Reserved Love: Episode 7

Young Won pushes Mu Young after the kiss. She mutters “I’m sorry” and leaves the car. Mu Young calls out her name, but she doesn’t come back. So here is Mu Young, sits in his car and stares through the window. He regrets everything he has done with her. Tears well up to his eyes and he wipes them. He feels so heartbroken, feeling lost and empty. A painful realization hits him and his heart aches.

“Ah.. she also leaves me... She leaves me,” Mu Young says to himself.

He slowly drives his car to his new apartment. Through the busy traffic in Seoul, but he doesn’t feel the bustling and busy city. A lonely and sad Mu Young.

Meanwhile, Young Won arrives at her house and closes the door. Suddenly she feels very sad and can’t stop the tears brimming on her eyes. She’s used to broken heart and several break-ups, but it feels it’s the worst from any of them. She’s also broken-hearted and she only blames for her own stupidity.

She tries really hard to brushes off the heavy feeling and gets up. She reminds herself that she shouldn’t like this, shouldn’t wavered by useless thoughts. Then she heads to the bathroom, washes her face and brushes her teeth and takes shower. She now changes clothes and heads back to her bed, trying to sleep. Looks at the clock, it’s only 10.00pm, hardly a time for her to sleep. She touches her lower lip and is reminded to her last kiss with Mu Young. Her heart is still palpitating from the last kiss, but she tries not to think about it and tries to sleep.

While Mu Young enjoys simple late-night snack, a cup of ramyun noodles. He rarely cooks as he lives alone now. But then again why bother to cook when he only live alone? He seems determined to do what he plans tomorrow.

**

Mu Young gets ready to the office. But he changes his mind at the last minute and prefers to wear something less formal. Then he goes to his old house, Na Young’s house.

He meets Na Young enjoys his breakfast and freeses when looks at him. But then she tries to keep calm and composed.

“It’s been a while, Na Young-ah. How are you?” Mu Young greets her.
“Ah, Mu Young-ah. I just eat my breakfast. Wanna some?”
“No. I’m not hungry. I heard you still haven’t signed our divorce papers. Why?”
“Huh?”

Mu Young comes close to her. It makes her uncomfortable, she leaves the dining table and takes some documents on a bookshelf. She gives them to Mu Young.

“Divorce paper, right? I tell you, I don’t want to divorce with you.”
“Why? Why do you prolong my agony?”
“Stay with me, Mu Young-ah.. We can start again.”
“I can’t live with you again.”
“Why? Is that because that woman? Why you keep thinking about her? I’m still your wife.”
“You have no right to talk about her. As soon as you sign this we’re divorced couple and you don’t have right to control me again!” Mu Young replies her.
“You’re sick, Mu Young-ah. Don’t tell me you will leave the company soon too.”
“Oh yeah, that’s what I’m gonna do. I’ll see your father soon and set things according to my choice.”
“You’re really ungrateful human bastard!! Let’s see what I will do to you then... and what I will do to your hyung,” Na Young warns him.

Mu Young stares at her and can’t stand her any longer. It’s sickening to him and what’s more sickening that he actually still feels residual love for her. It’s not easy to erase her and just treats badly like this.

“Na Young-ah, don’t let me feel bad about you any longer,” he says and excuses to leave.

Next stop, he will come to his father in-law’s office. It’s on same building with his, just different floor. A secretary greets him and asks the matter, but he brushes her off and asks for permission to enter the room. As soon as he enters the room, Chairman Seo lights up and shakes his hand.

“Cha son in-law, what are you doing here? Why do you come with shabby look like this? You don’t come to the office?” Chairman Seo keeps asking him.
“Father, please don’t treat me as your son in-law anymore. I would like to resign from the company. Please accept my resignation," Mu Young puts a resignation letter on the table.
"Why Mu Young-ah? Please don’t do this to me."
"Father."
"No. I won’t accept this. I won't allow you to leave the company. From the moment you were in, I know you deserve something big."
"I've earned director position. It's more than enough for me," Mu Young explains.
"You really won't bite your own master, right? People change, but not you. That's why I sent you to go to America to study business. Let's wait for another year. You'll be executive director, then CEO. Then I will inherit the company to you."
"Father, I'll forever grateful for what you've put me through. But really, I can't stand being in this company. I will still meet Na Young and it hurts me."

Chairman Seo lets out deep sigh. He shouldn’t go against his son in-law wishes. He asks Mu Young to sit down and let him think about it. Mu Young also feels uneasy because he's forever indebted to him. It won't be nice if he betrays him and runs away again.

Young Won comes to the office with fresh look and everyone looks a bit suprised at her. Even Secretary Jo raises from his seat and glances at her. Young Won sees Mu Young’s chair is still empty and asks Sec.Jo if he hasn’t come.

