Eight: The One With The Wedding and a Scandal

The reaction was suprisingly positive over the revelation that Woo Bin and Jae Kyung were now dating. After everything was explained to Yi Jeong, they had gathered the whole group and told them everything down to the very last detail. Ga Eul couldn’t contain her excitement when her suspicions were finally confirmed. She hugged Jae Kyung tightly and whispered that they were all truly happy for both of them. She then turned her attention towards Yi Jeong who was still trying to comprehend everything he had just discovered. Jun Pyo was less demonstrative and settled for a knock fist greeting with Woo Bin as his way of saying congratulations. Ji Hoo acted non-chalant about it, his own way of saying that he already knew beforehand.

“This is great!” Jan Di beamed. “It’s not even our wedding day yet and I feel so happy that love is all around us.”

“Please do not feel bad, Jan Di-ya.” Jae Kyung said to her. “We really didn’t want to make a big deal out of this whole dating thing.”

“Unni, I don’t feel bad,” she assured her. “You know what? I think it’s great that you and Woo Bin-sunbae finally got together. I’ve always thought you made quite a lovely pair.”

“If that’s supposed to make me feel better, then thank you,” she laughed. “But really, I am happy for you too. This wedding has been long overdue.”

A look of visible contentment was evident on Jan Di’s face. Jae Kyung was right. After all these years and the sacrifices they made for their respective careers, she was finally marrying the man of her dreams.

~o~

The wedding day itself went like a total blur. Everybody was so busy that no one spent time with each other’s better halves until after the ceremony was over. Jae Kyung and Ga Eul attended to Jan Di’s needs while the rest took care of chatting up the guests who had arrived for the wedding. Although the affair was supposedly low-key, CEOs of every notable company in Korea as well as politicians who were friends of the groom’s family were noticeably in attendance.

Also present and holding their court in one side of the hall were the Geums and several neighbors from the fishing village. Geum Dong Chan and Im Si Yeon were beaming at their daughter’s good fortune of marrying into a well-off family. To them it was the fulfillment of their life-long dream to rise from their middle-class status. While the Geum camp were busy identifying the high profile guests being ushered to their seats, Goo Jun Hee walked over to her brother’s future in-laws and greeted them politely before gesturing to where their parents were.

“Anyeong,” Jun Hee bowed as a sign of respect. “Ahbeoji and Ommuni wanted to check if you were doing okay.”

“Oh yes we are,” Dong Chan answered enthusiastically. “Thank you for asking, child. Tell your parents we are doing just fine.” Both he and Si Yeon waved to where the Goo couple were. Goo Byung Hun and Kang Hee So, in turn, nodded towards their future in-laws in acknowledgment.

The ceremony started a few minutes later. Once the guests took their respective seats, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra played the bridal march. A great collected sigh issued from the audience as the resplendent bride entered in a very simple wedding gown created for her by upcoming Korean designer Monica Lee. Jun Pyo couldn’t take his eyes off his Jan Di as she glided down the aisle escorted by her father, who was beaming and bouncing.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the minister started in a slight singsong voice. “We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two fated souls…”

Jae Kyung glanced around, met Woo Bin’s gaze and grinned, then quickly faced front again. Woo Bin’s mind wandered a long way from the wedding hall, to those times he spent with Jae Kyung before their relationship was even out in the open. They seemed so long ago, and they had always seemed too good to be true. But maybe he deserved this happiness…

“Do you, Goo Jun Pyo, take Geum Jan Di…”

It was a brief but poignant affair that had both Kang Hee So and Im Si Yeon in tears as soon their kids were declared husband and wife.

~o~

“May I have this dance?”

Jae Kyung smiled at her boyfriend’s chivalry. Placing her hand over his outstretched palm, they joined the rest of the guests who had taken to the dance floor as the wedding festivities went full swing. Looking around, they saw Ji Hoo and Seo Hyun engrossed in a serious conversation with Jun Hee who Jae Kyung noticed was no longer wearing her wedding ring. Yi Jeong and Gae Eul, on the other hand, were nowhere to be found although Woo Bin assured her that they were just around the premises. She wanted the night to last forever. It felt good to be in the company of friends and to celebrate love that surpassed all odds.

“Jae Kyung-shhi?” Woo Bin whispered to her hair. They were slow-dancing to the music currently playing on the dance floor.

“Hmmm…” she replied, her cheek pressed against his shoulder.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said. He held her close as if wanting reassurance of her constant presence in his life.

“Me too,” Jae Kyung answered.

