15

“What do you mean he’s gone?” Jiyeon blurted out as she stood outside of her father’s hospital room.

“His plane bound for America just left this afternoon.” Ki Joon’s face showed worry as he told the news to Jiyeon.

“What? Why- how? No! He can’t do that!” Jiyeon spoke and walked endlessly, confused of what to do.

Ki Joon patiently waited, as there was nothing he can do. He was also surprised by Myungsoo’s sudden departure.

“How about the investment papers? He can’t just leave because he will be appearing in front of the Board to talk about the company’s future plans… right?” Jiyeon looked at Ki Joon and convinced him that Myungsoo is still in Korea.

She took out her phone and called Myungsoo’s number, but it was unattended. She called for a thousand more times but if not unattended, it was out of reach.

That can only happen if the owner of the number is really busy, or if the owner is out of the country. Jiyeon would like to think about the former reason, but at the same time, she’s swayed by the latter.

Just then, a guard came out of the room and spoke to Jiyeon, “Your father is looking for you.”

Jiyeon is torn between running to Myungsoo’s hotel and seeing her father. But since she was a good daughter, her father always came first.

Jiyeon entered the room to see her father sitting upright on the hospital bed, feeling a bit dizzy and nauseous. She hugged him and faintly cried. She missed him so much, although she couldn’t express it clearly with words.

“Why are you crying like a weak person?” Her dad noticed her faint sobs, and always the same, her father spoke firmly.

Jiyeon immediately took back her tears and presented herself as a strong woman.

“I was gone for a long time, and all I’m thinking about is the company. How is the company?” He asked.

Jiyeon was a bit hurt. She expected him to ask her if she’s doing well, eating right, or having a good life. But he never changed, and between the company and his daughter, the company always gets the top priority.

“The company is doing well dad. Sure there were some downright crisis, but we were able to get back up. There was nothing to worry about.” Jiyeon regained her composure and skipped the timeline when the company was about to go bankrupt.

Her father nodded his head in satisfaction. “How about SKJ Housings? By the way, where is Sehun? I don’t see him…”

Jiyeon realized that she cannot hide this fact any longer. She hesitated, but she spoke anyway, “Uhh, not long ago, Sehun and his dad pulled out all of their money and shares from….us. And so……. the partnership is dissolved.” Jiyeon remained standing and crossed fingers that everything will be alright.

“What?” Her dad fidgeted when he heard her, and he scrutinized Jiyeon’s face. “Did you just say that Sehun is no longer with the company?”

Jiyeon tried hard not to shake as she answered, “Y—yes.”

“That is bull!!” he blurted out, enough for Jiyeon to step back. “What in the world happened? it Jiyeon, what happened!?”

Jiyeon was on the verge of crying but she calmly answered, “He wanted to marry me, but I didn’t want to.” She took a step forward to her father and added, “I don’t love him dad. How should I marry a person I don’t love?”

Out of nowhere, a slap landed on Jiyeon’s cheeks. Her father’s hand stayed suspended in the air as Jiyeon felt her cheek burn.

“Love? You still have time to think for that? In our world, love has no meaning! If a person has the capability to give you a stable life, luxuries and honor, love is out of the vocabulary.” Her father deeply sighed as if he hadn’t laid a hand on his daughter. “Take Sehun back and if that’s what he want, marry him.”

Jiyeon recomposed herself and in spite of the pain she felt, she firmly believed in her decision. She stood straight up and told her father, “No. I don’t want to marry him.”

 She then turned her back to walk out but her father spoke, “Resign from the company.”

Jiyeon looked at him and couldn’t believe that her own father said that.

“I want Sehun back, and if you can’t do that, resign from the company.” He said without looking at his daughter.

Jiyeon scoffed at him and she found it very ridiculous of her father to say. “All my life I’ve done everything you wanted. I followed everything you said and I already sacrificed a lot of things. When will it be my turn to do things my own way? I came here for nothing…. I just lost him again.” Jiyeon walked to the door and before going out, she said, “Resign? Why would I? I ran the company without you. Technically, it’s my company.”

She slammed the door and found Ki Joon outside, looking at her like a proud father.

On her way to the car, she kept the tears. And when she finally got in, she slammed the accelerator and sped up through the highway.

Jiyeon cried hard as she tightly gripped the steering wheel, pacing through the bright-lit city.

When she reached her destination, she calmed herself by hoping that Myungsoo did not leave yet and was just pulling a prank on her.

She walked through the lobby and asked the front desk agent if Matthew Kim is still staying at his hotel room. The agent looked up the computer and confirmed that Myungsoo indeed left at three in the afternoon.

At this moment, Jiyeon went back to her car and refused to give up. She thought that maybe he’s waiting in her house so she hurriedly went home.

When she stopped her car’s engine in front of her house, she convinced herself to see Myungsoo standing in the gate, just like when they first met.

