Martoons

Cast of characters

Mr Go

Miss No

*

No’s true end was to control a business of her own. Even if it was someone else’s business that she planned to eventually take over. At any cost.

The cost so far had been a lame love life. Living-in-sin hadn’t been very sinful. More often than not, Go would get home in the wee hours.

Then, if No showed even the slightest come on, like a little pinch or leg rub, he’d back right off.

* How come? *

In the sack, she could only get close if she wriggled so slightly, subtly and slowly that he didn’t notice.

But if that took more than a few moments, he’d already have fallen asleep.

He was like a timid house cat, circling around at a distance and if she was lucky she could touch his tail.

Her only chance of ‘results’ with him was to remain completely still under the covers and pretend she was asleep, then hope he’d accidentally reach out and inadvertently grope her.

That was pretty much the extent of their contact!

But such situations were seldom.

One rainy night, after several months of co-habitation, No thought she was getting close. Intimacy appeared imminent.

Go was in a state of near black-out from a night of heavy soju drinking. After pouring himself into bed he did grope her – apparently – and she was ecstatic.

When he felt all over her arms then her fingers, she quivered.

“You’re a very sensual man,” she cooed, converging on climax. “Why can’t you do this more often?”

He immediately stopped, recoiled, and gasped. In actual fact, he’d been feeling around what he thought was his nightstand for his cigarettes.

* Why didn’t he like touching her? *

Koreans go to great lengths to keep the peace between those whom they are close to. However, unlike many Koreans, No didn’t like to suppress her dissatisfaction.

Over the next little while, she complained bitterly to Go. “You cannot hide from our relationship. We are more than just co-workers.”

“Why can you not make some private time for me … for us?”

“You cannot just live for the moment. You must invest in the future of your life. Do you not want a son some day?”

“Of course, but at this stage in my life I am building my business. And as you know, all work and no play make Jack a dull boy.

I work hard all day at the institute and blow off steam in my nightlife.

“Life is all about balance – build-up and blow-off – and at this stage I am satisfied. You must be patient. Let us grow into our relationship.”

“Maybe you expected too much too quickly. Give it time.”

“But I work extra hard at the institute all day so that you will have a little free time for me after hours.”

“That’s all I ask at this stage of our relationship. Just an hour a day in the privacy of our home so we can share thoughts, dreams.”

“I spend every night with you!”

“But it is when you are sleeping!”

Go shrugged in a take-it-or-leave-it kind of way. “You know my dingy old rat-hole of an apartment near the Rotary?”

“As you know I still have my lease on it. Many nights I walk by there on the way home. I really want to go up there to sleep but I always think of you so I come here.”

“You make it sound like a big achievement just to show up here.”

“Yes you are here physically every night but I am asking you to give a little more of yourself to me emotionally and spiritually.”

Go didn’t like anyone laying guilt trips on him but he held back saying anything.

“And some physical affection would be nice too,” she complained.

“The only time I get to touch you is to remove the burning cigarette from your lips in bed when you’ve fallen asleep, so you don’t burn us both to cinders.”

Go dropped his head down in shame. “Thank you. You are very caring.”

He was sincere but his situation with No had actually been bugging him for some time.

He respected her as an associate and was appreciative of her hard work (although he made sure never to tell her for fear it would go to her head and either make her lazy or start making demands).

* Do you think that have happened if he had done so? *

In public they made a good couple when attending business functions. But inside his soul, he simply didn’t feel truly in love with her.

Actually, he never had.

* Really? *

A part of him wanted that to change so he’d given himself a military-style order to become intimate with her on a few occasions.

Those few and far between steamy encounters changed nothing, however.

He realized love couldn’t be willed. It had to come from deep within, and inside him there was nothing.

*

Tomorrow: No has had enough with Go.