Page 127 of You Had Me At Annyeong!
‘Just before I called you, I received a call from your wedding planner. They wanted to reconfirm the wedding date. My number was saved with them as an alternate contact, it seems.Neither you nor Hoejangnim were taking calls, so they called me instead.’
‘Um, what? I’m not sure I follow …’
Appa must be plotting something. What is that guy up to really?
‘What was the sudden need for reconfirmation?!’
‘Hasn’t Haneul-ssi called you? Have you guys not spoken?’
Haneul and Mina haven’t spoken since his fistfight with Rodrigo. She had flown back from Busan as quickly as she could. She had tried reaching him but his phone had been switched off throughout.
‘They got a call from the Baeks, they said. Asking for the date to be brought forward. Haneul-ssi must’ve consented to it! And, they must’ve discussed it with Hoejangnim, too. It’s just the best news!’
‘Whaaaaat?’ Mina is unable to hide her shock.
Oh, no! This wasn’t supposed to happen. Ah, I must hurry!
‘Why are you so surprised? I thought you knew. Didn’t Hoejangnim or Haneul-ssi talk to you about it?’ It’s now Stephanie’s turn to be surprised.
‘Steph, I’ve got to go. Do me a favour, will you? Please cancel my fitting. I have to rush someplace. I’ll call you later,yagsog halge[I promise]!’
‘Wait, what’s going—’
But the line goes dead.
* * *
‘Appa, it isn’t working for me. I’d like to be free of it, please.’
At Chairman Ri’s office, Mina has just informed her father of her intention to break off her engagement with Haneul. He repeats what Stephanie had said earlier over the telephone,‘That other girl is no longer a factor, clearly. She has interests elsewhere.’
‘No, Appa. She doesn’t have interests elsewhere. Someone else has his interest in her. The two aren’t the same!’
Of course they aren’t. I know that. But why is she suddenly talking sense?
‘Appa, I don’t want to bind someone in an arrangement with me. Least of all Haneul, who is my friend. I ought to have realized this sooner; I don’t want you to buy me his love.’
Mina is surprised by her own maturity and the clarity in her thoughts and words.
‘But isn’t that what you wanted all this while?’
‘I must’ve mistaken what I felt for Haneul as love. It was just an obsession built on habit. I was used to being his shadow and I guess I did not wish to let it go. I was desperate to do whatever I could to hold on to him, to the idea of us that I had in my head. Appa, I used to be his only friend and I imagined that was how it was going to be. That I’d always be the only one in his life.’
‘Mina-ya, are you sure of this? Are you sure you are not going to regret this?’
‘Aniya,Appa. For the first time in my life, I want to do something entirely for myself. I’ve lived my life trying to please you and Haneul-ssi, but not any longer.’
I deserve to be loved wholly and fully. Never again will I settle.
‘Ah, what a mess! Ah, I should never have involved myself in young people’s business.’
‘Appa, this isn’t your fault. You were trying to be both my mother and father. What else were you supposed to do? You got involved, like any mother would. And now you’re having to clean up my mess, like any father would!’
‘You brat! Have you decided how you are going to broach the topic with Haneul? Would you like me to intervene?’
‘Didn’t you just curse yourself getting involved in my business? Don’t worry.Naega araseohallke[I will figure it out on my own].’
* * *