~o~

“I cannot believe this! Who invited her to the wedding?” Min Seo Hyun asked Ga Eul the moment she spotted the unwanted guest in the ballroom.

Ga Eul looked past her and shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know, unni. Her husband has some business connections with the  Goo’s though. Perhaps Jun Pyo-sunbae’s parents invited them?”

“Uggghhh… the nerve of that woman!” Seo Hyun seethed. “She still has the nerve to attend occasions where the guys are present considering what she did to Woo Bin?”

“I don’t think he even cares anymore,” Ga Eul observed. “He never noticed when she arrived earlier with her husband.”

“Good, good…” she muttered.

“Hey, there you are…” Ji Hoo caught up with them mid-conversation. “I thought you were going to the powder room?”

“I was –” Seo Hyun started. “Until I saw who decided to join us for the reception,” she finished off, gesturing to the VIP tables.

“She’s here?” Ji Hoo asked in annoyance, recognizing the familiar figure of Seo Tae Ran. The woman looked bored to be there but was playing the role of dutiful trophy wife to the hilt.

“Don’t ask,” Ga Eul said. “We were just as suprised as you are.”

“Just keep an eye on Woo Bin and Jae Kyung,” Ji Hoo ordered. “Make sure they steer clear of her throughout the night.”

~o~

The powder room was the only place she could confront her without him hovering by her side. It was not a surprise that he was with a girlfriend again months after she had dumped him. What puzzled her though was the fact that he was now dating his bestfriend’s former fiancee. Who knew the F4 actually went through each other’s trash?

“Ha Jae Kyung –” she haughtily blurted as soon as she saw it was only the two of them left.

The other one turned towards the direction of the voice. “Yes?”

“Seo Tae Ran,” she extended her hand in greeting. “I’m sure you’ve heard about me.”

Jae Kyung raised an eyebrow, wondering whether to be amused or irritated at Tae Ran’s tone. “I’m sorry, why should I?” she feigned ignorance.

“I’m Woo Bin-oppa’s former girlfriend -”

Jae Kyung closed her eyes, breathing hard. “Right. If you’re the one who dumped him for a filthy rich Chinese tycoon old enough to be your father, then yes, I’ve heard so much about you.”

She shook her head, turned on her heels and left the former grasping for words after that verbal tirade. The only thought running through her mind was to find Woo Bin so that they could leave before an ugly confrontation took place.

“Are you really that desperate to marry an F4 that you moved from one friend to another?” Tae Ran, still in her war-mongering mode, called after Jae Kyung as she hurriedly followed her out of the room.

They were starting to attract onlookers among the guests but Jae Kyung could no longer care any less. Tae Ran, on the other hand, was egging her opponent to lose her temper. The tramp looked pretty tipsy when they came face to face again, something that escaped her attention while they were at the powder room earlier.

“I’m the girlfriend now,” she said, to settle things once and for all. “Deal with it.”

Frustrated that Jae Kyung maintained her composure despite her taunts, Tae Ran attempted to slap her but a stronger arm blocked her fist.

“The next time you do that,” Woo Bin’s angry figure looked at her straight in the eye. “That fist goes directly to your face.”

He led Jae Kyung out of the ballroom just as security escorted Seo Tae Ran out. Seo Hyun and Jun Hee caught up with them at the hallway where Woo Bin was trying to pacify his girlfriend who was visibly shaking in anger.

“Noona,” Woo Bin asked Jun Hee. “Why was that woman allowed at the wedding?”

“Mianhe, Woo Bin-sshi. We were complacent that she wouldn’t cause a scene with her husband around,” Jun Hee apologized.

“She… wouldn’t… stop,” Jae Kyung spoke up. “I’ve never seen someone so desperate enough for attention.”

“That woman has no shame,” Seo Hyun railed on, turning her attention on Woo Bin. “Which is why I never understood why you were smitten with her.”

“I was twenty-three, noona.” Woo Bin defended himself, trying to change the topic.

“Alright, that’s it,” Jun Hee sprang into action. “Woo Bin-shhi, why don’t you take Jae Kyung home so that she can rest? We’ll take care of handling the mess created by that psychotic ex-girlfriend of yours.”

Before Woo Bin could even protest, Seo Hyun had led them towards the hotel’s entrance and motioned for the valet. Within minutes, they were on the road driving towards Jae Kyung’s apartment. She was quiet throughout the entire ride and he could tell she was still upset over the confrontation earlier.

“Hey,” he suddenly said. “Do you want to go somewhere else?”

Jae Kyung barely had time to string a reply when he parked in front of a karaoke house that seemed familiar to her.

