"Six weeks ago, South Korean-based SH Venture Capital surprised the biotech industry with their winning bid to acquire New York biotech startup GenOne. Then they announced a second acquisition of German genetic testing innovator Minerva. The proposed merger will put SH Venture Capital on the cutting edge of genetic research with the means to target consumers directly for specific therapies. This morning I'm joined by Ji-pyeong Han, Vice President of SH Venture Capital. Mr. Han, thank you for joining us."
Ji-pyeong nodded his head and smiled.
"Thank you for having me."
"Your reputation for foresight precedes you, Mr. Han. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal ran pieces this week highlighting the ways in which this merger could revolutionize the genetic therapies market. What will a combined GenOne and Minerva look like a year from now?"
He leaned forward as if the host had just asked the most interesting question in the world.
"How did you know that is exactly what I was hoping to talk about, Ms. Foster?"
Ji-pyeong flashed a bright smile revealing his dimples across ten television monitors all at once. Mi-rae almost spit out her coffee.
Those dimples are going to be the death of me.
Chris leaned over.
"You okay?"
She nodded, choking back a cough.
Then Chris folded his arms and nodded at the soundstage.
"Thirty seconds in and he already has her eating out of his hand."
You have no idea.
Mi-rae bit the side of her mouth at the way the host was looking at Ji-pyeong. Not that she could blame her. Ji-pyeong was wearing a cobalt blue suit with a white shirt and black tie. His hair was swept back so precisely that it made her stomach flip to think she had actually run her fingers through it. A white pocket square with black piping was peeking flirtatiously from the corner of the monitor screen.
The tailoring was exquisite. And so was he. Mi-rae leaned to the left to look at him beyond the monitors and cameras.
He is probably the most attractive guest to ever grace CNBC's Squawk on the Street. How is that poor host even concentrating?
Because Mi-rae was having trouble concentrating. As Ji-pyeong answered the question exactly as they had rehearsed, her eyes remained resolutely on his face. But Mi-rae's mind was wandering far beyond.
I can't believe that man is ...my boyfriend?
She cocked her head questioningly. The word sounded alien. It was both an absurd proposition and yet woefully insufficient to capture Han Ji-pyeong. Mi-rae was watching the vice president of her client give a live interview on national television about a merger at the center of a media whirlwind for the last four days.
He was also the man that she was head over heels in love with.
Mi-rae had joked that the pergola looked like a passageway to a different world. Her words had proven prescient. She was thirty five years old. Mi-rae had believed herself to be in love before. Indeed, she had been married for five years. But nothing had ever felt like this. Kim Mi-rae had been living her life in black and white. Now the world was bursting in technicolor.
If she was honest with herself, Mi-rae knew that she was crossing a point of no return the moment she woke up on Sunday morning. But she could not help it. As elusive as happiness had proven in her life, Mi-rae's heart was not so scarred that she could bear turning away from it. And so she had made yet another pact with herself. She could do the things that she wanted to for Han Ji-pyeong. She was allowed to spend time with him. She could just be with him. None of that was prohibited under any code of ethics. Even if she knew that she was falling in love with him.
Ji-pyeong had once claimed no one cared about him. By the end of Saturday night, Kim Mi-rae knew that was no longer true. She did. On Sunday morning, Mi-rae could not stop thinking about how his mouth had drawn into a sad straight line when asked about his birthday. Or how he was probably alone in a hotel room wondering why her actions did not match her words. Her heart could not bear false witness even if she did not yet know how to confess it. It was not a plan so much as allowing herself to walk down a path unsure of where it would lead.
It led to that place — the place bursting with green, purple, and the truth. Ji-pyeong stood there like the eye in a hurricane of their own making and told her that he felt the same. That he would be there no matter what. He patiently listened to every doubt. He offered only his heart without glib answers. And the scars on her own had yielded. She believed him. Suddenly the problem was turned on its head: how could she walk away from such a man who felt as she did and call that the "right" choice?
Mi-rae closed her eyes as his voice filled the soundstage. She was back there. With him. His lips on her lips, his hands on her body. She had lost herself in his arms and he had surrendered to her in return. Mi-rae opened her eyes and stared at his lush lips as they formed words that now sounded very far away. She began to imagine what else they were capable of. Then her eyes immediately sought refuge in her suede heels.
When Mi-rae had emerged from the other side of that place, she felt like the opposite of being reckless. Ji-pyeong held her hand firmly and immediately began managing risk with a fierce focus on optics and her professional reputation. Together they set the parameters of how they would comport themselves in public and in communications over the next several weeks until the deal was closed. As she listened to him leave no detail to chance, Mi-rae felt a strange sense of calm. Despite the frenzied promise of what they could be together a few moments before, Ji-pyeong did not ask her back to his hotel. Instead, he squeezed her hand and hailed a cab so that she could attend her scheduled calls. He was a man behaving as if this was all for a future that needed to be protected. Mi-rae loved him all the more for it.
And then Monday happened.
The CEO of GenOne, Erskin Dusk, went on a characteristic attention seeking tirade on Twitter complaining that Minerva and SH Venture Capital were dragging their feet on their due diligence. He publicly demanded a truncated time table to closure. That in turn set off a social media debate about the revolutionary potential of the two companies combining forces. Everyone from casual observers to industry experts debated the ethics of direct marketing based on previous genetic testing. By Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times ran stories on the merger featuring Han Ji-pyeong as the charismatic focal point. The narrative of an orphan turned visionary investor proved an enticingly easier angle than actually digging into the intricacies of a complex merger and acquisition. The deal team had barely gotten three hours of sleep a night ever since.
It left little time for Mi-rae and Ji-pyeong to explore what they now were since Sunday. Instead, they had spent the week side by side managing the public strategic maneuvering of the merger while trying to keep their internal due diligence on track. Mi-rae was grateful to have such a partner by her side. Ji-pyeong was as steady and deliberate in a professional crisis as he was at the park. Even if she did now have to manage being in the same room with him knowing that he could kiss like that.
Chris nudged her arm.
"That was a good answer don't you think? Although I'm sure it's going to drive Dusk crazy. I'm really starting to hate that guy."
Mi-rae blinked rapidly and forced herself to focus.