“Like you don’t know him. He usually comes at 10 or 11,” Secretary Jo gives reason.
“Ah.. Then is Assistant Director Choi here? I need to see him then,”
“Of course. Just come to his room then,” he points at a room.

Young Won excuses herself and go to meet the assistant director. While Mu Young is still in the chairman’s office. There’s air of awkwardness between them, before Chairman Seo finally says something.

“Let’s do it this way, you divorce Na Young and you won’t have any familial ties with us anymore. But instead you have to keep working on the company, not as my son in-law, but as regular employee. You have your salary intact, but without all facilities Seo Family is given.”
“Father.. isn’t that too much for me?”
“I also think about you, Mu Young. Now think about me too. I will give you all benefits without being Seo Family.”
“Father, no.. Chairman Seo, thank you very much for everything! I have nothing to give you but my gratefulness. Thank you,” Mu Young bows to the chairman.
“Hey, kid, you can keep calling me father. I have considered you as my own son,” tells Chairman Seo.

**

Mu Young can finally breath a sigh of relief and now he heads to his own office. But before that, he needs to change clothes, it’s not nice wearing the informal clothes to his office. He whistles on his way to his room and everyone raises from their seats to bow and greet him. He smiles at everyone and takes a glance at Young Won’s seat. It’s empty. His face falls and he racks his brain trying to find any reason why she hasn’t come yet. He asks Secretary Jo who quickly raises from his seat.

“Ah, Secretary Jo. Where is Miss Young Won? She hasn’t come yet?”
“She was here few minutes ago Director, but she left now.”
“Where?” Mu Young is confused.
“Uh.. I think she has field assignment on another city.”
“Another city? Who gave her assignment?”
“Isn’t that you, Director? Because she wanted to meet you but because you weren’t here, she met Assistant Director instead.”

Mu Young can’t hide his disappointment. He asks his secretary for the field assignment notice. He needs to check it. Sec.Jo gives it to him immediately and Mu Young takes it to his room. He checks it thoroughly and yeah, it’s clear that Young Won is on field assignment to Suwon.

 He thinks about it, why she suddenly asks for field assignment? He checks his phone and wonders if he should text her. After some deliberation, he sends a text to her.

“Young Won-ssi, heard you are on field duty. Cheer up!! Hwaiting!”

He really sucks at having to congratulate or cheer up someone and he thinks his text is not good. However, Young Won reads it and smiles at his text. He waits for her answer, but there’s none. But he doesn’t give up and sends her text messages, everyday.

“Young Won-ssi, have you eaten lunch? Don’t forget to eat lunch today! I have delicious one. Hope you have the same! Hwaiting!

And another one:
“How’s your field duty? It’s not hard, right? I’ll whack the supervisor if he gives you hard time. Hwaiting!” 

And another one:
“Hwaiting!
PS: I wait for you to come back to the office”

But there’s no single reply from Young Won. It makes him little sad. He wonders what he should do now. What can he do now? He wishes only one reply from her. He waits and waits for a text message from her. It doesn’t come. Even in his home, he always waits for her text. But then... his handphone beeps, a new message comes. He almost gets heart attack from the surprise. It’s from Na Young, though.

“I have signed the divorce paper. I shouldn’t sign it huh? Everyday I’m on the fence and I ask myself again, what kind of man is he? A kind and loyal man. Now, what I’ve gotten is exactly the reason why I shouldn’t hurt him. I shouldn’t wish him well, but now I want to wish him well. Goodbye, Mu Young-ah. Best wishes to you.”

He’s touched with her message and can’t think straight for a moment. He needs a moment to think on before replying.

"Thanks, Seo Na Young. The one who gave me strength and position, that Seo Na Young. Keep smiling and best wishes to you too!”

Mu Young smiles, there’s tinge of nostalgia whenever he remembers Seo Na Young. It won’t be easy for him to forget her completely. But now he starts to think about his widower life.

“Ah, young man like me turns to widower today. How ironic,” he says.

He thinks maybe they will need to submit the paper to the court and wait for court decision. Maybe it will end on 2 or 3 days, he wonders. He puts on smile again and drinks a can of beer. He thinks quickly that now he should buy Muse concert tickets.

**

Mu Young gets 2 VIP tickets ahead of Muse concert. He takes the picture happily and sent it to Young Won with reminder to go to the concert today.

Young Won replies him at last.

“I’m sorry I can’t go to Muse Concert. I still have another duty here.”

Mu Young can’t hide his disappointement again. He quickly calls Young Won and asks the matter.

“Hello, Young Won-ssi, why you can’t come?”
“I still have another duty here, Director.”
“Just ask for permission and go right away to Seoul. I’m waiting for you, let’s see the concert.”
“Sorry, I can’t, Director.”

With her last words, Mu Young hangs up the phone. He lost any interest to see the concert, but it would be a waste to just discard the tickets. He feels like a lost little boy again, getting toyed by the one he loves.

