Chapter Eleven #3
‘Er, Hoejangnim, I haven’t really been following the football for many years now. But I’m told, and I believe, the squad is really tight. I see no reason why you shouldn’t be contenders for the title!’
I hope this pleases him and he gets off my back! How much more is he going to eat!? I wonder how Timira is doing. Would she have come around by now? Will she be looking for me?
‘Hah! What a silver-coated tongue you are blessed with. It’s no surprise you are so good at your job—selling! Be careful, though—don’t end up overselling. Then you might even end up losing what you already have!’
Haneul ignores the ominous-sounding advice and keeps quiet.
‘How do you like Rodrigo? I have high hopes for him!’
Mina is suddenly interested and looks at Haneul expectantly.
‘Er, he’s fine.’
Haneul is gritting his teeth and trying hard to stay calm. His nostrils are flaring and he can feel his ears start to burn.
‘He’s your brand ambassador. C’mon. I’m sure you think of him as more than just “fine”. Tell you what? Why don’t we all have lunch tomorrow?’
‘Hoejangnim, the thing is, um, I’m scheduled to head back to Seoul tomorrow morning …’
‘Book yourself on a later flight, what’s the big deal? Sure you can do this much for your future siaboji . And if not for your father-in-law, do it for your investor!’
Haneul knew better than to defy him. He wouldn’t be running SecondSkin had it not been for Chairman Ri’s investment. He knew his father’s career and reputation also depended heavily on Mr Ri’s support. So there was no way he could not heed the latter’s order right now.
‘Of course. Let’s have lunch tomorrow.’
‘Great. So, that’s sorted then. Mina informed me earlier that you are looking at venues here?
Geurae, you’ve made a good decision. I know how much uri tal [my daughter] wanted a European wedding, but I was worried all the older members of the family might find it difficult to travel too far.
This way, the gajog will be around and it will be the perfect family affair! ’
‘Haneul, Haneul-ssi, where are you lost?’ Mina has to gently shake his shoulders to wake him from his inattention, his mind still occupied with the previous night’s unsavoury mealtime chat.
‘No, no, all good. I’m here. Yes, sure. I’m good with whatever’s good with you, Mina.’
Mina purses her lips and knows that Haneul hasn’t heard a word of what the planner has been prattling on about.
She wants to know what’s on his mind, though it isn’t difficult to guess—she had learnt without much difficulty that Haneul had taken Timira to the hospital last evening.
She had wanted to ask Haneul why he and Timira were together, but she knew she wouldn’t like any answer that Haneul would give so she kept quiet.
Smiling, she turns to the planner and thanks her.
‘I’ll call once Haneul-ssi and I have made a decision. To be honest, I really like this venue. It’s perfect for the intimate, artistic wedding that I’ve always dreamed of. Gomawoyo , Aejeong-ssi. I’ll get back to you at the soonest!’
‘Jagiya, I hope we are not late for lunch?’
Haneul groans.
‘Um, I don’t think so. We should be able to make it back in plenty of time.’
‘We are done here. Geureom, galkkayo [Then, shall we go]?’
To the planner, she smiles sweetly and says, ‘ Annyeonghi gyesaeyo, Aejeong-ssi! Najunge cheonha halkeyo [Goodbye, Ms Aejeong. I’ll call you later]!’
Mina grabs Haneul’s arm and holds it like they are about to walk together down a red carpet. Haneul doesn’t stop her but does absolutely nothing to hide the pained expression on his face.
Rodrigo and Chairman Ri are already seated at the table when they arrive at lunch.
It’s a low table, the kind to be found at traditional Korean eateries housed inside hanok s, around which everybody has to sit on the floor cross-legged.
Haneul grimaces a little seeing Rodrigo’s face but sits down promptly, unbuttoning his jacket, while Mina keeps standing.
Until Rodrigo offers his jacket to her. She smiles in a way of thanks, and sits not cross-legged but with her knees folded and both her legs to a side, the only way she can sit in her short, fitted skirt.
She uses Rodrigo’s jacket to cover her legs.
Haneul doesn’t notice any of this and continues to scowl.
‘Here, let me pour you a drink,’ says Mr Ri, holding the traditional kettle full of heady makgeolli. ‘Uri tal, you too!’
Haneul and Mina obediently hold their tumblers out for Mr Ri to pour, and after he has, they politely turn sideways and gulp it down.
‘We nearly finished an entire kettle waiting for you both. Tell me, did you like the venue?’
‘Ye, abeoji . It’s small but quite exquisitely designed. Very tastefully done up, as well. Neomu yeppeo, abeoji!’
‘ Choha, choha [Good, good]. I’m glad you like it. What about you, Baek seobang ?’
‘Whatever Mina likes,’ Haneul replies uninterestedly.
