Landing in Your Inbox

17 - clean slate

November 4, 2020, 9:56 P.M.
Somewhere in Seongbuk, Seoul

The most Seo Dan had expected was a text response, not an overseas call.
 
"Why did you do that?"

He was alarmed, it was an emotion Seo Dan rarely heard from Jeong-hyeok who often kept impassive. While waiting for her response, a paging system sounded in the background where the pilot was. She would remain calm and collected as she explained her motive, "I put you on the spot because you would have said no otherwise."

"There was no need for this. I meant what I said last week."

"And I said we will continue meeting." Seo Dan countered. "Would you blame me for trying to save what we have?"

"Seo Dan, enough."

He was trying her patience, "Will it kill you to spend one night? It's not as though there's only two of us there. Will you back out and embarrass me in front of my friend?"

"You didn't have to involve Seri."

"You left me no choice."

"You are being unreasonable."

"Is that how you want it then?" Her voice raised an octave higher, "Will you avoid me altogether? Are we to tell our families right now?"

Eventually, she hit the call end button, her mobile phone bouncing off the leather seat as she threw it furiously to her side. Her hand came up to her forehead.

There was classical music playing in the car that had stopped at some point, Seo Dan didn't notice when. But it was welcomed nevertheless because she would not bear to hear a single strain of piano.

"Ms Seo Dan?"

"What?" She snapped.

"We are nearing the estate, but if you like we could take the longer scenic route."

"That won't be necessary." Seo Dan dismissed. But she was not 'okay' in every sense of the word. Her relationship was falling apart, something that gave her stability and direction for the past few years. Her mother had been so excited to plan the wedding.

Seo Dan expelled a sigh, "Take the route, then." 

November 5, 2020
Pierre Gagnaire Seoul → Gangnam 

"Let's cut to the chase." Seri eyed the man in front of her, "Let's break up, once and for all."

It was a long time coming, regretful that there had to be a fiasco with literal eggshells thrown. 

The actor Cha Sang-woo ought to have seen it coming like a script he was sent in for a new movie. But it didn't make it any less unfortunate. He was the latest of a long string of lovers that navigated from athletes to idol personalities and he had been certain he would be the last. Unlike those feeble men he was a suitor with substance and culture, of all, he thought he understood Yoon Seri's whims best.

"I'd rather not go into details about the events of the last weeks." Seri continued. She didn't bother changing out of shoulder-padded blazer from the office or styling her long side-parted hair. This was a business contract she was terminating. "For your information, I retracted the charges against your supporters. I will have nothing to do with you from here on out. You have two minutes to speak your piece."

Sang-woo had to chuckle, with a deflated tone. "I never thought it would come to being treated as your client."

"Trust me, it's better this way, I would rather not involve personal feelings after what happened." Seri said this all with a straight face, "Or this will not go well. Let's not prolong this."

"'Seri's Choice,' you must think you have such a luxury of options." Sang-woo mused bitterly, "You choose your men like your products and discard them when they stop being useful."

"Are you done?" Seri deadpanned, "I won't wish you ill, Sang-woo. Please remember our earlier agreement and be careful about what you say about me or my lawyers will find you."

"What else can I say?" Sang-woo's shoulders lifted in a frozen shrug, "I hope one day you meet a man who will let you know what it feels like being scrapped."
 
"Goodbye Sang-woo." Seri took her leave.

Naejangsan could go as low as 4°celsius so Seri had to bring the small carry-on luggage that could fit in coats, boots and scarves. Seri was actually looking forward to that trip, she sought an aggressive kind of escape.

As soon as she plopped into bed she knew it was going to be another long sleepless night. But she would not turn on the sleep playlist. 

He had not sent her an email, and that brought her a curious kind of relief each time she checked.

Not for the first time that night did she open her reddit account to try to compose something, but eventually came up with nothing. Maybe he was really tired of her.

Some mountain air will do her good.