Reserved Love: Episode 8

Mu Young wakes up 2 hours after their encounter. Young Won still sleeps on his left arm and and he has no intention to wake her up. Their legs still intertwine with each other, it makes him giggling a bit. He then studies her face and touches her hair, swirling and playing it around before he gives her soft forehead kiss. He moves and gets up from the bed ever so quietly, but it makes her open her eyes.

“Mu Young-ah,” her voice softly calls him.
Mu Young is startled and turns around, she never calls him that way.
“Did.. did you just call me ‘Mu Young-ah’?” he asks for confirmation.
“Uh,” she nods.
“Do we drop to informal now?” he teases her.
“Shouldn’t we?”
“But we should call each other with our titles when we’re around other people, right?” Mu Young rhetorically asks.
"As you wish.”
“Then, I’ll call you Young Won-ah..” he grins.
She gets up from the bed, still feeling tired. He asks her to take a nap some more. She refuses it and says she will continue to work.

“Anyway, where’s the other staff? Why I don’t hear their voices?” Young Won asks curiously.
“I send them off.”
“Where?”
“To downtown. I paid them lunch and maybe they’ll be back 1 hour later or so.”
“Geez, you planned it down to the minute right?”
“I just wanted to make us comfortable. And private,” he says his reason.

She shakes her head and starts to get dressed again. But then she changes her mind and walks to her closet, she takes her towel and ready to take bath.

“Can you please leave my room, Mr. Cha Mu Young? I’m sure you don’t want to get caught doing an affair by your staff here.”
“Since we’re on it, why we don’t take shower together?”
“Hey, are you crazy?!”
“Come on, I also need to shower. Let’s do it real quick and I’ll leave the room!” He pleas.
“Ckckck... You sure have many moments when your mind in the gutter... Ah.. I don’t want to take bath anymore.. Let’s eat lunch then! I’m hungry!” She tells him.

He just realize at the moment that he’s very hungry too. He doesn’t waste his time, jumps off the bed and holds her hand to go out. He momentarily slips his hand to her waist, but then she takes off his hand and glares at him. She turns around and teasingly poke his chest.

“Shouldn’t you be more obvious, Director? You always go touchy touchy with me,” she warns him.
“And then, so what??” he giggles.

Once they enters the cafetaria, they’re spoiled with choices. Young Won seems pretty much mulling over what’s she will eat. She goes from one side to the other side, can’t decide her choice. While Mu Young settles with kimchi fried rice, pickles and chicken drumstick. Once Young Won decides what to eat, she goes to his table and eats with him together. They pretty much chitchatting about everything. Though Mu Young is always distracted by her beauty. He can’t concentrate well enough these days. It’s easy to think about work or other things when he’s alone, but when he’s with her he feels the world only revolves around her. He smiles at having such thought.

She snaps him back to reality and asks him to finish the meal. They need to return to the office. He ensures her he will come to the office too and work.

**

The small office in Suwon is busy again, the staff have just returned from their lunch on downtown. Mu Young makes sure he doesn’t get too close to Young Won and jumps at the work as soon as possible. A staff though is getting too curious about them.

“Mr.Director, I haven’t seen you two for a while and now I see you two together here.. Eiiy, you can’t be...” a staff asks curiously.
“What? What can't be?” Mu Young says defensively.
“You two can’t be together for the whole time right?”
“Ah.. ah.. this wouldn’t make sense but actually I was here the whole time and just going out for lunch,” Mu Young lies.
“But then you eat lunch with Miss Lee Young Won.. Eiy, you shouldn’t be obvious, Dispatch would easily catch you.”
“Young Won-ssi, how’s Mr. Director behave in front of you? Is he gentle or rough?”another staff chimes in.
“What are you talking about? Stop talking about us!” Mu Young brushes it off although he and Young Won are blushing the whole time.

Before things getting really awkward, Young Won initiates to change the topic.

“Ah, right. Who is the superintendent here? I need to collect the data for all the employees here,” Young Won says.

A tall and thin guy raises his hand. Young Won notices him and starts talking to him. Mu Young also changes the topic and goes near the two staffs who asked them before. Mu Young slips in a 50,000 won banknote for them as they happily receive the money and promise not to talk about them again. He chuckles and a bit regretful that he spends money so easily. Now he has to work harder as he’s not Seo Family’s son in-law anymore. But seeing her bright face, it’s a bit forgiving for him.

He then sits in the chair and scans the room. It looks like the office needs some major renovation. They could remodel the room here and there, maybe adds some furniture and some electronic devices like PC or fax machines. He makes mental note on himself to tell General Affairs department to handle this.

