 

 

The door opens behind them, and the person's step pauses. Then a man brushes past without turning to look. Although Sun-Mi doesn't see his face, she recognizes him as someone from her office. Suddenly uneasy at being in such an intimate position in a public space, she feels a rush of heat to her face.

 

Noticing Sun-Mi tense up, Min-Cho asks anxiously, "Are you okay? Anything hurt?"

 

With a nervous chuckle, she jokes, "Only my pride."

 

"So pride goeth, even without the fall," he twists the saying humorously.

 

"I'm fine now," she hints for him to let her go.

 

He releases his tight grasp, but keeps his right hand on Sun-Mi's arm as he steps away, just in case she isn't completely stable.

 

"Your reflexes are pretty good," she compliments his quick reaction. "You didn't even drop the umbrella!"

 

"I specialize in rescuing beautiful damsels in distress, while keeping their nice hairdos dry," he plays on his earlier joke.

 

Although a few moments ago his flippant remark upset her, now it just makes her feel bashful...

 

"I'm not sure I qualify as beautiful, or as a damsel, but I was in a bit of distress... Thank you for keeping my hair dry," Sun-Mi joins in the joke, beaming her brightest smile as she holds out her hand to take his arm. "May I, now?"

 

He bends his elbow, and she slips her hand securely into the crook. At the bottom of the stairs Min-Cho expects her to let go, but she doesn't.

 

"Back to the hotel?" he prompts for confirmation.

 

"No, I've changed my mind," she answers, tightening her grasp of his arm. "What is it you wanted to do?"