"Yeah I really don't like how he operates. It's making counsel for Minerva very nervous and I don't blame them."
"He's a showboat. That company will be better off when he's no longer in charge."
Chris frowned and turned back to the monitor. Ji-pyeong was leaning back in his chair to prepare himself for a final question.
"Mr. Han, how do you respond to critics who question the ethics of leveraging genetic testing data for marketing new therapies to consumers?"
Ji-pyeong nodded slightly as he considered the question.
"I think it's a very important question to ask. And one we should always keep asking. And that's why SH Venture Capital will establish an independent review board comprised of medical and legal experts that reports directly to shareholders to do exactly that. But let me tell you why this merger is so important."
He leaned forward and lowered his head. Mi-rae felt herself sway towards the monitor.
"I lost someone who was like a grandmother to me recently. She spent the last years of her life in darkness because of a degenerative eye condition. There was nothing that could have been done for her. But someday, there will be."
Ji-pyeong paused for a moment.
"Around the world, people do not always have the resources to seek out help. There was a time when I knew that better than most. The genetic therapies market is constantly evolving— it is the future of medicine. Wouldn't it be incredible if a company could do the work of finding the people that those advances can help? That is what is motivating SH Venture Capital in bringing GenOne and Minerva together. It's not only smart strategically. It's going to help a lot of people find the care that they need."
Mi-rae felt a sharp pain in her chest. It was not the answer that they had prepared. Loss lay just beneath the surface of everything that Ji-pyeong did.
Chris let out a breath as the host thanked Ji-pyeong and began transitioning to a commercial break.
"Nailed it. God he's good. I don't know why everyone made him sound like such a pain in the ass. Why can't all of our clients be this easy?"
"Mmhmm."
Mi-rae leaned past the monitor again. Ji-pyeong's eyes ticked over to her as he stood up. He immediately looked down, a small smile playing on his lips. It sent a tingle of excitement down her spine. Every time he looked at her like that she now knew that he felt everything that she did. And it made her so happy that Mi-rae felt giddy in the middle of this blackened television studio.
Ji-pyeong straightened his tie as he walked over them. She forced herself not to bounce on her heels as he approached.
"How did it go?"
He smiled slyly. She narrowed her eyes.
"You already know that it went very well."
He smirked and turned to Chris.
"Great job. Hey." Chris touched Ji-pyeong's shoulder. "I'm so sorry for your loss."
Ji-pyeong nodded his head silently.
"So, I'm going to head out to Long Island now and make sure everything's ready before everyone arrives. Mi-rae, Sam emailed to say he's going to stay the night in Fire Island and meet us tomorrow morning. Are you still driving out there or should I arrange a car for Ji-pyeong?"
They both looked at her. Mi-rae kept her eyes on Chris as butterflies took flight in her stomach. She swallowed and concentrated on making her voice sound normal.
"I have my car here. I can give him a ride."
She could feel Ji-pyeong's eyes on her as she clutched her attaché tightly. Then he cleared his throat.
"Actually do you mind if we head out a little bit later? I need to take a few calls on another matter that I've put off all week. I can always take a car if it's a problem."
Mi-rae felt a deflating disappointment of having to wait a few more hours to be with him after four days of waiting.
"No, that's fine."
Ji-pyeong nodded and began scrolling through his phone, distracted. Then he looked up at Chris.
"This other deal really needs my attention for a few hours. Chris, what time are you expecting us?"
Mi-rae stepped forward to manage expectations.
"The associates just finished their first pass on the documents last night. They're pulling together the supporting binders for review now. It probably makes sense to review those all on our own tonight and begin as a group in the morning when Sam arrives."
Chris nodded.
"Sounds good. Okay well everyone can just roll in tonight on their own time and I'll have Chef on call if people get hungry. If we have to work through the Friday night of Memorial Day weekend at least we'll have a change of scenery."
Ji-pyeong looked taken a back at the casual way in which Chris referred to having a chef. Then he glanced at his watch.
"How long does it take to get out there?"
"Usually three hours but for Memorial Day weekend, I'd plan on a lot longer."
Then Chris's phone rang.
"I gotta take this. Okay I'll see you all tonight whenever. Great job, Ji-pyeong."
Chris patted him on the back and then walked back towards the green room.
Mi-rae looked up at Ji-pyeong. It was the first time they had truly been alone together since Sunday. She felt absurdly excited just to be with him.
"Hi."
His eyebrows lifted towards each other as he smiled. Now those dimples were for her. It made Mi-rae's heart want to burst.
"Hi."
His voice was low. She felt it in her belly. Then Ji-pyeong began steering them towards the elevators.
"I lied just then."
His eyes ticked down at her as he slipped his hands into his pockets. Mi-rae tilted her head in confusion.
"What?"
"I don't have anything else to do today." He dipped his head closer to her ear. "I just wanted some time with you."
She gasped, elated.
"You're diabolical.
Ji-pyeong did a double take.
"Oh really? You're the one who wore that suit when I needed to concentrate on national television."
Ji-pyeong's eyes dipped up and down the length of her white suit. Then he punched the elevator button hard. Her legs felt like jelly. He had been a shameless flirt only on the phone all week; that voice in her ear saying things that made her face feel hot. She could not get enough. But it was something else entirely in person.
The doors sprang open. He motioned for her to enter first and indulged his eyes again. Mi-rae's eyes widened in delighted admonishment. She was about to playfully reprimand him when Ji-pyeong clucked the roof of his mouth.
"Careful. We are in a building owned by the press..."
He bowed his head trying to hide a smirk.
Mi-rae scoffed and walked past him into the elevator, intentionally brushing his arm. Then she pressed the last parking level and moved to the back of the elevator. Ji-pyeong was immediately beside her as more people filed in. She stared at the thirty eight floors that they had to travel before they could be alone as if she could will it to go faster with her eyes alone.
Ji-pyeong shifted closer as the elevator began its descent. Mi-rae could feel the back of his hand just beyond hers. She could not abide not touching him any longer. Mi-rae slowly brushed the back of her hand against his. The sensation of his skin against hers made her feel heady but she dared not look up at him.
