Dark Blue - 深蓝の魂 by 珊


Chapter 7




Li Ann snuggled her warm pillow closer to her chest. She was dreaming. A nice dream filled with the scent of lavender petals and warm sunshine grass.

The heat bearing upon her skin was utterly hot. She peered her eyes open and found Mike sitting across from her room. She smiled and closed her eyes again.

Suddenly Li Ann remembered Mike and opened her eyes. She panicked and turned. A loud thump was heard as she fell off her bed. Li Ann sat up and rubbed her elbow.

Mike grinned.

“Had a good night?” he asked.

“What are you still doing here?” she mumbled with a pouting face as she got up.

“We had a deal, remember?” Mike smiled smartly.

“Oh, yeah...” Li Ann muttered as she stomped into her bathroom. Minutes later, she came back out. Her long hair was tied into a low ponytail as she picked out a pair of jeans and a long sleeved Calvin Klein shirt, then walked into the bathroom again.

“I’m ready,” Li Ann said with a yawn as she walked back out. Mike was suddenly at her side, surprising her. She jumped startled and looked at him with annoyed eyes.

“Will you stop doing that?!”

“Doing what?” Mike asked innocently.

“What you do! That...” Li Ann did little movements with her fingers.

“thing that you do!” Li Ann stomped out of her room frustrated. Mike shook his head and followed.

They walked out of her house and down the neighborhood until they reached the subway downtown. Li Ann held her little bag over her shoulders and down to her side as she waited for the subway to come.

Mike stood next to her with his hands in his pockets, but she managed to ignore him, knowing that if she talked to him, other people would start giving her a weird look.

Finally the subway pulled up as people started filing in and out. Li Ann walked in casually and found a seat next to a young boy. She smiled at the boy, who was reading a magazine. Mike sat down next to Li Ann.

“So, do you have in mind what you’re going to say?” Mike asked her.

“Well, let me think...no!” Li Ann replied sarcastically.

“I suggest you think now,”

“Why don’t you tell me what to say? It’s your wife,” Li Ann suggested in the most annoying way she can conjure up.

The boy sitting next to her glanced at her. She smiled innocently back. She tossed her head back to Mike and mouthed for him to shut up.

“Why don’t you tell her that Shin Hyesung is a liar and he will do anything to get to my company? Even when I was alive, he would throw all kind of bargains in my face just to get me to agree. That last meeting was going to be the big deal. The closed deal. Now that I’m dead, Ji Yun has to step up to the plate and make the final decision. I’m afraid she’ll agree and take the money he’s going to offer.”

“So you need me to persuade her that her dead husband who is now a ghost following me around that she shouldn’t sell your corporation to Shin Hyesung because he’s a maniac?” Li Ann asked with her eyebrows raised.

The boy sitting next to her walked away from her to sit on the other side three seats down. Li Ann sighed and rolled her head back to Mike.

“Mike, you’re making me look crazy,” Mike laughed and patted her back.
Li Ann shot him a pissed glare.

Once they got off the subway, Li Ann asked Mike for directions to his house. Mike showed the way after they got a taxi. Li Ann had trouble telling the taxi driver where to go and for Mike to shut up. The taxi driver gave her odd stares all the way.

When they reached a trimmed lawn and surrounded by flowers house, Mike pointed towards it, and Li Ann followed.

“You know what you’re saying right?” Mike asked with a bit of a worried look on his face. Li Ann nodded and sighed, as she breathed in the cold air and rolled up her sleeves covering her cold fingers.

She knocked quietly on the front door.

“I don’t think she’s home,” Li Ann said back to Mike.

“Try again. She’s home,” Mike urged on. Li Ann knocked again, this time harder. A few moments later, the door creaked open and Ji Yun’s lavished eyes peeked out.

Mike stepped in closer to see her. He missed her so much. His face and expression sadden when he saw her.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Ji Yun asked, not opening the door any further.

“Hi, um, I’m Li Ann. I wanted to talk to you...it’s about Mike’s company,” Li Ann stuttered nervously.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know you,” Ji Yun said closing the door.

