Chapter Thirty-eight
After lunch I returned to my apartment, planning a quiet read and smoke, but I couldn't shake off a feeling of restlessness.
Of course, the seven o'clock meeting with Bae Yeon-seok wasn't exactly something to look forward to with eager anticipation. Supposing he stuck a pistol in my stomach directly I opened the door? I patted the revolver in my own pocket. 'Gun duel in Seoul apartment' would make a sensational reading in the morning's newspapers, I reflected. Mrs Kim would revel in it! That reminded me that she also had a passion for funerals . My apartment felt as cold and lonely as the North face of the Eiger.
Su-mi, too, was disturbing me, in more ways than one. I'm had pushed me into a corner with his insistent questioning. True, I hadn't known her long; yet there was a warmth and friendliness in her nature that might, if the circumstances of our meeting had been different, have developed into an intimate relationship.
The front door bell interrupted these thoughts, and I glanced at my watch. It was six o'clock. With my hand on the pistol in my pocket, I went to the front door and opened it.
Leaning on his umbrella, wheezing asthmatically, was a figure who looked about as frightening as an indignant rabbit. It was Yun Hyeok.
'There you are, Moon!' he said, his absurd moustache bristling. 'I must see you on a matter of great importance'.
I took my hand off the butt of the gun, unable to repress an amused smile.
'And I'd prefer to discuss it in private'.
'Come on in then', I invited, standing back.
He strode past me into the living room, and I followed.
'Sit down and try to relax - or you'll bring on one of your attacks', I said.'I would rather remain standing', he said pompously, planting himself in the middle of the room, his bowler hat pressed to the handle of his umbrella. Then he raised the umbrella and waved it at me. 'I'll come straight to the point; are you having an affair with Su-mi?'
'Am I what? Now just a minute .'
Are you having an affair with her, Moon?'
I dodged the ferrule of the umbrella as he advanced a step towards me. The eyes behind the glasses had a near maniacal glare.
'Don't be a bloody fool, Yun. Of course I'm not!'
'That's a lie!' he fumed. 'I'm not blind. This hasn't come as a complete surprise to me, Moon'.
'What hasn't?' I suddenly gripped the pistol in my pocket.
'The breaking of our engagement'.
There was silence for some seconds. Then I heard myself ask. 'When did this happen?'
'Last night - as though you didn't know', he stammered excitedly. 'We were perfectly happy until you came on the scene, Moon'.
'Are you sure, Yun? Maybe you were. But if Kim Su-mi's broken your engagement you've only yourself to blame. You've taken her too much for granted'.
'Only myself to blame!' he exploded. 'Only myself to blame for another man taking advantage of my being ill to steal my fiancee?'
This made me really angry. 'Yun, that's not true! On the few occasions we've talked about you, Su-mi's been most sympathetic. She'd never listen to any criticism of you, I'm sure of that - she's much too loyal'.
'Breaking off an engagement isn't my idea of loyalty'. He took a further step towards me. 'Do you swear there's nothing between you and Su-mi?'
'For God's sake stop dramatising yourself!' I said with irritation. 'Neither Su-mi nor I have ever said a word you couldn't have listened to'.
He gave me a long, intense look. 'I accept your word, Moon', he said at last. Somewhat reluctantly, he added: 'Perhaps I should apologise'.
I waved the apology aside. 'That's all right - forget it, Yun'.
'I wish I could', he said, self-pityingly. Then, with a sudden change of mood, he went on in an anxious tone: 'Has Su-mi ever mentioned the name of any other man to you?'
'In the way I think you mean - no. Of course, she's mentioned various people concerned in this unfortunate business - Doyle, Lee .'
'Bae?' he suggested nervously.
'She denies any knowledge of him', I said, wondering how much he knew.
'Isn't that significant?' His breath came in short gasps.
'Why should she deny it? I'm certain that she knows him'.
'What makes you think she knows him, Yun?''I called in at the gallery yesterday. Kong was on the telephone. I heard her say: 'Bae wants to meet you again. Shall I fix it for ten tomorrow morning, at The Golden Sun?' Directly Kong saw me she hung up'.
'How do you know she was speaking to Su-mi?' I said sharply.
'Su-mi wasn't in the shop. And the guilty way that Kong cut the conversation short convinced me it was Su-mi she was talking to'.
'Did you ask Kong who it was?'
'Naturally'. He began to pace across the room. 'Of course, she denied it.
She said she was talking to a client who wanted her to fix up a meeting with an art dealer called Do Hong-ki. I made a point of dropping in at the tea shop this morning. Needless to say, neither Kong So-ra nor Su-mi put in an appearance'.
'You're positive the name she mentioned was Bae?'
'No doubt about it'. He blinked at me unhappily. 'Why do they both deny knowing Bae? Why all this secrecy? I'm positive there's another man behind it.
He's responsible for Su-mi breaking our engagement. And Kong is the instigator. She's always disliked me .'
I was getting a little tired of this emotional display. 'Why don't you face the facts, Yun?' I snapped. 'Su-mi broke off the engagement because of your selfishness. But your pride won't let you accept that; you have to pin it on to another man. First it was me - now it's Bae. And, personally, I think you only imagined it was his name you heard'.
'I hope to God you're right', he said miserably. 'I couldn't bear to lose her. Just lately she's changed .' He broke off, fighting for breath.
Hastily I poured a brandy and put it into his hand. He was trembling violently. He muttered his thanks and, with an effort, raised the glass to his mouth.
I was wondering whether to phone for a doctor when the doorbell gave two sharp rings. I had an instant of panic! If this should be Bae the situation promised to be even more fantastic than my wild imaginings had supposed. It seemed certain that there would be at least one corpse for Mrs Kim's satisfaction; Yun was already near to collapse and it seemed unlikely that he would survive the shock of coming face to face with Bae at this moment.
As I flung open the front door a postman just managed to save himself from falling on to the mat. 'Sorry!' he said, with a sheepish grin. 'I was just having a look through the letterbox. I thought you weren't in'.
I took the letter and ripped it open as I hastened back to the living room.
Yun was standing where I had left him, looking very woebegone and staring blankly at his empty glass.
'Are you feeling any better?' I asked, with genuine sympathy.
'I'm all right now, thanks to the brandy'. He smiled at me bleakly. 'I really shouldn't let myself get so excited'.
'No . well - try not to worry too much, Yun', I said reassuringly, taking the glass from his hand. 'I'm certain everything will be all right. Now, if you'resure you're well enough to get back home, will you excuse me? I've just had a letter calling me away'.
'Don't worry about me. These attacks look worse than they really are'. He squared his shoulders and swung his umbrella nonchalantly. 'Not bad news, I hope?'
'No. Just a rearranged meeting'.
At the front door he apologised again, then walked briskly off down the street. I had the feeling that he was trying to impress me with his virility.
Back in the living room I re-read the letter. It said:
WILL MEET YOU ELEVEN TONIGHT PARK CAR AT NAMSAN PARK WILL LOOK OUT FOR YOU NO JUNG-JONG
I stuffed the letter into my pocket, picked up my untouched drink and looked at it for a long moment. Then I took it out to the kitchen and poured it down the sink.
I was going to need a very clear head for the meeting at eleven.