Chaerin bit her lip, and another resigned sigh escaped, she massaged her temples as she tried to recall everything for him. “I was known as Lee Chaerin. We met at your father’s ice cream shop.”

“Remember his business in Busan?” This part of the story he was familiar with.

“Yes.” He nodded too eagerly, thirsty for information, and Chaerin was giving it to him, finally.

 “I worked there as the shop’s manager. Your father was kind enough to adopt me when he saw me shivering along the sidewalks of the district.” She shuddered at the memory, and her eyes got misty.

“I just ran away from my father because he was – he was abusive.” she released a nervous breathe. “He kept on beating me, he tied me to a post and repeatedly banged my head with a baseball bat – I, and well, one time it got overboard he actually stripped me down with my clothes.”

Seunghyun stood up abruptly and closed their distance, “I’m sorry Chae, you don’t need to tell me, I’m sorry.” He was kneeling in front of her, wiping her tears away, and thoroughly guilty of what he had asked from her. "Let's just stop this."

“No, it’s okay. I think it’s best if I let it out again.” She shivered and signalled for him to sit directly across her, on the wooden table.

“One day I had a chance to escape when he was asleep from getting too drunk. And I ran far away, not daring to look back. I ran even if my lungs burned, and my feet ached. And I was slumped to the ground when your father saw me. The initial contact with another man triggered panic in me, but he called help, and the officials brought me to a hospital. My face was bleeding, my neck, limbs and feet bruised. Basically I was unrecognizable.”

Seunghyun let out a deep breath, holding Chaerin's hand and squeezing it tightly, he knew that in these situations, words were never enough. And he secretly rejoiced that she didn't resist. 

“And your mom?” he slightly massaged his knuckles.

“She left my dad, because she didn’t love him anymore and all the anger was channelled through me.”

“I was like a zombie for 6 months. But your dad visits me every now and then. I was really afraid of him, but thank God he turned out to be a good man.”

“When I felt better, which was an understatment, he asked me to work for him if I liked to, so I did, as a thank you gesture for saving me. I helped him so the store won’t close down. I saw the silent suffering he had when the shop was barely having customers. I felt that he had spent his whole life for it, and to see it crumbling down in front of him was suicide.  So when you came marching in, one day, demanding for your father, and I saw you disrespecting him like that, I couldn’t help but feel protective.”

“I punched you in the nose. It bled.” She smirked despite her tears.

“Good for me then.”

“Yes, and I’m still not saying sorry for it.” It was his turn to laugh weakly.

“Now that’s the old me. I’m quite familiar with that.”

“Ever since then, you’d travel all the way from Ulsan to Busan just to annoy me. Very mature. Imagine, the hours of travel.” She shakes her head at the memory. "I never trusted men, and I wasn't a big believer of love."

“The banter turned to long hours of talks, and then eventually we dated. I was so convinced you were just taking a pity on me. But you were so persistent, it bordered to being annoying. You even brought your friends to convince me you were sincere. And Jiyong wasn’t the best role model either."

He smiled at this, even though he couldn’t recall anything. He’d resigned it to amnesia, to that creature named Dara, or maybe plain karma. He didn’t know. But this was good. He’ll remember this, he won’t make that mistake twice.

“I was so scared Seunghyun. I was so hesitant and confused but you never gave up on me. There were rumors around town that you were one of Ulsan’s most sought after bachelor, you know.”

He scoffed and laughed.

“See, the arrogance is very familiar.” She jests but with an endearing smile. “You threatened to stopped working in your corporate job and just manage your father’s business – but I convinced you not to. I think  I really started to appreciate you when you started t