The ungrateful - insolent - worthless jerk!” Soo grits her teeth as she tries to calm herself. Losing her temper was a rare occasion for her, she is normally rather unaffected by people around her. Letting some steam off by taking a walk through the deserted roof garden she joins the party with a fake smile plastered on her face - her thoughts hardly in any order than they were before.

However her smile vanishes the moment she notices Wook.

“Aha here comes my Soo! My one and only!” He says in a sing song voice. His nose is red and eyes are drooping. Beside him an equally wasted Yo raises his glass to welcome her.

“I’d like to introduce you to my one and only too - but I lost her in the crowd.” He drawls on, his eyes searching the crowd for Yeon Hwa who was indeed nowhere to be seen.

“She went home,” Wook nods happily, “Said her mood was ruined.”

The stream of guests has thinned out the handful of old men left are surrounding the assemblymen Hwang, talking about bills and latest battles of the political arena. Yo mumbles something disappointing and drains his glass before standing up and striding towards the staircase leading to upper levels. Soo sighs.

“I guess you’ll have to spend the night home,” she says, patting Wook on his cheek. He smiles at her, rubbing his cheek against her palm. “You are in no state to drive. Do you want me to help you go up?”

“Soo - ya,” he coos putting his arms around her neck. As he sits on the bar stool, they are at the equal height and she could smell alcohol in his breath. “Stay the night?”

“I have a curfew Wook - you know that.” Soo says hesitantly, wondering how her voice could sound so steady when her heart was thundering against her ribs. She regrets the words immediately and reaches into plant a kiss on his cheek.

Wook rolls his eyes, like a petulant child.

“Oh come on - you live alone!”

“I live with Chae Ryung most of the time…”

“And she won’t tell a soul -”

“Wook -!” She does not intend to, but the word sound threateningly harsh that Soo holds her breath for a moment before remembering her aunt was not around to admonish un - ladylike speech. The rest of Wook’s words die out into an inaudible hum. He looks at her with slightly narrowed eyes. “I don’t stay the night out. We’ve talked about this before.”

There is a pause in which she wonders if she had gone too far, but the creases on Wook’s forehead vanish after a moment. He takes her hand in his and presses his lips to her knuckles.

“Anything for you,” his words vibrates against the sensitive skin on the back of her palm and Soo exhales slowly trying to step on the guilt that blossoms in the pit of her stomach. “Forgive me.”
She snatches her hand back so quickly as if his touch burned on her skin. Trying to catch her breath and rationality at the same time Soo turns around hurriedly.

“I need to get going - it’s already too late. Sleep well, good night!” She rattles fast as she makes her escape even faster.

**
On bad days - things go nowhere but from bad to worse. Soo stumps the ground in frustration before glaring at the peaceful stars blinking over the parking lot. It is mostly packed yet. She had called the replacement driver who was taking forever to come. She utilizes the time to curse Yeon Hwa for leaving early without giving her a chance to pitch in a ride with her - not that she particularly enjoyed riding with that haughty creature but anything was better than wasting her time in a packed parking lot. Perhaps one of these fine days, before she is pushed into an engagement herself she would learn how to drive. Soo resolves just as a loud honking makes her jump out of her skin.

She turns around slowly shielding her eyes with a hand against the glare of the headlights before they are dimmed for her benefit.

“If you are interested there are better ways to die…” Of cause the glare of the headlights does nothing to mask the identity of the man behind the wheels of the sleek sports car which could have run her down to least of Soo’s surprise. He has recovered fast enough - and regained all of his bratty attitude.

“Yes, thank you for enlightening me!” She says bitterly, stepping away from the path of streaming light with a mock bow. He shakes his head as he changes the gear, but then does not pull away as if from an afterthought.

“Why are you waiting here?”

“I’m stargazing,” Soo replies deadpan. “Why else would I waste my time here?”

“Well,” he taps the steering wheel, a half smirk pulling at his lips. “I suggest you wrap up quickly, before the guard gets suspicious. You know they are advised to suspect everything that lingers after hours.”

“Why don’t you just say it and get this over with?” She snaps back frustrated.

“What?”

“You are trying to apologize aren’t you?”

“If you know so well, why don’t you just forgive and get it over with?” He turns her words back to her and Soo chuckles darkly.

“Because I have all the time in the world. Don’t worry I’ll wait - you’ll get it out eventually.”

So watches her for a moment, his eyes crinkle at the corners from a touch of a smile that does not appear on his lips.

“Get in then,” he says with a jerk of his head.

“Eh?”

“You’ll be home by the time your replacement driver makes his appearance.”

