Matching Set (필연) Chapter 19 (열아홉)

Val hadn’t realized how much she needed the visit from Maria until Maria was waving goodbye to her at the airport. It had reinvigorated her creativity and even sparked some ideas of how to create ‘friend spaces’ in the children’s hospital game room.

Val was sat in her office finalizing the drawings of the hospital when there was a knock on her door. She moved her attention from the couch colors to her door where she saw a worried faced Tina.

“You have a guest in the front foyer,” She stated.

“어?” Val stood from her desk chair and fixed her pencil skirt to remove any wrinkles from her sat position and made her way to the front. And when she went to greet the guest she was shocked to see 박지애.

Once again, 박지애 style was impeccable. Beside her flawless, almost ageless skin, her dainty frame was accentuated by the stylish pastel mint green suit dress that ended just above her knees, her heels were a nude pointed toe that most likely cost a month of rent for Val.

“안녕하세요.” Val bowed instantly upon seeing the woman. But 지애did not reciprocate the hello.

“I hear my son offered you a design opportunity with the children’s hospital.” She started.

“예.” Val responded coming up from the bow to watch 종현’s mother eyeing her every move. She was getting sized up…again.  

“I think you should let Ms. Seung give the presentation.” She didn’t spend anytime beating around the bush. Val knew she wasn’t the type but what she said nearly left Val speechless.

“네?” Val asked.

“I happen to know the board of directors very well. And if they found out the only reason you were giving them a presentation was because my son gave you the chance, well they will turn you away instantly.” She took slow, powerful steps towards Val.

“Are you,” Val couldn’t believe what she was hearing, “Threatening me?”

“No threats here. Just a kind notice.” 지애 shrugged her shoulders, but her eyes gave away her true intentions.

“I’m surprised you wouldn’t want me to give the presentation. While I am not in your family,” Val wasn’t going to let 지애 scare her, “yet, I would’ve thought you would be a fan of the nepotism. I mean that is how your son acquired his role is it not?”

Val had been scared of 지애 her entire time working for Tina, but after spending all the time she had with 종현 she had learned a thing or two about his mother. And one thing she had gathered was while 지애 liked to scare people with her power, she was impressed when people showed her they wouldn’t cower. Those were the types of people she liked to keep on her side.  

“My son worked very hard for his position.” She spat out quickly. Her mouth opened and closed a few more times like she was trying to find the right words to fight back.

“I know how hard 종현 works. Girlfriend, remember?” Val pointed to herself with a smirk, “But if he didn’t have your family business behind him, would he be in the same position he is in right now?”

지애’s mouth puckered closed and Val swore she could see steam coming out of her ears.

“I will give my presentation. It is mine to give,” Val continued, “I’ve worked hard for this opportunity and while 종현helped to get me the proposal, I’ve been a strong designer for years. Which is why Ms. Seung trusts me to work with her clients and why I moved up so quickly. I believe the board will make their decision based on my work ethic, knowledge, and designs.”

Val bowed ending the conversation, not letting 지애 get the last word, and walked back to her office. When she closed the door, and let out the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding and glanced at her renderings and samples for the hospital design. She had worked hard for the right to present her creation. And a vague threat wasn’t going to stop her.

~*~

Denied.

Maybe she should of heeded 지애’s warning.

After giving her presentation, the board seemed impressed. They asked her several questions about the timeframe, costs, the usual worries clients have about investing in a designer. They had impressed smiles on their faces, they spoke to her like she would be working up a contract and starting the initial demo in the following weeks.

That’s when they asked her to leave the room so they could discuss. And twenty minutes later she was brought in to be told they would not be pursing a contract with Seung Designs. Usually she took declines with dignity, but she had to ask why they had chosen not to work with her team and their response was a budgeting issue. Even after she said she could cut costs and still create the happy place for the children they refused saying they weren’t interested.

What sucked even more was 종현 had set up one of their dates that night to celebrate her nailing the contract. How was she going to explain to him that his mother most likely sabotaged her presentation? She knew his relationship with her was already strained, and she didn’t want to make it any worse.

As she made her way to the restaurant he had told her to meet him, she got even more stressed. It was another expensive spot, similar to their first ‘date’. Her heart wrenched. 종현 was a perfect boyfriend and yet he never wanted to be one. And there Val was, falling more in love with him on every date they went on. Hell, more in love with every text he sent her asking how the project was going, or letting her know where their next date was going to be.

She took a deep breath and pulled open the large glass door. There was light jazz music playing, but other than that, it was total silence. As she got up to the hostess stand she surveyed the place and saw it was completely empty.

“Valerie Parker?” The tall, young man, dressed in all black asked. She nodded and with her confirmation he turned and began his walk towards the back of the restaurant.

With every step her nerves were getting even more frantic.

