"So she fainted after her father hugged her?" said Junyoung as he laid down the cup of coffee he has served for himself.
"Yes. I saw her that way when I touched her back before we became together," said Dean as he sat down the metal chairs at the backyard porch.
"Poor Chahye," said Junyoung.

Youngsoo came back with another maid and placed a tray of cupcakes on the table. "Call us if you need anything more," he smiled as he walked back inside the house.

Junyoung noticed how Dean followed Youngsoo and the maid back inside. "Bada-nim is so rich that he has a person to do his every beck and call," he said.
Dean looked back at him and smiled. "It must be nice to live like that," he said.
"Maybe. Maybe not," smiled Junyoung.
Dean shifted in his seat and reached for the cup of coffee in front of him. "So... How come you're here?" he asked the lawyer. "Aren't you Chahye's lawyer?"
"I am," answered Junyoung. "I've only met Bada 2 years ago."
"How?" asked Dean.
"You always have a lot of questions, don't you, Mr. Kwon Hyuk?" said the lawyer.
"And aren't lawyers trained to answer those questions?" the boy answered back.
"No. We were trained to both ask and answer questions," smiled Junyoung.

Dean just smiled and continued to eat his cupcake. While Junyoung asked for a cup of coffee, he asked for a glass of apple juice. He sat in front of the lawyer and looked around the backyard. He saw one of the servant men cleaning the pool from inside, scrubbing the tiles. Another was raking leaves from the ground.

"Will Chahye be all right with him in that room?" asked Dean all of a sudden.
"I believe she will. He's her father," answered Junyoung.
"But.. You should have seen how she reacted when he came close to her," said Dean.
"That's because Bada-nim touched her. As long as he doesn't touch her, I believe Chahye will be all right," he said.
"Is that why you never hugged her?" asked Dean.
"Excuse me?" asked Junyoung.
Dean looked at him and crossed his legs. "I saw you visiting her a lot of times, remember? I never saw you hug her, touch her arm at the very least. And you said you've known her for more than 12 years already. What do you know about her?" he asked.
Junyoung smiled and took a final sip on his coffee before putting it back down on the saucer on the table. "You are very smart, Mr. Kwon Hyuk. Very observant," he said.
"I believe victims have a mentality to not talk about their predicament just to anyone. If Chahye didn't grow up with her father, her mother dead and her cousins only visiting, how do you know she's telling you the truth? How did you say yes to becoming her lawyer? Who pays you? Does her father do that?" asked Dean.
Junyoung only looked at him as he mentioned his questions. Right after, he smiled and shook his head. "Chahye hasn't told you any more than what happened to her, has she?" he asked.
"I only know a few, I guess," said Dean shifting in his seat. "She won't talk to me so freely. Then why don't you tell me?" he finally said looking straight at the older man.
Junyoung smiled and looked back at Dean. "You're right," he said. "Maybe I should tell you. Chahye... Hmm... She doesn't remember me. Or if I may say, the memories of her childhood with her mother. The doctor said, it could be selective memory loss. But it may also be Chahye's choice to never get back to it."
"What do you mean?" asked Dean.
"Twelve years ago, Chahye was my neighbor," said Junyoung.

"Junyoung! Are you busy?" my mother called out from the bottom of the stairs. 
"Just finishing my research, eomma!" I shouted back.
"Hurry then and please bring some naengmyun to Jihye-ssi across the street," she said.

She always had a kind heart, especially to the neighbors across the street. I was already 21 then and I understood perfectly why she liked them.

I typed in the last paragraph to my essay and pumped my fists in delight. All I had to do was go to a PC cafe tomorrow, finish the draft and have it printed. I'm going to be all set for my last class in the university tomorrow. "Hurry up, Junyoung-ah!" I heard my mother shout again. I looked back at the door and sighed. It was already 5pm and we were only waiting for my older sister to come home. I peeked through my window and looked out. The house across the street seems to be occupied and I smiled. I stood up and took the jacket hanging by the hook behind my door, put it on and walked out of the room.

I took the bowl of naengmyun from the kitchen counter and walked out of the house. I stood at the sidewalk and looked around first before crossing the street. The house didn't have a gate or wall and since they had big windows, you could easily see what was happening inside. I was walking towards the door when I saw the little girl from the window. She was reading a book. I knew she was smart. I was about to knock when she lifted her head from the desk and saw me through the window. I smiled. She did, too, ever so warmly.

