AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 102

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2017

 

"Director Yoon was supposed to be my ticket out of this prison, not a permanent sentence." -- Huh Young-Mi

 

 

RURAL KANGWON-DO ...

 

"Take your time. Be careful!" Young-Mi anxiously admonishes the two orderlies, hurrying over to the ambulance as they lift Hyung-Chul out of the rear doors and transfer him to the waiting wheelchair.

 

"You two can go now," the male CNA (Certified Nursing Associate) who accompanied Hyung-Chul on the trip from Seoul orders.

 

"Yes, Sir," the men answer in unison as they shut the doors and get in the front seat of the ambulance.

 

 

"Good afternoon, Sir," Young-Mi welcomes the CNA as he pivots the wheelchair toward the entrance of the Children's Hospital 's Cha Mi-Rae Memorial Rehabilitative Therapy Center. But when she sees his face, she stops dead in her tracks...

 

"The name is Hong Kwang-Ho," he tells Young-Mi with a wide grin when he sees her shocked expression. "I'm handling Director Yoon's daily care for now."

 

"Pleased to meet you, Mr.... Hong... You may call me Anna," she replies, sending a silent but irritated glance toward Bae In-Soo.

 

"Since we'll be working together, and are about the same age, call me Kwang-Ho," he allows.

 

"Come with me... Kwang-Ho," she directs him, her voice cold, walking alongside the wheelchair as he pushes Hyung-Chul up the ramp.

 

"I hope the trip wasn't too uncomfortable, Director Yoon," she warmly expresses her concern to Hyung-Chul, resting her hand lightly on his shoulder.

 

"Not at all," Hyung-Chul answers. "I slept most of the way here."

 

"The doctor ordered a sedative before we left," In-Soo explains.

 

Young-Mi holds the door open as he pushes the wheelchair inside. The wide corridor is brightly illuminated with the glass doors at each end, and a skylight in the center.

 

"The residents' rooms are down this corridor," she points the way. "Director Yoon's is the last one on the left. I already unpacked his luggage that came yesterday, so the room is ready."

 

"Thank you. That's very helpful," Hyung-Chul tells her.

 

"Helpful is your middle name, Anna?" In-Soo makes a joke, giving her a wink.

 

"I sent your bags to the Visitor's Center, where you'll be staying," she informs In-Soo of his living arrangements. "It's about a five minute walk from here, back up the road you drove in. Sister Donna, at the reception desk, will help you get situated."

 

"If it's not a problem, once I get the Director to his room, I'd like to take a short rest," he tells her.

 

"No problem, I can take things from here," Anna offers. "Will that be okay?"

 

"Director Yoon?" In-Soo looks at Hyung-Chul for permission.

 

"Go on," Hyung-Chul tells him. "It's a long drive, and you must be tired after watching over me the entire time."

 

"I'll be back after dinner, to help get you ready for bed," In-Soo assures Hyung-Chul, then sends Young-Mi a surreptitious 'I'll see you later in my room' glance, and walks back out the door.

 

 

Anna starts pushing the wheelchair, passing several closed rooms before they arrive at his. Inside, Hyung-Chul is surprised to find a large, colorful banner, declaring 'WELCOME UNCLE YOON HYUNG-CHUL!' hung above a dozen colored drawings and paintings that are taped to the wall.

 

"The children thought your room was too drab, and insisted on decorating. So yesterday they worked all afternoon to have these ready before you came," she informs him of the children's efforts. "School is still in session right now, but they'll stop in after dinner to tell you about their artworks."

 

Hyung-Chul gazes at the display, his eyes moist with feeling. "I'm so grateful, Anna, for arranging to bring me here," he thanks her.

 

"It's nothing," she answers humbly. "You and Mr. Jin are the ones who made this a reality for the children."

 

"But you knew of the need, and suggested the solution," he reminds her. "You've truly been an angel to the children, and now, to me."

 

"Let's just thank God," she redirects his praise, "for working in mysterious ways. When I think back on everything, I'm grateful, too."

