Hajin wakes the next morning to the fresh scent of flowers in their living room.
"What...?" She pauses on her way down to stare in wonder at the bountiful bouquets on the windowsills, tables and floor. "What's all this?" She approaches the nearest one, and before her mother can even begin to explain, she already knows. They're peonies, and they're beautiful... and there's only one person who would send them... what they meant, however, she had no idea, but she smiles nonetheless.
"Anything we need to know...?" her mother prods for the second time. "Hajin!"
Hajin snaps out of it and stares at her, not having heard a thing she'd said. "Sorry. What?"
"This," she repeats, gesturing excitedly around the room. "Is there anything we ought to know...?" Her parents give her a pointed look.
"Er..." Hajin tries to think. "I'll go check my phone for messages to see what he-"
"Yah!" her mother exclaims so suddenly, Hajin jumps. "What other explanation is there? They're peonies!"
"I know they are," she says, confused.
Her father clears his throat, trying but failing to look interested in his newspaper. "Does this have anything to do with what we saw on TV the other day?"
"What...? Oh," Hajin mumbles. "You mean at the party? I'm not sure... that's why I need to-"
"Oh, just tell us already! Where's the ring?" her mother exclaims excitedly, running up to inspect her empty fingers. "Well?"
"We're not engaged!" Hajin protests, reclaiming her hands, her face flaming. Not officially, anyway. "What makes you think we're engaged?"
"They're peonies," her mother stresses, trying to look as patronizing as humanly possible. "Pink peonies. We searched the meaning online."
Her father sighs, finally closing his paper. "They're not pink. They're almost white. It's an apology. Did you break up?"
"No!" Hajin replies indignantly.
"Then maybe he's saying sorry for that fiasco that other night," he declares knowledgeably. "For my part, I thought he handled it quite well, all things considered."
"Did he come to find you right after he left all those reporters?" her mother asks.
"Yes, he did, but-"
"And did he propose right then and there?" Her mother practically hopped with excitement.
"Umma," Hajin says sternly. "We are not engaged."
"Rubbish," her mother scoffs. "What are all of these, then?"
"I wasn't feeling well yesterday and he knows they're my favorite," Hajin ventures wildly. "I suppose he just wanted to cheer me up. There are peonies of varying colors all around the room."
She guesses right. He calls her on her way to work, and though at first she had felt apprehensive, remembering how troubled she had been last night, she also felt foolish and decided to try and sound as normal as possible when she finally picks up.
"My stepmom told me you were feeling poorly last night," he explains. "That's why I didn't call you. I thought maybe you wanted to sleep early to rest."
"Oh," she says, shamefaced. "I thought you were busy... so I just waited."
He sighs. "You could have sent me a message, you know. I was worried about you."
"I'm sorry," she says sincerely. "I just got a little overwhelmed is all, but I'm feeling better now... thank you for the flowers. They were beautiful."
"I thought you might like them. I hope your parents didn't mind too much? They're not allergic to pollen, are they?"
"No," she chuckles. "The first thing they did was look up the meaning of peonies online. My mom was convinced the flowers meant we were getting married. My father thought the complete opposite... that you were saying sorry because we had broken up."
There's a prolonged silence on the other end before he finally speaks again, "Flowers do tend to have different meanings... that's why I didn't send a single color."
"That's what I told them," she informs him brightly. "Don't worry, they didn't get any strange ideas. At least, I hope they didn't."
"I'm not entirely averse to your mother's interpretation, though," he says with just a hint of slyness creeping into his voice.
She sighs dramatically, wanting to tease him. "Ah, if only you weren't engaged to someone else. I might have actually considered it this time."
Though the taxi driver's eyes remain fixed on the road, she can't help but notice the straightening of his back and sudden interested gleam in his eyes. She flushes and leans away from him to the window, wishing she'd sat at the back rather than at the front seat.
"And if I publicly break off my supposed engagement right this moment...?"
"Nope," she counters swiftly, grinning at the exasperated sigh that followed. "You'll have to think of something else. Besides, won't there be consequences?"
