.004

- Oh Sehun

 The Ahn’s household stands majestically on top of a hill that overlooks almost the whole city, naming it as one of the most beautiful mansions in South Korea. Initially painted  a clean white, the mansion is now light blue, bearing a resemblance to the clear sky of an afternoon. Apart from the guest house which is several yards behind, it has no other neighbouring houses—one of the reasons why she never had any friends other than me back then.

            ‘A lot has changed since the last time I was here,’ Director Bae commented next to me when the car halts in the driveway in front of the large mahogany doors.

            I nod, agreeing to his words silently. It does not take long before the butler comes to open the door of the car, allowing the Chairman to climb out first before I do. When he catches sight of me, his eyes portray a look of shock, though the smile on his face never falters. 

            ‘Good day, Mr. Hyun.’ The formality tastes weird even on my own tongue. I was used to calling him Uncle Hyun; Hyun Jiwook, the only man around Father’s age working in the Ahn’s household. It feels nice to see a familiar face after all these years.

            He must have a lot to say, but he just gives me a bow in return to the greeting before leading us into the mansion. Unlike the changes the exterior part of the mansion had undergone, everything from the inside is almost the same. The house still has a lingering rose scent. As I walk through the hallways, almost every memory of her seems to come alive. I can see her hiding behind the long curtains as we play hide and seek, I can see her sneaking in her father’s study room to read, I can see her drinking her favourite tea in the garden, I can see us dancing in the rain. I’ve never forgotten a single moment.

            Ahn Jungil is already seated in the large dining room reading his morning newspaper when Director Bae and I arrive into the room. Noting our presence, he folds the papers before standing up, a cheerful smile on his face. He looks a lot older than he used to, but the amount of energy radiating from him is still the same as the last time I saw him. It’s not a wonder how a man like him can build an empire on his own.

            ‘My old friend, it’s nice to see you again,’ he says before stepping forward and hugging Director Bae. They must be close, judging by how happy they look to meet each other. It’s possible that I could have met Director Bae earlier when I was still living here, but back then, Father never allowed me to be around whenever a guest arrived. I never recognized any of the connections the Ahn family had.

            Caught in my own bubble of thought, I fail to realize that Director Ahn has now shifted his attention to me. When I finally come to my senses, he is staring me with an amused expression. ‘Aren’t you the son of Mr. Oh? Sehun, isn’t it?’

            I put on my best professional smile and give him a bow. ‘Yes, sir. It is I indeed.’ I reach out a hand for a shake.

            He accepts my gesture, patting the back of my hand. ‘I’ve wondered all this time what happened to you, son. You disappeared without a trace, it was a great shock to our family.’

            ‘I received an offer to study in China and I was rushed to accept it. I apologize if I caused you and your family any worries.’

            ‘No, no, boy. It’s alright. Your father explained that you’re doing just fine, so I trusted him. I’m glad you end up being here,’ he tells me, motioning for Director Bae and I to take our seats. ‘Speaking of your father, I’m sorry about what happened to him. I would have done everything I could for him if I had known it earlier.’

            My movements halt as I pull up a chair, my whole body tensing. I can feel my hands getting cold—I’m not ready to talk about Father. From beside me, I can feel Director Bae’s eyes on me, I know I can’t mess this up. I take several short breaths before lifting my eyes up and finally taking a seat. ‘It’s okay, sir. None of us were able to stop it, not even me. I prefer not to talk about this any further, if you won’t mind.’

            ‘Ah, yes, yes. I’m sorry if I’m making the mood sour.’ He nods before turning away from me. ‘So, how’s your business going?’

            ‘Seriously, Jungil? We’re meeting after all these years, and the first thing you’re asking me about is my business? It’s not like I’m going bankrupt or anything. You know me, business is always good if I have the time to see you.’ Director Bae laughed, sounding more pleased than offended.

            Director Ahn returns the laughter, and I find myself smiling too. He reminds me a lot of Father, which is the reason why I respect him so much. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t help it,’ he muses. ‘Well, how did you meet this fine young man? You don’t seem surprised that I know him.’

            The Chairman took his time to answer, making me wonder what is actually on his mind. I still remember the first time he introduced himself to me, but he never spoke about that day since then. ‘I know that Sehun used to live here, his father worked as your driver back then. I met him during a special recruiting event my company held several years ago, and I saw how hardworking he is. He proved himself worthy of the title I gave to him.’ He follows the script, and I give a nod, acknowledging it.

            Before we can continue the conversation any further, someone decides to grace the meeting with her presence. Director Bae’s face lights up when he sees her. ‘Ah, it’s my favourite girl! Come, come, sit with us.’ When the smell of rose tea finally hits me, I feel a rush of adrenaline coursing through me. I miss her. I turn my face a little, trying to catch her face. In a pale pink dress, her long hair going down her shoulders, she looks breathtaking. I clench my fists on my lap, trying not to do anything stupid.

             I will never forget the look on her face when she finally notices me. Her eyes widen and her face pales. It looks like she just saw a ghost—and I am that very man who came back from the dead. Just as I open my mouth to greet her, the tray she is carrying slips from her hands and lands on the floor with a loud crashing noise. Surprised, I leap off the chair, worry getting the best of me. I stare at her, both of us stunned. The chairman seems flabbergasted too, and I hear Director Ahn ordering their maids to clean up the mess. Breaking eye contact, I finally look down and realize that her exposed legs have turned red due to being scalded by the hot water.

            Why isn’t she saying anything?

            A maid comes in to her aid, but somehow I find myself intercepting and rushing to her side before the maid can even do anything. I touch her upper arm, her eyes still wide at me. ‘Jinae, let’s go. You’re hurt, I─’

            ‘Don’t touch me!’ she screams, pushing me away so suddenly that I almost lose my footing. I try to explain myself, but she turns on her heels and leaves the dining room without giving me a chance. Feeling slightly taken aback, I stagger a few steps back, my hand reaching out to grab a fistful of hair on the back of my head.

            ‘She must have been shocked to see you again,’ Director Ahn suddenly says and lightly touches my back,