AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 193

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2018

 

"It's not that I'm so great, but that this dream is something great... I know in my heart I have to do this, while I have the chance." -- Jin Sun-Mi

 

 

SUN-MI'S OFFICE, MBS YEOUIDO HQ ...

 

"... with the appeal ruling decided in our favor, Kim Eun-Ki has less than fifteen days to surrender his holdings..." Jin-Woo delivers a concise update from a week of legal wrangling to Sun-Mi.

 

Seated in the leather upholstered chair to his right, legs crossed at the knees, she sips coffee as she listens...

 

"By then we'll have secured the remaining proxies for Caritas to take total control of MBS," he concludes his report. "The lawyers should have everything dotted and crossed by the end of next month."

 

 

"That's great news," she concurs, "But after everything that's happened, it feels a little anticlimactic."

 

"It's only the first step on a long road, the hardest work is just starting," he agrees.

 

Leaning forward to place her cup down on the coffee table, Sun-Mi clasps her hands over her knee as she changes the subject, "What are your plans now?"

 

"KIC is offering VP of Accounting, back in New York," he replies. "It's a good offer, with a chance to make CEO someday."

 

"When would you move on?"

 

"They want a decision by the end of this month, but will hold the position open until late May," he states. "Enough time for me to wrap things up here first."

 

"It seems like a perfect situation for you," she remarks positively. "You're going to take it?"

 

"Not for certain," he replies. "I'm still open to other opportunities here in Seoul. There's good reasons to stay, too."

 

She looks at him askance, shifting her line of questioning with a lighter tone, "What? Are you dating someone now? Any budding romance on the horizon?"

 

 

He studies Sun-Mi for a few moments, hoping to ascertain her motives for asking such a frank, leading question...

 

In contrast to her appearance before the Board, today she is aptly all-business in a serious black Balmain pantsuit. The full-length sleeve, double-breasted jacket has a round neckline and a fitted silhouette, and the narrow-legged pants flare to cover the stacked heels and lacings of her polished, black Christian Louboutin pointed-toe oxford pumps.

 

In keeping with the more elegant, austere look, for ornament she has a small silver brooch, a circle of matched white pearls, on her left breast, and simple solitaire pearl studs on her earlobes. The only color in her neutral palette is the bright red gloss painted on lips that, when his eyes meet hers, curve into a smile, showing her pearl-white teeth as she awaits his answer....

 

Jin-Woo keeps that nebulous, "So far, it's just friends, while I wait for the right person... Why?"

 

"My goal is to complete the restructuring by this time next year. I'd like you to direct the transition management team, working with President Kim Sun-Dal," she reveals her plans.

 

Jin-Woo shows his surprise...

 

"Not Director Yoon?" he questions her decision. "It's his family's legacy, after all."

 

"Which is why I need someone objective, without personal baggage," she explains her reasoning, "I know it's an ambitious schedule, a lot to ask, but will you do this?"

 

He doesn't hesitate. With a wide grin, he gives her a cocky salute. "Yes Madam Chairwoman! Whatever you want."

 

"Tsst! ... Don't get all stuffy on me, too," she objects, though amused by his antics. "I'd prefer it's just Sun-Mi to you."

 

"You'll never be 'just' Sun-Mi -- you were the 'right person' who taught me to dance," he replies earnestly, remembering one particular evening...

 

... 'I'm not very good at dancing' ...

 

... 'That's okay, because I'm a verrry good dancer. Don't worry, it's as easy as walking, when you're with the right person' ...

 

 

His reminder sets Sun-Mi to thinking about that night, too...

 

"You were a friend when I truly needed one," she replies, her voice tinged with emotion, "When I was most vulnerable, you took care of me, and did right by me. That's something I'll never forget."

 

"I have a confession," he says, "Just for the record, that day I wasn't completely honest about my feelings..."

 

... one kiss, is just a kiss... it doesn't need to mean anything else ...

 

"You're not a very good liar," she replies, hinting she'd suspected all along.

 

"Well, then..." Jin-Woo stands to leave. "I'd better go now, or I'll be late...."

 

He picks up his briefcase and turns away.

 

"Wait," she asks, "Just one more thing."

 

He turns back. "Yes? What is it?"

 

Sun-Mi stands up and circles the coffee table, stopping within an arm's length in front of him. Even with the 150mm boost from her platform heels -- selected specifically to compensate for her 20cm height deficiency -- she has to tilt her chin up to look into his eyes.

 

"Just for the record, I wasn't completely honest, either," she confesses. "If circumstances hadn't intervened... perhaps we might've had more than that one dance..."

 

"Sun-Mi..." He gazes at her with the longing of unrequited love that can't be mentioned.

