17

“Oh, I’m glad you came Kyung Joon. I was gone for a long time, wasn’t I?” Jiyeon’s dad spoke, as Sehun’s father entered his hospital room.

“You definitely have a long life Jang Geun.” Sehun’s father chuckled.

Jiyeon’s dad sat upright on the bed and responded, “Where is Sehun? You should’ve brought him too. You don’t know how much I wanted to see him..”

“Sehun’s busy in Europe. We’re currently constructing our company which will be based there.”

Jiyeon’s father cleared down his throat and changed completely from a grinning face to a serious one. “I don’t know what happened to the kids, Kyung Joon. I just fell asleep and when I woke up I knew that you are no longer in partnership with the company. Whatever it is that my daughter did, I apologize in behalf. You know I owe you a lot, and the kids grew together….. I believe we can still fix this.”

Kyung Joon deeply sighed upon the request of Jang Geun. He clearly knew that he wants him back for the company. “If this was just between us, there would never really be a problem.” He shook his head and added, “Yes our kids grew together, but eventually they grew apart. I don’t want to see my son hurting, yet I don’t want to push him to Jiyeon also.”

“Kyung Joon, if Jiyeon is the problem, I can talk to her. I can tell her to consider Sehun’s feelings. This is still between us, we don’t have to be swayed by what our children feel or want. We could just—“

Sehun’s dad patted Jang Geun’s shoulder and cut his sentence off, “Jang Geun, you were given a second life. Don’t waste it. Start being a father and think about Jiyeon. Think about what she really wants, or how she really feels. You might not know that for the next time you sleep, you might never wake up and it’s all too late.”

After giving his words of advice, Kyung Joon slowly walked out of the room and left Jiyeon’s dad who fell speechless. They were longtime friends, and most of all, they were parents.

--

Meanwhile in America, Jiyeon who got up first found Myungsoo sleeping on the desk with his laptop open and several papers scattered.

She realized she had passed out last night due to drunkenness because she felt heavy-headed.

She walked to Myungsoo and carefully organized his things. Then she tried to wake him up by softly muttering, “Myungsoo…. Get up and sleep on the bed,”

After a few tries, Myungsoo woke up dazed. The first thing he saw was Jiyeon’s face, and she gave him a forehead kiss saying, “Good morning,”

As Myungsoo stretched out his arms and yawned, Jiyeon went to the kitchen and opened the fridge in search for something to eat. Good thing there was a tray of fresh eggs, so she decided to make omelets for their breakfast.

When she started heating the pan and the aroma filled the house, Myungsoo sat down on the dining table and stared at her lovingly. It felt so good to have her make breakfast for him; it seems like they were a married couple.

He stared at her proudly, but there was a speck of sadness in his gaze. It was more of a look that describes farewell.

“What happened last night? I didn’t cause you trouble, right?” Jiyeon asked him.

“Nope,” Myungsoo replied.

“Oh, by the way, did you have a good time at the bar? Waaa those girls are no joke!” Jiyeon replied in sarcasm, referring to the y girls that crowded on her man last night.

Myungsoo just chuckled. “They went away when I let you sit beside me. That means you are no joke, you shooed them with your beauty.”

Jiyeon smirked as she served the well-cooked eggs on the table. “Where do you plan to take me next? Are we going to some club where I get drunk again and you finally take advantage of me?”

This time, Myungsoo quietly ate his part of the meal. His expression turned dull and showed anxiety.

“What? Does it taste bad?” Jiyeon asked innocently, referring to the food she made.

“Jiyeon, you have to go back to Korea. You can’t stay here for long,” Myungsoo paused, holding Jiyeon’s hand.

Jiyeon was caught off guard and stuttered, “Why are you saying that? I’m fine here Myungsoo, you don’t have to worry so much.” Jiyeon suddenly lost her appetite to eat and stood up but Myungsoo was quick to bring her back to the table.

“Your dad called on your phone last night, and I had the chance to answer it—“ He said.

