Unexpectedly Meeting You Again

twenty-five

"I threw it away."

Areum widened her eyes and clenched her fists. Anger, frustration, disappointment all rose inside her. "You what?" She asked as she gritted her teeth.

My dad gifted me that scarf.

How could he?

Why did he even?

Just...why?

She raised her hand and slapped his face. It came out softer than how she wanted it to go. He looked at her, confusion plastered on his face.

"Were you about to slap me?"

"Why the hell would you throw it away?! My dad bought it for me!"

He sighed and looked around, "Don't make a scene here. Come," he gripped her hand as he led her to his office. His eyes widened when the scarf was nowhere to be found in the dustbin.

"Where is it?!" He asked himself as he rummaged through his drawers and even checked the bookshelf.

Areum looked at his drawers and saw a green scarf in one of them. It wasn't closed properly. She approached the drawer and opened it, seeing the scarf neatly folded on his files.

"Hey. Don't go through my stuff!" Heeseung said and rushed towards her. She took her scarf out and a picture frame earned her by surprise.

The picture when they first went on a date. They both were smiling brightly as they ate their spicy rice cakes.

He pulled her away from the drawers before closing it, "I told you not to go through my stuff! Why is it so hard to listen?"

Areum tightened her grip around the scarf and lowered her gaze. He sighed and looked away, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice at you."

"You said that you still love me if you still have this scarf. Is that true?"

He turned around, facing the wall. "No. That's not true. I just forgot to get rid of it. You can keep it if you want."

I can't get rid of it. It's the only thing that reminds me of you, a thought crossed his mind. He was also surprised at himself.

Is that why I can't throw it away?

Areum forced herself to smile and bowed at him, "I think it's unprofessional of me to mix personal matters with work. And I have bothered you too much at your workplace, Dr Lee. Forgive me," she bowed again as a sign of honorifics.

"Areum-ah."

She turned around and was about to leave when the door to the office opened. Heeseung's father walked in with a stern look plastered on his face.

"Dad," the son muttered. Mr Lee scoffed and eyed Areum up and down, "Long time no see, Jung Areum. How're your parents?"

The said girl felt herself being towered by the old man. Heeseung's father has always been scary to her. Her hands trembled as she held her scarf tightly.

She didn't want the old man to see how frightened she was in front of him. Heeseung noticed her trembling and stood in front of her, "What makes you come here, dad?"

"You're still the same, Heeseung. Always protecting her. I thought you both broke up."

"Nothing much. I just came here for advice," Mr Lee continued before plopping himself on the couch. The son sighed and glanced at Areum, "You can go now."

She nodded and bowed at the father before opening the door.

"Wait," Mr Lee's voice made everything go silent. She took a deep breath as she held the doorknob, hoping he wouldn't scold or even belittle her.

"Have a seat, young lady."

"Dad," Heeseung's voice was stern and intense. He watched as the detective obeyed his father's orders, sitting in front of him.

"The election is just around the corner. Do you have any idea how I can get more votes? I can't lose to that stupid Joo family."

Areum exhaled heavily and felt her heart relax a bit. Heeseung's lips curved into a small smile, relieved that his father didn't cause a problem.

"Have you tried doing charity work? People love that. And avoid bringing too many reporters or cameramen to film your every move. People won't think you're sincere," the girl suggested.

"Anything else?" Mr Lee was invested in the ideas, earning his son by surprise. If his mother sees them, she would also be in shock.

A thought crossed Areum's mind.

If Mr Joo loses the election. That means mother will be devastated. Then, I can get my revenge. I can use Mr Lee as a weapon to bring her down.

"Mr Lee, you might not know this but I know the Joo family so well."

The said man arched an eyebrow, "You do?"

"I can help you win the election. I also want to see Mr Joo lose. It's his wife that I'm after."

"May I ask what is your relationship with Mrs Joo?"

"She's the person who abandoned me and then came to me like it's nothing. She even treated me like shit. Would you allow me to use you as a weapon to bring her down?"

Mr Lee put out a hand to shake hers, "Feel free, Jung Areum. Let me just say, I'm starting to like you. Why did you both even break up in the first place?"

His question made Heeseung look at him with shock and disbelief eyes. He wanted to shout, yell and scold his father.

You are the reason we broke up!

Areum blushed at the man's question. Why did we break up? It's because he never likes my personality, to begin with, she thought.