Pay With Your Heart

Chapter 384: Strength And Wit.

Despite the number of times Dan-Han listened and replayed the latter part of the audio clip, the words he had heard didn’t change. They kept reverberating, indicating that he had indeed heard well. ‘My brother is taking good care of her.’ Mr. Kim had said.

‘His brother.’

The only kindred Kim Yong-Gun had was his elder brother who was, of course, his father’s closest friend, and his wife -Sena, his mother’s best friend or soul sister as they fondly called themselves all through his childhood and even after they had relocated abroad.

His brother was the true patriarch of the Kim empire, but he had signed the power of attorney to Yong-Gun after the loss of his long-expected child which had left an irreparable dent in their family and had made him move abroad with his family for the past twenty-three years.

Dan-Han was only but a child during the time of the unfortunate incident, but he could still remember, although vaguely, how bad it had stung as the ordeal had affected even the Lee household. His mother had been more expectant of the child’s arrival than its mother had been, but it had unexpectedly died, crushing everyone’s heart and hope.

He hadn’t truly known and understood the feeling of death at the time as he was just a little over five, but the unfamiliar yet heavy feeling of dejectedness and despondency was something he could never forget – not just because his parents became awkwardly quiet, but more because that was the first time he saw the ever bubbling Aunt Sena with sunshine grins and smiles cried like she’d die if she wasn’t stopped.

She’d be out in space for long hours, her eyes a constant red, tears streaming down her eyes like a broken dam while she consistently yearned and sought for her child. For over a year she was despondent, losing every single part of her and slowly becoming a shadow of herself till her husband had took her away on his parent’s advice.

.....

It was an ordeal that none of the families ever got over, and why Aunt Sena had been absent at his mother’s funeral. She had never returned since then.

“Are you okay?” Eun-sun asked behind him, breaking through the palpable silence that had suddenly filled the room.

A wry sigh rolled off his lips. He nodded and turned towards her. “I’m fine.” He said, but the concerned yet suspicious look which Eun-sun sniped at him told him she wasn’t sold to his reply, and he clearly understood why.

He has been drifting in and out of his thoughts since he received the call from his father.

“Are you sure? Is everything okay at home?” Her voice was heavy with suspicion. Eun-sun was almost certain he wasn’t fine as he claimed to be, especially not after what she had just seen on her phone and definitely not after receiving a call from his father.

The old man had an undisguised talent for quashing good and brisk moods, and what horrible timing he also had for it. Eun-sun wasn’t sure if it was an innate nature, or maybe it was an acquired talent that he was fervently brooding because of his sworn contempt towards her.

How displeased he must be knowing the poor and underserving choice his son had made was currently living with him under one roof. He must be seething mad. She didn’t want to imagine his flaring nose and austere disposition, but knowing exactly how he felt reeled in the sad truth that Dan-Han was having a hard time because of her, but he wasn’t telling her. He doesn’t share anything with her, not even his burdens.

She wryly sighed and lowered her head. “I’m sorry you have to deal with a lot of things because of me.” She apologized, but Dan-Han’s brows instantly narrowed into a tight knot when he heard the unwarranted apology.

“What things?” He asked. “And what apology is this?”

Eun-sun slowly raised her gaze to him. “I know that call was from your dad, and I can guess he had harangued you because of me, again.”

“And what gave you that idea?” He grimly asked. He walked towards the bed and tipped her chin up with his fingers so he could look at her.

“I...” Eun-sun stuttered. “I think...”

“Yeah, you keep thinking, Park Eun-sun.” He interjected her. “That’s your only problem, overthinking. And funny how you think only about the upsetting things.” He squatted in front of her, raking his hand through her tousled, jet-black hair. “You need to get your hair done.” He said, sidetracking himself from the conversation, but Eun-sun wasn’t following him on that path.

“So it isn’t about me?” She asked bringing him back to the conversation which had nothing to do with her hair.

“No, it wasn’t.” He told her. “I have a few things to handle at work and he wants me to check in with him first.”

Eun-sun skeptically gazed at him, but indulgently nodded. If he had spoken the truth she wouldn’t know. That was the sort of man she was dating. He was enigmatic as could be.

Taking note of his crooked tie, she slowly reached for it and fixed it. “Dan-Han.”

“Hmm?”

“Is there something you want to tell me?” She cautiously asked, her eyes intently staring at him and picking on every expression that as much as flickered through his eyes.

“Something like what?” He stood up and occupied the space beside her on the bed.

Eun-sun turned towards him. “Something like the shareholders meeting?” She asked, her hazel eyes glistening with intent to take note of every brief shift in his countenance.

Dan-Han sighed. “It’s nothing.” He dismissively said.

“Nothing?” Eun-sun’s voice sizzled with disbelief. Only Lee Dan-Han could call a possible impeachment, ‘nothing.’

“I said it’s nothing. You don’t have to worry about it.” He assured her, but Eun-sun wasn’t buying it. How could she not worry when she knew why all this happening?

