Joon Soo
I hadn't heard from Audrey since the fight three days ago. Jang Eun Young decide to return early from her trip, taking a lot of my workload back off me. She acted more professional towards me, thankfully, which put me at ease. I still had to attend meetings on her behalf and approve the ideas as her 'punishment', but I had finally freed up.
"Good morning, team," I said as I entered the meeting room.
"She still has you doing her jobs?" Oh Na Ree asked.
"Not all, thankfully."
"How's your girlfriend?" another reporter asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Jang Eun Young taunted her a bit whilst you went to the bathroom."
"Really?"
They all nodded in unison.
I let out a sigh. Maybe that's why Audrey was on edge yesterday. But she knew what my boss was like. Would she really fight with me over that?
"She's really pretty," Oh Na Ree commented.
"She is, isn't she?" I asked, rhetorically.
"She's a Westerner though," another reporter commented.
"What's the problem with that?"
He shrugged. "I mean, women often get with Westerners, but it's weird for men. Also, how can it last unless you marry her? Is she working here? Does she have a valid visa?"
"Let's get on with the meeting," I said, putting them to a silence. "My personal life is not of your concern. Ahn Dan Woo, what articles have you found for the paper?"
A loud ruckus sounded from the newsroom. We all turned to look for the source of the noise.
"Where is he?" Suk Do Yun shouted.
My eyes widened. "I'll be right back," I said to the team. I walked out of the meeting room into the newsroom. "Why are you here causing such a commotion, kid?"
He stormed at me with fury in his eyes. "How could you do this to her?"
"Do what?"
"Do you really think she deserves to be treated this way? After everything that last jerk did to her? Do you not care for her at all?"
"My and Audrey's relationship is not of your concern."
"What relationship? You two are over."
"Over? No we aren't. We just had a fight."
He folded his arms over his chest, a smug smile spreading across his face. "Well, she's announced that you two are over."
I shook my head. "She's overreacting."
Before I could stop him, his hand flew forward and grabbed me by the scuff of my collar. "She is not overreacting. Is your career really more important than her? If so, you don't deserve her."
"Suk Do Yun, let me go. Let's talk about this outside. Don't create a scene."
He released me and stormed out of the room. I followed him out.
*
We were on the rooftop. Suk Do Yun was staring out at the horizon whilst I watched him calm his nerves.
"I shouldn't have to tell you this, but you know I love Audrey," I said. "I'm not ashamed to admit it at all or tell anyone."
"Then why give her the cold shoulder?" He turned around to face me. "Why make her cry? Why not hear her out?"
I let out a sigh. "I imagine she wanted to talk about how my boss was reacting, but she already knew."
"That's not what upset her."
"What?"
"She was trying to get your attention before that. Do you not remember?"
I went quiet.
"You don't deserve her and I don't want to ever let you get her back."
"It's just a fight we are having, Suk Do Yun."
"No, it's not. The moment she came out of the hospital she tried to get in contact with you and you refused to talk to her."
"Hospital? Wait? Something's wrong?"
He threw his hands up. "Aish! You really piss me off, you know, Park Joon Soo. I am sick of seeing Audrey cry over you. She was telling you, outright, that something was wrong. How much clearer can she make that?"
"Well I'll go talk to her now then."
He put his hand on my chest. "I won't let you."
"Why?"
"Because you're finished with her."
"What, are you going to look after her and this problem now?"
"Yes."
"Why? Do you love her?"
"Yes. I have for quite a while. But I let her go to you because I wanted her to be happy. I won't let that happen again. I will protect her this time. And even if I didn't love her, I'd still be there for her."
I didn't respond. Without another word, Suk Do Yun seemed to take my silence as a forfeit and he walked back to the staircase.
*
When I got home that night, I immediately dialled Audrey, ready to end this fight and apologise.
This number is no longer available.
No longer available? Had she thrown away her phone?
"Aish! This woman!" I fell onto my bed. Why does she always turn off contact when we have a miscommunication? Does she not get that communication fixes things?
I don't know how long I lay there, staring at the ceiling, but eventually everything went black.
*
My ringtone awoke me the next morning. As I pried my eyes open, I checked the time. 5am? Who would call at this time?
"Yeoboseyo?" I mumbled.
"Park Joon Soo!" a voice shrieked through the receiver, causing me to pull the phone from my head. I looked at the caller ID.
"Kim Hye Ri?"
"You had sex with Audrey? After being together for only two months? What's your problem? Do you have no morals? What would your mother think?"
"She told you that?"
Ignoring my question, she continued on with her rant. "Do you not get how horribly she was treated by Adam? Why make her feel the same way? I thought you were better than that. I thought—"
"Why did she tell you though? Is this what the fight is about?"
There was a silence before the storm. "Are you kidding me?" Words cannot describe how much pain my ear was in after she screamed those words. "I spent the whole night with a crying Audrey and she finally tells me what the issue is. She was planning to go through this alone! I am so glad I finally got it out of her. Tell me, Park Joon Soo, do you remember your health classes?"
"I am so confused with what you're talking about."
"Do you not remember what your teachers, or even your parents, told you what happens when you do those things with the opposite gender? Audrey is pregnant."
The phone slipped out of my hand.
*
I was banging on the door to their dorm room.
"Let me in, Audrey. Talk to me."
"Go away, you jerk!" Kim Hye Ri shouted back.
"Let me talk to her!"
"No. Go away before I call the police."
"This is my problem."
"You didn't want it to be your problem which is why you refused to talk to her."
"I didn't realise how serious it was."
"Then it's your fault you lost her for not taking your girlfriend seriously when she needs to talk to you."
"Just let me in!"
"No!"
"Audrey, are you there? Can you hear me?"
"Go away, Park Joon Soo," Kim Hye Ri said.
Ignoring her, I tried to talk to Audrey again. I spoke in a softer voice. "I am so sorry for how I treated you. It's no excuse, but I was so busy and caught up with work that I took it out on you. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. If I knew that this was what you wanted to talk about, I would have been there. I should have been anyway, over any matter. Please. I'll treat you better. Give me another chance. Open the door."
The room was silent. I stood outside that door for another half an hour, but no one came out. No one said a word. So, eventually, I left.
*
"Joon Soo, my boy!" eomma said as she opened the front door. She immediately pulled me into her arms. "Eomma is sorry, okay? Come home already."
"Eomma, I need your help."
*
"You did what?" my mother shrieked, standing up immediately.
"I'm sorry, eomma," I mumbled, looking at my knees.
She shook her head. "I can't believe my son would..."
"I'm twenty-six. Don't be so shocked."
"You're supposed to wait until marriage."
A sigh escaped my mouth. "I know."
"What is she doing with it?"
"Kim Hye Ri, her friend, said that she's going to have an abortion."
My mother sat down on the couch next to me. "That's good."
I raised my eyebrows at her in shock.
"Good for both of your futures. Obviously it's not a good thing to go through as a woman. You know what you have to do, right? You know you have to be there for her."
I nodded. "Eomma, I don't want to lose her over this. I don't want her to think of me as like that last guy, because I'm not. I love her. I want to cherish her. I just... got so caught up and busy I forgot to take care of her."
My mother let out a sigh. "You really like her?"
I nodded.
"I don't like her. You should be with someone else. A good Korean girl."
"I understand that you think like that, Eomma, but that won't stop me from only wanting her."
"Then go get her back."