BASHing Trinity novel Chapter 15

(*) Flashback

BASH

Dad played me well. Who would have thought that my old man has a roguish side? What is he trying to imply?

He closed the deal last month before I even came back from the U.K, and nobody mentioned this to me. I flew over here for nothing. We just tossed over a fucking Champagne.

I look like a fool in front of the Korean team. It's all my fault. I agreed with Dad about the documents. I should've checked it before the flight. I just trusted that old man, and I thought he wouldn't play with me like this.

Lesson learned.

I stomp my feet to the car waiting for us. Trinity doesn't say anything when she notices me scowling. I feel her hand on my thigh, gripping it. My idiot of a cock stirs. Squeezing my eyes shut, I release a deep breath to calm my nerves.

Edmund remains silent at the passenger seat while the Korean driver pulls the car out of the parking lot. He's instructed where to take us after the meeting—the inept meeting.

"Bash, your dad is on the phone," My head jerks to the front seat where Edmund is holding out the phone to me. I clench my jaw with annoyance. I grab it from him.

"Are you trying to bash me now, Dad? It wasn't enough that you embarrassed me in front of those Koreans?" I ask, and I'm still pissed.

He sighs. "Bash, you have to learn not just to follow orders without checking the contract. I may be your father, and you trusted me, but you have to think that sometimes the people you love the most turn out to be the people you should trust the least." Yeah, I keep that in mind.

"What does suppose to mean? Are all these just a test to you? I'm hundreds of miles away from you, old man!" I curse under my breath.

"Yeah, consider that a test, son," he answers almost immediately.

"Then I failed, did I?" I ask, groaning.

"That's not the point why you're there," he answers, but I can hear the amusement in his voice.

"Seriously, though, what am I doing here, dad?" I want a reasonable answer.

"It's for you to find out. You can answer that when you come back. Good luck son, and enjoy your week." Before I can answer, the line goes off. I groan louder, raking my fingers through my hair.

"I guess that didn't go well with your dad," Trinity's soft voice makes me calm a bit.

I look at her beside me. Our eyes meet, my frown suddenly vanishes when I see her smiling at me. I can't help but lean my head to kiss her forehead.

"Everything is fine, Trinity. Nothing to worry about," I reassure her. Everything is perfectly fine, especially when she's with me right now for the whole week.

***

The two hours ride is worth it when we pass by the old village. This place is so different from the city of Seoul. The houses are very traditional compared to the high-colossal buildings back in the city.

Some folks are wearing the traditional clothes the hanbok. I can't help but be amazed.

The car moves up to the slightly elevated area like a small hill where I can see a hanok from a distance. That must be Alex's house.

We stop at the stoned-walled gate with clay made roof surrounded by plants with autumn leaves.

The gate swings open, Alex approaches us with a grin on his face.

He's annoying, but he's like a brother to me. He accommodates us with his old home. This is where we are going to stay for the rest of the week.

I hop out from the black SUV to greet him.

"Annyonghaseyo, Bash, Kiara." He approaches us and bows in front of us, making me snort.

"Jaljinaess-eoyo, Kiara?" He asks, kissing Trinity on her cheek. Trinity smile politely then bows just like he did. I chuckle, following him inside his home.

There is a huge ground made of gravels, with a small pond, a small pine tree at the center. One-story three houses in a U shape made of the stone foundation, with a huge porch each.

We enter the first house on our left side with glossy dark oak flooring and two feet tall banisters. All walls are covered with hanji papers made from mulberry trees.

I notice Trinity's eyes fill with amazement. I take my shoes off as it's a custom here in Korea. Trinity does the same. Edmund wanders outside the house with our driver.

"I prepare a room for both you. This may be a hanok, but we have electricity, appliances, and Internet here. But I doubt if you have time to browse the net," Alex says with a glint in his eyes.

"This is the dining area." He slides a thin door. There is a small table in the corner with a tiny vase on top, a green plant blooming with small pink flowers. The dining table is placed at the center with four flat cushions on each side.

The maru flooring is glossier than on the porch. It has a small square chandelier hung from the ceiling, a small table with tea sets on top, and a dark-colored wood cabinet with a bronze drawer handle on the left side.

"This is beautiful, Alex," Trinity says with eyes still wandering around. She sits cautiously on one of the flat square cushions as if testing it.

"Then you should marry a traditional Korean guy, Kiara," Alex says.

My head snaps to Alex on my left side, glaring at him. "Stop flirting with her. You're getting married for fuck sake," I say annoyingly.

I can't imagine Trinity marrying a Korean guy then lives here. Truth, I can't imagine her marrying at all. Alex grins like he just gets his answers.

"The kitchen is on the left side. You don't have to go outside. There's a hall that connects from here to the kitchen. The bedroom is on the right side, but I warn you, there's no bed, and it just a mattress made of pure cotton." He laughs slightly, and I know what does he means. I nod in agreement.

Alex was broken-hearted and slept with girls back in the U.K. Now that he's getting married just to win full custody of his niece. I doubt if he's marrying her just to fight for custody. I know him well. I bet he likes that girl because it's not Alex who is going to just tie up to a girl, and he should've done that after his brother passed away if he just wanted full custody.

"All floors are equipped with ondol and maru as part of hanok," Alex continues.

Trinity lifts her chin to look at Alex. "What's ondol?" she asks with curiosity.

"Ondol is an underflooring heating system since Korea has a winter season," I answer.

"Oh, so it's like a fireplace?" she asks, her face lights up.

"Yeah, but the main source of the heat in this place is from the outside. There are horizontal flue pipes as a passageway of the heat beneath the flooring. Unlike the fireplace in the U.S, its placed inside the home with a chimney," Alex explains.

Trinity nods and looks amused. "It's cool, Alex."

***

After our little tour of all the houses. Alex, Edmund, and the driver left us and went back to the city, leaving me and Trinity alone here in the Hanok. He says to contact him if there is an emergency. He has a Hyundai sedan left in the parking area of the house if we want to tour around.

We both sit on the front porch, just taking this moment in. I never imagined this day would happen. Remind me to give Dad a hug and Mom a huge kiss on her cheek.