whispers to the cloudless sky chapter 19
Chapter 19
At the airport
Seeing the lady now with an up- close view, Chae Gyung forced a smile and extended her hand out. “Nice to meet you.”
Shin at this point pulled away from Ji Hyun’s arm and walked over to his wife.
The lady smiled back and shook her hand.
“This is Chae Gyung, my…” Lee Shin was cut short by a voice coming from behind.
“Dongsaeng!” It was Rebby. She came rushing to his side and gave him a hug. “I miss you” She pulled back and flashed a wide grin on her face.
“Don’t over react, noona. I was just away for a couple of days.” Shin pinched Rebby’s nose and hugged her back.
Chae Gyung stood aside and was not able to utter another word with the intimidating presence of her sister-in-law. She laid her eyes on Shin’s female companion once again, scanning the creamy purity of her face, the brightness of her soft eyes that glistened under a pair of fine brows, the perky nose and a pair of luscious lips any man would love to kiss. The way Ji Hyun stood reveals the poise and sophistication of an elite model, making heads turn with each movement of her statuesque body.
Rebby glanced at Chae Gyung who was now behind Shin, “Oh, she’s here.” she said bluntly.
“Hi, unnie.” Chae Gyung greeted politely.
Rebby ignored her and turned to the model. “So how was the flight? Come, I’ll show you around.” She pulled Ji Hyun’s hand while Shin was left standing with Chae Gyung. Rebby looked over her shoulder and asked, “Shin, aren’t you coming?”
He gave Chae Gyung a reluctant look, as if waiting for her to reach out and ask him to stay. But she didn’t say a word, until Rebby completely turned around.
“Come with us. We have to show Ji Hyun around, remember?” She demanded with her wide-eyed look.
Shin turned to Chae Gyung once again, “You want to come?” he asked softly.
One look at Rebby’s face and Chae Gyung knew she wasn’t welcome to join. She slowly shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I’ll go ahead. Don’t stay out too late. I’ll wait up for you.”
With shoulders drooping, Shin nodded and walked to his sister’s direction.
Chae Gyung carried in her heart a tinge of melancholic pain. She longed for that one chance to be with him again, but it seems like her wishing star has turned a deaf ear on her today.
At Lee Shin’s residence
“Where is Shin?” Mrs. Kim asked while her eyes went past Chae Gyung.
“He’s back, ajumma. But he has to accompany a guest together with his sister. He’ll be back later.” Immediately she lowered her eyes to her feet and took off her shoes by the doorsteps.
“Oh, and I thought he’s with you now. I have to get his room ready.” The housekeeper’s eyes were filled with excitement.
Before Mrs. Kim could turn on her heel, Chae Gyung called her out, “Mrs. Kim?”
“Yes?”
“I didn’t receive the roses for almost a week now.”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe the shop has some problems or ….” Mrs. Kim’s voice faded away.
Chae Gyung completed her statement, “Maybe he decided to stop.”
And she remembered the words he told her before…
“Then I will stop. But only when I am fully convinced you can never find a space in your heart for me.”
For a moment Chae Gyung felt a shudder inside her. She never realized what significance those roses had in her life until today.
Chae Gyung didn’t notice Mrs. Kim was staring at her face until the elder lady spoke. “I didn’t know it was important to you. Please wait here a second.” The housekeeper went to the kitchen and came back with a huge glass container of potpourri.
“What are these?” Chae Gyung asked with her eyes stuck on the container.
“These are dried petals I collected from your roses. I hope you don’t mind me collecting it since you weren’t interested with those flowers before.”
“No, I don’t.” She took hold of the bottle and opened the cap. The fragrance came out freely that soothed her senses.
She closed her eyes and smelled it for a while. “Can I have it?” Chae Gyung asked.
Mrs. Kim’s eyes could not hide her surprised look. “You want it?”
“Yes. I’m going to keep it.”
“You don’t know how happy you made me, Chae Gyung ssi. I kept it all along, hoping a day like this would eventually come. Yes of course, you can keep it. It’s all yours.” Mrs. Kim raised her hand to pat her on the shoulder.
Chae Gyung still intoxicated with the lingering fragrance, answered, “I’m thankful you didn’t throw it away after all.”
“I didn’t want to throw these flowers because they meant something for Shin.”
They do now to me.
Later on at the Willabee Flower Shop
“What’s with the long face?” Angezz was making a list of things they need to replenish in the shop when she noticed Chae Gyung was again immersed in her deep thoughts.
“Nothing.”
“Did he arrive from London?”
Chae Gyung nodded.
“Weren’t you happy to see him again?”
“I’m relieved he’s back. I can’t handle things alone for that long.”
“So why do you seem sad now? You still hate seeing him around the house?” Angezz took off her spectacles and threw a sharp look at Chae Gyung.
“He came back with a woman.”
“A woman?”
“A model.”
“A model?”
“Can you stop repeating the words I say?” The irritation in Chae Gyung’s voice sounded obvious.
“Sorry. But, why bring a model back in town?”
“He said she’s going to be the image model of Ewait.”
“So this is purely business. But why do I smell jealousy here?”
“Who’s jealous?” Chae Gyung turned her head to the opposite direction to avoid Angezz’ stare.
“Then why are you acting strange?”
She brought her eyes back to Ko Mae’s beanie bear she was toying around with a while ago. “He chose to go with her than to come home with me.”
Angezz let out a loud laugh. “That’s jealousy.” She shrieked while slamming on the table.
