Stranger 10 : His Life

BGM : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi39H0Jdjfg

Previously

“Sorry.” He mumbled… when he noticed her. He looked at her appearance so different than the usual. A cap, green jacket, white t-shirt inside.. skinny jean with a pair of sports shoes barely putting a makeup on.

“Seo Joohyun? You say you are busy? What are you doing at..” He looked at his surrounding.. it was a dump over place. Where homeless person loitered around.

“At this kind of place!?”

***

Seohyun pulled Yonghwa into an empty hallway as she pushed him to the wall.

“Sajangnim!?” The bodyguards were searching for their boss who was nowhere to be found.

“I’m here!” Yonghwa tried to shout but his mouth is blocked by Seohyun’s hand.

“Shh.” Seohyun leaned closer to him.

“Wh…what are you tryin.ing to do?” Yonghwa stuttered, feeling nervous with their close proximity at the place where no one else is around.

“Shhh..” She leaned closer and put her finger to Yonghwa’s mouth. “You see there, that kid just got beaten by a guy. It’s been going on for a while.” Yonghwa frowned to her explanation.

“That doesn’t explain what are you doing here.”

“Someone sounds like my boyfriend?” Seohyun wiggled her eyebrows.

“I’m just saying this as your partner.”

“I used to hang out around here?”

“You hang here?!” Yonghwa exclaimed in shock.

“Aigoo.. I hang here before to experience their life then only I can write in a more realistic way regarding their situation.”

“So you’ve been homeless?”

“Yep.”

“Your parents never search for you?”

“Nope. They know I’m off somewhere doing my job.. I usually send some message to them before doing so.”

“Very understanding..” Yonghwa nodded in amazement.

“I even told them, I’m with you all night.”

“What!?!” Yonghwa exclaimed yet again.

“Shh… it just comes out from my mouth when I’m meeting my grandpa.”

“What else?” Yonghwa panicked.

“I spent most of the night at your home and then spend some more time in your car.”

“Seo Joohyun!”

“Wow.. you sure are feeling comfortable with me.”

“Yaaa.”

“That’s another one. Don’t be so scared. It’s not like we are doing something wrong.. we just talked and read and.. and..” Seohyun stopped her sentence midway.

“And what?”

“Kiss.” Seohyun blushed and step a back for a bit, turning her head sideways. Yonghwa too was blushing. “Oh yes.. that.” Yonghwa let out an awkward cough. “I mean I’m only teaching you to you know how to uhh.”Yonghwa scratched his head, embarrassed when he saw how Seohyun’s eyes were focusing on something else.

“What’s wrong?”

“That.” She closed her eyes for a while when Yonghwa took a glance at the scene.

“The fudge.. He’s hitting a kid!” When he saw Seohyun ran towards the scene. “Yonghwa sshi, help me called the child service!”

“Seo Joohyun, stop!” He shouted at her but he was too late, Seohyun was hugging the crying kid in her arms.

“WHO ARE YOU!?”

“A passerby that knows this is not the right way to teach your children.”

“Beating them is wrong when they did some evil stuff?”

“I saw you.. sometimes hitting her. Since 2 months ago.. I came back with the hope of not seeing such things again.. but I was wrong. I wonder why I let it be.”

“YOU!” He was about to hit her along with the kid when Yonghwa stopped his hand with his strong grip.

“That’s not a gentleman move, especially towards my girlfriend.” Yonghwa shoved his hand away and he wiped it off with his tissue.

“Dirty people are dirty.”

“Yonghwa sshi…” Seohyun spoke, trying to warn him. He knew what she meant ironically. It meant not to belittle these people.

“You sure have no idea about my reputation around here..”

“I sure don’t, because I’m busy working my off in a legal way.”

“You got it, easy dude, you are rich!”

“At least I’m not born rich… she is” Yonghwa pointed at Seohyun.

“HEY!”

“Look how much you want to at least spare this kid a day off from his beating schedule?”

“Want?”

“Yes, want. Be civilize.. in the right way. A thousand will do?”

“Yonghwa sshi.” Seohyun is questioning his move.

“A thousand and a half.”

“Nine hundred then.”

“Fine, one thousand.” Yonghwa nodded his head in approvement and opened his wallet to give out the money.

“Yonghwa sshi…” Seohyun closed the little girl ears and waved to a woman whom she knew, to take the girl out from the place.

“Just trust me on this.”

“It’s not that. One day is not enough.. give us two days with him.” Seohyun shh the little girl down and hand her to the woman who was apparently the little girl aunt who told Seohyun about the scene that is happening there.

“What are you trying to do actually?” The buff man questioned both of them. “Are you a rich married couple who can’t get pregnant or something?”

