SHIN
When I searched for an unfamiliar face among the area for arrivals. It dawned upon that every single person here was unknown to me. I had his profile somewhere crumpled and tucked among the countless drawers in my room. I took an oath to only award it a glance when there was an advancement from him.
Look where the stubbornness got me to.
When the clattering hall dispersed until only I and the haste newcomers remained after one full hour. I got up checking the details I had sent my brother for the umpteenth time. He could've forwarded me the man's number- or even better, the man could've called me himself. But something told me with the binging and dimming situation- that there was something that wasn't adding up.
Years of writing had marred me into an effortless observer. When you are the forgotten one hiding among the crowd you learn to listen and understand more. Interpret better. You just sit there waiting for your turn to speak and when it comes, you are terrified of what will come out.
I have so many colors. I wish I could let them out like everyone else. If not with everyone- might just get cozy enough with one to do it with.
I smile when a shiny black Tesla rolled and stopped by where I stood contemplating. The tinted window slides low- I bent to see a young man.
A bit too young.
"You are not twenty-six"
I know his age- but not his face?
"I am eighteen" the charming young lad grins, he's got the same jerk like dimple as my brothers.
"Who may you be?" I shove my hair behind. It's a pissed-off trait I grew up with. When I didn't know what to do, I claw at the frame of my hair and scratch it back.
The boy gingerly traumatized gulps.
I am fine with younger ones. They are like cubs. Tiny and harmless.
Maybe I should just wait to grow old. When no one will ever have more experience to tell me off or affect me that way.
"I am junior. Lee has some work so I took his place. You are expected at home for dinner" he grins again. I don't blame him. If I had that kind of flashy teeth I would too.
"Lee? That's his name?" I shouldn't be asking that.
"You didn't know?" He then shakes his hair and ushers me to get it "please get in Miss Han. I apologize for the delay"
I don't think he meant it. If anything he looked as if he was caged with a serpent in the car and he was not prepared for such cause.
Or it could be my over analyzation.
His mobile pings, it was flat against the holder so the script basically flashed itself at my face.
I officially disown you from being my brother
The boy panicked and hurriedly attempted to vile it from me by bringing his elbow.
"Don't bother. I saw" I mumble.
"Lee is acceptable. He is a slightly-
"-against this marriage as of now"
"What? No! I mean yeah- But
I rendered him speechless. Why is it that it's either I don't speak but when I do- the others don't.
He took a deep breath then he lets it out. I saw the brand embossed on his leather jacket. I was wearing a looney tunes sock beneath my converse. I wasn't aware of it until the flight landed at the airport.
Which had me in half-
I gasped aloud.
"Miss Han. I swear it's nothing of the sort. Please stop feeling for it"
What?
"Oh no," I said blinking. "I did not happen to exclaim for that"
He frowns as I made myself smaller.
"Then what is it?"
Good question.
I looked down at my lap, my laptop bag in hand with all the essentials at least. That's apt for now. Then I looked at him with a faint scowl.
"I forgot my luggage at the airport"
Surprisingly he laughs, contagious as it was I joined his mirth. And soon we were driving by their residential pavement after some comfortable silence.
"Should I send someone to pick them up?" Too mature for an eighteen-year-old dude. I thought.
"I don't have that many things, to be honest. Not what I'll use here in hometown though"
He looks at me playfully, as if he was cooking up his imagination.
"It's my batwoman costume in the bag" he nods, knowing we both are just passing time here. None serious "I rob the city at night because I am not a born billionaire like Bruce Wayne. No, I am not an exotic pole dancer if that's what you are thinking" he nods, jutting has his chin out and nodded, playing along.
"I thought of drugs first"
When he kills the engine and presents me with a toothy smile, the knots in my chest numb. What a sweet boy. I haven't had such ease conversing in such a long long time. I could see my brother in him- but then he got out of the car and I realized he stood at almost six feet in height.
My brother would look like a drenched poodle next to him. I do too. What does he feed on?
Standing in front of the beautiful sea-facing house I let the sound of shore calm me.
