Hae-Ju
As I gazed at the building, my eyes trailed up its towering structure that seemed to pierce through the sky like a sword, ready for battle. Looking from my car window, my head laid against the car seat, I watched as the shadow of my past self walked into the building, just to sit in the chair at the office fearful of when I'd be able to leave my father's reach.
Now here I was. The building in front of me felt like a battlefield, with its towering structure and imposing presence. The sleek glass windows glinted in the sun, a harsh contrast to the heavy weight that lay in my chest. In my experiences, my coy mannerism made this day inevitable. I would have to retaliate one day, now here I was. This was the moment that would define me, the moment that would show whether I was strong enough to stand up to my father. It was also the only way I could prove to Dalnim that I was nothing like the man responsible for her parent's death.
For years, I had been a mere pawn in my father's game. I had sat in that same office, a puppet controlled by his strings, always looking for a way to escape his grasp. And now, I was here to claim what was rightfully mine, to take back the control that had been stripped away from me.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the confrontation that lay ahead. As I imagined the look on his face when I revealed that I now owned the company, a rush of excitement and anticipation filled me. I could picture his expression of shock and disbelief, his eyes widening in surprise as he realized what had just transpired. I anticipated his face contorting with resistance at the reality, his eyes widening in surprise.
But I knew that I couldn't let my thoughts be consumed by fear or a false achievement. At least not until it all actually happened. I had to focus on the task at hand. I felt a surge of energy and determination well up inside of me, replacing the fear with a steely resolve.
As I sat in my car, my mind racing with thoughts of the impending confrontation, I was startled by the sound of another vehicle pulling up next to me. Looking up, I saw Ae-ra stepping out of the car. She approached my car with a half-smile, her movements imbued with a sense of awkwardness. She tapped the window of my car, and began waving with a small gesture that belied the weight of the moment.
Despite the weighty atmosphere, her presence was a welcome relief. She dressed in a crisp white blouse and a flowing skirt that accentuated her slim figure. Her hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail, highlighting her delicate features.
"Hey Hae-ju, it's been a while. How are you doing?" she asked, her voice soft and reassuring.
I forced a smile, trying to mask the anxiety that was bubbling up inside me. "I'm doing okay. Thanks for asking. How about you?"
"I'm good. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something," she said, her tone turning serious.
I felt apprehension, wondering what could be so urgent that she felt the need to speak to me before I faced my father. "Sure, what's up?" I asked, my voice steady despite the inner turmoil.
Ae-ra took a deep breath, and her eyes met mine with a serious expression. "I know you've been through a lot, Hae-ju. And I just wanted to say that I'm here for you, no matter what happens today."
I felt a lump form in my throat, touched by her words. "Thank you, Ae-ra.
She nodded, and then her expression turned grave. "There's something else, though. I heard a rumor that your father might be expecting you in front of the board."
My heart sank at her words, and I could feel the blood draining from my face. "What do you mean? How would he have known that?"
" Do you have a moment?" Ae-ra added, breaking me out of my thoughts.
I checked my watch and saw that I had a little over an 40 minutes before I'm expected at the meeting. "Sure, I have some time. What did you need to talk about?"
Ae-ra sighed, she hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I guess I wanted to say my peace about your father. I deserve a clear conscience too, don't you think?"
I sighed and looked at her, feeling a sense of familiarity in her words. I nodded, I texted Dalnim to give her a heads up, and got out, getting into her car. And we headed towards the nearby cafe.
As we drove towards the cafe, Ae-ra continued to voice her concerns, her voice laced with suspicion and unease. "I don't trust your father, Hae-ju. He's always been one step ahead of us, and I have a feeling that he's not going to let you win this battle so easily."
I sat and listened to her voice her worries. All i could think about about was how this was unlike her.To worry about me to such extent.
At the cafe, we sat down at a small table by the window, the sounds of chatter and laughter filling the air around us. Ae-ra ordered us some coffee, and we sat in silence for a few moments, lost in our thoughts.
Finally, Ae-ra broke the silence, her voice hesitant and uncertain. "Hae-ju, I don't know how to say this, but I think your father might be planning something. Something big."
I raised an eyebrow, my interest piqued. "What do you mean?"
Ae-ra leaned forward, her voice low and urgent. "I heard some whispers from some of the executives. They said that your father is planning to merge the company with another one, one that he has close ties with. And from what I've heard, he's been working on this deal for months now."
"Do you know which company?"
She shook her head. " All I can advice is being careful."
After some time she sighed and asked: " so are you really happy with Dalnim?"
I sighed at her question. " let's not start this Ae-ra. You don't love me, you never did. You are in love with ju-won. I only suggest for you to not just chase people because you don't have them." I spoke out.
