Fate and Destiny

TWENTY EIGHT

After Mr. Yook's speech and the formal introduction of Joy and Youngjae, the program then proceeded to the presentation of awards and gifts for the employees who had been with the company for a long time and those who had performed well that year.  The Yooks let Youngjae hand out the plaques and certificates while Mrs. Yook distributed the incentives to the awardees.  Joy was torn between going back to their table or staying with them until the awarding is done.  She wasn't sure if she should be on the stage with them since, technically, she wasn't really one of the Yooks.  But she was afraid that it would look rude if she leaves the stage until the ceremony is finished.  In the end, the decision was taken out of her hands when she was flanked on both sides by Sungjae, who took over in the handing out of incentives, and Mrs. Yook who held on to Joy's arm.  Dinner was served after the presentation.  Although she would prefer to be in the same table with their friends, Joy and Youngjae were seated at the Presidential table with the Yooks, along with the executives and representatives of their partner companies.  Joy was surprised to see Chorong and Changsub seated with them.  After dinner, some of the guests and employees drifted to either the makeshift dance floor or the bar.  The Yooks took Youngjae with them to mingle with the guests but Joy begged off, claiming she's having leg-cramps.  In truth, she just doesn't think that she has the right to do so since she's not really a member of the family.  "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Chorong teased her when Joy joined their friends at their table.  "No. I guess not," she chuckled as she sat between Chorong and Hyolyn.  "By the way, unnie. I didn't know your family's company is one of their partners," Joy said.  "Yeah. Appa and samchon had been friends since their college days. So when samchon took over Yook Industries, he asked appa if he wants to do a partnership with them," Chorong said.  "Normally, appa would be the one seated at the Presidential table and Changsub and I would be with our friends. But appa is still overseas, so I'm representing him. This is how Changsub and I actually first met. He was a new employee to the company while it was my first time to attend the event. Sungjae introduced us to each other," she added.  "Your appa didn't object when you and Changsub oppa dated? I mean you're a chaebol and he's just an ordinary employee," Yeri asked.  "No. But he was doubtful at first. He wasn't sure about Changsub's sincerity then. But appa came to accept him when he saw how hardworking he was. Even samchon, Sungjae's appa, was all praises for him. Now appa has nothing but respect for him. He saw how hard Changsub worked to get to where he is," Chorong explained.  "BTOB. That's what they call themselves," Irene said.  "BTOB?" Seulgi, Wendy, Joy and Yeri asked in unison.  "It means, Born to Beat. Because they are born to beat any odds against them, either individually or as a group. All of them are self-made men. Eunkwang and Changsub put themselves through college, and are now head of their respective departments. Minhyuk and Hyunsik put up their own professional practices without any help from their parents. Peniel and Ilhoon also started their businesses using their own money. Even Sungjae. Although he inherited the company, he was able to expand and triple its worth in less than two years," Hyolyn explained.  "We're really lucky to catch these guys for ourselves, girls," she added.  "But they are luckier they caught us," Irene said smugly.  "Amen to that!" Seulgi, Wendy and Yeri chorused, making the other three girls laugh.  They talked about how Chorong and Changsub finally got together after their first meeting.  "What about you, unnie? How did you meet Eunkwang oppa?" Yeri asked Hyolyn after Chorong finished telling her story.  "We met at the university," Hyolyn told them.  "Oh! You're classmates, too?" Seulgi inquired.  "Only in some of our subjects. We were under the same college department but different majors. But we do have some classes together. And we belong in the same school club," she explained.  "Is that when he pursued you?" Wendy teased her.  "No. It was after we graduated. And... I pursued him," Hyolyn said smugly.  "What?!" the girls chorused, all leaning in to better hear the story.  They were all laughing by the time Hyolyn ended her story.  Joy turned to Chorong when she suddenly thought of something.  "Unnie. You said your appa and Mr. Yook had been friends and business partners for a long time. Were you...?" Joy trailed off awkwardly.  "Sungjin oppa's betrothed?" Chorong finished for her.  Joy nodded.  "No, I wasn't. Appa is not a fan of arranged marriages, especially if it's being done for business reasons. Thank God for that. Maybe because that was the reason he lost his true love," Chorong said.  At the others' interested look, Chorong continued.  "My parents' marriage was a business agreement between harabeoji and *oeharabeoji. Although eomma and appa got along well and eventually became friends, they weren't really very happy. And they never fell in love. Both of them already have someone when the agreement was made. A year after eomma died from bone cancer, appa met his ex-girlfriend again. I think I was about two years old then. When he learned that she was still single, he married her immediately. She was very sweet and kind. And she took good care of me. But although appa and my *gyemo had been married for two years, harabeoji still couldn't accept her. All because she was poor. So one day, he sent appa overseas on the pretense of a business trip. When appa left, harabeoji made my gyemo leave. Then he told the servants to burn all the things she left behind to make sure that there will be no trace of her in the house, even her pictures. Halmeoni also liked her, but she couldn't do anything because she was afraid of harabeoji. When appa came back, he and harabeoji had a big fight. After that, appa stopped talking to him, unless it's about business. Appa only forgave him before harabeoji died from his illness. For years, appa searched for my gyemo. He even hired private detectives, but he couldn't find her. Maybe harabeoji hurt her so much that she made sure she would never be found," Chorong said sadly.  "I don't remember much about my real eomma, but I remember everything about my gyemo, except her face and name because appa always called her yeobo, I call her eomma and my jobumo never said her name at all. Is it strange that I remember her more than my real mother?" she asked, turning to Seulgi.  "Not really. You were practically a baby when your eomma died, so you won't really remember anything about her except what you have been told. As for your gyemo, you met her when you were around two. At that age, we usually start to retain memories but we rely more on feelings rather than visual, so we tend to remember how we felt rather than what we saw or hear. You had happy moments with her so that's what you retained in your memory. And you spent more years with her than with your real eomma so it's no surprise that you remember her more," Seulgi explained.  "So you haven't found her?" Wendy asked.  "No. After five years, appa decided to call off the private investigator. But up until now, he would still look around wherever he goes. He's still hoping that he'll meet her again by chance," Chorong told them.  "That is so sweet," Wendy said.  "That's true love," the other five girls sighed dreamily.  "Whose true love?" Eunkwang asked them, putting an arm around Hyolyn, surprising her.  They were so engrossed with Chorong's story, they failed to notice the boys walking up to them.  "Chorong's appa," she replied.  "Yah! Abeonim will be embarrassed when he learns you're telling them his love story," Changsub teased Chorong as he sat beside her.  Chorong shushed him, playfully slapping his arm.  "Why? It's a sweet story," Irene said.  "I'm sure it is. But I would love to have this dance with my true love, if you don't mind?" Ilhoon said, taking Irene's hand in his.  "I second the motion," Minhyuk said, pulling Wendy to the make-shift dancefloor.  "Shall we?" Peniel asked Yeri, offering her his hand.  "Come on, Miss Guidance Counselor. Dance with me," Hyunsik said to Seulgi.  Eunkwang and Hyolyn followed, and as soon as the five pairs left to dance, Joy turned back to Chorong.  "I'm sorry to hear about your eomma, unnie," she told her.  "It's okay. It was a long time ago. And I was too little to really know what was happening," Chorong said.  "I lost my eomma to colon cancer when I was nine," Joy shared.  "Oh, gosh. I can't imagine how painful it must have been for you when you were told of her condition," Chorong said, taking Joy's hand in hers to console her.  "Actually, I found out about it by accident. I came home from school earlier than the usual one day, and I caught her throwing up in the bathroom. I would often hear her throw up but whenever I ask her, she would always tell me that she just ate something that didn't agree with her. But that day, it was different. There was blood in her vomit. I couldn't really understand what was happening, but I knew it was bad. A few months after, I lost her. I guess eomma already knew she was sick long before I found out because she set-up a college fund for me. The old couple who owned the apartment we were renting gave it to Mrs. Oh, the housemother of the orphanage where the social worker brought me to. She kept it safe for a while then turned it over to Sohee unnie when she took me in," Joy said.  "Wasn't there anyone who could take you in after she died?" Chorong asked her.  "Eomma doesn't have any relatives that I know of. As for my appa, I never met him. She said they were already separated before she found out she was pregnant with me. I don't even know his name or how he looks like because eomma refused to talk about him. The only thing she told me about him was that he was a good man, but they had to separate for the sake of everyone's peace of mind," Joy explained.  "Wow! That must have been tough. Being in an orphanage, I mean. I guess that's why you're a very strong woman," Changsub commented.  "Thanks, oppa. It was hard adjusting at first. But then Sohee unnie took care of me. And later on, there was Sungjin oppa, too. I'm thankful they left Youngjae to me, but I really wish they could have lived longer to see him grow up," Joy said wistfully.  "Sometimes it's hard to understand what is God's plan for us, but it's always for the best," Chorong told her in encouragement, squeezing her hand.  "Eomma!" Youngjae called out to her.  Turning around, she saw Sungjae and Youngjae coming their way.  "May we have this dance, eomma?" Youngjae asked her, slightly bowing to her while extending his hand to her.  "Hmmm? Two handsome men asking me to dance? Well, why not?" Joy pretended to consider it for a minute, before putting her hand in Youngjae's and standing up.  Chorong's and Changsub's eyes followed the trio who were laughing on their way to the dancefloor.  "She's a very admirable woman. I really like her," Chorong said.  "I just hope Sungjae would be smart enough to keep her and Youngjae. They really make him happy," Changsub said hopefully.  Chorong smiled sweetly at him in agreement.  "You're sure you don't want to dance, yeobo?" Changsub asked her.  "Nah! I'd look like a waddling duck out there," Chorong replied.  "But a very beautiful waddling duck," Changsub teased her, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled.  Chorong lightly slapped him on the arm, before linking her arm with his and resting her head on his shoulder.  "I love you, yeobo," Changsub said as he kissed the top of her head.  "And I love you more, yeobo," Chorong replied, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

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OEHARABEOJI   --   maternal grandfather

GYEMO   --   step-mother

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Author's Note:

Please don't take the psychological hoola-baloo that Seulgi supposedly said.  I just wrote it for the sake of the story.