~JIN-AE:)
Letting go off a long sigh, I postured myself in the grassland of roses, mourning why I continued for him, bemoaning why I rooted these when he even couldn't make it up for me.
Lasting for the moment, when these roses would die, looking forward to them falling apart, my love for him dead, I made myself get used to his absence, but deeply into my heart I still was madly in love with him.
Not wish to prevaricate to many people because I didn't yearn for their leniency, that included brother, Ari, Dad and Tae-Hyun, I caught up with him(Tae) when I felt to be with someone, kinda spending time after a couple of months without him, before three years ago. That's when I came to know that he was getting married to the daughter of Mr Jung-Soo, his father's friend, in addition now they had a beautiful daughter of one and half years, which was the only thing I felt delighted for, otherwise, everything on my end seemed shattered bitterly.
Dad divorced mom in the absence of me, and still, I couldn't find the reason for their separation after being in a relationship for long that nowadays you could hardly find a couple with such a long period of togetherness. Meanwhile, my relationship with Dad we're getting better than now Dad would sacrifice anything for me, and so was I.
In such a short time, I didn't feel lonely returning to Korea after breaking the pre-relationship with him, then I didn't utter his name, although wished well for him considering, still, somewhere I loved him, it's just that I couldn't forget that moment that made me regret going there, as long as I wouldn't about that, I would still love him the same, that flawless love, however, now I even didn't know what happened to him after.
I still remembered one of those writings that contemplate love to dwell as long as the afterlife.
Suddenly some giggles or laughs at myself followed with some sheds, watching my roses for him, dying without him knowing that.
Every day I watched them fall, every day I cried over past, the time I spent here was the only time I whimpered as long as my family didn't know I would deceive to be happy, indeed I was pleased being with them that his actions didn't put a scratch my heart.
Except for him, everything in my life was perfect as it was from the start, but when I stood alone somewhere, my life wasn't perfect, however, worst than before, for, before I hoped for him, regardless now I didn't that terrified me to the essence being deserted in a populace, being surrounded with the hustle and bustle of this city.
Sometimes, being pretending the perfect image of family, lacked the presence of mom, it was just a few years that she jumped behaving selfishly, from the time when her brother got wedded to Ari, and after that, no one knew what got inside her.
I missed how she sang a lullaby, missed how she celebrated that moment when I published novels, everything scattered so badly.
Displaying that occurrence, suddenly hit the realisation that she hated me now, for the reason that anyone among us was unaware, nevertheless, her hatred perpetrated not erase the optimistic rememberings with her.
I crouched due to the immediate buzzing of the phone in my lap. I twinkled multiple times to get rid of tears as well as those bad happenings.
It was Min, peeping at the screen made me think twice before accepting her call because I left the US without informing her, and might be Justin would have told her about the happening, she called me so frequently but whenever she negotiated the matter of him, I rewrote the subject, comprehending what she was signifying at.
Clearing my throat, needed sound usual, I accepted the call.
"Hello?"
"Hey, how are you doing?"
"It's good at my end but how about you Min? Are you really going to stay there in the US until the end?" after completing her Masters, she got accepted by the company there, which unfortunately made her stay there for long.
"It seems so but I will be visiting you often, don't worry," she said, and ultimately we both let loose some giggles, realising that the moment would be next to preposterously.
"By the way, what are you doing?"
"Me? just writing, I didn't wish to change the profession as it suits me so,"
"Ah! yeah indeed,"
"Tae-Hyun is squeamish, you didn't even accompany his wedlock," I explained, expecting to dissuade her from begging about him.
"Shit!" I heard her cursing, realising that she neglected about apologising to him.
I laughed
"You should!"
"Yeah, but now I am busy with you, might be I will talk with him in the evening," she declared.
"That's nice,"
"Hmm, Jin-Ae?" her sudden change in tone, tightened my throat, straightened my spine.
Gathering up courage, moreover for how long I would keep this hidden from her so I uttered.
"Yes!"
"I know you don't want to discuss about him, but please let me know what happened between the two when you talked with him because Justin isn't aware too as his behaviour is seriously out of our thinking, as well he didn't spend much time with him, most of the time he wakes in his office," she explained the situation with him, however, it had no effects on me.
"Min-"
"I know you wanna ignore the reality every time I come up with him, but he is seriously regretting that happening," she added, cutting me off.
"And what am I supposed to do with this information Min?"
"You didn't know what happened exactly so how could you part ways with him,"
"Min, don't exaggerate I know what I saw, even Justin saw it too, seriously being honest with you I really can't get over that, even if you favour him,"
"I'm not favouring him, but if he did that. Wasn't he worthy of a second chance?"
For some moments, I stayed silent, hearing her and rethinking our last meeting.
"I'm not in the mood of talking about the same," I said, getting annoyed by her, always favouring the situation.
"Seriously? Alright, Let's see how long you stay from him, but remember that just happened considering his drunk state, on top of that he deserves a second chance,"
"Min, he almost fucked her, no matter what you say I can't get over that," I let out, defending myself.
"That's what you call love, great," she taunted, which unwillingly made me groan.
