Reserved Love: Episode 3

Mu Young feels his heart already broken into thousand pieces. While Na Young holds him tighter. It’s the time when he feels he’d rather ends up everything. His tears start to fall.

“What have you done with him?” Mu Young asks.
“Everything.”
“Everything? Geez...” Mu Young tries to hold his anger. “Then what do you plan to do? Will you live with him or will you divorce me?”.
“I.. don’t know.”
“I will say just divorce me. No need to feel sorry. If I have to return everything, I will return it,” Mu Young tells her.
“Mu Young-ah, I’m sorry. It’ll never happen again,” Na Young apologizes.
He takes off her hand and faces her. She starts to kiss him. He passionately kiss her back through tears. He thinks it maybe the last kiss they share and he want to at least give her goodbye kiss.

“Don’t look for me from now on. I’ll leave this house,” Mu Young tells her.
“Mu Young-ah...” her voice is hoarse.

Mu Young packs some clothes to his backpack and leave. He just leaves on his own, without flashy cars on their garage. He walks across the road. It’s been a long time since he walks casually on the road because he always rides cars. Mu Young recalls his memory walk his wife on this road and feels nostalgic. But he can’t just dwell on the past. Life must go on.

He hops to a bus that night. He will take inter-city bus to his hometown. He looks outside the window, but feels empty. Just seeing the traffic that night, he’s disturbed by the buzz and people’s noise in the background. His wife keeps calling his phone, but he just ignores it and even turns off his phone.

An hour later, he arrives at his destination. Mu Young already plans to spend few days at his old house in his hometown, Suwon. Only him in his house now. No one else here. The last time he visited this house was few years ago, when it’s 10 year memorial for his grandmother. Mu Young buys some snacks, foods and soju at nearby convenience store. He pours soju for himself. It’s only him now, Mu Young only, with his thought on himself and his family.

**

Morning comes and Young Won is also coming to the office. She walks past the lobby and recognizes Finance Director Mu Won with Madame, Mu Young’s wife. It’s deja vu for her. She seems recognize them together, but when? It certainly makes her uneasy as she tries to remember it more.

Young Won comes to her desk, it’s quiet morning at their room. Only two of their employees come. But soon the quiet morning becomes busy morning as Madame comes. Young Won gives her greeting but she only gives her cold shoulder. Na Young lets them to continue their work as they please, she will be here until Mu Young comes.

Up until 10 o’clock Mu Young doesn’t come. Na Young impatiently taps her phone and continously calls Mu Young, without a single answer. Finally she runs out of patience. She calls Secretary Jo and Ass.Dir Choi to call Mu Young.

Once, twice, ten times, still no answer...
“Madame, maybe he’s busy or he forgets to bring his phone,” Sec.Jo comes up with reasoning.
“Busy what?? He just continously avoid me!! Call him now at all cost!!!” Na Young barks at him.
“Y.. yeah.. Madame.. Maybe someone can help me... Hmmm.. Lee Young Won-ssi, can you call Mr.Cha?”

Lee Young Won who’s busy with her own work surprised her name is called. Why her? It’s absurd as she is only subordinate and doesn’t have any interest to her director. Secretary Jo keeps suggesting her to call him in front of Madame. Young Won has no choice but reluctantly calls Mu Young.

One beep...two beeps..three beeps.. He answers it.

“Hello? Good morning, Director. It’s Lee Young Won.”
“Yes, go on..What’s up?”
“Madame is here in the office. Can you please answer your phone or reply her text message?”
“Na Young is there? Where is she? Give the phone to her!”

Young Won gives her phone to Na Young. The rest of the phone conversation is not pretty though. It involves screaming and cussing a lot. Na Young asks Mu Young to come back as soon as possible. Young Won wonders why? Is Director cheating? Or Madame? Ah, now she remembers, yes she know it, she saw Na Young and Mu Won on a date yesterday. That must be the reason.

Na Young gives back the phone to Young Won, apologizes for trouble and merely says Mu Young will come to the office tomorrow.

Young Won checks the call duration and surprised at how long the call is.. 15 minutes!! Her phone credit disappears too in just 15 minutes! She wants to say something to Na Young but she’s already gone. She can’t believe this Madame. She looks filthy rich but just use another person’s phone without consideration. Young Won tells to herself, at least Director must know something about it. She texts Mu Young.

“Director-nim, I’m sorry I don’t want to be involved in your problem. But next time please just answer your wife’s phone and text message. Next time, please take care of your own business.”

