Chapter 19 Should I follow the advices of my friends?
In the college during the lunch break while having the lunch in the cafeteria Eunbi said everything to her friend Hee-Jung, about how Young-soo had taken care of her father in the hospital with lots of love and care for those two days.
Hee-Jung was surprised to hear all those things from Eunbi and asked her, "So, you are suspicious of your husband’s motives, right?"
"You are right because he is not only acting lovingly towards my parents but also with me too. Few days before I join the college he apologized and confessed that, he would like to be my friend and a lovable husband."
"What if your husband was really serious about his confession?" Hee-Jung questioned.
"No ways, he couldn’t be serious about his confession and it’s impossible to switch his character from beast to angelic in a short period. I’m damn sure that he is acting like an angelic person for some motives."
"How are you going to find out his motives, do you have any ideas?" Hee-Jung asked with curiosity.
"To find out his motives I’ve decided to accept him as my friend but not wholeheartedly." Eunbi made a deep breath and asked Hee-Jung, "Today evening do you and Hong-Joo have any plans after the classes?"
"Nope" Hee-jung shook her head from one side to the other.
"Good, you guys come to my house for dinner tonight. I’ll introduce you guys to Young-soo, so that he should know that I’ve friends in this city to support me in my better and worse situations. I’ll show him that I’m much smarter than him."
In the evening, after the college Eunbi contacted Young-soo to his phone number. In a few rings he answered her call, "Hello~, tell me Eunbi what is the matter?" he sounded bit serious.
Eunbi: "I just called you to know whether you are free after 7 o’clock in the evening."
Young-soo: "Yes I am. But may I know why you are asking about my work schedule?"
Eunbi: "I have invited my friends to our house for the dinner. So I would like you to join with us."
Young-soo: "Dinner, with your friends at our house, are you sure, do you really want me to join with you guys?"
Eunbi: "Yes I’m sure because I wanted to introduce my friends to you."
Young-soo: "Do they know about our relationship status?"
Eunbi: "Yes they knew."
Young-soo: "You told them that you are a married woman."
Eunnbi: "Yes and do you have any problem with that?"
Young-soo: "Absolutely not."
Eunbi: "Then try to come home early today and send the chef to our house who had cooked the dinner on the other day for your friends."
Young-soo: "Sure, but tell me the menu."
"Mmm" She just hummed while thinking about the menu for the dinner, Young-soo quickly replied, "how about a barbecue party?"
Eunbi: "All right, its sounds good I’ll go with your idea."
Young-soo: "Good, is there anything else do you want to say?"
"Nothing else, I’ll meet you in our house, bye." She replied and ended the call.
Young-soo was very happy to speak with her over the phone, and also excited for the dinner. To make this moment as an unforgettable one, he asked his secretary to present a box of chocolate truffle candy to the entire employees of the branch.
Jaemin was clueless about the reason why his boss was so happy all of a sudden, "Sir, if you don’t mind, May I know what is the special occasion today." He asked.
Young-soo gets up from his chair went near to Jaemin, encircled his arm around Jaemin’s shoulder, "Hyung, I’ve told you to not talk with me formally when you are in my cabin and now tell me the truth, am I treating you like one of my employees?"
"Absolutely not sir, you have always treated me as your elder brother, I’ve tried to talk with you in an informal way, but I’m sorry sir, I couldn’t," Jaemin replied with hesitation.
"Fine I’m not forcing you," Young-soo took a deep breath, "let me answer to your question. Few minutes back my wife invited me for a dinner along with her friends over the phone and for the first time she accepted to go with my idea for her plans. Hyung, do you know how happy I am? I couldn’t express my happiness in words. I’m so happy, Hyung I’m so happy right now, and that is why I decided to celebrate it by giving a small treat for my employee’s. And you are the one of the reason for the changes because of your advice my wife is getting close with me gradually."
