Waterfalls || Yeonbin

chapter 37: home

January 23, 1941

Jisung widened his eyes at me, not quite knowing how to respond to everything I had just told him. I took it for the worst, placing my elbow on the table and dropping my head into my hand. I felt like I wanted to cry, but it's like I had no more tears left in the system. After what's happened the last few days, I've been a mess. But I deserve it.

"You royally fucked up." Jisung finally spoke.

I sighed, "I know..." I slid my fingers through my hair, not caring so much that it's messy, "He won't even talk to me."

"Does he know what really happened?" He asked, trying to make me feel a bit better.

I shook my head, "I tried to tell him, but he won't listen to me."

"You cannot lose hope..." He said, making me pick my head up a bit to look at him, "You two love each other, and nothing is stronger than that. Soobin, you're broken, and Yeonjun is too... I'm sorry, but it's your responsibility to make this right, or you're going to lose him forever."

My lips parted at his words. Lose Yeonjun? Forever? No... No. This wasn't supposed to happen. We're supposed to grow old together. God, how did this go so wrong?

5 days ago...

January 18, 1941

It was just a normal day, at least that's what I originally thought. It made me smile since it was snowing, not heavy enough for us to stop working, but the right amount to make you happy. I contently sighed as I glanced out the window, a winter wonderland being created before my eyes. But I snapped out of my thoughts once the door to our shed opened.

I turned my head, hearing the light whistle of the wind outside as Yeonjun stepped inside and closed the door. I scrunched my eyebrows, looking at the clock on the wall. It was only ten forty-four, and he usually doesn't check our progress until lunch break. I stood up nonetheless, but what he said made me even more confused.

"Miss Clarke? Can I speak to you for a moment, please?" He said, hands clasped behind his back politely.

She was a bit confused, but complied, "Of course, sir..." She put down the metal parts she was holding, her heels clicking as she walked over to Yeonjun, "What's this about?"

Yeonjun hesitated for a moment, "Ummm... It would be more appropriate to converse in my office..." He replied, making everyone go still, "Do you mind coming with me, ma'am?"

She cleared her throat, giving a soft smile that looked all too fake, "Yes, sir." She replied, walking over to the coat rack to grab her winter attire.

Yeonjun looked at me, pursing his lips before quickly looking away. There's something he's not telling me, wanting to keep it a secret. He seemed upset, standing in the same spot next to the door and waiting for Joan to join him. He gave his soft smile to her once she had put her coat on, opening the door for her and leaving without another word. As soon as the door closed, I rushed to the window, seeing Joan link her arm with Yeonjun's so she didn't trip in the snow. Her heels aren't necessarily made in order to roam around in this weather, and Yeonjun was being just as polite as he always is. I lost sight of them once they went into the other building, curiosity taking over as I wondered what that was all about.

. . . . . . . . . . 

Yeonjun didn't come back for lunch break, and I waited for him to come and see me. Maybe it was about Joan. I still don't know what they left to talk about. It was just a normal day when we woke up, but now it's shifted to something different, and I have no idea why. So, when Yeonjun came back to our little shed when we all got back from our lunch break, I was surprised when Joan wasn't with him. He took his earmuffs off, letting them rest around his neck before he took his hat off as well.

We were all staring at him, curious about what he was going to say. He looked at each of us before hanging his head low, "Joan handed in her resignation earlier."

We all stilled for a while, and for a moment I was angry. I know Yeonjun isn't the biggest fan of Joan because he thinks she fancies me, but he didn't need to force her to quit, "Her parents came and took her home. There was nothing I could do. I'm sorry." He added, his head still low as he stared at the floor.

My mind went blank again, hitting myself that I thought Yeonjun would do such a thing. What have her parents got to do with anything?

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hugh asked, just as confused as me.

Yeonjun gulped, picking his head up, "Her parents came to me this morning and said that I shouldn't be hiring single women to work with a group of men. I guess Joan didn't tell them the full extent of her work here until a few days ago. The whole situation is confusing to me as well..." He brought a hand up, sliding it through his hair, "I tried to convince her to stay, but she went back home with her parents."

I scoffed, "She's a grown woman." I mumbled under my breath before walking to the coat rack. I grabbed my coat, sliding it on my arms and over my torso before putting my wool hat on.

"Soobin, where're you going?" Yeonjun asked, his eyebrow raised.

I pursed my lips, clenching my jaw out of anger, "I'm getting her back. She's brilliant and we need her in order to finish this by the deadline."

"You don't even know where she lives." Yeonjun remarked walking closer to me.

"She mentioned that she's from Oxford... We're trying to crack the world's hardest puzzle. This shouldn't be hard compared to Enigma." I said, putting my gloves on and beginning to walk towards the door.

Yeonjun stepped in front of me, his eyes locking with mine as he said, "I meant, you might want help..." He reached into his jacket pocket, taking out a small, folded piece of paper. He put it into my coat pocket, adding, "You didn't get that from me. Understood?"

I nodded, assuming it was her address. Yeonjun can read me so well that he knew to do that before he came to see us, and it made me love him more. He whispered to me, "Please, get her back here. She has work to do and we have a time limit."

I quickly nodded before walking around him, walking out into the snowy land that Bletchley has become. I walked quickly as I reached into my pocket, taking out the piece of paper Yeonjun had given me. I smiled when I unfolded it, seeing Joan's address and something Yeonjun had written in Korean: Good luck, darling. Love you.