Chapter 9: Ruined

Spring

“Kimberly, I want to go home for the summer,” I began as we sat together at a small cafe.

“That’s a sudden decision! Why HyeYeong?”

With my eyes fixed on the contents of my mug I answered soberly, “I just want a change. I feel so restless and anxious recently, so I just want to get away for awhile.”

“But what about your lessons and your pupils?”

“I was planning on giving them the summer off anyway since so many will be going on vacation with their families. Plus I think my music will benefit from the change. I’ll see and hear the familiar sounds of the country and get new ideas for my compositions.”

There was a pause as we both sipped our drinks. Kimberly’s face looked conflicted as if she has something she wanted to say but didn’t dare.

“What is it? You look like you want to say something. Go ahead. I won’t be offended.”

“Alright. It’s just, I can’t help but wonder, is musical composition your real motive for going home for the summer. . .” her tone was full of suspicion as she raised her eyebrow.

“No. . .”

“And as your friend, may I know the other reason?”

I looked up at her then back down at my mug. Then slowly, with a flush overcoming my cheeks I admitted, “You remember Choi MinHo?”

“Mmmhmm,” she vocalized with an eager nod.

“Well. . . It might be vain of me to say, but I think he’s growing too fond of me.”

“And you don’t care for him the same way he’s beginning to care for you?” Kimberly looked a little anxious as she phrased the question.

“No, I don’t. Don’t get me wrong! I like the guy a lot; I always have, but in terms of my feelings being anything more than friends. . .that I just can’t see it happening.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“Why, might I ask?” my voice filled with curiosity.

“Because, and this is based off of the few times I’ve met the guy, I don’t think you suit each other. As friends you are very happy, but you’re too alike to be compatible in a romantic relationship.” She then took a long sip of her drink as I sat there staring out the window thinking.

“You know, Kimberly, that’s what I was thinking; I just didn’t know how to put it into words.”

“And you’re sure of his feelings for you?”

I felt the color of my cheeks deepen as I answered, “I’m afraid so. Before he left on his business trip he seemed on the verge of confessing when I stopped him. And now that he’s back. . .and he wants to see me. I feel like it’s all going to come out. And, and. . . I just don’t think I can stay here in Seoul after rejecting him. It would kill me to see him so unhappy. That’s why I want to go back home for the summer.”

Going to the Oh’s one evening to drop off a treat for SooMin, I found that very person sitting on the hall bench.

“Unnie! I’m so glad you came!” cried the girl as she ran to embrace me.

“What’s the matter SooMin-ah?”

“I don’t know and no one will tell me! Omma’s in her room crying, appa has locked himself in his office, and oppa is fuming in his den. So it must be something awful!”

“There’s no need to look frightened. I don’t think it’s anything bad SooMin-ah,” I cooed as I her hair. “Perhaps your omma is just sicker than usual or your appa is worried about his business or SeHun is in another one of his scrapes. Come on! Let’s go to the kitchen and we can enjoy the treat I brought.”

“I don’t think I could eat anything until I know what the matter is,” SooMin pouted. Her lower lip quivered and she began to cry.

I sat on the bench next to her, trying to comfort her while my own imagination began to run wild with theories.

All at once SeHun appeared in the hall. One look from him told me that there was indeed something wrong. His tie was undone as were the top two buttons of his collared shirt. I caved into temptation and allowed myself a glance at his collarbones. They looked so lovely and delicate surrounded by the lean muscles of his chest and shoulders. I shook my head and scolded myself, Snap out of it HyeYeong! This is no time for this behavior! I forced my eyes upward to look at his face. Its expression immediately sobered me: distress, shame, turmoil; they were all there.

Even his voice betrayed the disturbance, “Hello HyeYeong.”

“How are you?” Dumb question! You already know the answer!

“I’m in one hell of a mess! Come with me and I’ll tell you all about it.”

With that he grabbed my wrist and pulled me with him towards his den. Poor SooMin was left on the bench to wipe her own tears. Once inside the room, SeHun shut the door and began to restlessly pace the room. Even if he had been raging like a bear I wouldn’t have cared. I was just so pleased he chose me to be his confidante, like when we were children.

“Now then, what is it?” I asked coming straight to the point.

“Guess.”

“You got kicked out of class again?”

“Worse than that.”

“Ummm. . . EunMi ran off with someone?”

“Worse still.”

What else could it be? “SeHun, you haven’t killed someone or robbed a bank or anything right?”

“I admit I came close to blowing my own brains out over this, but as you can see me standing before you, I didn’t.”

“I’m out of guesses and patience so just tell me SeHun!”

“I’m ruined HyeYeong. Financially ruined!” His voice was quiet and turse.

“You blew through your inheritance?! What will your father say?!”

“That’s the thing--” SeHun stopped and stood in the middle of the room with his head hung in shame. “This is so difficult to admit, even to you sweet HyeYeong,” he sighed and gathered his courage before continuing, “It’s not just that I blew through my inheritance. It’s mainly the fact that I owe a lot of money that abeoji doesn’t know about. . .”

“SeHun! How could you?!”

“I’ve been an extravagant fool and I know it! And I’m more sorry for it than you know! If this only affected me then I could deal with it, but I have to tell the old man and that’s what cuts me to the core.”

At any other time, I would have laughed at the contrast between the look on SeHun’s face and his almost melodramatic language, but his tone was so sincere and full of remorse that the scene was more touc