AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 139

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2018

 

"Someone I trusted, giving up and walking away, without a comprehensible reason... that's a type of betrayal, too" -- Kim Sun-Dal

 

 

YEOUIDO PUB NEAR MBS...

 

"You should've been there...!"

 

Sitting at the bar with Hyung-Chul, Sun-Dal energetically recounts that night's events in the News Center control room.

 

"Through Sun-Mi's entire segment, President Kim was grumbling about one thing or another being too much, making threats, and just being his usual obnoxious self..."

 

"What else is new?" Hyung-Chul empathizes.

 

"Then when Sun-Mi took off her coat, and was wearing that dress, I thought Kim would have a stroke, the way the veins popped on his temples," Sun-Dal describes the situation.

 

Hyung-Chul chuckles at the picture. "I didn't see it coming, either," he admits. "That was Sun-Mi's idea?"

 

"She has more guts than I do," Sun-Dal grants. "But Kim was blaming me anyway... I felt sure he was going to can me on the spot!"

 

 

Hyung-Chul sips at his beer and grins, "But you're still alive..."

 

"Barely," Sun-Dal acknowledges. "At the end Kim looked like he was sucking lemons, but he was forced to admit that it worked. He even praised Sun-Mi for doing well."

 

"Oh? What made him change his tune?"

 

"PD Shin showed the InstaPoll results of the competing newscasts," Sun-Dal explains what happened. "MBS was in third place until Sun-Mi's segment, when we blew the top off the chart!"

 

"Kim isn't the type to be impressed by a one-shot," Hyung-Chul points out. "There must be more behind it than that."

 

 

Sun-Dal upends and drains his bottle as he considers the possibility, then nods in agreement. "What are you thinking?"

 

"He can hardly be too critical of Sun-Mi, if he wants Michael Atwater's support."

 

"You really think Atwater would pressure Kim on Sun-Mi's account?"

 

"Wouldn't you support Joo-Hee in the same situation, if you could?" Hyung-Chul suggests.

 

"Of course," Sun-Dal affirms naturally, then gets the implication. "Wait... are you saying that Atwater and Jin Sun-Mi are..."

 

"Engaged? It appears that way," Hyung-Chul answers grimly, voicing his dejection. "That was a surprise to me, too..."

 

 

"How can Atwater side with Kim, after what Sun-Mi told me he di..." Sun-Dal begins, his voice gritty with rancor, but checks himself before betraying Sun-Mi's confidence.

 

But his slip intrigues Hyung-Chul. "Kim did what?"

 

 

Sun-Dal signals the barkeep for a fresh brew to buy a moment to think...

 

"Uh... they had 'differences' when she worked for him here, and also in London," he covers for himself. "Since they're not on the best of terms, I was wondering about Atwater's relationship with Kim."

 

"Business can make strange bedfellows," Hyung-Chul philosophizes. "Enemies become allies when both have something to gain."

 

"This only reinforces my thinking that Sun-Mi is at the root of Atwater's move, and that he may be up to more than it appears," Sun-Dal posits his theory again.

 

"It's not as if I'm blameless -- I wronged Sun-Mi in the first place -- so she has every right to seek revenge, if that's what she wants."

 

"We're not just talking about a personal affront here," Sun-Dal argues. "This is about your mother's family's legacy, and your future!"

 

 

Hyung-Chul smiles ironically. "There was a time, not that long ago, that I didn't give a damn about those two things," he recalls his stay in London. "It was only because of Sun-Mi that I came back and reconciled with my father, to show her that I was mature and responsible enough to take care of her... "

 

Staring at his beer, he sighs deeply before going on, "I did it all for Sun-Mi, trying to impress her and win her heart... but now, without her, what's the point of it?"

 

"Then you're not going to fight anymore -- either for yourself, or for Sun-Mi?" Sun-Dal shows his disdain.

 

"I'm done fighting," Hyung-Chul states tiredly. "Things are where they are because of decisions I made, and now there's no going back. I have to live with the consequences."

 

He recalls Sun-Mi's parting words as he left her room, words of finality that had haunted him since... 'Someone is waiting for you... go to her... and when you leave... please, close the door' ...

 

 

"But until Kim actually takes control, anything could happen... no need to surrender until the final moment," Sun-Dal presses.

 

Hyung-Chul doesn't budge from his gloomy attitude. "When you're boxed in a corner, and on the ropes, it's time to give up."

 

"That's easy for you to say. I don't have the same luxury," Sun-Dal grumbles bitterly. "After you're long gone, I'll still be here, having to live with the fallout of your choices every day."

 

"Sorry, I..."

 

Sun-Dal interrupts irately, "I don't want your apologies. I want to see your backbone, along with some loyalty! ... Now I'm beginning to understand how Joo-Hee feels..."

 

His mention of Joo-Hee catches Hyung-Chul's attention. "How's that?"

 

Sun-Dal is blunt: "Someone I trusted with my life, giving up and walking away, without a comprehensible reason... that's a type of betrayal, too..."