After the phone-call with Young-soo, Eunbi looked at the unread message on her phone which was sent by Young-soo. She opened the message and read it, I’ll not come to our house tonight, make sure to lock the house door, stay safe and good night. I’ll meet you in the morning. She smirked by looking at the message, thought to herself, I felt so safe, and secured last night without you, Young-soo.
Young-soo returned back to the house early from his office, changed into white t-shirt and gray track pant, and helps the chef to set the table at the backyard of the house. Hee-Jung and Hong-Joo arrived to Eunbi’s house at 7:30 pm. Eunbi introduced her friends to Young-soo, "this is Hee-Jung and he is her boyfriend Hong-Joo, they are my classmates, and I told you a couple saved me from those men who tried to harass me on the street, it’s them."
Young-soo expressed his gratitude to the couple as soon as Eunbi mentioned those are the guys who saved her from those men, "thank you so much guys for saving my wife from those men, words can’t describe how thankful I am now, thank you guys for being a saviors of our life. He shakes his hand with them one by one and said, "Nice to meet you guys."
"Sir, you don’t need to mention us saviors because it’s such a huge word, actually we’re happened to help her in coincident. As a human being we should help one another because happiness is helping others." Hong-Joo said.
Young-soo friendly pats Hong-Joo’s shoulder, "that’s so kind of you. And I’m so grateful that my wife get you guys as her friends. I hope you guys will lead a great friendship with my wife in the future."
Hong-Joo and Hee-Jung nodded their head together for Young-soo’s humble words.
After that they all sat down together at the dining table for dinner. The chef started to serve the barbecue on the plates for all four of them. While having the barbecue Young-soo started the conversation first, "is this the guys you said that you had gone out at the first day of your college?" he asked Eunbi.
Eunbi nodded her head.
Then Young-soo collected some of the personal information’s from Hee-Jung and Hong-Joo such as, their address, phone number, parents’ occupations and where did they completed their schoolings and under graduations.
The couple answered patiently for each and every questions of Young-soo.
Young-soo finishes eating the dinner first, wipes off his mouth with the help of a napkin, gets down of the chair, "I’ve some work to do, so I’ll go to my room you guys please enjoy your dinner and make yourself comfortable." He looked at Eunbi and asked her to take care of them.
Eunbi nodded her head. Once Young-soo went into the house, Eunbi leaned forward a little towards her friends, "have you guys notice him, how cool and humble he’s acted in front of you guys as if a caring and a lovable husband. He is a con-artist."
Hee-Jung shakes her head up and down.
However, Hong-Joo didn’t agree with Eunbi’s words, "according to me your husband seems like a good man, I couldn’t believe that he has misbehaved with you."
"What are trying to say, Hong-joo," Eunbi asked him tersely.
"I didn’t mean to angry you, Eunbi. I already knew your husband I’ve seen him a years back at the gala dinner, and he gave such an impressive speech about gender equality and I still remember some of the lines from his speech that is, ’let’s consider her first as a human being not as a female, there are some men still thinks that, once a woman was married she should concentrate only on her children and her husband by serving them 24/7. Male doesn’t have any rights to stop the dreams and desires of a female. Women always support men in their failure as a mother, as a friend, as a sibling, and as a daughter. Of-course we men support women in their failure but not as much as they do. So my humble request is we men try to support and respect women the same amount of support and respect we receive from them.’ Those are the some of the lines he spoke on that day." Hong-Joo said.
historical
"I told you already that he is a con-artist, did you forget that Hong-Joo?" Eunbi asked.
"Don’t make a quick decision, Eunbi. Hee-Jung told me that your husband has apologized to you for all his misbehavior, and also about when your father was hospitalized he took care of him as his own father. And now in this moment, do you know the reason why he has left you with us and went inside the room?" he asked her and paused for a few seconds then replied. "Actually it’s not because he’s got some official work to do, it’s because to give you some privacy. He’s your husband Eunbi but why should he let you stay with us especially along with a male friend, most of the husband’s never give privacy to their wife’s to speak with a male friend, but your husband gives you privacy, do you know why?" he asked her and paused again for a few seconds and replied. "It’s because he respect you a lot. If you still think that your husband is doing all these things with some intentions, I’ll say that your thoughts are wrong."
