“You should have told me.” Jongin said.

Joohwan’s cold eyes remained unmoved. They settled on him like he was some worm writhing on concrete. Much like Namjoo, he refused to respond.

“Why did you do it?” Jongin asked.

“I don’t think I need to answer you,” Joohwan refuted calmly.

“No.” Jongin immediately brushed him off. “You have to. I have the right of knowledge. I married your sister. I am still her husband.”

Joohwan’s vulture eyes swept over his face as he leaned back into his seat, staring him down. “It’s my right to keep silent. Before you are her husband, I am her family. I don’t have anything more to say to you.”

“No,” Jongin breathed again determinedly. “You do. Do you know why? Namjoo is with me. From today on and on to tomorrow and the day after that. Right under law, she is still mine. For two years you hid her from me, you shouldn’t have done that.”

Alert, Joohwan jumped up to his feet. “Don’t you touch her. Kyung is a lawyer. Do you think he can’t do anything? I’m warning you. You’re the one who decided she was no good for you. You did this to her, and she left like you asked. If you touch even a strand of her hair, as her brother, don’t think I’ll sit still. You should be satisfied she cut herself from you, because I thank God everyday that she left that household. You believed she was dead? Good for you, because to you she was already dead the moment you told her to leave. I’ll never hand her to you again.” Hitting the intercom button he said, “The guest is ready to leave.”

~~~~~

He should have known those three were in on it together! Namjoo, Kyung, Joohwan! They were purposely doing this to him just to make him miserable!

Jongin angrily slammed the door after him and hissed underneath his breath but the moment of anger disappeared as quickly as it came when Jaegeun turned around from the couch surprised. He was home early today and enjoying a show on television. The moment their eyes met Jongin was prepared to say something warm but the younger boy immediately turned the TV off and slipped off the couch, disappearing down the hall.

After Namjoo left the home Jaegeun had cried to him that his dream came true. Namjoo disappeared and he was scared. The nephew had begged then, for him not to go as well. In the end, he had left, his mother too, and the boy was alone.

Heaving a soulful sigh, Jongin walked into the kitchen for a fresh glass of water. The silence weighed heavily around him as he chugged it down, and he immediately thought of the long days work that felt like an eternity before he returned home to Namjoo who danced for him, talked, sat with him at the table, and cheered him up. They had been small things but they had also been the biggest things that left the deepest holes in his life.

As he lived alone sullenly those years, he had spent a lot of time thinking about that duration of time when Namjoo ignored him after meeting his parents. How had it felt to meet a mother who left her behind? Did she hate him because even though he’d lost his mother, he had another one – hers? That he had taken the opportunity of a lifetime from her? At that time, the possibility of never seeing her again stung him hard while she was being hit by the truth that his mother had all along been hers. And she had lived with him – her mother – under one roof. Did the resentment over that cause her to lie to him?

“I needed money. I wanted a life I never had. You had it.”

He did have it. The life she never had. Namjoo had at least been honest about that.

Jongin hated that he’d spent that time loathing, missing, and trying with all his effort to remember Namjoo when he believed she was dead. Two years of his life had been spent living on memories but Namjoo had been alive somewhere. And she hadn’t been alone like he had.

He was angry and still hung over the fact that he had missed her so much.

What exactly was he supposed to be feeling? And what was he supposed to do?

Namjoo wanted a divorce. Kyung, by her side, was a lawyer. Joohwan hated his guts.

There was no longer a place for him.

~~~~~

“Eat up,” Kyung urged, leaning over to place barbequed meat onto her plate. “Our first day wasn’t a total disaster at the least.”

“You’re not wrong about that,” Namjoo agreed toasting him a shot.

“I hope we get a lot of cases, so we won’t have to stick around the office all the time,” Kyung said.

Namjoo smiled at him, “I’ll pray on that.”

Kyung smiled and she listened to the noisy chatter and miscellaneous noises of cups and plates clattering around them. If things had gone the way they’d wanted she’d be having a glass of champagne with Kyung right now instead of eating at some meat restaurant and having shots of beer. Life was so unpredictable, a circle, because here she was, right at the beginning in Seoul and near Jongin – only this time she hadn’t acted on it.

“Why,” Kyung wondered, “do you think he hates you?” when she glanced at him Kyung reminded, “You said he hates you. It’s just…I never thought he’s the kind of person to. I know you don’t want to hear about it, but I still remember seeing you with him and when you got married – the way he looked, all that.”

Namjoo poured herself a drink, gulped it, and something about how the bitterness of it flushed down was satisfying to the core. “I don’t think I told you, but it doesn’t matter now, so I’ll tell you.”

“I hate you. Leave. Get out of my house.”

“I don’t think it.” Namjoo said. “I know so.” The sensation of being stabbed by a butcher knife, the part of her heart that had been cut, bled once more. “‘I hate you. Leave. Get out of my house.’ He said that to my face. So I left.”