“I’m not jealous.” Chae Gyung tried to hide the tone of her voice in disguise, denying this surge of emotion that was once unknown to her heart.
“Yeah right. You’re not, but I can see smoke coming out from your nose.” Angezz loves fishing expedition, and today she was definitely making a big catch.
Evening came and Shin finally arrived home.
Chae Gyung put down the tea cup on the table as she sat motionless while Shin entered the house.
“You’re still awake.” He greeted her calmly.
“It’s almost midnight.” She answered with a somber look.
Shin took off his coat and sat on the one- seater couch. “Noona wanted to show Ji Hyun around.”
“Weren’t you tired? You just came in straight from the airport. You needed to rest.”
“There was some stuff that needed to be discussed right away.”
Instead of remaining quiet Chae Gyung’s voice leaped a notch higher as she could no longer hide her dismay. “Couldn’t it wait until tomorrow?”
“It’s noona’s decision. Besides she’s the one who hired her services. She has to give Ji Hyun the best accommodation there is.”
“Why do you need to be with them the whole day?” Another question came out from her lips.
“I’m tired. Can I go to my room now?” Shin answered and stood up while rubbing his nape.
Chae Gyung sprang from her seat and reached out to touch his nape, “What’s wrong?” She asked.
Shin’s reflex was to step away from her and leaned back a bit. He made a silent vow not to come in physical contact with Chae Gyung as much as he could. Since the day she pulled her hands out from his grasp in the hospital, he knew she was never going to be comfortable with his touch again.
“Nothing.” was all he could mutter as he turned and went up to his room.
4:30 A.M.
The cold breeze of the morning wind brushed upon her face. It was signaling Chae Gyung to rise and get ready for a brand new start of the day. She has been practicing the routine in her mind for the past few days, and today she was ready to make a big change in her wedded life.
As she stood up, her gaze passed the huge portrait hanging on the wall. She brought her eyes back to the face, and as she stared upon the man she once loved, she tried searching inside her heart the intense emotions that have cruelly enslaved her before, but she could not find it. The memories of this man have vividly stayed with her, but the feelings that came along with the scenes of the past have already fled from the shadows of her heart. Chae Gyung pulled and stepped upon a chair. She took down the portrait, covered it with a white blanket, and carefully placed it inside the closet. She went on to hide the things that have traces of Eric, suddenly becoming conscious of her husband’s feelings if he keeps on seeing things that would remind him of the pain she has once brought him.
With a newly shaven face and hair moderately messed up with a touch of gel, Shin hurriedly left his room and came running down the stairs. Clad in an all black suit, he was looking every inch of a debonair gentleman any girl would throw herself at his feet with just a snap of a finger.
Upon entering the dining room, he was surprised to see breakfast being served this early, by Chae Gyung.
“You woke up early. Has Mrs. Kim arrived?”
She never thought this man could take her breath away at this time of the day. He’s looking better and better each day. “She will be late for a couple of hours. She’s having a check -up, her arthritis is acting up again.” She explained while pulling out a chair and sat. “Let’s eat.”
Shin took his seat and started to put food on his plate.
“Shin.”
He raised his eyes and looked at her.
“I just want to tell you that…”
“That?”
“You don’t have to make breakfast for me from now on.”
He shifted his eyes away from her as sudden flights of thought came into his mind. Mrs. Kim has told her.
“Mrs. Kim told me you have been preparing breakfast every morning. I want to do it this time for you. You don’t have to wake up so early from now on.”
Shin remained silent as he started eating.
“You cook so well. Where did you learn it?” Chae Gyung asked again to ease out the seeming awkwardness they were having. Her eyes followed each move he makes, ogling at the sight of the man sitting across the table.
“My father taught me. It’s one of the few good moments I had with him.”
“Why did you have to cook for me?”
“Mrs. Kim told me how much you loved Indonesian fried rice that I cooked for you one morning. I remember that dish put a smile back on your face for the first time since you came to live with me. I decided to cook it for you as long as you wanted it.”
Chae Gyung felt her heart being unguarded for a moment. All her defenses broke down, hearing these words coming out from his lips.
They spent the rest of the meal together with words becoming a few, both of them conscious of what thoughts might be running in each other’s mind.
“I have to go. We’re having a press con today for the arrival of Ji Hyun.” Shin finally said after finishing the last piece of food on his plate.
“Can you tell me a bit more about her?”
“She used to work in London for the Models 1 modeling agency. Noona met her during one of her trips last year and decided to get her services for Ewait. She’s also going to hire Ji Hyun to personally train her models at Ds Dreamer agency.”
Chae Gyung cleared her throat, trying not to sound inquisitive, “How long is she staying in Korea?”
“She’s signing up for a one year contract with Ewait.”
“So you went to London to fetch her.”
Shin wiped his mouth with a napkin and nodded before rising from his seat. “Thanks for the breakfast. I’ll go ahead.”
Chae Gyung stood up and walked up to him. “Wait.”
Shin paused and stood still.
She leaned forward and used her right thumb to wipe some crumbs off the corner of his mouth. Shin felt her eyes piercing through him as he stiffens up, both hands on the side, not able to make a single move.
Chae Gyung wanted to trail the rest of her fingers on the curve of his lips but she held back when a wave of fear washed over her. She realized her eyes were gazing at him again and forced herself to break away from the invisible pull he seemed to possess.
“There.” She stuck out her thumb and showed him the dirt. “You’re clean now.”
“Thank you.” Shin spoke weakly while picking up his attaché case and left the house.
