Chapter 15 - How to Fix Broken Glass?

"Hal-albeoji, is something going on? If you do not answer me, I'm going to start getting worried. Shall I come by later to see you?" Jung Hyeon tried to conceal any exasperation in his voice, as he recorded another message on the car's phones during his drive to Ji Hyeon Foundation. This was the sixth message his grandfather did not answer to. Jun Hyeon was pretty sure, though, that his elder relative was happily playing cards online, since his social profile seemed to be online.

But, of course, the surgeon knew the reason for all the ghosting the older man was putting on him. He sighed as he drove into the parking lot of the building. The doctor knew that only one thing would change his grandfather's mood and manage to get his forgiveness: to admit guilt, even if it was nothing to be ashamed of. 'But doing it would not hurt that much, or would it?' He was questioning himself.

"Okay. You're right and I deeply regret it. Let me apologize to Ms. Nam. What am I supposed to do? Sending her a dress in a larger size?"

He sent a new message, barely restraining a chuckle, reminding the whole scene as he took his briefcase and lab coat, and got out of the car. It was both embarrassing and amusing to remember that moment on the day before.

He was even anxiously biting his fist at the the awkward scene's memory  was bringing, his eyes gleaming in morbid euphoria. The sequins burst, Miss Nam covering herself with her little hands and that big, shocked look in her face; and him having to take off his shirt so she would not come out n.a.k.e.d from the car... And pretty much everything else before and after it.

His grandfather's voice boomed in the phone, catching Jun Hyeon by surprise: "You little brat! Why'd she deserve this? Do you want to offend her even more by calling her 'fat'?"

"Not quite the case, but the dress ... exploded, you were there to see! She should at least ..."

"No, I didn't see anything, you jerk bastard!" the grandfather harshly interrupted him. Kim Jun Hyeon put the phone down so as not to laugh aloud in the middle of the conversation with his grandfather, but the situation seen in the light of a new day was quite funny. His grandfather throwing a tantrum and refusing to talk to him because Ms. Nam and her explosive dress.

The little exchange of words with his grandfather make Dr. Kim to concede at least one thing to that crazy Ms. Nam. She had fans. Her grandfather was one of the loyal admirer of the weird singer.

Upon entering the elevator, he found Dr. Jang, one of his associates at the clinic. Dr. Jang was a thin-haired man with a polished healthy appearance, about 15 years older than Kim Jun Hyeon, and his specialty was dermatology. They greeted each other, and shortly thereafter, Kim asked:

"Sunbae, let us suppose that a lady you barely know made a fool of herself in front of you and other people, but she has only herself to blame. But people seems to assume that it was your fault. What would be advisable to do to appease the ire of the witnesses?"

"I think you're asking this just to validate your point of view, not that you think I have experience in taking responsibility for bad situations that are not my fault, right?"

"In a professional level, I don't think so. But I remember that time when Secretary Park passed gas here in this very elevator and you apologized as if it was you."

"If I had known you knew, I would not have bothered," the older man laughed heartily, followed by Kim. The elevator opened and they said goodbye, Dr. Kim still watching him greet his assistant, said Secretary Park, before the elevator doors shut off.

Upon arriving on his floor, he greeted his staff and peered discreetly into the waiting room, realizing that, as most of the time, patients were already waiting for their appointments. This was a day of seeing patients. Early in the morning, he had already gone through the hospital to see his post surgical patients. This would be a relatively quiet and routine day at the Kim Ji Hyeon Foundation.

He leaned over the desk and towards the Junior Secretary. The Senior Secretary looked discreetly over her glasses, trying to identify the unusual situation. The Assistant Secretary didn't notice this, for she was staring at Dr.Kim, who was staring at her in return.

Ms. Kang was a beautiful young woman of a modern and kind appearance, whose professionalism was evident in every act. Except of course, when she looked like a frightened gazelle for being the focus of attention of her handsome boss. For Dr. Kim, there was something amusing about seeing the Junior Secretary blush and her temperature rise to the point that her makeup became oily in a matter of seconds, every time he addressed her directly:

"Secretary Kang, can you do me a favor? Discover with my grandfather how to send flowers to that Singer that is his close friend, Ms. Nam. Choose a lush, dramatic floral arrangement, but… ladylike. Write something beautiful, like an apology, on my behalf. Something like: 'I'm sorry for being rude yesterday, please accept my sincere apologies, etc.' In those lines. Thank you," he stood up, with an angelic and condescending smile in his lips, for a moment, and went to his office, closing the door behind him. The matter would be settled just fine, thanks to Secretary Kang.

Outside the office, the secretaries looked at each other:

"Extravagant flowers? Wow!"

"Sunbaenim, what kind of flowers should I send?"

"He said dramatic, so they must be roses."

"He said ladylike, then she must be an older woman," the younger woman pondered. "Dr. Kim sends lots of flowers every week, but it's the first time I hear him being specific about having something extravagant. I wonder…"

"Dr. Kim also mentioned that she is a singer that is friend of his grandfather, so she must be an elderly lady. And being a retired artist explains the taste for extravagant things," the Senior Secretary recalled the younger one, who agreed with a smile. But inside, Secretary Ma knew something was wrong with the way he arrived this morning, unlike any day after his monthly visit to his twin sister's grave.

"Wasn't yesterday the date when he goes to the cemetery to visit the tomb of Miss Ji Hyeon?"

The two women again looked at each other in common curiosity and shock. "How did he offend a singer in a cemetery? He's so patient, even with the rudest ladies!"

There was no easy answer to this at the time, so the matter remained pending as they prepared for the morning's chores.