Page 37 of Perfect Happiness
“I’m so stupid.I completely forgot that you and that woman are on the same team.There’s nothing more despicable than blood ties.”
Jane didn’t respond to any of this.Anything she said would only make things worse.
“I was so stupid for coming here thinking that you were my big brother’s friend.I really believed you would help me.”
Min-young cursed under her breath.Jane could see flames igniting in Min-young’s trembling pupils.Jane was no longer interested in what Min-young wanted from her.The most important thing for her right now was getting as far away from this fire as possible.Jane got up from her seat.
“I think I should go back to work now.”
“Who said you could leave?”
Min-young suddenly pushed the table forward as she jumped to her feet.This caused the cups of coffee to come crashing to the floor.The eyes of the people sitting around them started flashing like paparazzi cameras.Just glancing around the café, Jane found no less than four people she knew.The server rushed over to their table.Min-young didn’t pay him or anyone else any attention.Min-young shoved her bulging forehead in front of Jane’s chin and started threatening her.
“You and your sister think you can get away with stripping my brother of everything?”
Jane’s anger was reaching a boiling point.She put both hands in her pockets, afraid that she would resort to petty violence if this continued.Min-young stuck out one finger and prodded Jane’s shoulder.
“Leave, I dare you.See what happens.You’ll never work as a journalist again—”
Jane’s head was starting to spin.There was a ringing in her ears, and she couldn’t hear what Min-young said next.Jane turned around and walked as fast as she could without running toward the cash register.As the cashier rang her up, Jane looked back over her shoulder.Min-young was screaming as the server tried to restrain her.Jane couldn’t understand what she was saying.All she could hear was the last thing Min-young said, which pierced the back of her head like an arrow.
“You’re not leaving!”
But Jane had no intention of staying.She left the café and fled to the first-floor bathroom.The blood rushing through her head was making her dizzy and blurring her vision, so much so that she had to stand with her hand against the wall for several seconds.She was so angry that it felt like she could cook a steak on her cheeks.She could feel her own pulse through the middle of her forehead.Jane felt humiliated.She didn’t remember reading in today’s horoscope that she’d be struck by lightning.
Jane’s phone started ringing inside her jacket pocket.It was Min-young.Jane turned off her phone and went inside an empty stall.She practically fell onto the toilet seat.With her shoulders hunched over, she didn’t move.Someone entered the bathroom, and Jane held her breath, afraid that it was Min-young looking for her.
At the same time, she was embarrassed of herself—but only half as much as she was astonished.She felt like she’d be less shocked had a stranger attacked her on the street.She had absolutely no idea why Min-young and Joon-young were doing this to her, appearing one after the other, suddenly after seven years.
Joon-young was but a distant memory to Jane, both in practice and emotionally.So, when Jane got the phone call from him, it felt surreal.He called around 8 a.m.last Tuesday.
“You haven’t changed your number.”
This was the first thing Joon-young said to her.Jane was flustered.If she had known it was Joon-young, she wouldn’t have answered.She picked up because she didn’t recognize the number.His number wasn’t saved to her cellphone because she had deleted it after he and Yuna got married.Apparently, he hadn’t done the same.
“Can we meet for a minute?I’m going to be in Gwanghwamun around lunchtime today.”
Jane didn’t want to meet him.It didn’t matter the reason.It didn’t matter if it was just this once.Even if she wanted to meet him, she didn’t have time.She had to go to Chungju to do research for her article series “Jane Shin’s Guide to Literature Museums.”
“I have to go to Chungju for work today.”
Joon-young asked where she was.She answered that she was just leaving the house.
“Are you going alone?”
She said she was.
“Then can I go with you?I’m near Ju-an station right now.”
He said it was urgent.He promised not to get in the way of her work.He begged her, saying that they could talk in the car.He said it was about Jiyoo.If only she had said no.But she couldn’t.She knew that Joon-young didn’t make requests often.And unlike Min-young, he wasn’t someone who threw tantrums.In fact, he was a pushover who let other people take advantage of him, not the other way around.Jane figured there had to be a good reason for this.Even though she thought it strange that he wanted to talk toherabout Jiyoo, she agreed to meet him.
Twenty minutes later, she picked up Joon-young at Ju-an station.She didn’t recognize the man who got in the car.A head of matted, graying hair, lifeless pupils, shadowy eye bags, hollow cheeks, a shabby beard, and clothes that looked like they’d just been picked up off the floor.His appearance was enough to earn him a few dollars standing on the street with a sign.This used to be the brightest star at school.
Instead of a normal greeting, Joon-young offered an apology:
“Sorry for bothering you.”
“What are you doing in Incheon this early in the morning?”Jane asked as she started driving.
