Of Passion and Lust

Seven Deadly Sins1

Of Passion and Lust2

Yawning, Jung-Yeon leaned back against Bok-Soon, him running his fingers through her long, black hair. Sleepily, she took her eyes off him and looked up at the sky. It was nighttime then, and a thick layer of clouds hid the moon and stars, and there was nothing but the sound of the calm lake water flowing peacefully. 3

“Bok-Soon?” she said softly. “We should probably get back inside the truck. I imagine it’s going to rain soon.” Immediately, it began to drizzle, wetting her soft black hair. Quickly the two jumped out of the truck’s bed and climbed inside the cab of it, cuddling once more in the bench seat. 4

When they were inside, Bok-Soon kissed Jung-Yeon gently on the neck, as she held him. He pulled away only momentarily and started to remove her tank top as she went on kissing him, starting to undress him as well. Jung-Yeon let a soft sigh pass her lips as his hands wandered across her bare flesh, her tank top slowly lifted over her head and tossed to the floor of the truck. Together, they moved to a steady rhythm, their bodies moving in perfect timing in a delicate dance, until their bodies were satisfied. Bok-Soon sat up, breathing heavily, and the young woman too pulled herself up, starting to redress as Bok-Soon sat, watching her, his eyes softly gazing upon her. “Hurry up and get dressed. You want Opa to catch us out together?”5

Bok-Soon sat back for a moment still, before pulling himself up with the aid of the steering wheel, and began to pull his clothes back on. When he was fully dressed, he turned the truck on, and pulled away from the lake, neither of the two speaking. 6

When they were on the highway, he leaned forward and turned the radio on, changing stations until he found one that suited his own musical tastes. When he’d taken his hand off the radio and placed it back on the wheel, Jung-Yeon leaned forward and turned it off. Bok-Soon’s eyes flickered over to the girl, then back on the road. He’d noticed she had a tear streaking down her cheek. “You don’t really think this will work, do you?” Her voice was barely audible. “Opa…he’ll just find out again, won’t he?”7

“No. Opa’s not going to. Not unless we tell him and there’s not way in hell we’re doing that, right? So, there’s not one thing to worry about,” Bok-Soon told Jung-Yeon, as the girl wiped the tear away with the long sleeve of her purple sweater she was wearing over her tank top. 8

Silently, the Bok-Soon pulled the truck into the driveway of a small and somewhat shabby house. Standing outside the door of the home, he ushered with his hand, “Come on,” to Jung-Yeon. They walked into the house, making almost no sound at all. Silently, they crept past the small hallway at the front door and into the living room, almost entering the other hallway past the entrance to the kitchen, when they’d come to a sudden halt. From the recliner in the corner, a voice could be heard. “Bok-Soon?” Like furious thunder it rumbled. When she heard the boy’s name, Jung-Yeon’s eyes widened, and she tightened the grip she had had on Bok-Soon’s hand. The man that had been sitting in the recliner had stood up, his eyes darting to the two’s hands that they held tight together. “What the hell were you and Jung-Yeon doing out tonight at 2 A.M.?” Bok-Soon opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the man. “ No…don’t answer that. I don’t want any excuse, because I think that I myself know why.”9

The man, their father, took a step forward, and gripped Jung-Yeon’s free hand. Starting to semi-drag her to the door, he told her, “Jung-Yeon, come on. I’m taking you over to you mother’s right now.” The girl dared not to object or pull back, so she just followed her father, Gi-Seok, to his own truck parked beside Bok-Soon’s. “I’ll deal with your brother when I get home,” he told the both of them as he and Jung-Yeon walked out the door.10

Gi-Seok and Jung-Yeon rode along, not a sound being made from either of them, with the young woman not even needing to be instructed of what to do when they arrived at the slightly larger somewhat more pleasant house they parked in front of. Gi-Seok stood at the door, pausing momentarily, taking in a deep breath before he finally rang the doorbell. 11

The woman who came to the door several minutes later wearing a crimson robe that covered up her pajamas did indeed look like she’d just been woken up, which as a matter of fact she had been. Her face already displayed irritability, mainly for having someone on her doorstep at such an hour. “What the hell do you want?” she’d asked them with an impatient tone.12

The man nervously looked at the woman, his wife, before he spoke. “Min-Ah…I’m sorry I woke you…but…I caught them out together.”13

The woman, Min-Ah’s, eyes widened in outrage as she slapped the side of her daughter’s face. Jung-Yeon said nothing as her mother's hand came in contact with her face, nor afterwards, just constantly keeping her eyes averted from her mother’s as best she could. “Hurry up and come in side,” Min-Ah instructed furiously, pointing to the couch. “Jung-Yeon, sit down and don’t move.” The younger woman did as she was told without muttering one word as Gi-Seok followed the younger woman out into the sunroom, walking through the living room where Jung-Yeon sat. 14

As Gi-Seok began to sit down, Min-Ah stopped him. "You..." Her voice was colder than ice, the most hostile it had ever been since he'd even known her. "Gi-seok, follow me." He knew from her language and tone of voice immediately that the woman was extremely upset, particularly, with him.15