"Was he planning on ditching me today?" Sighing I ask. He frowns down at me. Almost as if he can't figure me out. As if he wants to ask why I was doing this when I had a choice.
No woman deserves to be ditched or humiliated. My palms sweat, I flex my jittery fingers as I answer.
"What's your reason?" An awaited question.
"I do have a choice. But I am not brave enough to choose" I don't think I can ever make the first move.
"I don't understand" he scratched his brows.
"Neither do I" standing with my entire weight upon the ankles I insert my hands in the pocket "But if I walk away from this arrangement, your father will force him into another prospect. And if it turns out to be an equally powerful alliance, he will forever remain trapped in it"
His crease intensifies.
Understandable.
"He will have his freedom with me. And all I would ask him in return is his friendship. He can leave the day he doesn't want to pretend anymore"
His lips form an oh, but then as the realism of my utterance settles, his eyes go wide.
I should open a school. I am good with kids.
"You surprise me" as we step in, he removes his shoe by the racks, meanwhile I inspected the meager paparazzi strolling by the gates. Barricaded by the guards that had opened the slides for us. When I removed my shoes I was glad the junior Kim wasn't interested in knowing the theme of my sock. I stretched my toes. The rich maroon rug was like yarn to a kitten's claw. So posh and soft. My jetlag-infested lungs articulate a sigh.
"Mom is out and the last time I saw Dad and Lee, they both were arguing inside their study" he looks from left to right. With unease, he chuckled. He had no clue how to handle a guest. I don't too.
"What's your name?" I ask finally.
"Aaron. Aaron Kim" he says. I did take note. Most of their names are English. Even his.
"Thanks for the ride Aaron," I say grateful to have an insight from him.
"I must thank you for your patience and- and for what you are doing for him," he said retreating a step but he sounded authentic so I don't pry "take the first right up the stairs and then round to the administrative hall. You'll find the room"
"You aren't coming?" I piqued. A whiplash of apprehensiveness controls my emotions.
"No" he finishes, distancing further. "You see this jacket? It's his. He'll pounce on me if he knows I stole it" with that he was gone. With his scrambled echo reflecting the house. Taking the yield of my problems I saunter. East to west as Aaron had mapped it up for me. The compartment was huge, if it wasn't for the voices dishing out of the semi ajar room by the end of the corridor I stood in, I would've given up.
"YOU WILL DO AS I SAY" yelled the gruff, mortifying tone. It was faint- but the more steps are taken the brutal the screams were. What kind of old man has this much stamina in him?
"You are too loud. Where's your ear aid gramps?" I wasn't foreseeing an exhausted reply to it. But I hear it. Clear and crystal.
"He will do as his father commands it," adds another demanding man.
"How about I do what I want to" the youthful one again.
"Do what you want?" like punch an administrator when you should be hugging and making contacts with them?" the yelling and screaming intensifies as the sentence meets the end.
"For the love of God, It was just a shove. How was I supposed to know that he was anemic and would fall off the last two stairs? And he was the one who started it- what I did was in defense" he said as if he was putting out facts for his father for the hundredth wise. He probably was saying it for the time.
"It doesn't matter what the truth is. The public believes in media"
"WHY ARE YOU BOTH WHISPERING? SPEAK LIKE A MAN"
It wasn't surreptitious. The room beheld three generations under its roofs. And that's seldom a positive factor.
"HE MEETS THE GIRL AND MARRIES ONLY IF THEY FIT EACH OTHERS LIKES" I had to push my index inside my ear.
"My poor ears" can relate with him.
"You marry her even if she sells lab rats for a living" what?
I don't sell lab rats.
"I want to go back to the states" he recent hissing.
"There is nothing left for you there"
Tapping my legs I waited for more drama. Eavesdropping always led to a closure- but with this, it didn't. So when I heard the ruffles- angry movements I backed off. A little.
"Son. I am sorry. I didn't mean that" it was a ripe shame I detected when the father said it, but there was no response to it- instead the door flung open- so harsh that my skin welcomed the rush of air that came with the man who stood by the frame blocking the view inside.
As tall as his brother and as legitimately pissed as anyone who should be in his position, he stood there with a stony face when he saw an interruption in the hallway.