Jiyeon got out of the car and instead of seeing Myungsoo, she only saw his bike. That bike she learned how to ride in South Jeolla, stood unmoving in front of her gate.

She desperately looked around for its owner, but there was nothing except sheer silence and darkness. That’s when Jiyeon stared at the bike again, and emotionally broke down.

She realized that Myungsoo wanted to spend time with her, but she argued with him to see her father immediately. She thought that would just be a small quarrel, but sadly, that was their last.

She wanted to curse at herself because she was stupid,

Because for the second time, she lost Myungsoo against her dad. She failed to think twice, and made a very selfish decision.

--

The next day came and Jiyeon went to the company. She had sore, bulging eyes and her complexion looked very bad. It was very obvious that she had a really rough night.

When she was scanning the papers on her desk, her secretary came in. “MegaWare is waiting outside for the remaining papers,”

Jiyeon almost hopped when she heard ‘MegaWare’ and she ran to the lobby to prove her hunch correct.

She was right, as there was a black Mercedes Benz parked in front of the building. Someone came out of it, but it was so far from the physique that Jiyeon wanted to see.

In a while, that man came to her. “Hi, I am MegaWare Corporation’s representative. I came here in behalf of the CEO, I am Ahn Kyung Ho.” He smiled and offered a handshake.

It took a while for Jiyeon to absorb the fact that instead of Myungsoo himself, his secretary came. She gladly shook his hands and the two of them went to her office.

“So here are the rest of the papers, and you’ve got nothing to worry, with our investment—the company is safe from any possible bankruptcy for the next two years.” Secretary Ahn stated.

“Where is Myungsoo?” Jiyeon was never really interested with the papers so she asked what she had always wanted to ask.

Secretary Ahn smiled, as if he knew that this question was coming. “Matthew is keeping himself busy in America. He has a big project to do so, he’s hands-on.”

“Isn’t he going to come back?” Jiyeon desperately asked.

“I don’t think so, since he finished settling things here. And there’s nothing for him to come back to, right?” the secretary replied.

Jiyeon looked so down and it was as if the world fell on her shoulders.

“But if someone wants to see him that much, a flight to America sounds easy.” Secretary Ahn winked at Jiyeon before coming out of the room.

Jiyeon lately realized it—If not because of what Secretary Ahn said. Myungsoo could never come back, but she can always go to him.

Jiyeon drove to the hospital to tell her dad the news.

When she entered, her father was reading the newspaper. “What is it? Did you finally take him back?” he asked.

“I’m going to America.” Jiyeon stated.

“Is Sehun there? Well, that’s good. You got to bring him back by any means.”

“Nope, I’m not going there for Sehun.” Jiyeon smirked.

“What are you going to do then?” Her father looked at her.

“I’m going to bring back the person I lost because of you.” Jiyeon stared at her father with the passion and determination to succeed.

--

“Do you really have to go?” Ki Joon asked her, as he drove her to the airport the very next day.

“Uncle, you’re the one who said that I shouldn’t cheat on my feelings. I have to go, and I will be back soon.” Jiyeon smiled at him and unloaded her suitcase from the car.

“Take care and never hesitate to call.” Ki Joon replied and watched her disappear into the airport.

After twelve long hours, Jiyeon eventually arrived at Los Angeles International Airport. As she stepped down the tarmac and felt the different kind of air, she convinced herself that indeed there was no turning back.

She picked up her suitcase and by following the thick cloud of people, she went out of the airport.

Just in front of the entrance, she wondered why there was a crowd and why they looked like they were so busy listening to someone.

Jiyeon also got consumed by her curiosity but because the people were tall, she could only read a banner that states, “Anderson project to start this week”

Now that she looks at it, the people were part of the media, as they held cameras, recorders, and pocket notebooks.

As she squeezed through her way, there was a reporter and the one being interrogated was—

“I heard you just came back from Korea. Did you also have a project going on there?” the reporter asked.

“Ah, no. I just settled some things. Just yesterday I was in Europe for a meeting with an investor, and yeah, I just arrived today. So uh, since the Anderson project is going to start pretty soon, I think I will be staying here for most of the time.”

“Alright, so that is Mr. Matthew Kim of MegaWare Corporation, let’s stay tuned for more updates on this big Anderson project.” The lady reporter said and seeing the video cameras around, it looked like she was on-air.

Myungsoo said his goodbye and as he walked out of the place, he was overwhelmed with a thousand of camera clicks.

But what overwhelmed him the most is when someone grabbed his hand, pulling him in.

“Myungsoo,” It was Jiyeon and they met each other’s eyes.

A/N: Love will always find a way. Aweee <3 What will happen to Jiyeon and Myungsoo in America? Let’s discover Myungsoo’s side of the story in the next chapter! Keep your comments coming!