Shin hye was preparing breakfast for so won. She was deep in thoughts with the scene she saw in the park that she failed to notice so won was unusually very quiet today.

So won is confused. She never seen her mother say unkind words to anyone. Seeing her being cold towards the handsome ajusshi upsets her. She was having a lovely time with him when her mum came and took her away.

Handsome ajusshi was very kind. He has a nice smile. Does appa has a nice smile like him? She wondered.

Shin hye sat down front of her daughter and was staring away in her thoughts when so won asked “why were you unkind to handsome ajusshi omma?”

Shin hye didn’t know what to say. She feels uneasy with so won’s questions lately.

“I like handsome ajusshi omma, he was nice to me.” So won continued, “you were rude to him. I’m not talking to you.” So won crossed her arms and looked away.

Shin hye signed. sometimes she feels that her daughter, So Won is older than her age. So won was right, she over-reacted. Specially, when she saw them together, she panicked. She was scared that so won would be taken away from her. Lee min ho’s father is a scary man. She doesn’t want him to know about her and so won.

He doesn’t seem to know about me. He has no memory of me, the bliss and pain we went together. He seems to have no memory at all. As long as he doesn’t remember, everything is fine, she thought.

She normally leaves so won with mrs.kim when she goes off to work. Since he is living there, she can’t avoid him.

Shin hye, get yourself together. He is only going to be here for awhile. Then he would leave and our lives would be back to how it was, going in our own separate ways. This is just temporary. Only for awhile shin hye, she told herself.

She looked over to her daughter, who is now munching away unable to hold back her hunger. Shin hye hid her smile. She walked over to So won and hugged her from behind.

“ah my so won’ah, im sorry. I will appoligise to the handsome ajusshi. Omma was just upset about something else. Omma is forgiven?”

So won looked back at her mum and smiled “ofcourse omma!” and went back to eating. Shin hye kissed her on the head and thought, I hope you won’t get attached to him so won’ah, it will only hurt you.

……………………………………………………………………………….

“I’m telling you auntie, she is crazy!” min ho was frustrated.

“This kid!! Don’t exaggerate. Shin hye is a kind young woman. I had known her since she came to this town six years ago. She is not the type to say any unkind words to anyone.” Auntie replied.

“Well, she certainly has something against me” he mumbled.

“She looks at me as if I’m going to attack her any minute”

“then you must have looked at her as if you’re going to attack her” auntie teased back.

“aisshhh…”

Doorbell rang, auntie went to open it. It was shin hye with so won.

“halmeoniiii” so won went into auntie’s open arms.

Min ho quickly got up avoiding shin hye.

 Is she coming over to tell me off again? He thought. Wait, what did I do wrong. I didn’t do anything wrong. I’ll stand here. I’m not going to avoid her.

“ajumma, I’m leaving so won’ah with you as I have to go back to work today. I packed some side dishes for you as well. I will be back at 5.” Shin hye said in hurriedly. To be honest she is not in a hurry but as soon as she saw min ho, she wanted to get out soon.

“ne, but wait shin hye, min ho wants to go into town, maybe you can take him with you?”

“auntie, it’s ok. I can find my own way there” min ho grumbled.

Shin hye looked at mrs.kim and then looked at lee min ho. Be civilised shin hye. You can do it, she repeated it in her head.

“yeah sure, it’s no problem.”

She gave so won a goodbye kiss and started to walk without waiting for him.

Min ho followed her, he kept her distant from her as he didn’t want to feed into any wrong impression she already has of him.

Shin hye paused and turned back to look at him.

“Are you going to keep walking behind me?”

Min ho looked at her and quietly matched her phase and walked beside her.

“I want to apologise about earlier. I over-reacted. Sorry.” She quickly got it out before she loses her nerve.

“don’t worry about it.” He replied.

They both walked quietly for a whole minute before min ho broke the silence.

“But may I know why you hate me?”

She gave it a thought. How shall I tell him.

“you remind me of someone. Someone I’m trying to forget.”

“oh? Is it so won’s father?

She looked at him shocked. “How… how do you know?”

He looked guilty, “Sorry. After the way you reacted, I asked my auntie about you. She told me you were hurt from before and that you are a single mother living for your daughter. “ he paused, “I’m guessing so won’s  father left you?”

Shin hye looked away “no, I left him”

She was quiet after that, and min ho didn’t want to upset her more by re-emerging her past with a man who she clearly still l