Meanwhile Young Won also in such dilemma. She just threw away the opportunity to see her favorite band right in front of her. She secretly wish Mu Young never know her so they wouldn’t get entangled like this. She whispers sorry to him inside her heart. She really dislikes having to hurt him.

Young Won longingly looks at the tickets picture on her phone. It’s such a pity she can’t come. Or actually she doesn’t want to come. She wonders if it’s possible to sneak out here and go to Seoul now. She still have few hours before the concert starts. But she discards her own thought. She feels like a hypocrite, wanting to go back to her own words.

In Seoul, Mu Young drives his car to the concert venue. He constantly prays she will come at last. He looks around the concert venue but he sees no one he knows. It disappoints him a bit, but the concert is just right around the corner and he doesn’t have time to show disappointment. He goes to VIP area and mixes in with other audience. He calls Young Won just before the concert starts.

“Hello?” Young Won answers.

But no reply from Mu Young, instead Young Won can only hear very loud noises and music in the background. The music appears stronger now and she can listen Matt Bellamy sings the opening song, Supremacy. Young Won understands that he only wants her to hear the concert music. Though she mutters to herself that he must be crazy allowing her to listen to the concert, she thinks about his phone credit. She listens long enough, maybe 1 hour or so. She’s waiting for her favorite song, Starlight, to play but she’s just so sleepy. She’s never had good sleep before when she was in charge of field duty, but once she heard Muse live concert via his phone, she can sleep so deeply. It's amazing moment in her life.

The next day, she texts him and write “thank you!” But he doesn’t reply her. She thinks it must be his revenge to her. But turns out he didn’t reply because he can’t. He was driving all the way to her place. She’s surprised to see Mu Young in this place, although he seems tired. Maybe combo of not enough sleep and long driving. But she’s happy to see his face again.

Mu Young greets her and gives her his phone.

“This is the record of Muse concert, maybe you wanna hear or bluetooth to your phone.”
“You come all the way just to give me Muse recording? You must be joking.”
“I’m not. I want to inspect something here. Don’t always think like that Young Won-ssi!” he teases her.
“Ah... That’s just my assumption, Director. Sorry! And thanks for the recording, I’ll send the file via USB cable,” she lights up.
“Good then, let me work first,” he waves and walks away from her.

She smiles happily at him. Her eyes are now bright and cheerful. She plays his phone and brings it to her laptop, she needs to send the recording. She sees the file of audio recording, that’s really big with 1 and an hour duration. She shakes her head and acknowledges he’s crazy. She copies the file and plugs in her headphone to the laptop. She searches for her favorite song and plays the part.

I just wanted to hold
You in my arms

She can listen to the song over and over again, she never sick of this song. She listens and sings the song simultaneously, even though there’s noises in the background.

“Young Won-ssi,” Mu Young calls her.

She is startled and turns around, she sees him standing near the door with wide smile.

“Director? Didn’t you said you want to inspect something?” Young Won asks.
“Yes, I want to inspect.. you,” he says with sheepish smile.

She brushes off his attempt as cheesy and he doesn’t deny. Once he enters the room, he locks the door. She’s confused with his action. But he doesn’t confused at all and comes a step closer to her. He’s awkwardly open a conservation but he just mumbles, making her to laugh.

“Young Won-ssi, did you miss me? Why did you never reply my text?”
“I didn’t have enough credit.”
“Lie. I just send you credit.”
“Aish.. You don’t need to do this, Director.”
“So what? You don’t miss me? That’s the important question!” Mu Young sternly looks at her.
“I miss you,” she says shyly.
“Then I miss you more,” Mu Young tells her and hugs her.

Young Won is startled at the sudden hug, but soon enough she’s comfortable in his embrace. She can smell his fragrance from this close distance and it makes her to miss him even more. Mu Young pulls out the hug and touches her face dearly. He explores her face and her forehead, planting soft kiss there. Young Won feels sudden flow of emotions right away and tears fall from her eyes. He plants soft kiss again on her lips and soon they need more than just soft kisses. They go for deeper kiss for the third kisses. Mu Young isn’t patient and wants to tear her clothes there, but she stops him and leads him to her own room.

Once they arrives at her room, Mu Young passionately kisses her again till she almost out of breath. Mu Young holds her waist and leads her to the bed and he slowly pins her down on the bed. He trails her neck with his hand and unbutton her shirt one by one. He can feel the rush on his head as he takes off her clothes.

“Director, you have divorced your wife right?” Young Won suddenly asks.
"Huh? News also travels fast here?” Mu Young is distracted a bit.
“No. I just guess it.”
“You guess it right. Now don’t make me wait for you any longer,” Mu Young says.

Then they spend that day together, on each other’s embrace

***

To be continued...

Writer: kanz
Pictures credit: as tagged, to owner