THE RESTLESS AUTUMN (completed) (a full-length novel)

Extinguished

Chapter 20

"Thank you, sajang-nim," Eun-jung said, clutching the brown envelope containing three months of salary as her separation pay.

"Are you sure on this?" the elderly man behind the desk asked.

"I need to go to Dae-gu. My sister-in-law needs me there."

"You've been sacrificing a lot for your family."

"She's the only link I have to my husband. Besides, he's asked me to look after her, and I'm trying my best to keep my promise."

"Please come back if you're in town again. You've always been a valuable employee to this company," the employer extended his hand for a handshake.

Eun-jung shook his hand before bowing deeply. "I will. Thank you again."

As soon as Eun-jung left, the man unhooked the handset and looked for the numbers pinned on a corkboard. Seconds after the call was connected, he asked, "Hello, can I speak to Cha Mong-ryu ssi?"

Mong-ryu climbed the stairs as fast as he could when Mrs. Chu informed him Ji-heon was still sleeping. Reaching the master bedroom, Mong-ryu banged on the door and waited, but when no one answered he turned on the doorknob and stepped inside. It was no surprise he'd find Ji-heon in his bed. He lay spread eagle, obviously wasted from another night of alcohol binging, leaving his room with a heavy stench of alcohol and vomit too. The more Mong-ryu stared at his friend, the more he felt useless. But he was there for a reason. More than just being indebted, Mong-ryu could never turn his back on someone whom he had treated like his own sibling. Quickly he reached the bedside and shook Ji-heon by the shoulder. In a hurried attempt to wake him up, Mong-ryu yelled, "Wake up, I've got news for you!" When Ji-heon wouldn't open his eyes, Mong-ryu slapped his face lightly and shook him again. Soon Ji-heon woke with a daze on his face, struggling to open his eyes in the glare of sunlight in his room. "What is it?"

"I've found them."

Seung-jin lay sleeping on Dr. Son's chest while Euna looked on. "She's sleeping here for the first time," he said, one finger pointing at his stepdaughter.

Euna came to sit beside him and said, "You have a way with her. I've always known you'll win her heart, one way or another."

Dr. Son reached for her hand and she stretched out to meet him. "Do you have regrets?"

"No."

"Is that the truth?"

"Do I sound like I'm lying?"

"I want to make sure before we leave."

Euna squeezed his hand and laid her head on his shoulder. "I have no regrets marrying you. And I won't have any regrets going to New York with you."

"Have you talked to your brother?"

Euna murmured a yes and squeezed her face in his neck. "I told him I'll write him every month. It's sad Eun-jung has refused to come with us."

"She couldn't leave her husband. Just as I hope you'll never leave me, too."

"I'll never leave. I promise you."

"Even if he comes after you?"

She raised her hand with a gold wedding band in her ring finger and said, "I'm never going to give this up."

From where he stood, the two looked unmistakably a couple in their complementing attires; he was in a white trench coat while hers was a white leather jacket. Both seemed to be happy around each other, their smiles reaching their eyes. But what added more sore to his incessant pain was seeing Seung-jin running in circles around Dr. Son, which indicated that the child had already adapted well to her stepfather. He saw Euna looking at her husband's face, trying to wipe off the perspiration with her hankie. It was a sight he wasn't prepared for. He looked away to subdue his jealousy. When he brought his eyes back to the couple, she was leaning closely to Dr. Son and whispering into his ear. Again he wanted to look away but something caught his eye and made him stare longer. Resentment took over but he withheld himself. He looked at the clock. It was time to carry out his plans. He began taking steps that soon became long strides, only stopping until he got near Seung-jin. A scream came out of the child's mouth when he grabbed her by the back but when he spun her around, Seung-jin quickly hugged him and shouted, "Appa!" To Euna's horror, she quickly ran toward Seung-jin and attempted to pull her from Ji-heon's arms.

"No!" Ji-heon shouted, holding on to Seung-jin, pressing her face against his chest.

"Give her back to me!" Euna demanded, her voice trembling.

"You're running away and you're taking my child with you. What do you expect me to do?" Ji-heon asked.

Dr. Son stepped in and said, "Give her back her child."

"Stay away from this. You have no right to speak to me," Ji-heon snapped back, his eyes in full rage. The confrontation had now attracted a huge crowd but he could hardly care.

"If you truly love your child, you'll give her back to her mother. Please be reasonable," Dr. Son pleaded.

"Reasonable? Do you know what the word means?"

"Please," Dr. Son stepped forward with one hand extended. But instead of calming down, Ji-heon pulled out a gun from his shirt and aimed it at the doctor.

"You come one step closer and I'll shoot."

The scene immediately sent the crowd into panic and people started to scram. Security people came running to the area but they too, couldn't get near as Ji-heon pointed his gun in the air, threatening to open fire at any moment. Trying to overcome her shock, Euna gathered her breath and moved toward Ji-heon.

"Please, put the gun down," she begged, cupping her mouth with both hands.

"Why? Why are you doing this to me?" Ji-heon asked as Seung-jin tightened her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry."

"I thought what we had was real. I was wrong."

"Oppa…"

"If you want another man, I won't keep you. But you can't take my child away. I won't let you."

Euna kept moving as Ji-heon retreated with each of her step. In one quick dash, she lunged at him and pulled Seung-jin out of his arms. Dr. Son stepped in and wrestled the gun from Ji-heon's hand but the latter refused to let go. Both rolled over to the ground trying to take control of the gun when suddenly several shots were fired. As Ji-heon lay sprawling on his back, blood started gushing out of his wound. Dr. Son realizing what had happened, quickly moved away and ran toward Euna and Seung-jin. The security officer who fired the shots put the gun back into his holster and asked the crowd to clear the area. Seung-jin with her limited understanding seemed to know her father was hurt. She broke free from her mother but Dr. Son scooped her in his arms. This made her wail louder as her tiny hands reached for her father whose eyes were stuck on her. Amid the commotion, Euna found herself returning slowly to where Ji-heon was. As she reached his side, she dragged herself down to her knees, her eyes in deep shock. Her trembling hands touched his face but he didn't flinch. She shook his shoulders but his eyes remained steady and cold. Slowly she cradled him in her arms and realized the stiffness of his body, the absence of his warm breath and the ceasing of his pulse. Everything froze as she looked closely at his pale face, his disheveled hair and unshaved beard, all of which were signs of a life lived in misery. Once more, she attempted to defy the odds. She opened her mouth and murmured repeatedly into his ear, "I'm sorry," and paused after seeing her palms tainted with more blood from his wounds. She murmured again, this time in tears, "I don't want another man. Can you hear me? Please answer me." With silence staring at her, reality sank in. The only man she loved was already gone. Nothing would ever make sense without him. She shut her eyes tight and cried but nothing came out of her throat. Writhing in such pain unknown to her before, she squeezed his face against her chest.

Euna's eyes remained parallel to Ji-heon's. It was the only way she could pay for all of her sins. She reached for the gun in his hand and held it next to her head.