Chapter 32. To Kiss the Tears

Sometimes what you see is not the truth.

It needs faith to see that.

~can you hear me now (lee seung chul)

The moist on that mirrored wall allowed those traces of her fingers to leave their marks as she ran her hand through it. It was a cold morning and she had that sudden urge to phone in sick for work. But she decided it was not a good idea to lie just to stay in bed the whole day. Besides, her boss was enough reason for her to report to work despite all the obvious facts. She sadly fixed the curtain and poured the heated coffee and decided to go out. Any moment from now, he would be walking in the room with the I-need-my-coffee-now greeting her.

Seo Hyun shook her head with a gentle smile. After six months, she would surely miss that monotonous morning routine. Yes, she has been counting but too afraid to mark her calendar but their days are consumed too fast by that distance. She wondered when the wedding was going to be. By the looks of it, it would be in Korea. It would have been better if they have that in the US—less painful.

Locking the 'kiss door', as she dubbed it, she carefully carried his coffee when she almost spilled it upon seeing Shin Hye sitting on his chair.

“Hi!” The girl chirped swaying softly left-and-right like a little girl, “The door was unlocked so I came in when nobody was answering.”

“Uhm, I'm sorry,” Seo Hyun forced a smile as she placed the cup on the table in front of Shin Hye, “But the Director is not yet here...”

“Yeah, it looks like it,” she smiled again but Ju Hyun just stood there rubbing her hands together. It was raining but the heater was working well so Shin Hye wondered why the girl looked fidgety, “Anyway, you are his assistant, right?”

Seo Hyun doesn't know what to do, whether to sit or stand, to go back to her desk or not. She eventually decided to remain standing in front of her since she was talking to her, then she replied, “Yes, Ma'am...”

Shin Hye laughed, “No need to be formal to me like that!” She motioned for her to take her own place so the latter did as she continued, “Well, is he treating you well? I mean, he's your boss right?”

She could not really understand why she was questioning her that way but it was not making her feel comfortable, “Ah... yes...”

“Oh, good! I'm just asking since he can be a very, very naughty boy sometimes.”

It was dawning on her. This woman was checking on him and the thought doesn't really appeal to her. Well, she was a woman after all and his fiancée. They will be marrying each other soon and here she was technically being always with him for the duration of his working hours. Any woman would feel that way. But Seo Hyun was not liking the implication she was getting from Shin Hye. She is not that kind of woman. “Don't worry ma'am, my relationship with the Director will remain professional...”

Shin Hye doesn't really know how to react with that sudden strong statement. One thing's for sure, it was the most hilarious thing she has ever heard but she kept that amusement to herself and stood, “Well, yeah... of course! Professional.” She smiled and took her purse on the table, “Anyway, I will go now. I was going to surprise him but I ended up being surprised, really.”

Seo Hyun gave her a guilty smile. That was just plain stupid of her to say that. What was she thinking? She stood, herself, and bowed, “I'm so so---”

“Oh no!” She waved  giggling as she walked towards the door, “He said he will come so... maybe I can just look for him. Have a nice day!”

Seohyun stood there totally perplexed with what she just said, “Babo, Seo Hyun!” She stomped and scowled. But it really annoyed her. That woman was acting really like some spoiled brat on a TV drama. What does she think of herself? His bodyguard who should always tail behind him?

Just as she was about to stomp back and throw away his stupid coffee, a soft knock came and Hyo Yeon peered in so she smiled and let her in.

“I saw the princess,” they playfully named Shin Hye that when they found out her illustrious background.

“Yeah, she was looking for her prince,” she rolled her eyes and took her seat again as Hyo Yeon found the coffee and started drinking.

“But why that face? Are you jealous?” Hyo batted her lashes.

“Why should I?” She muttered while stacking the folders on the table and putting them to the side.

“Then why are you grumbling there and looking so sour?”

“Who's looking sour? Why should I be jealous? Is he my boyfriend?”

“Exactly my point!” She waved a finger and took the seat in front of Seo Hyun's table. Suddenly, she laughed and the latter gave her a piercing look, “I'm sorry, but I was reminded on how the Prince looked when you went with Minho on his welcome party.”

“How he looked?”

“Yeah, exactly how you are looking right now. Do you know that he almost drank two bottles of wine right after you left?”

Seo Hyun could not really believe what she was hearing since she could still recall the indifference he was wearing that night. She listened attentively as Hyo Yeon was trying her best to vividly describe what happened after she left. It seemed impossible that he would be angry with the thought that she has boyfriend already since he was the one getting married. To think that she also denied right there that she has any romantic relationship with Minho.

“So I was really getting more curious especially with the fact that you have known each other back then but here in the office you two don't seem to be your usual selves every time you are with each other.” Hyo continued as the younger girl was obviously paying her too much attention, “I mean, I see him with other employees. He's really friendly and all and I know you too, but whenever I look at you two together, you look so stiff like both of you are forced to stand or listen or look at each other. Tell me, is there something more than that mere acquaintance thing you posed?”

She dropped her gaze into her hand. The need to let go of her emotions was too high that she suddenly closed her eyes and declared, “Yes, he used to be my boyfriend.”

“Oh... my... god...” Hyo Yeon mumbled the words with her eyes stark wide open.

Seo Hyun exhaled louder as her shoulders fell, “It was eight years ago. He was right when he said that it was a long story and yes I almost became his sister. It was too late for us to find out that his stepfather was the father who abandoned us. And you know that story already.”