I didn't need to knock anymore. The door opened and she greeted me.

"Oppa," she said so sweetly.
"I brought you naengmyun," I said stooping down.
"I'll call eomma," she said running back inside, leaving the door open for me to step in. They always let me inside their house, only when it's day time though.
"Ah. Junyoung-ssi, annyeonghaseyo," greeted Aunt Jihye as she wiped her hands along her apron.
"Annyeong imo. Eomma wanted to give this to you," I said handing her the bowl in my hands. "It's naengmyun."
"Ah... Really?" she said reaching her hands to take the bowl. "Your mother is so sweet, Junyoung-ah. But I don't have anything to give you in return," she said. "Please wait here as I place it in another bowl."
"I will," I nodded. She walked back to the kitchen visible from the small living area where a TV and a single sofa laid. 
Someone started to tug on my shirt and I looked down. "Chahye," I said smiling. 
She took her hand out and opened it. "Eomma doesn't have anything to give you. But I have candy. Please give one to auntie, too," she said smiling.
I grinned and took the three pieces of milk candy from her hands. "Thank you. Eomma will love this," I said putting a hand on top of her head and ruffling her hair. 

Suddenly, a baby started crying. It came from the crib in front of the television. I walked over to it and looked down. Daejung was already awake. I tapped on his leg and tried to calm him. Luckily, Aunt Jihye walked back into the living area. She stood beside the crib and carried Daejung in her hands.

"Aaaawww... Are you already hungry, Daejung-ah?" she said.
I looked at her as she carried her son. It's been a long while since we had a baby in our family. I have a niece but my sister already lives with her husband in Ansan. "You and Daejung-ah have the same eyes, auntie," I said.
"Do you think so? Thank you, Junyoung-ah," said Jihye. She brought one of her arms down and touched Chahye's cheek. "My beautiful daughter also has my eyes," she said smiling at Chahye.
"She does," I said smiling.

We stood there for who knows how long, as Daejung stopped crying and then taking in the wonder of having a baby in a family. But Aunt Jihye started looking at me weirdly just as Daejung reached for my hands. I will never forget how her stare made me feel so worried and bad.

Aunt Jihye let Daejung go and placed him back inside the crib. Chahye went back to reading her book as she sat right next to her brother. I followed Aunt Jihye into the kitchen.

"Please tell your mother that I owe her," she said smiling, taking our bowl from their sink.
"It's all right, auntie. Eomma always does things without waiting for anything in return," I said smiling.
She looked back at me and the worried stare was back. "Junyoung-ah... Can I ask you a favor?" she asked.
"Uhm... What is it, auntie?" I asked back.
"I know you are a very busy student and teenager, and you may not be always available... But I have a favor to ask you... Not a favor... A request," she said hesitantly.
"What is it, auntie? I can't promise," I said, already sensing that something wasn't right.
"Can... Can I ask you to always keep an eye on my daughter? On my children?" she said.
"Auntie," I said. I knew that wasn't possible.
"It's not as though I want you to always guard them or always be there. I know you won't be able to do that," she said. "All I ask is... If my children need anything and I'm not there, could you try to be there and support them? To guide them?"
"Uhm.. Aunt Jihye... Why do you sound like you're leaving or something?" I asked.
"I am not," she grinned. "But... I will be starting to work at nights and.... And you know what happens. So please? Could you do that for me?" she said. "Chahye listens to you and I trust you," she added with a smile as she gave the bowl over to me.
"I... I will try my best," I said.

Years passed and I think I was able to do what she asked from me. Maybe. I go to the university in the morning and do part-time jobs in the afternoon. I would come home at around 5pm and I would stop by in front of their house just to check up on Chahye and Daejung.

Chahye had a habit of opening their house door and sitting in the middle of it, reading a book or doing her homework. She loves seeing people walk by our neighborhood where most of the families had children going to school. She was very friendly and she always smiled at people. Unluckily, since she had a younger brother and working parents, she barely left the premises of their house, scared that Daejung would go look for her. But whenever I appear, she would stand up and run to me and say hello. During winters, when she can't go out because of the cold, she would open the window and watch everyone and wave her arm from inside. She was such a bright and warm child.

