Page 92 of Perfect Happiness
“I’m not Yuna’s family.You are.”
Eun-ho used his canine to chew on his bottom lip.Jane decided not to take any more questions.Her watch was pointing to 12:30.
“I’ve got to go now.”
Jane turned around and opened the car door.
“Do you know what Jiyoo likes to eat?”Eun-ho asked suddenly.
This was even more surprising than his other two questions.Jane didn’t answer him.She also sheathed her criticism:You still don’t know what she likes?But Jane could understand his ignorance.He was just her stepfather, and they hadn’t lived together apart from the weekends.But she couldn’t understand why he was asking her and not his own wife.It was best not to answer nonsensical questions.
Jane got into the driver’s seat.Just as she started the engine, Eun-ho thrust his head into the car, right between her and the front windshield.He had suddenly invaded her personal space and was looking straight into her eyes from a distance of what must have been no more than ten centimeters.
“Every kid has at least one takeout food they’re crazy about.”
Jane had to answer him.She couldn’t start driving with his head caught in her car door like this.
“She likes McDonald’s Happy Meals.Bulgogi burger, French fries, and a coke.”
Eun-ho nodded and withdrew from the car.He was even kind enough to close the door behind him.Jane didn’t like this sudden gesture of goodwill.He looked like he had finally got what he wanted, but what that was, Jane didn’t know, and that was why she didn’t like it.
Jane took off.The entire drive, her head was furiously trying to figure out what Eun-ho’s questions meant.She felt like she had an idea why he asked his first question.And once she remembered her first encounter with him a few weeks ago, that hunch became a conviction.The question was meant to find the truth about where Yuna had been those five days.
The last question struck Jane as odd and out of place.Why had Jiyoo’s palate suddenly become a topic of serious discussion?Was he finally doing his part to become a good stepfather?Perhaps he wanted to buy Jiyoo lunch.And if that was true, Jane was overanalyzing this.But if it wasn’t, then she might have no hope of understanding his motives.It just didn’t make sense for him to be worrying about Jiyoo’s picky eating while he was asking questions about his wife’s disappearance.He had to have another goal than just feeding Jiyoo.
Another goal ...That was it.Jiyoo was the only one who could give him answers; she was the only one who knew where Yuna had been those five days.
Had Jane realized this earlier, she could have saved Eun-ho the trouble.He had no chance of getting Jiyoo to talk.She was Yuna’s most devout follower.And Jiyoo knew that the punishment for apostates was hell.She would never open her mouth, not even for a truckload of Happy Meals.
Jane arrived ten minutes late.The café was full of people, but Jane didn’t need to glance around to find him.She recognized him instantly.
He looked just like his picture on Facebook.Jane had never seen someone with such a rectangular head and body.Jane went over to the man and stood before him.
“Jinu Kim?”
Not sure whether to stand or stay seated, the man stood up halfway and greeted her.
“You must be Jane Shin.”
“Sorry for being late.”
“Not at all.”
“Please, sit down,” the two of them said simultaneously.
And yet, both she and he stayed standing.
“Do you want to order something?”
Jane said the first thing that came to her mind.
“Café latte, hot—”
Jinu disappeared without hearing the rest of Jane’s order.He looked like he wasn’t going to come back until he had the coffee.After ordering, he went over to the pick-up counter.Jane’s impression of him over the phone was obstinate and intense.But now that she had met him, he seemed quite polite.
When she first called the school, she couldn’t reach him.The person answering the phone said he was in the middle of class.Jane left them with her name and phone number.
She got a call back thirty minutes later.Judging from the caller ID, he was calling from the school phone and not his cellphone.When Jane introduced herself as Yuna’s older sister, Jinu said suspiciously that he didn’t know Yuna had a sister.He said he would make a phone call and get back to her once he knew she was telling the truth.Afraid this meant he was going to call Yuna, Jane suggested an alternative.