"Hong-Joo, you can’t understand the pain and the stress I’ve underwent because of him, only you can feel the pain and the stress of mine if you were in my state." Eunbi replied.
"I’m not supporting the way your husband has misbehaved with you. I agree what he did is wrong. But what I’m trying to say is, give him a chance then only you’ll come to know about his true-self." Hong-Joo advised.
Eunbi tightly pressed her lips together, doesn’t know what to reply to Hong-Joo’s advice, she was angry with him the way he supports for Young-soo, "guys lets discuss about this matter later on some other day, because I’m stressed by discussing about this matter. I hope you guys will understand my situation."
After that Eunbi toured the house to her friends and they sat down on the sofa of the living room. They chatted by making fun of one-another. Young-soo could hear the mirthful laugh which comes out from the living-room; he was happy and amazed at the same time to hear Eunbi’s laughter for the first time. Her laughter gave him some hope that soon she’ll forgive him and accept him as her husband to lead a happy life in the future.
Once her friends left their house, Eunbi stood in front of Young-soo’s room and thought whether she should thank him now, or tomorrow for the barbecue party arrangements for her friends. However she knocked his room door before she enters in, because it was her habit if she wanted to thank or apologize to someone she did that as soon as without any delay. She opened the door, peep her head through the door, and asked him, "Are you still busy with your official work?"
"Nope," he said and kept the book aside on the bed which he has been reading for a while. "I’ve finished my official work a while before, now I was just reading a book, come-on in and tell me, what is the matter?"
As she came in he swung his feet over the edge of the bed, patted the empty spot next to him, and asked her to sit beside him on the bed.
"No thank you, I’ll stand," Eunbi replied.
He smirked, "you are scared that I might take advantage from you, isn’t it?"
She pursed her lips.
"All right, I’m sorry to annoy you and now tell me what you wanted to say." Young-soo asked.
"Thank you so much for everything," she said plainly.
Young-soo felt so happy and knew the reason why she thanked him for, but he wanted to hear the reason from her mouth, "may I know the reason why you thanked me now?" he asked her as if he couldn’t guess the reason for it.
She remained in silent for a few seconds, and expressed her gratitude, "the reason I thanked you was- for taken care of my father in the hospital and stayed along with him until he gets discharge from the hospital, and also for arranging the barbecue party to my friends. Because of you I happen to meet Hee-Jung and Hong-Joo again in the college as my classmates they are such an amazing people, and I’m so grateful to get them as my friends."
He gave her a warm smile, "It’s my responsibilities to take care of you, and also your parents with lots of love and care. I’ll try my best to make you happy as possible as I could, so hereafter you don’t need to thank me for each and every thing like a third person."
"I’ll try," she replied and reached out one of her hands with a cheque leaf saying, "I have entered the sum of amount which you have spent for my father’s hospital discharge fee in the cheque, I would be grateful if you accept it."
Young-soo was displeased with her and he couldn’t understand the reason what makes her stop to accept him even as her friend, "did your father asked you to return the sum of money which I had spent for his hospital discharge fee?"
Eunbi shook her head side to side, "no, he didn’t?"
"Then?" he paused for a few seconds, "listen Eunbi let me clear you about a thing, it’s the matter between me and your father you better stop meddling in-between us. I don’t want to discuss about this matter anymore, now you may leave to your room."
He sounded a bit rough so Eunbi was scared to reply him she silently went to her room. She sat down at the middle of the bed, hugged her legs, and wonders, is he really trying to be a lovable husband. As Hong-Joo said should I give him a chance to know whether he has realized all his mistakes or not?