He grunts unhappily. "I'm fairly certain I can handle the consequences. I'm just looking for the right moment to break it off officially. I'll need to talk to my parents first, in any case, preferably sooner rather than later to prevent further misunderstandings. I'll probably talk to my father tonight, but my mother's a different matter... she's bent on avoiding me. Even Jung can't seem to get a hold of her, and I need to know what she's planning before I take any decisive action."
She nods, then adds tentatively, "And... her?"
He snorts. "I'd rather not see her at all if I can help it."
His answer makes her happy. "My day-off's been moved to tomorrow, by the way," she informs him.
"So I heard." He sounds apologetic. "I'm sorry, Soo-yah, Wook and I will be meeting some people tomorrow about the authenticity of those articles he found. I didn't know your day-off had been changed until after we set the appointment."
She suppresses a sigh. She had expected as much, but that didn't stop her from feeling disappointed. There were things they needed to talk about... conversations long overdue that needed time to sort out...
"It's okay," she says, trying to sound upbeat. "I'll find some other way to entertain myself. Don't worry about me."
"What about tonight? I have nothing really important going on. I'll postpone meeting my father."
"No, don't do that," she says at once. "That meeting is important... you said it yourself, the sooner the better."
He sighs. "Then send me a message whenever you're free."
She smiles ruefully. "Now that we'll be working in the same building, we aren't allowed to see each other. Ironic, isn't it?"
"Rotten luck," he grumbles crossly.
"I need to go. Don't worry too much. Who knows? We just might accidentally-on-purpose bump into each other," she says bracingly, making him laugh, the sound lifting her spirits considerably. She hopes it will last her the entire day.
As she eyes the building before her, bag clutched tightly to herself, she's filled with a sense of foreboding mingled with excitement. She doesn't know what she's getting herself into, but it can't be worse than what she's leaving behind. She could continue working with her qualified coworkers from the shop, for one, and with So and his cousins so nearby, she won't feel so lonely.
Steeling her nerves, she steps through the glass doors and approaches the front desk, informing the immaculately dressed woman seated there of her purpose for coming.
"Ah, yes, Ms. Go. We've been instructed to escort you," the woman says at once, rising from her seat and stepping out from behind the counter. She smiles politely and gestures for Hajin to follow her, past offices and closed doors lining hallways, to the elevator, ascending all the way up to the topmost floor of the building. She remembers So's office being on the sixth and wonders whether she was allowed to sneak down there from time to time.
Stepping off the lift, they turn right and walk a few paces before rounding a corner, where a view greets her that's enough to take her breath away. She's pleasantly surprised to find that an entire section of the floor has been turned into what appears to be a botanical garden, with water sprinklers lining the ceiling overlooking hundreds of plants of varying sizes and colors. There are even berry patches and stunted fruit-bearing trees, as well as ponds littered with beautiful lotus flowers and water lilies. The glass wall seems to stretch endlessly, and she's itching to investigate, to see what kinds of plants this place is housing.
She stops walking to stare at the paradise before her. "This is beautiful," she can't help remarking.
"My husband had this floor added last year." Hajin tears her eyes away from an actual buzzing bee to see Lady Oh exiting a room on the opposite side of the hall. She takes off her gloves and checks her watch. "You're early," she notes with approval as Hajin greets her. "I wanted to show you this before anything else. I thought you might like it."
"I do like it!" Hajin exclaims in delight. "There are so many plants! Did you bring in a beehive too?"
Lady Oh looks pleased by her reaction. "Yes. Natural pollination is always the best, and the honey created is pure and perfect for our purpose. One day, I'll take you in to have a look around, but for now, I have something else I wanted to talk to you about. We have less than half an hour. It should be enough time."
"Of course. What is it?"
Lady Oh gestures for Hajin to follow her back through the door she had just exited from. "I know this entire concept is being styled around the Goryeo period, but so much more plants and herbs are available to us these days that it seems a waste not to use them. Are you familiar with tropical plants?"
They discuss tropical plants and herbs for a few minutes, with Hajin agreeing that adding a bit of modernity to the concept might be worth looking into. After promising to bring it up with So and his cousins at the next possible opportunity, they head to the ground floor together to meet the applicants for the day. They're sitting on a long table in a big empty room, going over the many application letters and resumes when Hajin sees a name that makes her gasp.
