It was Ji Hyo’s birthday. It was a Wednesday. Gary had decided to take the 7pm flight home from Shanghai to spend the last few hours of her birthday with her. He had missed her last birthday due to work and he didn’t want to disappoint her again.

When he reached home, their house was empty. He tried calling her but she didn’t pick up his calls. He thought she might have gone out with her friends to celebrate her birthday. He was about to enter their bedroom when he heard the sound of a sports car approaching and stopping at their apartment building. Out of curiosity on who would have driven a sports car into their neighbourhood, he stepped out into the balcony overlooking the street below. As a sports car enthusiast, he was trying to determine the make and model of the red sports car before him when a tall and well-built man got out from the driver seat and walked over to the other side of the car to open the door for his passenger. The man extended his hand to help his passenger climb out from the low sports car seat. His passenger took his hand.

A slender lady climbed out gracefully from the car. When she got out, the man was still holding her hand and he placed his other hand on her back. Then, he leaned forward to kiss the lady before letting her go. As the lady approached their apartment building, the lights from the building illuminated her face and Gary was shocked to discern that lady as Ji Hyo. He began to take in her dressing. She was wearing a long y bare-back red evening gown with spaghetti straps. Her hair was twisted into a bun and showing off her beautiful neck.

She wasn’t expecting Gary to be home. He was supposed to be in Shanghai closing some business deals. This was the second year she had spent her birthday with Dong Wook. Dong Wook was her boss at work. He was also the son of the chairman of their company. He had been courting her ever since they started working together three years ago. She had made known to him that she already had a boyfriend but that still didn’t deter him from pursuing her. She had avoided him whenever possible until her birthday last year.

Gary had promised to celebrate her birthday last year but he flown off to another country on the day itself. There was a last minute business crisis and he had apologised profusely to her before leaving their apartment. However, this understanding and his apologises could not eliminate the sense of disappointment that she was feeling totally.

As if he could sense her moodiness, Dong Wook had granted Ji Hyo a day-off and offered her his VVIP shopping card so that she could go for a fully paid-for retail therapy session at their retail chain. Ji Hyo was deeply touched by his sensitivity and gestures. Hence, while she did not take up his offers, she accepted his dinner invitation for the first time.

Although Dong Wook was an easy-going boss to work with, he was a serious man at work. Ji Hyo was surprised how humorous and jovial he was outside of work. He was witty and he made her laugh hard and heartily in the course of that dinner that she had momentarily forgotten about her disappointment with Gary. When Dong Wook sent her home that night, he unexpectedly presented her with a bouquet of white and blue hyacinths and she was captivated by his unique choice of flowers and charisma.

Of course Gary tried to make it up to her when he returned from his trip. The standard candlelight dinner and a bouquet of a dozen red roses were in order. He had bought her a pair of earrings as her birthday present well in advance but he forgot to give it to her in his hurried departure. Ji Hyo had also graciously forgiven Gary.

However, during the past one year, Ji Hyo had experienced more loneliness and disappointment than she ever had since their six years together. Gary was smiling less and she missed his witty comebacks. He was perpetually in deep thoughts yet he refused to share them with her. Their time apart was increasingly getting greater than their time together. So much so that she had kind of expected him to be away on her birthday this year.

While Dong Wook’s attention on her was flattering, Ji Hyo knew that it would not be right to two-time Gary no matter how neglected she was feeling. She tried to maintain her distance with Dong Wook after work. Yet, they did go for dinner together for a few occasions when Gary was out of the country.

He tried lingering at his luggage bag as long as possible but he knew would be impossible to avoid facing Ji Hyo. With her birthday present in his hand, he walked into their bedroom.

She was in bed waiting for him. Without her makeup and with her slightly damp hair and her cartoon-printed sleeping gown, she looked exactly like the simple, innocent girl who he had been loving for the past six years. It was just a kiss. He tried to convince himself.

