Hye-jae: Book 2 - New Loves

Happy Days Part 40

After a stunned silence, Hye-won spoke in an aside to Seon-jae: 'love, maybe we should talk about this...later, just us 2?'

His tone was determined: 'no, this concerns everyone, Hye-won.  We should talk about it with everyone.'

The atmosphere was tense, as the friends looked from Seon-jae to Hye-won, his face full of angst, hers, genuinely surprised.  She saw that they too found Seon-jae's outburst unexpected.  He is usually so easy-going and cheerful.  This has really rattled him.

Her tone was gentle: 'ok then, love, in what way do you think it concerns everyone?'

He glanced at the group, before his frustrated gaze returned to rest on her face, softening a little as it did.

'I'm sorry everyone but I just got the fright of my life and Professor Jo - with respect - Hye-won didn't look worn-out, she looked...,' his agonised face showed a flashback of his panic but he couldn't voice the word in his mind, 'well anyway, you were out for at least 10 minutes, love.  And this is not the first time this has happened, Hye-won.  You were really unwell in Brussels - we all know that - but what the others don't know,' he looked to In-seo, pointedly, 'is that you were also not well in Ghent, after we had spent the day sight-seeing - don't even think about denying it, I saw your face when we left the little pub on the river and you were...wobbly, to say the least.'

In-seo looked alarmed on hearing this and he leaned forward towards Hye-won - you didn't tell me that.  She looked sheepishly in his direction - it was nothing, he's exaggerating.

And,' he was warming to his task now and his voice was becoming more dramatic: 'you were so tired after an afternoon's shopping in Hamburg, that you slept in the bath for ages, looking totally exhausted.'

He looked at Ciara and there was a look between them - his, exasperated, hers, contrite: 'ah, Hye-won, why didn't you tell me?  You know me, I lose the run of myself - you have to tell me to get back in my box sometimes.'

Hye-won was getting flustered and made to speak but Seon-jae was in full flow: 'and even after a quiet day in Hamburg, you slept in the afternoon - remember, in the park, under the tree?'

She opened and closed her mouth but he gave her no time to get her arguments together: 'I know you think I'm over-reacting but what are you going to do - wait until you collapse in the street and get hit by a car, maybe when I'm not with you?'

His agony was audible and Hye-won knew immediately that he was thinking of the dreadful accident that had taken his Mom from him so suddenly.  She was so contrite to have brought such memories re-surfacing and she placed her hand on his thigh beside her.  He looked down and covered it with his and it seemed to steady him.  He took a deep breath and spoke more quietly, raising his eyes to the rest of the group.  

'I am not trying to cause trouble or make anyone feel guilty.'  I'm the only guilty one.

He looked imploringly to Hye-won, squeezing her hand under the table, and speaking directly to her, in a quieter, more urgent tone: 'I have to take care of you.  For so many reasons.  Maybe if I was less worried about you, I would be able to brush it off like you keep doing.  But I think that we need to see this as a warning and make some changes, so that you are not putting yourself in danger, with each new city that we travel to.'

The effect of his words could be read in the faces of everyone around the table, including Hye-won's.  No-one spoke but every mind was busy, none more than hers.

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