Instead, Mi-rae's fingers slipped inside his hand like explorers mapping a new world. His hand turned to welcome her pilgrimage. As five people exited on the thirtieth floor, her index finger traced the lines of his palm as if trying to read hints of their future. Only one person got off at the twenty-fifth floor. The rest of her fingers joined in tracing lazy circles as the lights marked their next stop on the tenth floor. Then there were only two men left on the elevator with them. Her thumb dared to cross the soft expanse of his wrist as she stared at their remaining unwelcomed companions.
Get off now.
Mi-rae allowed her eyes to drift up as her fingers now claimed the back of his hand too. Ji-pyeong was staring straight ahead as if his hand was not connected to the rest of his body. She dragged her thumb down the length of his wrist into the cradle of his palm. A thrill of triumph coursed through her as his adam's apple plunged along with it.
The elevator reached the lobby and both men exited. Mi-rae bit her lip in silent prayer that no one else would enter. The doors then began heaving towards one another in excruciating slow motion. Her hand stilled as she listened to Ji-pyeong take a deep breath just before they met to form a definitive straight line.
Finally, they were alone.
Suddenly he was all that she could see. Ji-pyeong crowded her against the wall. One hand found an anchor beside her head. All of the air wooshed out of her lungs at once. His eyes searched her face like he was seeing her for the first time.
"God I missed you."
Mi-rae tried to absorb the piercing way that he was looking at her as the scent of his cologne filled her head. She felt like she was losing her balance even with the wall against her back.
"You were with me all week."
Ji-pyeong tilted his head as his eyes narrowed. Then he leaned in closer as if he would not tolerate the space between them any more than her demure deflection. Mi-rae took in a shaky breath as her eyes ticked down to his lips.
Then the elevator doors opened behind him. Ji-pyeong raised a teasing eyebrow and then pushed away from her.
Dear god.
Mi-rae's eyes searched the floor for a measure of calm as she followed him into the parking garage. He was walking quickly and her heels rang out sharply as she tried to keep up. As they rounded the corner from the elevator bank, Ji-pyeong suddenly stopped. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door to the stairwell. In a moment, she was back against a wall. Ji-pyeong claimed her lips immediately.
His kiss was demanding as he pulled her into his arms. Mi-rae yielded to him immediately in every way — her lips opened to welcome him as she sank into his embrace. She felt as if she could finally breathe again as she wound her arms around his neck. Her fingers sought the soft refuge of his hair even as she pressed against the hard contours of his chest. Everything about him was a dizzying storm of contrasts.
She pulled him even closer as their kiss deepened. Her eagerness seemed to break something open in him. His hands seized her face as if he could not get enough. Mi-rae tried to show him how it was the same for her — that just being in this moment was both everything and yet could not nearly suffice. Days of going without touching him poured out of her now as her hands roved beneath his jacket and up the expanse of his back. She now claimed the muscles at work beneath her fingers. He made a small sound against her mouth as she slipped down to his waist and pulled him between her legs. His lips were greedier still as his hands now thrust into her hair. They became impatient and wild together as Mi-rae slid down against the wall.
A door slammed loudly far above them and they both froze, startled. Ji-pyeong clenched his jaw and leaned his forehead against hers trying to regain his composure.
A steady drip of water pierced the heavy silence between them.
Ji-pyeong let out a shaky breath as he smoothed the hair from her face.
"Let's get out of the city."
She nodded, not yet capable of speech. His eyes mapped every inch of her face before he smiled ruefully. Then Ji-pyeong pressed a kiss to her forehead and pulled her away from the wall by the hand.
They were quiet as Mi-rae led them to where she had parked. As if the searing reminder of what they could be to one another had to be reconciled with how they were supposed to act in front of prying eyes.
Then Ji-pyeong stopped.
"Oh she is beautiful, Mi-rae."
Her eyes followed his gaze to her red convertible. She giggled at the reverence in his voice.
"Please. You drive a car worth more than ten times this."
Ji-pyeong ignored her as he ran his fingers along the side of the car.
"So this is your lady. You have no idea how much I imagined you driving this."
Mi-rae threw her head back and laughed as she unlocked the doors and slid into the driver's seat. He folded his tall frame awkwardly into the small confines of the MG.
"Did you also think about how someone as tall as you was going to fit in a car this small?"
Ji-pyeong chuckled as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Um, I admit that I did not think about that part. It's fine though."
She eyed him doubtfully. His legs were comically too long for the front seat.
"After we grab your luggage, where do you want to go?"
He leaned over excitedly.
"Let's get out to the island and just make it up as we go along."
Ji-pyeong looked so happy that she could feel herself grinning. She leaned over and tucked the silk that was now spilling out of his jacket pocket. Mi-rae had grown fond of his array of pocket squares; they were the daily indulgence of an otherwise exceedingly practical man. Then she traced her fingers down the side of his face.
"Just the two of us without a plan, huh?"
Her words had deeper import but she felt strangely at peace. Ji-pyeong seized her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm as if to say the same.
Then Mi-rae turned the ignition.
***********
They finally emerged from the sprawling congestion of Queens. Ji-pyeong finished sending a flurry of emails and then bid a dramatic farewell to his professed favorite borough. Red (Taylor's Version) was playing softly in the background. She had not questioned out loud why Ji-pyeong put it on. But she had caught the smile he tried to hide when "I Knew You Were Trouble" came on. The idea that he had been exploring Taylor Swift's catalog on his own since their night of karaoke made her toes wiggle with delight within the narrow confines of her heels.
They had decided to take the long way across the north of Long Island — far away from anyone that they could possibly run into even by chance. Ji-pyeong was now holding her hand as the breeze whipped over them. Mi-rae aggressively maneuvered around holiday traffic as he asked questions about nearly everything that they passed. It felt good to be with him in the sunshine again. Mi-rae was bursting with so much emotion every time she was around him that it had felt profane to hide it all week.
His thumb swept across the back of her hand.
"This week was so hard."
She glanced at him. As always, it was as if he could read her mind effortlessly.
"Add Erskin Dusk to my hate list. I knew he was a blowhard but now I just do not trust that guy." He shook his head. "And because of him, we've been together for five days and I haven't even been able to take you out on a proper date."
Ji-pyeong's mouth formed a pout.
"It was a terrible week. I don't know how we are still standing after such little sleep. But Ji-pyeong..." She smiled at him until it coaxed his frown away. "It was also a good week."