“I mean, you like karaoke right?” he asked.

“Yeah…”

“Remember how you treated me and Yi Jeong to a mini-concert before?”

He got out of the car with her following him to the sidewalk. She covered her face with both palms in embarassment as she recalled that exact moment.

“Ugghhh… don’t remind me,” she said. “But hey, you both deserved it after what you were planning against me.”

He breaks into a smile. “See? I always knew the noraebang was one way to cheer you up.”

She couldn’t help but smile in return. If he brought her here to enjoy then that was exactly what she planned on doing. Seo Tae Ran’s actions made her realize that ex-es will never drive a wedge between them. Hooking her arm into Woo Bin’s, she playfully cajoled him into singing with her this time. They spent the next two hours doing just that… singing to their heart’s content.

~o~

The next morning, Jae Kyung woke up with a splitting headache made even worse by a phone call from her mother. Apparently the “little outburst” at the wedding made it to the society pages of today’s papers. With her parents having business associates all over Seoul, one of them managed to email the article all the way to Boston.  No reason to fret though, her mother said, as the article never mentioned names. But anyone who was at the wedding clearly knew who “trophy wife” and “chaebol princess” were. That and the part where it said “mafia heir” was lucky to have two ladies fighting over him.

“I didn’t even know you were dating someone,” Eun Bi told her daughter.

“Mianhe, ommuni. I never meant for you to find out about it this way,” she explained. “He’s a good man.”

“I know that…” her motherly concern evident in her tone. “And I trust you, Jae-ya.”

Tears welled in Jae Kyung’s eyes as she thanked her mother for being supportive and non-judgmental. She also apologized once more for unknowingly getting herself involved in a scandal that may damage the family name and the image of the company. But her mother merely told her not to worry since she wasn’t even at fault to begin with. Let the press speculate, she said. All that matters is who ends up with a clean conscience once this is all over.

“Now listen,” her mother continued. “I suppose it’s not too much to ask that we get to meet our daughter’s boyfriend the next time we’re in Seoul right?”

A nervous laugh was heard on the other line. “Of course, ommuni. I’ll make sure you get to meet him soon.”

~o~

He had not expected a summon to the president’s office that morning. Woo Bin came in early because he had a report to finish, but when his secretary casually slipped him a copy of that morning’s paper, he thought he might have an idea what his father wanted to talk about.

“You asked for me, sir?” Woo Bin greeted as President Song’s secretary led him to his office. It was always a professional relationship for both of them at work. But he never took it against his father.

Song Woo Taek looked pleased to see his son. “Have a seat,” he motioned to the nearest chair. “You look well. Are you enjoying the MyungDok project so far?”

He nodded. It was very typical of his father to start with work-related topics first before he asks you anything personal. “Construction progress is currently on phase 2 right now. The interior designer called as well and mentioned that the designs are ready for presentation in two weeks.”

“Excellent! Looks like we’ll be able to finish the project in due time,” President Song said. “So what’s this I heard about a fight between your past and present?” he asked a few seconds after.

Woo Bin was caught off-guard but tried to downplay the whole thing explaining that it was Tae Ran who picked a fight and Jae Kyung had tried her best to ignore it. President Song appeared to be enjoying their father and son talk but then turned serious when he reminded Woo Bin about the implications of the incident.

“I can protect her,” he said firmly. It was suggested that a security detail be assigned to Jae Kyung. Woo Bin knew there was no way she would agree to it.

“Liu Xi Feng has ties to the Chinese underworld,” President Song mentioned. “Now that he knows his wife still has a thing for you, he may resort to drastic measures.”

He rubbed his temples in disbelief. “She dumped me. Doesn’t he get that?” he said exasperatedly. “You can’t be saying he’ll go after…”

His father nodded. “Il Shin’s our best shot at keeping you both safe,” he assured Woo Bin. “I know her family can provide her with bodyguards anytime she wants to but mafia intelligence is different.”

“I don’t believe this…”

Woo Taek patted his son’s shoulders. “We’re doing our best to end this quietly, son. Just hang in there… and I’m sorry.”

Song Woo Bin never heard what his father had to say after as he angrily stormed out of the room and returned to his office. He had just indirectly placed his girlfriend’s life in danger and he wasn’t going to forgive himself for that. Grabbing his mobile phone, he pressed Jae Kyung’s number on speed dial.

“Hi, it’s me…”

They made plans to meet up for lunch that day. He had that sinking feeling, however, that this was going to be one of the longest meals ever in his lifetime.