“I’m very much fertile,” Yonghwa said with a note of sarcasm.

“Then she’s not?”

“What?! I’m very fertile. And what makes you think I’m married.”

“You guys are making out on a dark alley. Duhh.”

“Nahh, we can have a perfect gene breed if we are going to do it. I just hated the sight and I extremely want to avoid contaminating my eyes with child abuse.” Yonghwa spoke rather arrogantly. “Stay off from him, I mean it.. If I see any bruises on his hand when I or she came to visit you will get what you deserve.”

***

Yonghwa stared at the single red rose in his hand. He did not know why he bought it at the first place, but the thought came across in his mind that this kind of gestures is a norm in such a formal event. The bright red color of the rose was attracting, certainly what he felt when he saw her. He did fear the thorn will hurt her hand though, he just needs to ask her to be careful then.

Just when he stepped outside from his car, he saw an Audi Q3 stopped by in front of the grand door. He was certain, it was Seohyun's dad. The calm atmosphere that the man brings out triumph most of the people he had met. It was similar to hers in a lot of ways. He approached her dad and greeted him politely.

“Jung Yong Hwa?”

“Yes.” 

“This bad girl.” Seo Kyung Ho chuckled. “I knew that this going to end up this way.”

“Do you know why she accepts you in the first place?” Kyung Ho asked Yonghwa politely which the young lad shook his head acknowledging the fact that he indeed doesn’t know what Seohyun was actually doing.

“But, I think I can guess.”

“Well, what is the reason?”

“I look ridiculously pathetic.”

Seo Kyung Ho chuckled in amusement.

“But I’m planning to show that I’m not pathetic as she thought I am.”

“I thought you hated chaebols? But I guess a Jung always has a thing for money and family.”

“I hate them, very much still. But you can’t deny that I am a chaebol myself.”

“A self-made man I will say, Yonghwa sshi. You don’t think I know about your little stunt to keep away those gangsters from your territory. I know about the scar on your wrist. Deal with a devil Yonghwa?”

“As I expected, a man with source. I can do anything to succeed.”

“Even to my daughter?”

“No, just to myself because it’s my success, not hers and not anyone else. No one is getting involved with my ways except for myself.”

“Hear me out, you guys will never work out. I wish you get out of this pleasant company you guys have been doing as fast as possible. Our family principle differs.”

“I’m not bound by my family virtue, sir. I’m not even counted as their family member.”

“Trust me, they will count you as a Jung when they need you. I know them really well, I won’t simply demand you to stop whatever relationship you have with my daughter. In fact, I think you are a pleasant young man, but this old guy already has seen enough to see any heart breaks again.”

“No worries sir because no heart was present in this exchange of companion.”

“A great company comes in with a great presence of heart. This might sound like bragging but honestly, who wouldn’t fall for my daughter?” Kyung Ho patted Yonghwa’s back when he saw her daughter stepping down the grand stairs.

“Don’t worry because all I ever want is a normal life amidst all of this glamorous affairs. The one that I can come back and criticize this system of the chaebols.”

“Keep your ideal to yourself because it will harm you in return. Just take care of my daughter.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Call me abeoji. I’m not a stern father who will restrict my daughter.. she has every right to make this kind of choices. But, I hope this won’t end being a miserable fate. My daughter, she might seem like a very straight lace kid.. but her life was not all that pleasant Yonghwa. Do keep that in mind. In this world, there will always be secrets. If she started to tell you about her past, then you are something to her. What people say ignorance is a bliss. She applied that very much in life, that’s the only thing that kept her smiling.”

“Appa..” Seohyun said slowly. She was wearing a blue flowery dress with yellow clutch barely without any accessories but a simple necklace. She wore this pale pink colour lipstick with just a hint of blush on her cheeks accentuating her chubby cheeks, her hair are tied down and she only wore a mascara as her eye make up. Just perfect for the night. “I thought you were in Australia.”

“I thought I’m going to see my child but I guess you are busy with your date today.”

“Ani. I’m going to meet his family.”

“So when are you formally introducing him to us.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Not at all. But I won’t guarantee that I won’t have any shotgun with me.”

“Appa.” She whined.

“Take care child, be yourself and you will be imperfectly perfect and young man stop gapping at my daughter.” He hissed and walked away.

“Ah.. mianhaeyo abeoji.” He bowed yet again.

“A rose for the beautiful lady.” Yonghwa slowly grabbed her wrist and opened her palm to give her a  rose.

“Rose. Are you trying to be ironic here?”

“It’s just an instinct of my when I’m picking it up.”

“Thank you then. The thorn certainly showed how unhealthy we are together. What do you think about the rose actually that makes you want to give it to me?”