But then... Things started to change.

I didn't give it much attention because Chahye was already around 10 years old then, 5th grade. I always thought she was just becoming aloof because her grade level would have already demanded more school work than usual. She rarely went out. She rarely talked to people. Not even me.

It was already 6pm that one night I went home. From afar, I can see their house with the lights on. Knowing that Aunt Jihye would have already been preparing to leave, I didn't bother stopping by. But as I opened the gate to our house, I caught a glimpse of someone sitting on the sidewalk in front of their house. I called out her name as I walked over.

"Chahye-ssi... Why are you out at this time?" I asked as I adjusted my backpack. She looked up at me and opened , probably to tell me something, but she closed them as quick as she opened them and then looked back down on the pavement, her knees pressed together as her arms were around it. "Is your mother still home?" I asked as I squatted in front of her.

She just nodded then looked back at their front door.

I looked as well and understood what was keeping her from being inside. A part of me that night wanted to pick her up and bring her home and let her eat my mother's home-cooked meals. She has always been skinny ever since. But a part of me knew better than to meddle with parental affairs.

She looked back at me and stared long into my eyes.If only words were spoken through vision, Chahye could have told me a whole and finished novel. I put a hand of mine on top of her head, just like old times, and she grinned, a very, very faint one.

"Come on. Do you want to eat a burger or something? I know just the right place where kids could enjoy," I offered, giving my hand out as I stood up. She reached for it and stood up as well, dusting her home shorts and looking up at me. 

But just as I held her hands, the door to their house opened and came out her father, Aunt Jihye right behind him. I smiled and bowed. I felt Chahye's grip on my hand tighten and I just took that as hesitation.

"What are you doing boy?" he asked.
I stood straight and bowed. "I saw Chahye sitting here and I was wondering if I could take her out to this burger joint I know that has a playground inside their store. We were just about to come in and ask for your permission," I said ever so happily.
"Junyoung-ssi," said Aunt Jihye.
"No. You are not taking my daughter to some playground, not at this time of night," he said walking towards me and yanking Chahye away. "How do I know that we could trust you? What if you do something to her?!" he bellowed at me.
I kept my cool and stood manly in front of him. "Sir, I'm one of your neighbors and I live right across the street. Surely, you can trust me. Your wife has already asked me to look after your children if you are both unavailable," I said bravely.
"Junyoung-ssi, I think that's enough," she said taking Chahye by the arm and telling her to go back inside the house.
He looked at her and I noticed how his ears were starting to turn red. "You told a kid to look after the kids?! You asked some random boy to look after them?! How much more stupid are you?!" he shouted at her.
"Chulhyun... I was just asking a favor. He doesn't need to actually do it," answered aunt Jihye as calmly as she could.
"And what if something bad happens?! Would you face the consequences?!" he shouted.
I couldn't stand it and had to in. "Excuse me, sir. But please stop shouting at your wife, especially not out here," I said in a loud manner.
He turned around to look at me and suddenly charged at me, his hands taking my collar and lifting me off my feet. "You have no right to get into our conversation. I will shout at my wife just as I please. Meddle with your own business boy!" he shouted. 

Luckily, one of my friends came and visited my house and just as he was about to ring the doorbell, he saw the commotion happening across the street and called my mom. They ran towards us and stopped him from strangling me. He then started pointing at my mother and shouted, "Is this your son!? Is this your goddamn son?!"
"Stop shouting at my mother!" I growled pushing his arms away from her, from us. My friend was able to push me away from him before he could shot back a fist at me.
"You tell your goddamn son to stay away from my family, from my house and from my kids! You understand?!" he shouted. "I'm going to sue you if I ever see you step on this house again."

I saw aunt Jihye pulling him and taking him back into the house. My friend and my mother, who was starting to cry that time, did their best to bring me home. The last scene I can clearly remember from that night was seeing Chahye cry at the door as she watched me go inside our house, her father's hands on her arm and taking her inside.

That was the last day I ever got so close to Chahye. We always saw each other though but only through windows, through doors, from across the street. She stopped smiling at me, at everybody. She didn't even wave her arms when I started it. There was also a time that she ran away when I started walking towards her, knowing that she was alone. It's like she never knew me. But even though that predicament happened, I always tried to look after them. I made sure I looked at their house before I slept, before I went to the university. My mother would still have some food sent to their house. We were all still worried about them. Especially when we knew how much of a drunkard her father was, of how he hurts them, of how his "discipline" sometimes went too overboard.

