Six

"So I'm standing here,
arms open wide.
Ready to give my heart..."
-Never Say Goodbye, JoJo

So this is how I became Mr. Kwon’s driver—when I received a call from him in the middle of my shower.

But, please, allow me to back this story up first a few hours earlier. After all, something wonderful had happened this morning and it deserves to be told.

So I was walking one of my rescues that early morning, not just for my daily exercise but for the dog’s as well. Somewhere along that undertaking, I met someone. A man. He was also walking his dog, but unlike me, he was in a distressing situation. His black pug was restlessly tugging him instead of it strolling calmly beside him, as every dog is supposed to.

I didn’t want to stick my nose in to his dilemma but he looked frustrated.

So I helped him.

And boy, was he amazed at how I handled his pug, named Skip, well.

“That…that’s awesome…” He stuttered in incredulity. “How in the world did you do that?”

I never really had any formal dog training save for watching all those nine seasons of Dog Whisperer in National Geographic and reading Cesar Millan’s books, so you know, I still get flustered and embarrassed when I receive flattery for dog-related stuff.

“It’s all in the energy you give off,” I explained with a beam. “And you have to remember that you are the boss, not him…so be assertive but calm at the same time as much as you can.”

But getting praise wasn’t even the ‘wonderful’ part in that affair. It’s actually in the moment I realized how gorgeous he truly was. And how he was smiling at me like he just came out of a toothpaste commercial, and then asked me if I normally walk my dog around that time, because trust me, gorgeous men don’t stay long enough to start a conversation with me.

I said yes, before correcting quickly that ‘Honey’ wasn’t really my dog. I told him about my small charity and he was more amazed by it. He even added that he’ll drop by one of these days to check out the other dogs, maybe adopt a companion for Skip.

I couldn’t have been any more on cloud nine by that.

But I think what really took the cake was when he introduced himself—Kim Taewon—and hoped to see me again.

Needless to say, I blushed all shades of red, watching him as he moved along with his now calmer dog.

He hoped to see me again.

I was floating on air.

I didn’t stop thinking about Taewon even when Honey and I returned to the headquarters 15 minutes later. Not even until I went back to my apartment to take a shower.

Unfortunately, that’s when Mr. Kwon hit me with his impeccable timing. Of all times he tried to phone me was when I was rubbing my hair with shampoo. Of course you’d say I could just ignore his calls. But he was so persistent. Besides, during that time, I didn’t even know yet it was him who was calling. I just assumed it was important.

So, with shampoo lather on my head, prickling my eyes as it rolled down through my forehead, I wrapped myself with my towel and got out of the bathroom. In careful steps, I proceeded to where my phone was and checked the caller. Imagine my scowl of disenchantment when I discovered it was only Mr. Kwon. But I hit the Answer button, anyway. I mean the ringing phone was already in my hand, might as well just take the call, right?

“Hello, Mr. Kwon?”

“Are you busy?”

I was about to answer with a ‘yes’—although I wasn’t really definite yet of my plans for the day—but his magnificent agility and knack to interrupt me beat me to it.

“I need you to drive me to my sister’s.” There was finality in his voice. Like I couldn’t say no.

Or even question him. Which I did anyway.

“Why me?” I asked, chafing my shampoo-stung eyes with my fingers.

“Because in case you have forgotten, you’re the one who doesn’t want me driving without a license. Be here as soon as possible.”

Before I could express my disagreement, Mr. Kwon hung up. And there was nothing I could do but groan as I stomped my way back to the bathroom.

---

Remembering Mr. Kwon’s sister, Mina, as one of the country’s renowned interior designers was what fueled me to keep on driving. I’ve seen some of her designs in magazines and TV, and they’re all breathtakingly beautiful. She has designed for celebrities and prominent rich businessmen, but I bet the monumental highlight of her career so far was when she was invited to reinvent one room in the Blue House. It was kept in absolute confidence which room she worked on, but that wasn’t the point. It was the Blue House, for goodness’ sake, where 10 of South Korea’s presidents have lived throughout their terms.

