Fate in the Rain

Petals and Promises

The Han River Park buzzed with life under the midday sun, the cherry blossoms painting the air with fleeting bursts of pink. Families picnicked on the grass, couples strolled hand-in-hand, and the river sparkled like a ribbon of glass. But Kang Min-jae’s focus was razor-sharp, locked on the man in the dark coat lurking beneath a gnarled tree fifty meters away. The stranger’s posture was too deliberate, his gaze too fixed on Soo-jin, who stood before Min-jae, oblivious to the threat. Her words—I need you to help me escape—still hung between them, heavy as the folder in his hand, its unsigned contract a silent ultimatum.“Min-jae?” Soo-jin’s voice pulled him back, her brow furrowing as she followed his gaze. “What’s wrong?”He didn’t answer, his instincts screaming to move. “Stay close,” he muttered, grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward a crowded path lined with food stalls. The smoky scent of tteokbokki and grilled squid filled the air, masking the tension coiling in his chest. He glanced back—the man was gone, swallowed by the crowd, but Min-jae’s unease didn’t fade. Whoever he was, he wasn’t a tourist.Soo-jin didn’t resist his grip, but her eyes searched his face, sharp and questioning. “You’re scaring me,” she said, her voice low. “What did you see?”“Someone watching us,” Min-jae said, keeping his tone even despite the adrenaline spiking through him. “Dark coat, near the trees. You know him?”Her face paled, a flicker of fear breaking through her composed mask. “No,” she said, too quickly. “But… it’s not surprising. My family has eyes everywhere.”Min-jae stopped near a vendor selling hotteok, the sizzle of pancakes a sharp contrast to the chill in his bones. He released her wrist, suddenly aware of how close they stood, her breath visible in the crisp spring air. “Your family,” he said, his voice hard. “You keep saying that, but you’re not telling me anything. Who are you, Soo-jin? And what’s this?” He held up the folder, its weight a reminder of the men in the SUV, their cryptic warnings.Soo-jin’s gaze dropped to the folder, her lips pressing into a thin line. “It’s complicated,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Can we sit? Somewhere quiet?”He hesitated, scanning the crowd again. No sign of the man in the coat, but the prickle on his neck told him they weren’t safe. Still, he nodded, and they found a bench beneath a canopy of cherry blossoms, the petals drifting like soft warnings. Soo-jin sat, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her white dress catching the sunlight. Up close, Min-jae noticed the faint tremble in her fingers, the way her eyes darted to the river as if it held answers she couldn’t find.“I’m Choi Soo-jin,” she began, her voice steady but laced with something raw. “My father is Choi Dong-hyun, chairman of Choi Enterprises. You’ve probably heard of him.”Min-jae’s stomach twisted. Everyone in Seoul knew the Choi name—synonymous with wealth, power, and untouchable influence. The skyscrapers, the luxury hotels, the headlines about mergers and scandals. “You’re that Choi,” he said, the pieces clicking into place. “The heiress.”She flinched at the word, as if it were a cage. “I hate that title,” she said. “It’s not who I am. It’s what they’ve made me.” She looked at him, her eyes stormy with defiance and pain. “My father controls everything—my education, my friends, my future. He’s arranged a marriage to Kim Joon-ho, heir to Kim Industries. It’s not about love. It’s a business deal to merge our companies. If I refuse, I lose everything—my inheritance, my family, my name.”Min-jae’s chest tightened. He knew what it was to lose everything—he’d been fighting that battle his whole life. But her world, with its glittering chains, was alien to him. “So why me?” he asked, echoing his question from the café. “Why drag me into this? I’m nobody.”“You’re not nobody,” she said fiercely, leaning closer. “You looked at me last night like I was real. Not a prize, not a headline. I’ve spent my life surrounded by people who want something from me—money, status, power. But you… you just saw me.”Her words hit him like a wave, stirring something he didn’t want to name. He wanted to believe her, to trust the vulnerability in her voice, but the folder in his hand, the man in the SUV, the stranger in the coat—they all screamed danger. “And the contract?” he asked, flipping open the folder. “Your family’s ‘Talent Initiative’? What’s that about?”Soo-jin’s eyes widened, as if she hadn’t expected him to have it. “That’s… my father’s project,” she said carefully. “He’s always looking for new talent—engineers, artists, anyone who can boost the company’s image. But it’s also a way to control people. Once you sign, you’re his.”Min-jae’s jaw clenched. “So last night, you picking me out of the rain—that was part of his plan?”“No!” Her voice rose, drawing a glance from a passing couple. She lowered it, leaning closer, her hand brushing his sleeve. “I didn’t know they’d approach you. I saw you, and I… I acted on impulse. I needed to talk to someone who wasn’t part of their world. But now you’re on their radar, and that’s my fault.”He studied her, searching for a lie, but her eyes held only guilt and desperation. “You said you need my help to escape,” he said. “What does that mean? Run away? Disappear?”She hesitated, glancing at the river. “I can’t tell you everything yet. It’s not just about running—it’s about dismantling what they’ve built around me. There are things I know, things I’ve seen, that could ruin my father’s empire. But I need someone I can trust. Someone who’s not afraid to stand up to them.”Min-jae laughed, a bitter sound. “You think I’m not afraid? I’ve got nothing, Soo-jin. No money, no connections. If your family wants me gone, I’m gone.”“Then why are you here?” she countered, her voice soft but piercing. “You could’ve burned that card. You could’ve ignored my call. But you didn’t.”He didn’t have an answer. Or maybe he did, but he wasn’t ready to admit it. The way she looked at him, the way her voice trembled with hope—it stirred something reckless in him, something that wanted to fight for her, even if it burned him alive.Before he could speak, a shadow fell over them. Min-jae’s head snapped up, expecting the man in the coat, but it was worse—a woman in a sleek black suit, her hair pulled into a tight bun, her eyes cold as steel. “Miss Choi,” she said, her tone clipped. “Your father requests your presence. Immediately.”Soo-jin stiffened, her hand tightening on the bench. “I’m busy, Ms. Park,” she said, her voice steady but laced with defiance.Ms. Park’s gaze flicked to Min-jae, dismissive and calculating. “This is not a request,” she said. “And you—” She turned to Min-jae, her voice dripping with disdain. “You’re playing a dangerous game, boy. Stay away from her.”Min-jae bristled, but Soo-jin stood, stepping between them. “Leave him alone,” she said, her voice low and fierce. “This has nothing to do with him.”Ms. Park’s lips curved, a predator’s smile. “Oh, but it does. You know the rules, Soo-jin. Every choice has consequences.”Soo-jin’s hand found Min-jae’s, a fleeting touch that sent a jolt through him. “Go,” she whispered. “I’ll find you. Don’t sign anything yet.”She turned to follow Ms. Park, but Min-jae grabbed her arm, his voice urgent. “Soo-jin, wait. If I’m in this, I need to know what I’m fighting for.”She looked back, her eyes holding his, a storm of emotions swirling within. “You’re fighting for us,” she said softly. “For a chance at something real.”She pulled away, following Ms. Park toward a waiting car. Min-jae stood rooted, the cherry blossoms falling around him, her words echoing in his chest. He glanced at the folder, then at the river, where a single petal floated, caught in the current.As he turned to leave, his phone buzzed—a text from an unknown number. Meet me tonight. 10 p.m. Apgujeong Station. Come alone. No signature, but he knew it was her. His heart raced, but as he pocketed his phone, he caught a glimpse of movement in the trees—the man in the dark coat, watching, a phone pressed to his ear.