Mu Young receives Young Won’s text and a smile appears on his face. It’s cute though that at least she still think of him. He wants to reply her, but not sure how. He writes text message, but then edit it again and again. He ponders a lot how he can reply her.

A call comes to his phone. It’s from his father in-law. Impossible for him to avoid it, he answers the phone reluctantly.

“Son in-law Cha, how are you doing these days? I heard you’re in your hometown now. You must have a lot of free time. When do you have time to visit me?”
“Ah yes, Father in-law. I’m... uhm.. refreshing my mind now. Things not work out as their plan. I will visit you soon, Father.”
“Bring Na Young too. Don’t forget to brings her, it seems I only see her twice a year since you’re married,” his father in-law’s voice ringing on his ears.

Mu Young knows it means trouble. His father in-law must know about them already, Na Young must have told him. He sighs deeply, thinks about his suddenly complicated life. 

**

Mu Young comes to the office with sour mood. Young Won can smell something bad happened these past few days but of course she can’t bring herself to ask him. Even then, Mu Young texts her today, saying he’s sorry for the inconvenience he made yesterday.

Even in the meeting, Mu Young is noticeably rather off. He stares blankly a lot and can’t bring himself to focus on the work. At their lunch break, the employees gossiping Mu Young that looks like lost, directionless puppy. Everyone has their own theory about Mu Young’s cheating wife and his sour looks. Young Won can’t agree more, but of course she doesn’t know the whole picture.

After work, Mu Young leaves his room and comes to Young Won’s desk. He offers to go out for a drink. Young Won is bewildered by that offer, but then she remembers her phone credit. It maybe her chance to ask him redeeming the credit. She agrees and then the two of them leave the office and ride an elevator.

“Where will we go?” Young Won asks.
“Coffee shop. How about that? Actually I’ve been meaning to ask you about your job.” Mu Young answers.
“My job? Is there any mistake, Director?”
“Later I will tell you.”

They arrive at a coffee shop near office building. It’s crowded with office workers and casual customers. But Mu Young greets the manager and they are lead to quieter room at the second floor. Mu Young seems happy that evening. They chit chat from works to personal matters, spend hours at each other company. Young Won wants to ask about the phone credit yesterday but is hesitant.

“Director-nim, about the incident yesterday. Your wife...”
“Ah right, I’m sorry about that. My wife is a bit, you know, difficult. Since I fled from house 2 days ago,” Mu Young explains.
“Oh no, it’s not like that Director.”
“By the way where are you come from?”
“Suwon.”
“Suwon? Suwon where? I’m also from Suwon.”
“Really? My hometown in Yeongdong-gu Suwon,” suddenly Young Won interested to talk.
“Ah.. I’m from Jangan-gu. Surprised right that we are actually from the same city,” Mu Young smiles.
“You didn’t read my resume then? Suwon is written as my birthplace.”
“How would I remember when I had to review hundreds of them?”
“Ah right.. Anyway you like coffee so much, eh? It’s your second cup,” Young Won looks at his cup.

“Well I do like coffee. But I only drink it at the office and rarely at home.”
“You don’t drink coffee with your wife?”
“I don’t. Haha. I always come home at around 9 or 10pm. My wife watches drama by then. I don’t watch drama, so I just go upstairs to my room. I watch TV, sometimes sports, sometimes news. Then we will sleep at around 11 or 12. In the morning I have quick breakfast then go to work. No break time to drink coffee.”
“How long are you married?”
“4 years.”
“You don’t have children?”
“No , not yet. Actually it’s not that we delay having children, but I feel unprepared to be a father. I don’t have confidence yet and my wife dislikes being fat, so we postpone that.”
“You seem so considerate to your wife. Is she your first love?”
“First love, yes, she’s my first love. Not many people marry their first love right? I guess I’m lucky... But why do you behave like entertainment reporter? I’m not Kim Soo Hyun, my private life shouldn’t be public!” He teases her.
“But your life is fascinating, Director. My questions are just out of curiousity,” Young Won defends herself.
“Rather than talking about my life, how about you report to me the progress of Jeju project?”
“I’m currently researching the feasibility of this project, while also looking at other options. So far, I think it’s possible because they have unknown reserves. I’m 70% sure it’s possible.”
“Sure if you think it’s possible we should do it. Wanna go with me to Jeju?”
“Yes?”
“Do you want to go to Jeju with me? We can do this project, while also doing other things,” Mu Young gives her smile.

Young Won doesn’t know how to answer. Is saying no even an option? Mu Young smiles, waits for her answer.

***

to be continued...

Writer: kanz
Pictures: as tagged, to owner