Never too late – Chapter Four
Chapter Four [The End]
Yi Jeong stopped his movement, his hands that were on the cool clay dropped to his side. His expression became blank, and he wondered if he heard right.
“You have nothing to say? When your wife ask for a divorce, you have nothing to say?” Hee Jin voice became more and more shaky as she spoke. She shook his shoulders. “Say something to me! Beg me to stay! Tell me you love me!” She yelled at him. Slowly she slumped to her knees, crying into her hands.
“Why…?” He whispered, and it was barely audible. “I thought you wanted this.”
She looked up at him and his face remained expressionless. He had not love her. Five years she waited and hoped, but he still didn’t love her. She knew he was with her because of their kids, but she had hoped one day he would love her too. One day she realized that it would never happen.
Throughout the five years of their marriage, Yi Jeong buried himself with work. Her father even suggested Yi Jeong move his studio home so that he could be with his family more. To Hee Jin it made no difference. When he did actually moved it, it was his sanctuary. No one was to enter.
Every year she dreaded December 14th. That day was Yi Jeong and Ga Eul’s anniversary. On that day he would not show his face to the rest of the world. He would hid in his studio, and no one was to bother him. Not even his beloved son. December 14th, on their fifth year of marriage, Hee Jin walked past his studio and did something she never done before. She opened the door. There he was laying on the floor with empty bottles of beer everywhere.
She observed him from afar and she could tell he was asleep. She then slowly creeped inside. She looked at his face, and she could see that his eyes were swollen. He had been crying…something she never saw him do. He called out Ga Eul’s name and it startled her. She looked down at his hands and saw that he was loosely holding some photos. She reached down and took it from him. It was pictures of Ga Eul. All were taken from a distant. She flipped through the photos. It was Ga Eul with another man, with a little girl on his shoulders. Ga Eul was smiling brightly.
“You’ll never love me. No matter what I do, or no matter how long I wait, you will never love me.” She looked him in the eyes and he reached down to touch her arm but she moved away. “I saw the photos. All of them. For five years you been keeping up with her.”
Yi Jeong turned the other way. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Hee Jin stood up and wiped her tears. “I’m just tired of living like this. It’s too depressing. Let’s just get a divorce.” She turned and walk away. “Stop living like this Yi Jeong. Ga Eul wouldn’t want to see you this way… I’m going to my parent’s house. Please watch the kids.”
That was the day Hee Jin got into a car accident. It was a head on collision and she couldn’t be saved. From that day on Yi Jeong turned his life around. All his kids had now was him, and he couldn’t disappoint them the way his parents disappointed him. He had quit drinking for good.
He decided to let Ga Eul go. She was married now with a good guy that had a decent job. They even had a beautiful daughter. She was happy and that was all he could ever ask for. From then on he would not track her anymore. He had to pick himself up not only for himself, but also for the sake of his kids.
—
[Back to present time]
Ga Eul stood at the door, hesitant to go in. She looked back at her granddaughter and Ju Yung, and he nodded, ushering her to go in. It came all too fast for Ga Eul, and till this moment she still haven’t processed it fully. She was just at home with her granddaughter then all of a sudden Ju Yung showed up. At first she thought she was seeing things, he looked EXCATELY like Yi Jeong, but she knew it wasn’t possible, Yi Jeong had to be her age now. She immediately knew he had to be related to Yi Jeong. Ju Yung begged her to come with him, saying that Yi Jeong was very sick and could die any day now, and his only wish was to see her before he died.
“We’ll wait outside.”
Ga Eul nodded at Ju Yung and slowly walked inside. After all those years of wanting to see his face, there Yi Jeong was laying there with all sorts of tubes running from his body. She made his way next to him and placed her fragile hands on his. His eyes fluttered and slowly opened.
Tears were forming in her eyes now, and Yi Jeong looked at her with surprise. “Ga Eul. You finally came.” He hand onto her hand as tight as he can.
She nodded and wiped her tears, then reached to push his grey hair aside. “You don’t even have strength to hold my hand like you used to.” Wiping her tears seem hopeless because more tears kept forming.
“I love you. I know I messed it up for us, and it’s too late, but we are soul mates, I will make it up to you next life time.”
“Pabo! It’s never too late. We are together now aren’t we? We don’t have to wait until next life time.” Ga Eul bended over and kissed him lightly on the forehead before embracing him in a hug.
Yi Jeong closed his eyes, and smiled.
“Beepppp”
Ga Eul’s head shot up and looked over at the monitor that was making the sound. She looked at Yi Jeong and shook his shoulder. “Yi Jeong! Wake up!” She shook him again. But there was no response. She ran out the room.
“Ju Yung! Call the doctor! Your grandfather is not responding.” She yelled at him, but his feet stayed planted and he didn’t move. Instead he slowly crouched down and hid his face into his hands.
“What are you doing? Call the doctor!” Ga Eul screamed and turned the other way. “Never mind. I’ll do it.”
“He’s dead.” Ju Yung’s words made Ga Eul stopped in her tracks.
“What?” Ga Eul placed one hand on the wall, and the other on her chest. She suddenly felt a pain in her chest, both physically and emotionally.
—
After Yi Jeong’s death, Ga Eul fell ill, and was bed ridden for 2 days before she too followed Yi Jeong. Ju Yung decided to bury them next to each other. He knew this was what his grandfather would of wanted. Though his family opposed to the ‘ridiculous’ idea that Yi Jeong was to be buried to some women that wasn’t his wife, Ju Yung didn’t care. In Yi Jeong’s will he split his fortune between all his family members, but he also left Ju Yung in charge of burial arrangements. In his will he also left Ga Eul a pottery school, but since she was dead, it was passed to her granddaughter, So Eun.
“So what are you going to do now?”
Yu Jung asked So Eun. The funeral ended a hour ago, and they since been leaning on his car.
“I think I will move to Seoul, and run the school.” So Eun smiled. “I think my grandmother would of liked that.”
Ju Yung was surprised. “You do pottery?”
So Eun nodded. “Yeah, my grandmother always said I was a natural at it, not like her.” She chuckled.
Ju Yung smiled. “Well maybe you can come see my work, and I could come see yours one day.” He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He handed it to So Eun.
“Want one?”
So Eun looked at his hands, and his eyes widen with delight. “Is that lemon flavored? I love the lemon flavored one!” She reached for it and popped it in her mouth. “Thanks. You know what kind I hate though?”
“Orange.” They both said in unison. They laughed.
“Hey how did you know?” So Eun asked.
“I didn’t. My grandfather and I hate orange too.”
lIdk 