"What?" Lady Oh glances curiously up from her own stack of folders.
"This… this woman," Hajin says, trying to contain her excitement. "I um… think I know her."
Lady Oh raises an eyebrow. "Shall I be the one to interview her? Your opinion might be biased."
"No, I want to do it," Hajin says at once, then stops, realizing she must have sounded impolite. "Please let me do it, sanggung."
It takes her a long time to realize what she'd just said, and it's only because of Lady Oh's amused expression that she finally does. Hajin wants to slap herself for the slip. "That is… eomeoni! I'm sorry, it just sort of slipped. I don't know what I was thinking, I-"
To her surprise, Lady Oh chuckles. "It's good that you're taking this role so seriously, but you forget that I won't be the sanggung. I'm just here to provide you with guidance and advice."
"Ah, right," Hajin forces a laugh, grasping at this excuse. "Forgetful me."
"Shall we begin?" Lady Oh asks, taking a file and telling the assistant to send in the first two ladies.
They spend half the morning interviewing possibilities, learning more about their background, asking them random questions to test their knowledge, and gauging their personalities. One applicant seemed to know a lot, but her skin was marred by blemishes, and Lady Oh had been clear on that point: they would be selling beauty products; their employees must look the part. Another one was blessed with a pretty face and a very pleasing, humble personality, but she had failed to answer any of the questions thrown at her. Out of the twelve she had spoken to thus far, Hajin had selected five of them as possible employees, which was a lot compared to Lady Oh's one.
"Since this is but a trial period, we will be hiring three at the very least, five at most," Lady Oh had informed her earlier. "Apart from a pleasing personality, they must dress well, speak well and look well. They need to know how to carry themselves in public and in private. Additionally, those chosen will have their skills tested later in the afternoon. The trade test should narrow down our options even further."
Hajin smiles at the lady before her. "Well, that's it for now. Thank you for coming. Next please?"
The door opens to reveal a young woman clumsily making her way into the room. She has a violin case slung across one shoulder, a big, stuffed shoulder bag on another, and her blouse shows signs of dirt and paint stains. Even her jeans look frayed, and her shoes are splattered with dried mud.
Hajin almost groans in dismay, trying to ignore Lady Oh's disapproving stare from somewhere beside her.
"I'm so sorry," Woohee says, panting from her efforts. Her face is flushed as she takes a seat and sets her things on the floor. "I'm an artist and I had to rush over from school to make it in time, so I wasn't able to change out of…" she falters, fingering self-consciously at her stained blouse. "I do have a change of clothes in my bag. Can I maybe go change for a few seconds? I won't take long, I promise."
Hajin clears her throat and nods. "Of course. Make yourself presentable. The bathroom's beyond that door, on the right. I'll give you two minutes." She hopes two minutes would be enough. She daren't give her more than that, for fear of deepening Lady Oh's disapproval.
To their surprise, however, Woohee returns exactly two minutes later, dressed immaculately in a simple cream-colored dress and white shoes. Her hair is tied up and swishes pleasantly behind her as she retakes her seat. She's even managed to put on a bit of make-up.
"Good morning," she greets with a small smile, looking self-conscious. Beads of sweat had already begun to reform on her brow, and she was still panting slightly. Presumably, she had been running only minutes before arriving. "My name is Kim Woohee. I am a working student."
Hajin nods, smiling as warmly as she can manage to make her feel at ease. "It's nice to meet you, Woohee. How old are you?"
"I am 24 years old," she replies.
"And why do you want to work with us?"
"I am interested in all forms of art." Woohee straightens up eagerly in her seat. "I took up Fine Arts in university and am currently studying music. I'm also a dance instructor."
Hajin lifts her eyebrows in surprise. "You seem very busy."
"I am, but don't worry… I only have classes on the weekends and I've already resigned from my job as a dance instructor," she assures hurriedly. "I just had to go to school today to practice for a performance. I'm perfectly free to work on weekdays."
