FALLING SLOWLY ||Complete||

Silent Martyr

Your fault?" Soo surprises herself by finding her voice. Inside her ribcage, her heart twitches painfully.
"I am responsible for your accident," he stares at her palm intently, head hanging low. "It was my first car and I -"
"No!" Her tone startles them both. So's eyes snap back to her gaze and she can't find any misgiving in them. This time it is her who steps back, her hands trembling. "You are lying! Why are you lying?"
"It is the truth Hae Soo!" The timber of his tone burns, yet remains firm. "Why would I lie to you?"
"They wanted to keep my name off the records - that's why nobody talks about it. Don't hate Wook for something he has no control over."
"Lies!"
His fingers grip her arms not so gently, turning her around to face him. There she sees it for the first time - a darker shadow that sifts in his eyes. His jaw is set and his eyes are burning.
"Admit it Hae Soo - I'm exactly the kind of man they say I am."
He holds her for another moment, until she is struggling to free herself and then lets go as abruptly as he held her. "There - now you understand. You are better far away from me."

**
Tears blur her vision and Soo wipes at them angrily. There is no point in crying over things beyond her control. She leans her head against the headrest and lets her eyes drain away all the bitterness brewing inside her. She is certain she would need that before facing Attorney Yoo.

The car she has sent to pick her up - without giving reasons for their meeting, finds her when she stumbles outside still going over Hwang So's confession. Soo can't still believe she could make such a grave error of judgement. She had trusted him and her own trust was biting into her soul like a broken shred of a glass.

Attorney Yoo sits in her office, like a queen of yore, sipping from a delicate tea cup. The smell of herbal tea makes her dizzy, still Soo reminds herself to stand straighter and bow deep. She waves it away with a lazy hand.

"I missed you Hae Soo, we haven't talked in a while," she gestures her to take the seat opposite.

The decor is red as blood, so is the chair she sinks into. It makes Soo nervous to be surrounded by so much red. She sits anyway and stares at her hands in her lap. Attorney Yoo reaches over and pours her a tea cup. Its strong smell tickles her nostrils and bile rise up her throat.

"Orange blossoms -" Attorney Yoo tells her. "Specially hand picked and dried. Nothing better to clear your head before a consultation."

Her hands shake as she accepts the tea and under the older woman's hawk like gaze, Soo takes a cautious sip and regrets immediately. If possible the strong taste combined with the undiluted smell makes her more nauseous.

"Wook was worried about you..." the opening sounds threateningly gentle. "You were off the grid for the entire day."

"I went to lend a helping hand to a friend," Soo chooses her words carefully knowing they will be relayed to her aunt at some point. "I was bored."

"If you are interested I can offer you better occupations for your time Hae Soo..." Narrowed eyes considers her over the rim of a tea cup.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you - but it won't be necessary." She winces and takes another sip of that horrible tea.

"Let me be frank with you Hae Soo," Says Attorney Yoo. "My Wook has suffered too much for his young life. I do not wish for him to worry anymore. He is the only son who puts my happiness above his - for some strange reason he thinks he owes me his life." She shakes her head at a thought only she was privy to with a ghost of a smile and sets down her tea cup. When her eyes snap back to hold Soo's, there is no warmth in them. "And you've been worrying him."

She shivers involuntarily and the tea cup rattles in its saucer.

"He has proposed has he not? What takes you so long to say yes?" The mild irritation with which she speaks strokes the dying fire inside her.