The perfume of love (rain-bi)

chapter 9

by the time they arrived at the beach they were on first name terms. dong won was a korean who had joined joon Dennison's yacht after starting his career on tankers.

"but that's a pretty dull life. in fact being at sea at all plays hell with a guy's social life" he told her when after some energetic swimming, they were both bouncing up and down amid gentle breakers.

"i was lucky to get this job through some friends who knew Captain jung and who put in a good word for me when he needed a replacement for my predecessor"

"what happened to your predecessor"

"he was fired" said dong won, with a grimace.

"Ocean Wanderer isn't registered in Australia and she doesn't have an all-Aussie crew, so the unions don't have any say if somebody gets the boot. Captain jung is god on this ship. he does all the hiring and firing. anyone who breaks his rules has only themselves to blame if they find themselves put ashore at the next port of call and replaced with someone who will toe the Captain's line. don't get me wrong: i like him. A good Captain has to be a martinet"

"i should have thought it was the owner who was god and the Captain his chief archangel" said jenna, as they waded out of the sea.

"surely if a Captain upset an owner, he could find himself out of a job?"

"in general yes.... that's true" he agreed.

"but i think Mr Dennison's aware that he's lucky to have jung jihoon as his skipper.Dennison doesn't know port from starboard. maybe he's not in the same league as Arab sheiks and Asian bankers, but he's a very rich guy and he bought the yacht on a whim. at any rate, that's what i heard. you probably know alot more about it than i do" he added, as they picked up their towels and began to dry themselves.

jenna smiled and shook her head.

"i had supper in my cabin last night. i haven't even met my sister's fiance yet"

"your sister's fiance?" dong won repeated, looking surprised. "she and Dennison are engaged? when did that happen?"

"weeks ago.... before they left Vancouver"

she was about to add that when they arrived in sydney they were going to be married there, but he interrupted her, saying "really? they're keeping it mighty quiet. everyone thought...." he stopped short, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"everyone thought?" she prompted.

he gave a sheepish shrug. "you can't really blame them for putting the wrong construction on it. there is a pretty wide age gap between your sister and Mr Dennison. we thought they were just good friends,as the saying goes"

"it's amazing how ready people are always to think the worst. my sister and Mr Dennison may have decided not to announce their engagement officially yet, but I've known about it for some time. otherwise i shouldn't be here as his guest" she answered firmly.

dong won gave her a thoughtful look. "no i can believe that" he said.

"you're not what i was expecting"

"what were you expecting?"

"more of a swinger, i guess. now that i look at you more closely, i believe you might even be one of that vanishing species which my mother is always looking out for.... a real old-fashioned nice girl" he said teasingly.

"actually nice girls could be due for a revival, what with the herpes scare and the fact that the singles scene hasn't turned out to be as much fun as people thought. how are things over in Korea? are people there changing their ideas?"

"i think the pendulum is beginning to swing back a bit... as it always does" she said cautiously.

"i don't believe we're entering an age of oppressive prudery, i don't think those harsh narrow morals could ever come back"

"i'm not so sure about that. look how the missionaries managed to change the moral climate here in Hawaii" said dong won. "they didn't only put a stop to the sexual freedom of the Hawaiians. they calmped down on singing and dancing,and they even made them cut out surfing. that's something you've got to try... surfing, i mean. i'm not too good at it yet, but it has to be one of the greatest sensations in the world. you should see jung jihoon go on his board. he took me and a couple of the crew up the coast, past Kapalua, the other day. he's better than good. he could be a professional if he wanted"

"i'm not sure i would like to go surfing" said jenna, as they boarded the dinghy.

"but i should like to learn to snorkel"

"that's no problem. there's plenty of gear on board. i can teach you. how about this afternoon? i'm off duty from two until six"

"i think my sister may have some plans for this afternoon, dong won. but it's nice of you to offer"

"some other time, then. the reef at black rock by the sheraton Hotel is a good place and so is Kapulua Bay"

this time it was Ben who ran down the boarding ladder as they drew near the yacht and gave jenna a hand to step from the dinghy to the platform.

"thank you" she gave him a smile which was still lingering on her lips when she reached deck level.

it faded abruptly at the sight of Captain jung standing almost at the same spot where he had used her towel to dry his long limbs and powerful torso less than twelve hours ago.

now he was wearing his uniform, but a vivid recollection of being lifted bodily from the sea and, for a few seconds, held as close as if he were about to embrace her, brought a bright blush to her cheeks.

"enjoyed your first dip in the pacific, miss kim?" he asked, with the first smile she had received from him. but there was more mockery than warmth in it.

"yes, thank you, Captain.... very much" she cleared a constriction in her throat with a nervous cough and, striving for self-possession, added, "where i come from, even in summer the sea is never anything like as warm as it is here"

he glanced at his watch. "your sister came back on board a few minutes ago. you have time for a shower before lunch is served at one o'clock"

had they been alone, she would have been strongly tempted to salute and say "yes, sir. thank you, sir" in the manner of a navey midshipman being dismissed from the presence of his commanding officer.

but however much she resented Captain jung's manner towards her, she wasn't prepared to go as far as being openly insubordinate infront of Ben and dong won.

the kind of retorts she might make if he took that tone with her the next time they were alone was another matter.