Chapter Text
“CHOI SOO YEON….” He paused.
“…hmmm…PARK HYE JIN…. No.. no no no.. I think it's KIM HYE JIN… I can feel it...”
He typed the name and clicked enter..
ERROR prompted on his laptop..
Joo Hyeong put his palms on his face as he sat and fell backwards on the couch. Out of all possible names he has searched, none turned out to be hers and it frustrates him everyday. Sometimes, he can’t help but wonder why he can't find her name? Or If she’s from a confidential private spy family or something.
“Can you please stop looking for that woman?” his cousin Jang Han Seo walked towards the room, “You’ve been looking for her like forever and you don’t even know her name..”
He looked at him “I told you, I have to find her so I can get closure and move on.” and began searching names again on social media.
“Hyung, can you please go to work? Stop looking for that woman for crying out loud.”
“I’m on vacation leave today.” Still concentrating on his stuff.
“Not getting closure, is closure; if she really wants to be with you, she should’ve tried to reconnect or even did the most basic thing of telling you her name.”
“I’m giving myself a week and if I can’t still find her then this is over… I’ll forget about her.”
“Are you kidding? The last time you said that you’ll stop looking for her was a piece of crap because you’re back to business again searching for this unknown woman on the internet and now you’re giving yourself another week? Seriously, you have to stop now like really… right now!”
“I swear I mean it this time… I’m giving myself a week and if I can’t still find her then this is over.”
Han Seo shook his head and left; Park Joo Hyeong grew up in an environment where he doesn’t really get attached that easily. No, he was never aloof but for him, it’s less complicated if he keeps his circle small, not until this woman came and changed everything in his life.
He never knew her name because they had a deal to never tell each other's names. The plan was just to enjoy and loosen up that night; they really loosened up that night and broke the sexual tension between them because they finally gave in; who would’ve thought that night is also the last time he’ll see her.
There are nights that she would suddenly appear in his dreams saying different names and when he wakes up, He’ll look up all the names she said in his dream hoping that one of them will turn out to be hers but here he is, still not lucky enough in this searching game.
Park Joo Hyeong is a lawyer by profession and this shit should be easier given the connections that he has, but with such small details that he possesses about her makes this searching game too impossible to resolve.
He stood up to get some food after slumping for hours.
Even reheating the food reminds him of her, even just seeing a mineral water bottle, coffee, soju or makgeolli, everything just reminds him of her like she’s just everywhere and yet he can’t see her; he doesn't even know where to find her.
It even came to a point that Joo Hyeong is very much willing to sacrifice everything just to see her again…. he knows this lingering attachment won't take him anywhere but he thought, at least he’s trying to find her. He keeps on thinking about the last time he saw her; daily flashbacks of how it all began hits his head again.
————
Date: June 22, 2020
“Where the hell are you?” Maru called; he turned his speakerphone on. Maru has been his close friend since pre law school.
“I’m at the basement parking lot, I’ll be there in 10 minutes.” Joo Hyeong said while concentrating on looking for a spot where he can park his car.
“Okay. Hurry up, the ceremony might start anytime soon.”
“Got it.” and he hung up the phone.
They are attending one of their batchmates' wedding. This is the first wedding he attended for like years and truth be told, he immensely hates attending events about romance and stuff but because the groom is also their buddy, they have to be present on his special day.
As soon as he parked his car, he rushed right away to the elevator. The doors were about to close when it slid and opened again revealing this fine woman wearing a maroon body fit casual dress; she was panting, he thought that probably she’s running late too. She entered the elevator and he could only just say how fragrant she was as the whole space was covered with her perfume. He hates to admit it but he is such an observant and he himself even finds that really annoying. She was about to go and click the floor button when she looked at him.
“Oh, we’re heading to the same floor.” she said as she moved backwards and returned to her spot.
Joo Hyeong smiled slightly at her thinking if she might be attending the wedding that he’s attending too. When they reached the floor, he let her step out first and she hurriedly went to the venue hall; He’s right, they are really attending the same wedding. He quickly went to the area where his friends were seated.
“Joo Hyeong!”
He greeted some of his law school batchmates but his eyes were set on the woman he saw earlier. She greeted some ladies too and had a chit chat with them; she’s seated at the other side of the aisle.
Minutes later the ceremony started and the host began to introduce the couple. The Groom entered with his bride. It feels so strange for him watching his batchmate getting married; for all he knew, the groom used to be a freaking playboy before. While they were still studying, he would suddenly bring women from nowhere and spend the night with them. Joo Hyeong somehow felt glad that this bastard groom friend of his already made up his mind and decided to be better. (Hopefully)
After the ceremony, all guests proceeded to the reception hall. Most of Joo Hyeong’s friends are already married and engaged but here he is, choosing single life rather than dating. For him, dating will only complicate things that are already complicated. The Groom really made sure he could at least enjoy one last time getting drunk with everyone; after all the drinks being served here are purely liquors, a pitcher of water is nowhere to be found.
“What a party.” Joo Hyeong quietly said.
The groom suddenly went near him, “Joo Hyeong, how are you buddy?”
“I’m fine, congratulations by the way.” placed his drink on the table.
It’s pretty much obvious that this friend of his is already drunk when he suddenly pulls his shoulders as he points at the other guests.
“My wife has invited a lot of women so don’t end this night without knowing one of them, okay?”
“Hahaha I’ll try.” Joo Hyeong sarcastically said.
He could feel how tight his grip was, like he was sort of squeezing a lemon and it happens that they don’t have any lemon on hand so he chose his shoulder instead.
When the groom left, Joo Hyeong quietly said to himself “What a good impression this guy is trying to establish here, really getting drunk on his wedding day, with his in-laws who were just sitting and observing..” while motioning his arms, stretching the sore area.