Hajin nods and can't help asking, "Why would you quit being a dance instructor?"
"Well, for one thing… the pay wasn't much," she admits sheepishly. "Although I do enjoy teaching… but it was getting harder and harder to get by."
"And why cosmetics? Do you have any background knowledge on make-up and herbs?" Hajin asks tentatively, skimming through Woohee's resume in search of a degree or a certificate of some kind.
"I haven't received any formal training, but I do have some knowledge," Woohee says firmly. "My grandfather used to own an apothecary before my father took over, then he turned it into something similar to what you're offering now… except it never hit off and didn't get as much attention as we'd hoped it would, so we had to close down about ten years ago…"
Hajin flashes her a sly smile. "Are you here to get ideas?"
"No, of course not," Woohee says hastily, her cheeks coloring slightly. "I really want to work here. I feel like it'll bring me closer to my father. He died a few years after our shop, and my memories of him are becoming fuzzy. I want to remember him."
"Oh, I had no idea, I… I'm very sorry to hear about…" Hajin says, flustered, flipping the pages in her hand hurriedly to see what else she can ask about. She clears her throat. "Would you be willing to answer a few technical questions?"
Woohee takes a deep breath and straightens up in her seat, looking like she was getting ready for battle. Then she nods and braces herself.
"Can you give me any three natural ingredients that we add to soap that can help brighten the skin?"
"Uh… my father used to put apricot seeds, chamomile, and pears… I think persimmons might help as well…?" she answers, unsurely.
Hajin narrows her eyes playfully. "Are you asking me?"
"No. Persimmons can definitely help," Woohee says at once.
Hajin stares at her for a few moments before finally nodding. "Persimmons are known to be anti-aging and possess a lot of antioxidants. A healthy liver means healthy skin. It's the leaves that help lighten skin pigmentation."
Woohee slowly exhales the breath she'd been holding.
Hajin considers her next question. "If I were to ask you to make me a facial mask out of ingredients you can find at home… what would you use and why?"
"Oh, I usually use a mixture of egg whites to tighten my pores, honey and sometimes olive oil to moisturize my skin, and fruits, if I can have them, because of the vitamins they possess… usually mashed up grapes. Or cucumbers. I'd use bananas, but they're more expensive. Well, fruits really are expensive these days…"
Hajin smiles in satisfaction. "That'll be all, then. We'll be having a trade test later in the afternoon. Please stand by for further instructions."
The day passes by swiftly enough. Hajin had lunch with Lady Oh at a nearby restaurant, and halfway through their meal, her cousin Myunghee suddenly showed up looking for her to ask her how she was, saying So had told her where to look.
"You could have just called me, unnie!" Hajin makes room for her at the table, flustered but extremely pleased to see her again. "Have you met So's stepmother?"
"Yes, we've met," Lady Oh nods politely to Myunghee. "It's been a while since I've seen you. Your boyfriend… isn't he the brother of that young lady Myeongsun's trying to force on So?"
"Ah, yes," Myunghee nods awkwardly. "But as far as I'm aware, they aren't on good terms. Myself, I haven't spoken to her in a very long time. That announcement was as much a shock to us as it was to everyone else."
"And you and Hajin are friends? This is a small world."
"It is," Hajin agrees, wanting to diffuse the sudden tension at their little table. "We just found out we were related."
Lady Oh's eyebrows shoot up at that. "Really? What a coincidence."
"We were going to make ourselves known to you at the party, but things happened that prevented us from doing so. I sincerely apologize," Myunghee addresses Lady Oh with a somber expression. Hajin can't help but notice the way she's fidgeting with her purse. She looks uncomfortable, like she has something to say but she doesn't know how to go about saying it.
"We're interviewing applicants today, so I'm a little busy…" Hajin says, slightly apologetic, then adds hastily because Myunghee looks horrified at the thought of interrupting them, "but I'm perfectly free tonight! Unless you have plans?"
Myunghee looks relieved. "No, I don't… I've nothing better to do either, actually…"
"Let's have dinner together then," Hajin grins, feeling excited at the thought of spending more time with her, like old times. She wonders if Chaeryung's free as well? She turns to Lady Oh instead. "Eomeoni, you…?"
