Apollo’s Heart - Chapter 40

Chapter 40 –  The Reunion (2)

Who is alone?

Si-yeon stared at the reflection of Tae-jun on reflective doors of the elevator. Even though she was conversing with him, she felt as though he was not there. He behaved as if they belonged to different worlds.

The door opened, and Si-yeon found she could not take her eyes off his back. Tae-jun walked out before she could.

Kim leaned in, and whispered quietly to Si-yeon.

“Director Seo’s secretary also does not have any idea. He said Mr. Seo did not even show up to the office today.”

“What?” she asked in surprise, when Kim winced at her volume, and brought a finger up to their lips.

“Shhh..He might hear us.”

Tae-jun stopped and turned back towards them.

“Let me make a call first, before we go.”

He went outside to the terrace garden, before entering the VIP lounge.

Tilting her head, Si-yeon then entered the lounge first.

The newly remodeled interior of VIP lounge was exquisite and held a somewhat secretive aura in it. The high ceilings and the blue lighting overhead were reminiscent of the deep ocean and its abyss. Located at the heart of this mystic space, was Heart of Apollo.

Other employees bowed at Si-yeon and her secretary upon entry. A few steps away, was Yuri, recording the installation of the piece with her tablet. When she sensed Si-yeon approaching, Yuri lifted her head and greeted her.

“Oh! Hi Miss Lee.” she greeted jovially and Si-yeon’s eyes glinted in satisfaction at the design.

“This is beyond my expectation! The lounge and the Heart of Apollo complement each other spectacularly!” she praised.

“I agree with you.” Yuri put a soft smile on her face. The deal was fair for both parties involved, and she was proud to present a work, in which a great amount of effort had been invested in by her.

Looking closely at the Heart of Apollo, Si-yeon posed a question to Yuri.

“I didn’t realize it when I saw it for the first time in New York…. But this piece somehow reminds me of you. Were you the inspiration?”

“No, I am not.” she laughed sheepishly.

“Really? Haven’t anyone told you that the piece resembles you?”

Yuri glared at the Heart of Apollo.

She had recorded and taken pictures of it numerous times, but it never came across her mind who the inspiration was. It must be someone else – Roy’s late wife, most probably. After all, he still wore the wedding ring he shared with his wife.

Yuri shook her head.

“I am not the inspiration. It’s someone else.” she replied confidently.

“Oh, yes?”

“Maybe the resemblance is due to Roy’s environment. Artists are always influenced by their surroundings. I do spend a lot of time with my Roy as an assistant.”

“Aha, that makes sense.”

While Si-yeon appreciated the work, Yuri got lost in her thoughts.

Although she had decided she’d regain her memories, she did not know where to even begin.

The first piece of the puzzle was obviously the man in her dreams. He seemed like a key player of her lost memories, but she had no clue about his identity or whatsoever. The only thing she knew about him was his face.

At that moment, a shadow of a tall man blanketed in front of Yuri. Yuri unconsciously raised her head to identify to whom the shadow belonged to. When her eyes met the face of the stranger, her jaw slightly dropped, as her eyes widened upon seeing him.

“H…How..?”

It seemed surreal.

The man in front of her was the one from the dreams. Instinctively, she took a step back.

The boundary between reality and dream collapsed. From dizziness, her sights spun like a puppet in the music box. Yuri dropped her tablet in her hands.

Right before it would hit the ground and clatter to the floor, the man in front of her catches the tablet.

“You should be careful, Yuri Han.” his cool voice told her.

This low voice. All of a sudden, the air surrounding her felt suffocating to Yuri – am I in another dream? Is he coming after me? He is going to grab me by the arms, push me against the wall, and force raw and violent intercourse – I have seen this gaze, the gaze of a brute. He will devour me like a beast.

The voice of Si-yeon rescued Yuri before she fell into deeper panic.

“Let me introduce my fiancé, Yuri.  Director Tae-jun Seo from Seoin Group.”

Tae-jun Seo.

Yuri repeated his name in her head. She did not know this name, nor did she know this man. She surveyed Tae-jun from bottom to top with her eyes.

The strong jaw, sophisticated lips, sleek nose… As if someone threw her off a perpendicular cliff, something vertiginous flashed before her eyes when her eyes met his.

She was determined to identify the man from her dreams, but she did not expect his appearance in such an abrupt way.

“Tae-jun, this is Yuri, Roy Jean’s assistant.”

Tae-jun introduced himself even before Si-yeon finished her sentence.

“How do you do, Miss Han. Glad to meet you.” The sound of his voice tugged painfully at Yuri’s heartstrings.

Lies, He already knew who Yuri was.

He already knew her name.

You should be careful, Yuri Han.

She knew this because he’d already called Yuri by her name.