I tap my nails on my desk in agitation as I watch the hands of the clock tick on and on in what feels like slow motion. It feels like this morning is dragging more than a month in a jailhouse, and neither Yoonha nor Jyeon has shown up for work at all yet. I’m listless, I can’t concentrate or focus and nothing I do is easing the tightly wound ball in my abdomen that I know is stress. It’s after ten, and I’m pissed at both of them for this impromptu AWOL behavior when we have so many things going on before lunch.
I have a pile of documents six inches thick that need both of their signatures next to mine, and we’re supposed to have a strategy meeting with senior staff in under an hour. We run our own departments and we need to regularly bring one another up to speed. They never miss them and now, more than ever it’s important we stay on top of it with all the new investments these few months.
I’ve resisted calling Jyeon to find out exactly where he is because, after last night, I don’t have it in me for another emotional battle between us. I don’t trust myself to not bite at him when I’m still this emotionally fragile. My head’s a mess and despite taking one of my mother’s Xanax to calm myself at five am it has done nothing at all for me.
I never slept and I’m finding it difficult to concentrate or stay neutral today with sheer fatigue. I push everything out of my head, but I don’t know, lately, it feels like all the strings I’m holding tight are starting to slip out of my fingers and the more I try to grab on the more I lose them. My precariously constructed house of cards that keeps everything balanced and in check is starting to wobble and the wind is only just starting to pick up.
I have that same gut heaviness and high anxiety tension that plagued me all hours, coursing through me now. It has me on edge. It stems from the feeling that last night he was behaving out of sorts for the Jyeon I have known all these years. I don’t like it. It’s like I’m losing control and my reality is starting to crumble and crack.
“Has my husband come in yet?” I bark my question via the intercom at my assistant, Valerie, knowing fine well his schedule had nothing out of the office today so he has no excuse for tardiness. I’m hostile today in all ways, something that’s frequent as time goes by, and even came suitably dressed in a black tailored pantsuit and red spike heels, ready for war.
“Yes, Ma’am. He’s only just gone into his office with someone in tow.” She answers sheepishly and I grind my teeth and inhale slowly to cool my inner chaotic energy. I don’t bother thanking her and sweep up without hesitation. Swiping the paperwork into my hands from my polished surface and march with determination to go see him.
Yoonha, I don’t give two rats about showing up late, he’s only a director after all and his presence isn’t a necessity today at our meeting, but the CEO needs to be where the CEO belongs and not fucking around elsewhere. Yoonha could go on vacation for a year and this company would still tick along nicely. If Jyeon took a week off, then it would cease to run at all without everything piling on top of me.
I march on past my receptionist and Yoonha’s without flinching or checking if he’s there and bypass Jyeon’s secretary even though she stands up to try and intervene. Flustered like always at my appearance and it grinds on me that she still tries to stop me.
“Vice president Park, the president has a guest from….” I blank her and open the door without knocking and stroll in. No matter who is in there with him, as VP I have a right to barge in if I feel like it and most companies we deal with already know who I am. It’s usually me who deals with any kind of meet and greet outside of our own company employees so whoever it is, should have come through me first.
I swan in, bristling with attitude, not stopping as my eyes scan his desk and see he’s not there before turning right to his couch area and spotting him and his guest. Cozily in his seated area. I pull on my indifferent mask, my high and mighty posture, and smile politely before heading their way. Acting as though popping in and finding a newcomer is a pleasant surprise.
She’s a tall leggy brunette in a tailored red dress and high-heeled shoes, a fitted jacket, and an air of superiority about her that screams higher position than an assistant. She’s sat on one couch, holding a file, while he’s on the nearby single-seat, leaning towards her and explaining something as he spots me. Nothing registers on his face or changes his demeanor, and he nods my way with a pasted-on half-smile and oozes polite vibes. His dimples barely show face and I know he probably had to force that out with extreme effort.
“This is our Vice President, Sohla Park, my wife.” He stands up to encourage me to come over, all Mr. Business and my eyes stay locked on him as I close the gap and slide in to sit down on the couch opposite whoever this is. Looking her over with interest and nod with a gracious bright smile because she doesn’t have the sense to stand to greet me as she should. She’s attractive, slender, and probably around my age, only she has a much less severe fashion style and seems softer than my ice-cold imposing presence. Her femininity oozes in abundance.
“Ahh, I’ve read a lot about you. I’m Claire White, liaison for Biotech. Your husband has just finished informing me that our investment agreement looks likely to go ahead and I was discussing the fine points in what steps our company has laid out for the next five years of growth.” She doesn’t miss a beat. With a warm silky voice and feathery light lashes, she flickers seductively my may, uncrossing her leg smoothly before crossing it the other way and leaning forward to extend her hand to me. A very precise and elegant mannerism that grates on my nerves for no reason. Her perfume hangs in the air between us, and I can’t help but recognize it as the same one I wear.
