c l i m a x

c l i m a x // XVIII

“Yoboseoyo?”

“Hello?”

“Good morning. Uh, may I speak to Mr. Kwon Jiyong?”

“Yes, speaking. Who is this?”

“Choi Seunghyun.”

--

Jiyong tapped his finger on the table then glanced at his watch. A minute left before 3 pm. And when he looked up, the bell rang as the door opened revealing a tall guy in blue sleeves and cream pants. He stood up as the man approached him. He was taller than Jiyong and his eyes are fierce but warm.

“Good afternoon,” Seunghyun greeted as he extended his hand for a shake. Jiyong look at him for a moment then placed his hand against Seunghyun. “Seung hyun. Choi Seunghyun, Mr. Kwon.”

“Kwon Jiyong. Nice meeting you.”

“Pleasure is all mine.” Seunghyun responded and Jiyong offered the seat in front of him. He looks descent enough to pass as his wife’s friend, Jiyong thought.

“Excuse me,” Jiyong called out for the waitress. “What do you like for drink Mr. Choi?”

“Coffee, please. No sugar.”

“Thai tea for me, please. That’s all.” Jiyong dismissed the waitress and turned to Seunghyun. For a while they stayed silent. Seunghyun can sense the indifference in Jiyong but he stayed calm, he doesn’t want to fight. He’s not here for that, he’s here for Dara.

“So…” Jiyong started. “I see that you would like to talk to me, Mr. Choi.” He said in a cold, unwelcoming tone. He’s not trying to be impolite but he knew better than anybody else that this man in front of him is in love with his wife.

“Just Seunghyun will be fine.” Seunghyun responded then lifted his eyes to look at him. “Yes, I do. And it’s actually about Dara, your wife.”

Jiyong’s ears perked up like a dog’s when he heard the sound of his wife’s name coming out from another man’s mouth. He straightened up from his seat and waited for him to continue.

“Leave her alone.” He continued when he saw that Kwon Jiyong is waiting and left hanging on his words. Seunghyun saw how Kwon Jiyong flinched at his words.

“I won—“

“…or love her and be faithful to her for the rest of your life.”

“What?” Jiyong said in surprise. What is he talking about? He thought that Seunghyun was here because he wants to have Dara and he wants him to leave his wife alone.

“As much as I want Dara for myself and take her away from here, I can’t and I won’t do that.” Seunghyun said, letting out a bitter chuckle after. “I don’t want to add any more hurt to her by separating her from the one she truly loves.”

They say in every village, there has to be an idiot. Same goes in love.

Seunghyun wants to rip off his heart from his chest for being an idiot when it comes to love. For Dara’s happiness, he is even willing to sacrifice his own happiness and his heart just to see her smile again.

“Why?” Jiyong asked after a while of silence. “Don’t you want to see if she will pick you in the end? Are you just going to back down like that without putting up a fight?”

Seunghyun shook his head then smiled to himself. “How would she pick me if there was never even a selection from the start?” he said. “And if there was one, I’d fight you until the day I die just to be with Dara.”

“She’s still my wife, remember that.”

“Have you ever treated her like one all this time? All you did was make her stay up all night crying…to the point of even almost losing her mind.” Seunghyun retorted. He could see the guilt forming in Kwon Jiyong’s face. But he doesn’t care, he deserve all that guilt anyway. “Tell me, have you been a husband to her all this time?”