CHAPTER 14

            “You have to leave tonight?” So Min asked.

            Hyun Joong sat next to So Min on the bed and held So Min’s hand.

            “Unfortunately, I have to.  Believe me this is the last thing I want to do tonight.  I don’t want to be away from you this soon but things are getting out of control in our New York office.”

            “Care to elaborate?”

            “I think I know what’s happening but I will not find out for sure until I get there tomorrow.”

            “Are you going to be okay?  We just got back.  You must be tired?”

            “A little bit but don’t worry, I’ll be fine.  I’m used to this, remember?” Hyun Joong assured So Min.  He cupped So Min’s face and gave her a kiss on her lips.

            “You have a few hours left before you have to leave for the airport.  Why don’t you lie down and rest?”

            “That’s a good idea.”  Hyun Joong then lay down on the bed. 

So Min was about to leave the room to give Hyun Joong time to rest when Hyun Joong grabbed her hand. 

            “Stay here with me,” Hyun Joong said.

            So Min lay down next to Hyun Joong and cuddled up with him.  So Min was dreading the days coming ahead not having her husband around.  She would miss him terribly but she knew the demands of Hyun Joong’s job and in a way felt sorry for him.  She held Hyun Joong even tighter. 

            “Are you going to be okay when I leave?  It might be a good idea for you to stay with your parents or invite Seung Ah over while I’m away.  I don’t want you to be alone in the house.”

            “How long will you be away?”

            “I’m not sure yet.  I will find out when I get there and I will let you know.  Why are you going to miss me?”

            “Do you need to ask?  I will miss you so much you have no idea.” So Min said.

            “Then prove it,” Hyun Joong teased So Min and gave her a passionate kiss.

            “Aren’t you supposed to be resting?”

            “I’d rather make love to you than rest.  I can sleep on the plane.  It’s going to be a long flight anyway so I’ll have plenty of time to rest.”

            Hyun Joong’s hands got busy and started to undress So Min.  So Min was completely when Hyun Joong started to remove his clothes.  So Min enjoyed watching her husband strip off.  As soon as Hyun Joong was next to her on the bed, So Min ran her hands over his chiseled chest which brought pleasure to Hyun Joong.  Hyun Joong found So Min’s mouth and gave her a passionate and desperate kiss.  They both knew it would be a while before they could be this close again.  They kissed, touched, and made love with such fierce passion.

            While Hyun Joong was getting ready for the trip, So Min called Seung Ah and asked if she could stay with her for the next couple of days.  Hyun Joong was glad Seung Ah would be there for So Min.  He didn’t want So Min to stay home by herself and worry about her. 

            An hour later Hyun Joong’s driver came to pick him up.  So Min was starting to feel sad but she managed to smile in front of Hyun Joong.

            “I’ll call you as soon as I get there, okay?”

            “Okay.  Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

            Hyun Joong gave So Min a kiss and a hug then he was off for the airport. 

            So Min went inside the house and all of sudden felt the deafening silence.  She gave a big sigh.  I need to get used to this.  Hyun Joong is an extremely busy man and will be away a lot, she told herself.

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            Hyun Joong arrived at the JFK Airport at eight thirty in the evening and made it to his apartment on Park Avenue around ten o’clock.  He fell asleep almost the entire flight and was fully awake when he arrived in New York.  As soon as he entered his apartment he called So Min’s cell phone.

            “Hey, just wanted to let you know I got here safely.”

            “Oh, that’s great.  How was the flight?”

            “It was good and uneventful.  I actually slept pretty much the entire flight.  So what have you been up to?”

            “I’m actually having lunch right now with Seung Ah while talking about office stuff.  She’s keeping me up to speed on what I missed while we were away.”

            “Okay.  I’ll let you go then.  I’ll call you again later.”

            “Good night then.  I miss you.” So Min said without hesitation.

            “I know. I miss you too.”  Hyun Joong responded.

            Seung Ah’s jaw dropped after hearing the conversation.  She was so shocked she was speechless.

            “Don’t say anything,” So Min said to Seung Ah smiling.

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            Hyun Joong was already in his office at six in the morning.  He was jetlagged and wasn’t able to sleep well the night before.  He went through the pile of papers on his desk which Mrs. Hwang meticulously arranged for him.  He was busy signing documents but he couldn’t concentrate.  His mind kept going back to So Min.  He didn’t realize he would miss his wife this much.  He was never the one to get easily distracted and he had been known for his intense focus.  But not today. He could only think of So Min and it was driving him crazy.

            “Good morning, Hyun Joong.”  It was Mrs. Hwang and he gave Hyun Joong a hug.  “It is nice to see you again.  We missed you.”

            “It’s nice to see you too, Mrs. Hwang.”

            “Thanks again for inviting me to the wedding.  I must say you got yourself a beautiful wife Hyun Joong.  You are a lucky man.”

            “I know,” Hyun Joong agreed.

            “Your meeting with He Ra is at seven thirty in the board room.”

            “Thank you, Mrs. Hwang.  I will just finish signing these and I’ll head down to the conference room.”

            Hyun Joong was not looking forward to meeting He Ra.  He knew the conversation with her would not be a pleasant one.  He was hoping that their past relationship would not get in the way of running their company.  But five years was a long time.  He had to admit it took time for him to move on and he was sure it was the same for He Ra.  He was thankful for So Min. Because of her the pain of the past was finally gone.  Mrs. Hwang was right, I am a lucky man, Hyun Joong thought.