“What the hell is that smell?” Mr. Kwon’s nose turned up, and like a dog, traced whatever scent he was sensing inside my car.

“What smell?”

His nose reached my head. “Cucumber.”

“Hey!” I flapped my right hand toward his face. He ducked to avoid it and sank back to his seat.

“It’s you!”

“It’s my shampoo.” I grabbed a fistful of my hair and brought it out to my nose to sniff it. It doesn’t smell bad. “I have dry hair. Cucumber shampoo helps to hydrate it.”

“Whatever, I hate the smell.”

“Well, I’m not going to switch to another one just because you don’t like it.”

Mr. Kwon didn’t retort, and I know I was supposed to come out as the victor in that little combat, but I admit I was disturbed that he hates how my hair smells.

Ah, but this is Mr. Kwon. He practically hates everything.

In the almost one week I’ve spent with him, I couldn’t help but imagine how his personality outright clashed from before. Not that I’ve met him even once during his visits to JunMi at the hospital but I’ve read his letters.

He was a good person. Sweet, in fact, promising that as soon as my brother gets well, he’d bring him to the studio and record his favorite G-Dragon song with him.

It never happened.

“Oh, . You’re not going to cry just because I hate the smell of your hair, right?”

I blinked rapidly, his statement blowing me out of my wistful thoughts. “What?”

I almost cried? I took a quick glimpse of my face at the rearview mirror, making sure that not even one tear seeped from my eyes.

None.

“I wasn’t going to cry,” I confirmed, feigning incredulity from his accusation.

“Good. Because I can’t handle a girl crying.”

I chuckled. “What would you have done if I did?”

Strange fleeting silence swept over him before he answered. “I don’t know.” But something told me otherwise. Before the gears in my head turned, to brood about it even further, I caught him eyeing me menacingly. “Don’t. You. Ever. Dare. Do. That.”

I snorted loudly. “Like that would ever happen!”

But cue evil grin. Challenge accepted, Mr. Kwon…challenge accepted.

It was no more than twenty minutes when we finally arrived at Mina’s house. Neglecting my manners or obtaining an invitation from Mr. Kwon himself, I got out of my car as well and trailed behind him. No doubt the exterior of her home was already a winner, what more the inside? I’m sure it’ll be a treat!

“Oh, good you’re here,” the woman with dark brown wavy locks beamed warmly when she opened the door, pulling Mr. Kwon to a hug. “Hanna’s super excited to spend the day with you. Come in.”

We got inside, halting a few inches away from the bottom of the staircase.

“Hanna, sweetheart!” Mina shouted. “Your Uncle Jiyong is already here! Come down now!”

As we waited for this Hanna, I immersed myself in the majesty of Mina’s home, taking in delight every little area, every furniture or display that my range of visibility would stumble upon. And I could say from a stranger’s point of view, all pieces, big or small, beautifully and artistically meshed with one another.

I only stopped staring and admiring when Mr. Kwon, stating my name, rang in my ear, startling me out of my mesmerized trance.

“…she’s,” he paused, seemingly pondering. Then in a nonchalant—bordering to indifferent—tone, he continued, “I’m representing her charity.”

I nodded in confirmation when Mina turned to look at me questioningly. Then she beamed.

“Oh, my God!” Mina hugged her brother for the second time that day, but with the way his body stiffened, he was uncomfortable about it. Mr. Kwon wasn’t a hugger, I assumed. “That’s great, Ji!”

He snorted lightly, but Mina ignored it. She gazed at me, jutting out one hand. “I’m Mina, Jiyong’s sister.”

“I know!” I replied elatedly, receiving her hand and shook it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m a fan!”

