Chapter 12 - Happiness

Han River - 4:12PM

The late afternoon sun was setting, showering the grassy park and azure river with a shimmering orange. Tall monolithic cities decorated the other bank, clawing at the clear skies. The faded footpaths interrupted the sea of green with faded streaks of dirt, leading towards the roadway where a white Bentley was located, basked in the amber lighting. The sounds of the gentle winds flowing could be heard by the two as they felt the crunch of the verdure underneath them. The small sobbing from the small woman beside him had stopped a while ago, and the two were sitting there peacefully, staring out into the vast landscape.

Taeyeon had asked him to pull over amidst her sobbing after they had left the cafe. She then walked down slowly and sat on the turf that preceded the river, with her chin resting on top of her knees. Since then Jiyong had remained silent. He tried to comfort the crestfallen woman in various ways, from the light pats on her shoulder to the rubbing of her back, but it didn’t seem to have any significant impact. Slowly her tears dried up and now they had stopped altogether, but the redness of her sore eyes were still visible. He simply decided to follow her gaze, which traced along the unclouded river.

“Do you wish to have your ashes scattered here when you die?” asked Taeyeon suddenly. Her usually pleasant voice carried a saddened tone.

Jiyong looked at her, studying the features of her face as her eyes were still focused on the scenery. Her blonde bangs had fallen gently over her eyes, but did little to mask how swollen they had become. The mouth remained still, forming neither a frown or a smile. She was unreadable - and Jiyong couldn’t begin to figure out what had arised in her to suddenly ask that question.

“No,” answered Jiyong truthfully. The Kwon’s had a tradition of keeping their ashes in a cremation ground, but he decided not to divulge that information right now.

“You want to be kept in an urn?” continued Taeyeon, her delivery unchanged from before.

“Yeah,” confirmed Jiyong. “I would prefer to be kept in an urn.”

“Do you think you would be happy inside an urn?” questioned Taeyeon, still admiring the Han river. “That’s where you’ll be for the rest of your life. Your ashes could be free in the ocean instead.”

Jiyong nodded in response. The river was out of question for him - he didn’t belong there. “Would you be happier in an urn or the ocean?” asked Jiyong inquisitively.

“I’m not sure,” Taeyeon murmured, finally turning her head away from the setting and to in between her knees, where her hands were lazily picking at the weeds below. “I’m not sure if I belong in an urn or the ocean.”

The soft ebbing of the water resounded through the field, accompanied by the soft flapping of avian wings, as the temporary chatting had came to  halt. After a few minutes Taeyeon stood up, breaking the solemn atmosphere.

“Let's go,” she whispered faintly as she lifted her feet slowly up the small incline.

The weak smile on her face released the tension within Jiyong, and he jumped up to follow the woman to his car. The two made their way into the vehicle and closed the doors securely, shielding themselves from the light gusts of debris and dirt.

“Where do you want to go?” Jiyong asked, placing his car key into the ignition. “What did you have planned?” Today their date was left up to her, but due to an unfortunate intervention from his mother their plans had been derailed.

“I wanted to go for a picnic today,” she answered, staring wistfully into the darkening sky. “But I think it’s too late for that now.”

He soberly nodded in return. “Do you want to go back home then?” he said, stepping on the pedal as the car began to move.

“No,” Taeyeon refused. “I don’t want them to see me like this, not after they know the truth. They’ll judge us.”

Jiyong understood she was worried about her roommates seeing her in this state - her swollen eyes and stained cheeks already told the whole story. If they did see her they would flip out, now that they knew their relationship was fake. They were probably afraid that he had been abusing her, and would ask him to stop their act. At the end of all of this, she was still thinking of him first.

Her clear eyes turned towards Jiyong’s and met his own. “Is it okay if we go to your house instead?” she requested.

*

Outside Seoul Galleria Forest - 5.11PM

They finally stopped and Taeyeon peered outside to find they were parked just outside a pair of two beautiful apartment buildings. The glass exterior exuded the classiness of the location, whilst the surrounding mass of trees provided a sense of tranquility. Her mesmerized gaze was cut short when the door beside her opened, courtesy of the owner of the car.

“We can go inside you know?” jested Jiyong, offering his arm as support for the exiting woman.

She took the arm as she climbed out of the car and the door was closed swiftly behind her. “I can’t believe you live in this kind of place,” Taeyeon uttered, her focus still on the man’s home.

“It’s not like I own all of it,” laughed Jiyong. “Come on, let’s go inside. It’s cold out here.” He lightly held onto her small hands as they walked into the spacious lobby, decorated with lush plants and vanilla scented candles.

*

Jiyong’s Apartment, Seoul Galleria Forest - 5:16PM

“Here we are,” he said as the door opened with a click. It swung forward and the man quickly flipped a light switch to reveal the large living area. “My home.”

A large flat TV occupied the centre of the living room, surrounded by luxurious leather couches. Separating them was a darkened coffee table, with a folder of paperwork spread out on top. On the side was a deluxe kitchen area, full of the newest appliances.

“Wow, you like quite well don’t you?” laughed Taeyeon, marvelling at the sight. She had only seen these kinds of apartments occasionally when she decided to join Tiffany in watching her dramas.

“What else did you expect from me?” quipped Jiyong, as he took off his suit jacket and hung it across one of the kitchen bar’s chairs. “Are you hungry?”

“Do you have anything to eat?” Taeyeon asked. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast. For today she had prepared a picnic basket with gimbap and sandwiches. Even if she wasn’t the best cook she made sure they were edible. Sadly the basket was located at her apartment right now rather than here.

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