Worlds Apart - Taekook - Book 2

Chapter 199 - Bonds

The door to the office at Smart-Let closed just as Han-Shik slammed his mobile onto the desk and muttered angry, incoherent words into the air. Emi looked unsure as she considered opening the door and leaving but she wasn't going to get anywhere with her new husband if she didn't persevere in situations like this one. This wasn't new, she'd witnessed outbursts several times and she'd struggled to get through to him when his response to whatever caused it, was to storm out of the room or pretend it didn't happen. If he stormed out, by the time he returned, he was calm and didn't want to discuss it so many things went unsaid and she didn't know him well enough to make suggestions as to what the issue could possibly be?

"Han-Shik, is it a bad time? Would you rather I came back?"

The young man looks up and straightens his tie as he gets to his feet to greet his new wife. Having a wife was a lot to get used to but he can't say he'd ever had a partner long enough to give anyone a relationship status so it was amusing in a sadistic way that his first official relationship was marriage.

"We arranged mid-morning coffee and you are on time so I don't want to rearrange. It's fine." He greets her with a kiss to the cheek and smiles. He'd noticed that more often than not, a smile naturally appears when he sees the petite Japanese girl with hazel eyes. Her short, dark hair just about covers her ears, choppy and always styled to perfection.

When they first met, Emi dressed smartly and appeared quite conservative but Han-Shik soon realised that it was an effort made to appeal to him and his family, in front of her own parents. Outside of that and whilst on their honeymoon he saw a completely different side to her. Emi was more relaxed and quite a rebel to the traditional girl Han-Shik believed her to be and since then, she has been more of herself, dressing casually and veering from the conservative girl he thought she was.

"Was that a business call?"

"It's nothing for you to worry about."

Emi walks over to the couch in the office and puts her mint green handbag on the floor beside her feet. "I'm not worried but I would like to know what caused my husband to be so angry."

Han-Shik sits close by, pulling on his suit trousers to allow him the freedom to sit comfortably. "There's a lot that you don't know."

"Have you got time to tell me? Some of it?" she turns her body so she can see him, "I have entered into a legal partnership with you, Han-Shik and I think you should give me the chance to be there for you. I did agree to be your wife, please let me in."

Han-Shik takes a breath as his mind fights to get out of the protective cage he'd formed. So much had been internalised over the years because he couldn't be himself and he knows that at some point he became the persona he'd created. "I've not allowed anyone in for years, Emi. It's easier to brush it off and be the person everyone wants me to be."

The young woman places her hand on her new husband's knee. There hadn't been a great deal of affection between them, both understanding it was something that would come as their feelings grew but she needed him to know she was there. "Telling me that is a start. I want you to know that you can trust me. I want to be that person who learns to understand you better than anyone and can be there for you."

"Everything I've thought and all of my reactions have been behind closed doors..." he gestures with his hand, pointing from his head downwards, "... these doors. There's so much you don't know."

"You've already made a good start so if you want to share more with me, I'm here. Who was on the phone earlier?"

It was a completely foreign concept to be discussing anything remotely connected to his family outside of the situation and those involved. Yet he knew he would have to bring Emi into his trusted circle that only had him in it if he was going to make sure she wasn't treated the same way that Jara was. "My Mother."