“Really? Aw, thank you. And I really appreciate that you’re taking a chance on my brother, given what he went through the past couple of months.” She turned to Mr. Kwon. “I’m so proud of you right now. Mom and Dad—”

He groaned annoyingly. “Oh, please. Don’t tell them. The stint with her charity is not even a big of a deal to be wasted their time on.”

Ouch. Well, that stung. More than what the shampoo did to my eyes this morning.

Good thing, Hanna, apparently a 5-year-old little girl, came charging down the stairs and I was saved from moping.

“Uncle Ji!” she yelled with tremendous zest. Despite her girly appearance in a baby pink shirt and a bright pink tu-tu, she, like a Sumo wrestler, pounced at Mr. Kwon, who then caught and carried her in his arms. “I missed you so much, Uncle Ji!”

He gently pinched her little button nose. “I missed you, too, Hanna Banana. Are you ready?”

“Yes, yes, oh, yes!”

“Let’s go, then.”

Mr. Kwon turned to me with a what-in-the-world-are-you-still-standing-there-for? look and I was caught slightly off-guard. Was I supposed to drive them to wherever they want to this day?

But that wasn’t part of the plan!

But not wanting to embarrass him either, especially in front of his adorable niece, not to mention his sister who I just divulged I was a fan of, I mirrored their excitement. Or at least I tried to. “Yay, let’s go…”

Mr. Kwon and Hanna pranced outside, but I stayed for a while. Only because Mina tugged at my arm.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” she put forward.

“Sure.” I have no idea what she wanted to bring up and that made me slightly anxious.

“I know my brother more than anybody else, and I swear he’s nothing like what he’s showing. You know, the mean, ill-tempered  guy.”

I nodded in understanding.

“It’s just that he really loved her,” (by her I assumed Mina was talking about Mr. Kwon’s ex-girlfriend), “and when she called it quits…it felt like his world crashed. But I really want him to move on. And you, giving him that one step to start his life all over again is like the answer to my prayer. I really am thankful.” She clutched her chest and smiled tenderly at me. Then she moved her hand to my arm and squeezed it gently. “And I’m excited as to how this project with your charity will work out with his career in the near future. I’m just hoping you’d be patient with him. I mean I am his sister, but I run out of it sometimes.”

Just then, Mr. Kwon impatiently yelled at me from the outside. “Hey, we’re starting to grow roots in here!”

Ignoring him, I shot a reassuring smile at Mina. “You’ll be surprised to know that my patience is longer than the Great Wall of China. You have nothing to worry about.”

---

I may have initially silently disagreed to be a part of this uncle-niece bonding, but who can resist Hanna? She’s just this little bundle of joie de vivre no one could ever frown upon.

“What is your name?” she curiously asked me from the back seat.

I peered at her from the rearview mirror. “Azalea.”

She fell into a fit of soft giggles. “You have a weird name…Azalea...”

I know she wasn’t being offensive about it, plus, I do have a weird name. Just how many Azaleas will you meet in your life? “That’s because it’s taken from a flower. You can just call me Lea if it’s too weird for you.”

“Okay!”

She then proceeded to entertaining herself with singing a bunch of Disney songs. While I was chuckling at her wrong and garbled lyrics, Mr. Kwon was quiet on his seat with a faraway look in his eyes. It was difficult to appraise what his mood was because my full concentration was on the road. But I didn’t want him to end up being cranky again, and with Hanna’s noise, he may no less than just reach that temper.

I couldn’t help but frown at his demeanor. So the excitement back at Mina’s house? Was it all just pretend?

I suggested to Hanna we’d play a game instead, a much quieter at that.

“Oh, a game! Yipee! I love games!” she expressed in satisfaction.

We played “I spy with my little eye.” If I’d be honest though, it wasn’t really that enjoyable to play for an adult like me, even if for Hanna it was a bestseller. I was bored to the point I was tempted to say “I spy with my little eye, sitting to my right, someone crabby he could give Grinch a run for his money,” just to keep the boredom from escalating. I mean how much fun would I get from ribbing Mr. Kwon? But that just might trigger the very event I was avoiding to happen: him getting crankier. Plus, it’s the only game I could afford to play given that I was driving.