He is really getting thirsty with all the liquor in his system so he decided to step out from the hall and went to the nearest convenience store outside to buy a bottle of mineral water. After paying at the cashier, he opened the cap and drank the water right away till the last drop. He was really that thirsty.
Joo Hyeong then sat at the extended dining area outside of the store while trying to get a hold of himself. He’s all liquored up and doesn’t even know if he can still drink another one inside the hall. Joo Hyeong closed his eyes for a while when he suddenly heard a woman’s voice.
“Thank God, I can now drink water.” She said and gulped the whole bottle, just like what he did earlier.
To his surprise, this woman right here is the same woman inside the elevator earlier today. After she chugged the whole bottle, her eyes met his. He didn’t even notice that he was already staring at her.
Joo Hyeong immediately turned around in the opposite direction, trying to avoid her gaze.
“Excuse me, were you that guy earlier inside the elevator right?”
He turned around and cleared his throat before speaking. “Ah.. yes I am.”
“I bet you got thirsty too, that's why you’re here.” she said and sat down across the table where he was sitting..
“Damn party, you can’t even find at least a drop of water.”
“Right? What’s the use of having an expensive event, paying more than 100 grand with more than 300 guests and yet no water at all. Do they know that humans need to have at least 8 glasses of water a day?”
He amusingly looked at her “Are you a nutritionist or a doctor?”
“Why? Do you think I am?” She stared back at him.
“I think you are with that 8 glasses of water thing you just said.” Gesturing his hand.
“Let’s just say I’m against dehydration… we need to get... wet sometimes.” she said while doing circles on the bottle cap without breaking their eye contact.
Joo Hyeong paused for a while and felt a burning sensation in his ears and for sure it’s already red. He is completely caught off guard when this woman blurts out something like that to him knowing that she is a complete stranger.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Being health conscious isn’t for doctors only.” still playing with her cap.
“I know. I didn’t say that you’re wrong, of course we have to look after ourselves, it’s our responsibility.”
“So are you going back inside?”
“I don’t think so, I feel like my liver’s about to burst if I have another drink.” He shifted his gaze back to her,
“How about you? Are you going back inside?”
She shook her head “No, I hate spending the night getting drunk with people I don’t like.”
He curled his brows, “People you don’t like? Aren’t they your friends? You were talking to them before the ceremony started.”
She stared at him again, “Are you checking me out?”
“What?” Joo Hyeong got confused.
“How did you know I talked with them earlier? I didn’t even see you after we went inside the hall.”
Joo Hyeong was speechless and all he could ever think about is how fragrant she is with her perfume that he can even smell up until now, like it’s music to his nose even if it can’t even hear, you know.
She started smiling at him, and his mind was like “God, she looks so beautiful when she smiles.. how could he hide this angel from me all these years?”
“Why are you smiling?” he asked her; trying to breathe in from his thoughts.
“Nothing, you just look so cute when cornered.” still flashing her beautiful smile at him.
“I...I’m not checking you out.. You know…. Of course, I have to, you know… check other guests too … the groom is my friend.” He stuttered.
She laughed so hard and now he could even feel his cheeks burning.
“You’re so defensive hahaha ….I swear you look so cute and you’re not a good liar at all.”
Joo Hyeong looked away and took a deep breath hoping it would help subside his burning face.
“Here, let’s drink coffee together.” She said and placed a pop can of coffee in front of him. .
She opened hers and started drinking.
At the back of his mind, Joo Hyeong was thinking how could this woman look so beautiful while drinking coffee? He thought he had probably lost his mind.
“Are you comfortable with me?” Even this kind of question surprised the shit out of him.
“Why? Are you worried if I’m not?” placed her coffee back on the table.
“Yes.”
She smiled again, “What’s with the sudden honesty?”
“You told me I’m not a good liar, what’s the point of lying anyways.”
“I rarely talk to strangers because it’s not really my thing….” she stood up and went near him.. “But today’s an exception…. Talking with a stranger is quite fun… especially if that stranger is you.” she added and started walking away. Joo Hyeong quickly stood up and walked towards her direction. She suddenly stopped walking.
“Are you following me?”
“I forgot to ask your name.”
“Secret.”
“Aren’t you going to ask my name?” He asked with his pitched voice since she’s a bit far but she continued walking away.
“That’s it?” He seriously felt like he’s hanging out to dry.. thinking how could she just leave like that. But she stopped walking and went back, making her way, settling just an inch away from him.
“Do you believe in fate?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because I do… and if you’re really that curious…. We’ll leave it up to fate if we’re going to see each other again.”
He scoffed, “And what if we don’t?”
She smiled again and, “Damn, that smile” is all over his head.
“If we see each other again…. Let’s spend the night together… Are you okay with that?”
Joo Hyeong felt his throat dry straight up. He literally felt his knees shake but he could not let this night end and not play along, so he answered.
“I hope fate won’t make me wait for too long… because I’m a bit impatient.”
She stared at him for so long and smiled. He felt like he was being hypnotized and yet another burning sensation was felt in his ear. For the first time, this is the quickest attachment he ever felt over someone in his entire life, let alone that this woman is a complete stranger to him and yet he would be much willing to pay 100 grand just to see her again if that’s what it takes.
“I can’t wait to spend the night with you, Mr. Impatient.” she said and walked away.
Her scent slowly fades..
That woman is indeed a one smooth talker; so smooth that he could spend the entire day just talking with her.
In just a day, he felt his entire being jolted over someone he didn't even know deeply in the first place but what matters to him right now is, fate should better be kind to him because he’s hoping to see her again… THAT WOMAN. ..