Once Young Won finishes talking with the tall superintendent, she looks around the room and finds Mu Young in a chair. Their eyes meet, but they awkwardly avoid eye contact to not make the matter worse. Mu Young thinks fast and use his handphone to text her.

“Have you finished your work? Let’s go home now.”

Young Won finds her handphone vibrates and reads the text. She replies him.

“Can you go out first? We shouldn’t make other people suspicious.”

He makes OK gesture with his hand and goes outside to the parking lot where his car is parked. He prefer to wait inside the car. He waits for her until he’s a bit sleepy. She comes to his car afterwards.

He drives them to the city. But then Young Won tells him that she will go back to her house first, her parents’ house. Mu Young looks startled.

“So you don’t go back to the Seoul?”
“I’ll return. Next Monday.”
“Why not now?”
“I haven’t say hello to my parents. I think I will visit them first.”
“Aish.. I think you’ll return with me,” Mu Young looks disappointed.

He stops the car on a sideway. Then leans toward her.

“I think I won’t be able to live without you even for a day. Give me goodbye kiss, then,” Mu Young says.

He pulls out their safety belts and kisses her. He holds her face and sucks her lips, he loses control a bit. No, he thinks he always loses control with her. He holds her waist and quickly lifts her so that she’s on his lap now. He continues kissing her while his hand unbuttoning her shirt. She stops him right there and holds his face. She examines his face, before smiling and saying to stop here.

“You only wanted goodbye kiss. Nothing more,” she tells him.

When she mentioned this, he gives her sullen pout. It looks funny to her. So she kisses his nose and they kiss for one final kiss. She slips to her seat and he starts driving again. He still sulks the moment she leaves the car and heads to her house. He asks her to promise if she will come back next Monday. She promises and he leaves with heavy heart.

**

Mu Young’s car just turned around when Young Won’s mom goes outside. Young Won bows to her and greets her. Her mom doesn’t quite believe it yet that her daughter come home.

“You’re really here, Young Won-ah?? Why don’t you call first?”
“Ah, Mom, why I have to call when I come home?”
“Is that your boyfriend?” Mom inquires curiously.
“That man? Hmm... we’re in some relationship,” Young Won answers.

Now that she’s in her hometown, it feels good to her. Everything seems a little bit different than Seoul, the air, the foods, even the water is different. She can also look after her sick father. Young Won spends the weekend morning to exercise. It’s been a long time since she’s jogging and running around the neighbourhood. She won’t be able to exercise while breath fresh air in Seoul. She smells the ocean scent where the wind blows softly and where the shipyard and dock just across the bridge. It’s definitely feels different, her city where she grown up and Seoul, the city for work.

After morning run, she returns to her house where her mother already prepared the meals and side dishes. Young Won eats happily the hearty and lavish meals with her mother.

“You eat like a cow even after moving out to Seoul,” her mother comments.
“I’m just hungry and your foods are really delicious,” she replies, still enjoys her meal.
“When you have a man, he will run away just look at your appetite.”
“Eiyy, no way.”
“You haven’t thought about marriage? How is that guy from yesterday?” Mom asks curiously.
“Why everytime I come home you always ask about marriage? I haven’t considered it yet. And that guy.. is a widower.”
“Huh? You must be kidding right? He looks so young to be a widower.”
“How you can measure people just from their appearance?” she snaps back.
“Then are you waiting until you’re forty to marry? Until your face gets all wrinkles?”
“Ah, Mom!!”

Her mom always tease her about marriage. Honestly, she doesn’t know how to answer it. She has been single for years and though marriage is not a bad option, she hasn’t thought about it seriously. She continues eating while her mother is still concerned at her lack of will to marry.

**

Young Won finally returns to Seoul office, much to Mu Young’s joy. He can’t help but put his big smile on his face and everyone with good vision would know he looks really happy right now. She comes to her desk and cleans the computer desk from dust. Somehow she misses the office and all its condition.

After lunch time, Mu Won also comes to their department, looks fresh like a model from a magazine. He looks for Mu Young, eventhough Mu Young doesn’t seem so happy about the prospect meeting his brother. She can’t hear what they’re exactly saying, but judging from his expression Mu Young is unhappy. Mu Young then asks Mu Won to go outside, they’re walking outside the room, still on disagreement.

Young Won focuses back to her work. She looks at some documents and looks at the schedule on her computer, still so many tasks she have to handle, scheduling and preparing the next training next month, reviewing remuneration and salary, etc. Ah, she forgets, there’s more urgent thing right now, she needs to assist and renew the contract for the subcontractor for crude oil import from Middle East.

