Chapter 16

Yu Jin blinked in disbelief as he heard her voice coming from inside the room:

“Who is it, Mr. Ko?”

Rage blinded him as he pushed the man aside and made his way in to find Jang Mi crouching down, her back facing him. Byun Su sighed before he stepped after Yu Jin, he thought that he had to teach him a lesson for pushing him like that but then saw him yank Jang Mi’s arm and drag her up to her feet. He spun her around so she’d face him and then glared down at her:

“Y-Yu…” she was speechless and her lips parted with a shake.

“Is this the reason for you to disappear for all this time? Huh? You found someone else despite having_” he squeezed on her wrist and reached his thumb finger to touch the ring that she had on. “A fiancé!” he gritted his teeth.

“Yu Jin.. When did..?” she kept blinking, still not able to process the whole appearing-out-of-the-blue thing.

“Why?” he snorted in disdain, “You didn’t expect this now did you? Oh?” her eyes started to become moist and he felt a tight hand on his shoulder.

“Stop it.” Said the man with a composed tone.

“Hmm, so you’re stepping in between us now..” he turned his attention toward Byun So who was knitting his brows at him. He snickered and put his hands on his hips: “Alright, alright, you think that you are allowed to meet this woman whenever and wherever you want..” Yu Jin stood face to face with Byun So and folded his arms at him. “But you sir need to know that I am her one and only guardian, and that you need to get the out of here!” his voice raised dramatically and Jang Mi was paralyzed due to the shock and couldn’t move.

“You’re making a big mistake by saying this.” Byun So shook his head calmly to get pulled by his collar, and Yu Jin had his fist clenched and aimed to his face.

“Yu Jin! No!” Jang Mi yelled.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY FIANCE YOU SON OF ?!” he cried right to the man’s face. “Huh?” he shook him.

“Yu Jin, you’re misunderstanding!” Jang Mi quickly tugged on his arm, but his gaze was fixed at the other guy who remained motionless in his grip, narrowing his eyes at him.

“What’s there to misunderstand? You had a fully-grown man in your room and he was before I came in damn it!” Jang Mi jolted and pulled her hands away. Her tears escaped her eyes that were widely open.

She shook her head in denial to what she was seeing. Yu Jin definitely was different, very different, and she just refused to believe that he’s acting this way.

“Listen up!” the man finally countered Yu Jin’s move and twisted his arms behind his back as he took him by surprise. “You might say whatever you want to me but making Jang Mi cry.. that’s something I will never forgive!” he burst out.

“Heh” he dropped his head and didn’t struggle.

“M-Mr. Ko.. please.. let go of him..” she begged, wiping her tears away. Byun So raised his face up and shut his eyes close, and then obeyed her plead.

Yu Jin steadied himself then walked toward Jang Mi and bent slightly to whisper in her ear:

“There’s nothing for me to misunderstand.”

Then he reached his hands for his hood and pulled it down until it covered his eyes. He tucked his hands in his sweater’s pockets and left the room, bumping his shoulder against Byun So’s.

Jang Mi’s lips gaped as she tried to speak but the only thing that she could think of was to follow him and hug him tight but she got yanked by Byun So who shook his head at her and uttered:

“We need to get ready for the trial.”

He was right, she inhaled deeply as if to calm herself down.

Just wait for me, Yu Jin-ssi, just wait a little bit more.

She eyed her ring and rubbed its ruby with her fingertip.

******

The place was dark and crowded, the music beat was fast and they were dancing with a white fume surrounding them. Yu Jin was sitting to the bar’s counter, his head dropped and felt very heavy, strangely he just had his first shot of tequila and normally, he held his liquor just fine, a mere glass won’t give him a headache.

The bartender filled another glass for him but he grimaced, and thought that as long as he still has a hint of soberness left in him, he should stop before he gets drunk. He pushed the glass back and tried to raise himself up but then felt very exhausted and unable to lift his own weight. A pair of hands reached for his shoulders and he could smell a strong perfume, followed by a soft voice:

“Are you alright?”

He reached his palms to grip the edge of the counter and supported himself after brushing the hands of the woman away and nodding at her.

“Hey but you don’t look ok to me.” She laughed.

“Just.. go..” he uttered, “Please go..” he forgot to use honorifics and corrected himself.

