They stood in front of the water. Looking down, she could see his reflection in the dark depths, his face as lovely as the lilies that floated peacefully there. Standing next to her, she knew he could see her reflection as well; they were close enough to touch but there was a wall of silence between them that she didn’t know how to breach.

Eventually he spoke, and she replied. Apologies, denials, each trying to claim more guilt than the other; all of it coming down to them developing feelings that they shouldn’t have, hurting the person they both loved in the process.

Since arriving here she’d come to appreciate the beauty of this world around her, all the while discovering the dangers it held. What she never realized was that the dangers of the human heart could be the deadliest of all. Overwhelmed, she’d allowed her vulnerable heart to open to the one person it should not. How she wished she could take it back. Start over and just be Myung Hee’s troublesome but innocent cousin Hae Soo again. There was no future here in this; she had no right to desire a happy ending for them. All they could do was cause each other pain. The only thing she could do now, was try to back away before things went too far.

“I knew that a person’s feelings could be dangerous. I pretended not to notice and assumed it would resolve itself. I took your hand. And I came out of my room that night. That was my fault.”

“Please…don’t say things like that.”

“When I’m with you…

0-o-o-o-0

“…I am always crying.”

Ha Jin woke again, with eyes sore and damp from tears, and the pain of whatever she’d dreamt felt like a knife in her heart despite not understanding the cause, but this time a trace of thought crossed her mind like the whisper of a ghost.

“I’m always crying.” She whispered. Why am I always crying? What the hell is going on in my head at night that I wake up like this?

0-o-o-o-0

“You ever feel like you’re going crazy?” she asked later, after she’d cleaned herself up and gone downstairs to have breakfast.

Jae Yoon was at the kitchen table, dunking the remains of a donut into his tea. “Once or twice, but that was my own fault for going to Art History class drunk when the teacher was discussing Bosch.”

Ha Jin rolled her eyes and opened the refrigerator. “You’re such a nerd. You should be throwing crazy gallery parties. Remind me why you’re doing architecture?”

“I want my art right out in the open, bigger than life, in their faces where people can’t help but see it.”

“And make a bunch of money in the process.”

“That wouldn’t hurt either.” Jae Yoon conceded, and she saw him take a bite of his donut as she joined him with a container of yogurt.

“What’s this? Weren’t you just complaining the other day about how I need to eat healthy? Practice what you preach.” She said, flicking the side of his head as she sat down.

“I’m not the one who just got out of the hospital recently. You’re the one who should be taking care of herself.”

“Shouldn’t you be setting a good example for me then?”

Her brother shrugged. “Would you really listen to me if I did?”

“Maybe.”

He snorted. “That would be a first.”

“I listen when it’s important.”

“We need to work on your definition of important.” He glanced at what she was eating. “That’s a good start, but it’s not enough. You need something solid in your belly if you’re going to be working all day.”

“Since when are you a nutritionist?”

“Since I walked into that hospital room and saw you laying there dead to the world.” Jae Yoon crammed the last bit of donut into his mouth and washed it down with a swallow of tea. “Why are you going crazy? Did you have another nightmare? I didn’t hear any screaming so I thought maybe you’d slept okay.”

Ha Jin was silent, stirring idly at her yogurt. She didn’t like to think of the time she’d spent in the hospital, the pain she’d caused her family. He certainly knew the right button to push. She didn’t want them to worry anymore about her.

“Yeah.” She finally admitted quietly. “I don’t know why this is happening to me.”

Jae Yoon watched her. “And you still don’t remember what happens in them?”

“No. The only thing that stays is the pain. I am so sick and tired of waking up crying.” Ha Jin said savagely, stabbing her spoon into her breakfast.

“Maybe…maybe you should talk to that counsellor you were working with at the hospital?”

She shook her head. “No. She’s nice enough, but she’s too interested in what coma patients dream about when they’re under. She’s going to push me to try to remember. I don’t want to remember. I don’t want to know what is so bad that it leaves me waking up like this. I just want it to stop.”

Jae Yoon got up from the table, and taking a box of cereal out of the pantry, he poured some into a bowl, drizzled milk over it, and set it in front of his sister.

“Eat.” He ordered her, and sat back down.

Ha Jin made a face at him, but she obediently started shoveling cereal into .

