Chapter 15 – Somewhere Down the Road

Si Jin slowly opened his eyes. He just had a pleasant dream about Mo Yeon. His vision then turned towards the ceiling and his forehead creased because he noticed that it is unfamiliar. Then slowly memories started flooding his mind to the events that happened. He remembered that he went to see Mo Yeon and left upset because he saw her with Atty. Shin. He then drove off to go back to his place when his car skidded on the road and hit a post because he attempted to avoid a dog which suddenly crossed the street. Under normal circumstances he would have successfully avoided the dog without getting into an accident but let’s just say that with his current emotional state, it clearly affected his driving skills. His eyes then roved to his midsection and his eyes widened because he saw an arm draped around his waist. He then followed the direction of the arm and his eyes widened even more when he saw that it was Mo Yeon who was the owner of the said arm. He began to reach out so that he could touch her face when Mo Yeon stirred and slowly opened her eyes. She smiled upon seeing that he is awake already.

“Hey Atty. Yoo how are you feeling?” she asked.

“Hmm much better now that you’re here” he smiled at her tenderly. Then he added, “Mo Yeon there’s something that you should now…” however he was cut-off when Mo Yeon placed her index finger on top of his lips to silence him then said,

“If what you’re going to tell me is the truth about who your biological father is, I know about it already. I read the letter your mother wrote, the one that you left on top of your bed. We will talk about it. But before we do that, you have to eat something first then wash up a little, shave and change your clothes. You’re starting to smell” Mo Yeon even cutely wrinkled her nose for an added effect.

He laughed wholeheartedly after seeing her expression. The first genuine laugh he had for days.

 

Mo Yeon watched as Si Jin finished slurping the last of the pumpkin soup in the bowl. He then started munching on the croissant included in his food tray. It was a good thing that he didn’t have any dietary restrictions when he was confined so he pretty much he can eat anything he wants. She watched him while he eats and noticed that he noticeably looks much better now. Although it is evident that he lost some weight, the color in his face is back and he now closely resemble the clean cut and handsome Atty. Yoo that she knows. Her thoughts went back to the events yesterday when Si Jin’s father and her mother visited him.

Vice Chairman Kang and Atty. Yoo's displeasure upon seeing her inside Si Jin’s room are clearly written on their faces.   

“Mo Yeon, what are you doing here?” Vice Chairman Kang asked.

“I’m looking after Si Jin. Is there something wrong with that?” she replied.

Vice Chairman sighed and said, “Sweetheart I think it would be better if the two of you would lessen seeing each other until such time that things are more stable between you two. I think you know what I'm talking about.”

“Mom there’s no need for us to do that” she informed her mother.

“What do you mean?” her mother asked.

She then reached for her bag and handed a letter to Atty. Yoo, her biological father and Si Jin’s “adoptive” father, “Atty. Yoo, I believe this is something that you should read.”

The man accepted the letter and slowly opened it. The lawyer also motioned for her mother to read over his shoulder. Both their eyes widened at the letters contents and when they finished reading it was Atty. Yoo who directed a question to her and Si Jin, “So what are your plans now?”

She and Si Jin just looked at each other. Uncertainty reflected in their eyes.

Both she and her mother then decided to leave Si Jin’s room so that the father and son pair can have a talk in private. On their way to a coffee shop, she reiterated to her that she has no plans of honoring her betrothal to Atty. Shin and her mother responded that she doesn’t have to worry about it since she was able to speak with Atty. Shin’s parents and they were all in agreement that forcing the issue will not be beneficial. The Shin couple would also like to give their son a chance to be happy with a woman that he loves and someone who would love him back as well.

She and her mother are on their way back when they saw Atty. Yoo on his way out of Si Jin’s room and was about to close the door. It was evident that the man also saw her and her mother approaching and stopped in his tracks. The two of them then walk to where the man is standing and Mo Yeon looked closely at the man who is his biological father.

“Mo Yeon, thank you so much for looking after my son. I could understand why he loves you very much.” In a move that surprised Mo Yeon, the man reached out for her hand and warmly held it in his and said, “I am also proud of the person you’ve become and I am very thankful to Seong-jin because he has raised you well. I witnessed how much he loved you as if you were his own something that I believe I wasn’t able to do for Si Jin. I was very strict with him and didn’t give him the attention and care that he deserves in spite of him being a good son. I told Si Jin this, but I am not angry at his mother for keeping things until her death rather I am sad that I didn’t make her feel that she could trust me and that she had to do that. Looking back, I guess I couldn’t blame her. I didn’t really give her the love and affection that she deserves because I was busy doing my best to provide a luxurious life for her and Si Jin. I failed to realize that what they needed most was my time and attention,” the man finished his statement with a forlorn expression on his face.

