Though his question sent chills down the spine, Sohyun calmed herself, placed her forearms on the table and leaned in with a smirk on her face and said, “If I said I went there to get married secretly, What’s your opinion on it?”. Jaeha’s gaze stood still on her for a moment. He then, laughed naively and said, “Ok, I won’t ask questions that will meddle in your business again. You really know how to make people shut up”. She breathed and continued having her drink. He took a sip of his coffee and asked wearing a serious expression on his face, “My mom is very fond of you. I hope you’ve realized it?”.

“Doctor, are you afraid that my name will appear in the will?”

He gave a smirk as a reply and questioned, “Should I call it an ignorance or innocence?”

“My vocabulary is limited, so spell it out loud…”

He interrupted, “My mom wants your last name to be ‘Shin’. Can you understand it now?”

She understood what he meant as Jiwoo’s warnings echoed. The way Mrs. Shin looks at her, how she used to stay in her house for a long time and even their return to Seoul, it made sense and gave her goose bumps.  She wanted to escape, her left hemisphere of the cerebrum lost its function, she couldn’t form her words. She looked at her watch and stood up. He raised his chin to look at her. She said, “A cup of coffee and an hour...”

He cut in, “Aren’t you curious about my answer?”

“Jiwoo will be waiting”, she said ignoring his words.

“I guess that’s a no!”, he stood up.

As they walked to the car, the space between them widened. When they neared the car, Jaeha took quick steps to open the front door for her. As she took the seat, he closed the door for her. When he sat in the car, she said, “You needn’t rush to open the door. If I take the backseat, it’ll make it more awkward. So, I won’t do that”. He laughed and said, “Honestly, if I had realised my mom’s motive before I came here, I would have said ‘it’s absurd’. But, after meeting you, I don’t find anything wrong in it”. His reply appalled Sohyun. He was apathetic to his own words and casually started the engine and drove. Sohyun didn’t speak another word keeping her guard up as they headed to Jiwoo’s office to pick her up. The wind against the car and the blower inside the car were the only sound that could be heard. Sohyun mustered up the courage and asked,

“Do you, perhaps…?”, but she hesitated.

“Do I love you?”, he asked to confirm.

She nodded thinking, ‘It’s ‘like’ though, needn’t come off strong like that’.

He smiled and said, “Love doesn’t exist”.

“Love is divine… pure divine!”, words slipped unconsciously.

He chuckled and said, “We were all born for… We mean I, you, that guy in suit and the girl in formals, that delivery guy and that police officer…”, he said pointing to people they saw on the way and continued, “…Why were we born? For procreation”.

She gasped at his thought.

“Love, tears, song, painting all these are to end up on bed. It’s all hormones. Androgen, Oestrogen, testosterone, progesterone and X-chromosome, Y- chromosome, XX, XY, that’s all and…”

“There she is…”, Sohyun said cutting in, as she pointed towards Jiwoo who was waiting for them. She has no intention to enforce her opinion on him or to prove her statement or to refute his’. She just wanted to convey her picture but if she says anything with Jiwoo by their side, she would be making a mountain out of a mole hill. So, she clammed up. When he dropped them, Jiwoo rushed in while Sohyun stayed back and told him, “You are too much of a doctor!”. She paced fast to catch up with Jiwoo and went in, before he uttered anything.

In the night, as she fumed thinking about Jaeha’s words, a streak of light called out to her. She took her phone and rushed to the balcony. She saw Seungho in euphoric mood. Just a look, she knew his meeting with Kang Chulmin worked out. She held out her arms for a hug. He stood on the street, unable to react. He kissed the air and caught the air he kissed in his hands. He pretended to tie it up with a thread and threw the imaginary gift of kiss at her. She smiled at his wit and called him through the phone. They talked on phone with their eyes on the other.

(After she explained what had happened with Jaeha, he asked again) What did he say?

He said, ‘Love is just an Organic Chemistry and it’s all hormones!’

(Seungho laughed hard. Sohyun stared at him pouring out her bitterness. And she added her own words claiming that it was Jaeha’s) He also said, Institution of marriage is just for the society. For social acceptance of this fact!

(Controlling his laughter) He might be right as a doctor… and as for the marriage for society, anyway we never do anything for the society. Why must we then do this?

Then ours’ and the kiss today? Is it all the hormones too?

No, no! (promptly)

‘No’ means?

No means ‘Of course not’!

(Smiling slyly, she asked) Tell me a truth, if I say though my heart is full of love, but body is full of lust, will you still like me?

(Looking at her while biting his lips to control his forever smile) Of course… Even if the percentage of lust is higher than love, I’ll forgive you on the bed!

She yelled, “Twisted ert!” and went in closing the balcony doors.