 

"I know you must be busy, Anna, so you may go," he says. "I'll be fine here."

 

"Actually, I'm temporarily relieved of all duties except my work in the Technology Center, so I'm free," she informs him. "You may consider me as your assistant, too, along with Mr. Dong."

 

"That's hardly necessary," he objects. "I didn't come here to be a burden on either you or the orphanage."

 

"You're hardly a burden, Director," she says cheerfully. "You're a good friend."

 

"If I'm a friend, you must call me Hyung-Chul," he insists. "I don't want to feel like I'm at the office."

 

"Hyung-Chul," she concedes to his wishes, "let me show you something..."

 

 

She wheels him back out into the corridor and out the nearby doors to a wide terrace with an expansive view of the adjacent lake. At one of the tables on the terrace, a place is set for dining, with several covered bowls.

 

"I brought dinner over for you," Young-Mi tells him as she pushes him toward the table. "I thought you might be hungry.

 

"Actually, I'm famished," he tells her, "but I find it difficult to eat on my own."

 

"Then I'll feed you; it's no trouble," she volunteers her service as she sits down in a chair next to him and picks up a spoon.

 

"How about your dinner?" he asks her.

 

"I already ate, and the food is delicious!" she enthuses, dipping the spoon into one of the bowls and holding it up, close to his mouth.

 

"Here, try it..."

 

 

AN HOUR LATER ...

 

Making sure she is unobserved, Young-Mi quietly slips in the side door of the Visitors' Center, and goes directly to Room 6, where she taps lightly on the door.

 

Immediately, the door swings open, and a hand reaches out, pulling her inside, directly into In-Soo's arms...

 

"What took you so long?" he growls irately as he shoves the door closed. "I've been waiting."

 

Young-Mi tries to push him away, but he just holds her tighter.

 

"I fed the Director his dinner first," she defends herself. "Why did you come? I thought you were going to have your man do this."

 

"After he screwed up at the hospital, I wasn't taking any chances. Plus I'm missing you... a lot," In-Soo gives her his rationale.

 

"Still, you're taking a big risk," she complains, "Some glasses and a beard are hardly a disguise! Director Yoon has seen those pictures of us together. What if he, or someone else, recognizes you? It'll ruin everything!"

 

"We were teens when those pictures were taken, and nobody up here knows me, so it'll be fine," he says confidently, easing his embrace and raising her chin with his fingers, looking into her eyes with fervent desire...

 

"There's no time for this," she protests. "You need to get over to the hospital."

 

"There's a half hour, at least," he counters, "plenty of time for us to..."

 

 

The room is small, and the bed is only two steps away. In-Soo pushes Young-Mi down on the bed and starts to kiss her, but she turns her head away, silently resisting his amorous advances.

 

"Sister Donna has ears like a cat. I can't get caught in here with you," she hisses. "Besides, I'm due at vespers in the chapel."

 

In-Soo gives up the effort, and they both sit up on the bed.

 

"Fine, after the good Sister leaves her post for the night, we can pick up where we left off," he demands. "In the meantime, I'll give the Director his meds and get him into bed."

 

"What meds?" she asks.

 

He picks up a small container from the bedside stand and opens it. "These are his pain pills, these are the sleeping aids," he shows her the contents, "and these are for his mental dysfunctions."

 

"Hyung-Chul doesn't have any mental problems," she is dubious. "Why is he on meds for that?"

 

"They're to induce dysfunction... random spells of delirium, hallucinations, memory loss, anxiety, and stuff like that," In-Soo describes the effects. "The unfortunate Director Yoon is going to suffer a long recovery from his injuries, if he ever returns to normal..."

 

Young-Mi is surprised. "I thought the plan was to only keep him here for a few months? What's going on?"

 

"Plans changed, I guess," In-Soo shrugs. "It make no difference to me, as long as I'm getting paid, and we're together."

 

"But it makes a difference to me," she glares angrily. "Director Yoon was supposed to be my ticket out of this prison, not a permanent sentence..."