Lady Oh purses her lips. "Maybe another time as I have some things that I need to take care of first. Besides, you young ones will enjoy yourselves better without me."
Hajin leans over the table to smile impishly at her. "If I schedule it with your secretary in advance… you can't say no, right?"
"I'll say no if I don't want to," Lady Oh says flatly, but there's a small smile on her lips.
After lunch, they bring the remaining applicants to the topmost floor, where a series of practical tests had been prepared in advance earlier in the day. Hajin and Lady Oh watch carefully as applicant after applicant performs the required tasks diligently – from safely mixing lye with water, to creating the perfect foundation to match a commissioned model's skin tone, to the correct way of extracting oil from different sources, and much more.
Apart from an unfortunate incident resulting in one applicant getting a lye burn and having to leave for further emergency treatment, nothing too spectacular happened. No one had managed to get perfect marks, so Lady Oh tallied all their results and hired the top three on the spot.
"Really?" Woohee asks dumbly, staring at Lady Oh in shock. "I'm in?"
"If you had arrived a little more gracefully, you would have gotten top marks," Lady Oh's lips curl in what Woohee considers to be a smile. "Congratulations. Your head lady will brief you on what you'll be doing over the next few days, so pay attention. For the rest, thank you for your time and efforts. We have prepared some snacks for everyone in the hall. Do take something before you leave."
"You did well, I'm impressed," Hajin says to a beaming Woohee.
"Thank you so much, miss… um… how should I address you?"
Hajin looks at the three new hires. "I think you're all familiar with the concept by now. We will be opening a modern-day Damiwon, which means that at least within the premises, you'll have to address me properly as your senior court lady. Outside, however, you're perfectly free to call me Hajin. We will have much time to get better acquainted with each other over the next few weeks, so for now, rest up. Have a piece of cake or a sandwich or two, and report here tomorrow at half-past eight to complete your hiring process. You will be given temporary company IDs on your way out, please don't forget to bring them with you tomorrow."
"I can't thank you enough for this chance, unnie," Woohee says to Hajin as the other two leave to join the rest of the group by the snack table. "I really needed this. You don't know how much this means to me."
Hajin beams, barely able to contain her excitement at the thought of setting Woohee up with a clueless Baek Ah one of these days. There'll be plenty of opportunity for it… and what a coincidence that she's as much into art as he is! Hajin can hardly wait to share her plans with So.
"You're a hard worker, you're nice, and you're smart. I'm sure we'll get along just fine," Hajin says bracingly.
"I hope so." There's a sudden determined look in her eyes that captures Hajin's curiosity, but Woohee doesn't share those particular thoughts. Instead, she hitches on a carefree smile and bows low. "I have to go back to practice. Thank you very much, sanggung."
It's almost seven when Myunghee and Hajin bid Lady Oh farewell. As they go through the building, Hajin can't help but glance around in search of a familiar face... but there's no one else she knows, not even Mu or Won or Chaeryung. She'd texted So earlier to tell him about dinner with Myunghee, but he hasn't replied, presumably still busy with whatever it is he and Wook are doing.
"Ah, aigoo! How could I have forgotten?" Myunghee suddenly exclaims, stopping dead in her tracks and grimacing. She turns to Hajin with an apologetic look on her face, "I had something I wanted to give you, but I left it at the apartment. My grandfather kept an old photo album from his youth, and I had the photos copied for you. I thought your parents might want to see. There are pictures of your grandfather, from when he was a baby to after he graduated from college."
"Oh, that sounds wonderful!" Hajin says brightly. "I'm sure my father would like that very much. He has so few pictures of his father... myself, I've only seen the one picture of my grandparents on their wedding day."
"Is your grandmother still alive?" Myunghee asks. "My grandparents are both gone."
"Very much so! I'm sure she'd love to see those pictures, too."
"Great," Myunghee grins, hailing a cab. "Then shall we go get it? We can just make our own dinner like last time as well. I bought fresh strawberries just this morning and I'm sure I have some cream... I also found a really good slice of beef in the market. We can cook that and just make do with the rest."
