The Insider Ghost Ship: She Said, He Said

CHAPTER 35: She Said: About Seun Bin's Birthday Dinner Party

Monday came so fast, Song Hwa had to rapid search for a gift for Seun Bin. This night was her birthday dinner party and she did not want to come empty handed. She had to drive back to Seoul an hour earlier than usual to have time for gift shopping.

As she was checking the colorful silk scarves hanging on a rack, her phone rang.

It's Ik Jun.

"Ya, wae? I'm inside a store and I'm in a hurry." She informed her caller. "If you just called to goof around, call me later."

"Uh, are you buying a gift for Seun Bin?"

"Ne...."

"Can we go to the restaurant together?"

"Arasseo. Odiya?"

"Still here at the hospital."

"I'll pick you up at seven."

"Arasseo. Najeunge."

She hung up and continued choosing among the hanging scarves, picked one and brought it to the counter for check out.

She was grateful that Seun Bin invited her. She wanted to keep in touch with her team in YULJE Seoul, everyone was just too busy to do so. It had been three months since she left, she was certain that there would be plenty of catching up to do and lots of stories to tell.

It was also a good thing that Chi Hong would not be able to join them. After that NS dinner last November, she felt awkward and uncomfortable whenever he was around. His decision to leave YULJE after he became chief resident, as far as she was concerned, was a beneficial one—at least for her. It was not that she did not want to see him anymore or did not want anything to do with him—she just needed to stay away from him as far as possible.

And she was also thankful that Seuk Min invited Ik Jun  to join them, despite the fact that he was from the Hepato-Biliary Department. She thought that it would be a good opportunity for him to make up for the NS dinner that he 'crashed' and almost ruined the last time.

Of course, nobody should bring it up again. And since Chi Hong would not be there, she believed that would not be a problem.

It was six thirty, and she promised to pick up Ik Jun at seven. She decided to drop by at the hospital and perhaps, say hello to as many as possible people that she had previously worked with.

After stopping by to see Jun Wan, Jeong Won and Seuk Hyung in their offices, she went straight to Ik Jun's office. She thought that if he was not there, she could still wait for him comfortably, as she still had time to spare. She could imagine his look of surprise when he opens his door and finds her there earlier than expected.

But what she imagined did not happen exactly as she thought it would, for it was she who got surprised.

Because when she opened the door, sitting comfortably beside the round table was Go Ara and two cups of take out gourmet coffee was waiting with her.

"Uh...A...Annyeonghaseyo." She said, obviously shocked.

"Uh...Neodo annyeonghaseyo." Go Ara replied as she stood up and gave her a half-bow.

Then, complete silence. It was as if someone pressed the mute button. She did not know what to do or say, she just stood there like a statue. Go Ara, just like her, remained standing and became still.

Awkwardness had fully filled the atmosphere, and she did not know how much more she could take. She would have to either say goodbye and leave or sit down and wait. She was about to chose when the door opened and Ik Jun came in. Go Ara, still standing, greeted him. She, on the other hand, turned her head to his direction and gave him the explain-the-situation look.