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The sea calls them,
Episode 2
: MISFORTUNE?
"Ugh... what time is it..."
I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock, ready to go to work. My neck was a little stiff, probably from sleeping awkwardly on the sofa the night before. I could only reach for my phone, which was 30 minutes away. It took me 30 minutes to get ready. So, it's 8:00...? 30 minutes?
".., latecomer..!"
A hand embraced me, and I lay back down on the sofa. I opened my tightly shut eyes, followed the hand that was holding me, and then, upon seeing the person's face, I gasped, my cheeks flushed.
"B...the sea?"
"...Yoongi, sleep more."
"It's 8:30!"
"Sigh- Your wife is the director. If you're tired, sleep more."
Bada, who had opened her mouth to refute him further, hugged Yoongi's back as if growing even bigger. Even though she was the chairman's precious daughter, it was obvious that if she, a member of the design department, were to leave the already difficult situation, the manager would be in for a real wrath.
"Ms. Kim Ba-da, I really have to go to work."
"Anniya... you can go late today..."
"Why? Is today your day off?"
" no- "
Yoongi rubbed his eyes, looking tired as he stood up. The wind swayed even more as he stood up from the small sofa, causing him to sway. But when he heard Bada's next words, Yoongi nearly fell off the sofa. If only Bada hadn't caught him. But that wasn't the problem. After marriage, he probably didn't want to hear those words again.
"My father wanted to meet you."
I'd rather just do some work. Yoongi double-checked his neatly dressed suit for any signs of disarray, then cautiously walked towards Bada. His pace seemed impatience betrayed by his gait. He knocked on the door with his other hand, biting his fingernails.
"Ugh- I think I'll have to go now. Are you ready?"
"...Can I come in?"
The moment I let go of the handle, my body was thrown forward like the door had opened, and I was startled. It's no secret that I blushed as Bada supported my upper body with one arm. Anyway, Yoongi, holding Bada, who was whining about being late to make it on time, got into the car, sat her down in the passenger seat, and covered her with a blanket.
"You've been working overtime for a week now. Go to sleep."
"No, I don't need to..."
"Sleep tight, Sea Child."
" ...yes- "
It's cute how you look gloomy.
Min Yoongi thinks so... Thinking of Bada's father, he looks at the sleeping Bada and steps hard on the accelerator. His head already aching, he presses his temples, but he can only hope for a smooth day and stare at the navigation system, which is guiding him to a fancy restaurant.
"Are you here?"
"Hello, it's been a while, Father-in-law."
" ... "
...I used my title correctly, but since we met as a new employee and the chairman, I didn't call him "Chairman" but "Father-in-law." Was it a bad idea?
"Dad, how long has it been? Let's meet face to face."
"Oh, okay, I'm sorry. Bada, do you want to order something? I'll go talk to Yoongi."
" ... huh. "
When Bada's father slipped his card to the restaurant's veranda, the staff member showed us to the space, and we were alone together. I think I understand why Bada hesitated. He'd never really liked me before. I wonder how close they'd be when they were alone together.
"So, Yoongi. Are you enjoying married life?"
" ... yes. "
"Tch, you still don't have any sense?"
The way he spoke, patting Yoongi's head with a wrinkled hand, was quite unpleasant. But what could he do? Could any company possibly beat the TESIA Group? Now, firing an employee who had already taken over would be easy. Especially for my future, firing my husband would be easy. Thanks to Bada's insistence on marrying Yoongi, I was finally able to overcome opposition and get married. The chairman sneered at Yoongi, who was being pushed back and shouted with a benevolent expression.
"With that smart head of yours, can't you understand what I'm saying?"
" ... "
"Do your best."
"You know I'm looking out for you."
"Mr. Chairman... when will you accept me?"
In an instant, the arsenic disappeared, and the chairman, his face flushed with rage, pushed Yoonki to the edge of the wall, finally taking away his remaining hope for his family.
" absoluteness. "
"Do you have a conscience? Consider it a great honor just to be married."
He clenched his jaw. Yoon-gi no longer had any ties left. Why did he always seem to displease the Chairman? Was it simply the difference in college or rank? Or was it the successor to the company?
The chairman, who was fiddling with his phone, showed me an article about Bada and my wedding. Even now, a year later, the personal information about him that was floating around on YouTube, which I found most puzzling, still lingers in my mind.
"The title of the article says, 'If your eyes weren't rotten, you'd see.'"
'TESIA Chairman's Daughter's Mysterious Marriage to a Commoner?'
'Tesia's only daughter marries an ordinary man of the same age. Why?'
"Don't forget, Min Yoongi."
"You are a disgrace to our company."
"You're a stain on a perfect company!"
Ouch.
As soon as Yoongi turned his head, he collapsed, tears streaming down his face. I heard him leave the room as if nothing had happened and walk towards Bada. Soon, I heard a question asking for me, followed by a voice telling me he was leaving first. A clear liquid dripped down his frozen cheek and onto the floor.
Without wiping her tears, she tried to hand over her clutch bag to her secretary, who would then take her back home. But even the secretary smiled,
"The director will come with the chairman later."
"And the chairman asked me not to come to work today."
That really meant I shouldn't come. It was a company I'd rather be at. The countless designs in my bag. I wondered what I was doing, covered my face, and hailed a passing taxi, calling it to a park near my house.
I looked out the window of the orange taxi. I'd thought today would be a happy day, and my heart had been particularly excited by the sea several times that morning, but by lunchtime, it was a day when my mind had cooled, as if it wasn't.
The bugs were howling. It was raining. I didn't have an umbrella, but I got out of the taxi and got drenched.
'I want to see Kim Ba-da.'
-Oh, but I hope you think about me.
-You are the reason I live.
-I'll just think of today as an unlucky day.
-Because I believe in you, because I believe in only you, sea.
'Kim Ba-da, I love you.'
The sea calls them,
Episode 2
: MISFORTUNE?