Someone to Love

Ten

(Photo: This is how I imagined Lucas/ Lee Kyung would look like)
"Don't you think we're here too long?" I asked Lucas as we had samgyupsal for like the 7th time since we got here.
"Um, yeah. I do. I mean, I didn't really use my vacation leaves for the past what, six years and I decided to use it now. Since I actually found reason to have a long vacation." He said
"Let me guess, you're gonna say that you have someone worthwhile to share a long holiday with you?" I said
"Oh my god, Ara. You're too full of yourself." He said
"Then, what's the reason?"
"Uh, the snow."
"It snows in New York."
"It does, but here, it snows in Korean."
I groaned. It's just December 23 today, and honestly, I think I actually want to go home.
"Plus, it's just the eve before Christmas eve, why don't I take you out for Christmas shopping and buy my way in your heart?" Lucas said
I gave him a slight punch on the shoulder.
"I'm kidding about buying my way in your heart, but I'm not on buying you a Christmas present." He said
"There's no need for that." I said
"Of course there is. At least, think of it as my thank you present to you for coming with me here."
"The hotel is fine with me."
"Well, you don't have a bed of your own. And you and I share a shower."
"Believe it or not Lucas, but I am having the best Christmas holiday ever." I said
"How so?"
"I'm spending it the way it's supposed to be spent." I said
Lucas frowned.
"How have you been spending your holidays before you met me?" He said
"Oh, easy. Drowning my self with work. Or overseas, but still working."
"So, you have a workaholic tendency?" He said
"I wouldn't call it being a workaholic, but I find ways to keep myself busy." I said
He just looked at me.
"The thing is, the reason why I kept working is that I do have a reputation of being a little bit of laid back. Even though my father made me work through my whole life, I do have that rich-kid stigma of being laid back. That's why I work on holidays."
"I work on holidays too, because I'm mostly alone and I really didn't feel like being alone on days that you're supposed to be with company, so I spent holidays in the intensive care unit or the oncology department. Be with patients who are having chemo and radiation on the most wonderful time of the year." He said
"So, no Christmas decorations in the apartment?" I said
"No, not my thing."
"Ever?"
"Santas and sparkly garlands? A man with my limited time can't afford to waste it shopping for those stuff, let alone decorating the house."
"I'd gladly decorate it." I said
"You're my roommate, not my wife." He said
I scoffed.
"Yeah, no! I meant, I'm still living there and I paid rent. I think I do have the right to at least put a lampshade or a table cloth or something."
"I'll think about it. But the answer is probably gonna be no."
"Then, I'm just gonna copy the answer with regards to the question that you asked me." I said
He frowned.
"What? About giving me a chance?"
"All I'm asking is to allow me to give a little feminine touch to the apartment and you're not planning on giving me that, so I think I should just copy the answers from you." I said
"That's unfair."
"Exactly! I live there too, and the only thing that I can call mine is my Netflix account in your smart TV." I said
He frowned.
"You don't even have a mug of your own?" He said
"No. I only use the things that you have, never really thought of buying." I replied
"That's weird. Usually, when people move in, the first thing they do is add something in the house-"
"I did, I added me in the picture."
"Don't tell me, your room doesn't even have much decorations."
"Might mess up the wallpaper."
"And that doesn't bother you at all?"
"That I have a bed to sleep on every night, a roof, heating, food to eat, water to drink? No, it's doesn't."
"Okay, when we get home, please go and buy a lampshade or an ottoman." He said
I laughed.
"I am so buying a lampshade." I said
We continued on walking on the snow-covered streets of Seoul. I decided to hold his hand, which obviously confused him, but I didn't look at him and ask if it was okay, I just let the both of us walk hand in hand. I just really felt like holding his hand, and ever since he started doing that months ago, I've always felt like his hand completed mine. His cold hands always felt warm against my skin, cold because we've been exposed to the cold temps for quite some time. Bottomline, our hands felt like they were a part of each other.
"Since you answered my question, you know, about adding a piece or two of furniture in your apartment, I think it's just fair that I answer your question, or even give you a gist of what my answer would be." I said
"Ara, you don't need to do that. I don't want you to feel pressured with giving me an answer, just answer me whenever you actually feel ready not because you just think it's unfair. I'm willing to wait for you."
"It's not about being unfair-"
"But I think that's actually what you're feeling. Adding a lampshade is far different from giving me a chance to get to know you more, you know, apart from being friends and roommates."
"What if I told you that I'm ready now?"
He held my hand tighter.
"Call me selfish, but I think it's more of me not being prepared for your answer. If you say yes, then that's great but then I don't really know what to do next. Do we stay as is? How would I take the next step with you? And if you say no, how would I be able to get over you, I don't think the hospital would allow me to stay working until I pass out and die of exhaustion."
"Then, you don't want me to answer your question?" I said
"I'm torn okay? If I make you wait, there's a huge chance that you might change your mind, and if I get my answer now, I might change my mind-"
"Oh god, you're one of those guys who tend to draw away from commitment."
His face twisted in a different way, as if he had became gassy.
"What?" He said
"I think we have to figure this out and your commitment issues. What if I'm ready to commit to you and then you're not? Not me, you have to figure it out!" I said
He put his arm on my shoulder.
"Could we do this, without labels?" He said
"I'll think about it." I said
We went back to the hotel, and well at least I did and Lucas stayed out and looked for things to buy or something, or think. So, I decided to chill for a while in the hotel.
But then, in the middle of my chilling, my phone was ringing, the least person that I'd expect to ask for a FaceTime is asking for one.
