“Unnie, I have a favor to ask you. Please come to the court as the witness who saw Seola die, so that I may receive the punishment that I deserve. That’s the only way for me to get justice on the rest. Please.”

Reading that note from you, seeing how you much want to own up your mistake, has once again reminded me of how brave you are, Yoonhee.

I couldn’t say it then but sitting across from you and testifying against you was such a terrible experience I wouldn’t want to go through again. But no matter how much it pained me, I knew this is what you wanted and is the right thing to do. Not only for your sake or mine, but also for Seola’s.

“Oh Yoonhee pushed my daughter, Seola, from the 47^th floor. I saw it clearly.”

As I say this, you still managed to send a small smile to me. I couldn’t fathom how you did it.

I sit there as those disgusting people try to shame you and save themselves when I know more than anyone else in the room that you are far better than all of them, Yoonhee. No matter what anyone says, I still believe that you’re one of the most pure-hearted people I’ve ever had the chance of meeting and one drunken mistake that I know you regret so much will not change that.

“The law must judge her, but I have already forgiven Oh Yoonhee.”

I can’t speak for yourself, Yoonhee, but finally saying those words out loud was like a weight being lifted from my shoulders. I hope it had the same effect for you because I truly mean every single word that I said.

When I saw the guards guiding you out of the court room, I couldn’t help but stand. What I really wanted was to at least hug you, Yoonhee. A hug for being able to admit to what you did and for being brave enough to face the consequence. A hug to prove that I have really forgiven you. A hug to tell you how much I’ve missed you. A hug that would say I’ll wait for you. But I was afraid that once I have you in my arms, I wouldn’t be able to let you go.

So I settled for a smile, and you did your best to still smile back at me in the midst of all your tears. That’ll be one of the things I’m going to miss from you. When words fail me, I know I can send you a smile and you’ll be able to know what that means. For some reason, every time you look at me, I feel invisible. And I find myself not being bothered by that.

I couldn’t say it then but I’ll be looking forward to the day we exchange happier smiles, Yoonhee.