A lovely smile carved dimples into his cheeks once again.
"It was."
Ji-pyeong turned his body towards her and leaned his elbow against the corner of the headrest.
"So is this our first date? Or do we count it as Sunday?" His head fell softly into the awaiting cradle of his hand. Then his forehead wrinkled. "Or was it the game?"
Mi-rae bit her lip as she looked over at him. He had taken off his jacket and tie. The wind was playing with his hair. This Ji-pyeong was a different man than the one she had first laid eyes on alone at the bar. Mi-rae marveled at the transformation.
"You pick."
His mouth quirked.
"Hmmm. The game felt like a date but...let's say Sunday. I like the idea of you asking me out first."
She burst out laughing. Then Mi-rae squeezed his hand before letting go to prepare to exit onto route 25A. If they were going to take their time then she wanted Ji-pyeong to see as much of the water as he could.
"So Sam bailed on us, huh? Do you think he knows?"
Mi-rae glanced at Ji-pyeong and decided to tell the truth.
"I think he's been suspicious since we all met. And I remember him teasing me at karaoke. He knows something is up. But he has not asked and I haven't told him anything. Max has a place on Fire Island so I suspect that's the reason for this last minute plan."
Ji-pyeong nodded approvingly.
"Good for him. Poor Chris is waiting on everyone's dates and doesn't know it."
Mi-rae sucked in her lips and tried not to laugh at her mentor's expense. But his lack of social awareness was a blessing right now.
"So where do you usually drive to when you take this car out?"
"Oh nowhere in particular. Sometimes I drive around Westchester. I like the quiet woods out there."
Mi-rae could feel his eyes on her as she slowed down to just nudging past the speed limit on the two lane road. Her loss reminded her of his answer earlier today.
"Ji-pyeong. I didn't know that your grandmother inspired your thinking behind this deal. She lost her eyesight?"
She worried for a moment that she was prying but Ji-pyeong did not flinch.
"Yes. It's why I stayed in Korea. After everything happened with her granddaughter I was thinking of moving somewhere else..."
Mi-rae felt an irrational pang of jealousy.
That was years ago Mi-rae. Stop.
"But I couldn't bear to leave her after she lost her sight. So I stayed."
Mi-rae's mind flooded with questions. If he had wanted to run away from where he had built his career, Ji-pyeong must have indeed been in love. Cold dread filled her chest. If that woman had said yes then he would not be next to her now. But then a flicker of hope stirred amidst her envy. Ji-pyeong had considered living elsewhere before.
It's a second date. Don't get ahead of yourself.
His hand touched her arm.
"Hey, you seem far away. What are you thinking about?"
She glanced at his furrowed brow and then back ahead at the slowing traffic.
"Oh nothing in particular. Did you figure out where we're headed?"
Ji-pyeong sat up excitedly and held up his phone. A photograph of a wine glass in front of the water was on the screen.
"Yes! You may be driving but this is my date."
Mi-rae forced away her thoughts and smiled as he tried to assert authority from the passenger seat.
"Greenport. There's a winery there called Kontokosta where we can eat by the water. I made a reservation."
"A winery?" Mi-rae curled her toes in delight. "Mr. Han, that's quite a second date."
He leaned his head back against the headrest.
"Well, when your girlfriend is the kind of woman who plans a picnic in Central Park, you better bring your A game."
Mi-rae's head snapped in his direction at the word "girlfriend." He had claimed it with zero hesitation. Ji-pyeong just turned his head to look at her. He smiled slyly as if daring her to contest it.
Mi-rae shook her head fighting a smile as she once again focused on the road.
"Okay, plug it into your GPS."
They rode in a comfortable silence. Mi-rae stole glances of Ji-pyeong every moment that she could. He had rolled the sleeves of his white dress shirt up. The sun lended a golden glow to him as the wind continued to tousle his hair thoroughly. He was shielding his eyes from the bright sunshine as the suburban sprawl ceded to more pastoral pleasures. His fingers absentmindedly grazed hers every now and then as he took in the novel sights around them.
Red began again from the beginning. Mi-rae realized with surprise that they had already passed "All Too Well" and she had not even realized it. Whether it was the sun on her face or just sitting next to him, Mi-rae felt warm all over. He was beautiful and — at least for now — he was hers.
An alert pinged his phone and he groaned.
"There's an accident ahead. Thirty minute delay."
Mi-rae's eyes traced his profile as he glared at his phone. The sharp turn of his jaw clenched in frustration. She too felt a wild impatience with anything intruding on this precious time.
I am not wasting what little time we have sitting in traffic.
Mi-rae peered ahead and squinted at a sign a quarter of a mile away. It was marking the exit for Cold Spring Harbor State Park. She gritted her teeth. Then Mi-rae turned the wheel of the car sharply and plunged her foot down on the gas pedal. She barreled up the shoulder past the line of cars stopped in traffic as Ji-pyeong gasped in shock.
"What are you doing?"
Ji-pyeong braced himself against the console.
Mi-rae took a sharp left in reply and only slowed when the road turned to gravel under the tires. She drove past the state park welcome sign and across the empty lot past the hiking trail heads. When she reached the edge of the forest, Mi-rae shifted the car into park, turned the ignition off, and removed her seatbelt.
Only then did she turn to look at Ji-pyeong. He was staring at her with eyes as wide as saucers. There was nothing but the sound of birds and cicadas now in the wake of her rashness. Mi-rae steeled herself to claim what she wanted.
"I'm not going to just sit there for thirty minutes. There are other things I'd rather be doing."
Ji-pyeong's mouth dropped open in surprise but she kissed him before he could say a word. Shock quickly gave way to enthusiasm as he kissed her back, hard. Mi-rae gasped and then pulled away.
Confusion filled his eyes until she quickly shed her jacket and climbed into his lap. Ji-pyeong stared up at her, eyes still wide and his hands suspended in the air. Mi-rae slid her thighs on either side of his and then leaned into him.
He was so close to her now. The wild impulse inside of her crashed to a sudden halt as she took in his face.
Her fingers played with his hair. Ji-pyeong looked up at her with such longing that her throat tightened. Mi-rae traced the shape of him and then drew him up to her. He murmured something that she did not understand as she pressed her lips to his. Mi-rae answered by teasing the seam of him with her tongue; luxuriating in how he slowly gave way to her. Then the velvet wet of his mouth was hers.