And then the dreadful night came.

I remember being up in my room. That day was my anniversary at the law firm I was working at. Being a lawyer came with its perks but more than that, I was just too happy because I already became a junior associate despite only having 2 years of experience. My mom decided to throw a little party and cook food for the family. My sister decided to visit as well and so we were delighted. 

I was finishing some emails that night and couldn't avoid looking over the house across the street. The lights were all on. It was already 7pm and I haven't seen aunt Jihye walk out and go. Daejung was sick. I knew because I heard my mother over the phone with her. She hasn't been coming to work for 2 days already. Daejung was already four then and I was worried. What if it was the SARS disease? It was becoming prominent in Asia and I was worried. I knew their family didn't have enough money to send their children to the hospital. I was guilty because just as my family was celebrating, Aunt Jihye and Chahye were suffering.Moments later, as I was staring at their house, I saw aunt Jihye walk out. But rather than turning left, she crossed the street to our house. I stood up and tried to look down. There were my mother and sister at the gate welcoming her.

I quickly put on proper pants and a shirt and ran down the stairs to the front yard. I saw aunt Jihye, but she already wrapped herself with a coat and was ready to leave. She saw me at the door and gave me that same stare she gave me 4 years back. It made me turn into stone. It scared me. Something about it scared me. Then she smiled and walked away. My mother approached me and told me her story.

"Your aunt Jihye needs to go to work. She was hoping she could get her pay a day early so she could bring Daejung to the hospital tomorrow or on Saturday. She asked if we could keep an eye on the house until her husband comes home," she said.

But I just stood there. Afraid. A few moments later, just as I stared at the lifeless house, I looked back at my mother who prepared the table, my brother-in-law doing the barbecue. "Why didn't you just call me, eomma? We could have just lent aunt Jihye some money. That way, she wouldn't have to leave Chahye and Daejung alone in the house," I said.
"I told her, Junyoung-ah. But she said that she owes us so much more than just money. She said she couldn't add anything more to that," my mother said,
"What does she mean by that though, eomma?" asked my sister. "She hasn't borrowed anything from us yet, right?"
"I don't understand either, aegi," my mother said. "But i was thinking that maybe she believes everything we've been giving her, food, time, drinks, those kinds, are her debts to us. Nonsense. I don't want her to think that I want her to repay all of the kindness we've been showing her family."
"Despite her husband being a pain in the neck," said my sister.

That night, I was restless. Yes, we were in a festive mode. Three of my good friends came to visit and celebrate with us. Even my then girlfriend dropped by. But I could not help but feel worried that I always had my eyes on their house. It was already turning 9 in the evening and all the lights in the house were still open. Chahye must have still been awake because her father hasn't come home yet. She must have been looking after Daejung then who was still sick. 

Just as my brother-in-law opened a bottle of champagne, we saw a man being thrown out of a car, landing on the pavement across the street.It was Kang Chulhyun-ssi. He was drunk, as he has always been each and every night. I always suspected that he had a group, a gang or something. But of course, no one ever knew. He laid on the pavement for a good while that my mother thought he was dead. He wasn't. He got up and balanced himself and walked over to the house tipsy. I have always felt bad for families that had members like them. 

Just as he opened the door, I saw one of the lights from a window turn off. That was Chahye's room, I know it was. I thought she already grew weary and slept. Poor kid always looked like she lacked sleep. And so we went on with our party, not minding the cold air from that night. It wasn't really that long after when a shiny black car stopped in front of their house and I saw aunt Jihye come down and bow to whoever was inside the car. I never got to ask her about it.

I watched her just as she walked inside the house. She shouldn't have been home yet. She usually comes home at around 6 in the morning. I don't know what happened but as she was about to go in, she stopped and cautiously looked around, later on locking gazes with me. She gave me that worried look again.

She went in and closed the door softly. I went back to my own business but I noticed the lights inside the house not turning off. Then it started.

Screams. Cries. I heard them from across the street. My mother heard it. All of us heard it. Even our next door neighbor heard it and peeked through their window, shouting at us if we knew what was going on.

We didn't.