She doesn’t doubt it. Soo runs a critical eye over the car and the driver.

“I’ll wait. Thank you!” Her aunt and her drill of propriety wins over her fascination with speed and her need to flee in the end. So shrugs.

“I don’t offer twice. Suit yourself.” He pulls away slowly, watching her profile from his side mirror.

Soo thinks of Wook and imagines him stumbling out to find her still in the car park. She thinks of his pleading eyes and his disappointed smile and shakes her head slightly to get the image out of her head. She might just give in if the scenario plays out for a second time.

“Wait up!” She calls after So who smirks to himself as he reaches to open the passenger door for her to climb in.

“You sure are the most indecisive woman I’ve met,” he tells her as they pull out of the drive into the starlit midnight.

**
“So you are Yeon Hwa’s cousin?” He asks nonchalantly breaking the silence fallen over them. Soo tears her eye from the roadside and looks at him. So looks straight ahead as his fingers continue to tap a non existent rhythm into the steering wheel. A music in his head and tension in his jaw - she thinks offhandedly.

“Yes, our mothers are sisters.” She reminds herself to reply before the pause stretches too long.

His eyes shifts to her for a moment.

“I thought her mother was a Hae?”

Soo swallows.

“I’m adopted by my uncle. “Hae Hong Ha Jin. I’m not a Hae by birth.”

“Do you enjoy it? Being a Hae? Mr. Hae has his fair share of enemies.”

Soo stares at her hands in her lap and fiddles with her thumbs. She doesn’t ask him how he knows about her uncle so well. Though they did not know each other well, So is from the same circle as she is. It is only natural that he knows of her family.

“Its a blessing,” she recites the words of her aunt by memory. “There are far worse places to be.”

So nods gravely.

“Of cause Wook might have told you his story.”

“Huh?”

“He didn’t?” There is a trace of surprise in his tone but he keeps his face blank. “I’m sorry, it’s not my story to tell.”

“He doesn’t fancy talking about it.” Soo admits. “So I imagine it’s something terrible.”

“You have no idea. He is been through a lot. It was my mother who rescued him in a sense. He is ever grateful to her.”

His tone when he talks about his mother is that of a reverence. Soo recalls the indifferently sophisticated woman that is attorney Yoo and wonders if the woman was capable of inspiring such warm emotions.

“You love her a lot don’t you?”

“Would you mind if I speed a bit?” He asks abruptly, by passing her question.

“No of cause not.”

He takes her word at face value and steps on the gas. The speed pulls at something inside her and sets her heart racing. Soo holds her breath with it the scream fighting to rip out form her throat. So’s idea of bit of speed makes her clutch the edges of her seat and close her eyes as the expressway glides underneath their wheels.

In no time they are pulling into the drive way of her house and Soo heaves the breath she had been holding but doesn’t open her eyes as the engine dies down.

“Well you said yes…” there is laughter in his voice and without opening her eyes she can imagine his smirk.

“And I meant it!” She replies opening her eyes finally. They glitter when she catches his eye and So wonders for the umpteenth time that night if he is truly losing his mind. “I like speed -”

“You should try sky diving,” he tells her. Somehow he could imagine her like that, free falling in the wind. Hae Soo was a woman who belonged with wind and sky, not meant to walk the earth.

“I’d love to suggest it to my uncle…” Soo mutters darkly. Then she catches So’s expression and adds hesitantly. “He is very protective.”

She makes a move to get off and So holds her back, for a brief moment his fingers dig into the supple skin of her wrist.

“Walk straight inside and don’t open the door for anyone,” he tone remains light, but his words suddenly heavy. “You are not staying alone are you?”

“Why?”

“There is a car following us.” He tilts his head at the rear view mirror. “It’s been watching you from the parking itself. I offered a ride because I noticed.”

Soo sucks in a breath, suddenly all of the pieces clicks into place. He is no longer holding her hand she realizes as So revives the engine.
“I would have called the cops, but I don’t think either of our families would appreciate their involvement.” He looks at her still immobile in the passenger seat and tilts his head.

“Go on, chop chop!”

“Don’t go!” The words slip out before she thinks them over. So merely raises an eyebrow. “How can you be sure they were after me only? You are a son of an assemblyman, I’d rather have you here than on the front page of tomorrow’s newspaper!”

“Trust me - my father’s enemies have better things to do.”

“Still - one accident could ruin your chances at Olympics!” Soo presses on. “I’ll sleep better without having that kind of guilt over me.”

So watches her with a strange expression for a moment and turns off the ignition.

“Let me make a call,” he says gesturing her to go inside.”I have a dog that would need feeding.”