Chanyeol's not at his office, and he hasn't been for weeks. After driving across the city in mid-afternoon traffic, I pulled up to the glass building which houses the sales center of the firm that he works for, only to be told by the receptionist that Chanyeol lost his job a few weeks ago. I remember him mentioning it, he'd used it as an excuse for his shitty behavior, but I never gave it another thought.
Despite his misfortune, though, I don't feel pity or concern. Nothing is going to dampen down my resentment and contempt. I sit in my car and pull my phone from my bag, full of determination. I'll track him down.
It rings once. 'Roseanne,'
I was expecting a voice laced with smugness and deep satisfaction, so when I hear this one, which is broken and strained, I'm thrown completely. It takes me a few moments to piece a sentence together and when I do, it's not at all what I had intended to say. 'Are you okay?'
He laughs, but it's weak. 'Why don't you ask your wife?'
The back of my head hits the headrest of my seat, and I stare up at the ceiling of my car. I should have predicted this. 'How bad?'
'Oh, just a couple of broken ribs and a black eye. Nothing major. She knows how to do a job properly, I'll give her that. '
'Why did you do it?'
'Because I want everything she has with you. Or I did. Jennie took great pleasure in telling me you were marrying her, and then that letter fell on my doormat. I wondered why you would be seeking an abortion if you were married, so I guessed Lisa didn't know. I took a chance. Why are you having an abortion?'
'I'm not. '
'Then why...'
'Because I was shocked. ' I shout defensively. I'm not explaining myself to him. Silence falls down the line, and I'm not in the least bit compelled to explain myself further. 'I think this is where you give up, Chanyeol.'
'Well I won't be setting myself up for another beating from your unhinged wife. Not even you are worth the pain I'm in right now.'
I laugh to myself and my stupidity for almost feeling sorry for him.
'Oh,' he continues, 'and don't worry about Elizabeth and Joseph. I've been given a little taste of what will happen if I share your news. Can I suggest that you get your address changed so I don't receive any of your shit in future?' He hangs up.
I stare down at my phone in disbelief. I didn't blast him with half of the words I've been mentally preparing throughout the day. I didn't get to spit my hatred at him, or even slap his face. I'd love to slap his face. I smirk to myself, my smile only broadening when a mental image of Lisa pounding on Chanyeol's loser ass springs to mind. I'm not a violent person, but if Lisa wants to take her anger out on someone, then Chanyeol would be my person of choice every time. He deserves everything he gets, and there's no doubt in my mind that I won't be hearing from him again and neither will my parents. It's one more thing ticked off my list of issues. Hyuna has apologized, for what it's worth, but she's gone and that's all that matters. Jennie and Jisoo are together, and Jennie and Jimin are not. I've made friends with my brother, and Chanyeol has been trampled. That one makes me smile again. But what I really need to be doing is finding my wife and making friends with her. I chuck my phone on the passenger seat and make my way back towards the city.
I feel like I'm on a cleansing mission. Our new life together will be free from troubles very soon, and it's right now that I decide to tackle the final issue tomorrow. Mikael. I've still not heard from him, but there's nothing he can say, anyway, nothing he can tell me, so I don't know what the point of our meeting will be. He's not back from Denmark, or if he is I've not heard from him, but I'll call him. I'll beat him to the punch. I'm full of determination to eradicate this final issue. I'm making it my mission objective. I'll do anything.