Young Won leaves the room and goes to the conference room. There she reviews the contract on her tablet. It’s a bit past 2, a middle-aged man comes and sits on the chair. He introduces himself as the old subcontractor as he has worked with Daehan Oil for 4 years. Young Won then tells him the condition on the company and terms and conditions for the subcontractor. She also explains that as they know scrape losses from Iran due to Iran’s oil embargo, they can’t import from Iran and opt for other countries. The subcontractor doesn’t seem too happy hearing the reason.

“What? We always import from Iran. Even during the embargo. Are you saying we stop the import now?” the subcontractor looks upset.
“Yes. That’s what we mean, actually we’ve been reviewing this for few months. It’s not sustainable if we continue to.."
“Hey, you’re just new employee here. If you don’t know the condition in the Middle East, just shut up. I’ve worked in this field for more than 20 years. Even when there are embargo or Arab Spring or Iraq invasion we have to keep importing from there.”

“Yes, we always be dependent on Middle East oil, Sir. But the situation now doesn’t help, we continue to hit losses for millions won per month. That’s why, we should consider. Anyway there’s new incentives from the government if we import from countries other than Middle East,” she explains.
“Are you here to renew our contract or not? Don’t waste my time on your explanation!”
“If you could actually consider it.. Anyway, do you want to do it or not??” her voice is tremble, she tries to hold her anger.
“Are you crazy??”
“You’re the crazy one who can’t open your mind a little bit.”
“Shut up! Or I will punch you!!” He is angry.

His stare is full of anger to Young Won. He almost hits her, but then he withdraws and hits the table instead.

“If you’re not a woman, I will really punch you! You fucking bitch!”

Young Won wants to reply him, but she feels it’s waste of time. It’s just pointless fight. She tries to hold back her tears and bow down.

She walks out of the room, the anger really get the worst of her. Her heart is pounding, she wants to cry and question herself why she have to fight over this fucking contract. She’s feels really tired. Once she goes to her desk, she picks up her bag and leaves early. Everyone in the room confused on her action. Mu Young stands from his chair, he just comes back from his meeting with Mu Won. He doesn’t even have chance to ask her but she leaves quickly.

And then she cries in her own room in her house, that moment Mu Young calls her. He asks her what’s happened at the office.

“Did you cry?”
“No, Sir.”
“What’s happened? Did you fight with someone? Did you find any hardship on this work?”
“Y.yeah.. I just fight with subcontractor,”
“Okay, don’t worry. Take a rest and then have a nice sleep.”

Young Won feels bad on Mu Young, it’s really her fault who can’t control her emotion. She lays on her bed and thinks about it. Suddenly an unknown number calls her, she answers it and it’s from the Chairman. She’s shocked and can’t believe it, she’s just new employee, low bottom in their company.

“Are you okay, Dear?” Chairman asks her, concerned.
“Yes Sir.”
"I think you can leave the contract for now. You can take a holiday a week. We will ask someone to take over.”
“Yes? What happened, Sir? Did I do something wrong?”
“No, the subcontractor doing wrong. So, please enjoy your night, tomorrow someone will escort you.”

He then hangs up the call, makes Young Won confused. She tries to call Mu Young, but he doesn’t answer it. Young Won feels uneasy. Her project manager calls her and asks the direction to her house. Young Won is startled and jumps off the bed. She quickly goes out and gives him direction. Project Manager Hyun parks the car in front of her house and brings a fruit basket.

He looks worried and quickly walks to her direction.

“Are you okay? I rush quickly from the office under director’s order,” he says with worried look.
“Yes, I'm okay. What happen sir??”
“Did someone abuse you? Or hit you?”
“Not physically, but just argue with strong word and tone. But I’m really okay, Sir,” she explains.
“Okay then, just take a rest and enjoy your holiday. See you next week. Ah, and this fruit basket for you. From our director,” he looks at her, rather amused.
“Ah yes, thank you sir.”
“Then.. see you next week.”

He says goodbye and goes back to his car, leaving her. She’s really confused, especially with the fruit basket. She isn’t sick but getting attention as if she is gravely sick. She tries to call Mu Young and explains her situation herself. But he never answer the calls. She starts worrying about him and still no response from him. Finally she texts her.

“Thank you for your kindness and attention. I want to tell you something. If it’s not bothering you, please respond my message.”
She’s agitated and becomes more nervous. She hopes Mu Young would at least respond to her phone call or her message.

***

To be continued...

Writer: kanz
Pictures: as tagged, to owner