Chapter 40: Where are you?

Yoon Harin

Time flies so fast that it's been two weeks since I got my leave. I never had so much fun in my life other than that one week leave. If only I can extend my leave for a month, I definitely want to travel with Seungwoo outside the country. His family was so warm to me. They never made me feel that I don't belong to their family. It was as if I was born to be part of the Han's.

I unbuckled my seatbelt to fix Seungwoo's bangs. His bangs were covering his eyes which made me afraid if he can still see the road. "Can you see the road properly with this bangs?" I asked him while trying to part his bangs and put it on each side.

"Well, sometimes it bothers me a lot but I can still manage. Should I cut my hair?" He asked, touching the strands of his hair.

I let out a chuckle when the parting of his hair turned into hilarious. "I guess so because you're a driver."

He looked at his hair on the mirror and laughed. "You're making a clown to me Harin." He commented, realizing that his hair became funny.

"That's what you get for not getting a proper grooming with your hair. I'm curious if drivers do have a specific hair cut that should be followed?" I leaned on the seat and crossed my arms. Seungwoo fetched me from my work and we just arrived in my house. I told him to stop by but he refused so we're still at the taxi.

He wrapped his hands around the steering wheel and creased his forehead. "I don't think so..?" He answered doubtfully, scratching his chin.

"Oh my gosh! You're not a trustworthy driver." I teased him, poking his arms. He slightly jolted at my action.

Seungwoo gave me a sleepy gaze. "I'm driving for almost five years and I haven't been into an accident even once." His sleepy state wasn't a hindrance to showcase in his voice how proud he was.

I stretched my arm in order to pat his head. Seungwoo's my puppy, my own version of Snoopy. Patting him made my heart warm. "I'm so proud of you." I let out a proud smile.

Seungwoo held my hand, that was on his head, and kissed the back of it. "Thank you for being proud of me. Thank you for noticing the small things that I do which you praise all the time."

After kissing my hand, he placed my palm on his chest, particularly where our heart is located. "Without you, my heart will not pump like this. If my body is alive because of my heart, my heart is alive because of you."

I pushed his chest softly. "You're being too sweet. If a boyfriend tell you sweet things, he might have been tricking you on your back. Did you do something behind my back Mr. Han?" I pulled my hand away and stared directly into his eyes. The bangs might slightly cover a portion but I can clearly see how soft his eyes are.

"Harin-ssi, I am one extraordinary boyfriend. Don't include your boyfriend on that kind of lousy statistics." He rolled his eyes and went out from the car. He opened the door for me and I went out.

We walked alongside the street of my neighborhood. He will always walked with me whenever I'll go home. His steps were big because of his tall figure but he will walk slowly for me.

I clutched on the strap of my shoulder bag and just freely put my left hand on the side."I was just asking, Seungwoo-ssi. No need to be offended."

Seungwoo caught my pinky finger and played with it. "Have you experience it with your ex..?"

I intertwined our fingers hastily. "Sadly.. yes." I answered without reminiscing something from the past. The memories are still on my mind but I tend not to remember them.

"He's an asshole then." He stated surely. I raised my brow at his straightforwardness.

***

"Where's Kim Wooseok?!" Gwajangnim's exasperated voice roared in the office. All of us had a mini heart attack at his sudden revolt. I looked at Wooseok's table and it was all tidy, no traces of his presence.

We all just had our lunch and after an hour of resting, we came back to work. None of us made suspicion of why Kim Wooseok wasn't around. After my leave, I rarely see him in the office. But yesterday, he was here.

"That.. we don't know sir." Euijin gave a statement. I tugged her sleeves, trying to stop her from talking clumsily.

Gwajangnim ruthlessly scratched his head and pulled his hair, he growled in pain. "If anyone of you can see him, even if outside our work, tell him to contact me PDQ."

"Yes, gwajangnim!" We answered in unison.

Just like the usual aftermath of seeing an unusual happening, my workmates started to gossip about him. I was curious too so I leaned towards Euijin who was sulking now.

"Where's your crush?" I asked her desperately. She pouted and lost her energy to talk. She rested her head on the desk and looked at me.

"He's been like this since you had your leave. I know that he likes you and probably he got jealous with your boyfriend that's why he's acting like this. Probably, he's just out there trying to mend his broken heart." She uttered in a very limp tone. She looked at me with worried eyes. "Can you call him?"

I sighed, swallowing my pride. "I'll try to contact him and ask his whereabouts. I'm sure gwajangnim called him too."

Euijin held my two hands. "Thank you Harin. I hope you'll find me if I'll be lost too."

I slapped her arm at her statement. "Why would you be lost? Crazy."

Euijin was enthusiastically waiting for me to dial Wooseok's number. Her face was of that worried mom to his son. I can't blame her though because he's her crush.

