The Age Of Love

Fifteen - House Hunting

"You like Yang Ok Geum," Jeong Hyeok reminded her.

"Sure, I like her on Facebook when we're debating personal bias and the importance of an objective press-- or at a conference when we're catching up on our latest pieces. I don't like her so much when I am her latest piece," Se Ri didn't believe him when he told her they were newsworthy--pretty naive for a journalist.

She wanted to write the news, not to be the news. So when the phone started ringing off the hook with former colleagues looking to congratulate her and catch up, she had been genuinely surprised. Having a newborn was a pretty good excuse to reject the numerous offers to meet up, but eventually, she gave in and said yes. It wasn't like someone was about to do a formal interview-- it was just two old friends catching up, but the intent was obvious.

"You're in control, you didn't agree to anything but lunch. You can tell her it's all off the record if that's what you want. But if you want to tell your story, I think you picked a good person to talk to."

"Of course," Se Ri laughed, a genuine laugh. "Yang Ok Geum could have totally cock-blocked you that night, but instead she sent the two of us on our merry way."

Se Ri had been with Ok Geum when he ran into her at the convention they'd been attending. He'd asked them both out for drinks to be polite, but Ok Geum had declined, leaving him alone with Se Ri. She was far too good of a reporter to not sense the intense sexual tension between the two of them. And his relationship with Hye Jin was well known by that point.

Ok Geum could have tagged along and used the opportunity to stop something stupid from happening while at the same time, trying to buddy up to him for professional gain.

His life would be a lot less complicated if she had. But then again, he wouldn't have Eun Jung if he and Se Ri hadn't crossed that line all that time ago. And for all the regrets he had about his actions and the affair, he could never regret his daughter.

So maybe he did owe Ok Geum. But even so, Ok Geum could have outed them just as easily as she could have stopped their entire relationship before it started. So he did trust her, as much as any reporter, anyhow.

"I trust her," he told Se Ri. "But it's up to you."

"Great," she harrumphed.

"Now, can I have our daughter, please?" he asked, holding out his arms.

"You double and triple checked the car seat?" Se Ri asked.

Jeong Hyeok glared pointedly and Se Ri hesitantly handed Eun Jung to her father. "We'll be back by six," he promised as he headed out to the car."

****

Jeong Hyeok drove past the impeccably landscaped entrance with a sign reading Walkerhill Podoville and pulled up to the gatehouse. The security guard gave him a silent look waiting for him to say something.

"Ri Jeong Hyeok," he introduced himself. "I have an appointment with my realtor," he explained.

The guard typed something on his computer and scanned the screen for a moment before nodding and directing him where to go. He pressed a button to raise the gate before promptly turning his attention back to the book of crosswords in front of him.

Jeong Hyeok pressed on the gas and made his way into the complex, passing neatly lined streets of townhouses with perfectly manicured lawns. He followed the guard's directions to the clubhouse area and parked next to a red Maserati with a man leaning casually against the side.

"What is this monstrosity?" Chi Su asked as Jeong Hyeok stepped out of his vehicle.

"You mean this extremely expensive, top-rated, brand new, luxury SUV?" Jeong Hyeok asked as he rounded the car open to the hatchback and retrieved Eun Jung's stroller.