c l i m a x

c l i m a x // XV

“You look a little tan.” Seunghyun said as they strolled on the park late afternoon. “It suits you.”

“I guess I should’ve married the beach.” Dara said and looked up at him. “At least the beach won’t hurt me.” She continued the smile on her face vanish as hinted a bit of concealed sadness.

“I can be the beach. And you can marry me.” He looked down and winked at her. Dara chuckled and shrugged at him. He shook his head, why does she always find the serious things he say funny. It was the truth—he wants to take her away from the pain and sadness. But reality check, Dara still loves her husband.

They strode in silence under the dark orange afternoon sky. He wanted to see Dara so bad after hearing from Youngbae about her trip with Jiyong in Jeju Island. He wanted to see if she’s okay.

He halted all of sudden making Dara stop. He doesn’t know what happened but he knows for sure that things didn’t go all good. Her eyes look sad…and hurt. He knows something is off.

“What happened, Dara?” he said, slowly reaching for her hand. “Tell me.” But Dara just shook her hand in response, lowering her head in order not to meet his gaze. “Look at me. Please?”

Dara sighed then slowly lifted her up at him. Tears started to roll down her eyes and her lips started to quiver. Seunghyun immediately pulled her into him and envelope her in his arms. The silent tears moments ago quickly turned into loud sobs in the middle of the almost empty park. His heart broke upon seeing Dara like this. Whatever Jiyong did to her that he still doesn’t and will soon find out, he will really get it from him. Dara doesn’t deserve to be like this—to feel like this.

“Hush now,” he said softly, caressing her back gently to calm down her sobs. “Go ahed, tell me. It’s okay to rant it all out on me if it makes you feel better.”

“I-I…” she stammered between her sobs. “Jiyong…I can’t d-do this anymore, Seunghyun. It hurts so bad that I-I want to give him up.”

--

[FLASHBACK]

“This all Jiyong’s fault.” Dara touched the dark circles under her eyes as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. They looked awful. For the last two days she didn’t sleep well. After Jiyong told her that they’ll be going on this trip here in Jeju, she felt uncomfortable and uneasy since then. Most especially earlier on the car and airplane. There was nothing but silence after Shin Yong fell asleep on the middle of the trip. Well, who would not? When she has to act like she’s happily married for Jiyong’s employees assumed that they’re still a perfect couple. And there’s their son. She sighed and a frowned painted on her beautiful face.

She went to their bed—their bed since its one room per family—and opened her bag. She pulled out a simple two-pieced floral bikini and a sarong.

“I guess this will do.” She whispered to herself then headed towards the bathroom to change.

--

“Aren’t you going to come?” Jiyong asked as they finished the sumptuous lunch from the resort.

“Where?” Dara asked back at him. “The tour’s scheduled two hours from now.”

Jiyong chuckled a bit and stood up from his seat. Dara looked up at him in wonder but he just held out his hand at her and smiled down.

“We own the company, Dara. We’ll take separate tour, just the three of us.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Quality time.” Jiyong smiled wider but Dara stood up abruptly surprising him a bit.

“I don’t even want to be with you for a second and now you’re asking for a tour with just the three of us. Look Jiyong, tricks like this won’t work.” She whispered softly but angrily in his ears before walking out on him.