He grinned and mumbled, ‘I’m used to the word ert, but the twisted ert somehow gets me. She isn’t in high school, what’s with her reaction? By the way, aren’t we married?’. When he saw the empty cup in the coffee holder in the car, he said, “Jaeha… Shin Jaeha”. He looked at the cup blankly and threw it in in the bin near the parking lot after crushing it. He slammed the car door. As he drove off, he shook his head and shouted, “I DON’T CARE!”.

Seungho woke up with the sun and rushed to his office. Yesterday, when the furniture and equipment arrived at the office late in the evening and they just unpacked it and assembled. Today, to welcome Kang Chulmin, Seungho arranged the furniture and later his colleagues joined with him. By the time Kang Chulmin arrived, they cleaned and arranged almost everything. Kang Chulmin looked around and said, “New office looks nice inside but soon the noise from the outside will cause disturbances”, signifying the disturbance that they will face from the both renowned and notorious companies. Seungho responded, “We know, if we don’t shout, we’ll be left behind. But soon, when we shout, everyone else will shut up”. Kang Chulmin smiled and patted on his shoulder.

After an hour, the meeting ended. When Seungho came out to send him off, he invited him for a drink in the restaurant below. Kang Chulmin nodded accepting his invite. Just as they entered the shop, Chulmin said, “I’ll pay for my own drink okay?”

“No problem. You can pay for mine too!”

His response made him agape. After a cup of coffee, Seungho’s good nature grew over him. Seungho walked him to the car. Before Chulmin drove off, he lowered the window and said, “How about a dinner at my house?”. Seungho’s eyes widened in surprise. Chulmin said, “Don’t worry my wife is a good cook”. Seungho smiled and thanked him for the invite.

In the evening Seungho texted Sohyun about the dinner. She replied that she was delighted to hear about it. Since it will be hard for him to meet her tonight, he planned to call her after the dinner.

Seungho reached Kang Chulmin’s house after crossing two train stops from the office, one of which is near to Sohyun’s college. He was warmly welcomed by Mr and Mrs. Kang. They lived in a two-storey independent house which was simple but beautiful surrounded by lawn in the front. They had kitchen garden and a mini basketball court in the backyard. They live on the ground floor and kept the upper level unused.

Seungho reached there while they were in the middle of preparing the dinner. Both were busy in the kitchen, so, he joined to help them. On seeing him helping them with dicing the vegetable, Mrs. Kang went near Seungho and asked in whispers, “How is the married life?”. He looked up flustered. Mrs. Kang pointed the ring in his necklace. He put it inside his shirt and smiled. After he finished dicing, he turned to look at the couple who were busy cooking. He took the chance to call Sohyun. She picked it up and said,

Hey!

I love you!

(though taken aback by sudden confession, she is used to it. So, she gathered her senses quickly than before) I know!

What’s the use of knowing it? Give me an answer.

Now, I’m in the living room.

Won’t you say, ‘I love you’?

Now?!

If it’s true, tell me (he pampered her wearing a cheeky grin)

Now, I can’t tell you!

Why you can’t? (He heard Mrs. Kim calling Sohyun for dinner) Why? People are around you? Ok, then, say it in whisper. Yes or No?

Yes (said in whispers)

What? (he again)

I said ‘Yes’ to you! (She said amplifying the volume slightly) (Due to the attention from Mrs. Kim, She putdown the phone immediately)

Seungho chortled gleefully and slid the phone in his pocket. “She didn’t tell you?”, a voice startled him. He drew back to see Mrs. Kang standing beside him with a bowl of rice for him. He thanked on receiving the bowl and headed to the dining table. Mr. Kang who was witnessing all these from the table laughed saying, “Let him talk to his girlfriend in peace!”.

After the pleasant dinner, just as Seungho took his leave before the last bus, Mr. Kang asked, “Where do you live?”. “An hour and half journey”, he replied. “Took just fifteen minutes to your office from here but, looks like you live far from there!”, Mr. Kang said. “Then you can live in the upper level, its empty”, Mrs. Kang suggested. As a matter of fact, Seungho planned to move out of his parent’s house when he opened the start-up, but situations didn’t let him and so are the rents of single rooms near his office. But, he is now offered a house with two bedroom, though not furnished, it’ll make his daily commute easier. Tempted by the subsidised rent, he looked expectantly at Mr. Kang for his approval. He nodded agreeing with his wife. Seungho thanked them for the delectable dinner and the gracious offer.

