Nari opened her door to another delivery of roses. She laughed as the delivery man looked around them and smiled.
"I think you're taking all of our inventory," he teased as he walked inside.
He followed his usual path to her kitchen counter, where he had placed six previous deliveries that morning. Some were roses, some were lilies, some were mixed bouquets of their most expensive and exquisite arrangements.
"They need to stop," she softly laughed. "It's all too much."
"When you do a favor for the sons of rich men, you'll be showered in gifts for a while," he laughed. "It doesn't hurt that the father of one of those boys owns a chain of floral shops."
"I can't believe they saw that live stream," she said with a blush burning her face again.
The recording was all over the fan sites, but she wouldn't have known if the delivery man hadn't shown her when he arrived with the first arrangement. She preferred not knowing she was the focus of rabid, jealous fans.
She began to worry about what would happen to Dong-Geun and his friends. Would her plan backfire? Would their classmates become jealous and make their lives worse?
Just as the delivery man was walking out, another delivery came. This time, there were three people carrying several bags and boxes. She waved goodbye to the laughing flower deliverer and held her door open to the new arrivals.
She followed them inside and watched them set everything onto the floor since her counter had no more room.
"Mr. Kim DaeSeong would like to express his deepest gratitude for taking care of his son," the first man said with a deep bow.
The other two said the same in reference to the parents of the other two boys. They all bowed again before leaving.
She sighed deeply as she looked at the small treasure trove. She sat on the floor and pulled over the first box just as her phone rang.
"Hello?" she said as she unwrapped the gift. "Seonsaengnim," she said excitedly. "Good morning, Mr. Kim! ... Yes, yes, sir, I've received it all ... No, sir, please don't do more. It isn't necessary, really."
As he spoke, she opened the first box to find vouchers for his restaurant and another with samples of some of his exclusive menu items.
"How are the boys?" she asked.
"They're wonderful, Nari!" Kim DaeSeong said on the other end. His voice was cracking and there was excitement she hadn't heard before. "I've been hearing from parents of classmates of Dong-Geun all morning about the livestream by the band last night. It seems some of the kids at the dance saw it and shared it with everyone. The dance stopped while the kids all watched.
Dong-Geun and his friends have been getting texts and calls since late last night asking them to go to parties and even sit with them at school. Dong-Geun was in tears earlier. He can't believe it. He's so happy. His mother and I are incredibly grateful to you, Nari."
Nari wiped away her own tears of relief she hadn't made things worse. She was sure there would still be some mean-spirited kids who would try to bully him over it, but she felt it wouldn't last.
After saying her goodbyes to Kim DaeSeong, she went back to opening the gifts. There were more business vouchers for restaurants, specialty shops, chocolatiers, and even auto detailing, envelopes with money, hairpins (she assumed because she loved wearing them to drive), jade bracelets, perfumes, make-up sets, nail care sets, and a variety of self-care products for hair, face, and skin that were obviously from the mothers.
She put everything away, making note of what to thank whom for later, and decided to clean her apartment. Keeping busy would stop her from dwelling on the guilt she felt receiving gifts just for being kind.
Her apartment had been chosen by her godfather soon before he passed. He wanted her to live independently so she could learn things on her own. After his death, she wondered if he somehow knew his time was short and he wanted to make sure she could go on without him.
Surviving, she could go on without anyone, she supposed. Living was another story.
The anniversary of his death was that day, but she was the only one to remember. She sat down on a stool on her balcony when she thought about it. She held the watering can in her hand that was already half-empty from watering her balcony garden.
Swirling around the water inside, listening to it slosh around, she thought of their conversations in the weeks leading up to his unexpected death. Everything was a life lesson. He taught her new ways to cook rather than simple methods any child could master. He taught her about finances and budgeting and helped her open her own bank account that wasn't connected to his.
By the time that fateful day came, she was completely independent, save the advice she could get with just a text or phone call to him.
Her shoulders slumped and she let the watering can plop to the concrete ground as she began to cry. She held her face in her hands and allowed herself the grief she tried to hide from others.
Everyone at his service had asked if she was okay and if she needed anything. Her reply was always, "I'm all right," and "No, thank you." Both were obvious lies, but no one seemed to care.
After attending so many funerals of elderly clients, she learned it was just always the way. Words of compassion simply made the speaker feel they were doing something for the grieving loved one. It seemed everyone always answered the same.
"I'm all right" and "No, thank you."
She wondered if it was because they didn't want to be a burden or if it was because they knew, like she did, that no one asking actually wanted to hear, "No, I'm not okay," and "Yes, I could use some help right now." Even if that help was simply a sympathetic ear or comforting embrace.
She knew she never properly healed from her godfather's death, and she had no one who could help her.
