Stranger 11 : The Hidden Past 1

BGM : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6AzbOupbxk

Previously :

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 of the two men, Yonghwa and Ill Woo in the same  room. Nothing  was  peaceful on this house… she are not at all surprised why Yonghwa ended  up  like that.

She observed every room of the mansion and most of it were someone fighting or gloating.

Her heart breaks thinking about  the  little Yonghwa that need to experience  all of this. An outsider peeking in. Even more that he is an outcast. 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."

***

How is the separation?
Was it just enough for you to endure, since you were prepared for it?
Was it less painful?

Nell – The Day Before

Seohyun is sitting at the porch of the coffee house owned by her friend and a Jung’s family member. Today she just got an earful from most of her acquaintance regarding her sudden relationship with Jung Yonghwa. How curious they got once they know that she managed to get into a proper relationship with a seemingly ambiguous man that was practically secretive about his life and especially his background just letting people assumed anything regarding him and he doesn’t do anything to correct them. She remembered she once asked him regarding that particular matter and the only answer she received is.

“I can be whoever they wanted me to be, these peeps will just molded me into one anyways so why bother?”

He was really pessimistic at times but he work hard to get rid of the negative thinking he have.

“I don’t get it really.” A hoarse voice interrupted her train of thoughts, she lifted her head slightly, removing her attention from the book and the tea that she’s busy drinking to the source of the voice. He saw a man, flashing his million dollar smile wearing nothing that in any how look like a shabby clothing.

“Well hello there Ill Woo sshi.” Seohyun smiled back politely, standing to bow at him.

“I already consider us as friend. So you might as well get rid of the sshi. So.. you turn me down for Yonghwa that jerk?”

“Jerk is a strong word.”

“I’m sorry but me and him. We don’t really connect.”

“Rivalry is normal in our world.”

“You two do make a beautiful couple although I don’t know even when do you meet with him.”

“Why are people so curious regarding me and him?”

“Simple. People want to say what you have is a business deal but you don’t seem that you are fond of the idea and your family wasn’t off a normal kind like us. And him, he couldn’t event talk for a good 30 minutes with a chaebol girl.”

“Hmm.” Seohyun pondered across the window. Looking at the people walking.

“Just if you could please don’t fall for him even further. I’m talking this as a friend and although I might not seem like it and everytime I see Yonghwa I want to rip him apart, i don’t see someone with your upbringing can fit in our family.”

“I’m sad really..”

“Why?”

“For both of you.” Ill Woo frowned at her. “You should just stop caring for anything like that. Live in the present.. forget the past. There’s a possibility that people could change. Why don’t we enjoy the short moment we have with each other instead of searching for our own and theirs weak point. You should start with So Eun sshi.” Seohyun signaled the presence of the slightly older girl with her eyes.

“Why do you keep pushing someone who keep on coming back to you is something I couldn’t comprehend. I admire her as a lady for having such a great faith to love someone so deeply because I don’t think I can do that.. I’m such a mathematical person.” She chuckled a bit before flashing a bit of awkward smile to So Eun who is standing just a step away from Ill Woo. So Eun replied with a bit of solemn smile.

“Work it out.” She said.. “If you were to prolong this, none of you could move on.” She grabbed her book and took a last sipped of her tea.

“Thanks.” Ill Woo said slowly.

“It’s not my doing actually.”

“It’s Yonghwa.” So Eun finally let out her small voice be heard. She pointed to the black car parked at the side road across the corner.

“He’s waiting for you Seohyun sshi. Truth to be told.. I heard the plan about you and Ill Woo.”

“Huh?”

“I supposed I should say this to you… and you too Wookie you should know this. It was plan for you both to end up together.”

“I’m sorry.” Seohyun slightly gasped. “It’s weird in some ways, the Jung’s has some sort of extra affections regarding the Seo’s clan.”

“Even that blind date is a set up but you end up with Yonghwa instead. You were one of the candidates for a future potential but you got scrapped out since your family is not one for having a set up marriage. Ill Woo was not put into any engagement since little not like any other Jung kids supposed to do is due to expanding their horizon and maybe try to get you two closer. So I was afraid that he might even fall for you.” Seohyun smirked a little.

“Seohyun.. are you okay?”

“Are you?” Seohyun asked Ill Woo.

“I’m used to this.”

“Me too. Being used is what I specialized for.” Seohyun walked passed them, bowing before leaving. The girls exchanged a quick hug with So Eun thanking Seohyun for the ride regarding the night before. Seohyun took a quick glance at her back and saw how solemn the mood between So Eun and Ill Woo when the guy slightly smile and caressed So Eun’s hand on the table. His eyes were nearly tearing up. She smiled and waved to Jinwoon who is signaling a gesture that both of them won’t get caught by his grand dad.

The ride home was quiet. Seohyun only said that Yonghwa should just went to his office, Seohyun needed to stop by Yoona’s house who is only around 30 steps away from Yonghwa’s office.

“Seohyun,you sure you don’t want me to send you off.”

“I’m sure.”

“At least let my bodyguards you.”

“Will that make you happy?” He nodded.

“It’s fine with me then.”