They kissed as if it was a rehearsal for what was inevitable between them. His fingers sank into her hips and Mi-rae began to move against him. Ji-pyeong gasped against her mouth and pulled her closer. Then the hot press of his lips were on her neck. Her fingers curled into his shoulders as he left a blistering path upon the delicate skin. Need blossomed deep within her at the behest of his warm, wet mouth.
She let out a shuddering breath before she claimed that mouth once again. He kissed her like a promise of how he would someday move inside of her — slowly, uncompromising, and insistent on giving her pleasure. Ji-pyeong was a current pulling her in only one conceivable direction. She wanted to drown in it.
His hands tentatively slid along the edge of her shell tank for what seemed like forever. Mi-rae pressed herself against him to demand more. Ji-pyeong finally gave in and slid his hands underneath. They were hot and strong as he gripped her back. She sank against his chest at the feel of his hands finally on her skin. As his fingers spanned her lower back, Mi-rae tried to show how much she wanted him. She did not care if it was the middle of the day in a parking lot. She needed to know what it felt like to have his hands all over her.
But his hands were stubbornly slow as his lips teased her. Mi-rae whimpered. Ji-pyeong broke away and laughed softly against her mouth.
"Mi-rae ..."
He looked around them nervously.
She took his face into her hands.
"I don't care."
His eyes went dark with want. Mi-rae dragged her thumb across the plush pillow of his lips. They were wet from her. And it made her want to put her mouth all over his body. Mi-rae surged down and pressed a kiss to his neck. The smell of citrus and sandalwood filled her head as she tasted his skin for the first time. His fingers pressed into her back. Then she opened her mouth and they pressed even harder.
His hands slid down and curved around her waist as she explored him. It was as if Ji-pyeong had decided to let her do whatever she wanted. And so she kissed and teased his neck until his fingers dug fiercely into her backside. She took the lobe of his ear between her teeth and thrilled in how he gasped. Then she pressed a kiss to the indent at the base of his throat as her hand slid down his chest. She could feel him swallow against her lips as her hand came to rest between his legs. Mi-rae wanted to touch him more than anything.
Ji-pyeong surged up to kiss her and swiftly took control. All of a sudden his hands were fumbling with the button to her pants.
Oh my god.
Mi-rae kissed him wildly, reaching to do the same but he seized her hands. Ji-pyeong broke away and slowly slid her hands up and around his neck. His eyes commanded that they stay there. And then he circled one arm around her waist and pulled her closer.
Ji-pyeong slipped a hand along her jaw and drew her down for a kiss. His lips moved slowly, as if to calm her as much as seduce her. And then his fingers traced the length of her face, down her neck. And then they just kept moving down. They trailed down over the silk of her top between her breasts and over her stomach. Mi-rae felt like her entire existence depended on whatever his hand did next.
His fingers slipped back under her shirt and danced along her belly. Her kiss grew more desperate as she urged him either up or down— anywhere without a barrier between them. Ji-pyeong grazed just below the open button of her pants. Then he pulled away from her mouth and looked at her searchingly.
He was asking permission.
Mi-rae swallowed hard. She would give all of herself to him right now if he asked.
"Please."
It was all that she could manage out loud. Then Mi-rae closed her eyes and sucked in a breath as his hand obeyed. His lips once again found hers as his fingers gently skimmed along the edge of her underwear. They teased the sensitive skin of her abdomen until she impatiently dug her fingers into his neck. He obeyed her again and slipped below. Mi-rae gasped as he touched her. Now his fingers were the eager pilgrims.
He chased every reaction like he was studying her; his lips softly caressing hers as his fingers worshiped below. His touch was dizzying. She wanted more and more. She clutched at his neck and whimpered against his lips. Mi-rae could feel him smiling willfully against her.
"Ji-pyeong..."
He finally yielded to her plea and slipped inside of her.
Mi-rae's head dropped down to his shoulder. His arm tightened around her waist as he began to move his fingers purposefully. She could hear herself shamelessly making noises but it was as if it was coming from someone else. All she could do was chase the pleasure he was offering.
The coil of want that he had slowly stoked within her began to unwind as he now commanded. He lowered the heel of his hand in deliberate circles against her. Mi-rae sank into his seduction with abandon. She moved her hips along with him and lost any thought but his precious hand between her legs.
She closed her eyes to the dappled light under the trees. She stopped thinking about whether this was all that would happen between them. And then she gave in.
She gave in to the expertly wrought seduction of his fingers.
She gave in to the pleasure that rushed through her body in waves.
She gave in to him. And Ji-pyeong gathered all of her into the palm of his hand and drove her over the edge into an abyss.
Lights flashed behind her eyelids as Mi-rae came to a shuddering finish in his arms. Then he withdrew his hand and simply held her against his chest. The wind rustled the tall pines above them. Mi-rae recovered her breath against his white shirt as the birds went along with their chattering as if nothing had happened.
Her mind was reeling.
Is that what it's supposed to feel like?
No one had ever made her feel that way. Mi-rae buried her face in his chest, suddenly shy.
"What just happened?"
His laughter rumbled against her ear deep from within his chest. Then he pulled back so that she would look at him.
"You. You happened."
Ji-pyeong tucked her hair behind her ear and then kissed her forehead. When their eyes met again, his face was soft with affection.
"I am absolutely crazy about you."
Mi-rae bit her lip, overwhelmed. Then Ji-pyeong looked around the tiny confines of the car.
"But one of these days we really need to try a bed."
She giggled and then inched up his chest eagerly. Mi-rae felt drunk with wanting him.
"So let's do that right now."
His eyes widened and a puff of air escaped his lips.
"God don't tempt me."
Mi-rae sat up.
Tempt him?
She had just fallen apart in his arms in broad daylight.
"Why not?"
Ji-pyeong's hands flew up as if to calm himself. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a breath. When he opened them again he was deadly serious.
"Mi-rae. We've only been together for five days. We have all the time in the world."
She felt a pang of uncertainty.
Do we?
"I don't want you to ever look back and regret."