 

 

She steps forward, into his embrace...

 

"Don't do this, thinking that by staying here, waiting for me, that things might change," she advises, trying to dissuade him. "Even if it was possible, I'd disappoint you, too, eventually..."

 

"I find that hard to believe, by what I've seen. As long as there's a chance, I won't let go," he replies. "Turns out, I'm a masochist after all. But either way I can't lose, as long as my dream comes to fruition, while I'm helping you achieve yours...."

 

... 'I have a grand dream, too... that you and I become good friends' ...

 

"But you've already achieved your dream," she declares, then spontaneously stretches up to give him a quick peck on the cheek.

 

"What�s that for?" he wonders aloud, seeing her impish smile.

 

"With Min-Cho away, I was feeling a little lost, but right now, I'm really happy," she answers.

 

 

"Chairwoman, Director Yoon is here..."

 

The voice of Sun-Mi's admin assistant, Yeom Soo-A, interrupts through the intercom...

 

 

Sun-Mi flicks her eyes at him, and Jin-Woo releases her from his embrace. She steps over to her desk and touches the intercom unit.

 

"I'll be just a moment, Soo-A..."

 

But when she looks back at Jin-Woo, he is already heading for the door. He stops before opening it, to look back.

 

"Thank you, for everything," she flashes a smile of appreciation.

 

 

He nods in reply, then opens the door...

 

Hyung-Chul is waiting outside. The two men exchange a cursory nod and passing glance as one exits and the other enters.

 

Hyung-Chul's eyes sweep the room -- noting the two cups on the coffee table -- before focusing on Sun-Mi, seated at her desk.

 

In passing Jin-Woo, he'd caught the trace scent of Sun-Mi's perfume and noticed the smudge of red on his cheek, the same tint as she is wearing... and his envy instantly flashes.

 

 

If she notices the slight flare in his eyes, Sun-Mi doesn't show it, instead smiles warmly in greeting. "Come in , Senior..."

 

The sparkle in her eyes is a safety valve Hyung-Chul needs to relieve the building pressure before it pops. He manages a smile in return, though his voice still carries an edge...

 

"You wanted to see me?"

 

"Yes, please sit down." She motions to a chair, moved from the conference table and placed beside the desk.

 

He sits down and asks, "But why here?" ... this is the first time he has been to her office since the day of the Board meeting ...

 

"How would it look, if I came to your office?" she replies with a hint of intrigue. "You know how society works..."

 

He nods, getting her point, "Yes..."

 

 

"Thanks for persuading Director Wang," she mentions the outcome of the previous day's meeting. "I was concerned he wouldn't come around and cooperate."

 

"It was nothing. You already had him 90% convinced," he gives her the credit. "He just needed a way to save face, by seeming to not give into a woman."

 

Hearing this, Sun-Mi's smile drops...

 

"When a man is tough, it's respected as fortitude, but when it's a woman, she's a witch, or worse," she complains, declining to say the 'b-word' aloud. "Do you know what it's like, as a woman, having to deal with this 'good-old-boy's-club' every day? Some days, it's all I can do, to keep a civil attitude."

 

"I can't imagine," he sympathizes. "But however tough it seems, you're doing something right. By your example, Kim Sun-Dal has even grown a spine now, too," he observes.

 

He looks at her with deep respect, "Once again, I've underestimated you, Sun-Mi. What you're accomplishing is amazing," he readily praises her. "You're amazing..."

 

"You've got something mixed up, Senior. It's not that I'm so great, but that this dream is something great," she states her motivation, gazing with cloudy eyes out the windows behind him as she speaks...

 

"Even when I feel like I'm swimming against the tide, surrounded by hungry sharks in a fishbowl, with all the world watching for me to get eaten... I know in my heart I have to do this, while I have the chance."

 

She glances at him again and smiles faintly. "But you don't need to hear my troubles. That's not why I asked you here."

 

"Now you have me curious," he replies. "Then why?"

 

As quickly as the clouds had appeared, they blow out again, leaving her eyes sparkling at him...

 

"I have reservations for two, at New York New York," she discloses. "Can you come?" (NYNY is an opulently furnished, 4-star restaurant in the Hotel Lexington, a few blocks from MBS)

 

He chuckles. "You mean, you just wanted to have a date with me?"

 

"Mmmm..." she confirms, suggesting, "It's a nice day, and I thought after dinner we could go over to the park."

 

"Yeouido Park is a zoo this time of year," Hyung-Chul reminds her of the crowds thronging the walkways during the peak of cherry blossom season.

 

"I know," Sun-Mi replies. "But that way, we'd be just one anonymous couple out for a stroll, among thousands..."