“Oh my god, Seo Hyun, this is really a surprise. If I don't know you at all, I would be laughing now since this is just too surreal. Really?” She put her hands on her shoulder and shook her gently, “Really? As in really?”

“Really, as in really...” she sadly nodded then smiled, “Let's just keep this between us.”

“Of course!” she slapped her gently, “And oh my, he's getting married and all. But Seo Hyunie, he looked like he's still not over you...”

She almost laughed on that one. It was hilarious so she shook her head, “Oh no, Unnie. By the way he has been treating me, the thought that he's still not over me is just too funny.”

Hyo sat on the couch as the younger girl sadly walked behind her and took the one facing her, “You both must had it tough. All those revelations of the truth.”

“Yeah, it was the hardest.”

“So, who broke up with whom?”

“Me, it was just too heavy and painful for me to carry. He was my first boyfriend--” she shook her head with that soft sad laugh, “The only one I ever had... but it turned out we were wrong for each other.”

“Aigoo...” she placed her hand on her lap, “This whole idea of him getting married must be tough on you especially having to deal with this other woman.”

“I feel sorry for her but she is not really the other girl.” She shook her head, “There isn't really any other girl here in this story because I no longer belong in his life. I am merely a girl from his past and I hurt him enough to even expect him to treat me well.”

“Oh, Seo Hyun, listening to you makes me sad.”

She chuckled trying to elicit a laugh from her, “Why are you sad?”

“Because it must have been tough being Seo Ju Hyun lately...” Hyo Yeon gave her a forced smile, “Because I can tell that you are still deeply in love with him.”

~~~

The rain was making traveling totally uncomfortable. Tiffany did an abrupt decision again of sending their father back to Korea since she was having a hard time juggling work, her husband, their father and now the baby growing inside her. Yong Hwa did not have any second thoughts of letting him come home since Shin Hye has been offering a good place for him in one of their medical institutions in Seoul. She toured him there before and he was satisfied with the facilities. Maybe he can take his father with him back at the States after six months.

Pushing his wheelchair, he started chatting but the old man remained quiet as if too engrossed, observing the people walking around the airport. The doctor told them it's better if they would continue talking to him despite his silence or impassiveness. “So, I need to let you stay there first since I'm busy with work and I can't really take care of you at home. It's a good place, you'll like--”

“Who are you again?”

Yong Hwa gave him a gentle smile when he looked up to him with that familiar confused expression, “I'm Yong Hwa-- Jung Yong Hwa...”

“Hmmm... I don't know anybody with that name...”

He almost laughed but he remained quiet for he was getting used to it.

“Where's my daughter? Why didn't she pick me up?”

Now, it was only Fany he was remembering. Some days it was only him he knows, other times it was his nuna.

“You are her husband, aren't you? Aigooo, I'm so sorry, I have been forgetting things lately...”

“No, I--”

“Where's Ju Hyun?”

Yong Hwa abruptly stopped walking as he stared and stood rooted among the throng of people before him. Seo Hyun was the daughter he remembered, not his sister.

“Why did we stop? Where's your wife?”

“Uhm...” Yong Hwa started walking again and just noticed the porter who was pushing the luggage cart stopped when he did, then mumbled when he remembered his surprising question, “She's, uh... she's taking care of the kids?”

“Ahhhh... is it like that? Oh well, just tell her to visit me there on the place where you're taking me.”

“Yes, abeoji...” he found himself smiling. So, that was how it would go. He just married himself to Seo Ju Hyun. That was a crazy thought but a cute one. It reminded him when his father gave him his blessing to be with Seo Hyun. It was a far away memory now, “Abeoji, do you really want to talk to Seo-- to Ju Hyun?”

“Of course! I can't even remember the last time we saw each other.”

He chuckled to himself and Yong Hwa felt that pity again. All these years, it has been only her in his mind. Maybe that made the two of them. How this girl affected them both. By looking at Seo Hyun now, he could tell that she has matured a good deal; maybe it was time to reorient her with her roots. Yong Hwa promised himself before that he will do everything just to have this old man get her daughter again. This could be the right time and maybe that was all he could do for both of them.

Yong Hwa prayed that she would have an open mind now to accept her father. He knew how both of them have suffered because of the past and their presence in each other's lives would make them both complete. “Okay then, I will tell her to meet you right away.”

“Good...” he chuckled, “But I'm still sorry that I hardly recognized you. Well, my daughter... she's...”

He noticed how he was struggling again. That disease was really consuming him and it just broke his heart. It was probably a good idea for him to make Seo Hyun realize that she still needed his father and most especially him, he knew that his abeoji needed no one but his real daughter. He and Fany would always take care of him but it would still be more important for him to be with his Ju Hyun.

He took his phone and dialed Shin Hye's number, “Yoboseyo? Ye, we're on our way. Thank you so much... you were there? What? Okay... was my assistant there? Okay...” Ending the call, he shook his head. Shin Hye went to the office without him and talked to Seo Hyun who may have put that thought of him marrying his friend. These past days she has been looking pretty detached from him compared to that Friday. Heaving a sigh, he decided to call her instead.

“Yoboseyo?”

He found himself swallowing before clearing his throat. It was a mystery why her voice on the phone was somewhat giving him that different feel. “Ahh... Ju Hyun-ssi...”

“Uhm... Director Jung?”

“Ah... I will be there a little later.” He stopped as if waiting for her to say something but the other line remained quiet. “Maybe I can come this afternoon. Is there a very important appointmen