            He Ra finally walked in the conference room.  To Hyun Joong’s surprise she seemed to be in a good mood. 

            “Hello Hyun Joong.  It’s nice to see you again,” said He Ra.

            “Good morning He Ra.”

            “I heard that our board members and investors have been having second thoughts about our partnership with Jung Capital Investment.  I know you are behind this He Ra.  So tell me what have you been up to.”

            “Oh, I see.  You want to forego the pleasantries and get straight down to business, Hyun Joong.”

            “We both know why we are here so let’s stop wasting each other’s time.”

            “Okay.  I’ll tell you exactly what’s happening.  Our investors are wondering if your move to partner with Jung Capital Investment was a sound business decision.  They are wondering if your decision was somehow compromised by your personal relationship with So Min.”

            “What are you talking about?  You were there when I presented the proposal.  You all agreed that it was the right move to make.” Hyun Joong was losing his patience but he did his best to control himself.

            “That was before you announced your marriage to So Min.  We are now wondering if So Min was the reason you didn’t take over her father’s company.”

            Hyun Joong couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  He couldn’t believe that He Ra used So Min to cast doubts in the minds of their investors.

            “You know for a fact He Ra that the partnership with Jung Capital Investment will pay off as a long-term investment.  I don’t understand why you’re doing this.  I just hope your personal feelings towards me have nothing to do with this.”

            “Really, Hyun Joong?  Why did you marry So Min then?  To punish me?”

            Maybe the timing was questionable but Hyun Joong’s conscience was clear.  He made the business proposal even before meeting So Min.  His decision was completely unbiased and made business sense.  But he knew explaining this to He Ra would not make any difference.

            “He Ra we ended our relationship two years ago.  I’ve moved on.  My relationship with So Min has nothing to do with you.”

            “I don’t believe you Hyun Joong.” 

            “You can believe what you want to believe.  Whether you accept it or not, I’m completely over you.”

            The truth was too much for He Ra to bear.  She approached Hyun Joong and slapped him in the face.  Before Hyun Joong could say anything He Ra stormed out of the conference room and slammed the door.

            Hyun Joong was shaking.  He was fuming mad but at the same time relieved.  He convinced himself for a long time that this day would never come.  The day he could actually say he was over He Ra.  He immediately picked up his cell phone and dialed So Min’s number.

            “Hi, is everything okay?” So Min asked.

            “Yes, everything is fine.  I just want to hear your voice and to say good night.  Is Seung Ah staying with you tonight?” Hyun Joong felt so good hearing So Min’s voice.  He wanted to be with her so badly.  If only I could fly back to Seoul right now, he thought.

            “Yes, she is.  We actually just finished eating dinner and we are watching a movie right now but will be getting ready for bed soon.”

            “I still have a long day ahead of me but I’ll be thinking of you.”

            “Don’t work too hard and promise you’ll take care of yourself, okay?”

            “Promise, I will.”

            After talking to So Min Hyun Joong got busy mapping out his strategy to fix what He Ra had done.  He knew that he needed to meet with their major investors face-to-face and win them back.  He needed to gain their support to ensure the partnership could be financially sustained.  I have my work cut out for me, Hyun Joong told himself.

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            So Min spent a few days with her parents.  It’s a little over a week and Hyun Joong was not home yet.  Hyun Joong tried to get in touch with her as much as he could but So Min could tell her husband was exhausted.  Hyun Joong tried to sound cheerful every time they spoke on the phone but So Min could sense the weariness in his voice. 

            So Min was glad her parents and Seung Ah were there to keep her company.  Hyun Joong had been gone a while and it was getting harder and harder to get through the day without him.  She tried her best to focus her attention to her work and kept herself busy by spending more time with her parents.  But it was not the same without Hyun Joong.

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            It was Friday evening.  Hyun Joong had been working long hours since he arrived in New York.  He spent most of his days meeting with the investors and in the evenings dealt with paperwork.  It had been a tough but productive week.  He was very pleased with his progress so far.  His strategy was working and his efforts paid off.  He was also glad that He Ra made her presence scarce in the office.  He wasn’t sure how to face her again after their last encounter.  Hyun Joong’s thoughts were interrupted when she heard Mrs. Hwang knocking on his door.

            “Hyun Joong, it’s time for you to end the week and go home.  You look really tired,” said Mrs. Hwang.  She was talking to Hyun Joong more as a mother than his assistant.

            “I know.  I promise I’ll leave in half an hour.”

            “Okay, I will stay here until you leave.  By the way, I ordered dinner for you from your favorite restaurant.  You can take it home with you so you don’t have to worry about dinner tonight.”

            “Thank you Mrs. Hwang. What am I going to do without you?” Hyun Joong said laughing.

            “You’re welcome.  So hurry up and go home!”

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            Hyun Joong liked the fact that he could walk from his office to his apartment.  Walking was a good way to relax after a long day at work.  That week was extremely painful but he was relieved the week is finally over. 

            On the way home he stopped at a liquor store and bought a nice bottle of Shiraz to go along with the dinner Mrs. Hwang ordered.  He knew he would end up working that weekend but he would like to at least savor one quiet evening.  He placed his dinner and the red wine on his dining table and headed to his bedroom to change.  As soon as he entered his room he heard a familiar voice.

            “Hello Mr. Kim.”

            It was So Min.

TO BE CONTINUED