“I don’t know what to tell you then, if you don’t want to talk to her. I just worry. What will you do if they don’t stop?”

“They can’t last forever, right? Surely they’ll go away eventually.”

Jae Yoon shook his head. “I don’t know. I hope so.”

“Me too.”

0-o-o-o-0

Everything was back to normal when Ha Jin went to work. Thankfully after her conversation with her coworker yesterday, the others decided she wasn’t a home-wrecking and left her alone. She resolved to pretend that yesterday’s lunch didn’t happen and push Hong Chan Ki out of her mind.

Unfortunately it seemed that he wasn’t going to let her do that, despite her words yesterday. When it was time for her lunch break, she went to the break room only to find the lawyer waiting there for her at her usual table, two steaming bowls of ramen sitting in front of him.

“I just took these out of the microwave a minute ago.” He said. There were two sets of disposable chopsticks next to the bowls and he offered her one.

Ha Jin didn’t take the chopsticks, and she didn’t sit down. “I’d prefer to eat alone.” She said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to eat together. People might get the wrong idea.”

Chan Ki sighed, the hopeful smile he’d worn when she entered the room fading. “My wife and I are separated. The divorce papers are at home, waiting on my signature.” He gestured to the food on the table. “Won’t you sit down? It’s just ramen. It won’t bite, and neither will I.”

Ha Jin looked at the bowls of noodles skeptically. After her ex cheated on her, fidelity was a touchy subject with her.

“You don’t eat lunch with the others, and rarely talk to them other than courtesies unless necessary. Why me? Why now?”

He glanced away a little, then back up at her. “At first it was because I thought I recognized you from somewhere. But then we got to talking, and I found myself smiling again, something I wasn’t able to do since she left. It was nice, and I didn’t want it to end. You were someone who didn’t know me, and I could just talk to you without the weight of my past around my neck.”

“Your wife, you mean.” Ha Jin said, and while she tried to keep the accusatory tone out of her voice, she didn’t completely succeed.

Chan Ki had enough conscience to wince. “Yeah. It was nice to talk to someone who wouldn’t ask about her. I haven’t told anyone here about the divorce yet, and I’m not looking forward to it. Look, won’t you just sit? You’re already talking to me, you might as well do it sitting down. If you keep this up everyone’s going to notice. And the noodles will get cold, just like yesterday. And it won’t be my fault this time.”

Ha Jin looked around the room. There weren’t a lot of people in the room, but the ones there were glancing at them as they ate and talked.

“Too late. And it would’ve been nice to know this yesterday. After we got back my coworkers were treating me like the of Babylon. I didn’t appreciate that. They’re finally treating me normally again and I’d like to keep it that way.”

Ha Jin was torn. Part of her felt sorry for Hong Chan Ki. She remembered when her ex abandoned her for her best friend. She was left to pick up the pieces, and she dreaded the conversations with the friends they had in common, or even just the people who knew about him. The same story to tell over and over again, the same questions to answer, reliving it time and again when all she wanted to do was forget. She didn’t know how long this man and his wife were married, but no matter how long it was, having a relationship die in front of an audience just seemed to rub salt into the wound.

On the other hand, part of her was still smarting from the nasty surprise she’d come back to yesterday and she wished he would have told her himself, instead of having to hear it second hand. It didn’t leave her in the most charitable mood. So it was with relief that she saw her savior from yesterday, the woman who’d explained what was going on.

“Ha Jin! Why are you standing here like this? Come sit with us. I’ve got some leftover chicken, and it’s too much for me to eat by myself.” Han Sang-mi said, taking Ha Jin’s arm.

She nodded in relief, grateful for the escape. “Thanks, I think I’ll do that.” The slightly older woman led her away, and Ha Jin glanced back briefly at Chan Ki, almost giving him a brief wave goodbye before thinking better of it and giving her attention back to her coworker.

“Thanks. That was awkward.” She said quietly.

Sang-mi shook her head. “I don’t know what that man is thinking, trying to stir up trouble here when he’s got such a lovely wife at home.”

“Apparently she’s not at home anymore. He said they’re getting a divorce.”

The other woman’s eyes widened. “Seriously? I wondered what brought that on? They always seemed so happy together. It just shows you, nothing lasts these days.” She said, shaking her head.

