AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 154

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2018

 

"Everything is upside down now... I'm getting a gut feeling things aren't what they appear to be" -- Yoon Hyung-Chul

"We're sisters now... If you and Senior choose to marry, I should support that" -- Jin Sun-Mi

 

 

HYUNG-CHUL'S OFFICE, MBS HQ, YEOUIDO...

 

"Aren't you acting a bit prematurely?"

 

Sun-Dal makes the observation as he surveys the room, noticing several boxes in various states of packing.

 

 

Hyung-Chul moves a few more books from a shelf into a box half-filled with other volumes before he replies, "The outcome is already decided. I might as well clear out now, as I won't have a job to return to after the wedding anyway."

 

"Ehm..."

 

Hyung-Chul looks up to see that his friend isn't believing a word of it.

 

"You want to tell me what's really going on?" Sun-Dal asks, clearly unimpressed by that line of reasoning.

 

He plops down on the chair in front of Hyung-Chul's desk, indicating his intentions to stay for a while.

 

 

Hyung-Chul leaves the packing and sits in his desk chair to talk...

 

"The other day, Young-Mi said she wants to break up," he tells it straight. "She feels threatened by Sun-Mi being here, so I thought it best to distance myself as soon as possible."

 

Sun-Dal is astonished. "Seriously? Just like that?" He shakes his head at his friend's naivet� regarding women, and offers counsel from experience, "Do you really think doing this will end it? A woman's jealousy is not so easily appeased, believe me."

 

"I didn't think so myself, but I felt I had to do something," Hyung-Chul concurs. "What do you suggest?"

 

"For now, do nothing," Sun-Dal recommends. "Since you can't be sure of the outcome, why take such a drastic step that may be unnecessary?

 

 

Hyung-Chul ponders that for a moment. "Are you talking about Young-Mi, or MBS?

 

"Maybe both," Sun-Dal replies with a grin that indicates he knows something he hasn't said yet.

 

Hyung-Chul catches the hint. "Okay... what is it?"

 

"Michael Atwater was a no-show at the auction. He didn't even call in a bid."

 

 

The information doesn't surprise Hyung-Chul...

 

"I'd suspect his breakup with Sun-Mi had something to do with that," he deduces. "But if he didn't buy in, who did?"

 

"President Kim... He scooped up most of the issue himself, leaving some crumbs for his cronies' benefit."

 

"Where did Kim get the funds?" Hyung-Chul asks the obvious question.

 

"According to my inside source, Atwater floated a margin loan, with Kim's stake as collateral," Sun-Dal shares his intel.

 

Hyung-Chul leans forward, his brow creased as he puzzles this over, "Why would Atwater loan Kim the money, when he could have bought the stock directly, and had a say in the business?"

 

"A good question... the answer to which I don't know... yet," Sun-Dal admits. "But consider this -- Atwater has been slowly liquidating assets to raise a big stash of cash, too."

 

 

Hyung-Chul considers the situation, searching for some rationale...

 

"I wonder what he's up to? What else is Atwater doing?"

 

"Lately he's at Suyeongman in Busan, fitting out his newly christened 15-meter sailing yacht, The Priceless Pearl. It seems he's preparing for a lengthy cruise," Sun-Dal reports. "To all appearances, he's giving up and leaving."

 

This reminds Hyung-Chul of what Sun-Mi said about leaving MBS ... 'I have an offer for a year-long sailing tour... a honeymoon trip ... but I'm not sure that's happening now' ...

 

 

"It may just be a tactical retreat," Hyung-Chul surmises. "Atwater isn't a man who gives up easily."

 

"Are you talking about MBS, or Jin Sun-Mi?" Sun-Dal asks.

 

"Maybe both," Hyung-Chul answers. "Everything is upside down now... I'm getting a gut feeling things aren't what they appear to be."

 

 

"Or it could just be pre-wedding jitters," Sun-Dal suggests in jest.

 

Hyung-Chul picks up the Peter Rabbit figurine from his desk and hefts it in his hand, thinking of what Sun-Mi said when gifting it to him the day she left England, after the summer when they'd first met...

 

... 'It suits my character... It's the thought that counts' ...

 

 

"Perhaps you're right," he agrees. "It's a big change. I could be just apprehensive about the future, and leaning on the past."

 

He holds the figurine out to Sun-Dal...

 

"Here... give this to Mi-Rae," he offers. "Doesn't she like things like this?"

 

Sun-Dal is surprised, knowing something of the history attached to it. "Thanks, but... are you sure?"

 

"Yes," Hyung-Chul answers emotionlessly, "I don't need it anymore. As I said, it's time to let go of the past..."

 

 

 

CREAM CAKE HOUSE, GANGNAM-GU ...

 

"Honestly, there's nothing going on between Min-Cho and me... You have to believe that! ..."

 

 

Sun-Mi considers Young-Mi's plea with a measure of skepticism as she sips her latte.

 

"I didn't break up with Min-Cho because of you, if that's what you're thinking," Sun-Mi clarifies her motivations.

 

"Then why?"

 

"It's because of me... I was jealous of Senior marrying you, and wanted to take revenge to make him jealous, too," Sun-Mi spins the obvious motivation. "I can't believe I acted so childishly!"

 

"I was jealous, too, and told Oppa I wanted to break up, because of you," Young-Mi confesses. "Playing childish games. How foolish! Honestly, I never wanted this to come between us... You have to believe me!"

 

 

Sun-Mi looks across the table, trying to determine if Young-Mi is being truthful...

 

"Do you really love Senior?" she probes. "Or is it just about the baby?"

 

"Why do you think like that?" Young-Mi replies defensively, then eases up and smiles. "Anyway, does it really matter now?"

 

"It does to me," Sun-Mi affirms. "I want Senior to be happy, above everything else. Whether it's with me or someone else, it doesn't matter."

 

 

Sun-Mi's apparent complete change of heart puzzles Young-Mi...

 

"Then, you don't oppose our marrying now? ... What happened to the ... 'you're so evil, I'll stop you' ... part?"

 

Sun-Mi looks away, as if embarrassed. "I was in shock at the sudden news. I wasn't being myself," she justifies her extreme behavior... "I'm sorry now. I was too harsh."

 

 

Young-Mi looks across the table, trying to determine if Sun-Mi is being sincere...

 

"Do you really mean that? You'd give your blessing to our marriage?"

 

"We're sisters now, and it's what Daddy wants," Sun-Mi asserts. "If you and Senior choose to marry, I should support that."

 

 

Taking advantage of the opportunity Sun-Mi has handed her, Young-Mi asks, "If you really feel that way, will you come to Madame Kim's for my dress fitting?"

 

With the wedding so close, Sun-Mi is surprised. "You don't have it fitted yet?"

 

"When I ordered the dress, I wasn't sure of how big I'd be," Young-Mi alludes to her swelling belly, "so it needs some adjustments."

 

 

Seeing Young-Mi in a wedding dress -- in place of herself -- is the last thing that Sun-Mi wants to do, but she puts on a brave face...

 

"Of course I'll come," she replies, gritting her teeth under a smile, as she hides her pain. "It'll be fun to go together..."