POHANG

That night, Ji Hyo does more chores than she usually does. She washes and dries the dishes, she cuts all the fruits and packs them in containers and stores them in the fridge, she cleans up and arranges all of I Seul’s toys, she does some online shopping for her shop, she folds her and I Seul’s clothes and even So Min’s clothes, she wipes all the furniture. And of course, doing all of them with the curtains closed. After she’s done doing all of that, she picks up the trash and takes a peep outside to make sure they’re not outside. When she sees there’s no one, she hurriedly walks outside to throw away the trash to the garbage disposal.

All of a sudden, she feels a pair of rough hands pull her into the alley beside her house. His hands are on her wrists. She remembers that touch, she can easily recognize that touch. Even after four years, she still knows that it’s him. She can feel him against her body. He smells different though.

The alley is so dark that she can’t see him clearly, but she knows he is looking straight at her, taking her appearance in. He always does, scratch that, did that. His breath is fanning her cheeks like it always has. And she can’t think properly when he is this close.

She feels his thumb runs over her lips, and before she can think straight and pushes him away, his lips are on hers. The kiss starts slow and light as if even his lips don’t believe that they’re kissing the same lips they used to kiss and ravish every day. And then the kiss stops before she hears him mumble, “I miss this.” Not until a second later, they are back crashing hers.

Those lips are still the same. Ji Hyo hates herself for still remembering his touch, his voice, and his lips. Her eyes water immediately and the reality of what’s happening suddenly hits her.

After pushing him away with all that she’s got, she slaps him hard. “How dare you?”

It takes Jong Kook a few seconds to stable himself, even though he’s much bigger and stronger than her. The slap hurts. He looks at Ji Hyo, who’s hugging herself as if she’s protecting herself from him. And this view hurts him more. The hatred is thick in her words.

“Sorry.” Jong Kook mutters, trying to look straight into her eyes, but they are looking right and left frantically searching for an escape route.

“I’ve got to go.”

“Ji Hyo-yah.” Again, Jong Kook tries to hold her hands, which gets replied by a panic shake.

“You don’t get to call me that again.” Ji Hyo snaps. “You’ve lost that right years ago.”

“Listen to me.” Jong Kook pleads.

She can feel how gentle he’s talking to her as if she’s a fragile china doll that needs to be protected from a bad guy. But the truth is, the bad guy is him, and she needs to be saved from him.

“Listen to you?” Ji Hyo laughs harshly. “Why? What are you going to say? That you are sorry? That it was a mistake? What?”

“No, I mean, yes it is, but I-” Jong Kook stutters. Even listening to his voice makes her inside curls up and the only thing she wants to do is cry.

“Stop. You’re the one who has to listen to me.” Ji Hyo cuts him, it might become a habit cutting his sentence. “I don’t need your sorry, okay. I just wish that I will never have to see your face again.”

Jong Kook is stunned for a second. He has never been the receiving harsh side of Ji Hyo. She was the sweetest soul that sometimes cursed and was hot-headed, but she never did that to him. She was the calmer one and she always could calm him down. And now that she becomes like this, he hates that he’s the reason for that sweet soul to become bitter.

Ji Hyo almost leaves when she hears him saying, “Don’t you want to know about Ha Neul?” That makes her stop in her track instantly. There’s nothing more she wants to ask than her only daughter.

“She’s here with me. We’re here for a vacation.” Jong Kook adds.

Ji Hyo’s eyes turn misty immediately. She has been an emotional wreck ever since she saw him earlier.

“Don’t you want to see your daughter?”

Ji Hyo really wants to turn around and asks him to take her to her daughter, but something inside her stops her. She reminds herself that she has no right. She’s the one who left her behind. She’s the one who walked away from her that day.

When Ji Hyo still doesn’t say anything, Jong Kook continues, “She’s not that excited to be here actually, but I can-”

“No.” There. That’s her answer.

“What?” He can’t believe his own ears.

“I said no.” Ji Hyo whispers after taking a deep breath. “No, I don’t want to see Ha Neul. I have no right and I have no place in her life ever since I left her that day with you.”

“Ji Hyo-yah, you’re still her Eomma.” Jong Kook frowns.

Ji Hyo has to keep her tears at bay because she can’t cry in front of him. “And I would appreciate it if she never knew that I am her mother.”

Jong Kook is really taken aback by her words. He has never imagined that Ji Hyo would turn out to be like this because of him. He wants to tell her how sorry he is and how much Ha Neul needs her mother. No, even he needs her in his life.

“And for goodness sake, stay away from me.” Ji Hyo growls. “I don’t want to see you or that woman’s face ever again.”

Just when Ji Hyo takes another step to get away from there, Jong Kook asks, “Who’s the guy with you earlier?”

Ji Hyo’s breathing quickens. This is what she is dreading. She doesn’t want him to know that I Seul is his son.

“How is that your business?” Ji Hyo answers sarcastically.

Jong Kook ignores that. “Is he your husband?”