Chapter 24

His Hidden Talents

 

I sat cross-legged by the luxurious sofa by the Bridal shop, and drinking a huge gulp of champagne in my sight. "Sorry to keep you waiting... I hope you are ready, come with me?" The shop assistant said.

 

Waiting? I don't recall any waiting. If 5 minutes of indulgence and pre-served cheesecake, and a glass of champagne is waiting, what would the 3-hour long queue to meet the doctor in hospital's be for the rich-asses in Gangnam?

 

A torment, I guess.

 

I was asked to stand remote on a circle shaped stage, while measurements were taken. I'm wearing on a thin chiffon fabric on me, they wanted the measurements to me close to body shape. Chansung seated in the meeting, while his co-workers worked hard to present their ideas on the project, his eyes were set onto his iPad, and on the iPad was the CCTV view of the Bridal Shop. She is in the middle frame. He is watching her every moves, and is earnestly looking over every employee working on her. "Let me remind you, do not touch her." He muttered on his earphone.

 

The shop assistant in the Bridal Shop looks up to the CCTV and nodded. Omi was asked to put on a series of garments until her glass of champagne finally take their revenges, and she had to rush to the baths. She lifts her silk fabic gown up, and washes her hand, when a young executive women fixing her lipstick beside her.

 

"I would dab a warm water on that," she said, and hands me a cloth, "...here."

 

I looked closely into the mirror and saw a red mark on the left side of my neck.

 

Gasping, I quickly drench the cloth into warm water and dab them on. This is ridiculous. Ugh. I find myself flustered. No wonder he was snickering all along. "Your neck...it's distracting." His voice play back on me.

 

Damn.

 

I nervously walk outside, re-fastening my steps. When I walked in, the crews were waiting in expectation. "Is there any wardrobes you like?" She asked me politely. "They are all very beautiful..." I said, with a forced smile plastered upon my face, "...but it is too pricey for me. And it's too grand." The shop assistant hung her head down, with a thinned lips.

 

If she turns to me screaming, I won't be even half surprised. "The car is waiting for you outside." A man in a suit called. I nodded apologetically and left, after I wore my clothes.

 

I got into the car, and he is on his Galaxy Tab. When it comes to merchandise, Mr. Hwang Chansung is always an all-Korean only. His television is Samsung. His cars are by far only from  KIA.  I refues to have any eye contact with his smug face. After he is done with all of those stuff, he glances at me. He finds the love bites to be gone. The grin on his lips disappear. I was very proud of that, why did she balmed it off.  "I don't like it." He blurted, straight, merciless-ly.

 

I turned. "It what?" I asked. "The dresses you wore in the store." He said, and kept doodling on his Tab.

 

"And the fact that the hickey is gone." The car is again flooded by silence.

 

I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out.

 

The limousine pulls over an expensive looking building in Gangnam building. "...But hey, on the bright side. I can make another one." He scoffed, and leave the car. I was too dumbfounded to be actually say anything, until he pops out on the side of my door, asking whether I'm coming or not.

 

I let him lead the way, because I was clueless even if he lets me lead. I took my time to look around the restaurant. It has tables made of marbles, chandeliers hanging tall, with wide windows that reminds you of the kings feast. The plates were arranged in extreme accuracy, and soon I find myself on the table for two along with Chansung, being served personally by the chef. "Bonjour. Se estu le madame?" The Italian french greeted. "Si. What do you have for us, Chef Boulaire?" Chansung asked.

 

"No worries, le chef have prepared a very special magnifique dishes for you and your Mrs." The Chef said and hussled back into the kitchen. We were given courses after courses, fresh from sea, fresh from oven. "How do you enjoy your dish, Miss Omi?" Chansung asked, and sipped a classic mushroom soup. I struggled to swallow, because I wasn't expecting a question or a word from me. "It is very tasteful, best I've ever had." I said, frankly. Truly, I have never tasted something so carefully engineered. "Only the finest, Miss Omi. For you." He said, and raised the glass of Dom Perignon Pink in my way, before sipping them into his mouth, passing his lips.

 

Why do I feel like I am at the bottom of everyone's jokes today? Not everyone, but Chansung's. The abalone dish is served next, along with the steamed scallops. The aroma surrounding us was heavenly. For the first time, in my life, I am absolutely awkward in eating. I have always loved simples dishes like omelettes, and soups. This takes me to another level. "We can skip this on our wedding dinner." I lay my fork and spoon down. He looks abruptly away, then to me. "Where do you think you're going." He said. It may sound like a question, but it was more of a statement. Intuitively, I halt.

 

"You'll be okay on your own." I found my own voice. Though, I am still afraid of what he thinks, or what he'll say in respond. "Who says it will be okay if you leave?" He said, twitching his jaws.

 

Okay. He is unhappy.

 

"If you know what's best for you, then you'll seat." His voice shudders every sense in me. I sat. Not because I'm afraid. But because he's my only ride home. He scooted over next to me. "You should never be afraid of things you don't understand." He peels the hard shells with his long fingers.

 

"Take the things you don't know, as a lesson. Surely, it will benefit you, at the end of the day." He said. He sounded like a father I never had. My father have always been distant, mum too.

 

I grow up on my own, accompanied by friends and foes I know in boarding school. After choosing three main courses, 2 types of dessert and an appetizer for the wedding dinner, Chansung answers a phone call on Samsung Note 2 while opening the door to the limousine, and waited for me to climb in. I can sense that he is staring at my bottom, and the thought of that is so . I hear the fragments of the conversation.

 

"...Don't dwell on it. Get it done as soon as possible." But he is still pacing outside, leaving the car door open. "...I don't care how difficult it is. Find out who saved him, and get him off at once." He waves his hand in a cocky way of business man should, then the chaffeur closes the car door.

 

Oh no. I wanted to leave with him.

 

I watch him surrounded by a group of five into a white Alphard. He looks so serious, and there's death in his eyes. The hospital hallway through the ICU is lifeless. The stench of stale blood mixed with sanitizers were evoking. Doctor Kim stayed beside the bed of the patient he had just saved. Still highly IVed, his open wounds are now stitched, the red marks are still swollen and bruising. Doctor Kim made his way outside. There he finds a young men, leaning his head on the wall. When he sensed that the doctor is here, he turned sideways in the most nonchalant way. "Is he dead yet?"