AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 220

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2019

 

"Can you imagine the rumors that would fly if anyone even suspected you were the father of my child?" --Jin Sun-Mi

 

 

DOSAN PARK, GANGNAM ...

 

... 'Adoption is commendable, so why all the secrecy? What is it you're really hiding?' ...

 

As soon as the question is out of his mouth, Hyung-Chul's eyes widen as the likely answer pops into his head...

 

"Because it's Young-Mi's child," he announces his revelation boldly. "You adopted your sister's baby, didn't you?"

 

 

Sun-Mi frowns and grumbles. "How did you know?"

 

Hyung-Chul grins. "It was just a hunch, but now, you've confirmed it."

 

"You tricked me!" she complains, glowering at him.

 

He laughs...

 

"Don't worry, I'll keep your secret," he assures her.

 

 

With her secret now confirmed, Hyung-Chul has many questions...

 

"Now, tell me how this happened," he starts off.

 

"When I visited Young-Mi about testifying against Kim Eun-Ki, she asked me to raise Ha-Eun for her," Sun-Mi briefly shares the gist of the story. "So I agreed, for the child's sake."

 

"Why would Young-Mi give her baby up, when she knew she'd be released in a few months?" he asks the obvious.

 

"Young-Mi claimed she had no confidence she could do the right thing. She'd already decided to return to the convent -- the only place she'd found peace in her heart -- and had put Ha-Eun up for a sealed adoption."

 

"So no one would know Ha-Eun's true background?"

 

"Yes, she didn't want to ruin Ha-Eun's life because of who her parents are," Sun-Mi confirms.

 

"Will you tell her?"

 

"Someday, if Ha-Eun is old enough and wants to know who her birth mother is," Sun-Mi replies. "I'll give her the choice."

 

"And this is the reason you left MBS, to care for Ha-Eun?"

 

Sun-Mi smiles with her answer, "I'd always wanted to be a mother. How could I turn Ha-Eun away?"

 

"Who else knows about this?"

 

"Only Min-Cho. I asked him to be Ha-Eun's male guardian, since she doesn't have a father."

 

"Why not come to me?" Hyung-Chul asks, his pride bruised.

 

"Because... Can you imagine the rumors that would fly if anyone even suspected you were the father of my child?" she refers to their past experience with scandals. "Ha-Eun's background is complicated enough... I didn't want that cloud hanging over her, too..."

 

... she has a point, he concedes to himself ...

 

 

Why haven't you told your parents?"

 

"That's out of the question, for now," Sun-Mi replies sadly. "They hate Young-Mi with a vengeance, because of what happened to Woo-Jin, and me. Also, Mom believes that parentage defines a person -- good comes from good, and bad from bad. She always regarded Young-Mi as a 'weed', and what has happened only confirmed that in her mind."

 

"So, with Ha-Eun, too?"

 

"Having Young-Mi as her mother, and Bae In-Soo the father, Mom would look at Ha-Eun as practically evil incarnate," Sun-Mi predicts direly.

 

"This beautiful baby?" he doubts.

 

"She says, 'It's in the blood'," Sun-Mi answers. "She won't understand what I'm doing, or why."

 

"Giving up so much ... Many people would consider you a saint," Hyung-Chul commends her.

 

"I don't see it as sacrifice, or duty, but as receiving a blessing," she says gratefully. "A gift to be treasured, like every other child."

 

"You're going to be great mother," Hyung-Chul predicts. "Young-Mi gave her daughter into the care of the best person she could."

 

 

"Speaking of being a good mother... Su-Ji's waiting for me to come back," Sun-Mi reminds him.

 

"Sure... I'll drive you," he offers.

 

"There's no need. I'll catch a taxi. Don't you have somewhere else you should be now?"

 

Hyung-Chul chuckles...

 

"Yes ... Mi-Rae is waiting to beat me at Go-Stop again."

 

 

"Let's go," Sun-Mi moves first, standing up and collecting her purse from the bench.

 

"Let me walk you to the taxi," he offers, not wanting to part from her, just yet.

 

She smiles, accepting, "Thanks, I need a shoulder to lean on right now."

 

 

Sun-Mi does exactly that as they walk to the park entrance, where a taxi is dropping off a fare.

 

 

"When can I see you again?" he asks as he signals the driver to wait.

 

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," she puts him off.

 

"How will you know unless you try it?" he insists.

 

"Anyway, with the business, most days are busy," she demurs again.

 

"You can't work all the time," he persists. "Sunday afternoon? Both you and Ha-Eun. I'd like to see her again, too."

 

... by including Ha-Eun, Sun-Mi can't use her as an excuse ...

 

 

"All right," Sun-Mi gives in, easier than he expected. "Where are we going?"

 

"It's a surprise... Three o'clock?"

 

She acknowledges, "Mmmm..."

 

 

Hyung-Chul opens the taxi door open and helps Sun-Mi get in.

 

"Thanks for the cup of coffee," he tells her, "See you next Sunday."

 

She smiles appreciatively, confirming, "We'll be waiting, Senior, at the gate..."