When Seungho reached home, Mr. Yoo was home sitting on the sofa, working on his laptop in the living room. He usually works in the room which he has designated for office work, so he understood that Mr. Yoo was waiting for him. On seeing Seungho entering the house, Mr. Yoo stopped whatever he was doing and watched him. As Seungho walked past, Mr. Yoo stopped him by initiating a conversation, “Your generation is a selfish one!” Seungho kept quiet and held his head down. Mr. Yoo remarked in a pensive mood, “Your mom told me that you have established your start-up. Its’ easy to start and effortless to gain attention but difficult to sustain it”. Seungho smiled and said, “All the best would suffice”. “Be selfish like your generation, don’t involve with social problems… All the best”. Seungho nodded smiling from ear to ear and retired to his room.

Like any other day, Sohyun’s morning broke out with Jiwoo’s wake up call. She got ready for the class and so is Jiwoo for her office. In the hurry, Sohyun forgot her phone. She realised it when she boarded the train. She has no time to fetch it so, she sent a text to Seungho about forgetting the phone at home from Jiwoo’s phone.

Extension of classes threatened Sohyun’s plan to meet with Seungho in the evening. When the classes got over, it was already an hour past their planned time and she had no phone to inform him. Rather than borrowing friends’ or calling from the phone booth, she thought it would be efficient to go to him directly. She took the train and rushed to the park where they were set to meet. On reaching the park, regardless of time delay, she found Seungho sitting on the bench waiting for her. She rushed to him and said panting, “Sorry! Were you waiting for a long time? Classes got extended! But, what to do?  I had to go now! Jiwoo will be waiting for me in the station!”

“I can wait for two hours for these two minutes!”, he said throwing a warm smile at her.

She cupped his face, gave a quick peck on his cheek, and said, “Shall I go?”

“You may go but don’t leave me now!”, he said in a soft voice.

She kissed him on his lips and said, “Bye! Will see you tomorrow!”

She left the park, but the smile stayed with him for a long time.

Mr. Kim won a case in favour of coastal residents, so the residents came to his house to celebrate it. Sohyun rushed home to join the celebration. When she reached home, the residents were handing out the gifts they prepared. Mr. Kim initially wanted to refuse it, but their sincerity won over him. When one of the residents gifted him a hand decorated lighter, Mr. Kim received it laughing and said, “I don’t smoke anymore but still thanks!”. “Anymore?”, one of the residents asked. He replied, “Yeah, my daughter told me not to smoke”. “You did a good job listening to your daughter!”, they said. “Of course, I listen to my daughter!”, he said smiling at Sohyun.

When the celebration ended, ensuring no one by their side, Mrs. Kim asked Sohyun, “He is a software engineer right?”. Sohyun understood her mom is asking about Seungho. Though Mrs. Kim’s question was out of the blue, she responded, “Yeah! He does projects for companies”. “So, it was like IT, right?”, her mom asked again. She nodded and asked, “Why?”. “Nothing, probably I was mistaken!”, Mrs. Kim replied. Since then, whenever she approached her mom to arrange a meeting with Seungho, Mrs. Kim gave excuses to brush it off. Seungho comforted Sohyun saying he will eventually meet them one day. He wanted to clear the stigma that Mrs. Kim attached to him, but, he didn’t want to put pressure on Sohyun or her mom by hastening the meeting.

As seasons changed, Seungho witnessed ups and downs in his venture, barely making enough. Staying in Mr. Kang’s residence helped him to save on commuting and rent.

And Sohyun started her internship in the hospital where Jaeha is working. She always had her guard up around Mrs. Shin and Jaeha ever since the encounter with Jaeha in the coffee shop especially after Shin family planned to settle in Seoul.

Since, Sohyun and Jaeha work in the same hospital, Mrs. Shin insisted them to go together. To avoid rumours with Jaeha, she asked him to drop her off before entering the hospital. Besides work, she tried her best avoid meeting with him or talking to him in the hospital. Since, he is ophthalmology and she is in ER, they hardly meet.  

When Jaeha dropped Sohyun in her house, he said, “The opposite of love is neither hate nor the hormones but the indifference! William Shakespeare said it. I know you are mad at me for saying things like that about love. The more I read to understand your opinion, the more indifferent you are to me!”.

She smiled and said, “It’s Elie Wiesel!”

“Huh?!”

“Not Shakespeare but Elie Wiesel”, she corrected him.

He slapped his forehead and smiled in disbelief.

Next day, late in the evening, Seungho got down at the station carrying his office bag. On stepping onto the platform, he saw Sohyun in the crowd, standing on the platform, dressed beautifully in pink. His tired face beamed on seeing her. As he approached her smiling, he noticed her swollen eyes. His concerned voice asked her, “Sohyun-ah… what happ…”. As the crowd cleared, his voice silenced on seeing Mr. Kim standing beside her. When he stopped at a foot’s distance, Mr. Kim stepped forward and slapped Seungho.

Chapter Image: Credits- Bony8108 (in the image). Such a beautiful edit, isn't it!