She didn’t remember them. Areum panicked. She had this hope that when she saw her parents, the memories would magically come flooding back into her mind, overwhelming but wonderful and they’d embrace and talk about what happened and put it all behind them.

That couldn’t be further from how the meeting went. Areum felt stiff and weighed down with the guilt of not remembering anything. Not even flashes of their faces or voices and she really tried.

They toured the house and kept pointing out objects or places,

“Oh Areum, this is where you hid for two days.” Her mother showed the spot.

“Why did she hide?” Jungkook was really good at playing the bridge between them. He managed her parent’s emotions and tried to fill in the awkward silences with his own stories.

“She wanted binoculars,” Dong-won recalled with a wry smile, “She wanted to spy on the insects.”

“That’s our Areum,” Jungkook said with true affection. Areum was struck by the warmth and familiarity that washed over but when she reached for more, the feeling disappeared. He was there somewhere in her. 

“I think that’s enough for one day.” Jungkook told Lee Dong-hyun. The elder agreed.

“You have to meet Se-young, Mina and Hana soon. They have been begging since Jungkookah told us he found you.” Her mother clasped her hands, she had tears in her eyes. “I could not have asked for me in life.” She kissed Areum’s hands.

Areum didn’t pull her hands away and waited for her mother to let go first. That was all she could offer for the moment.

“You did better than you think,” Jungkook assured as they walked across the street to his house. Areum stared up at it, she didn’t find it too big or even ominous. She felt drawn to it, was it because of this man beside her?

He took them through the garden door, “You used to lie under that tree and read for hours.”

“Jinja?” it was a beautiful shade tree.

“Really,” Jungkook responded, she caught his hand – again a glimpse of something. Jungkook waited, watching the play of emotions crossing her face and fading like shadows.

Areum shook free, “Even if I remember, I want you to know that I’m different now. I might not want the same things I did then.”

He ing hoped so. The old Areum wanted to leave him. He planned on never letting that happen.

“Give me a month.” Jungkook renegotiated. “Don’t go back to Udo. Stay here, with me. Be open to seeing the doctor and receiving treatment, learn about your old life and I promise if at the end of the month, you still want to leave – then I’ll willingly grant you a divorce and wish you a happy life.”

Areum was doubtful, “But would you be happy with that?

“Are you saying it to be polite or do you really care what happens to me?” under the cover of the tress, he stepped closer, “Will you allow yourself to really experience and feel what we were like?”

Areum couldn’t move even if her mind wanted to, her body remained rooted, almost leaning forward to be closer to him. She wanted him. The realisation washed over her. It consumed her, she wanted him to push her up against the rough bark of a tree, his hand on her leg, she’d wind her legs around him and he’d enter her…

Jungkook recognised the raw desire in her eyes. Areum shook her head and backed away, “Areum…let go and be with me. It’s how things should be.”

“I’m sorry, you should forget me too.” She turned and ran and ran. She thought he’d chase her. She thought she heard the pounding of heavy footsteps following her. She cried out.

“Hey!” strong arms circled her shoulders. Areum struggled, “Stop it.” The voice was strong, commanding. Not Jungkook. She pushed and the arms dropped, immediately letting her go.

“Calm down…” Kyung-sik raised his hands, “I’m not going to hurt you. Areumah.”

“You know me?” she peered at him. He was tall, taller than Jungkook, but not as strong in the shoulders or impression. He was good looking, he had the family looks but something fell just short of making him better looking than Jungkook. They had the same brown eyes, the same hair colour even, but the combination was all wrong.

“You’re staring.” He ran a self-conscious hand through his hair.

“I’m trying to remember you.”

He looked disappointed, “I thought you would have at least remembered me.”

“Why? Who are you?”

“Jeon Kyung-sik. I’m Jungkook’s older cousin and as it were, your good friend.”

“Friend?” she couldn’t picture herself friends with him.

“Well we didn’t really start out like that.” He smiled, “it must be a big shock huh?”

Areum nodded, “It’s so much to take in.” she looked around, “all of this.”

“Ah, but you ruled all of this effortlessly. You took care of everyone with magnificence that made other women envy you.”

“Me?” she laughed scornfully, “I’m just a fisher girl from a small island.”

“Is that what you believe or is that what you want everyone else to believe?” He tugged on her hair, “I missed it. Yo