“Myungsoo, it doesn’t matter if he threatens me with whatever. He doesn’t know yet that you’re that guy he insulted. If he ever knows about it, I’m sure he’ll regret all the things he said.” Jiyeon sat back and it was her turn to hold Myungsoo’s hand. “Can’t you see it? Everything’s fine. We’re together, we love each other, no one is stopping us… can’t we just live happily for the rest of our lives?”

Myungsoo shook his head in disagreement and rubbed his forehead with his fingers, “But my life is here Jiyeon….” He looked up to Jiyeon and added, “and your life is way back in Korea. I have my responsibilities here, and you have yours. Your father wants you back, and I can’t be too selfish to say that I need you here more than him. He told me that he’s going to kick you out of the company if you don’t come back…. And I don’t want to let that happen, because I know the company is your life.”

Jiyeon picked up their plates and walked to the sink. She washed them as if never hearing what Myungsoo just said. “What should we have for lunch?” she asked herself, in order to mask the sadness caused by Myungsoo’s words.

“I just don’t think that we’re in the right time Jiyeon….” Myungsoo softly muttered.

This time Jiyeon put the dishes away and she turned around saying, “Why can’t you just fall back in love with me Myungsoo? Why don’t you just stop denying and tell me that you’ve fallen in love with me again after all those years? Can you stop being a coward and maybe—maybe, we can conquer this together…..?”

Myungsoo gritted his teeth and walked to Jiyeon; he had too much to say, and he felt like today was the day to tell her something he badly wanted to say. He started to talk with courage, “You want me to fall back in love with you?” but then he was defeated by his tears, “how do I do that when I have never stopped?”

Jiyeon started crying and she was lost in a sea of emotions. She failed to answer him, and they both listened to the echoes of their aching hearts.

“Twelve years….. but I never stopped loving you, Jiyeon. I loved you in so many ways that are beyond measure. I loved you when you weren’t there; I loved you when it hurts so much; I loved you when I never knew how you were doing; I loved you when it feels like we would never have a chance to meet again….” Myungsoo explained, his face filled with endless flow of tears.

Jiyeon deeply sighed and held Myungsoo’s face, “Then why can’t we live happily together…. Telling each other how much we love one another?”

Myungsoo smiled at her like a fool, but then he cried hard as he held Jiyeon’s hand which was holding his face, “The company is your life Jiyeon, and I can’t take your life away from you. That’s how much I love you,” Myungsoo wiped Jiyeon’s tears and continued in a much more comforting tone, “I can love you—even if it means for us to be apart….”

Jiyeon knew this was clearly the end, and so she desperately hugged Myungsoo, as if never wanting to let him go.

“I won’t ask you to wait for me… you just have to live your life like how it used to be.” Myungsoo said, as he patted her back in an effort to make her calm.

Jiyeon looked at him and listened with a heavy heart when he added, “If twelve years was like a week for us to meet again, if we’re meant to be with each other—a few more years won’t hurt, right?”

Myungsoo smiled at her, and kissed her lips that were frowning in sadness. That was his farewell sign, and even though it hurts like hell, he had to make a smile and tell her everything’s going to be alright.

“When the right time comes…. We will be together. And we won’t be crying anymore,” He muttered.

Ki Joon stopped the car in front of Incheon International Airport. He looked at his watch and went out of the car. He stood just outside the gate for international arrivals and waited for someone to appear.

A few minutes later, he saw her come out of the gate, wearing this devastated look on her face. Ki Joon was like her father, so he immediately walked to her and patted her shoulders.

“What happened? Is everything okay?” he asked.

Jiyeon stared blankly at him; her soul seemed to have left her body. Her eyes were dry and her face was all puffed up. Without saying a word, she cried and her head wobbled, trying to deny the reality that has just happened.

“Oh dear,” Ki Joon let out a huge sigh and hugged her, empathizing with her current emotions.

After a long drive, Jiyeon unloaded her things from the car when she reached her house. Unlike the usual, she never talked at all and so Ki Joon became a lot more worried for her.

