So Eun’s POV

I gawked at Jun Ho as if he was speaking alien language. My face flushed from his sudden confession. It reminded me of the first time he confessed to me but this time, the feelings were definitely stronger. I did not say a word. He waited for my response patiently.

Slowly, I sensed his face coming closer to mine. I gripped onto the sheets of the couch nervously, not knowing how to react to the situation. I closed my eyes to ponder. Suddenly, flashes of the unpleasant memories we had started going through my mind.

I got reminded of the times we quarrelled, threw things around the house, flared up at each other and went down to each other’s throats. It was a terrifying experience. In addition, I remembered myself being few months pregnant with his child, lost the beautiful baby we were supposed to raise together and the image of him accusing me of getting rid of the baby.

With determination, I snapped out and pushed him away from me. It was a hard decision to do but I did it. He looked surprised at my action and stayed there. I bit my lips and shook my head, “No, Jun Ho. I cannot afford to.”

He waited for me to continue.

“I cannot afford to go back to before. You knew how we separated. You knew how horrible it was. I don’t want to go back to that situation where we would start killing each other again.” I stood up and avoided his eyes, “I cannot afford to experience that kind of relationship again.”

Jun Ho stood up and held my hand, “I know at that point, it was entirely my fault. I stayed out late when I supposed to stay with you when you were… having our baby.” I could hear the sadness in his voice when he mentioned about the baby.

“If I could do it all over again, I would never treated you the way I had before. I promise.” Jun Ho swore with his heart.

I turned around and removed his hand from mine, “That’s the thing, Jun Ho. You can’t do it all over again. The day you agreed to the divorce, there’s no more hope in our relationship.”

“So Eun…”

“The day at the hospital where we last met…” I did not want to recollect those memories when he accused me of being a heartless wife who did not want her own child, “It was the day I told myself never to make the same mistake again.”

Jun Ho’s hands relaxed but his face expression did not.

I took up my bag and stepped back, “I’m sorry. I’m not feeling too well. I have to go.”

Without waiting for him to say anything, I walked out of the room hurriedly and never looked back.

Jun Ho’s POV

 I travelled to a place where I had not been for a couple years. The place still looked vaguely familiar. The streets were still the same as before with a few modernised buildings popping out. I told the taxi driver to stop right in front where I recognised the house.

Stepping out of the vehicle, I remembered to bring along my gifts and re-arranged my hair and clothes. I coughed and knocked on the door, feeling anxious. The door opened after a few second and the person I was expecting was right in front of me.

“You…” The person was utterly taken aback at my sudden visit, “What are you doing here? After all these years...”

“Father, I’m sorry I haven’t come back to see you since years ago,” I said to So Eun’s father who seemed to have aged a lot with much more white hair and wrinkled skin, “I just want to see how you are doing.”

His shocked expression turned to rage. Obviously, he was still angry at me after So Eun and I ended things so badly, “You bastard. How dare you come back after so many years! Don’t you have any shame left? Go away. I don’t need you to visit me! Get lost!”

I held the door open and had my leg stuck into the house, “Father, listen to me. I don’t have any harm! I just want t-“

“I don’t want to listen anything coming from your mouth! Get lost!” He shouted and tried to close the door. Despite aging, he still had so much strength in him. He removed my hand from the door to close it. Before he could close the door, I stuck my hand in, hoping to open the door again. However, something else happened.

“Ahhhhh!!!” I cried in pain.

He had accidentally or maybe on purpose, slammed the door when my fingers were halfway through the door.

♪ ♫ ♬

It was worth it though. Here I was, sitting on the couch that I had sat years ago. It was still the same couch. In fact, the only thing that had changed was the television set. He came back with a first aid box and dropped it loudly on the table.

“Thank you, Father,” I said to him and massaged my swollen fingers.

“Don’t call me that, I only have one child,” He warned sternly to me and took my hand violently, “She’s no other than So Eun.”

I winced in pain and agreed, “Yes, of course.”

“What are you doing here?” He asked me while applying medicine on my fingers.

I replied him, “I just want to come over and visit you – as simple as that.”

“Don’t give me that crap.”

I sighed and explained, “Fa- Mr Kim, well, So Eun and I are in a show together now so I meet up with her a lot nowadays…” I looked up to see his expression but it was stiff as before.

“I know that,” He applied the medicine harder than before, “I have told her countless of times to reject it but she did not listen to me, as always.” He started putting the bandage over my fingers, “That stupid girl. I know she’s soft-hearted. She will get hurt again. But she claims it’s all for work. I don’t want her to waver again and…”

He stopped there and glanced at me, thinking he had said too much. He continued to bandage my wound and said, “What I mean is, I will never let my girl be hurt again.” He closed the first aid box and pointed at me, “Lee Jun Ho, once you are done, take all these gifts away and leave. I don’t want to see you ever again.”

So Eun’s father went into the kitchen to put back his stuff.

I stared at the photo frames hung around the house. Slowly, I walked up the stairs where all the pictures were hung on the walls, looking at So Eun’s beautiful smiles after she divorced with me. Was she truly happy?

Later, I found myself standing right in front of So Eun’s bedroom. With second thoughts, I was hesitant. I looked back to see So Eun’s father still in the kitchen.

“Just one look,” I told myself.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door quietly and went in.