Chapter 63
- Wishing You Well
2023.07.02.
Choi Hyun-ji had always been popular with all her friends since she was young, but Hana was always her number one.
The friend who said her wish was to go on the school trip with her and paid for her trip. The friend who took notes and brought her food when Hyun-ji was injured during dodgeball in gym class. The friend who contacted all her acquaintances and posted online to save her mother's life when she collapsed and needed designated blood donations.
Hyun-ji also had such a friend.
Choi Hyun-ji and Kang Hana, who had attended elementary, middle, and high school together in Jeungpyeong, parted ways for the first time when they became college students. Hyun-ji, whose family's financial situation improved as her father's business boomed, went to study in the United States as she had wished, and Hana, who dreamed of becoming an actress, entered the Department of Theater and Film in Seoul.
Although they were physically apart, their hearts were always close. The two lived faithfully in their respective lives, and when they received a call from each other, they would stay up all night chatting on the phone. For Hyun-ji, those calls that came at any time were the only joy in her exhausting life abroad.
Then one day, Hana told Hyun-ji unexpected news.
[Hyun-ji, I have a boyfriend. He's a law school student. And he's really handsome?]
Hyun-ji was a little disappointed because Hana would usually ask her what she thought of a potential boyfriend before dating him, but that process was missing this time. However, Hana's family, who were farmers, were struggling with debt at that time, so Hyun-ji thought it was a good thing. It would be better for her to date and cheer up than to be depressed about family matters.
Hana naturally became less communicative when she started dating. So Hyun-ji just thought that Hana was in love again and couldn't contact her often. It was strange that she only replied with text messages even when Hyun-ji called her because she missed her, but Hyun-ji, who knew Hana well, believed that no news was good news.
Later, what she felt was beyond strange and suspicious was when she received a call from Hana's mother.
[Hyun-ji. I can't reach Hana. It's been a while since she came home, and she hasn't answered my calls for two months. She only sends short texts if I keep calling. Do you know anything?]
Since she also hadn't been able to contact Hana, she became worried belatedly. Hyun-ji, who decided to return to Korea after a long time, returned home as soon as she finished her final exams.
And she went to Hana's apartment with Hana's family. Hana was bleeding and collapsed in her apartment. Hyun-ji quickly took Hana to the hospital.
Hana was suffering from the aftereffects of a miscarriage.
She had a baby with her boyfriend a long time ago, and the boyfriend, who seemed like he was going to get married right away, disappeared and then came back with money one day. The boyfriend coaxed and urged her to have surgery, but Hana couldn't do that. She found out about the pregnancy late, so she couldn't have surgery, so Hana took a leave of absence from school, refused offers to appear in dramas, and persevered.
After that, a person who said she was the boyfriend's mother came to Hana and took her home. She said she was sorry she didn't know, that they should be close in the future, and that she just wanted her to be healthy, comforting Hana. The boyfriend also apologized and brought up the topic of marriage. Hana regained her strength with their apologies. The boyfriend's mother treated her warmly like she was serving a noble, preparing food for her, and Hana ate the food deliciously.
However, that night, the baby's heart stopped.
Hana had no choice but to have surgery. Because it was a mid-term miscarriage, Hana's bleeding was severe. After that, she completely lost contact with her boyfriend, and Hana's body and mind were ruined.
Because she was too young, didn't know anything, and the other person was a law school student, Hana didn't take any action.
Hyun-ji wanted to be Hana's strength, just like Hana had been her support during her school days. She took a leave of absence from school and stayed in Korea, staying by her side so that she could return to being the energetic Kang Hana. But Hana was burdened by Hyun-ji, who couldn't return to the United States because of her. So, Hyun-ji eventually returned to the United States after six months.
And two months later, Hana's obituary was delivered.
Kang Hana, a promising and beautiful friend, Hyun-ji's only best friend, passed away so futilely at the young age of twenty-two. Hyun-ji engraved the names of Hana's former boyfriend Yang Hee-wook, who did not even appear at Hana's funeral, and his mother Kim Mal-hee in her heart.
After that, Hyun-ji quickly finished her college life in the United States and entered law school in Korea, studying hard to become a lawyer. She didn't necessarily become a lawyer out of revenge for Yang Hee-wook, but when it came time to get a job, her heart naturally leaned towards the law firm where Yang Hee-wook worked.
After joining Yulkyu Law Firm, she found out that Hee-wook was in a relationship about six months later. It was because Yang Hee-wook didn't show it. She worried for a moment whether he would get his current lover pregnant and then abandon her, but Hyun-ji was selfish and didn't pay much attention. She was just gradually approaching Yang Hee-wook, spending time investigating whether there were any irregularities in the cases Yang Hee-wook was in charge of.