Li Ann’s palm pressed against the door to stop Ji Yun.

“Wait, I really need to tell you this. Come on, you know, your husband is always stalking me to tell you this. Will you just please let me explain, and I’ll be on my way,” Li Ann said as persuasive as she could.

“My husband? Talks to you?” Ji Yun asked.

“Yes, in fact, he’s right here. He wanted me to tell you something really important, but I need you to believe me that he’s here,” Li Ann said as pleading as she could.

She was trying her best to talk to Ji Yun. Ji Yun only stared back at her with cold piercing eyes.

“Get out, get off my property! If you don’t, I’ll call the cops. I don’t make deal with freaks like you,” Ji Yun said coldly before slamming the door shut in front of Li Ann’s face.

Li Ann was taken back by surprise. Her mouth dropped as she stared at the door shocked. Mike was also surprised too.

“Ji Yun! Wait!” Mike called out stepping in front of Li Ann to knock on the door. His hands swept through the oak door. Of course, he had forgotten.

“That b**ch...” Li Ann muttered to herself.

“Hey, watch it,” Mike replied glaring at her.

“What? This is your wife? Unbelievable,” Li Ann rolled her eyes.

“I think the one being a b**ch here is you,” Mike said looking angry at her. Li Ann took a step back.

“Oh, I see how it is. It’s the same with you rich people. You ask for help when you need it only, and you don’t even appreciate it. I don’t need this,” Li Ann said in a hurt tone as she turned away and started walking.

Mike immediately regretted what he’d said. He chased after Li Ann apologizing. “Li Ann, wait! I’m sorry, I lost control. I’m sorry, wait, listen to me,” Mike pleaded as he pulled her elbow back.

She twisted free from his grip. “Look! Our business here is through. You said if I give it a shot, you’ll leave me alone. There. I did. And I was called a freak, turned down, called a b**ch, and now what?” Li Ann asked angrily.

Her temper was rising. She didn’t even feel the cold air biting through her cold skin. She’d never been talked to like that in her entire life. She felt assaulted and humiliated.

Li Ann rubbed her arms for warmth and didn’t say anything more to Mike.

“Li Ann. I’m sorry I was a jerk. Please understand. I...I just can’t stand it when somebody calls my wife a b**ch. She’s just scared to trust you okay. Won’t you please try again?” Mike begged.

He was practically leaning in on her to ask for her forgiveness. Li Ann thought about it for a moment and felt that tangy spot of empathy return to her. She didn’t want to feel that bit of sorrow for Mike, but she couldn’t help it.

She rolled her eyes and nodded slowly. A faint smile came across his face as he looked down and back up gratefully. “

Can we come back tomorrow? I’m late for work,” Li Ann asked tired. Mike agreed and started walking down the hill with her again.

Pretty soon, the two were laughing and talking again.

“So what do you do Li Ann?” Mike asked as they neared her house again.

“Um, I’m a psychologist,” Li Ann replied. “Oh, is that why...”“I don’t know.” Li Ann shrugged.

“I don’t think it’s the reason why I can see you. There are many other psychologists, but maybe they won’t see you.”

“Can I come with you to your work today?” Mike asked hoping she would say yes.

“Why?” Li Ann asked questioningly as they reached her front door.

“I get bored by myself,” Mike replied. Li Ann nodded slowly after a minute of thinking. She’d hoped Mike wasn’t going to be a distraction. Li Ann took several minutes to get dressed and grab an apple to eat.

Dongwan walked out of his room fully dressed for work. He greeted his sister and looked for his shoes.

“Tell your brother they’re behind the couch,” Mike said as he stood there leaning against the pole by the kitchen staring at Dongwan looking desperately for his good shoes.

“Oppa, Mike says they’re behind the couch,” Li Ann called out as she picked up her purse.

“What? Oh, here it is,” Dongwan smiled as he picked up his shoes, behind the couch. Dongwan stopped, then looked back at Li Ann.

“Who said what?” Li Ann looked up and realized she had said that without thinking.