Hajin readily agrees to the suggestion. They chat happily the whole ride to the apartment, and Hajin can't help but wonder how much more fun Myunghee would have been in the past if only her health and status had allowed her such freedom. Her present-day cousin smiled and laughed easily, retaining that same gentle, reassuring countenance that had always brought Hajin comfort in Goryeo and made her feel safe.
"My mother wants to have a barbecue one of these days," she says as they walk the length of the hallway towards Myunghee and Wook's room. "It'll be the perfect time to meet up!"
"That sounds lovely, indeed," Myunghee agrees with bright-eyed enthusiasm. "I'll inform my parents at once. Do you have a specific date for..." she trails off, and Hajin knows why. Myunghee swipes the keycard again and again, but nothing happens. Confused, she mumbles, "Is it busted?"
"Maybe... it's already open?" Hajin suggests apprehensively, putting a hand on the knob and attempting to twist it.
Myunghee shakes her head. "I'm sure I locked it before I left. I-"
They both grow silent when the door swings open. Trying to be optimistic, Hajin says brightly, "Maybe we just didn't hear the click because we were laughing too loudly."
"Maybe." Myunghee clears her throat and turns to Hajin with an attempt at a smile. "Hajin-ah, you stay here, alright? I'll just go in and get it..."
Panic grips Hajin as she grabs hold of Myunghee's arm and pulls her away from the door. "You're not going in there alone. We could call a guard. We should call for security. If there's anyone in there who shouldn't be..."
Myunghee opens her mouth to say something, but it's not her voice Hajin hears... it's someone else's. Someone she had never wanted to see nor hear from again. "Ah, I thought it might be you."
Hajin freezes, her breath caught in her throat.
"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" Myunghee demands. Slowly, she positions herself in front of Hajin, a physical barrier separating her from Yeonhwa. "You should have told me you were coming."
Yeonhwa lifts an eyebrow. "I told my brother. That should be enough for you. Why, did he not tell you?"
"No, he didn't. I was under the impression he'd be busy tonight. Did you not bother to wait for a reply before barging in here?"
"I didn't need to. I only came to return this." She holds up a keycard, which she thrusts into Myunghee's hands. "I was just about to leave, actually, so it's just as well you came."
"You could have returned this at the front desk," Myunghee snaps testily.
Yeonhwa's laugh is curt, her tone condescending. "Really, we haven't seen each other in months... perhaps even a year! Even if it is in your upbringing to lower your courtesy to people you only see on certain occasions, shouldn't you make a consideration for me, being your boyfriend's sister? We can even grab a coffee if you'd like. Catch up, you know? You can tell me all about your problems, and I'll tell you mine... just like old times."
"My cousin's with me. Maybe some other time."
For the first time, Yeonhwa's calculating eyes fall on Hajin. They take in each other's appearance, sizing each other up. Hajin feels inadequate in her blue jeans, white button downs, blue scarf and black flats, but she tries not to let it get to her. Yeonhwa's looking very striking and ladylike in a red sheath dress that perfectly complements her slender figure, with matching black pumps and satchel. Her dark hair is luscious and thick, effortlessly falling into place over one shoulder, revealing her long, slender neck.
"I don't believe we've met," Yeonhwa's voice is sweet as honey, and her smile even more so. "You look oddly familiar, though. Have I seen you somewhere?"
Hajin doesn't trust herself to speak. She's not sure if she wants to bolt, scream, or scratch out Yeonhwa's eyes. She hasn't changed. She's still the same princess who used to enjoy watching me suffer... the same princess who took a stick to my back and would have continued to do so until I bled.
"Maybe you're seeing things," Hajin says with an equally sweet smile. "You do look quite tired. The dark circles around your eyes are telltale signs. I can help you with those, for a fee, of course."
Yeonhwa looks taken aback. One dainty hand reaches up to feel her eyes, which glower at Hajin for a moment before turning back to Myunghee. "No one would deny she's your cousin, dear sister. A few lessons on manners won't go amiss, if you don't mind me saying."