The breeze moved again through the trees all around them. Want yielded to love. He was unlike any man she had ever known. Mi-rae carefully arranged the hair falling across his forehead. Then she sat back and just looked at him. Her heart was so full.
"I'm absolutely crazy about you too."
She leaned in and kissed him softly. He wrapped his arms around her tightly. Finally, Mi-rae pulled back and smiled.
"Then take me on a date, Ji-pyeong."
He just looked at her. Ji-pyeong nodded silently. She felt an irrational twinge of worry.
"Are you okay?"
"Of course ... it's just..." He shifted under her.
"Oh god! Let me get off of you."
Mi-rae scrambled to button her pants and extricate herself from his lap.
"Mi-rae."
He grabbed her hands quickly to stop her. A small smile curved up his lips.
"That's not it." He released her and then caressed her hands softly. "What I was going to say is that when we had to be so careful in the office this week, I ... I sometimes wondered if I had dreamed that Sunday happened."
Mi-rae looked down at their hands as she threaded her fingers back through his. So much of this did seem like a dream. How could she feel so much for him already? How could a man like him feel the same for her? Mi-rae needed this to be real so much that her chest ached. It was terrifying how hard she had fallen for Ji-pyeong.
"It feels that way doesn't it? Like a dream?"
Her voice broke a little as she looked back up at him. Ji-pyeong pulled her against his chest and held her fast. He buried his face in her hair.
"It's real, Mi-rae."
She could feel his lips moving so she knew that it was the truth, at least for now.
Mi-rae hugged him back until the distant sound of gravel crunching startled both of them.
"Oh my god!"
Mi-rae dove into the driver's seat in a panic.
"Agh!"
She whipped her head to find Ji-pyeong clutching his shoulder.
"Oh no! What happened?"
"You just kneed me in the shoulder."
He doubled over laughing as her hands flew to her mouth in shock.
"Ji-pyeong! I'm so sorry!"
He laughed even harder but then the sound of another car approaching grew louder. A minivan with three kayaks fastened to the roof was making its way across the parking lot. A child stared at them blankly through an open window. They looked at each other in abject embarrassment.
Mi-rae frantically turned the car on and immediately peeled out in the opposite direction. Ji-pyeong folded his arms over the side of his door and laid his head down laughing.
"We just absolutely got busted."
A bubble of laughter peeled from her lips as his shoulders shook. He gasped for air.
"I'm sorry Mi-rae ...this one's on you. I was a model of decorum in the office all week."
Mi-rae shot him a withering look as he grinned.
"You had me against a wall in a stairwell in the CNBC building, Ji-pyeong."
He shrugged.
"I have a love-hate relationship with you and elevators." He smirked knowingly at her. It made her mouth go dry. "So I'm not even going to say sorry."
Ji-pyeong chuckled as he checked his phone.
God he is a lot.
"The traffic has cleared."
Mi-rae stifled a smug smile.
"I'm going to call the winery to confirm the online reservation now that we got ...delayed."
She caught him fighting a grin and had to stop herself from audibly reacting. After his call, Ji-pyeong grabbed her hand. He did not let go the whole way there.
By the time they reached Kontokosta, Ji-pyeong had delighted in the coastal views, lighthouses, and boats along the way like a child on his first vacation.
"I never imagined that New York could look like this. It's all farms and villages out here."
"And the very wealthy playing at farmer. I swear every client talks about opening a sustainable, organic vineyard after an IPO."
Ji-pyeong smirked at her sarcasm.
"I've actually never been to a vineyard."
Mi-rae looked at him in surprise.
"But you know so much about wine!"
"I guess I'm good at buying things. But not very good at enjoying myself."
The simple statement made Mi-rae feel wistful. She thought of the man drinking bourbon alone and wished she could travel back in time to ease the regret from his voice. All she could do was squeeze his hand now before turning into the long driveway.
They passed endless rows of grape vines as they made their way up the hill. The sun filtered through the bright green of the spring growth. The vines seemed both strong and tenuous sprawling across their wooden frames— purposefully being made to struggle by gods beyond their control in order to bear richer fruit. A large weathered barn loomed large above the carefully cultivated green all around them. The air smelled like soil and the sea.
Mi-rae parked in a cordoned off area and stretched as she stood up. Then she took off her heels and padded around on the grass to the trunk. By the time she located her espadrilles in her suitcase and closed it, she looked up to find Ji-pyeong waiting. He was leaning against the car with his jacket swung over his shoulder. His long legs were stretched out in front of him, the white of his shirt and blue of his pants both vibrant in the afternoon sun. Ji-pyeong looked like a classic film star casually lounging against her vintage car. Mi-rae's face felt suddenly hot that she had behaved so wildly with him an hour ago. But the way he was looking at her made Mi-rae want to do it all over again.
"Shall we head up?"
She nodded silently. Ji-pyeong captured her hand once again. He was grinning as he gently pulled her along the worn grass path. His fingers tangled within hers endlessly.
"It's pretty isn't it? The water must be just over the hill."
Mi-rae looked around curiously.
"It's so quiet though. It's a holiday weekend but it seems like we're the only two people here."
Ji-pyeong tugged on her hand as they neared the tasting room.
"They try really hard making new things seem old here, huh?"
He peered up at the weathered clapboard exterior. Then he opened the door for her. Soaring cathedral ceilings were framed in black iron. It was elegantly contemporary inside.
A hostess approached them.
"Mr. Han? Please follow me to your table outside."
Ji-pyeong slid his hands into his pockets and waited for Mi-rae to go first.
There is nobody else here. What in the world?
The hostess opened large glass doors. There was a table set under a linen canopy on the patio. Grass stretched endlessly under a yawning blue sky. The gray of the Long Island Sound lay just beyond the tree line.
"We will be with you in just a moment."
Mi-rae eyed the exquisitely set table with three tasting glasses in front of each chair. Then she noted that there was not a single other table on the patio. On the Friday of Memorial Day weekend.
Ji-pyeong pulled a chair out for her to sit.
She eyed him questioningly.
"Ji-pyeong, what did you do?"
His brow furrowed a touch too dramatically
"What do you mean?"
"There's no one else here."
Ji-pyeong shrugged nonchalantly as he sat down.
He bought the vineyard out for the day.
She raised her eyebrow at him and stared at him until Ji-pyeong relented.