As supportive as Yoo SangHoon had been, he wasn't an affectionate person. Back then, he was still somewhat a stranger. He spoke more to Ahn Ji-U than her, and only when Uncle Ji-U spoke of her desire to be a driver did Yoo SangHoon involve himself in any aspect of her life.
It took two years for the CEO to start showing any sign that he truly cared about her welfare rather than about some debt to his friendship with Ahn Ji-U. By that time, he probably assumed she was over her Uncle Ji-U's death and didn't need anything from him in those regards. She wouldn’t burden him with the truth. He'd done so much for her for reasons she still couldn't understand.
The ring of her phone made her jump. She didn't feel like talking to anyone, so she let it go to voice mail. When it rang again, she knew it must be urgent. She cleared her throat and wiped her tears as she hurried inside and grabbed her phone off the coffee table.
"Hello, Do-Yun-shi," she said as she barely caught it in time.
"Nari?" came Yoo SangHoon's assistant's voice. "Are you all right? Is this a bad time?"
She gave a little huff and laugh at the coincidence of what she had just been thinking of shallow words of concern.
"Is something wrong?" she answered, ignoring the questions.
She was too emotionally tired to lie this time. He hesitated before speaking, as if he knew she avoided answering on purpose.
"Mr. Yoo wanted to invite you out today if you don't have plans," he said. "He would like to bring you shopping for an evening gown for his birthday celebration."
"I'm grateful, Do-Yun," she told him, "but I do have plans today. I'm having a late start already."
"I see," he replied. "Would tomorrow be okay? He really would like to do this, Nari. You know he has no family to spend time with and dote on. It would be as much for him as for you."
Nari looked up toward the ceiling and shook her head. Of course, everyone knew the way to make her do something she didn't want to do was play on her helpful and nurturing nature.
"Nari," Do-Yun said softly, his voice dropping as if he didn't wish to be heard, "Mr. Yoo knows and understands more than most people realize. He doesn't like to talk about personal matters, so he uses gestures ... like taking his granddaughter shopping for a dress today of all days. I understand today may not be convenient, but can we try for tomorrow, Nari?"
His kindly spoken words took her by surprise, and she had to take the phone away from her face so he wouldn't hear her quietly cry. Yoo SangHoon hadn't forgotten. Had he always done things like this? They went shopping for her new car on her uncle's death anniversary. They refurbished her apartment on his death anniversary. Everything was beginning to click for her, and she wondered how she could have possibly not realized it before.
She brought the phone back to her face and cleared her throat before she replied.
"Let me look at my schedule, Do-Yun," she said softly.
She went to her computer and pulled up her website. As soon as she entered the admin controls, she saw an appointment request by JiHo. He added lunch, 12:00-1:00.
"That's odd," she said quietly to herself.
He never took lunch and Monday was the case the whole firm had been working on.
"What's wrong, Nari?" asked Do-Yun.
"Do-Yun," she said, "isn't the trial for that important case continuing tomorrow? It's supposed to be a big turnaround for the defense. Shouldn't Mr. Yoo be there? Won't everyone from the firm be watching closely all day?"
"Mr. Yun JiHo called Mr. Yoo this morning, Nari," Do-Yun informed her. "They found solid evidence our client is innocent of all charges. The prosecution will announce it in court tomorrow with an apology to our client and the court for not being as thorough as our investigative team."
Nari couldn't help but scream out loud in joy. She wasn't certain who she was even happy for: the client (whom she didn't know), the firm (which would be Yoo SangHoon primarily), or JiHo (the man responsible for finding the evidence and whom she wanted to know better).
"They must have worked hard this weekend," she noted.
"They did, Nari," he replied. "They worked until midnight last night. Just as they were packing up to leave, an e-mail came in from a witness no one was able to find. The person had been out of the country. 'Why?' is a question for another day," he chuckled.
"It's great news and I'm so happy for everyone," she replied.
She wondered, then, if JiHo wanted to meet to tell her the good news. He could tell her when she picked him up for work, but maybe he wanted to celebrate with her at lunch.
No, she stopped herself. Stop thinking something so foolish. Why would he want to celebrate with me?
"It looks like I'm free from 9:30 until 11:30, and again from 1:30 until 4:00, Do-Yun," she informed him. "Is that all right?"
"One moment, Nari," he said as he let Yoo SangHoon know. "Nari, Mr. Yoo would like to know if you can shop for the dress beginning at 9:30, and if there is anything else needed after 11:30, could you meet him again at 1:30?"
"Of course," she replied. "Please let Mr. Yoo know I'm looking forward to our day together."
"I will, Nari," Do-Yun replied.
After saying their goodbyes, Nari filled in the time slots with "Unavailable" for the guests and the detailed reasons for her private view. She smiled when she approved the lunch slot for JiHo.
A moment later, she received a text from him that simply read, "Thank you."
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