The Scent Of You

Chapter 8

I once feared the cloying scent
Of flowers at funerals
But in old age
It has become a familiar fragrance.
-Anonymous

"Joohyun, do you know Wendy?" is the first thing that comes out of Joy's mouth when she enters the laundromat. Behind her, Seulgi strolls in, amused at Joy's straightforwardness.

"Wendy?" Joohyun is puzzled, as the name is not one that she recognises. "Who's that?"

"You know, that girl who just walked out of here," Joy points her thumb over her shoulder. She settles onto a chair and watches Joohyun for any change of expression. The petite woman frowns, furrowing her eyebrows and her lips pulling themselves into a thoughtful pout.

"You mean Seungwan?" Joohyun asks, confused, and grabs Joy's wrist. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Do you know what Wendy - I mean, Seungwan, does for a living?"

Joohyun folds her arms over her chest. "Hey, why are you asking me all these things suddenly? If you want to know something, you should ask the person herself." Seulgi nods in agreement; Joohyun makes a fair point. "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

Joy scratches the back of her neck sheepishly. "Well, I originally came to talk about Yeri and the entertainment business," she admits.

Joohyun laughs, a sharp exhalation of amusement. "Joy, I run a laundry service," she says, gesturing towards their surroundings at all the washing machines and clothes racks in the shop. "What would I know about entertainment?"

She catches a glimpse of Joy's downcast expression and smiles gently. "You're really interested in joining that industry, aren't you? I'll tell Yeri that you wanted to talk to her, so you two can meet up at another time to talk." After saying this, she pulls Joy closer to her, tiptoeing to pat the taller woman's head. "Sorry I couldn't help, but I'll support you however else I can."

Joohyun's natural motherliness nearly brings Joy to tears, and she hurriedly wraps the small woman in a hug before Joohyun can notice the tears brimming in her eyes. A few paces behind them, Seulgi's phone silently vibrates in her pocket. Discreetly taking her phone out, she reads the on-screen notification.

From: Mr Park's Secretary

"The CEO wants to see Sooyoung as soon as possible."

"Joy, we have to go. Your father wants to see you," Seulgi says, tucking her phone back into her pocket and jerking her head towards the door.

"Ugh, why?" Joy whines, but reluctantly separates herself from Joohyun. "Thanks for the support," she whispers gratefully. Before leaving, she stops to warn Joohyun. "Be careful of Wendy, or Seungwan, whatever she calls herself. She's not who you think she is."

When the duo has left, Joohyun sits alone in her shop, and her head begins to fill with thoughts of meeting Seungwan again. "But why is everyone telling me to be careful of her?"

*

"Amber, something seems really fishy." Seungwan is still hung up on the man that she met at Joohyun's laundromat, convinced that he was the same person that she had bumped into at her client's office. "At first, I thought that he was another businessman who knew my client, but not only did he appear again near Joohyun, he was basically harassing her. What if he's related to this case?"

Over the phone, Amber heaves a sigh. "Wendy, you're thinking too much into this. Sure, him making her uncomfortable is obviously not right, but he could really just be another customer."

For Joohyun's sake, Seungwan wishes Amber is right, and that her concerns are only a result of her paranoia.

After their call, she lies in bed, staring at the black screen of her phone. Her fingers itch to dial Joohyun's number, but she realises that the woman may not be too keen on connecting a call at two in the morning. Sleep would probably be the best option, she thinks, but she is too awake for any sort of rest.