Then she heard about Yang Hee-wook's mother Kim Mal-hee's liver surgery. From what she heard, it seemed like a liver transplant, but it was suspicious that Yang Hee-wook kept carefully referring to it as liver cancer surgery. So Hyun-ji pestered Hee-wook to visit the hospital where Kim Mal-hee was hospitalized, and Hyun-ji found out that Kim Mal-hee had received a liver transplant. For some reason, she had a terrible premonition and asked the nurse who was entering and leaving Kim Mal-hee's hospital room.
"The prospective daughter-in-law probably donated it."
How can I express the frustration and shock at that time?
Hyun-ji regretted her indifference for the first time at that time. If she had noticed just a month earlier, she could have saved that woman. She could have told that woman how cunning and evil Yang Hee-wook and his family were.
Hyun-ji reflected on the past and belatedly met So-eun.
Han So-eun, who rushed to the Omotesando Hills bar at Hyun-ji's invitation, was a weak and innocent woman who still loved Yang Hee-wook even after being deceived by him. So-eun seemed foolish, and she felt like she was going to die of pity. She also missed her friend who had left her in the world so much. In fact, she wanted to hug So-eun and cry.
At that time, Hyun-ji confirmed Yang Hee-wook's attitude towards So-eun and vowed to separate the two as soon as possible. She deliberately created a fight and made Hee-wook kick So-eun out. Even so, she was constantly anxious. She was worried that Han So-eun, who foolishly loved Yang Hee-wook, might have bad thoughts.
But after So-eun left Omotesando Hills, something interesting happened. A tall man came into the bar and took a seat at the end. He was a strikingly handsome man who looked like a celebrity, but the man didn't order a drink and just quietly watched her seat before leaving. It was a fact that only the quick and sharp Hyun-ji recognized.
After the man left, Hyun-ji pretended to go to the bathroom, got up from her seat, and quietly followed the man. She saw the man who found So-eun in front of the convenience store talking to So-eun for a long time. The two knew each other.
Seeing the man fidgeting next to So-eun, she felt strangely relieved.
Even if she breaks up with Yang Hee-wook, that woman will be able to overcome it.
Hyun-ji was able to separate Yang Hee-wook and Han So-eun with peace of mind.
A few days later, that man visited Yulkyu Law Firm and asked her and Yang Hee-wook to handle global headhunting. When she received his business card, she saw that he was Kim Tae-joon, an executive at Han So-eun's company. For some reason, she felt like she knew the man's intention in visiting her and Yang Hee-wook. Hyun-ji could only welcome him with open arms.
\*
Tae-joon's office.
So-eun stammered and stuttered.
"B-but, the lawyer is going to marry Yang Hee-wook..."
"Who says that? Why would I marry a guy who's not even trash? Do I look like that kind of person?"
Hyun-ji was rough, as if she couldn't believe it and told her not to talk nonsense.
So-eun still couldn't understand what Hyun-ji was saying.
Did she fight with Yang Hee-wook and break up? Is that why Yang Hee-wook came to me too?
So-eun couldn't find anything to say because she was turning her head inside.
Perhaps realizing that her voice was too loud, Hyun-ji's voice became a little lower.
"There's only one thing I've done wrong to you. I still feel bad about it, like I owe you."
"......"
"It was when I offered you a drink at the bar the first day we met. I was really sorry then. So I packed nutritional supplements and medicine that are good for the liver the next day. I packed that. Yang Hee-wook was busy taking care of himself even then."
But, what?
She took care of me from the first day we met at Omotesando Hills?
"There's only one thing I want to ask So-eun."
Now her head was throbbing. Hyun-ji's voice was pounding as if it was ringing near her heart.
"Trash? You can meet them. You may end up in the gutter while living. Of course, you can abuse yourself."
"......"
"But think about surviving. Because that's much more valuable. You just can't give up on yourself. Got it?"
Perhaps because she was a lawyer, her eloquence was terrifyingly good.
I've never tried to give up anything. After hearing Hyun-ji's words, So-eun felt like she had to live even harder, without giving up anything, and strongly.
"I hope you do well. I hope you become happy as if to show off. My soul is already broken, but I hope you protect that goodness to the end."
"......"
"There are people who shouldn't be stained by the filth of the world, such pure people. Just like fairies should only eat dew, and fairy tales should be beautiful as they are."
As time went on, So-eun couldn't understand even more.
Clearly, this woman is my ex-boyfriend's mistress and my enemy, but for some reason, all the words this woman is saying to support me feel like they are true and sincere.
Why does that terrifying and overwhelming expression look sad and desperate?
"I want Han So-eun to live like that to the end, foolishly kind, not knowing anything, not being stained by the dirty things of the world, not getting blood on her hands, just living like that foolishly. Because there are definitely people who are saved by that harmless appearance."
"......"
"Because someone else needs to be comforted, thinking, 'There are people like this in the world. There are people like this who are so kind.'"
I really came here to fight with this woman.
It was a tremendous praise that continued like a clear stream. So-eun felt like she had been beaten black and blue with a bat that said 'praise'.