“Why do you want to know?” Yonghwa opened the front door of his Audi R8 for Seohyun to get in.

“You are my test subject remember.”

“Because it’s something beautiful but when we try to touch it we will bleed. It’s like a reminder for me to not touch thing that out of reach.”

“Nothing is impossible Yonghwa.”

“Nothing is.. but I want to know whether it will be worth to bleed for that person.”

“And why do you give this to me again?”

“Because you might be the person that will make me bleed.” Yonghwa gently caressed her cheeks before closing the door at the Seohyun’s side.

“Am I supposed to feel pleasant for making people’s hurt.” Seohyun asked Yonghwa once he sat at the driver seat.

“You should.. it means that you actually meant something to that person.”

***

Seohyun and Yonghwa walked through the grand door of Jung’s mansion.. greeted by his maids and the friendly smile of his grandfather. His grandfather is clearly overjoyed to be meeting Seohyun. The old man went in to greet Seohyun first by kissing the back of her hand. Before curving a very short smile to Yonghwa.

He really loves money doesn't he, his grandfather.

“Pleasure to meet you dear. Come to our dining room, there’s so much to talk about.” Seohyun nodded politely to the old man request. Yonghwa’s grandfather offered his arm for Seohyun to cling on which Yonghwa nodded for her to do. She obeyed it. Seohyun observed Yonghwa's ancestor pictures on the wall decorating the grand hallway of Jung’s mansion. However, she found something odd about it. The absence of Yonghwa, his father, his mother and also his brother picture. It’s really scary what this world can do to people especially if it involves status, one minute they are fanning our ego with flatters and the other one they will stomp us when we are in needs of help.

Yonghwa politely followed both her grandfather and Seohyun’s behind when he saw the dining table was full with family members that he hasn’t seen in such a long time. This kind of treatement will only be gotten by a deserving daughter or granddaughter in law. But he did not expect that his father and his hyung will be joining the dinner with them.

“Good morning Seohyun sshi.” Ill Woo leaned in for a hug when Yonghwa interrupted them by pulling Seohyun’s away from him. “I don’t feel all that pleasant that I lose you to someone like him, when I clearly know that he might come with the same proposal as mine.”

“Bear in your mind that she’s my girlfriend Ill Woo sshi.”

“Sorry.. I guess your boyfriend doesn’t allow me to greet an old friend which knew you longer than he did.”

“Please don’t. I don’t measure one closeness with the time knowing each other. It is the substance of our conversation, that matters. He has been very accommodating and reliable when it comes to listening to me. He knows more about me than some of my oldest friends He’s as good as an old acquaintance.”

“So you just viewed Yonghwa as your acquaintance but not your boyfriend?”

“We kissed, I guess we are more than an acquaintance and I look forward to be with him in the future.” Seohyun answered gracefully. Yonghwa intertwined their fingers together so Seohyun took a look at her side and received a warm cheek bursting smile from him.

“Let’s sit lovely.” He pulled a chair for her to sit, just opposite of his father while he sat beside her. She did cringed at his usage of words but she knew it was necessary.

“So let’s start with the introduction?” Yonghwa’s grandfather asked for Seohyun to speak up at the dining table. Seohyun gulped.. Yonghwa has told her that she needed to gloat but she’s far from that type of person. But apparently his family love to gloat the most until they even need to gloat infront of the food. She did argue with him but relented when she heard how that is their tradition.

“Annyeonghaeseyo abbonim, Yonghwa’s sshi brother..” And the list goes on and on with her mentioning every name totally playing the perfect role.

“I’m Seo Joohyun, I write as a job.”

“Ayee that’s all?” Yonghwa’s uncle who is Ill Woo dad wanted her to really gloat about herself. She didn’t get this family, even though she was born with a golden spoon on her hand.. to not thought of the people that has it harder and to gloat is something she greatly despised. Yonghwa started to look at her worryingly when someone’s envelop Seohyun with a hug.

“Seohyunnie!” Jessica hugged her maknae. Seohyun’s giggled in excitement. “You came back unnie.”

“Of course, New York is too boring for my taste.” Jessica bowed to the other family member before sitting next to her parents.

“So.. let’s continue where we left off.”

“Seo’s clan asset?”

“Tremendous.. I bet even the Everest can contain that much money.” Yonghwa chimed in trying to help Seohyun.

“They are in the Forbes Korea 2^nd powerful family in Korea what more should you ask for.” Jessica answered annoyingly. “Aren’t power merge is what you wanted.. you got it.”

“Sica yahh.” Her mother slapped the girl back as a warning.