Motherfucking AH1. Also known as the best father in the world, the kind of father that actually doesn't stand by you, Anderson Hayden or as I know him, AH1.
"Hello, uh, who is this? Father or Mr. Hayden?" I said
He looked at me as if he's trying to conceal the fact that he's happy to see my face or disappointed to be talking to me.
"Where are you?" He asked me
I frowned.
"Since when did you care where I was? As far as I remember, you didn't want anything to do with me after that S&C incident." I said
"Ara, where are you? Are you in Seoul?" He said
"Seoul? What, you're following me around now?"
"Ara, just answer my question." He said
I rolled my eyes.
"How did you know?"
"It was quite easy, when you own half of the airport, people talk."
"What, you still have me pinged?"
"Yes, after the time you ran away from home and went to Australia."
I frowned, I was in a dark place back then. My brother just died and I wanted to be alone, and not home. I'm alone most of the time in that house, my so-called parents wanted me to feel alone so bad that the helps live in a separate house from us. That's why none of them realized that I left home a few months ago.
"Why do you care where I am anyway?" I said
"Why are you in Seoul?" He said
"What, you cut me off, make me leave home, take away my job and here you are, calling me from halfway across the world asking me why I am-"
"Just answer my question!" He said
"Not until you agree to unfreeze all my accounts."
"I beg your pardon?" He said
"What, you asking my whereabouts means that you actually want to have to do something with me, might as well give me my rights back for me to answer you." I said
He just looked at me.
"Hey, I'm not even asking for my job back, yet. It's just a small thing compared to your empire." I said
What I am saying is true, I don't think I even want my job back, and to be honest, I don't even want his money, but might as well bargain for it, after all it's mine. And it's a lot of money. I could use that to add some touch to Lucas' apartment.
"Consider it done." He said
I raised my eyebrow, of course I am shocked. He wants that information so bad that he's actually willing to unfreeze my accounts. I'm rich. Again.
"You wanted to know it that bad?" I said
"Answer the question, Ara." He said
I breathed.
"Fine, in exchange for unfreezing my accounts and my re-tying my ties with you, I'm here in Jung-gu, Seoul, in a hotel. I came with my boyfriend,we attended his brother's wedding."
"Is he Korean?"
"Golly, Father, why the sudden interest in my life?"
"Answer me, Miss Hayden." He said
I rolled my eyes.
"Yes, Korean, born and raised."
"Is it Seo Jae Kyung?" He said
I frowned.
"Funny you know that name, but it's not him. He got married-"
"Then it's Seo Lee Kyung?" He said
"Dad, uh-"
"Why him? Of all people, why him?"
"Dad, we're not that close for us to discuss this."
"Ara, answer me."
I think I'm gonna have to tell the truth or maybe spin a lie. After all, I'm gonna end up with his money anyway, and I think I may have to go out and get something for Lucas. I can get anything for Lucas.
"Hey, what's the matter if I'm going out with him, it doesn't really concern you. He and I are going out and I think it's-" should I say serious, I mean, I could play with my father's mind some more "-getting a little bit serious, in fact I'm here in South Korea to meet his family. And spend the holidays with them."
"Then why are you staying in a hotel?"
"Easy, because we wanted some alone time together and he wanted to show me his hometown the way he sees it." I said, I'm such a good liar.
"I'm asking because I came across a news paper headline." He said as I think he went through his desk to find the newspaper.
"And it concerned me? Dad, sir, I have been off the spotlight ever since I stepped out of HI Building."
"Oh, you've come back to it quite fast." He said
And then there's the father I know.
"I swear, I don't have any sex scandals, unlike the Huntingtons." The Huntingtons are our neighbors in the Hamptons and they used to have sex scandals pouring out like water from the faucet. Especially Clarence Huntington, a woman same as my age, we grew up together, literally because we're the same age and we lived at the same block. And she did nothing but to compete with me. Good thing my father is far more richer than her father. My father owns four yachts, and her dad isn't even a member of the yacht club.
Back in high school, Clarence couldn't wrap her head with the fact that I'm like the most popular girl in school, so she attempted to ruin my reputation, by finding any trash, she ended up finding-no, stumbling upon her video with her ex, and the thing is, she found it out the same time the whole school did. She thinks I did it, maybe up to this day. But I didn't, I swear. I'm not that vengeful.
"Possible merger between S&C and Hayden Industries?" Dad read
"What? I didn't know you're thinking about merging with S&C? I thought you didn't like them?"
"I don't, but it seems that you do."
"Me?"
"Seoul, South Korea. Jae Kyung Seo, CEO and heir to the S&C Company got married, ladida-dida-"
"Well, it's just right that he got featured in the business section or entertainment or whatever, he's known in the business industry!"
"Right side- Ara Hayden, heir to the Hayden Industries is seen holding hands with Dr. Lee Kyung Seo-"
Oh my god, S&C is Lucas' company?
Act like you know.
"Yeah, so?"
"Ara, S&C is our direct competitor-"
"Yeah, I know. It doesn't really concern you, I like the guy no matter which company is he affiliated to."
"It matters to me."
"But I don't matter to you."
He stared at me.
"See, I thought you called me because you wanted to see how I was. I guess I was expecting too much from you." I said
"And I you."
"Because that's how you see people, as business. I do hope that someday you'd grow tired of that. You can freeze my accounts again, if you'd want but I'm sticking with Lee Kyung, because unlike you, he stood by me through it all." I said and then I hung up.
I guess I'm not getting those millions back.