Page 129 of You Had Me At Annyeong!
‘Mina, you know how tight my position was. Your father’s investment in my company, his sponsorship of my father’s presidential candidacy …’
‘That is no excuse, Haneul. Would you have married me had I not broken up with you and then spent an unhappy life together? And what about Timira? What were you planning to do with her? Just what?’
Hanuel stiffens at the mention of Timira’s name. He has been trying hard to not think about her and has failed miserably.
Am I really the coward that Mina is making me out to be? Sh**, I haven’t even managed to confess my true feelings to Timira. And I couldn’t muster the courage to end things with Mina. Shame on me! What sort of a man am I even? How can I be so fearful of what has not yet happened and lose sight of what is happening?
Mina continues to speak.
‘While we are on the topic of Timira-ssi, there’s something I must confess.’
Haneul looks up at Mina, his eyes curious.
‘It was I who disclosed Timira’s identity to Yoojin gija.’
Haneul doesn’t look surprised.
‘Well, I’m not sure why you are tellingmethis.’
‘You’ll probably hate me for being so evil, and I wouldn’t blame you. But I had my reasons at the time and I don’t regret having made the choice I did. Well, anyway, one thing led to another and, before I knew it, everything had kinda spiralled out of control.’
You very well knew things would spiral out of control. That’s exactly what you wanted. But I don’t blame you. I shouldn’t have let this go on for so long. This is really my fault.
Mina smiles. ‘Aren’t you curious to know more?’
‘I’m not.Angunggeume[I’m not curious].’
‘Well,amuten[anyway], I hope you will pass on my apology to Timira when you see her.’
‘I don’t know where she is,’ he tries to reply casually but each word feels like a stab to his chest.
‘You’re joking, right?’
‘Wae?Naega wae[Why? Why would I]? Why should I know where she is? Why must I meet her again? What for? She and Rodrigo must be back together by now. I’ll see her at work and I will most definitely avoid her the best I can until her tenure is over because I am a professional,’ he replies breathlessly.
What? What am I saying? What’s wrong with me?
Haneul has blurted out all that’s been troubling him since he saw her in Jongno with Rodrigo and heard his proclamation on TV. He hasn’t spoken about it with anyone and it has all now come gushing out.
‘Baboya[Are you stupid]? Are you even listening to yourself? I can imagine Rodrigo being stupid, but you? What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know her at all, and yet you proudly claimed to me at your grandmother’s place that you love her.’
Feeling unsure and small, Haneul can only hang his head and listen.
‘Gah, I don’t even like her much and yet, here I am, trying to tell my ex-fiancé to not lose her. Aah, this is so frustrating!Dabdabhae!’
‘But I saw them together!Na bwasseo[I saw them]!’
‘And you assumed they are back together? What are you, thirteen? I loved you for over thirty years. At least I thought it was love. Well, whatever it was, did you feel about me the same way? No. Not even for a second!’
Haneul is starting to feel more and more like an idiot with each passing minute.
‘Rodrigo had his chance with her and blew it. She’s never going to take him back. If you blow your chance as well, you may as well kiss goodbye any possibility of having her in your life.’
‘Who are you? What’ve you done with stubborn, imprudent Mina?’
‘I’m happy to listen to your insults, Haneul, but I suggest you first get your affairs in order. Starting with a shave, yo!’
Rubbing his hand over his four-day stubble, Haneul smiles.