But by reflex, I stood up and opened our gate. I ran across the street with one of the fathers from the other neighbors. I can't remember which one, of them they were anymore. But I remember perfectly how the whole street knew that Chahye's father was violent and problematic. But as I stepped on the sidewalk, I heard it.

A gunshot.

Then the cry of despair from a young female voice.

"Chahye..."

Without even thinking twice, I rushed to the door and opened it wide,the starting scent of iron coming from inside. I saw him, one hand on the gun. He was laughing and screaming then raised his hand above his head and fired again. I ducked, and also the guy outside that followed me. I heard screams outside and I saw him run outside throwing the gun away.

I got up to follow him, to stop him, but I heard a voice behind me and I stopped. "Daejung... Take Daejung..." That was what I heard from Chahye. She was turning white as snow but her grip on the little body of Daejung was tight. Their mother laid on her lap, motionless, dead. Daejung was alive and I crawled nearer, taking the boy in my arms, making Chahye lay her head on my thighs. She was alive. She wasn't hurt. But I knew right there that she was damaged. And there was very little of what I can do.

I cried that night. I think I cried until the police got to the house. Until now, I believe that their mother knew that day would come, when she would leave her children. She knew no one would be there to take care of the two and that's why she asked me to look after them. That night, I knew already that it was going to be my job to look after them. But that was what I thought.

Kang Chulhyun was arrested thanks to our neighbors' efforts in helping. I went to the hospital with Chahye and Daejung in the same ambulance. Aunt Jihye died. Chahye was taken into a separate room because she was unconscious and showed signs of varied heart rates. She was in shock. Daejung was taken to the infirmary with me because the kid cried even louder in the arms of the nurses. I left Chahye alone. I called aunt Jihye's sister, the only relative of theirs that I knew off. They came and it was crazy in the hospital especially when the doctor came out of Chahye's room and told us that she was a repeated victim. The fresh on her belonging to her own father. Or at least that was what I knew back then.

Her aunt told me that Kang Chulhyun was not Chahye's father but Daejung's. My already heightened hartred towards him doubled when I realized that he was a violent e who killed his own wife and a child that all her life believed he was her father. He was a demon.

It got even darker when Chahye finally woke up. I remember all of us gathered around her bed, waiting for her to wake up. And she did. But it wasn't pretty. It was her aunt that first approached her closely when she opened her eyes. She looked straight at her and her eyes opened wide. Even with needles attached to her, Chahye squirmed, screamed and crawled away from her aunt. She was scared. She was crying. I tried to do it. But she was screaming, too. Then Jisuk-ssi pushed me away hard, I fell to the ground. He sat on the bed and took his cousin by her arms. Jiho-ssi sat beside him trying to calm his cousin as well.

"Chahye, it's me. Jisuk oppa."
"And I'm Jiho."
"Stop crying."
"It's Friday. We're going to the river today, said dad."
"Yeah. I brought my bicycle."

The two talked to her like they were just going to play tag somewhere. Slowly, Chahye's cries died and she was looking straight at her cousins. I remember her even telling them, "I don't have my own bicycle". The only people that calmed her down were the brothers. They showed her smiles but when she's asleep, Jiho cries. Jisuk cries and he was the most devastated and angry. We learned in the end through numerous psychological exams that Chahye couldn't remember any if us but the brothers. The doctor explained that it was so because she had beautiful memories with them, playing, laughing, going places. She couldn't remember her aunt because she looked like Aunt Jihye. She couldn't remember me because I was one of the people that her father attacked. She remembered Daejung though. The moment she saw Daejung, she rushed to him and hugged him and refused to have him taken away.

"I swear I'll kill him, too," I heard Jisuk say as he stared at his cousin on the bed lying asleep.
"You shouldn't say that, Jisuk-ssi," I said.
"What would you do if someone like him did that to your aunt and cousin? Almost killing all of them?" said Jisuk.

I wasn't able to answer. I understood his anger.

Because of the circumstance, the kids were immediately taken into child services for both parents being incapable of taking care of them. But the brothers didn't like the idea of them having to live with different people who no one could trust, especially with Chahye. When child services said that they can do a motion for reconsideration if they had a legal counsel, even without thinking, I stepped up and said that I was their legal counsel. Chahye's aunt took me by the arm and told me that they didn't have any money to pay me. I work for a high-end firm, not the public office.