She walked to the small sunroom, across the living room to a door that led out to it, with Gi-Seok at her heels. Min-ah shot her daughter a look that said, “Don’t even think about moving from that couch.”16

Various thoughts swam around in Jung-Yeon’s head. What was going to happen to Bok-Soon, or even herself for that matter? She didn’t understand why she had to feel so much passion for her own brother. Originally oblivious to what her parents first said, Jung-Yeon slowly came back to her senses as she heard them raise their voices.17

“What were you thinking?” Min-Ah asked Gi-Seok, speaking in Korean as if she’d forgotten that Jung-Yeon spoke it just as fluently as her parents.18

“Min-Ah!” Gi-Seok said. “He’s our son! He didn’t have anywhere to go. He’s managed to find a nicer job and he’s doing better! I just…thought I’d let him move in with us until he got his own place.”19

Min-Ah shook her head. “Wake up! If he’s doing better, than why did this happen? Gi-Seok, he’s twenty, he’s out of school, he needs to learn to take care of himself! He’s not your responsibility to shelter anymore. Everything between Bok-Soon and Jung-Yeon has gone way too far, and you know that!”20

Gi-Seok sighed heavily. “Guess I failed as a father, huh? I wanted to help him. I’m his parent, it’s my duty.”21

“But he’s grown. Let him learn to stand on his own feet. His actions tore apart our relationship, why can’t we just let him learn from his mistakes?” Min-Ah hugged her husband. “Don’t get me wrong, I know you’re trying to be a good parent, but just let him learn to live his life, and not mess up so much. Sure, he needs you, but not like that. Here, just…go talk to him.”22

He walked past her, his head hung low as if ashamed, and Min-Ah followed him back into the den. As Gi-Seok left, Jung-Yeon didn’t even glance at him, furious, and irritated by their words. What she and her brother took part in wasn’t a mistake!23

After he’d departed from her home, Min-Ah stood in the kitchen with a glass of cold, sweet tea in hand that she’d just poured from a pitcher. “Jung-Yeon? Want something to drink or eat?” Her daughter never answered, and Min-Ah didn’t bother her further. Min-Ah turned away from Jung-Yeon, and let a tear roll down her face, saddened, remembering. 24

Years ago, before the birth of either of her children, Min-Ah had moved to America from Korea to teach Korean at one of the high schools in the town she was to move to. Upon moving, she’d met her husband, Gi-Seok, who was trying desperately to make it as a writer. The two had met at the cheap, run down apartment complex they both lived at, next door from one another. The first time they ever conversed was when they both left their apartments at the same time, and Min-Ah stood locking her door. When she looked up, there was Gi-Seok, looking at her with the most pleasant and friendly smile she had ever seen. 25

“Hello! I’m Gi-Seok!” he said, as she tucked her keys away in her purse.26

Min-Ah was already running late for work, and as far as she was concerned, there was not time to talk. “Min-Ah,” was all she said. As she headed for the large complex’s elevator, the young Korean boy followed, also destined for the ground floor. Not even bothering to acknowledge him, Min-Ah stared at the elevator door as they dropped five floors down. 27

Like a lost and lonely puppy, when Min-Ah stepped off the elevator, Gi-Seok was at her heels, following her all the way from there to the bus, which he sat next to her on.28

“Just can’t seem to get away from each other, can we?” He teased jokingly, with a bright mischievousness in his voice. 29

Feeling agitated with the slender man, she answered with, “Are you following me?30

Gi-Seok, as if he had the inability to be just a little bit less pleasant, just kept smiling, and even laughed a bit, surprising Min-Ah. She felt awkward, like she were the butt of a joke. Thumping the journal he held tight to his chest, he replied with, “I’m a writer. I just go this way every morning, a little later generally, and head to a café to do some thinking and quality writing. So, where are you going then?” 31

A bit surprised, Min-Ah answered more politely, somewhat. “School. I teach Korean at Cherokee High School. I moved from Korea not too long ago to teach here.” She sighed. “I miss my country.”32

“I guess I can’t really relate to that,” he told her, thoughtfully. “I was born here. Full American citizen, never known anything else.” He smiled again at her. “Don’t worry though. I’m sure it’s hard, but you’ll adjust.” His eyes wandered away from her and out the window, when the bus stopped. “Well, this is where I get off,” he said, and stood up to leave. 33

That was the first day that they had ever spoken, but it was a day that Min-Ah would find both a blessing and a curse. Her first day of school was rigid, as she didn’t know what to expect from such a different world, but nonetheless, her coworkers were kind enough to her. That evening, on her way home from the school, she decided to purchase a brownie mix from the store, and make a small gift for Gi-Seok. When she delivered it to him, next door, he of course took it graciously, and smiled despite the odd twang he found it to have. Not but a few moments upon eating on, small bumps formed in his mouth, and he remembered he was allergic to chocolate.34