The Other Woman (HAESOO)[18+]

Minds Don't Think Alike

After seeing Goeun off at the hotel, Haein was overcome with frustration. The mere mention of his children as a threat left him seething with anger. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, unable to focus on just one. Jisoo, his kids, and Goeun all jumbled together in his head, creating a heavy burden that weighed on him.

"Another one, please," Haein gestured to the bartender. With a nod, the bartender swiftly took his glass and expertly poured another whiskey on the rocks.

"Thanks," Haein nodded gratefully to the bartender before taking a sip of his drink. He let out a frustrated sigh as he felt his phone vibrating once more in his jacket pocket. He instinctively knew it was her calling again, relentless in her pursuit to reach him.

Haein couldn't help but shake his head in exasperation as he glanced at the thirty missed calls from Goeun on his phone. With a resigned sigh, he powered off the device and carefully tucked it back into his jacket pocket, taking another sip of his drink. Just then, a man who appeared to be a foreigner settled down beside him at the bar.

"Excuse me...hey!! Hello?!! Does anyone here understand that I need a drink?!" the man exclaimed at the bar in frustration. Haein swiftly turned to look at the man's face, intrigued by the outburst.

"Hey! What seems to be the problem?" Haein inquired politely, addressing the frustrated man next to him at the bar.

"Man!! I've been trying to talk to the hotel staff...none of them seem to understand me!!" the man expressed in frustration. Haein raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the man's plight.

"Really? That's odd...they do understand English here if that's what you're implying. Just let me know what you want, and I'll order it for you," Haein offered. The man flashed a grateful smile at him.

"Thanks, man... I'll have a dry martini," the man requested. Haein nodded and promptly called the waiter in Korean. Within three minutes, the man had his desired drink in hand.

"Enjoy, sir!" the bartender spoke in English to the frustrated man, who gave the bartender a quick side-eye.

"Thanks, appreciate it!" the man expressed to Haein before swiftly downing the entire drink. Haein was taken aback by the man's quick consumption.

"Wow... man... I know we barely know each other, and I'm nobody to tell you what to do, but... take it easy," Haein advised the man, who had his eyes closed, clearly feeling the strong kick of the alcohol.

"At this point, I don't care anymore..." the man responded with a shrug.

"Would you mind ordering another for me?" he asked, to which Haein simply nodded. Another dry martini was promptly placed in front of the man, and he wasted no time in downing it in one go.

"There's a saying that goes, 'Don't lose yourself in what happened, but instead, strive to take control of the future with perseverance,'" Haein shared, taking another sip from his drink. The man smiled and then burst into laughter.

"Sometimes, I just want to take charge of everything and everyone, so I don't lose sight of what's mine," the man stated, his eyes dark as he gazed ahead. Haein smiled and turned his head to look at him.

"But...not everything can be controlled, and I hope you understand that! There are limits to how much we can control," Haein pointed out. The man turned to look directly at Haein, intrigued by his words.

"In my world, control is and will always be a means of power and righteousness... Without control, there are no limits, and that can be dangerous... and sometimes even heartbreaking! What you're saying will only lead to misery because you won't be able to control what you desire for yourself... Are you suggesting that you'll settle for only what's handed to you?!" the man responded passionately.