CHAPTER SIX – THE BRICK WALL
Woo Bin lay sprawled on his bed pondering a phrase from the book Chung Ho Sunim had recommended. "Make an island of yourself, make yourself your refuge; there is no other refuge. Make truth your island, make truth your refuge; there is no other refuge." (Digha Nikaya, 16) He wasn't sure exactly what that meant, or how to do it but he liked the idea of it.
He still didn't have a solution to the painful dichotomy between his soul and his destiny, but somehow he felt hopeful for the first time that there might be one…that perhaps he had more power than he had thought over who he was and who he became.
He sat up as a knock at his door was followed by the entrance of Chul Moo, one of his father's head henchmen. "Master Woo Bin, your father wishes to see you. Alone."
The smile slid off his face as his heart dropped into his stomach. The times he spent with his father were few and far between but he almost never saw his father alone and when he did it wasn't good.
"Araso," he nodded gravely to the servant as he stood to follow him, catching what he thought might be a glint of pity in the large man's eyes. It did nothing to assuage his sense of dread.
The bodyguards slid to the side of the door allowing Woo Bin to enter. His father's study was an accurate reflection of the man himself, colorless, hard, blunt. Like concrete, Woo Bin thought, remembering his own analogy from his reflections on the bridge. Indeed, the man before him was called by some "The Brick Wall," not to reference his physical stature but the solid fact that there was no getting past his will.
Woo Bin tried to swallow his dismay as he bowed low before his father, "Abeoji."
Woo Bin's father regarded him dispassionately for a minute before indicating for Woo Bin to stand at ease. "Song Woo Bin. How is your relationship with Gu Jun Pyo these days?" his father began.
"I…what?" Woo Bin asked in confusion. He hadn't really known what to expect from this meeting but his father's inquiry really seemed to be coming out of nowhere.
"You know that our company has long had a mutually beneficial connection with the Shin Hwa Corporation. And even though Madam Kang is no longer the controlling influence in that group, they remain a powerful entity and I expect you to do your part in maintaining that relationship."
"Ye, Abeoji," Woo Bin assented, still confused. "Now how do you expect to do that when you are seeing Gu Joon Pyo's fiancée behind his back!" his father's voice raised in anger at this accusation. "I have never interfered in any of your personal relationships before, Woo Bin, but I will not tolerate any behavior from you that jeopardizes what your grandfather and I have spent our lives to build!"
"Abeoji, wait – it's not like that! Jan Di and I are just friends!"
His father eyed him skeptically. "A man and a woman do not purposely meet in secret on a daily basis for over a month if they are 'just friends' Woo Bin. You will end this relationship now."
"Abeoji, please, just listen to me," Woo Bin said pleadingly, "I haven't been going to the temple to meet Jan Di! I was going for, well, it doesn't matter…" He knew it would be pointless to try to explain to his father why he had continued to return to the temple and what it had come to mean to him. His father could no more understand such a thing than a mountain could understand what it felt like to be the wind.
"Besides," he continued, "do I look like I have a death wish to you? Jun Pyo would certainly kill me if he thought I was trying to steal Jan Di from him. He's not as fond of me as he is of Ji Hoo – he only tried to have him expelled. And Jan Di would probably kill me if I ever tried anything anyway!"
"You are telling me the truth, Woo Bin?"
"Ye, Abeoji, I swear it!"
"Well, then…" His father grew silent for a moment, making Woo Bin more nervous than his shouting. If it had been anyone else, he would assume he was off the hook at this point, but with his father, you never knew what might be coming next.
"I've let you stand idle too long Woo Bin, if you've got time to waste on such foolishness as this. Even if what you say is true, we wouldn't want anyone important to get the wrong idea about things. You will not be going back to that place and I want you to have no further contact with the girl, just to be on the safe side. It is time you took on a more active role in the business, Woo Bin – in all aspects of the business. You may leave now, but don't go far. I'll have further orders for you soon."
"Ye, Abeoji," Woo Bin said hoarsely as he bowed low again and walked out of the room in a daze. The words "truth" and "refuge" bounced hollowly around his brain, having suddenly lost all meaning to him.