The aura had now grown awkward but I didn't regret saying what I did. " was this really why you brought me out here or was it truly about my father." I asked her.
She sighed and looked at me as if she was disappointed in my answer.
Ae-ra's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of frustration flickering across her features. Ae-ra leaned back in her seat. She looked as if she was scrutinizing my every word. "Of course I'm concerned about your father's plans for the company, but that's not the only reason I asked to meet with you." Her voice was measured, but there was an underlying tension in her words.
I raised an eyebrow, curious about what else she had to say. "What do you mean?"
She hesitated for a moment, and then leaned forward again, her eyes boring into mine. "I just want to make sure that you're really happy with Dalnim. I mean, you've been with her for what, six months now? That's not very long, especially when you consider how long you and I were together."
I felt a flicker of annoyance at her words. Ae-ra had always been a little manipulative, and I couldn't help but feel like she was trying to plant doubts in my mind about my relationship with Dalnim. "Look, Ae-ra," I said firmly, "I can't say I value your concern, I understand you think you're doing the best thing, but I don't need you to give me relationship advice. Dalnim and I are very happy together."
Ae-ra's expression softened slightly, but there was still a hint of calculation in her eyes. "I'm sorry if I came across as critical," she said, "but I just want to make sure that you're making the right choices for yourself. And speaking of choices, have you thought about what you're going to do about your father's plans for the company?"
I took a deep breath before responding, my voice betraying a hint of weariness. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything," I admitted, "But I believe that ultimately, everything will work out."
Ae-ra nodded, her expression inscrutable as we sat in silence. I couldn't help but steal a glance at my watch, feeling the pull of urgency to return to Dalnim, who was undoubtedly awaiting my response.
"I think it's time for me to head back," I said, my voice firm but weary. "I want to be there when Dalnim contacts me."
As I spoke, Ae-ra's expression turned sour, betraying her disappointment at my mention of Dalnim. Despite the tension, I kept my composure and stood up, signaling the end of our conversation.
As we walked back to the car, the atmosphere remained awkward, punctuated only by the sound of our footsteps on the pavement. I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me as we approached the vehicle, eager to escape the discomfort of the situation.
We got into the car, and I turned to Ae-ra one last time. "And Ae-ra, let this be the last time we speak in private," I said firmly, my voice leaving no room for negotiation.
"I only agreed to meet with you out of respect for the years we spent together, but I won't continue this any longer."
Ae-ra's expression softened for a moment, her eyes searching mine for any sign of hesitation. But I remained resolute, determined to move forward with my life and leave the past behind.
"Very well," she said finally, her voice tinged with disappointment. "I understand."
We sat in silence for a few moments longer, the weight of our unspoken history hanging heavy in the air.
As the car approached a busy intersection, ready to run towards the building parking lot, I could see the traffic light ahead was red. Ae-ra started to slow down, but suddenly, there was a screeching noise and a blur of headlights.
A car had run the red light and was hurtling straight towards us. I felt a sudden jolt and the screeching of tires. My body was thrown forward as the car was hit by the other vehicle. I could hear the crunching of metal and shattering of glass as our car spun out of control.
As I saw the flash of flickering lights, I felt the impact before I saw it. There was a sickening crunch as our car collided with the other vehicle. The force of the impact threw me forward, once again and my head slammed into the dashboard. I felt the airbags inflate with a loud pop.
As the dust settled, I tried to take in what had happened. The front of our car was crumpled like a piece of paper, and smoke was billowing out of the engine. Ae-ra was slumped over the steering wheel.
I tried to move, my bloody hands leaking into the cracks of my phone screen, my legs were trapped under the crushed dashboard. Blood was pouring from a deep gash on my forehead, and my chest was tight with pain. The world was spinning around me, and I felt like I was drowning in chaos.
Outside the car, I could hear the sound of car horns blaring and people shouting. Someone was calling for help, and I realized that it was me.
The next thing I knew, I was gasping for air.
Smoke filled the car, making it hard to breathe. The airbags did little to cushion the impact. I continued to hear Ae-ra moaning next to me, her face bloodied and bruised.
I continue to hear the sound of metal grinding against metal as other cars collided in the aftermath of the accident.
As every second passed, the pain in my chest grew increasingly unbearable. It was like a vice grip around my ribs, squeezing tighter with each breath I took. I gasped for air, but it felt like I was suffocating. Every movement sent sharp jolts of agony throughout my body.
My forehead throbbed with a searing pain, and I could feel warm, sticky blood trickling down my face and into my eyes. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, and I coughed, spitting out the red liquid.
As the paramedics arrived, I felt a flicker of hope, but it was quickly extinguished by the overwhelming pain. The last thing I heard were the urgent voices of the paramedics and the distant wail of sirens.
Maybe father has won again after all I thought, falling into the blackness.
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