"You don't have to pay me. Aunt Jihye's and Chahye's life can not amount to anything this world can offer."

"You know that time when there's something you really want to do not even thinking of what would happen in the future? That's me. That's what I thought that day. That's what I decided to do until the end of my career, find justice and forever be of help to Chahye," said Junyoung sipping on his coffee.
"Your mission in life," said Dean.
"Probably," I said hiking my shoulders up.
"You said Chahye didn't remember anyone. How were you able to get a statement from her for court? How does she know things and people now?" asked Dean.

"Truthfully, like what I said earlier, the doctor believes she has shut her mind about that time in her life. She barely knows anything about the years she was living with Kang Chulhyun. She might not even remember how Daejung looks like when he was a baby. The only memories she knows are those during and after the incident. The shock triggered her memory loss. If it was Chahye's choice, she would have never had a single memory about that night," explained Junyoung and Dean was all ears. "However... Sadly, we did a psychological procedure to get into her mind. We needed it for her case, to get Kang Chulhyun in bars. You can say that the doctor forced the memories out of her subconscious. It was a kind of hypnosis. I was there when they did it, me and her aunt. It was saddening when they got to the part where he was her and Chahye was telling us. It was sickening. But it was more devastating when she started replaying the scene when her mother died. She was screaming and crying. The last memory she told... and I can never forget her words...."

"Her head laid on my legs and she was dead. I knew she was dead. My mother was dead. Blood was flowing from her chest, her body was arching up and down from the floor, hitting herself on the floor. Her arms looked weird and her eyes started dilating as she gave me her last look. But a body was right beside me, holding me and cried. I looked down and see a baby boy. He was alive. I looked up slowly and I'm finding it hard to breathe. I couldn't breathe. My throath hurt and my eyes were droopy. I just wanted it to end. His gun was pointing at me and I held my brother tighter. I felt my mouth open and I said 'oppa'. I was crying..."

Her eyes were closed but she was crying. The doctor said it was all right if we made a sound because the subject would only react, listen and answer to the host and that was her, not me. But I kept my mouth sealed with my hand. Even I felt her tears and I couldn't handle it.

"What happened next as you cried?" asked the doctor.

"It felt like forever. I waited to die. I was expecting it. But then there was light," said Chahye.
"Where was it coming from?" asked the doctor.
"It came from the door beside me and I could see him. Oppa. He fired his gun, I didn't see where but I didn't care to look because I was looking at oppa. I raised my arm and I pushed Daejung to him. But he refused to let me go. I saw him crying but I didn't hear it. Oppa. I didn't hear anything. My mouth moved and I said, 'Take Daejung'. I may have said something else but I saw the walls spinning. I felt something under my head and it was soft. I looked up and I said something," said Chahye still with tears falling down her face.

"What did you say, Chahye?" asked the doctor. She didn't answer. The doctor looked back at us with a quizzical look. "Can you tell me what you said?" asked the doctor again. Chahye didn't answer again but was open. I watched her, signalling the doctor to try one more time. "Did you say it softly that night?" she asked.
"No, I said it like this," said Chahye.

She didn't say a thing but I saw moved. "My light..." I whispered, just enough for the doctor to hear. "She's saying, 'my light'," I repeated. The doctor looked back at Chahye whose head hung low. She called her name but she didn't answer. Her aunt and I looked at each other. "Doctor, I think this is already that time when she lost consciousness," I said. "She gave me Daejung and laid her head on my thighs before losing consciousness."
"Do you know what she meant by saying 'light'?" the doctor asked.
"I... I'm not sure... It may be the light coming from outside," I said.

