il mio primo e ultimo amore

Can We Meet Again?

Vincenzo was frozen for a moment. He was processing all the information he had just received.

Hong Cha Young? Hong Yoo Chan? Marriage?

He took the letter in his hand again and took a glance.

He can't believe it.

Fabio's last wish, in his mind, would be to finish off some people or perhaps to solve some matters. But no, marriage was definitely not what he thought, not even near to his thinking.

And then "He wanted her daughter to be married to you Vincenzo." His daughter, Hong Cha Young.

He remembers that he's met Hong Yoo Chan once. And Hong Cha Young? Is she the one, who passed out on the street? Then some of her words started coming in his mind.

"I was the only child of my parents, when eomma died, abeoji took me to Italy with him."

"My name is Hong Cha Young, thank you for taking care of me and bringing me food, I promise to pay you back, somehow."

It's her, isn't it?

Vincenzo was pretty messed up and so got off the chair and went to take a bath to clear his mind. He doesn't know what's next, but he'll complete his father's wish.

-------------------

Hong Cha Young was in her father's home. This is the only place they had in Korea. She spent her best moments of childhood here with her appa and eomma. But then, everything started to break. Her mother died. She went to Italy, spent her childhood, grew up, got a law degree, came back to Korea to spent vacations with her father, and then.... her father left her. How perfect. She hates life. She hates how perfectly fate can fool her. What had she ever done? All she wanted was a good and happy life with her parents! But it seems like fate hates her, she hates it more.

Right now, she's putting her father's items in boxes. Seeing them right there like they were when he was alive breaks her. She was on her father's desk putting the ornaments, the pictures, his files in a box. She opened a drawer to take out the things when she saw her father's diary. She remembers that she always used to see her father writing in the night when he came back from work. It was his daily routine. She knows reading someone's diary is not nice, but she knows that her father has never shared his worries with her. Just not to make her stressed up. He used to keep all the thoughts to himself (or that's what she thinks).

She opened the diary, flipping some pages, smiling after reading a few passages. However, after a few pages, her expressions changed.

Today was the day Fabio had opened up to me. About something which was astonishing. Fabio is the mafia boss of the Cassano family. I don't feel scared but the feeling of not being scared haunts me. I have known Fabio for years and I know how hard it would have been for him to tell me about something like this. He became vulnerable, told me he killed people mercilessly. After all that he told me, I didn't have any feelings of resentment towards him. I have been fighting for justice my whole life and after a life experience, good can never fight evil, it always is going to be evil fighting evil. I don't know a lot about the mafia, but I know it's dangerous and dirty and filled with blood and illegal work. But Fabio had cleared my thoughts and gave me a clear vision about them. He told me that his family does not do illegal businesses or human trafficking, but they do have enemies. They fight their enemies without any warmth in their heart. They can't bear disloyalty as they are sincere with their own people, whether they are their own blood or not. I don't think anything Fabio told me was wrong. Infact strangely, it all seemed right. We believed in empty and weak justice where they don't believe in that. They believe that the wrong one should be punished severely. People think mafia is dirty and evil but after this night, I think that mafia is just named evil, the real evil are those who pretend to nice and rightful but are actually the corrupt and filthy people. I can't say this about every mafia family, but the Cassano's are like that.

I then became very close to Fabio; he shared his mafia problems with me without hesitation. It's something very confidential but he believed me and told me everything and I should not break someone's trust. I soon met his family; they are actually a family. He is married and has children; he is normal like everyone except he's surrounded by different people and is in a dangerous world. I met his son, Vincenzo. Fabio later, told me that he adopted him when he was in Korea. He was a composed young man who was manner able and mature. Later on, I also got to know by Fabio that his mum had left him in a church when he was a toddler. I felt bad for him. Then suddenly, I got reminded about my own daughter. Cha Young. They both lost their parent when they were very young. Somehow, my mind started thinking things which couldn't be real.

Then, one night, me and Fabio were drinking, I was half-drunk, my tongue got loose, and I spoke something to Fabio which had been in my mind for weeks after meeting his son Vincenzo.

I feel ashamed of telling him that I want his son, Vincenzo to marry my daughter but on the other hand, my heart was at peace and was contented after what I said.

A few weeks before I got to know I was diagnosed a heart disease and I knew, I didn't have much time left.

I had lived my life; my only worry was my daughter. She's fragile, young and doesn't know much about this traitorous world. She is witty and feisty which was something given to her in genes by me.

Her personality was just like me. Her chatter made me smile and proud. She was my whole world. She was the one who gave me courage to start a new life.

My daughter, Hong Cha Young.

I've never ever talked about my worries and tensions with you. Because my worries were about you. I want you to be safe, happy. You've already suffered too much Cha Young-ah. I want you to marry Vincenzo. Though, mafia is a whole new world. It's the safest place for you. This world is too wicked for someone so innocent like you.

I regret that I didn't tell you, my wish.

I'm sorry Cha Young-ah but I'll have to leave you and join eomma. I hope someone can be your guardian and make you strong and powerful.

Always remember my daughter, appa and eomma will always be loving you, watching you from afar.

Cha Young had started crying one again. She felt pain. As if she's been stung by a bullet. Her father was so worried because of her and she couldn't be the one who gets to listen to his worries. She couldn't do anything. After another breakdown, she finally placed her father's diary down. Her thoughts were spread all over her mind.

He didn't even tell her that he was a heart patient.

Apart from that, this whole thing about mafia?

Then suddenly, she remembers.

"I'm Vincenzo Cassano, I was walking out of a coffee shop when I saw you struggling with your health on the road."

Isn't Vincenzo the man, who helped her that day? Is he the one her father wants her to get married to?

Cha Young was messed up and she knew this is too much information, but it wasn't clear enough for her to understand.

She braced herself and walked to her room, to open her purse and find the card that man gave her.

"It was an unexpected meeting, Miss Hong, maybe we can meet again, someday."

She took her phone dialed the number on the card. Suddenly, her brain started thinking she should end the call, she's being hasty but then her heart was adamant and firm.

After a while, when the call was answered, a deep voice was heard on the other side.

"Hello?"

"Annyeongehsayo, Mr. Cassano, this is Hong Cha Young."

"Ahh, Ms. Hong, how are you doing? I hope you're well."

"I'm doing well, and I've recovered.... Mr. Cassano, can we meet again?"

There was silence from the other side for a while but then...

"Of course, Ms. Hong."