Arriving at the table, there were two other women there; one of them a clerk like Ha Jin and Sang-mi, and the other one she didn’t recognize but from her tailored suit jacket and skirt Ha Jin guessed she worked upstairs in the corporate office. Sang-mi divided up her lunch with Ha Jin and the latter ate quietly while the other women gossiped. Hong Chan Ki’s divorce was the biggest topic of conversation. Ha Jin wondered if she really should have mentioned it, but he never asked her to keep it a secret, and besides; with the way gossip worked, this way he wouldn’t have to tell people himself. So that was a good thing, right? Part of her still felt a little guilty though.

Well, too late now. She thought to herself as she chewed on a piece of chicken. And if he didn’t want it coming out, he shouldn’t have tried hitting on someone where he works.

“Never mind that.” The woman whose name she didn’t know spoke up after a while. “You’re not going to believe this. Bella Bella’s being sold.”

“What?!” Sang-mi exclaimed, and Ha Jin started paying attention to the conversation again.

“It’s true! There was a representative from some big company here yesterday, and some of their lawyers and accountants were here this morning to go over the books. We’re being sold. I think they’re going to make an announcement about it soon.”

“What does this mean?” Ha Jin asked, starting to feel a bit of dread in her stomach. “Are we going to lose our jobs?” It was something one heard about on the news all the time with corporate takeovers, and it was usually the newest people who got laid off first, right? She’d just started here! This would really stink. She was lucky that the family whose little boy she saved had helped her find this job, and she was liking it here; she’d hate to have to start all over again somewhere else.

The other woman shrugged. “I don’t know. I can’t even remember the name of the company who’s buying us. I wouldn’t worry too much though; Bella Bella’s got a good reputation and they’d be crazy to get rid of the people who got us where we are, right?”

Ha Jin nodded, but she was still unsure.

“At least we’re in a business that they can’t ship overseas. Cosmetics is a very hands-on thing after all, so they need people right here at home.” Sang-mi laughed. “I’m betting we won’t have much to worry about. As long as they continue signing our paychecks, right?”

“Right.” The others agreed, and lunch continued on.

0-o-o-o-0

Despite the rumors running rampant throughout the Bella Bella flagship store, it wasn’t until the next day when everyone was called together for a meeting before the store opened that the announcement was made. Yang Seok Jin, the general manager of the store, stood at the podium that had been set up for this meeting. Video cameras set up behind the audience were shooting a video that was both being shown in Bella Bella’s Korean stores and recording for viewing at the chain’s international locations. Behind him Ha Jin could see Hong Chan Ki and a bunch of other men in suits she didn’t recognize, but figured they must be higher ups in the company.

“Good morning.” The middle-aged businessman said, clearing his throat. “Thank you for attending this meeting. There have been rumors going around that Bella Bella is being sold, and it is time for an explanation. It is true; Bella Bella has officially been sold to the Kim Corporation.”

He paused as the room erupted in furious whispering. Next to her, Ha Jin could hear Sang-mi and the other clerks going back and forth to each other in muted excitement.

“I am sure that all of you have questions and concerns, and here to address them is Mr. Kim So from Kim Corporation.” Mr. Yang continued, and bowed to a man who came out from among the group of suits behind him. Ha Jin’s eyes widened when she recognized the man she’d met two days in a row; the fairytale creature from the club with his beautiful eyes. Those eyes swept over the room as he stepped up to the podium, and she must be crazy, but did they really stop when they reached where she stood? Ha Jin forgot to breathe for a moment as she stared at him, caught up in that gaze. The face that had started out in polite repose changed; lips curving gracefully for a moment into a smile that didn’t seem to belong on the face of a major businessman. The moment was brief though, and as those eyes moved on she found herself remembering that yeah, she kind of needed air.

“My god.” The clerk on the other side of Ha Jin whispered. “That’s just not fair. No man should have the right to be that beautiful. It felt like he was looking right at me.”

No, I think he was looking at me. Ha Jin thought to herself, though she didn’t know why that should be. Sure, they’d met a couple of times already, but she was just a clerk here and if he was a member of the Kim family then he had to be pretty high up on the food chain. That left her wondering, why was he here at the store the other day? Was he really as ignorant of this business as he’d seemed at the time, or was he doing research as part of the process of taking over the company? Scoping out the employees incognito to see if they knew what they were doing? She couldn’t help but wonder whether she did a good job and what kind of impression she’d left on him. A good one maybe, if he was seeking her out now. Or maybe she was just delusional, thinking it was her he’d looked for just now.