“I can’t leave such a fine hottie alone on this state.” She added, wrapping her body around him from the back.

“I said go..” he wanted to raise his hand at her and move it so to shoo her away but he lost control of it and ended up pushing the glass to the floor and it crushed with a shattering sound, and the woman yelped.

He cursed and dropped his head down. “Oh my god, your pants got stained!” she exclaimed.

“Whatever..” he barely moved his fingers in a gesture that told her to leave.

“Ok, since this is partly my fault, I shall fix it.” She gripped him by the shoulder and he felt his body completely numb and couldn’t struggle. She supported him and he leaned on her as she dragged him out of the club, and all he knew next that he couldn’t open his eyes any longer.

***********

Jang Mi was getting shielded by Byun So as they were living the court, the reporters were flooding the two of them and Jang Mi was too shocked to talk or say a word:

“Ms. Cha, is it true that your stepmother, the former leader of CFC is suffering from a mental disability?”

“Do you think Mrs. Cha feigned her illness just to avoid punishment for her crimes?”

“Please give us some space! My client has no will to say anything at the moment.” Byun So was the one facing their unending questions with a stern look, Jang Mi was still in the state of utter shock.

They made it to his car and drove off before they get trailed by the reporters, who immediately speeded back to the entrance as the police officers started to lead the handcuffed stepmother out of the court, followed by the two daughters; the younger sister was supporting Yoon Song who seemed completely wrecked.

Jang Mi burst out crying eventually, she couldn’t take it and the man felt pity toward her as she spoke up:

“I don’t understand..” she was sobbing, “Even though.. Everything got cleared out.. and all of her dirty deeds were exposed to the law.. how can she..?” her voice was shaking and she started to shiver.

“Jang Mi..” Byun So stopped the car by the side of the road and looked at her, his eyes full of pity and compassion. “I’m sorry.” He pressed his hand against her shoulder.

“It’s not you fault.. Or mine.. Or the court’s.. I’m so frustrated that.. that I can’t find anyone to blame for this!” she covered her face. “After all her deeds.. she’ll get to rest in a hospital instead of..” she clenched her teeth and fists. “Instead of getting executed for committing murder!”

She screamed, hatred and loathe were taking over her heart. Byun So felt sorry for her, and wanted to comfort. To his eyes, she was only a lost child, a child that needed to be guided. He removed his seatbelt and then leaned toward her to hug her and pat on her head:

“If someone loses the ability to think or to feel.. It’s as good as being dead…” she raised her face to look at him and he wiped her tears: “Imagine if you suddenly don’t recognize anyone, or forget about your beloved ones.. Would you bear to live that way?” his voice was soft and he spoke in a slow tone, to make her grasp what he meant. She kept staring at him a bit surprised. “Jang Mi, trust me, in your stepmother’s case.. For living with high self-esteem and pride and then getting crushed completely at once, dying would’ve been a thousand time better than losing her sanity.”

Jang Mi fell into deep silence as she started to think about it. Byun So smiled and patted her on the head one last time before driving her back to the hotel.

******

After taking a nice long bath, Jang Mi was able to rest and make out her feelings. She made things clear to her mind and eventually she felt so grateful to Byun So, for helping her overcome that state.

“Take a rest for now, and I’ll contact you if anything came up, take care!” He waved at her and left as she shut her room’s door.

She suddenly remembered Yu Jin, and as soon as she did, she immediately rushed outside and hurried to the reception to ask about his room’s number. The receptionist refused to hand her any information regarding one of the hotel’s guests without their own consent.

“I’m his fiancée! I’m not a stranger to him!” she argued as she pressed her hands against the counter. “My name is Cha Jang Mi and I’m also a guest in this hotel!” she knitted her brows and yelled as though she kept a formal way of speech.

“Um.. Even if that was the case, I am sorry Ma’am but, this is our policy.” He shook his head and forced a smile.

She her heels after trying a couple more times and even go as far as to show him the ring but he was only an employee and couldn’t blame him. However, and to her greatest surprise, just as she was heading toward the elevator, she came face to face with a young woman. She was wearing a tight short dress and that had Yu Jin clinging to her as the two of them barely made their way to the elevator.

Jang Mi was speechless, her knees could no longer support her body weight and she had to lean by the wall in order to prevent herself from collapsing.

*** To be continued ***