“Thank you.”

“But I’m going to send you to your office. I need to talk with you.”

They walk side by side, and his employees politely bowed down to their boss. Their hand slightly brushed with each other with every step that they took. It sends some sort of electric shock on their body. Yonghwa took her hand slowly and intertwined their fingers like they did it every day. Her hand is getting slightly sweaty so she wriggled it a bit. He still is very amazed with how soft and small her hand were. He had experience this before when he touch his cousin’s daughter hand. Soft and delicate.

The lift door was opened, and both of them walked in earing envious stares from the passerby. When the bodyguards was about to come in, Yonghwa closed the lift. Understanding  their boss wish they politely took a step back allowing the door to close,

“What do you want to talk about?” Seohyun pulled her hand away from Yonghwa’s.

“You left this.” Seohyun give his phone back. “It’s at my mansion where the previous party were held.”

“Oh thank you. Is that all?”

“The guitar pick was sort of separated from the phone.” Seohyun gave a white guitar pick to him. It was an old phone.. It was weird that he’s been using that kind of phone at the first place.

“It was my mother’s phone and it was my first phone.”

“That’s cute.” Seohyun smiled sheepishly.

“I’m not cute. I’m handsome and cool.” Yonghwa said bragging.

“Then you should start toning this up.” Seohyun his stomach that was absence of the famous six packs syndrome.

“I already toned this up.” Yonghwa pointed at his brain. “This one could wait.” Yonghwa pointed at his stomach. He took her hand and let her touch his stomach properly.

“Brrr…” Yonghwa made a sound and his stomach vibrate. Seohyun hand was feeling ticklish so she slightly laughed and whined at his choding behavior when the lift door opened revealing a group of people outside but still both of them was busy laughing not noticing the crowd outside. Yonghwa’s mom bestfriend, Yoo Hee saw the scene. was slightly opened seeing how her hand was on Yonghwa’s stomach. That was sort of awkward so she squeeze in between the whispering worker that is gossiping and said to them not to push the up button anymore. The door was once again closed.

“You feel like a pregnant person.” Seohyun criticize his body pinching his fat.

“Good for my wife, then she won’t have to bear the excruciating pain of pregnancy.”

“Hah..it’s a girl job .So are you a girl?”

“I’m a far cry from a girl. I’m a man.”

“Prove it.” Yonghwa grabbed her waist strongly until the gap was shortened. Their side body is touching each other before lifting her up bridal style.

“Yaaaa!”  Seohyun kicked her feet at the air.

“Why honey, afraid of height?” Yonghwa grinned like a mad idiot, going out once the lift door opened, his eyes were staring curiously at the two figures hugging. Nobody was supposed to be there at this time of hours at his office. During lunch breaks, his employees usually stay away from his office because he already made it clear that it was his personal time especially when his relationship was publicly known.

“You shouldn’t have stopped by…. You shouldn’t have seen this,” Jonghyun hugged Shin Hye. Closing her eyes on the process but it’s too late, she saw that scene.

“Jonghyun?”

“Sajangnim, sorry but my friend wasn’t feeling well we need to go.” Still in a hugging position Jonghyun press the lift button and immediately went in.

“Who’s that?” Seohyun asked him.

“My friend.” He put her down at his office couch.

“I feel like that girl, he is hugging very familiar.” Yonghwa said when he noticed Seohyun’s sweat was getting worser. She did sweat a lot in the car before, and her face was slightly pale, but it’s gotten worser in such a short time.

“You look too unhealthy are you sick?”

“Ani..” Yonghwa touched her forehead.

“You are burning.. no wonder I felt warm after lifting you up. Let’s go to the hospital.” Seohyun shook her head and stood up ignoring Yonghwa who is squatting down to check on her. Yonghwa stood up in a matter of few seconds. She leans on to adjust his tie. Caressing his cheeks on the process.

“I’m going.” She patted his shoulder before going out of the room. Once the door closed, Yonghwa felt a surge of worried hit him. He ran out to see Seohyun laying down on the floor. Half awake. He suddenly felt a certain numbness. Her position was so similar with his mother. Laying down helplessly.

***

“I don’t expect that. I didn’t trust that.. but I guess people changed.” Shin Hye spoke, still in a dazed state.

“I mean, I thought he wanted a sense of normalcy..i’m ready to give it to him but.. what is that… Who’s that girl?”

“Seo Joohyun.”

“She doesn’t seem normal. She looked so refined. I hope I’m wrong. I can at least accept if she were normal.”

“She aren’t. And I was the one that push him to date her. I’m sorry.”

“I can’t believe this.” She uttered. “I can’t accept it.”

Flashback

“Your ambition is something I could never imagine..”

“You should start to. I mean it’s a part of me.

“Even if it meant to use every single necessary means.”

“Yes.”

“Even if you need to get marry to someone you do not love.”

“I won’t but if a few dates count why not? I don’t want to get marry to someone with a lot of money, The sense of normalcy will go away.”

“Really?” Yonghwa nodded to her question.

“Other than my dream to get back the rights I deserve and the family name that my family should’ve got. That’s my other dream, marrying someone who is just normal, the way she is.”