It was a more polite, businesslike smile that he gave the room in general now.

“Good morning. My name is Kim So, and I am one of the division managers at Kim Corporation. I want to personally welcome you into our family, and address any concerns you may have. The first question that I am sure everyone is asking right now is, what happens to your jobs? The answer is, nothing. Kim Corporation wanted Bella Bella because of the fine reputation it has in the health and beauty industry, and all of you are part of that. We’d be crazy to break up a winning team, right?” Kim So said, giving a reassuring smile to the room.

Ha Jin noticed that a lot of the women in the room smiled right back at him. They probably can’t help themselves she thought to herself. He just had that kind of face. The fact that she was smiling too was something she tried to ignore. It was relief, she told herself. Relief that she wouldn’t be losing her job.

Yeah, right.

“In fact,” their new boss continued, “I think you’ll find that being part of Kim Corporation is a good thing. We are a large and diverse organization that prefers to promote from within. Those who have talent and work hard can find opportunities for advancement companywide.”

Ha Jin thought for a moment that he was looking her way again as he said this, but it was too brief to be sure, because he’d started taking questions from the audience.

Wow, get a grip girl. She thought to herself once his attention was elsewhere. Kim So might be a beautiful man, but he was also one of her new bosses, probably a millionaire in his own right. She might as well be looking at the moon and wishing it near her. Not that she was wishing Kim So near her, just reminding herself why it was a dumb thing to want. Besides, no more men, right? Right. At least not for the near future. Maybe she’d consider dating again after she’d given herself more time to get over that whole coma business, and when she did it would most likely be someone from her own level in life, someone nice and normal. Which left rich, beautiful fairytale creatures like Kim So out.

And someone not married, she reminded herself, seeing Hong Chan Ki talking with one of the other suits, and looking around she noticed that the meeting seemed to be over. People were breaking up into little groups to chat, while others went about getting their work started for the day.

Ha Jin needed to do that too, she realized, and started to follow the other clerks to straighten up before the store opened.

As she walked off though, she heard a voice almost right behind her.

“Pardon me, it’s Miss Go, right?”

Turning around, Ha Jin saw who was there and reminded herself that indeed, sometimes the moon did seem to pass a little closer to the earth.

0-o-o-o-0

There was something about anticipation. Sometimes it could be great, looking forward to a joyous event in one’s future. Sometimes it was horrible, dreading a pain that was unavoidable.

And sometimes it just drove one nuts.

Deprived of seeing Ha Jin that day at the store (he’d somehow managed to miss her after his meeting with Hong Chan Ki, to his annoyance; no matter what life they were in, Wook seemed to things up for him), Kim So spent the next couple of days talking himself out of going out to see her. He had to let things happen naturally, he told himself. The lawyers and accounts had to be left alone to do their work, and if it did still end up being the quickest corporate takeover the number crunchers at Kim Corporation had ever seen, well that just meant he was efficient and didn’t want to waste anyone’s time and money dragging things out, right?

Right.

He told himself this again as he hung up from a conference call with the accounting department at his family company, sure that he could hear their collective heads spinning on the other end of the line when he gave them the deadline he wanted. So didn’t just give orders then sit around and wait though. He also worked just as hard, staying up late to complete all the paperwork and communication that needed to happen with something like this. He welcomed the workload because otherwise he’d be sitting around tormenting himself with thoughts of Ha Jin.

Not that she didn’t intrude upon his thoughts anyway. Dancing on the edges of his mind, she was like a little fairy tempting him away from his work with memories of her voice and smile. So looked forward to the official announcement of the takeover like a young man looking forward to the first date with the girl of his dreams. There would be many people he’d have to talk to and plenty of meetings and other official things he’d have to do that day, but surely he could find a moment to talk to Go Ha Jin, right? Definitely. He’d make sure of it. She was the reason for all of this after all.

The morning of the meeting he found himself nervous. She’d be there, right? It had only been a couple of days since he’d seen her, she can’t have quit or been fired during that time, not that he could see that happening. And he’d sure to tell the store officials to have everyone there.

