Love on Park Avenue - Namjoohyuk

Chapter 38: Mrs Nam

"That's Mrs. Nam. " Hojun whispered.

"Hello, you have some nerve coming here. This is why it's never a good idea to send kids to America. It just ruins them. All you think it's about free will. Never about your duties. " Mrs. Nam said.

Annie kept her composure.

"Mrs. Nam, in America, we also think with our brains and we are not afraid to what is right and instead of just following someone's orders. And that is what your son is doing. I'm just here to support him. I'm assuming you know that I don't need to reiterate. "

"Are you saying that I'm not supporting my son?" She raised her voice.

"I'm just saying that we will be doing what is right for ourselves. Also, I'm not easily intimidated. " Annie smiled.

"In Korea, we have a saying, in case you don't know. A puppy is not afraid of the tiger but dogs are. Maybe you should start realizing who you are dealing with here."

This was an old saying that everyone knew. She was insulting me yet again.

"Wall Street taught me plenty of how to deal with plenty of tigers." Annie replied back. Mrs. Nam looked a little setback. Did she expect Annie to sit quiet and be submissive? Annie remembered how she was taught in elementary school and junior high. How her teachers rewarded the kids that followed rules. One of the reasons why she hated Korean education.

"Talking back, just like Americans," Mrs. Nam said before she started walking towards her car. "We will see how well you've been taught," she stared at Annie for a moment. Sizing her as if to see what weapon she should pick to destroy her enemy in a video game. Annie stood in the same spot, frozen, digesting what had happened. This moment will play in her mind like a loop for years to come, it was inevitable whether she liked it or not. She had no choice.

She knew exactly what Mrs. Nam meant. It was a declaration of war. She will never accept Annie as Juhyuk's girlfriend, let alone his wife if they ever got married. This was how families broke apart. Years of distance caused by misinterpreted events. Wounds escalated by hurtful words. Memories of birthday parties in the garden, summer vacations on the East Sea, holiday dinner tables full of japchae, Kalbi, colorful jun tucked away in the dusty photo albums. Mrs. Nam would never forgive Annie for causing the distance between her and her son. The motherly love in her will persuade her to continue speaking to Juhyuk but it will never be the same. There will always be tension and the center of it all, will be Annie.

Mrs. Nam continued walking. The men in suits surrounding her again like a fortress.

"Ms. Suk. I haven't seen anyone talk that way to Mrs. Nam before." Hojun remarked, a boyish grin forming around his lips. "I enjoyed seeing Mrs. Nam get a little intimidated." Hojun touched her on the shoulder and smiled awkwardly, attempting to cheer Annie. But Annie was in no mood for that.

"She won't leave us alone as long as I'm with Juhyuk, will she?" Annie asked.

"No, she won't," Hojun said, his face becoming serious again.

They walked in silence to the visitor room in the same room where Mrs. Nam was in. The correctional officer led us through the long hallway.

Juhyuk was sitting in the room. His face was thinner, his cheekbones more defined, but his eyes shined. He had found his inner peace. Annie could see it.

"I will leave you two alone," Hojun said.

There was a glass wall between them. Without a word, they stared at each other. They didn't have to speak. Annie didn't know what to say. Seeing him up close she realized how much she missed him. She told him everything. What happened at Lehman. He listened, gazing at her intensely.

"I am sorry I hung up like that. I was a coward. I thought I could have that great career in Wall Street if I stayed on and ignored it. Part of me wanted to do. But in the end, I couldn't. You know? That wouldn't be me. I can't ignore the truth and live a life of comfort. I wouldn't have uncovered that side of me if it wasn't for you."

"Annie, you would have uncovered it sooner or later. That's how you are. All I did was guide you to the path." He continued.

"If you didn't quit, that feeling of regret would have taunted you inside. Until it would have made you suffer, day and night. You would have hated yourself in the end."

"How do you feel? Is that feeling gone for you?" Annie asked.

"Yes, it has. I was suffering from myself. Till now, I had to live a life that someone else had created for me. And I couldn't complain how much I was suffering inside. I hated myself for it. I asked myself, why can't you be more grateful? Why can't I be happier? I have more money in my bank account than I can spend in my life time. I can fly to Paris tomorrow on a private jet and stay in a five-star hotel. Why am I this way?"

He banged on the table and leaning on his arm, started sobbing loudly. Years of accumulated toxins drained down through his tears. Her own tears rushed out like a dam that just opened. They sobbed in rhythm. Her fingers traced his head through the glass.

"So I faked it. I thought about turning to drugs. Even killing myself. I lived in a prison all my life. I met someone who understood how I feel and cried for me. It was the first time. Someone crying for me. That person gave me the courage to take control of my own destiny. To go to prison, of all places! Now that I am in prison, I feel free."

"I wanted to see you because I don't know how long I will be here. But sooner or later, it will be over. And when it does, we will be together. Until then, you need to continue living your life the best way you can."

"I can't. Not when you are here."

"You have to. It will be harder for me to go on if I know you are constantly worried about me." He put his hand on the window that separated us. Annie wanted to break the glass. She wanted to feel the warmth of his hand. Fresh tears started dropping on to the tabletop.

"I can't do anything for you except pray for you here. You need to find your way again. Better one." He said.

"I was thinking of moving to San Francisco but use my computer engineering background to good use." I could taste the saltiness in my mouth.

"Whatever you decide to do, I know you will be successful. Live your life. Live for me. It's going to make me feel a lot better knowing you are living your fullest. When we see each other again, tell me how much you laughed, how much you cried. It will give me something to look forward to. Tell me how beautiful life is," He said, his eyes glistening, but laughing at the same time.

"I will but I'm going to wait for you. No matter what. I won't change about that. You are stuck with me. Forever." Annie said.

He smiled and nodded again.

The time was up and he was led back to his cell, waiting for his sentence. Hojun explained that Juhyuk will be sentenced in about a month.