My Songbird's Dream

36. When life returns

Park Ji-tae
Late February, 1945
Occupied Seoul

I glanced over with contempt as Hideki blustered loudly into Madame Nam's private office space. Our tense meeting halted briefly as all eyes turned his way.

Hideki paused just over the threshold, clearly basking in having captured attention so easily. His shrewd gaze ticked between his relatives and I.

"No need to halt important talk just for me, dear cousins..." He smirked, before amending with exaggerated graciousness. "...Ah, plus you of course, Mr. Park!"

I resisted rolling my eyes skyward as Hideki draped himself across the nearest leather chair. He made a dramatic show of straightening his ostentatious watch and cufflinks, tone casually magnanimous. "Do continue finalizing this brilliant scheme to humble Elder Sato financially while I get comfortable over here."

I watched Madame Nam pointedly ignore Hideki's tedious monologue and redirected her intense focus on the open ledger before us. Meanwhile Superintendent Mori shot his lounge brother an aggravated look promising future repercussion for interrupting.

Oblivious or indifferent, Hideki stretched until his back gave an audible crack. He exhaled loudly. "Ah well, I must say it did feel rather nice getting to gaze down imperiously on that old wolf earlier instead of the reverse..."

Hideki chuckled then, a coarse braying sound making my ears recoil instinctively. "Having Sato unknowingly sell out his arsonist heir is especially delicious. Saves us sullying reputations directly chasing such petty vandalism while still securing the crucial loan, no?"

When no one appeared interested in humoring his crass commentary, I interjected thinly, "Do you intend contributing anything meaningful? Or are we forced suffering through more pointless prattle instead?"

I let blunt irritation underscore my words. Honestly, the man talked enough for a flock of old fishers and their wives at market!

I nearly missed Superintendent Mori passing a folded document my way across Madame Nam's heavy wooden desk. I accepted it with murmured thanks, quickly scanning the brief contents.

"American visa secured for Daniel alongside asylum guarantees for select family," Mori informed me gruffly around the toothpick bobbing from his mouth. "But compiling more from local occupation rosters will still require maybe a month minimum. Especially if citizens wish accompanying guaranteed passage abroad."

I nodded my understanding, tucking the paper safely away. We would likely have need of it sooner than anticipated at this rate. Especially if Miyoko's unpredictable fixation escalated much further...

Hideki snorted softly just then, recapturing attention from his sprawl. "Speaking of your wife - does she even yet know you plan ending her marriage over those adulterous affiliations? Or will that be a nasty surprise saving for another amusing day ruining Sato plans?"

I met his mocking stare in curiosity. "Considering your loose tongue revealed the affair to Sato, there's small wonder if dissolution would shock anyone..." I arched a brow. "Unless you hope salvaging the woman as consolation prize for yourself?"

Hideki's habitual smirk faltered a bit at having his crass commentary so neatly dismissed by all. Before he could lob some petty retort though, Madame Nam smoothly redirected our tense conversation.

"Ending a marriage contract is one matter..." My Madame Nam folded her hands with an elegant rustle of silk sleeves. Her stare speared me knowingly. "But have you discussed formally confirming young Daniel's registered legitimacy within your own immediate family yet?"