7 YEARS LATER…

I was walking aimlessly in our little town, passing the time before heading home. I use this time to clear my head of any pending problems/issues that I need to work on. The cases I have right now is making my head hurt and causing my migraine to attack.

By the way, I’m Jung Yong Hwa, lawyer by profession and musician by heart. If only my parents did not object of the course I planned to take in college then, I would have been a composer today, not a lawyer. Anyway, enough about me. As I was saying, I was just wandering around this little town of ours. I live in Busan and here in our quaint town almost everyone knew everyone especially if you grew up here like I am.

As I was passing a boutique shop, the lady inside the shop keeps on waving to get my attention. I raised my hand to acknowledge her, but no, she can’t be contended with that. I saw her racing to the front door to open it and before I knew it, I was already inside her shop.

“Yah! Yoona-yah! Ah, chincha! Why do you always resort to physical violence? Can’t you just call me and ask me to come inside, nicely? No, you have to drag me inside. I could sue you, you know? Weh, what’s the problem?” I asked her.

“Have you heard?” she asked me.

“Heard what?” I asked confused as to what she was trying to convey to me.

“She’s back,” she said in a matter-of-fact manner.

She pulled me to sit in the sofa reserved for her customers, offered me tea to drink and some biscuits too. This is making me nervous. The news I heard is bad news…really, really bad. Im Yoona, one of my good friend who stood by me when I was so lost, said she’s back...afraid to mention the name of that particular person, just like one of those popular books, Harry Potter. She was the counterpart of Lord Voldemort in my life. By the way, Yoona is the wife of my best friend, Lee Jong Hyun. So, in turn, she became my best friend too. Yoona sat opposite me and was staring at me, trying to read my emotions. Oh well, what do I do? I was in a daze, trying to decode the news she just imparted with me.

“She’s back…she’s back…she’s back” …that’s what’s running in my head from the time Yoona shared the news to me. Just when I thought I have learned to forget the memories we had and is finally ready to move on with my life, this happens.

As I was walking back to my office, still thinking of it, I ran into a little boy, about 5 or 6 years old in age. He was running so fast and not looking where he was going. Since we’re both preoccupied with things, me about her, and he with…I don’t know, we ran into each other, but luckily, we did not get into any accident as I caught him before he fell. As I was helping the boy to stand up, I heard a voice from my back saying,

“Mianhe, ahjussi. My son was running so fast I cannot catch him.”

When I heard her speak, I couldn’t believe it. I will recognize that voice wherever I am. I turned so fast and my heart was racing it’s about to burst. When she stood up straight, it mirrors the shock I have in my face. I just heard from a friend who said that she was in town, but not really expecting to run into her so soon. But Fate seems to have other plans for us.

“Joo…J-joohyun…” I said as I set the boy to stand and I straighten up to my full height. I cannot believe she is standing in front of me…again. The last time I saw her was seven years ago, on that unfortunate night…when she broke up with me. Since then, I have not seen her and her family moved to another place. No news, no nothing was ever heard from her. It is as if she was just a bubble that slowly faded away. So, can you blame me if I stuttered? We are just staring at each other, lost in our own world when there’s a faint voice that penetrates our conscious mind.

“Mom…I’m sorry I was just so excited that I did not hear you calling my name. Sorry, please don’t be mad at me.” The boy looked so forlorn and contrite in asking for forgiveness that his mother had to kneel and hug him to make him feel that she is not mad at him.

“Mom is not mad at you. I just want you to be careful because you did not know the area. Accidents happens, which by the looks of it you just experienced, little man. So next time, don’t run too far and too fast where I could not see or hold you, okay?” Seohyun said to the boy.

“Yes, mom.” The boy answered.

“Oliver is a good boy, right?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am” nodding his head.

All these while I just stood there transfixed with what I am seeing and hearing. I’m not hearing it incorrectly, right? The boy just called Seohyun his mother. So, I stood there patiently, waiting for her to acknowledge me again. When she stood up from her position, she turned to me and said, “Yong Hwa-ssi, this is my son, Oliver” as she introduced him to me.

Urging her son, “say Hi to Mr. Yonghwa.”

Bowing low, the boy greeted me and extends his hand for a handshake, and so I took it and shakes his hands while introducing myself to him.

“You can call me Samchon Yong, instead of Mr. Yong Hwa. Can you do that?” I asked the boy.

Before answering, he looked at his mom for translation before grinning at me and calling me Samchon Yong with a cute accent. Such a well-behaved lad, her mother taught her well. Only if her mom taught me also how to mend a broken heart, maybe I have a little Jung already, but no…all she did was give me a wounded heart, it never healed even if I wanted to.

I asked her, “What’re you doing here? By the way, I just heard from Yoona today that you’re back. Why are you here?”

“I’m just here to attend the grand reunion our school is having. My friends nagged me to come. They’re very persistent and would not stop until I say yes. So, here I am now” spreading her arms to indicate why she was here.

“So, are you back only for that or back for good?” I as