Kyung’s eyes melted with sadness for her. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

Namjoo shrugged it off. “It’s fine. It already ended – or will end soon. I was going to ask you anyway.”

“Ask what?”

“If you know any divorce lawyers.”

“Divorce lawyer?” he frowned.

“I want to get a divorce. Anyhow, we’ve already separated for two years. It’s time to end it.”

Namjoo drove home in utter silence after Kyung promised to find whoever he could for her. Suddenly she felt much more at ease. She knew where she stood and it didn’t matter whether she would be working for Jongin anymore. There was no relation, no feelings, and no link. It had all died two years ago when they decided to cut everything off. Despite all, something had led to this and there was no going back. Once a cloth was cut, repairing it to look the same again was just impossible.

There was someone standing in front of her door when she neared her apartment. It was Joohwan.

“What are you doing here?” she wondered, unlocking the door.

“Were you drinking?” he worried.

“Celebrating with Kyung.” She explained letting him in. “Want something to drink?”

“No, I just wanted to talk.” He said looking around the place then turned to face her. “Jongin came to my workplace.”

Attention perked, Namjoo stared up at her younger brother. Now this, she hadn’t expected.

“Did something happen?” the younger brother interrogated.

“Yea,” she walked passed him deciding that she now wanted a glass of water. While pouring herself a glass she said, “Kyung and I got recruited to his company.”

“What?!” a distinct tone of shock vibrated from his throat.

“It’s fine,” Namjoo turned to look at him.

“What do you mean fine?!” the younger brother asked exasperated by her calm reaction. “That guy’s still obviously very angry with you. And you say it’s fine?! You don’t even know what he’ll do to you!”

“I’m not afraid of him,” Namjoo coolly said. “Why are you worried when I’m not?”

“Because right under law, you are still married.” His eyes bulged.

“Only for now,” Namjoo pulled out a chair and sat down. “We’re going to be getting a divorce.”

“What?” the younger brother frowned with disbelief. “You are?”

“I’ll bring the papers to him. Kyung’s going to help me find a divorce lawyer then I’ll settle this once and for all.”

“Really?” he asked relieved, pulling a chair to sit down as well. “That’s good to hear. Once he’s off your tail, I won’t have to worry anymore.”

“What’s the big deal?” Namjoo asked.