His brows were something I envied the second I saw him- he was breathtaking. But so was I. And So is everyone in their own way. He had healthy skin, a trained physique, and a black t-shirt on. If it wasn't for the yellow printed pajamas he wore- I would've taken him seriously. And there was also something else-
Right now the only thing that mattered was not letting my anxiety get the best of me. So I raise my hand and awkwardly waved with a smile.
He looks at me, from head to toe and it stops at the toe- he frowns, his lips twitched.
"I hate looney tunes" he embarks. When he looks up I hold his gaze. now frowning.
Then in a matter of fact tone, I replied with a narrowed gaze.
"You are wearing their limited edition pants"
A vapor of casual bitterness passed between us. And by the edgy arched brows of his- it was palpable that we aren't having the dinner together that I am here for.
"It doesn't change the fact that I hate it" his voice was- to simply put this- he sounds precise and masculine. The right touch and blend of bold and civil. Though the way he presented it as of now was disrespectful. But I see where he comes from.
I don't like looney tunes either. The sock was a birthday gift from Hwan, my brother.
But I am still mystified about why this man here was so adamant about proving his point.
None of us moved. He crossed his arms impatiently, frowning at his feet and then at me.
"I am not hungry. I'll leave" I say flicking my thumb behind my shoulder, trudging on that same damn spot thinking-
This is how I lose. I saw a flash of regret silhouette his features. But he accentuates them into a stoic nod.
Was I embarrassed?
Yes.
But was I angry and embarrassed?
A huge yes.
But both the emotions canceled each other out so I decided to leave when-
"YOU ARE NOT IN YOUR STRAIGHT MIND"
Oh to be the grandfather. Automatically, I kept my plan of walking away on the side and scrutinized the onset of thunders that came from the room.
"And you are not in your right state of ears" a pause "put this on father. I don't have a healthy heart for this"
The skin by the cheekbone of his went pale. The tip of his tongue grazed the inside of his front teeth in calculated frustration. He avoids my gaze, but the second it met, I know he had too many things in his mind.
"I know what he is like. He can't make a good decision. For the sake of god, he wanted to become a professional dishwasher when he was a kid" the love of his father for his beloved son seeped out. And with it- flowed revelations that no one asked for. But none protested.
But it was lawful. After Lee had deliberately insulted me, I deserve to bask in his infamy.
"You should go" he takes a quick step when I stop him with a hand gesture.
"No. I should know"
As I said it- the Granpa began. Making my haste decision to stay a minute more the best thing tonight.
"WHATS WRONG IN BECOMING A DISHWASHER. HE HAS GOT THE FACE OF A JANITOR. ALSO HE IS GOOD AT IT- HE IS THE ONE WHO CLEANS MY DENTURES EVERYDAY FOR ME"
Face of a janitor?
When he ran a hand through his face, pretending to be unaffected by it- I see it, he had it in him. Face of a great looking janitor. I mean, it's his dream- who am I to judge?
"You are accustomed to screaming aren't you father. Then listen, he is my son and I know him from his diaper days-
Every father knows their kids from there. But- exclaiming was fine too.
"AND I KNOW YOU FROM YOUR DIAPER DAYS"
"But with Lee everything was different"
"HE WAS JUST LIKE ANYOTHER KID. STOP USING HIS WEAKNES-
Then Lee was gone, he stormed out from the corridor muttering profanities like a sacred chant. Once he was gone, I let out a sigh-
The banter wasn't about to stop soon, And I was out right behind him as soon as I felt the personal issue jam in. He walked to right while I went left by the divider. He knew I was right out with him, probably that will let him know that I didn't cross the line.
He didn't acknowledged it. But it was apparent.
Slowly I tracked my way through- tired and hungry.
-so I pulled out a bar of granola from my bag and ate my way through the mansion pondering over the short information I had of him.
He is somewhere between man and a boy
It's what Dad had his personality concluded within.
And he couldn't be more true.
🙃so wazup? I will get back to replying once I am done with my chores. But so far I love how many old readers I am meeting here. I've missed you all 😍🥺