"Was there anything in particular you wanted?" Myunghee asks. "We don't have all evening."
"Of course, you must be busy." Yeonhwa's patronizing tone makes Hajin's skin crawl unpleasantly. "I shouldn't have bothered coming at all. I was only going to extend my invitations to my bachelorette party next month, but I can see you're too busy to attend anyway. Do forgive me for intruding," she smiles broadly then, though it never quite reaches her eyes, "this was a lapse in judgment on my part. Please, enjoy your evening."
She turns to leave then, but Myunghee stops her with a question, "Bachelorette party next month?"
Yeonhwa turns, affecting surprise. "Why, yes. Didn't you know? I thought you of all people would have known, considering you're handling my fiance's PR."
"You mean, So?" Myunghee says with a frown. "You're getting married?"
Yeonhwa really does laugh then, a confused look on her face. "Really, have you been sick for the past two days? It's been all over the news. I'm going to have to talk to So about changing his PR team. You're laughably lacking."
"He hasn't proposed to you yet," Myunghee says with such certainty, Yeonhwa's smile falters slightly. "What makes you think he's going to marry you?"
"The deal's been signed," Yeonhwa informs her crisply. "Both sides have consented. What's to stop it from happening? Business deals like this aren't easy to break off, you know. Oh! But of course you wouldn't know. I'm sorry, I'm always overestimating your abilities."
"He's in a relationship with another woman. Have you no consideration at all?" Myunghee surreptitiously reaches behind her to squeeze Hajin's cold hand.
"He's been in relationships before," Yeonhwa shrugs indifferently, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "If by 'relationship' you mean dinner, a movie, casual sex and the works, everyone has that these days. You and my brother are the only ones I know who've stuck this long together without any real plans for the future. Maybe you ought to reassess your own life before you start judging mine." With a smirk, Yeonhwa turns and leaves without another backward glance.
Myunghee's hand is as cold as Hajin's, who wonders through her shock whether Yeonhwa's words had struck a chord with her cousin somehow... She wants to comfort her, but her body's as numb as her mind.
Slowly, Myunghee unfreezes and turns around to face her, a small smile making its way across her face. "Shall we go in? We still have to cook, and I have to show you those pictures."
Hajin manages a nod, but her throat's too tight to utter anything other than a murmur.
"Don't listen to her," Myunghee says as she locks the door behind them. "She's a bully. She knows how to make other people feel bad with just a few words. It's some twisted talent she has that she uses to her advantage whenever she can."
"What she said... 'both sides have consented'... has So's family agreed to it?" Hajin manages to ask.
Myunghee shakes her head, taking a rectangular box from a nearby table and handing it over. "She probably just means his mother, and that's something everyone knows by now. Their family business is a whole lot more complicated, Hajin-ah... CEO Wang Geon loves all his sons, but he wants his eldest, Mu, to take over for him once he retires. He's been stubborn about it for years now; it's caused quite a controversy. He won't readily agree to any of his ex-wife's plans, not if they undermine his own." She reaches out to squeeze Hajin's shoulder. "Like I said, don't listen to Yeonhwa. She just wanted to unnerve me. She has a roundabout way of insulting people that she knows drives me up the wall. But if you're this uneasy, just call So... he'll tell you what you need to hear." Myunghee's familiar kind smile warms the numbness Hajin's feeling and she finds herself smiling back.
"Okay."
But when Myunghee leaves to prepare dinner and Hajin gathers up the courage to make the call, she's disheartened to find that he's unavailable. She tries several more times before giving up, instead deciding to send him a text to tell him to call her as soon as he's able.
She spends the next two hours with Myunghee, trying to stay upbeat for her cousin's sake, while discreetly checking her phone for a call or a message from So - anything to ease her nerves. But even when she's lying in her bed, her eyes droopy and her body tired from the events of the day, there's nothing. With a sigh, she turns off her bedside lamp and buries beneath her covers, imagining the many ways she could make Yeonhwa pay for the atrocities she'd committed in her past life, each succeeding image less likely to happen the previous, but no less satisfying. With a small, amused smile, Hajin closes her eyes and enters into a dreamless sleep.