"Funny... She calls me her light, too," said Dean.
"Really now?" said Junyoung.
Dean nodded. "So... Do you mean that everything about her life before that night, was forgotten? That she chose to forget them?" asked Dean.
"Yes... Has she ever told you stories of when she was a kid? At school? Gradeschool to be exact?" inquired Junyoung.
"Now that I think of it, no... I haven't heard of any stories about her during that time," he answered. "She always only told me stories of when she was in highschool and present."
"That's why she never hugs me anymore. She doesn't remember me as the kind neighbor, but the lawyer that helps them," said Junyoung feeling a tug in his chest.
"You loved her, didn't you?" asked Dean.
Junyoung smiled and took a long sip from his coffee. "I did. I do. I don't know if it's affection as a sibling, as a father, as a friend, or because there's more to it. But I do. I love Chahye. I care for her. Before you, I was her light," he said with a smile. "But she doesn't remember that anymore."
"I'm sorry."
"Why be?"
"Because I'm the light she remembers now."
"Don't worry about that, boy. Chahye deserves to know that she has people she can trust."
"Chahye said that she went to Japan and Canada with her cousins. Why?"
"We were going through cases and hearings and Chahye was just 12 years old then. She was going through so much stress than any other kid should. She was also having a hard time with school especially being with people she didn't know. There were some times that she refused to let go of her cousins and every night would be a crying fit. The family decided to make her see the world, other places, other people, thinking she would learn to cope with the trauma. She did. But it was gradual. In Canada, she learned to go through days without her cousin and be strong alone. And since generally, Canada is one of the nicest countries, she learned to talk to other people. She learns very quick and was able to get a good grasp of the language, too. In Japan, where living means having to spend too much, she learned about working hard in life, and value money and time. She came back here when she turned 15."
"Just in time for highschool."
"Yes."
"Where was Daejung then?"
"Because of child services and the light of the case, initially, the two should have been entered into the government's custody. But I made an appeal to allow Chahye to stay with Jisuk's family as her current mental condition only allows her a peaceful state in the presence of their family. But because Daejung was Chulhyun's son, the murderer of their sister, he was denied custody under aunt Jihye's sister. He was sent to Chulhyun's cousins at Incheon. Of course, the kids received allowances from child custody until they become fully capable of supporting themselves."
"Until they were 18."
"Yes."
"That's why Daejung still receives something and Chahye doesn't. She needs to work."
"Correct."
"When did the case end?"
"She was 14 then. She came back from Canada."
"Did you know she had a boyfriend in highschool?"
"Hmmm... What's his name again? Oh Hyuk? Same name as you."
"You knew?"
"I know everything about her. It's my duty to."
"She mentioned that during highschool, she had problems and a past she doesn't want people to learn. That's the reason they broke up."
"Hmm... You must be talking about that assault case she had with one of their highschool teachers."
"What?!"
"One of their teachers told her to come visit him in the office for extra classes or something. He pinned her to the wall and was already touching her."
"What the ?! What happened?! What happened to the teacher?!"
"Got rid of his teaching license and exiled to Daegu."
"But... How did you all know about it? That teacher assaulting her?"
"Do you know this kid they call Jam? CJamm, I think?"
"Uhm... Yes?"
"He said he was walking towards the other office because he had detention when he peeked through the teacher's office knowing that Chahye would be there for extra lessons. They were friends. He went in and saw them, eventually punching the teacher and kicking his balls. CJamm described himself as crazy and he was. The guy had a black eye and a broken arm because he hit the edge of the table. I bet his broke, too. CJamm was faced with an expulsion case and refused to talk about why he did it. Chahye though... She called me one day and made me go to their school. She admitted to the school council what really happened and that she was going to file a case against the teacher if they wouldn't turn the expulsion over. They wavered to keep the kid in school but the teacher still got kicked out of his career after they learned who Chahye was."
"What do you mean when they knew who Chahye was?"
"Jin Bada-nim... He heard the news and scared the whole school and government's Education Department. He's a big guy."
"Wait... So you knew about her father ever since and never told her?"
"I only learned about that story 4 years ago. Don't get mad at me."
"How?"
"Remember, I said that I always saw a shiny black car sending Aunt Jihye home? That was him. I just didn't know at first."
"So... What's his story?"
"As far as I know, after Bada-nim telling me his story is that aunt Jihye gave birth to Chahye with them still together. Chaye spent her first 4 years in life inside this house. She was his secretary then, and also a mistress."
"So that's why the servants here knew her? Why did they break up then?"
"Because Bada-nim's family came back from America. He couldn't face them with a new child. It was hard for him. But since he was a big man in the industry, he feared his reputation as well. But secretly, he has visited them, passing on a little bit of money to aunt Jihye to support his child."
"What did he do when Chahye's mother died then?"
"He saw it as his fault."
"But he never came to meet her?! Chahye?!"
"He did. But he was a coward. And Chahye wouldn't have seen him then."

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I hope the writing style I used didn't bother though. o_O