Chapter 9 - A Goodbye, A Hello

Ye Rim froze in the position she was in, feeling her face heavily blushing. She opened one eye first, then the other, looking at the owner of the inquisitive and masculine voice that arrived to interrupt the antics of the three elder men in honor of a departed friend.

The tall man stared at the scene in a mix of irritation and outrage. She could not blame him for this: a woman in a flashy dress beside a recent grave, surrounded by three elderly men who were happily watching her singing and dancing. Ye Rim was certain that at least 80% of the country's population would have the same reaction as his.

Surely all she wanted to do right now was to disappear in a cloud of smoke. The fee they promised her for this gig did not seem enough to be ashamed in front of such a handsome... and angry man.

In fact, he didn't seem satisfied by just turning off the stereo. In a few footsteps with his long legs, the strange newcomer came to her side, grabbing Ye Rim's arm to pull her away from the grave. But Ye Rim jerked away before he could have a good grip on her arm, freeing herself and walking away from him.

"Hey!" she protested, genuinely angry.

"Jun Hyeon, what are you doing here?" Mr. Go asked, not hiding his surprise.

"Hal-abeoji! I ask you the same question: what is all of this?!" the younger man turned to the old man, controlling his indignation somewhat, but still sharply horrified. "How can you ... You can bring one..." his tone of contempt, referring to Ye Rim in an unapologetic manner, was clear. It made clear the idea he had of ​​the copper-haired woman in a bright dress, who a minute ago was dancing and singing sensuously at the tombstone. The three older men stood up, fl.u.s.tered by the turn of the events after the unexpected arrival of Mr. Go's grandson.

"Hey there, it's not like that!" she vehemently protested this time. Though she knew it was hard to understand only with the images he saw out of context, Ye Rim did not like being misunderstood and would not accept this misconception about her work to linger any longer.

The newcomer looked at her again and again, looking contemptuous, "Miss, don't you feel ashamed at all? How can you take advantage of these gentlemen in such a situation?"

"But ... bwahhhh! What is this ?!" she growled in exasperation. To Ye Rim, even to be mistaken by a seductress of innocent elderly men was outrageous. It was an offense to her dignity. If only by the morning Ye Rim could have imagined she would go through this because of her soft heart and some spare money, she would not even have gotten out of bed. 'What this man is talking about?!'

"Jun Hyeon, do not treat Miss Nam like that." Mr. Go protested, getting the grandson's attention.

After a deadly glance towards Ye Rim, Jun Hyeon turned to his grandfather and his friends again.

"What happened to you, gentlemen? You're just going over all limits here."

"But…"

"What wrong are we doing?" other of the gentlemen completed the first one's question, the three of them looking very confused that their homage was the cause of such confusion.

"Yes, Mr. Go's grandson! What are we doing that is so bad at all?!"

"We brought Ms. Nam here because..."

"I wonder why," the man crouched automatically to start gathering the food and objects in a hurry. "Because you are losing your minds."

Everyone there understood what he meant. The elderly trio got gaped and startled, and Ye Rim barely thought before taking action. Now that she knew who the handsome but unpleasant man who just interrupted them was, she just kicked him hard.

"Mr. Kim, you're the one missing out your mind here! I know these three gentlemen and I know they're in their right mind!"

It was not as if the kick had done anything more than to upset Mr. Go's grandson just a little bit. But he opened his mouth agape on surprise and indignation.

"Agassi?!"

"I will not let my dear friends be offended in front of me and do nothing!" she yelled. "And where are the police, after all? Well, it seems to me that only a meddling and unpleasant grandchild has arrived."

"Do you intend to stay and explain that to the police? Are you sure you want to do it?"

he stood up, now face to face and very close, only a few inches separating their bodies. It was as if a tower stood at her feet. He looked her up and down, and Ye Rim could not help but feeling intimidated by the man's physical presence. She could smell his cologne, look at the buttons of his shirt, and how his Adam's apple moved beneath his skin. But again this crazy man seemed to insinuate something bad.

"Ahhh, you ... what do you mean, huh ?! Don't you see that I was hired to ..."

"Just spare me of knowing. Mr. Young's life stories were shocking enough; you may find all of this very funny," he turned to the trio, standing there still not knowing how to act in the face of the confrontational young couple. "...but it's actually embarrassing that they've created this situation, and I'm not lying about the police."

Ye Rim, though she had nothing to fear legally, was well aware that a scandal could be bad for her professional future.

The elders capitulated, with mixed reactions. Mr. Kim, grandson of Mr. Go, expedited the exit of the cemetery for the three elderly men, in fact incisively taking charge of the situation and ignoring the meek protests and explanations of the elder men.

Ye Rim was a bit dazed and confused, when she suddenly realized that she would be left behind. She grabbed her bag and the stereo, running across the grassfield to reach them:

"Hey, Mr. Go! Mr. Go! I need a ride..."