“Goodbye, y creature”

-Kim SooJin

[BREAKING NEWS: CHAIRMAN KWON MOOWOON OF KMW ELECTRONICS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL]

[Reporter]: Good evening, viewers. Today, at the charity event organized by KMW Electronics at Shilla Hotel, an unfortunate incident had happened. Mr. Kwon MooWon, the Chairman of KMW Electronics had a heart attack and had to be rushed to the hospital. It is believed that he had met with his archnemesis, Mr. Lee SaeHyun, the President of the Y10 Electronics America who had come back to Korea for what everyone believe a revenge. It is believed Mr. Lee SaeHyun and Mr. Kwon MooWon were in a heated conversation before the incident. Mr. Kwon MooWon in said to be in a stable but critical condition. We at Channel 4 wishes Mr. Kwon MooWon a speedy recovery. Stay tuned for the latest update.

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28| Prayers

When I was nine years old, SooJung accidentally had fallen into the river near our house. It still remains a mystery to me as to how she could fall into the river. Maybe she was born stupid but that is beside the point. When Appa went swimming into the river to save her, I remember kneeling down and praying to God that He will save my dear sister. I remember thinking that even though she was stupid, she was my sister nevertheless so I kept on chanting the prayers over and over again, not even stopping for a second. When Appa had safely brought SooJung out of the river, I was still praying, not wanting to stop; afraid that if I had stopped praying that SooJung would not wake up again. Only when Umma had come to hug me tight to tell me that it was okay to stop praying that I finally stopped.

It was then that I had started to believe in the power of praying; that God was always ready to hear our prayers.

So that was the reason why I had been kneeling down on both knees, clutching my hands together and praying for Haraboji non-stop ever since we had arrived at the hospital. When Aunt Mina, MinWoo and Mr. Shim had been running towards the ICU door, I had been running towards the park of the hospital and found a spot to quietly pray. I did not even know how long I had been praying. Even when my knees were giving all these sharp tingly pain, I still did not stop praying for I was afraid that the moment I had stopped praying, God would have stop listening.

“Please make Haraboji alive and well. Please God, please”

I was desperate for God to hear my prayers.  My body shuddered from the chills of the night breeze but I did not care for as long as I could pray, I wanted to save Haraboji. It was the least I could do after all these while I had been deceiving him.

“Forgive me, Haraboji.”

Tears were streaming down my eyes but I did not care. I did not stop my prayers. I would never stop my prayers.

“You’ll get sick, SooJin,” MinWoo said. I thought I heard the worry in his voice but it might just be my imagination. Why would he worry about me? He might only feel guilty since he did not pray for Haraboji like I did.

I did not know for since when he was there; I was too immersed in praying that I ceased to notice my surrounding. I looked up and when our eyes met, I felt a sudden pang in my heart so I dropped my gaze to the ground. His hair looked so dishevelled like he had been running his hand through it multiple times and his eyes were red and swollen like he had been crying for a while. He looked so sad that all I wanted to do was to give him a hug; to tell him that everything will be alright. 

You are nothing to him, SooJin. Don't complicate things. Just keep your distance. The tiny voice inside my head was warning me, afraid that I would hurt myself further should I follow my heart.

Before I could say anything, MinWoo knelt down to face me, took off his jacket and put it around me. I could still feel the warmth from him wearing it.

“You don’t have to do this, MinWoo,” I said, “I am fine.” I tried to take off the jacket but he stopped me from doing so by holding my hands in his. I shuddered from his touch. Funny, I shuddered more by his mere touch than by the coldness of the night.

That was when I had realized I had fallen way in too deep with this y creature.

I was half expecting for him to ridicule me for shuddering so bad but he didn’t. Instead, he kept staring at me intently, with my hands still in his.

“Thank you,” was all he had said quietly after some time.

I frowned. “Thank you for what?”

MinWoo heaved a heavy sigh and looked down. “Thank you for praying for Haraboji. For caring this much even when you don’t have to.”

Even when you don’t have to.

Even when he was trying to thank me, it sounded as though he wanted to tell me of my place, that I did not really belong with his family. It was like he was trying to remind me of the fact that we were a pretend couple. The thought shoot daggers to my heart. It was so painful that I had to push away his hands, fearing that I would let myself sink deeper in this hole of heartaches.

Keep your distance, SooJin.

“No need to thank me, MinWoo,” I said, trying my best to sound nonchalant even when my heart was already breaking into a million pieces, “I’m only doing this because I feel guilty towards Haraboji. I’m going to tell him the truth tonight whether he’s awake or not. I don’t think there’s any reason for us to continue with our act anymore.  After that  I will come clean with Aunt Mina. I’m ready to face any consequence.”

MinWoo looked taken aback, like he did not really expect for me to say that. What? Did he think that I would still pretend to be his fiancée when Haraboji was dying? Did he think that I would not have the conscience to tell the truth? Did he really think that I would let myself sink deeper into the mess that he-no, we- had created?

“Can’t you wait after Haraboji is well to do this, SooJin? Can’t you have some mercy on me?” MinWoo looked at me with pain in his eyes. “Can’t you wait a little, for me? Can’t you think of how I’m feeling now? Please, SooJin. Please, I’m just asking for some time. Please.”

I tried hard to stop the tears but they just would not stop. It pained my heart to see him-the man who had stolen my heart and broken it into pieces- to look so forlorn.  It was as though he was pleading for me to stay, for a reason unbeknown to me. Didn’t he realize that if I didn’t tell the truth that night, I would never ever find a better time to confess? Didn’t he realize that if I didn’t tell the truth that night, he would not be able to bring his EunJae to meet with Haraboji and Aunt Mina? After all, EunJae did not condone any of his father’s acts towards Haraboji.

EunJae was the one he wanted all these while, so what good would come if I had stayed? It would only make things harder for him to be with her if I had stayed. I might be foolish at times but not foolish enough to not know the time when I was not needed; when I had to leave.

“No, MinWoo. There is no better time than tonight,” I said, “After this, you and I will be free.”

So you can be with your beloved EunJae, I thought bitterly.

“Free?” he scoffed, “Free so that you can be with your lover boy?”

 MinWoo stood up abruptly and gazed down at me with fire in his eyes. I could see him gulping down as though he was really angry. I wonder why he was so angry when I was only doing this for his sake, so that he could be with the love of his life.

“But-“ I started to say but couldn’t finish it, as though there was a big lump in my throat, swallowing my words. “You can be happy, MinWoo,” I finally said, “You can finally be free.”

“HOW DO YOU THINK IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ME TO BE HAPPY LIKE THIS?!” MinWoo shouted in anger. If I wasn’t kneeling, I would have fallen due to the volume of his voice.

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