"Stop it please,"
"Okay bye," that she hung up the call.
_________________
~SUNG-HO:)
"I DON'T CARE BUT I NEED YOU TO FIX THIS ISSUE BEFORE EVENING," I have pissed off already when Jake acquainted me that Mr Albert discontinued the meeting for some mishappening with him. Gripping the partnership with him was essential to me in my life, because, in the past three years, I didn't renounce any business deal, perceiving that he terminated the meeting, unfortunately, dribbled resentment in my veins.
Knock! Knock!
"Come in!" I whispered trying to sound as calm as I could.
"Hey, buddy," It was Justin, which made me lose my grip on the pen, discerning that he would not let me work for the time he stayed here in the office.
"Here's lunch for you," he showered with the delicious lunch, which instantly lightened my mood.
"Why? I'm busy," I said, remembering that I have a lot of things to deal with.
"Shut up, you have been working busily for three years, now, please spend some time with me, you even haven't shown at home for the last three nights," I uttered, grabbing the chair opposite to him.
I gave in and passed a smile towards him.
"Let's eat," he said and then on we started to enjoy the delicious meal.
"So good!"
But unexpectedly his mood lightened when his eyes lay on the phone screen, popping up with Min name.
He was busy eating so he put the call on speaker, I grinned when noticed that he wasn't feeling shy in front of me and again I got busy with lunch, eavesdropping on their conservation.
"Hello, baby?"
"Hey, how are you?"
"I'm good Min, and why do you call me?"
"Actually, I chattered with Jin-Ae about him, Sung-Ho," the moment her name dropped in my ears, the sound of the clattering of spoon joined too.
I didn't utter when I glimpsed him pardoning himself for a while.
Gritting my teeth, I laid back on the chair, glancing at the ceiling, and then all those remembrances floated back into my head.
Her, leaving me, just whispering "I love you" and then she didn't show her face back in these years. Might be she was the rationale why I remade myself to being professional than focusing on my personal life.
Regretful I sighed, wiping the tears that catch my attention, might be her thoughts indulging me.
I licked my bottom lips, searching to distract myself from her thoughts because the more I thought about her, the more I regretted my actions, the more I felt hostility toward myself for tearing her heart. After her disappearance, my mind stopped working, I didn't know what to do, couldn't sense the surrounding. However, one thing is for sure that I gonna fire her definitely.
My thoughts were interrupted by the knock on the door, thinking of Justin. Regardless of my utterance, permitting him to enter.
"Sir?"
Oh, it was Jake, my Secretary and within the time of three years, he became close to me after Justin.
"Yes!" deflecting the gazes I snuffed out the sheds prohibiting him from noticing.
"Hm," I hummed, wanting him to process his words.
"Me Albert has agreed on to hold a meeting but-,"
"What?"
"He wants to execute it tonight, tomorrow he had to fly to Italy for personal reasons,"
"Alright, get ready at 7 okay?"
"Yes sit," he said.
"Anything else?"
"No sir,"
"Alright, make sure to check out the files for a meeting,"
He nodded and left the room.
I noticed him colliding with Justin, which made both of us hiss regretfully.
"Sorry," Jake apologised and followed towards his cabin in front.
"Me too," while Justin whispered, making me laugh. At this point, I totally forgot that he talked about Jin-Ae with Min.
"He agreed?"
I understood what he meant, I simply nodded while fixing my state.
"That's good, you seem glad,"
"Yeah, I was taking the stress over this meeting, I couldn't lose it at any cost,"
"Thankfully, I am glad to see you,"
I smiled.
In addition, neither of us mentioned the conservation with Min.
At night time:)
"Nice meeting you Mr Albert," I said while shaking hands with him. We shared our dinner time at the famous restaurant to continue with the meeting over the business.
"I am so delighted that I got to work with you in near future," he said, twitching the lips to form a cheerful smile on his face.
"So, that's it. I'm gonna take leave," Mr Albert whispered, making me nod instantly.
"Of course, I don't take your time, "
"See you,"
"See you!" I muttered, watching him leave with his secretary.
I relaxed and drink water peacefully until Jake showed up with my phone in his hands.
I raised my eyebrows, asking him.
"Madam called you!"
"Oh, pass it!"
"Hey, mom!"
"Oh my son, how are you doing?"
"I'm good, how's your health? Are you making sure to take medicine on time?" pretending strict with her health.
"It's all good, as well your father is taking good care of me if I felt ill,"
"Then I am relieved," I whispered.
"Hm?"
She asked in the question tone which made me laugh hard, she always took my concern for her lightly, but I genuinely minded for her as I made sure to deliver blessings for them often.
"Are you really doubting that mom?" I asked, beholding the sight of couples in the front kissing passionately.
The view was beautiful, as it was decorated beautifully, pretending that she might have received a marriage proposal, as anyone could smell that, seeing them standing in mid of the view.
"I'm not doubting that but there are some things that make me worry for you son," my mind was distracted by her voice, I facepalmed myself mentally for ignoring her.
However, her question wasn't really surprising to me but her tone was.
"What is that?"
"I am worried about you, you should get married son, I don't want to die before that, I wanna see you happy with your woman."