When she got inside, she was surprised to see her father sitting on the couch, with a newspaper at hand.

“You’re back earlier than I expected…” Her father said, without looking at her.

Jiyeon gave him no attention and walked to her room.

“Who were you with in America? A man answered when I called—“

“You don’t have to know.” Jiyeon interrupted.

Jiyeon’s dad was dumbfounded when she cut him off like that. For the record, that was the first time Jiyeon firmly interrupted him.

He cleared his throat and proceeded, “I talked with Kyung Joon. I tried to fix things with him but it seems like you made a very big mistake since he never wanted to reconsider working again with us.”

Jiyeon listened.

“So I’m in talks with the Song Group. You know Song Dong Il has a son about your age, maybe we could work things out between you…” He added.

At this point, Jiyeon was so much fed up with his father’s entire controlling attitude. It was about time to rebel and unleash the inner anguish that has been consuming her for so many years.

“Stop it, dad. I’d rather quit the company than to put up a face and pretend again that I am happy with a person that I barely know.”

Jang Geun’s eyebrow rose when he heard her speak. “Since when did you learn to rebel? Did I teach you that?”

“No, I learned it myself.” Jiyeon retaliated. “I am so fed up with you controlling my life dad. Why can’t you just let me be happy doing things I love, and being with the person I love? Why can’t you be like other fathers who think about their daughter more than anything else?”

Jiyeon’s dad failed to answer her. He just sat there unmoving, and watched his daughter disappear from his gaze—slamming the door of her room.

--

The day after, Park Jang Geun officially made his comeback as Chief Executive Officer of Prohomes. He was welcomed by the staff and employees, except Jiyeon who stuck herself in her room and never went to see him.

“Ki Joon, can I see the reports for the last months?” He asked the Executive Assistant, as he sat down on his table and immediately went to work.

Ki Joon hesitated, but he eventually handed him the papers.

Jiyeon’s father scanned the files, and just as what Ki Joon worried, he paused after reading the report for the last month.

“What is this? A close down notice from the Department of Trade and Industry?” He looked at Ki Joon and demanded an answer from him.

Ki Joon braced himself and replied, “It looks like Jiyeon haven’t told you. Last month we had a minor crisis, we almost made it back but then with the withdrawal of SKJ Housings’ funds, yes—we almost fell into bankruptcy.”

Jang Geun squinted his eyes and read the full report, “If not for this Matthew Kim of MegaWare, I should have been dead watching the company fall into ruins…..” he muttered.

Ki Joon smiled upon hearing Matthew’s name, “It was a tough journey before Matthew Kim agreed to invest. He saved ProHomes….. He saved the company you and Jiyeon worked so hard,” he emphasized.

Jang Geun’s expression brightened and he looked at Ki Joon, “You’re right. I owe this man my life. I should meet him.”

After a few days, Jiyeon’s father arrived in Los Angeles International Airport. With a smile in his face and an excited aura, he rode the car.

His car stopped by a huge, towering building, and he went out with full hopes of meeting the man he owed.

Despite of the strict deadlines for their projects, the staff and employees of MegaWare Corporation made sure to entertain their guest who came all the way from Korea.

Jang Geun shook hands with them, and then finally, at the end of the line, there he was—MegaWare’s CEO and Founder, Matthew Kim.

“I never thought you were this young,” Jang Geun spoke and gave off a bright smile, “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Kim.”

Myungsoo looked very sharp in his business suit, but actually, he was nervous like hell inside. He breathed deeply and replied, “It’s nice to see you again, Mr. Park.”

A/N: [Second to the last chapter] Just when things between Myungsoo and Jiyeon are over, Myungsoo meets the man he dreaded the most! Will Jiyeon’s father be on their way again? Or will he serve as the bridge that will connect two aching hearts this time? Don’t miss out the last chapter that will be posted up soon! I need your honest comments; that’s what keeps me going. Xoxo