Would she like him? So wondered, looking at himself in the mirror of his bedroom. He thought he’d caught at least a hint of interest the two times they’d met, but he couldn’t help but be nervous. That was the problem with Ha Jin being a blank slate; she didn’t have Soo’s memories to tie her to him. He was starting out fresh. She’d find him attractive in this life, right? At least he didn’t have the scar like back in Goryeo; he’d even heard the words ‘handsome’ and ‘bastard’ used in the same sentence when describing him. But those people weren’t Ha Jin. She was the only one he wanted to please.

At the meeting he’d looked over the crowd, afraid for a moment that he wouldn’t be able to see her, but then there she was towards the back, and the relief that went through him was so strong that he couldn’t help but smile at her. And she looked back at him, the recognition on her face reassuring him that she’d not forgotten him. Hey it was a start.

The meeting went well, he thought, but he couldn’t wait for it to be over. When it finally finished several people were already queuing up to talk to him, but he ignored them and walked on by. So already had someone more important to talk to. She was leaving the meeting area, probably to get ready for work, but So couldn’t let her go like this without even saying hello, not when he’d spent the last couple of days working tirelessly to keep the thought of her at bay.

He approached from behind, and at his words she turned. Surprise seemed to catch her off guard, and she didn’t answer for a moment.

“Yes…I’m Go Ha Jin.” She said, giving just enough of a bow to be polite. The surprise in her face was fading away, to be replaced by a mix of emotion. She didn’t really seem too pleased to see him though, and the smile on So’s face that he was trying to keep polite (but not completely succeeding) faded a bit.

“I’m Kim…”

“Yes Mr. Kim. I know who you are…now.” Ha Jin answered, and the pause in her answer gave him a clue as to what her problem was. Oh crap. Was she irritated that he didn’t introduce himself the other day? He couldn’t have done that at the time, mainly because he’d not thought of buying the company until after he left her.

So’s smile adjusted into what he hoped was more polite. “I won’t keep you long, Miss Go. I just wanted to apologize for not telling you who I was when we met here the other day. It was still early in negotiations” very early his mind reminded him sarcastically “and I wanted some firsthand experience with the people here. Kind of a secret shopper type of thing. And I must say, your knowledge and patience with someone like me who’s new to this industry helped seal the deal for me. Thank you.” Well, that definitely sounded better than ‘I saw you, recognized you and decided to buy the company to be close to you’.

Ha Jin paused, then bowed again. “Thank you for the kind words Mr. Kim. You’re right. I was a little embarrassed at first when I realized who you were. But it makes sense, what you say. I’m just happy to have shown Bella Bella in a good light to you.”

“Especially on your first day.” So added. “That really impressed me. Either they’ve trained you really well here, or did you already have experience?” Was it something she’d remembered unconsciously from her life in Goryeo? That would be interesting if it had, and So couldn’t help but wonder what else had bled into Ha Jin’s life from Hae Soo.

“I worked in another shop before this one.” Was her brief answer, and So wanted to ask her more, get a conversation going, anything to keep her eyes on him; but someone cleared their throat politely behind him, and he turned to see his assistant standing there. So wanted him to just go away right now; couldn’t the man see that he was doing something important? Damnit…I’m finally talking to her. Can’t everyone just go away?

“What is it?” If there was a growl of irritation in So’s voice, he was sure his assistant would understand since he was interrupting him, and if he didn’t understand, then So didn’t really care.

“You have a meeting starting upstairs soon sir.” Bok In Pyo stated, only giving Ha Jin the most cursory of glances.

So made a face before turning back to her. “I apologize Miss Go, but it appears we both must go back to work. Listen…” he said, his mind racing as it searched for a way to set up their next meeting. “we will be hosting a luncheon tomorrow for all of the employees, to welcome you to the company. I hope to see you there.”

Her answering smile was polite, and he longed for a time remembered when those big eyes looked at him as if there was nothing in the world but the two of them. No matter. It was a smile, and there was plenty of time to turn into something more than polite, and have it be just for him.

“Thank you Mr. Kim. I’m sure everyone will appreciate your generosity.”

No no no, I only want you to appreciate it…but already she’d turned to go, and his assistant was now blocking his view of her.

“Sir, we don’t have an employee luncheon scheduled for tomorrow.” The slightly younger man said, looking at his tablet.

