Sun-kissed

Chapter 42

"Did you forget something, sir?" asked Mr. Kang when he spotted Youngbae walk back inside the showroom.

Youngbae paused mid-stride as he headed towards the jewelry display in the back. "Ah... yeh." Youngbae nodded and gestured in front of him. "Could I take a look at that please?"

The older gentlemen frowned slightly in confusion, but didn't say a word as he pulled out a set of keys from his back pocket and headed towards Youngbae. He went behind the black velvet display and unlocked it, pulling out the tray that held the solitaire ring. "Actually... this really shouldn't be out here." Mr. Kang flushed. "This was part of a meeting from earlier this morning and it looks like someone did not put it back..." He hesitantly laid it on the glass display.

Youngbae picked up the small ring and held it gingerly between his fingers with both hands. He rotated it slowly and watched the light reflect blindedly throughout the multi-facets. There was something mesmerizing about the rock that captivated his eye.

"It's a beauty isn't it?" Mr. Kang sighed.

Youngbae looked up and half-smiled at the euphoric look on the older man's face. "Yeh... it is." He put the ring back on the holder, placed both of his hands on the display, and hunched over it.

Thinking.

"D-did you want to see any other designs?" asked Mr. Kang, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

Youngbae looked up with a sheepish smile on his face. "Aniyo. This is the one. I just..." He looked embarrassed. "I don't even know her size."

It took a moment for Mr. Kang to realize who Youngbae was referring to. But when he did, he straightened and looked at Youngbae directly in the eyes. "She will fit it."

Youngbae lifted an eyebrow.

The older man motioned to the poster behind him. "She will fit it."

It was the marketing picture of Amina. The same one that initially led Youngbae over to the display. He hadn't bothered to look at it closely before, so enamored by the ring in the display. But he did now... and he could tell in the photo that she was wearing the very same ring

He imagined it was his ring she was wearing. His heart skipped a beat.

"We're doing a new luxury line of diamonds... all GIA certified VVS2 and up, colorless, ideal cut. What we have here," Mr. Kang motioned his head towards the ring in front of Youngbae," is the first of many to come. It is rated IF, nearly flawless and has been precisionally cut so that it sparkles the way it does." He paused. "It's the same exact one she is wearing in the ad... and she's the only model that has worn it."

"I'll take it."

"It's not for sale."

Youngbae started abruptly, feeling irate. He narrowed his eyes.

Mr. Kang raised his hands. "At least not yet. It isn't a line that we are offering to the public for sale until several weeks from now, but let me see if I can get an exception."

"Who do you need to talk to?"

"My sajangnim, Eun Hyun-Ki."

The irony was not lost on the two gentlemen.

Youngbae shook his head at himself. He couldn't believe it. After seeing how Amina's parents treated her, he didn't want a thing to do with them. For her sake, he quickly promised himself that he would only tolerate them as a formality because they would be his future in-laws, but nothing more. He could feel the anger start to build up inside him again. But after several long seconds... he just let it go. Youngbae let out a short scoff under his breath. What better time then now?