"We had to pretend all week. I just wanted to not have to look over our shoulder this afternoon."
It filled her with joy and trepidation at the same time. It was a grand romantic gesture — a table set for two by the sea. And yet she hated that they had to sneak around as if being together was wrong. Mi-rae swallowed and tried to tuck the worry away.
"Thank you Ji-pyeong. It's beautiful here."
He leaned forward on the table.
"Do you really like it?"
Mi-rae nodded as he eagerly sought her approval.
"I love it."
His mouth quirked, satisfied. Then the sommelier appeared with the first bottle. Golden liquid curled into the bottom of her glass. Mi-rae did not hear a word of the detailed description of what part of the vineyard the grapes came from or what flavor notes she should expect as a result. She only could see Ji-pyeong's face smiling at her as the breeze off the sea played with his hair. His eyes crinkled at the corners every time his grin widened. Then Ji-pyeong would duck his head shyly and it would begin all over again.
As soon as they were alone, Ji-pyeong took a sip of wine and sighed happily.
"I can't remember the last time I took an afternoon off. Or ...a vacation. Maybe three or four years ago?"
Mi-rae wanted to protest his lack of self care. But that would make her a hypocrite.
"I — I can't remember either."
He rested his elbows on the sides of the chair and tented his fingers. The tips met Ji-pyeong's lips thoughtfully.
"We should take a trip when this deal is done."
Mi-rae swallowed her wine and set the glass on the table. The crisp cold liquid did little to calm the sudden nervous burst in her stomach. Ji-pyeong spoke about the two of them like their future together was just a matter of fact. It took her breath away even if her brain could not figure out the puzzle of how that would work if SH Venture Capital continued to be a client of her firm. The media attention had only compounded the problem. She looked down at her hands and then met his gaze.
"I ... I would like that."
He eyed her carefully.
"We'll figure it out, Mi-rae."
Mi-rae's hand fluttered to her hair. A waiter appeared with a salad bursting with strawberries. They quietly absorbed the poetic explanation of everything that was locally sourced and why the flavors would compliment the sauvignon blanc that they were drinking. Mi-rae tried to fight the gnawing questions within her chest and focus on enjoying this beautiful setting with him.
Ji-pyeong chewed thoughtfully as he took in the view of the sea.
"So I'm looking at the Long Island Sound now, right?"
Mi-rae grasped at the safe topic like a bouey.
"Yes. Later tonight we will be on the Atlantic. But right now we are looking at the sound which is a lot calmer. Connecticut is directly across."
Ji-pyeong leaned back in his chair and smiled to himself.
"I feel like we're in East Egg." He cocked his head with uncertainty. "Or would it be West Egg? I could never keep it straight. But I can almost picture that damn green light right across the water."
The reference itself flickered like a dim light slowly growing brighter in Mi-rae's mind.
"Oh! The Great Gatsby ! Yes! It is set in Long Island. When did you read that?"
She was intrigued. A literary side to this financial wizard was a surprise. Ji-pyeong put his fork down.
"We read it in English class in high school. A man who is looked down on by those born with everything but makes his own way and becomes fabulously wealthy? Jay Gatsby was my hero even if his means were questionable."
He raised an eyebrow archly.
"Then I listened to it on audiobook to practice my English a year or two ago. It hit me a different way. I felt so sorry for Gatsby. Poor bastard does all that to chase a woman from the past who can never feel what he does and then dies because he is blamed for something that isn't even his fault. I mean, damn."
The snake of jealousy wound within her again, ready to strike.
Don't ask about it.
"Was it very hard... getting over her?"
Dammit.
Mi-rae squeezed her eyes shut in self reproach.
"Never mind."
"Yes."
His answer was so immediate that her stomach dropped. But Mi-rae forced herself to meet his gaze. It was her fault for asking. Ji-pyeong's face was grave and his eyes pierced right through her.
"But I feel more like myself with you in the time we've spent together than in all the years I've known her."
Mi-rae's fingers curled around her glass. It sounded crazy but she believed him.
"Her name is Seo Dal-mi. Grandmother asked me to write her letters when we were teens. She was going through a rough time and so was I. So I used the name of a kid I saw on tv who won a math contest. I think you know that name already."
He smiled wryly and she managed a small smile back.
"For a long time, those letters were a salve for me. I fell in love with the words that she wrote. And I liked who I was on those pages too. Then I left to make my own way at university."
Mi-rae watched his face as he spoke. His voice was quieter now. She felt a conflicting morbid curiosity to know it all and deep apprehension that she could never complete with such a history.
"We all crossed paths once again at Sandbox, including the real Nam Do-san. Dal-mi was looking for him. Grandmother asked me to continue the ruse to protect her. Do-san pretended to be the man who wrote the letters. I even helped him do it at first. I should never have agreed to any of it. Dal-mi fell in love with him instead of me. It was a classic love triangle and I guess you can say I was the Gatsby."
His nose wrinkled as he smiled in a lopsided way.
"Do you wish it had turned out differently?"
Mi-rae had to know. She dreaded his answer. And Mi-rae already knew that she would settle for being his second choice. But she needed to know.
Ji-pyeong seized her hand.
"No. Absolutely not."
His voice was low and adamant.
"Did it hurt back then? Yes. But I constantly had to curb who I was with her — as if I had to always apologize for being a realist. I can see that now. She and I communicated better as teens on paper than we ever did as adults. Something always held me back. My feelings were sincere but they were also so tied up in the past. I desperately wanted to be a part of a family and I think maybe that got a little confused with Dal-mi. I don't know, as much as I liked her we just didn't ...fit."
Mi-rae passed her thumb over the back of his hand. But she rebelled against how he was framed in the past.
"You are a realist. I like that about you. But you dream too, Ji-pyeong. Look at what you have built out of what you were given. Look at all of the dreams you've fostered at Sandbox. Not everyone with your kind of success spends so much time mentoring others." Mi-rae sat up and her hands began flying in the air. "And look at what you're building now with this merger— it could help so many people. You honor your grandmother by doing it. That was your idea — your dream."
Ji-pyeong's mouth opened and then shut. His eyes filled with emotion. Then he clenched his jaw and leaned forward.
"You are my dream now."
There was no hesitation. His voice was fierce and his face was lined with determination.