“Then set one up, Mr. Bok. You’re the master at organizing these things at the last minute; make it happen. The store manager is right over there, you should get started now.” So said, and didn’t bother getting his assistant’s reply before stalking off for the elevator. An employee luncheon wasn’t what he wanted; he wanted something small and intimate with just the two of them, but he’d take whatever he could get for now.

Hong Chan Ki was on the edge of a group of other suits, and So caught him glancing in Ha Jin’s direction.

“Nope.” He said, grabbing the other man’s sleeve and yanking him along. “You have no reason to talk to her, no reason to even look at her. Come with me. If I have to suffer through these meetings, so do you.”

Chan Ki jerked his sleeve away from So, but followed along. “A person might think you’re obsessed, Kim So.” He mentioned quietly as they walked.

“A person is welcome to think whatever they like, but if they want to buy this company someday they’ll keep those thoughts to themselves.”

“You never change.”

“Does anyone, really?”

0-o-o-o-0

Ha Jin was cornered the minute she stepped into the employee locker area.

“Okay Go Ha Jin, we all saw you talking to Kim So out there. What gives? I thought you were interested in Hong Chan Ki, now you’re making eyes at the new owner?”  The clerk who’d practically drooled at the sight of their new boss earlier had her nearly trapped against the wall, with Sang-mi and the other woman they’d lunched with behind her.

Ha Jin glared at her. Sheesh, a person couldn’t catch a break around here. First she was treated like a pariah because of her lunch with the (unknown to her at the time, married) lawyer, now she was being accused of going after the new boss?

‘Making eyes’ Okay, so maybe Ha Jin was staring a bit at the meeting. But that was just because she was surprised and embarrassed that the man she’d met the other day wasn’t just a nice, rich man who didn’t have a clue about skincare, but in fact the future owner of her store. It wasn’t the gaze that seemed to center on her, the smile that seemed to be just for her. He as just a handsome, rich man, with a bit of charm to him. Ha Jin was annoyed at herself for letting him affect her so.

And she didn’t like anyone getting up in her face like this.

“Back off.” She said, pushing the other woman away from her. “I’m not interested in Mr. Hong and I’m not making eyes at anyone. Mr. Kim did one of those secret shopper things here the other day and I’m the one who served him. He wanted to thank me, that’s all.” She wanted to say that if the other woman wanted him so badly then she should go after him herself, but her tongue wouldn’t work to speak the words.

“What business is it of yours who I look at anyway?” Ha Jin demanded.

The other woman looked like she was going to argue, but Sang-mi grabbed her arm. “Eun Bi, leave her alone. It’s not Ha Jin’s fault who looks at her. Surely you remember the men looking at you when you were her age, right?” she asked sweetly, and Eun Bi, who was at least five to ten years older than Ha Jin, reddened in embarrassed anger.

“Ignore her, Ha Jin.” Sang-mi said, dropping Eun Bi’s arm. “She’s just jealous because she thought Mr. Kim was looking at her. Clearly she was mistaken.” She grinned. “Come on ladies, time to get to work. The rich and beautiful of Seoul are waiting for us to show them how to stay that way.”

Eun Bi and the office worker from upstairs moved off, but Sang-mi stayed behind.

“Don’t mind Eun Bi.” She said. “She gets y sometimes. I think it’s early menopause. You just gotta tell me though, what did Mr. Kim want? Did he really just stop you to thank you?”

Ha Jin nodded. She was getting to like Sang-mi. “Yeah. Actually, it seems he wants to thank all of us, and welcome us to the company. They’re holding a luncheon for us tomorrow.” She said, trying to get the conversation away from the more personal aspects of her conversation with Kim So. Not that it was that personal, but she didn’t want to talk about it with others.

“Really? That’s great! Free food is always a good thing. And since they’re trying to butter us up and make us like them, you know it will be good stuff.” Sang-mi said sagely. “But don’t get off the topic. How come there wasn’t a general announcement? How come the big boss only told you? Sounds like a personal invitation.” She grinned, winking before going to her locker.

Ha Jin groaned. She was never going to live this down. First the lawyer Hong Chan Ki, now the new boss Kim So. They were both very nice to look at, and she was sure they were nice enough men, but she felt like Cinderella, with too many princes hovering around her. Couldn’t they just leave her alone? She wasn’t in the mood for fairy tales.