Anyway, Hanna and I kept up with it until we reached our destination: Dreamland.

While both of my passengers disembarked my car the minute we got there, I remained sitting behind the wheel. I didn’t exactly know if I’d be going with them inside the amusement park. I mean Mr. Kwon didn’t really establish my role in this endeavor except for being their ‘driver.’

Hanna straightened it out to me. “Come with us, Auntie Lea!” she squealed when she noticed I wasn’t getting out of my car.

I took a questioning glance at Mr. Kwon. He didn’t say anything, but shrugged uncaringly. I didn’t want to go with them, to tell the truth. This, after all, was supposed to be their bonding together. But I thought about Hanna, who was obviously still unaware of her uncle’s change of mood. What will turn out from this venture if spent with someone grumpy enough to speak? Or smile? Or to just even fake it?

“Okay,” I said, releasing myself from my seatbelt, thereafter getting out of the car.

I planned to walk behind them, which I was able to execute well for good five seconds—until Hanna looked her shoulder and gestured at me with her tiny hand. I could interpret it into so many things, then again, there’s only one true meaning for it. She wants me to take it.

Which I, somewhat reluctantly, did.

So there the three of us were, walking the parking lot to the entrance of Dreamland, hand in hand.

Going back to Mr. Kwon though, he was still in his bubble, moping like a woman in menopause. It wasn’t fun to watch anymore so I decided to burst it, right when we finally got through the humongous entryway of the theme park, where Hanna straight away let go and dashed to the huge fountain.

“What is your problem?” I asked.

“Nothing,” was his offhand answer.

Of course I didn’t believe that. Nothing about the way he said it was in fact believable. But I didn’t want to probe further. It will only end up in a spat and that’s the last thing I wish to happen. At least not in a place like Dreamland. And definitely not in front of a charming, jolly kid like Hanna.

I finally turned to him, seriousness crossing my features. “I know I’m not a part of this family, but for Hanna’s sake, wipe that surly mood out of your system and have fun with her.”

To my surprise, relief and pleasure, Mr. Kwon adhered to my request. Moments later, he was joking around with his niece, comforted her when some running kid accidentally shoved her to the ground, and bought her a lot of candies. He even let Hanna ride on his shoulder, which the little girl undoubtedly enjoyed.

Throughout those moments, there were times I felt like an outsider—although I didn’t really mind, to be honest—but Hanna was sweet enough to invite me back in. Like including me in their pictures. Or the rides. I always took note of Mr. Kwon’s reaction, but he only shrugs indifferently. Pretty sure, he didn’t like me butting in, and I wish I could tell him it wasn’t like I dream to either. But then, since it’s Hanna who wants that we didn’t really have a choice.  And trust me, it would be hard to say ‘no’ to her. She’s just way too adorable to say no to.

Exploring Dreamland for almost two hours had made us famished we decided to have an early lunch. Mr. Kwon let Hanna choose a place to eat and she picked this diner that is outrageously pink in color she could surely drown in it.

So she loves pink. But which little girl doesn’t?

“,” Mr. Kwon muttered the instant we entered Pink Hippo.

To say that I was shocked would be an understatement. I was deeply horrified.

I took a peep at Hanna, wishing so badly that she didn’t hear her uncle’s lewd remark. Judging from her big smile as her eyes swept over the pink spectacle, she didn’t.

I struck Mr. Kwon a glare. “Language, please.”

“Everything’s in goddamn pink,” he argued, voice low.

“You dyed your hair pink once, what is your problem?”

“Did I dye my eyebrows pink, too? Or my eyelashes? Maybe I should have let my facial hair grow that time and dyed it pink as well.”

I got what his point was. Not everything should be in pink. Then again, that didn’t prevent me from squinting my eyes at him in irritation. “Let me remind you, you let Hanna choose where to eat. This is her choice, so whether you like it or not you are going to get over your disgust for this diner and have our lunch here.”

