In Another Life: Han Ji Pyeong's Happy Ending (Start Up)

Chapter 34: I'll Wait for You

Ji pyeong's POV

"Mr Han," Dong cheon says gingerly as he approaches my table.

"What is it?" I ask him, looking at the folder in his hands.

"I have our team's marketing results for the quarter for the year." Dong cheon says and seems to refuse to let the folder go from his hands as I reach forth to take it.

"Why? Is it bad?" I ask him. Dong cheon nods slowly.

"By how much?" I ask him.

Dong cheon holds up his fingers, showing a three.

"Three percent?" I ask him.

"0.3 percent." Dong cheon says.

"Aish, don't worry. The market is already in a saturated zone. Don't worry, we'll do better next quarter, okay?" I say.

Dong cheon looks at me like I've gone insane. He looks at me as if I've just told him the sky is green and the grass is blue.

"Why? Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask him.

"Mr Han... are you feeling okay? Usually you'd get upset over a 0.01 percent fall." Dong cheon says, looking confused.

"Ah, really..." I say, realizing that I have been in a good mood these days. Before I can answer Dong cheon, Do san comes flying into the office.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him.

"I need to talk to you." Do san says.

~

"What is it?" I ask him as I hand him a cup of coffee in the meeting room.

"Samsan Tech received an offer to partner with 2STO for Noon Gil." Do san says flatly.

"How much are they offering you?" I ask.

"Three billion won."

"That's not bad. Do you have the contract with you?" I ask him. Do san shakes his head.

"I'm not here about the contract. I'm here about Dal mi." Do san says.

I lean forward.

"What happened to Dal mi?" I ask, concerned.

"Do you agree this is a good opportunity first?" Do san asks. I pause for a second.

"I mean, there are many variables. You need to see the market that 2STO is looking at and how it fits in with Samsan's-"

"Do you think it's a good opportunity." Do san cuts me off and asks again.

"Mm, from what you're saying, I would think so." I nod. "What does this have to do with Dal mi?" I ask.

Do san takes a deep breath and wears a pained expression.

"Dal mi wants to quit as Samsan Tech's CEO." I don't believe Do san's words.

"What? Why? Why would she do that?" I sit up straight in my chair. I feel something rise in my chest.

"Because..." Do san sighs. "The job is in San Francisco." He says finally.

I fall back slightly in the chair. The news rings in my head.

"For...For how long?" I ask.

"Three years." Do san says matter-of-factly. "And Dal mi wants to forsake this good opportunity. She wants to step down as CEO." Do san says.

"And you know that she's doing it for you." He says.

~

Ji pyeong's POV

I call Dal mi's phone for the seventh time as I rush over to the office with Do san.

"She's not picking up." I sigh.

"We're reaching soon." Do san says as he pulls up to the Sandbox drop off.

"Get off." He says.

"Don't trash my car." I glare at him before getting off.

~

Ji pyeong's POV

"Dal mi?" I call her as I step into the office. I'm hit with the sight of her sitting forlornly in the corner of the office. Mascara smudges mark the bottom of her eye and her nose is red. She looks up at me in shock.

"Ji pyeong?" Dal mi says.

From the corner of my eye, I see Sa ha drag Chul san out of the room, while Yong san follows closely behind.

I bend down to look at her. She looks so small, curled up in the corner of the room. It breaks my heart.

"What are you doing?" I ask her. My voice is teeming with concern and pain. 

"What?" She asks me.

"Do san told me everything." I say gently and tuck the loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"He did?" She asks me in a small voice. I nod.

"What were you thinking?" I ask. "You worked so hard for Samsan Tech, how could you throw it all away like this?" I feel tears well up in my eyes.

"I don't want to go to San Francisco." Dal mi sobs. "I can't! I can't go to San Francisco!" She wails. I lock my arms around her as she cries painfully in my shoulder. I try to say words but my throat is tight as tears are unleashed from my eyes.

Dal mi holds on to me as if she were lost at sea and I were the last life buoy.

"You have to go to San Francisco." I heave the words out of my chest with great pain. Every word cuts. But I can't be the person holding her back.

Dal mi looks at me with wide eyes.

"I can't leave you." She cries in a small voice.

I force a smile. I lean forward and gently kiss each tear. I kiss her tears away. My heart aches at each touch. It aches thinking that she could be millions of miles away from me. My hand that holds her face shakes like a leaf.

Dal mi relaxes slightly as I kiss her tears away. I kiss her forehead lightly.

"Silly girl," I chide with tears flowing down my face. "Did you think I wasn't going to wait for you?" I try to smile but my face doesn't cooperate. My smile shakes and exposes the raw emotion of how much I will miss her.

"Of course I will wait for you." I say.

"That's three years..." She whispers. "Three whole years." Her voice shakes with fear and longing. It sends more tears streaming down her face.

"Three years is nothing compared to a whole lifetime." I say gently. I stroke her cheek and she leans into my touch.

"I love you." She whispers.

My heart breaks.

"I love you too." I whisper and lean forward to press my lips against hers.

The kiss tastes of tears, salt and desperate feelings of longing.

I'll wait for you.