AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 89

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2017

 

"I'm not giving up on Sun-Mi, as long as there is any chance to win her back." -- Yoon Hyung-Chul

 

 

MBS HQ, YEOUIDO... SEVERAL WEEKS LATER...

 

"Any progress regarding the DNA testing?"

 

Hyung-Chul asks the question the moment his Assistant Director walks in.

 

"There's good news, bad news, and strange news," Sun-Dal answers cryptically as he sits down across the desk from his boss.

 

"Give me the bad news first," Hyung-Chul chooses.

 

"The Mother Superior is still refusing to provide a DNA sample without a court order," Sun-Dal informs him of the impasse. "You'll have to file a paternity suit to move forward."

 

"I was hoping to avoid that," Hyung-Chul sighs. "So what's the good?"

 

"The 'unofficial' DNA test report came back just this morning... I had them run the tests twice with different samples -- just to be sure -- and the results are conclusive that you're not the father," Sun-Dal tells him.

 

Hyung-Chul listens expressionlessly. "I suppose that is good news..."

 

Sun-Dal puzzles over Hyung-Chul's response. "I thought you'd be ecstatic to hear this. So what's up?"

 

"Actually I was getting used to the idea that I could be a father to someone," Hyung-Chul replies. "Mi-Rae is a very talented, intelligent little girl, and even though my childhood was not happy, I promised myself that I'd be a better father than my Dad was. So it's a kind of let down."

 

"I agree that Mi-Rae is an exceptional child," Sun-Dal concurs, "but could it be that part of your affection is because she's named after your mother?"

 

Hyung-Chul nods. "That, too," he admits.

 

"So what are you going to do?" Sun-Dal asks. "Go to court to prove the truth, or just accept Mi-Rae as your daughter?"

 

"You know, if it were just Mi-Rae, that's one thing, but with So-Won involved, too, it's another situation completely," Hyung-Chul describes his mixed feelings. "It's a real quandary in my mind, how to handle this."

 

 

"I think the rest of the news will have a bearing on that," Sun-Dal suggests.

 

"Oh, right... the strange news," Hyung-Chul recalls. "Go on..."

 

"It turns out..." Sun-Dal pauses to build suspense, "... that Park So-Won is also NOT the mother."

 

"WHAT?" Hyung-Chul is flabbergasted. " How is that possible? I saw the birth certificate, and the records from St. Annette's Home."

 

"Actually, the Director at St. Annette's confirmed that So-Won showed up with a three-month-old baby and a birth certificate, so she didn't question her story about being the mother," Sun-Dal reports his findings. "When I confronted So-Won privately with the evidence, she confessed she's not the real mother."

 

This surprises Hyung-Chul even more. "But if the child isn't hers, then whose?"

 

"It turns out that So-Won's roommate in LA at the time had an unwanted pregnancy, but So-Won paid her to forego an abortion and have the baby. She had the woman assume So-Won's identity at the hospital, name you as the father, and give the child to her," Sun-Dal fills him in on the rest of the story.

 

"Will So-Won make a statement that I'm not the real father?"

 

Sun-Dal shakes his head. "She refuses to change her story publically, and pleaded with me to convince you to officially announce your engagement to her, so Mi-Rae can have a family."

 

"But why hide Mi-Rae all these years if So-Won's intent was to force a marriage?"

 

"So-Won claims she'd hoped you'd marry her for love, not responsibility; and intended to reveal Mi-Rae's existence only afterward."

 

Hyung-Chul is upset. "She'd let Mi-Rae languish in an orphanage without parents to love her, just so she could feel loved? What kind of mother would do that?!"

 

"Try to see it from another perspective," Sun-Dal encourages him, "Even though So-Won's actions were wrong, her intentions were good. She did save Mi-Rae's life, and wanted her to have a loving family with the best man she knew as a father."

 

 

"So I'm between a rock and a hard place," Hyung-Chul stews. "File a paternity suit, and an innocent girl loses both her 'parents', or hide the truth, and be forced into marriage with a woman I can hardly stand to be with."

 

"Couldn't you just let So-Won continue the fiction she is Mi-Rae's mother?" Sun-Dal suggests.

 

"I wouldn't want to burden any child with that unstable woman as a mother," Hyung-Chul opposes the idea. "Especially Mi-Rae."

 

He slams his fist down on the desk in frustration, then recalls Sun-Mi's admonition ... Everything happens for a reason, in ways we can't understand ... and his demeanor softens.

 

"There must be another option," Hyung-Chul states hopefully. "Suppose I go ahead with the paternity suit, break things off completely with So-Won, and find a good family to adopt Mi-Rae? That would resolve everything."

 

Sun-Dal scoffs, "Who's going to adopt a six-year-old in this society?" Then he sees Hyung-Chul looking directly at him, and protests, "No way!"

 

"Why not? You want to have children, and haven't had success with fertility therapy," Hyung-Chul points out. "I also know that Joo-Hee always expressed misgivings about interrupting her career for raising an infant. And you did say that Mi-Rae is an exceptional child..."

 

Sun-Dal throws up his hands. "Okay, I'll ask Joo-Hee," he gives in.

 

"You'd be doing me a big favor, and 'Uncle Hyung-Chul' is already sounding pretty good to me, too," Hyung-Chul laughs...

 

 

Sun-Dal isn't laughing, and changes the subject. "Now what about Sun-Mi?"

 

"What about her?"

 

"Since there's nothing to keep you two apart any longer, you should call her, and tell her the good news," Sun-Dal encourages him.

 

"Why do you keep butting into my personal business?" Hyung-Chul grumbles, unhappy to have the subject forced onto him.

 

"An unhappy boss makes an unhappy workplace, so it is my business," Sun-dal counters. "It's basically self-protection for me."

 

"I made a promise to not ever contact Sun-Mi again," Hyung-Chul dourly shares the situation. "How can I blame her, for feeling this way, after all she's been through because of her relationship with me?"

 

"You're sure her attitude isn't because of Atwater's influence against you?"

 

"No, it's completely between Sun-Mi and me," Hyung-Chul makes it clear. "But that doesn't mean I like her being around Atwater. He seems to be one smooth operator, and is actively pursuing her. Who knows how long she can put him off?"

 

"If you can't contact Sun-Mi, then what can you do about it?" Sun-Dal deliberately stirs the waters. "You're here, and he's there, with Sun-Mi. It looks like a losing battle to me."

 

"I won't give up on Sun-Mi," Hyung-Chul declares vehemently. "Not as long as there is any chance to win her back!"

 

Reading between the lines, Sun-Dal guesses, "Okay... what are you scheming?"

 

Hyung-Chul responds with a determined grin, "It's already in the works..."