He extended his hand to her with her present in it and said “Happy Birthday” to her. She took it from him with a smile. The smile was natural and sweet. She patted on the empty space next to her and gestured for him to join her. Her smile had disarmed him and he joined her in bed. Once he rested himself comfortably next to her, she pressed herself closely against him and she carefully unwrapped the present. It was an exquisite figurine of a pair of crystal doves perching on a golden tree branch.

“What is the meaning behind this gift?” she asked and followed with a kiss on his cheek. She gazed at him in anticipation for his thoughtful and witty reply. For these years that she had known him, each of his gifts to her was carefully and thoughtfully picked.

There were so many meanings behind that figurine – the crystal being their future, the lovebirds symbolising them and the tree branch signifying their dwelling place. However at this moment, he was staring at the figurine speechlessly due to her kiss. How was it like for her when he kissed her? Was it like how I had kissed her and like when she kissed me?

After a prolonged second, she grabbed his hand with her free hand. He regained his awareness towards her upon her touch, and he asked softly, “How did you celebrate your birthday today?”

She hesitated and he felt her hesitation. “I had dinner with a friend.”

He wanted to probe further but he was uncertain about the replies that he would get and he was afraid that he could not handle them.

“Let’s sleep. I have a 10am flight to catch tomorrow” he finally uttered.

Both of them lie down on the bed and settled with their back facing each other. After six years together, they no longer need to fall asleep in each other’s arms. They slept in their most comfortable positions. Yet it felt like there was a strip of sea separating them tonight. She rolled over and hugged him from the back, closing the physical distance between them. She buried her face into his back.

Her aim was achieved. Without her direct words, Dong Wook had gotten her message and they remained as co-workers and friends.

Alas, her actions had also brought forth repercussions that she never had expected.

Gary had observed that she was rather distracted while they were having their breakfast. She was taking short glances at the people around them. At one point, she had abruptly spread jam on a piece of her toast and passed it to him. As his hand reached out to her, he noticed that she had swiftly diverted her eyes from the person walking their way to his plate. He took a closer look at the man passing them and caught him looking at them. They nodded slightly at each other. He had a strong inkling that this was the same man he saw last night. As to how he was supposed to interpret Ji Hyo’s actions, he didn’t really know but the tug of suspicion was there.

The final nail in the coffin was struck when he overheard the gossips that took place after she left for her office. He discovered that she was rumoured to be dating her boss at work and her boss was the chairman’s son.

It didn’t take long for him to find out more about Dong Wook from the Internet while he waited for his flight in the airport lounge. Dong Wook was younger than him. Dong Wook was unmarried without any known girlfriend. Dong Wook was far richer than him. Being the only son, Dong Wook would be sole inheritor of his father’s business empire. Dong Wook’s future was like sunshine while his looked eerily like midnight.

The past one year was a nightmare for him. His business partner had embezzled their company funds. He had been travelling and pleading his customers and creditors to give him more time to deliver the goods and made payments. He was struggling desperately not to declare bankruptcy as he needed to take care of Ji Hyo. While this latest revelation was certainly distressing to him, he could see its silver lining.

Before he made this drastic move, he had casually asked her about Dong Wook. Despite her reluctance to talk about Dong Wook, he still managed to gather that she did not dislike this man and Dong Wook took care of her at work. Moreover, he knew Ji Hyo well enough that she would not have allowed Dong Wook to kiss her if she didn’t like him.

Taking one last look at their apartment, he gave a long deep sigh. It’s just a kiss. His mind challenged him. He understood it was. But who was he to keep her by his side? He was a penniless man. He could offer her nothing. Love was an overrated entity. One cannot live by love alone; there will always be bread and butter issues to deal with. He shall not be the hindrance between her and her future. What he hated most about himself now was his cowardice; his lack of courage to break up with her in person. He did not give her a chance to fight his decision because he knew he could not win her in it.

Placing the keys of their apartment and their couple ring on a white card, these were the last words he left for her.

“Since I can’t give you your future, I shall return your present.”

(14.06.2014)

Note: Forever Monday is beautiful MondayCouple story by AnneOnym