Rodrigo has been waiting for an opportunity. Word has reached him about Timira being taken to the hospital by Haneul. He still hasn’t forgotten what had happened between him and Haneul at the showcase game. He jumps in before anybody can speak.
‘You are a smart man, Baek Daepyo! The woman is always right. Listen to her, and life will be a bed of roses!’ He thinks himself to be smart and smiles cheekily.
‘Then pray tell, why your life has been anything but?’
Two can play this game, you jerk!
‘It’s not my problem if you and the world choose to see only the thorns. From my vantage point, I see only roses!’
Mina giggles a little and looks up at Rodrigo. This time with admiration in her eyes. She recalls their short and surprisingly pleasant interaction from the previous day following Timira’s near-drowning, and smiles.
Mr Ri senses tension between the two men and tries to douse the fire.
‘So, Rod, tell us. Who is this woman who has made your life a bed of roses! Is this the same woman you spoke of at the press conference?’
Rumours have swirled for weeks now, both at the SecondSkin office as well as at the Seoul Stealers FC.
What went down at the party after the game and later inside Timira’s office cabin was no secret.
The news had taken no time in spreading like wildfire.
A sort of frenzy had set in after Timira’s near-drowning.
Tongues were wagging relentlessly. There was no denying that some game was definitely afoot.
Despite this, there had been no confirmation from any of the involved parties.
And absolutely no word from the horse’s mouth.
That Rodrigo and Timira shared history was evident to all.
But of what nature and to which extent, everybody was curious to know.
And what was even more curious was the much-engaged Baek Haneul’s involvement in what seemed like a lovers’ tiff.
Only Haneul knows for a fact that Rodrigo is Timira’s cheating ex-boyfriend. Mina can guess, like the others, but has been waiting for Rodrigo to confirm the same. Sniffing an opportunity, she jumps right in.
‘Yes, Rodrigo-ssi. Please tell us. Sure, we can all guess …’, she winks, ‘… but we’d like to hear from you. Of course, your secret’s going to be safe with us.’ She turns and adds, ‘Right, Haneul?’
Rodrigo knows he doesn’t have much time to waste. He knows he has to act fast if he wants Timira back in his life.
‘Yes, Hoejangnim. It is the same woman. The one I might’ve been destined to love. I’m not sure if she would like it if she knows I’ve revealed her identity since she’s a non-celebrity, but I know I’m in safe company.’ With a wink in Mina’s direction, he adds, ‘I am, am I not?’
‘Of course, Rodrigo-ssi!’
‘You said you can guess. May I know what, or rather who, your guess is?’
‘Well, it’s obvious, is it not?’ she teases. ‘It’s Ms Marak, obviously!’
‘Is it? You tell me!’ Rodrigo is now blushing.
‘Duh, everybody knows! We just pretend like we don’t.’
Yeah, sure , Haneul rolls his eyes.
Rodrigo’s cheeks turn crimson at the mention of Timira’s name and he continues to enjoy the attention. Haneul sulks while Mina smiles gleefully.
‘Daebak! This is an unbelievable story. Wow! Did you really take up our offer to follow her here?’
‘He sounds like a stalker,’ Haneul mutters loud enough only to be audible to himself, even though he wishes to spit the word out at Rodrigo.
Rodrigo waves his hands. ‘No, no, no! It’s not like that. I did not know she’d be here. I mean, what were the odds even!?’
‘Really? You had no idea? You know, I’d have thought Stephanie might have mentioned to you that SecondSkin was hiring someone from the agency that represented you in India!’
‘Well, Stephanie and I are acquainted, yes. But we aren’t so close that we’d discuss this in such great detail. Bumping into Timira at their office was like a sign from the heavens!’ Rodrigo smiles.
‘You know, in Korean, Haneul’s name means heaven …’
‘You mean to say it was really a sign from Haneul?’ Rodrigo smiles cheekily as Mina giggles with relish.
‘There, there, now. Enough about his love life,’ quips Chairman Ri, much to the relief of Haneul, who has been sitting with a pained expression and battling a strong urge to beat Rodrigo to a pulp.
‘I’d like to believe Rod’s here to win for my club!’ Mr Ri, as relieved as he is to hear about Rodrigo and Timira, doesn’t want the former’s focus to waver. He has signed him at a record fee and isn’t about to lose the league trophy to an unfinished love story.
‘Of course, Hoejangnim! I promise I didn’t even know Timira was here; I met her entirely accidentally.’
Accidentally, museun gaesoriI [what bullshit]! First he cheated on her, then he followed her here to mess with her life. What a guy! And now has the gall to claim her as though he owns her.
‘I wonder how Timira-ssi feels about this,’ Haneul speaks, this time loud enough for everyone to hear.