“Oh, I said I saw them behind the couch,” she lied with a cheesy smile. She hurried Dongwan up and made him take her to work. When Li Ann arrived at her office, it was already noon. She bid her brother good bye and walked over to her office door.

Mike was right behind, but she forgot to notice him again.

“Nice,” Mike said entering the small office space.

“Thanks. I just opened two weeks ago,” Li Ann mumbled as she started picking up the left over papers on her desk. She glanced at her watch and smiled.

“My patient is scheduled at one p.m.,” Li Ann said to Mike. He returned her smile as he sat down in one of the seats in front of her desk. She sat down and began to write in her journal about her patients as Mike just stared at her.

It was funny to him how he’d never notice her attitude change when she was at her work. Dressed up professionally with her hair combed down, naturally waved and light make up on, Li Ann looked more mature, and beautiful. He couldn’t help but smile to himself.

Indeed she was very kind to help him out, and he would miss her when all this was over with. Li Ann looked up when the clock stoke one. Mike looked behind him to see the old grandfather clock. He wondered why she would keep a grandfather clock in her office.

The door bell sounded as a handsome young man fully dressed in a gray suit walked in with his light gray sunglasses on. He smiled when he saw Li Ann.

“Hi, I’m Andy, your new patient,”

“Hi, I’m Li Ann. Welcome Andy. I look forward to working with you as I said over the phone,”
Li Ann smiled back.

“You are too generous, Dr. Kim,” Andy said with a charismatic mode on and a enchanting smile. Li Ann blushed. Mike crossed his arms and sat back with an amused expression.

Definitely Andy was trying to make a move on her. He knew how men worked on their ways of courting girls. He had a foolish grin on as he saw an even more attitude change in Li Ann. During the whole process of talking to Andy about his problems, which to Mike did not seem too troubling at all, Andy couldn’t stop staring at Li Ann.

He couldn’t stop making eye contact with her. Every time Andy said something charming to her, she would shyly blush away and try to get on with business, but Andy seemed to be just lagging on the whole process.

This amused Mike even more. He keeps keen interest with their conversation, as Li Ann bluntly forgot that he was there. Her full attention was on the new and charming patient. Two hours later, Andy finally stood up to shake her hand. He bowed down and kissed her hand, leaving her in a daze.

Andy smiled.

“So Li Ann...Are you busy tonight?” Andy asked slyly.

“Me? Oh...um, I don’t think so...” Li Ann stuttered.

“How’s dinner?” Andy asked.

Mike smiled to himself with the thought that he had been right. Andy was making a move on her.

“Dinner? Uh...” Li Ann, still in a state of daze couldn’t come to an answer.

“I’ll pick you up at seven. Can I have your address?” Andy asked dropping her hand. Li Ann smiled coming back to reality.

“Um, dinner would be nice.” She walked over to her desk and scribbled her address on it. She handed it to Andy, who took it with a grin and waved goodbye. Andy drove off in his dark M Class Mercedes Benz.

Li Ann stared at her office door, which was made of glass, and sighed.

“Ahem,” Mike coughed from behind disturbing her thoughts. She quickly turned around, shocked and realized that he was there all along. She flushed with embarrassment at her recent behavior.

Mike couldn’t help but have an amused silly grin on his face. Li Ann frowned.

“What are you smiling at?” she asked as she stacked her papers away.

“So this is how you do your job?” Mike joked.

“What?! No Lee Mike. I am never like this. Not to my patient,” Li Ann defended.

“Oh really. Then what was that all about?” Mike crossed his arms.

“That...was...um...hey! If you want me to help you, then mind your own business,” Li Ann scolded as she turned away embarrassed by Mike’s joke.

“Fine, fine, with me,” Mike chuckled as he thought to himself.

This “date” should be pretty interesting.

Too bad Li Ann didn’t know that Andy was as much of a fraud as Hyesung was.
Too bad Li Ann didn’t know Andy ran one of the most controversial businesses in Seoul.
Mike knew all this too well. Andy was one of the big boys.
Mike had never met Andy personally, but of course, he knew.
He was just too excited about her date and how it would turn out, so he would just keep quiet and enjoy the show.


[To be Cont]