I love you.
Her heart screamed it into the silence between them. Her head told her it was crazy to say it out loud.
Ji-pyeong squeezed her hand and let go as the sommelier returned with the next wine. They listened to a flourishing description as a viognier was poured and their plates were cleared. Ji-pyeong played with the collar of his shirt. He looked out at the sea before turning back to her.
"So before everything happened, were you happily married?"
Mi-rae choked on her wine and coughed. He laughed softly.
"I'm sorry but if we got into my ex then we are definitely going to get into yours."
She huffed a laugh.
"Fair."
Ji-pyeong leaned back in his chair.
"So?"
"You and your questions."
His hand unfurled in the air expecting an answer. Mi-rae took a deep breath.
"Um, I think that I thought that I was. We met in law school. We were in the same study group and we grew close while suffering through first year together. He was one of the few men who wasn't threatened by me. Most men don't enjoy a woman who challenges them."
Ji-pyeong scoffed and sipped the next glass of wine.
"Most men are idiots."
Mi-rae laughed and drank as well. Now the bright mineral effervescence was calming as she prepared to share more about her greatest humiliation with him.
"We ended up working at the same law firm together. Late nights turned into drinking which turned into hooking up. It just sort of grew into something more. After a few years, a recruiter called and I had an opportunity to go back to Seoul with an American based law firm. So he proposed. And I stayed."
Ji-pyeong's eyesbrows shot up but he said nothing.
"We had the same goals and for a long time that seemed like having a lot in common because billing hours was all that we did. My father and I fought all the time so it was a relief to have something easy. But looking back, I think we were both settling. There was friendship but no... spark if that makes sense. He must have found that with someone else."
Mi-rae let out a long breath. And then she shrugged, resigned.
"He fell in love. I guess he couldn't help it. In the end I think he did me a favor by ending it. But I will always hate how he did it."
She sniffed and tried to deflect his somber attention with a joke.
"I guess I was the Gatsby in my love triangle too."
Ji-pyeong was studying her face quietly. Her eyes sought out the sea as a new understanding of her ex-husband reverberated through her. Mi-rae could not forgive how he chose to conduct himself. But she could no longer quite blame him in the same way. She too had fallen in love with someone that she was not supposed to.
Mi-rae worried at her lip and then decided to be as brave as Ji-pyeong. He had been waiting patiently for her to look at him again.
"I was married for five years, Ji-pyeong. I never talked to him about the things that I talk about with you. And I never felt ..."
She swallowed down that word again.
"How I feel with you. Not ever."
Ji-pyeong's eyes flashed triumphantly.
"Good."
A hiccup of surprise escaped her lips as he then shook his head at himself.
"I'm sorry. But I'm a petty man, Mi-rae."
She laughed and nestled deeper in her chair. It felt like they had confessed to one another all over again. Airing out the past temporarily assuaged her worries about the future.
A cabernet franc reserve was then served with such fanfare that Ji-pyeong had to smother a smirk. She giggled at his healthy skepticism. Her leg grazed his playfully under the table. The sun passed behind some clouds and the shadows passed over them with a cooler breeze. The waiter brought a course of lobster tail and sweet corn polenta. It was lovely. But all Mi-rae could concentrate on was him.
When they had finished eating, Ji-pyeong nodded in the direction of the water.
"What do you say we take a walk down to the beach?"
Mi-rae nodded and he threaded his fingers through hers as soon as she stood. Ji-pyeong kept looking at her as they walked the length of the lawn. For the first time in her life, Mi-rae felt adored. And that overwhelmed her with so much happiness that she did not know what to do with it. She grasped his arm and buried her face in his shoulder as he laughed and hugged her closely.
When they reached the steps, Mi-rae immediately took off her shoes and rolled up her pants. Ji-pyeong paused and stared down at his Italian loafers.
"Um..."
"Yeah, you better take those off."
She laughed as he awkwardly removed his shoes and socks and rolled his pants up. His ankles and bare feet were adorably at odds with the sartorial flair of his designer clothes.
"Come on."
She led the way down the wooden stairs to the shore. Mi-rae walked until the waves lapped at her toes. The water was cold but it cut through the warm haze of wine and lack of sleep. She stepped back from it and all of a sudden his arms were around her waist. His chin rested on her shoulder. Mi-rae clutched at his hands and drew them closer against her belly. They stood there in silence. The waves rolled quietly while seagulls cried in the distance. The light of late afternoon was now waning.
Mi-rae turned around in his arms to look at him. Ji-pyeong's eyes were soft. His fingers caught a lock of hair blowing in her face and carefully tucked it back. As his mouth curved into a wistful smile, Mi-rae knew that he too was trying to memorize everything about this moment.
Her hand found his at her waist and she led him over to sit down at the edge of the dune. Their toes dug into the sand as the both took in the peace of this quiet beach. It felt secluded against the tall bluffs overrun by sea grass — as if they were shielded from men here and tucked safely within the purview of nature. The sky was ceding its blue to a golden light. The water stretched endlessly before them as if inviting safe passage. Mi-rae knew that as placid as it may seem now, it could prove as mercurial as life.
"You should know that I'm falling in love with you."
His voice rang out firmly, as if expressing a fact rather than a feeling.
She turned towards him slowly. Ji-pyeong was looking at her. His chin was defiant and his lips were set in a resolute line. Mi-rae felt her eyes prick with sudden tears at his certainty.
"I didn't want to scare you off so I was unsure if I should say it. But if life has taught me one thing—"
"I love you."
It just burst from her heart. She could not even wait for Ji-pyeong to finish.
A puff of air escaped his lips as if he could not believe what was happening. But once she saw how his face transformed into a look of wonder and joy, Kim Mi-rae knew that it was right to say it out loud.
Ji-pyeong leaned closer. His eyes searched her face as if to confirm this was real. And then he closed his eyes and kissed her softly. It was solemn between them now. As if the gentle waves were the only reverent witness to something new forged between them.
As their kiss deepened, Ji-pyeong gathered her up into his arms and laid her down on the soft sand. She welcomed the weight of his body as they now found themselves in one another. He held her tightly as if he could not bear to let her slip away.
Mi-rae told him that she loved him over and over again as day gave way to night.
********