“Those truly linked don’t need correspondence. When they meet again after many years apart, their love is as true as ever…”

Dear Diary,

How long has it been? Now I remembered. It has been 9 years 4 months and 7 days. Can I still remember the last time I saw him? Yes, I do, very clearly. He called me, I didn’t pick up. There were at least 10 missed calls on my phone that day. I think he slowly understood that I wouldn’t answer and he sent me a message instead. I always wonder if that night I did show up, is everything that happened in the past will be different now. 

‘I’ll wait for you at Apple House, 7pm sharp. I’ll wait until you come. You have to come.’

Did I go that night? Yes, I did. I was there, hiding behind a tree, looking at him from far away, across the road. He was sitting there, at the table where we used to sit, with a bowl of tteokbokki we used to share, and with an anxious look that I seldom see. He was nervous, he was worried. Deep inside his heart, he knew I wouldn’t come. How I wish he was wrong. The real me, the wild side of me, I wanted to run to him and hugged him tightly with my arms and tell him, I love him. I want to be with him. But can I do that? I know I can’t.

People used to say adolescent love relationships are just puppy love. It’s intense, it’s romantic but it’s not real. It’s just some kind of impulsive feelings or behaviour without any real love. Is that true? I wasn’t sure. I just remembered that feelings I have for him was so strong that I could sacrifice anything just to keep and protect the one thing he left for me.

How long did he wait for me that night? Very long. Long enough to make my tears flowed uncontrollably. I touched my flat stomach and tried to feel the heartbeat inside. I wanted to let the baby inside of me to know and remember that the man sitting across the road is her father, the man that her mother love so much.

I know I’m selfish. I took away his right to choose between his future and me. But don’t you think it will be even more selfish if I just take away his bright future because of me and my baby? I know him. He was so kind. He will take full responsibility on me if he knows about it. But she was right. If I do so, I will ruin his life myself. She asked me, am I sure he really love me or he was just excited with this feeling, with this forbidden relationship? It wasn’t as easy as I thought. His family will be the biggest obstacle that I can never cross over. I smiled sadly at myself. She was right. His future was already well planned; his life was already well designed ahead. And the sad truth was I won’t be a part of it.   

Everything was a mistake. That night was a mistake. If I didn’t go out without thinking, that accident wouldn’t happen. I should listen to him. I should let him bring me to the hospital instead. I shouldn’t have let him to help me himself. I was sure I’m conscious. Although I felt very suffer and unable to control myself but I’m conscious. I still clearly remembered his worried gaze, his hesitant look and uncertain decision. I still clearly remembered everything that happened that night.     

There are those who say that fate is something beyond our command. I think it was true. No matter how hard I tried to avoid and hide from him, this day was finally here. I don’t understand why we always have to meet at the wrong time, wrong place. We shouldn’t have met in the first place.

I was freak out and rushed to the hospital to look for my daughter. My heart almost stopped beating knowing she was missing. I was running up and down the whole hospital looking for her. I can only start breathing normally when I saw her in the cafeteria talking with someone, that I don’t really pay any attention. I can only see his back.

That familiar voice that I used to hear and loved to hear, called my name. It appeared again after 9 years. I thought I was wrong but then when I looked up, when my eyes met that familiar gaze, my heart stopped. I mean everything stopped, froze. My brain was having a freeze. What is he doing here? I laughed silently at myself. What a stupid question? The white robe he was wearing is an obvious answer, right. He still looks the same, as handsome as ever. The gaze in those eyes, still look the same, looked straight into my soul, deep into my heart. His shock expression proved that he was surprised to see me too.  

I always imagine if we meet again one day, we will just smile at each other like old friends reunion. But why it has to be a moment like this, why it has to be here with So Won around? And he was the ahjussi-oppa So Won was talking about. Is fate trying to tease us again? I don’t know. This was the first time I felt thankful that So Won was so small in size due to her thalassemia disease. At least she doesn’t look like the age she was supposed to be. This man in front of me wasn’t stupid. He will find out the truth in no time. How long can I hide it from him? I don’t know, I don’t want to know. I just hope everything won’t happen at once. I have no time, no strength to deal with it yet, at least not now. So Won is my main priority now.