“It’s nothing.” Joohwan replied. “I’m glad to hear that, Namjoo.”

~~~~~

The man who’d been following Jongin like he was his shadow was in the office that early morning when Namjoo arrived at the office. Kyung would arrive in a few minutes and once he did they would have their very first assignment together. Whether it was a small or big case it didn’t matter to her as long as they worked outside of the office. Hopefully they’d get sent out to meet the person of complaint or something.

“Today you won’t be working here,” Secretary Hong walked up to her. She frowned at him but all he said when he had her attention was, “Please follow me.”

They rode the elevator up together and she followed him down a long winding corridor up to two wide doors. Pulling the door open he first let her enter then followed her in. Namjoo’s wide eyes ran around the room, absorbing its cleanliness awed by how spacious it was compared to the tiny lawyer’s department. A wide window with a spectacular view of the city ran as wide as the wall in front of her. To her right a desk was overwhelmed with binders, a laptop, and a comfortable cushioned seat behind it. Whoever sat there wasn’t here yet.

“Over here,” the slender men led her to a separate sitting area in direct view from the desk. She spotted a glass table with a towering stack of paper beside it. An IBM laptop sat beside the papers.

Puzzled, she asked, “What is this?”

“Please sit,” he extended his hand out to the leather couch.

Confused, Namjoo hesitantly looked up at the tall nerd who didn’t seem much older than her. “Excuse me?”

“You’ll be working here starting today until you finish filing all these papers into our system.” He explained.

Namjoo’s face contorted and her jaw dropped. Turning to give the towering papers a onceover she turned back to the secretary, “Wait, but I’m…”

“As all the other personnel are busy, you’re the only one suitable for the job.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” Namjoo shook her head. “I’m Lawyer Han’s secretary…”

“You’re to report to this office at 8AM everyday from now on,” Secretary Hong cut her off then turned around to walk out, leaving her flabbergasted.

“This is crazy,” she mumbled under her breath then plopped down onto the couch. Dragging the laptop over she turned it on then reached for the first packet of papers. Her jaw dropped again when she saw the list of long numbers running down the entire page.

Namjoo turned when the door opened, eyes hardening instantly when she saw Jongin walk in with the secretary on his tail. Her jaw clenched and she turned away to stare at the laptop screen, realizing it was password locked. Feeling irate she clenched the laptop keyboard.

The thought of opening to speak made her despise everything so much more. “Excuse me,” she called out stiffly, “I don’t know the password.”

Then she heard Jongin say to the secretary, “Go tell her the password.”

Even more irritated she bit down on her teeth hard as she listened to the secretary walk over. Leaning down as if to whisper he said, “It’s the Chairman’s birthday. He says you should know it.”

Without replying Namjoo quickly pounded the numeric keypad and punched the ‘enter’ button. Once she was logged on the secretary backed away and she could hear him talking to Jongin about some sales record then a meeting. They sounded like birds noisily chirping on an early morning, annoying and bothersome.

Her phone rang and she picked up. As she heard Kyung’s voice the door opened and closed, signaling the leave of the secretary.

“I’m here. It seems I’ve been given an assignment of unrelated topic,” she spoke into the phone. “Are you here?”

“Phones aren’t allowed in the office. Please put it away,” Jongin said loudly from the desk where he sat.

Namjoo pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “I’ll call you later, Kyung.” Hanging up she set her phone aside and returned her focus to the laptop screen. She was so irritated she could feel the smoke of it suffocating her lungs as she sat there pounding at the keyboard.

“You’re noisy.” Jongin commented.

Without giving him regard, she bit her lower lip and continued pounding the keyboard. As she sat there she could feel the laser of his eyes burning into her. He was satisfied she could feel, that he’d taken her away from her job and put her up to a measly task locked up in his damn office. He was going to annoy her until one of her veins burst.

No, she wouldn’t do that. She refused to give him the satisfaction of her feelings. She would finish these damn papers, even stay behind into the night if she could to finish all of these and leave this stupid office. So for the duration of the morning she sat there quietly trying to finish inputting the information on the packet into the computer before the door burst open.

“No! You can’t go in there,” a woman’s frantic voice called. Namjoo spotted the receptionist behind a larger, brusque man in suit and tie that had suddenly burst into Jongin’s office. He appeared unhappy, impatient, and ready to enter the ring.

“I’m sorry. Chairman Goo so suddenly…”

“It’s ok. You can leave.” Jongin cut the receptionist off, who bowed apologetically before closing the door.

“Chairman, so you are in. Busy, are you?” the man round around the stomach asked with a note of dissatisfaction to his tone. “Lets talk since meeting you has become like chasing a chicken.”

Namjoo watched Jongin coolly stare at the elder man with graying hair and turned away when the round man turned to catch her staring.

Chairman Goo…

This man that was Goo Yeji’s father.

Gently putting the laptop to sleep she stood, “I’ll take my leave.” and walked by.

~~~~~

Jongin wanted to wail out of complaint as he watched Namjoo walk by and out the door. Setting his eyes back onto Chairman Goo he rose to his feet.

“Have a seat,” he walked toward the sitting area and sat down. The Chairman joined him.

“We waited for you,” Chairman Goo said. “What’s your excuse this time?”

“There was an event the Attorney General was throwing. I had to attend.” Jongin relaxed back into the couch.

“An event?” the elder man repeated with a scoff. “Jongin, your father might have let you off but I can’t. You’ve once derailed from a legacy he set for you, but now I think it’s time you turn around. I’ll take care of the wedding expenses and it’ll put your mother’s heart at ease. I see that she hasn’t been doing very well these days.”

Jongin tried not to clamp his teeth together. “You don’t need to worry about my mother. I’ve been clear on this before. I don’t plan on going through the marriage with Yeji.”

“Why not?” Chairman Goo asked. “I insist. A young bachelor like you have nothing to lose. You’ve already put your wife to rest. It’s already been two years. A man shouldn’t live alone like this.”

“Please don’t talk about her,” Jongin steeled his voice.

“I know, Yeji has talked to me about it,” the Chairman said. “You need to move pass it, Jongin. You need to start anew. What better way is there to do it than getting married again and having someone by your side? You can first start by taking off your ring and then accepting my daughter.”

“I have no plans for that, sir,” Jongin politely refused then stood. “I have a meeting to prepare for in the afternoon, so I won’t be able to accompany you for lunch. I’m sorry about that.”

Chairman Goo rose to his feet and persisted with one last try. “This world is much more than revolving your life around one person, Jongin. There are two or three persons we learn to love before finding the right one. Perhaps, your wife wasn’t the one but a lesson for you.”

Jongin listened to the man walk by and out the door. A frustration and denial burned from the bottom of his heart. His eyes drifted over to the laptop and the spot Namjoo had earlier sat before turning to head out the door. Walking right to the receptionist he asked, “Did you see where the secretary went?”

“I’m not sure, Chairman.”

Immediately swerving he headed toward the elevator and quickly headed for the law department. Chairman Goo was wrong and right. Namjoo was a lesson but she had been the right one. And whether she was still the right one, he would just have to see for himself.

***Jongin's living with so much grief ;; he's completely banned anyone from mentioning Namjoo