Wonderwall

A Stranger With Memories - part 3 (end)

I stare back at him wistfully and shake my head disagreeing.

"Whatever is on your head right now, just stop it. It's been years, and I'm not your girlfriend anymore. Just because we fell in love with each other, or..or you may still in love, it doesn't mean that we mean to be together. So, I don't want to know why, not anymore, I've moved on, and I don't want to hurt my fiance."

"I'm not asking you to more than listening to my explanation. I'm not asking you to hurt anyone."

Suddenly, a great shock shakes, and some overhead compartments are opened. I'm in total horror-struck I wish I was watching a disaster movie, not in a real one.

"Jin Ah," he gently holds my hand. "You knew who's my father, didn't you?"

I let my hand go of him, "a con-man, a swindler."

He nods, "I'm not proud of what he did but still he's my father. That day he fooled a powerful businessman. The amount of money wasn't that much but this man chose to pay hitmen instead of went to the police. So he was after us. Of course, they wanted to execute him without a trial. Our choice was run or killed."

Wait, what? Had I not knew that his father was a man with criminal records, I must think that he's crazy, or just making up a story.

"We left Seoul immediately, and with some help, we managed to reach China and hid. They were after everyone related to the Hwang family."

"No one came to me, Ji Sung. Not even bad guys looking for your father."

"I couldn't afford if they come after you, so without my father knowing, I returned the money, little by little. By the time it's fully paid back, I visited South Korea."

I am so shocked by the explanation he has just given. It answers most of my questions; why I couldn't even find his family, his only family, Mr. Hwang. Ji Sung feared for my safety.

Visited. Visited South Korea, so it's no longer his home.  I can only sit still in silence as I listen to him telling me more and more awful things he went through five years ago.

"So you settled in Hong Kong. Why you didn't come to me? We just flew back from Seoul, which meant you had a chance, at the very least. Why wait, and why now? Had we not meet here, would you ever tell me?" I ask.

"I saw you with a man. I hoped for a second chance, but you looked so happy with him. I missed seeing your smile, I didn't fly four hours after years to see you cry."

"Cut the bull, Ji Sung. That's too good to be true."

"Jin Ah, I followed your posts. You were sad, and I felt guilty. But I didn't see that sad Jin Ah when I saw you with him, I saw a very happy Jin Ah I knew before I left. Not gonna lie, it hurt so bad."

Could that be true? That still sounds too good to be true. Why didn't he at least try to show up in front of me again? Did he try to punish himself?

"I realized that I've turned a stranger to you. We were friends before lovers. What kind of friend leaves without saying goodbye? I could just show up, and punch your boyfriend then try to win you back... but I observed how he treated you. Showing up would do no good. You deserve someone better than me," he smiles bitterly.

"Jin Ah, you always have a special place in my heart, and letting you go is another way of loving you. You've chosen him, you've chosen to be happy. I won't ever be happy again if I never started to let you go. I knew I'd be hurt, but I have healed."

Hurt is seen from his eyes, but we both have chosen our respective paths now. He's right. I have healed, and so has he. There's nothing left to say about the past, other than sorry, and thank you.