Love,

Shin Hye

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“Park So Won!”

Before Lee Min Ho could bring the little girl back to her ahjuhma, he was startled by the voice shouting behind him. His heart skipped a beat when he heard that familiar voice. Is that voice coming from the person he was looking all these years? He was still frozen in place for a moment after that little girl ran over to that person behind him. He took a deep breath before he stood up slowly and turned around.

The woman who was now kneeling in front of the little girl looked worried as she kept checking on her. Her hair was tied in a loose bun with strands falling over her face. Those eyes, those lips and that face; he has been dreaming and missing all these years. The person that he has been looking for so long was now appeared right in front of him.

Min Ho took another deep breath before he made his way to her. He was standing there, just looking at them but she seems doesn’t realize his existent. She was too concentrating on that little girl. With the close distance he was standing now, he took a closer look at her. The youthful flawless face of her had become slightly mature and blossomed to a woman now.

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9 years ago…

Min Ho was still looking at Park Shin Hye’s diary as a slight smile was curved on his lips. He didn’t read the content inside but just looking at the name written on the first page. Her handwriting was beautiful. Just then everyone in the class became silence when the class teacher entered the room with a student. Min Ho chuckled in disbelief looking at the girl standing in front with the teacher. She was the girl he tripped just now and the owner of the diary he was holding. He quickly kept the diary back into his bag.

“Good morning class. Before I take the attendance for today, I would like to introduce our new transferred student to all of you. Starting from today, she will be joining our class. Let us hear a few words from her.” The teacher turned to Shin Hye with a smile.

Shin Hye bowed politely at the teacher before turning to all students. “Annyeonghaseyo. My name is Park Shin Hye and I was transferred from Daegu High school. I’m new here so I still have a lot of things to learn from all of you. I hope you can take good care of me. Thank you.” She finished her sentence with a smile as she bowed at them.

“Don’t worry, the students here are all very friendly and I’m sure they will take good care of you. But since today is your first day, I’m sure you are not familiar with the school yet. You are lucky because the president of the student council is in the same class with you.” The teacher turned to Min Ho. “Lee Min Ho, I’ll pass Shin Hye to you now. Please show her around and take good care of her.”

Shin Hye turned to the direction where the teacher was looking and her eyes were now widened in shocked. That was the guy who tripped her just now. He flashed her a smile as he waved his hand at her.

“Your place is at the empty seat beside him.” The teacher told her.

Shin Hye nodded uncomfortably as she slowly walked towards her place. She let out a sigh before she sits down on the chair.

“Hi, Park Shin Hye.” Min Ho greeted her with a sheepish smile. “I never thought we will meet again so soon. So you were the reason why our class started late today.”

Shin Hye put her bag down before she gave him a piercing glare. “If you didn’t make me fall down in the garden just now, the class was already started long ago. It was your fault. You should apologize and not…”

“Shhh…” Min Ho cut her off and put his index finger on his lips as he pointed at the teacher in front.

“Okay class, take your text book out and turn to page 68…”

Min Ho let out another smile when Shin Hye gave him another glare with her pouty lips.

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“This is the notice board where you can check all the announcement that posted by all the clubs and that staircase can connect to the science lab. That room with the red door is…” Min Ho paused as he looked at Shin Hye who was not concentrating on what he was saying. He was busy showing her around the school but she doesn’t seem interested at all. She was busy looking for something in her bag. He stopped walking and narrowed his eyes at her.

Shin Hye stopped her steps too when she saw Min Ho standing there looking at her. “Wae?”

“You are still angry because of the incident this morning?” Min Ho asked as he raised his hand up at her. “I apologize. I’m sorry and it was my fault that I make you fall. Don’t be angry, okay?”

Shin Hye looked at him in confusion before she let out a soft laugh. “It was true that it was your fault that I fell down this morning and I appreciated your apology.” She smiled at him. “But I’m not angry with you.”

“Then what are you doing? I was showing you the school. If you don’t concentrate you will get lost tomorrow. This school is very big you know.” Min Ho said.

“I know but… I’m looking for something very important. I think I left it somewhere but I just couldn’t remember where.” Shin Hye said as something crossed her mind. Sh