Mo Yeon gave him a small smile and said, “Sir, it is not yet too late. Lost time cannot be returned but you can still spend time with him, it is not yet too late. Si Jin is an amazing man and I also thankful to you and his mother for raising such a fine man.”

Atty. Yoo took a deep breath, gave her a small smile and said, “Thank you. And Mo Yeon, I also hope that the time comes that you will be comfortable to call me father or dad. I would be very happy when that happens.”

Mo Yeon smiled at what the man said. Atty. Yoo then said his goodbyes to her and her mother while Vice Chairman Kang also went ahead because of a meeting she needs to attend. Mo Yeon then went back inside Si Jin’s room.

Her thoughts were brought back to the present when she heard Si Jin’s voice calling out to her.

“Yuhoooo Dr. Kang, are you there?”

She then looked at Si Jin who is looking at her with a teasing smile on his face. She gave her a sheepish smile before speaking, “Sorry I had a lot of things on my mind.”

Si Jin’s face turned a little serious at her statement and said, “Can’t blame you. We went through a lot these past few days. Some twist of fate huh? It still feels like information overload and at some point it feels like I have to get to know myself again.” He took a deep breath before he continued, “I became a lawyer partly because I wanted to please my father. When I was a child he didn’t have time to play with me and the only time he gives me attention is when I would screw up. So when he insisted that I go to law school, I felt that it was an opportunity for me to prove myself to him and being a car racer was like my outlet to release my frustration that I wasn’t able to pursue my dream of being an ice hockey player. Now that I found out he is not my biological father I am now asking myself whether being a lawyer is what I really want to do.”

Mo Yeon looked at Si Jin intently and said, “I know what you mean. I feel the same way. The reason why I followed what my mother wanted was because I wanted to honor my father’s legacy. I know that he wanted me to become a doctor as well, just like my mother. But now with the knowledge that he is not my biological father I sensed that there are changes in me and I feel like I have to know myself again. No matter what people say that nothing changed, something actually did.”

“I know. I feel the same way” he responded.

She and Si Jin looked at each other their unspoken words are undoubtedly reflected in each other’s eyes. Clearly they both know that they can’t be together when both of them are broken and that’s not what they deserve.

Si Jin then reached for her hand and she tightly clasped his. “So is this goodbye?” he asked her.

She nodded, tenderly touched his face, gave him a sad smile and said, “For now. But I believe that our paths will cross again, when we’re both ready, at the right time.”

Si Jin whose thumb is running circles on her hand looked at her, sadness reflected in his eyes and said, “I believe that too.” He then pulled her in for a hug and she tightly hugged him back because she knows that she will not be able to do this for a long time.    

 

Mo Yeon waved to the townspeople passing by and smiling at her. She reached inside her bag to fumble for the keys to open the small clinic where she is currently serving as a physician. She’s joined by another doctor named Daniel Spencer and a nurse named, Ye-hwa Ri. It’s been a year since she decided to embark on this journey to heal, to know herself again. She didn’t regret her decision. In her one year of being away from home, she figured that she really wanted to become a doctor. Not because it was what her father or her mother wanted but it was a means for her to help people especially children. She is still connected with Lightning Race Magazine but more as a consultant. When she tendered her resignation for her post as Editor-in-Chief to Sang-hyun Song, the owner of Lightning Race Publishing and the editor-in-chief of her high school paper, the man didn’t accept it and instead offered her a position as consultant and informed her that her position will be vacant until her return. In her absence it is Sunbae Song who is now the acting editor in chief of Lightning Race Magazine. She also came into terms with fully accepting the truth with regards to her biological father and adoptive father. When she called her mother one time it so happens that Atty. Yoo was also in the room and asked her mother if he could speak to her. In that call, she was able to address him as dad for the first time. She then entered the clinic and a few minutes later patients came in and she started attending to them.

 

Mo Yeon stretched her arms and looked at the clock. It was already late in the afternoon and Ye-hwa is starting to close the blinds while Daniel is fixing some documents on top of his desk. Another day has ended for them. It was tiring but fulfilling at the same time. Just then the door opened and a big smile formed on her face when she saw her “boyfriend” at the door.

“Aunt Mo Yeon you ready to go?” Jin Woo asked.

“Yes I am” she cheerily answered. She spoke to Ye-hwa and Daniel, “Hey guys you still need my help?”

It was Daniel who responded, “Nah we’re good. Plus you were here earlier than we were so you ca