“Pleasure’s all mine.” I reach out and shake it briefly, my cold hands are like ice cubes compared to her warm velvet skin and despite having no reason, I instantly dislike her. There’s nothing obvious standing out, it’s just a feeling.“Oh, you’re so cold. Do you have indigestion? That can really mess with the circulation in your hands. I have some antacids in my bag if you’d like some.” She smiles widely, soft, sweet, and overly caring, and I shake my head, sensing this is an act to redeem herself to me. I didn’t eat today so my blood sugar is low and has nothing to do with acid if my body temperature is low. I’m so used to it that I don’t notice anymore.“I…”“You skipped breakfast, didn’t you? How many times have I told you not to do that?” Jyeon cuts in, his tone aggravated and stern and he eyes me with a furrowed brow before I can speak. Getting up,
“You just can’t help yourself, can you?” Jyeon throws the words my way as he walks to his desk and not back over here. Making it clear he’s not bothered about my presence and he’s no intention of talking to me. All warmth gone from his tone now she has too, and I get up, snatching the files, and march over to him instead. Tossing them on his desk with a show of aggravation and hating the change in him now we’re alone.“Did I interrupt your cozy little meeting? Might want to call Dee back and cancel the food you so thoughtfully ordered me, now the act is over.” I spit back and pick up his fountain pen from the holder before tossing it on top of the paperwork in a brisk manner.“I need those right now.” I order him, inwardly hostile and not sure why I’m feeling this way from the second I got up this morning. It’s like a growing storm in my belly that I can’t stop from expanding.“W
I stare absentmindedly ahead in the elevator as I travel down to the ground floor to go and meet Yoonha outside for lunch. It’s been a few days since his drunken confession, and two days of his AWOL childish behavior passed before he finally showed face to act like an adult once more. And like every other time, we never mentioned it again because this is what he does. Back into the swing of our ordinary lives, and it’s brushed under the table as though it never happened and became just another absurd ritual in my life.I’ve barely seen Jyeon all week as we’re all so swamped in work with three new company investments to launch by the end of the month that’s taking all our time. I’ve had an average of two hours sleep a night, missed so many meals from overtime, skipped lunch breaks that I’ve dropped a dress size. Hence my lunch date and making time to hang out with my little brother, forcing me to
He starts laughing at me waves his hand in my face as though I’m talking another language, and he isn’t interested in anything I have to say. He lifts his arm and waves it around to get the attention of fellow protestors, and I’m aware of some turning this way and pushing in slightly to form more of an arc facing our building instead of away. Eyes are coming my way, and some quiet down to listen.“She says it’s not their problem!” he yells out loud for them all to hear in a snarly tone and thumps his board on the ground so that I flinch. Many more of them follow suit and pound their boards too, creating a buzz of bangs and murmurs as their voices blend into one. I catch more security filing outside from the doors in my right line of vision and know that upstairs will have been notified of this going on by now.“Bullshit!” he leans into my face and spits it out, s
“Jyeon? Are you okay?” I reach up for his face to turn him to me, catching his jaw in my fingers and pulling him down. My insides are aching, and genuine fear is gripping my soul as I try to inspect him for wounds. My body shakes all over as adrenalin kicks in, and he pulls me with him away from the doors at speed.“Are you hurt? Did anything hit you? Are you cut anywhere?” Jyeon slices through my question with his own. Pulling me into the elevator and letting go of me before sliding his hands over my head, brushing back my hair, searching through my scalp with his fingertips, and frantically searching over my body and face, for any damage. His eyes narrow, and his breathing labors as he pulls my jacket open and skims every inch of my shoulders and neck, and face to see if I have even a tiny scratch. His warm, firm hands skim my skin, leaving a burning path wherever they touch, even through the fabric of my cloth
“Mrs. Park is in the games room with guests. She asked you to come in when you arrive home.” The housekeeper greets me with kind eyes and a gentle voice as I wander in, heavy with the tiredness of the day and home late. Dealing with the protest fallout on top of so much else these past few days has me exhausted. My shoulders ache, my neck is stiff, and I have a headache coming on. I’m nowhere near in the mood to entertain her guests, but I’m obedient to a fault. I was raised in the good old ‘thou shall obey my parents’ of my culture, and I grimace and paste on a fake smile. Sighing and knowing I should get it over and done with. It’s a show-off move to remind her friends how magnificent her family is.“Where’s Yoonie? Is he home?” I ask with a raised brow, seeing as he left the office hours ago. I already know it’s pointless to ask about Jyeon, who was still burning the o
“Ask his wife. No one knows better than her what he’s doing or where he is. They have an excellent relationship.” She chimes back without a heartbeat of hesitation, and my face numbs with this pasted expression that churns my stomach up. I feel Yoonah tense beside me.My sweet, big brown-eyed puppy dog, boy, cuts in by pulling a card from my hand and tuts loudly. My savior.“Play this one, and you’ll win. How can someone so smart and observant suck this much at a card game? Why did you throw that one, you empty head.” He grins, patting me on the shoulder, and retrieves the card I had put down to switch it out.“I know, right. I guess I can’t be talented in all areas of life.” I softly smile his way, catching his eye and meeting the warmth always there in him. The complete opposite to his emotionless brother, who serves me only ice
“Here, Vice President Park. These are all the current files needing a signature.” I sit back and let my new assistant Veronica lay them out for me. In a fit of rage two days ago for a missed document and a lax attitude to timekeeping, I finally cut loose the girl of five years. I have no patience for people who waste my precious time and make mistakes, and this one has all the new and shiny enthusiasm to do a good job. I know it won’t last.“Did you archive all last month’s?” I lift a brow and pull the first black folder on top over, flicking it open.“Yes, Ma’am. I sorted through, copied, and saved digital files to the central server and then organized the paper copies in the building file room.“Why is this missing President Park’s signature?” I pause my pen over the budget request for one of our sub-companies. Irritated for the oversight. The very first one I open, and it’s not even compl