“I’m sorry but I don’t feel like talking about my net worth. Seo’s clan asset is just an asset, I’m a trust fund baby but I’m fully capable of taking care of myself. My profit that I made are more than enough to contain my unhealthy habits of spending money.. maybe sometimes go to charity. Writing is something artistic.. the way to view life and describe it as if you were living in it. Yonghwa sshi completely understand my view on this stuff.. and I respect him above all that he makes it this far by his own virtue and effort.” Seohyun talked in one go without even taking a breath, she delivered her line confidently and her eyes are determined to make them understand her point. Which the member’s of the Jung looked at her shockingly but then Yonghwa chuckled and tuck her dress asking her to sit.

“And that is Seo Joohyun, everybody.” His father laughed gleefully because he for once loved that these guys got kicked on their own . Maybe this girl weren’t that bad to be his son partner in life.

“I like you already Seohyun.” His grandfather nodded in amusement. And it gained another shocked from the family.. Yonghwa’s grandfather never express an undying fondness on the first meeting. Yonghwa face suddenly turned gloomy, he felt that somehow this going to end in a bad way but he shrugged it off.. on the other hand, Seohyun is observing the familiar face on the hallway.. that can see through the dining room.

“Seohyun…?” Yonghwa blocked her vision of view to check whether she’s okay or not.

“Aren’t that So Eun sshi?” She pointed at the startled girl who just came into the dining hall.

“Where?” Yonghwa looked at the hallway and yes she is there. In a very casual clothing.

“So eun!” Ill Woo stood up, looking mad at the people in attendance.

“See, that’s how my granddaughter should behave with manners and grace..” Yonghwa’s grandfather smiled bashfully while So Eun's eyes are starting to get teary.

“I have nothing with your grandson.”

“Then why does he keep searching for you?” Yonghwa’s grandfather stood up angrily. The table was in silence.

“Grandfather!” Ill Woo half shouted.

“You jerk. Get your act straight and find someone beneficial for the family like Yonghwa did, finding some ty actress is out of the norm Ill Woo!”

“Is this how you behave when my mom came?”

“Yonghwa yaa!” His dad stood up.

All Seohyun saw is how tense the atmosphere is. It was cold really cold, no warmness at all.

“Don’t act so noble Yonghwa! I don’t know how you get Seohyun to actually date you but I know fully well that there’s a big possibility that you are the one that called So Eun in.” Ill Woo shouted angrily. Yonghwa mouth quivered for a while knowing that he was tricked by his grandfather. His grandfather is the one that asked him to call in a driver at the address that So Eun lives at. Requesting the attendance of So Eun for the family dinner.

“I’m sorry for interrupting your dinner. I should get going.”

“Wait..” Everyone looked at Seohyun. “Kim So Eun sshi you are a really great actress. I’m a fan.. so how about my driver sending you home.” Seohyun offered and quickly her entourage escorted the weak unmoving So Eun away and she saw how longingly Ill Woo looked at So Eun.

“Seohyun..” Yonghwa slowly said.

“It’s the right thing to do. How can anyone even send her away after belittling a job that actually legal is something that I can’t understand.”

“Ara..” Yonghwa spoke softly.. giving her a peck on the cheeks like it was normal but it wasn’t and she was frozen. “You did good.”

They finished eating their dinner and Jessica offered her for a house tour.

She walked around the house with Jessica showing off the mansion. She knew Jessica’s family really well so they talked for a while. But still she is very worried about the two men, Yonghwa and Ill Woo who are now left in the same room. Nothing was peaceful on this house… she are not at all surprised why Yonghwa ended up like that.

Her heart break thinking about the little Yonghwa that needs to experience all of this. An outsider peeking in. Even more when he is an outcast too. Does he experienced the shame that So Eun sshi felt too?

***

“Hey..” Seohyun approached Yonghwa in the study room, bowing to Ill Woo who came out from the room.

His face were gloomy… but she could heard a ‘thanks’ came out from his mouth..

“Are you okay?”

“This is so humiliating.. My family is so humiliating.” Yonghwa closed his face trying to calm himself down.

“Heyyy..” Seohyun walked faster and looked at the fragile Yonghwa in front of her.

“I’m pathetic.. it’s true what you view of me.. This is really shameful, showing an outsider how corrupted we are.”

“They are still family.. and I’m not any outsider I came to share your burden.. You are my really good friend plus temporary boyfriend.”

“Promise you won’t leave me?”

“I won’t.” Yonghwa grabbed her waist and sobbed on her shoulder searching for the warmness at the crook of her neck. She gently caressed his hair… whispering coaxing words that everything will be alright.. they are still your family it just they lost their way when they try so hard to be the best at everything.

"I will be the last one to judge you."

Author's Note

I think this is dark? Hahahaha. XD