“Are you guys fighting?”

Both our startled heads whipped down to the little girl who asked the question.

“No,” Mr. Kwon and I blurted out in unison.

I added, “We’re not fighting, Hanna. This is just how your uncle and I talk.”

“That’s a weird way of talking. Can we please eat now? I’m really hungry.”

After obtaining a table (pink, of course, with pink chairs), ordered, and then had our food brought to us, the air in Mr. Kwon’s face didn’t change. Although he did try to cover it up with his phony smiles, I could tell he was still altogether repulsed by the pink-ness of his surroundings. To be honest, I was beginning to feel the same way, too, but I cannot let it get the best of me because of Hanna. I didn’t know why I was even caring about how she will feel. Maybe because in the few hours I’ve spent with her, I’ve kind of grown attached to her. And if showing dislike even with the tiniest gesture to her choice breaks her heart, it’ll break mine, too.

Mr. Kwon’s sickened mood only changed a couple of minutes later when Hanna asked him something.

“Uncle Ji, are you coming to my birthday party?”

“Of course, I am. Why?”

Something about the air on Hanna’s face had quickly transformed. Her full-of-beans expression seconds ago suddenly turned to disheartenment. “Grandma and Grandpa aren’t coming. And I don’t really have a lot of friends. I don’t want it to be a boring party.”

A sincere smile played around Mr. Kwon’s lips. “Cheer up, Hanna Banana. I’m sure Grandma and Grandpa are going to your party. They won’t miss it for the world.”

“But that’s not what I heard from their video chat with Mom yesterday. Grandma said they aren’t going back here unless…” she wrinkled her nose, in the course of remembering something, “I forgot the exact words, but it had something to do with you, Uncle Ji. Grandma’s pretty angry and I don’t know why.”

Something tugged at my heart. I quickly gazed at Mr. Kwon, who for a second t I noted to have tightened his grip on his chopsticks. He was obviously fuming, but cared enough not to exhibit much of it.

I couldn’t help but bring myself back to his mood hours ago at my car. I remembered a part of his short conversation with Mina at her house, where she tried to bring up their parents and he swiftly stopped her. Has his change of mood earlier had something to do with his Mom and Dad?

Tying it up with Hanna’s recount, could it be that they had formed a gap with each other because of what happened to Mr. Kwon and his career that went into tailspin in the past couple of months?

Though I was very much intrigued, I still stayed silent, bottling up the urge to find more by stuffing my mouth with my green salad.

“Hey, Hanna,” Mr. Kwon said, lifting the girl’s chin up, “with or without Grandma and Grandpa, I promise you you’re party is going to be the best that you will ever have, okay?”

Hanna nodded, smiling reassuringly.

Night was drawing closer so it’s time to head for home. I drove Hanna first. She fell asleep on the travel so we didn’t get the chance to say our goodbyes. Mina did it for her though, even gifting me with a small keepsake that came all the way from Germany.

Then it was Mr. Kwon’s turn.

When I pulled up in front of his house, I was expecting him to quickly get out. But he didn’t.

He remained, though, he didn’t say anything, too. Something far away held his gaze at that moment and I didn’t know if I should break it or not. If I should say something or not.

I chose the latter. Now that Hannah is gone, maybe this is the right time to bring up what I’ve bottled up since lunch at Pink Hippo.

“I think it’s selfish of your parents to not attend Hanna’s birthday party only because—”

Okay, this wasn’t the right time.

As if on cue, Mr. Kwon quickly unlatched his seat belt. “Stop it, Lea. Just because you spent a day with my niece and heard some things, doesn’t make you an expert on us.”

Devoid of my reply, he quickly exited the car and bolted to his house.

For all the cruelty and unkindness that Mr. Kwon had showered upon me, they never really got through to hurt me. But this time, I think it did.

~*~

(8/2) Thank you for reading.