“We should talk, Oppa.”

Jong Kook’s heart skips a beat. What is this about? Is she going to forbid him to come back with them again? Is history repeating itself?

“Aren’t we talking?” Jong Kook jokes, trying to ease his nervousness.

Ji Hyo gives a small smile. “Aniya, Oppa. We should really talk.”

“Okay.”

They sit down opposite to each other on the dining table. Ji Hyo takes a deep breath. This is it. This is the time to be honest. Finally. Time to tell him everything.

“Mianhae.”

That’s the first word she’s able to say. Her eyes are big and honest, while her voice is soft and emotional.

He exactly knows what she’s talking about. She’s talking about the short conversation, the lack of sentiments, the unending games, the mood swings, the repeated I love you’s and I hate you’s, and so much more over the last few years.

He just nods his head, not knowing what to say.

“I’ve just been confused and scared, and because I’ve ruined our marriage. And not just that, I come here and put ourselves through this again, I-” She looks down and brushes one tear away. “I just want you to know that I didn’t intend to do this in the first place. To hurt you again. In fact, I tried to fight it, I really did, I even thought about staying, but-”

She can’t continue. She keeps choking and her tears are not helping.

But one of her sentences catches his attention.

“You thought about what?”

“Staying. I was going to stay. I even had a few Indonesian classes with Gita again.” She tells him and when Jong Kook looks at her expectantly, she continues, “I just changed my mind because I thought about what you said and I thought that you were right.”

“Wait, what? What did I say?”

“That I was going to mess this up again.” Another tear escapes. She quickly brushes it away.

Did he really say that? Now, he feels bad he has to correct her mind. It definitely isn’t what he meant. “Aniya, Ji Hyo-yah, I-”

“Aniya, Oppa, gwaenchana. You were right to say that. I always do that, why wouldn’t I do it again?”

“No, that’s not what I meant. Before any of this happened, we were great. We were one strong couple and then-”

“Yeah,” Ji Hyo cuts him before he can complete his sentence. “And then I messed up. Just like you said, I was selfish, I am selfish.”

“Ji Hyo-yah…”

“I went to lunch with Gita’s old students and one of them told me about how she left her husband because he couldn’t move here for her. She said it showed her that her husband couldn’t see the opportunity and how important this was for her and that if he wasn’t willing to sacrifice for her, then she shouldn’t sacrifice for him. He was selfish. See, this is the same thing, Oppa.”

“It’s not, Ji Hyo-yah, and you know it.” Jong Kook argues. “Yes, a lot of messed up things happened and it’s not only because of you but because of me too. I should’ve been more understanding.”

Ji Hyo puts a hand on his forearm. “No, you were great, Oppa.”

“No, Ji Hyo-yah. You were pregnant. You were emotional and stressed and I shouldn’t have asked so much from you. You were already going through so much and then moving to another country, having to leave your family and friends behind, getting used to new things, I know they were all too much.”

Ji Hyo nods before she shakes her head. “The bottom line is I didn’t try, Oppa.”

“You did by coming down here with me.”

“But then I just gave up.”

“I shouldn’t have brought you here in the first place.” Ross massages his temples. Things would’ve been so different if they just talk things through.

Ji Hyo finally smiles thinly. “Look at us. First, we blamed each other and now we keep blaming ourselves.”

Jong Kook looks up at her. “Sometimes it seems like placing the blame is all we do. But it doesn’t change anything.”

“It really doesn’t.” Ji Hyo agrees.

They keep looking at each other for a long time. Ji Hyo realizes she still has a hand on his arm and tenderly it.

He looks down at his arm and then back at Ji Hyo. “I’m still coming back with you.”

“Aniya, Oppa. You don’t have to. We can stay here.” Ji Hyo refuses.

“You sacrificed a lot of things when you decided to come here with me. Even though it didn’t work it, you still did because you wanted to support me and realized the importance of it.” Jong Kook stares at her deeply. “And now, it’s my turn. Sure, being here is great with the beach and stuff, but I do miss Seoul. The tall buildings, the weather, the business of its streets, the food, our friends, all of them.”

“But your work…”

“I can always ask to be moved back to Seoul. Or if they don’t want to do that, I can always look for a new job.” Jong Kook smiles widely now.

“Are you sure, Oppa? You know you don’t have to prove me anything.”

Jong Kook nods firmly. “A hundred percent. We can always come back for vacations if we miss this island.” He holds Ji Hyo’s hand tightly. “We’ll try again in Seoul, okay? We never had any problems when we lived there.”

After postponing and rescheduling their tickets for three days, so Jong Kook could come back with them, they’re finally in Seoul now. The four of them in her apartment.

“Are you sleepy, Ah Ra-yah?” Ji Hyo nudges at the girl who’s putting her head on her father’s shoulder.

Ah Ra glances at her mother before putting her forehead on her father’s shoulder.

“Let me take you to your bed, okay?” Jong Kook whispers.

Ah Ra shakes her head and whines. “I want to stay like this.”

“Go to sleep, aegi-yah,” Ah In usually calls Ah Ra a baby when she’s whiny. “Appa wants to play with me.”

“No, I want to play with Appa.” Ah Ra sticks out her tongue.

“Play or sleep? Just be honest, you’re going to sleep anyway.” Ah In doesn’t stop teasing his sister. It’s just a hobby for him.

“I want to play with Appa! Oppa, go to sleep!” Ah Ra says with a pouty mouth.

“Eomma, tell the baby to go to sleep. Babies shouldn’t be awake in this hour.” Ah In continues teasing when he sees that the sky outside is getting darker.

Jong Kook can only smirk at Ji Hyo who’s shaking her head.

“Go rest the three of you. I’ll cook something and we’ll have dinner before you go to sleep.” Ji Hyo says after noticing that the clock shows 6.12 pm.

Ji Hyo