"The number you have dialed is either unattended or out of coverage area. Please try to call later. Toot.. toot.. toot." Our shoulders fell down when we heard the voice. I dialed his number ten times but he's still out of coverage.

"Do you know his family, perhaps?" Euijin asked me with curiousity. I shook my head. "I know none of them. He must've been taking a leave without a leave notice."

"Where could that man go?" Euijin asked in the air. I gave her a shrug and went back to work.

"Yoon Harin!" Gwajangnim shook my focus state when he called me. Probably, I'll be doing some errand outside. "Hong Euijin!" He called me seatmate. The two of us stared at each other and traipsed our way to his desk.

His right fingers were tapping on the desk and his left fingers were played his lips anxiously. "You two," he pointed at us. "Find Kim Wooseok today and if you don't report it to the police." He said quietly, trying to made it exclusive for us.

My system was awakened upon hearing his request. I can hear my heart beating rapidly because of nervousness. Kim Wooseok is lost? It's like the biggest joke of the year! How could a grown up man be lost? I don't want to welcome the unpleasant possibilities but it just keep on flowing.

Gwajangnim stood up and motioned us to follow him. His lead brought us at a café near our office. Before entering the café, Euijin tumbled on the ground. Maybe she's thinking of our sunbaenim too. "Are you okay?" I asked. She just smiled at me and entered the café.

Gwajangnim called the waitress for our orders. He just told her to give us three lattes without asking us.

The hot lattes were placed on the glass table carefully, yet it still produced clinks from the two materials. I blew my latte before taking a sip. My eyes wandered around the café, it was cozy and a good meeting place especially for discussions like what we'll have.

"Before your leave.." Gwajangnim started the conversation by looking at me. Euijin and I listened intently to him, eager to know what happened. "..Kim Wooseok started to get weird. I know that he likes you but to my assessment, his actions were way too different from a broken hearted man."

I looked away when gwajangnim looked at me for the nth time. He's not trying to blame me but his words made me felt awkward.

"Not to offend the both of you but he's my most trustworthy employee." He added. Euijin who took a sip from the cup, coughed. Gwajangnim will never fail to offend us.

I nodded, not minding what he said. "What did he do to make you conclude that way?"

"He keeps on forgetting things. I called him one time, it was on your leave week, asking why he was absent. His answer made me furious. Can you imagine telling your senior that you forget that you have work and thought you're jobless? He's out of his mind!" He told us with much disgust seen on his face.

Euijin snapped her fingers that surprised me. Her face was shocked, looking like she discovered something important. She kept on waving her hand, unable to suppress the enthusiasm from her system.

"Last week, I saw him asking the guard from this café. I did not hear their conversation but I can't forget how that ahjussi.." she pointed at the guard outside the café we're in. ".. looked surprised and then he pointed our office!" She snapped her fingers again, like she solved a mystery.

What could be the real reason then? Does he has a disease that caused him to act that way? Possible. But we just can't conclude anything based on Gwajangnim and Euijin's statement.

"Do you think he has an alzheimer's disease?" Gwajangnim and I looked at Euijin. I saw how gwajangnim's face turned sour when he heard her speculation. Could it that be the cause?

Gwajangnim answered, denying the opinion stated by Euijin. "Wooseok's too young to have that and besides, every six months we all undergo a general check-up. I assume that he's really healthy."

I nibbled my lips thinking all the possibilities why he's not around. We should atleast contact his family. They might have some ideas where he could be or maybe he's spending his time to them.

"Gwajangnim.. what about his family?" I opened up the topic, hoping that it could be a great help for us. Gwajangnim sighed deeply and shook his cup of latte. "His family was the reason why I want to find him. They contacted me yesterday, telling me that they can't hold a grip of Wooseok. It was unlikely for Wooseok not to contact his parents eventhough they're living separately. According to them, he's a thoughtful son and there is no single day that he won't contact them."

My body felt chilly upon acquiring the knowledge. If that's the case, we should probably ask the help of the authority before we regret not doing anything. Kim Wooseok must be struggling with his life now and we should take action to find him ASAP.

"Poor Wooseokie.. where are you hiding?" Euijing stared at the ceiling with a melancholic face.

I cleared my throat to get their attention. "This is alarming gwajangnim. If that's the case, let's report it to the authority so we can find him right away."

"The police won't take action unless the person is missing for 24 hours.. I really hate their policy!" Euijin made a fist and slammed it on the glass table. Gladly, she didn't slam it with force.

Euijin was right. We need to wait for 24 hours before we can report that he's missing, but I hope he's just somewhere wondering around. If I were to say, I don't think he had reasons to act this way. Wooseok is not a weak person, he's more than this.