“Through this door is your table.” The host motioned towards the closed dark teakwood door. With a smile and dip of his head he walked away.

“Fuck,” She whispered as she stared at the door trying everything to calm her breathing before entering.

She pushed the door open and there stood 종현 in a gorgeous slim fit light baby blue suit, white button up and a black skinny tie. His hair, she noticed had been cut since she last saw him, was shorted on the sides side parted while gently pushed away from his face. A face that had a bright smile, his eyes shimmering with excitement.

“Valerie 축하해!” He exclaimed as he pulled a bottle of champagne from behind him and popped the cork. A small amount of bubbling foam fell to the ground and he jumped back but grabbed a glass and poured some champagne and handed the glass to her.

“종현 what is all this?” She nervously smiled taking the glass as she thought about how she was going to tell him she didn’t get the contract.

“We need to celebrate your amazing achievement today.” He smiled as he poured himself a flute of bubbly. He clinked his glass to hers and took a sip. She brought the glass to her lips but couldn’t take a sip. A sip for a celebration she didn’t deserve.

“I am thrilled to see what you create for those kids.” He was nearly gushing and it was making it even harder for her to break the news to him. “I started the gala’s there to get those donations to the children.”

Jesus 종현 make this harder for me why don’t you?

He came around the table to pull her seat out motioning for her to sit. She followed so she could have a second of not seeing his happy face to collect her thoughts.

“My families company has always been this large company that people hated because to them all they saw was us buying up smaller companies. But those companies have flourished under us. But my family lacked the idea of profits aren’t everything.” He took his seat across from her as he continued, “Even before I took over, I told my father that doing any kind of charity work would build a better realtionship with the public. And what shocked me was him agreeing with me.”

He laughed but his smile was sad. Val remembered his father had passed a few years back. While she hadn’t lost a parent in that sense, after meeting her biological mother and realizing she couldn’t be part of her world, gave her a similar feeling of loss. She reached out to grab his hand that rested on the table.

“I gave him a list of places I thought would be great to help the community and he sent a number of them large amounts of money.” 종현 scoffed. “I asked him if he even went to see where the money went to and all he said he cared about was the tax break the company would get for his large charitable donations.”

“종현…” She squeezed his hand and he surprised her by picking up her hand and bringing it to his lips.

“I was furious to say the least. I told him he missed the point. But he didn’t care.” he smirked and shook his head. “When I took over my first order of business was actually going to the different charities, and picking two or three to donate too and actually do things with them. The hospital is my first big choice. I saw how much those kids needed better facilities and for the last two years I have been focusing all charitable efforts on them until I feel they’re comfortable enough for me to feel I can add another charity to the mix.”

“That’s incredible.” She meant that.

“I have had three gala’s there in the last two years and we have raised an incredible amount for them, but this last one was the first time I met the children and realized I need to do more.”

“종현 you’ve done such amazing work for those kids. You don’t need to do more.” She wanted him to know he has done so much for them already.

“Well it’s your turn to help me.” his smile grew as hers faltered.

“종현…” She trailed off.

“I can’t wait to see your creation come to life. Those kids are going to love -”

“I didn’t get the contract.” She blurted out and closed her eyes too scared to see his expression.

“뭐?” He asked.

“They said that while they liked my ideas, they didn’t see it working realistically in their budget.” She found it easier to tell him when her eyes were closed.

“무슨 수리야? Valerie, I know for a fact their budget nearly doubled after our last gala.” She could hear the legs of his chair scratch the floor and his footfalls as he walked, “When those photos of us leaked to the press people were donating like crazy because they were happy to see ‘the elite’ actually spending time with the children instead of just throwing money at them.”

She felt the heat of his body on the side of her.

“나 좀 봐봐.” His hand cupped her cheek and turned her face to the side and she did as he said opening her eyes to look at him. He was crouched down beside her chair, his eyes focused solely on her. “You did your best Valerie. I know you did.”

Why did that hurt more than not getting the contract? She had planned to have a nice good cry later when she was all alone but his words caused the tears to come on earlier. And before she could try and hide her face and get rid of the tears, his other hand was on her neck and he pulled her gently towards him, his lips softly landing on hers. His kisses were so sweet and she never wanted them to stop.

He broke the kiss to speak, “I’m so sorry Valerie.”

“Don’t be 종현.” She put her hand on his cheek, “You got my foot in the door. That’s even more than you needed to do. You gave me that opportunity and I am grateful for that.”

She leaned over to kiss him as gently as he had kissed her. She was going to miss them. She thought about telling him about her feelings for him. But all that would get her is an even more broken heart. He had made it clear that their relationship was business and he had no interest in furthering their relationship.

But then he would kiss her, when no one was around, and he opened up about his family and she thought that maybe he would be interested in a relationship. That was a conversation for another night.

She pulled away with a smile and said, “Let’s not dwell on it. I’m starved.”