She picked up her phone and opened the departmental group chat where they were currently talking about the meeting and Its outcome. Dan-Han’s eyes darkened at the sight of it.

“I think it’s about time I do some spring cleaning in the company.”

“Spring cleaning?” Eun-sun asked in disbelief. What a wise choice of words to say he wanted to fire a whole bunch of people simply because they were chatting about something he wanted to keep a secret just away from her?!

“Yes.” He firmly replied.

Eun-sun scoffed. “So you want to kick a lot of people out of their jobs because they were chatting about something you should have told me?!” She snapped much to Dan-Han’s surprise.

“Yes!” He replied “And also because they seem to have a lot of free time on their hand when they should be working. I don’t pay them to sit around and chat away!” He slightly snapped not liking how clipped she had sounded about this. He regrettably sighed when he saw the somber look slowly forming on her face.

He shifted closer and took her hand in his while holding her hazel eyes in his gaze. “Honey, I’m sorry.” He apologized. “I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want you to worry about me. I’ll resolve this but just give me some time. I promise I’m not losing my seat or the company, not even to my father.” He assured her, but Eun-sun wasn’t convinced. He was saying this because she had found out about it.

Eun-sun took a short breath and calmed herself. “Would you have ever spoken to me about it?”

She noticed the guilt that flickered through his eyes, and she knowingly nodded. “I thought as much.” She stood up from the bed and attempted to leave but Dan-Han stopped her.

“What are you doing?” He darkly asked.

“Getting out of your way so you can do as you please.” She snatched her hand away from him, but he caught her again as he rose to his feet.

“What is this about? Because I didn’t tell you?”

“Yes!” She bit out.

“And what would you have done? Give in to his demands? Leave me?” He grimly asked, even though he already had the answer to that, and seeing her lips quiver only confirmed it again.

“Dan-Han-” She wearily called. A heavy sigh rolled off her lips. “Dan-Han this is happening because of me.” This she knew for a fact. Father Lee had already threatened her with this.

“So you’ll choose to leave me?” He asked again, his voice not losing the hardness in it.

Eun-sun kept silent for a while. She shook her head and firmly replied, “No.”

An awkward air of silence hovered about them till Dan-Han broke through it.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you. I didn’t think it was-” His eyes regained the calmness in them.

“That I wouldn’t be rational enough to handle it, or maybe too weak?” She interjected. Her brows slightly raised at him.

“No, Eun-sun.” He reproved. He took a step closer to her, his hand gently brushing through her hair. “You might be stubborn, and have a horrible temper, but you’re the most level-headed and strongest person I’ve ever seen, so much the level of your strength frightens and awes me. Weak and irrational are no words to be used on you. You’re like a bulwark, nothing wears you out and nothing gets past you, and even when you’re slightly shaken and tossed down, you don’t give in. You pick yourself up and resume the battle where you last stopped never giving anyone to see you at your weakest. But despite your strength and wit which by God I admire so much, you’re too kind at heart and to a fault, I must say. You don’t hold walls for yourself but rather for others. You make too many sacrifices that no one, in turn, makes for you, and stopping you from once again making such a sacrifice was why I didn’t tell you about this.”

Eun-sun calmly listened to him.

“Darling, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I just didn’t want to burden you with this. You’re already broken in a few places, not that it worries you as I’m still very sure you can manage a shoulder flip even with one arm,” Eun-sun slightly chuckled and he smiled. He pressed a kiss on her forehead, before cupping her face.

“Eun-sun, let me take care of you. Let me fight for you as no one else have. I want to do the battling and winning so the world knows they can no longer mess with you. You’ve borne too much in the past, let me bear the burdens for you now and show you what it truly means to have someone that loves you and would die to keep you because honey that’s what you’ve lacked all your life. Let me be all this for you, please.” He begged.

Seeing the earnest look in his eyes, Eun-sun felt her heart melt away. Scalding tears glistened in her eyes as she lodged herself into his arms forgetting about the pain that surged through her when she roughly leaped into his arms. Dan-Han put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

He smiled at her tightly she was trying to squeeze him with just one arm. “You’ll break my rib.” He faked a grunt, while she loosened her grip.

He tried pulling her face away from him, but she stubbornly refused.

“So will you let me take care of you?” He asked and she slowly nodded against his chest. Dan-Han hugged her a bit more tightly but carefully enough not to hurt her.

“I love you, Eun-sun, and know whatever I do, I put you first at heart.” He told her and Eun-sun believed. She’d never doubt a word he said.

She pulled away and looked into his eyes. “But you have to tell me everything. Don’t leave me in the dark.” She requested, her eyes hopefully glistening at him.

Dan-Han tilted her chin upward and kissed her lips. “I can’t promise you anything, darling, but I’ll do my best to keep you happy. That I promise.”

Eun-sun silently gazed at him. She knew that was the most she would get from him, and she knew it wasn’t because he didn’t deem her fit to fight alongside him, but because he loved her just as much as she loved him, and she might just do the same if the tables were turned.