Spring: You Who Came To Me

35

"Have you ever thought why Soo Young hasn't accepted me all these years if she had chosen to leave with me six years ago? And why does she keep telling Sami that she has an Alien Daddy?You are supposed to be such a brilliant lawyer, how can you not know such a simple answer? The answer is -- Soo Young, this stupid woman, only love one man from the start till the end, and that man... is you. It's because of this reason that she lied to you six years ago." Min Jae confronted Sung Jae.

"What do you mean she lied to me?" Sung Jae asked.

Min Jae continued, "Do you really think that Soo Young's such a practical woman? It's because your mum begged her to leave and she wanted to save you, so she got me to lie to you so that you would go for So Hyun's father's operation. Six years later, she knew that you are still alive, but she couldn't go and find you, only because she doesn't want to spoil the relationship between you and your mother. Now, she still has to suffer your vengeance. Do you even know.... how sad she is?" 

Sung Jae was in utter disbelief at this point. He couldn't believe what he just heard. His tears came flowing out of his tear-filled eyes. He then said,

"Yeah you are right. Soo Young's very stupid, and very selfish. What right does she have to decide for me without asking me? What right does she have to abandon me? Does she think that I will be happy living on alone?"

"Yes, she's selfish, and she didn't ask for your permission, but the thing is that you manage to survive! Isn't that the most important? I believe six years ago, for the woman you love, you would do the same thing if your roles switched... unless you don't love Park Soo Young enough." Min Jae said. 

Yet Sung Jae still remained firm that the man Soo Young chose in the end would never be him. Min Jae was so frustrated that even when he told Sung Jae all about it, he just wouldn't listen.

Min Jae's mother showed up with Soo Young and she was very thankful and touched that Sung Jae managed to save her son. She invited him to the village where she and Soo Young would prepare something good for him to eat as a gift, but Sung Jae kept evading the invitation and saying that he still has a lot to prepare for Sae Ron's case.

Soo Young looked very disappointed but she knew that there was nothing she could do.

Back at his office, he looked at the bracelet Soo Young gave him six years ago for a long time until Seon Ho interrupted him. 

Seon Ho told him the news about his father's suicide 20 years ago. The case Sung Jae personally asked him to look into. 

Sung Jae's eyes widened and teared as he clenched his jaw. Turns out, his father had an affair the same year he committed suicide. He immediately stood up and left to find his mother, while shouting to Seon Ho, "Order a ticket to America for me."

"Boss, do you really want to do this?" Seon Ho asked.

"3 in the afternoon. One way ticket."

--

At home, Sung Jae's mother entered her room and found Sung Jae sitting on her couch waiting for her.  Sung Jae began asking her to tear the music room in Seoul University since he could not remember why it was so important to him.  

"You clearly remember. How could you have forgotten?" she asked, knowing well that he was getting to something.

"But.. are the things I remember the truth? I remember the divorce, the arguments, the suicide... but I never knew that the reason of all these was Dad... not you."

Sung Jae's dad was a tutor at Seoul University and he had an affair with his student twenty years ago. Sung Jae's mother then recalled the day that she caught the both of them kissing in the music room, but she told Sung Jae's father not to say anything to Sung Jae because she didn't want him to be fatherless in his childhood. 

Sung Jae regretfully said, "You didn't force him to leave. He was the one who left, wanting to elope with his student. They went to a motel and wanted to commit suicide, but the girl backed out in the end ..... leaving my father to die alone..... All these years, you didn't tear down the music room wasn't because of my intention, but because you still couldn't forget Dad.." 

Sung Jae's mother started tearing and said that she didn't tell him the scandal because he was too young then, and she didn't know how to explain to him. She didn't want to tear the music room down because it was the first place that she and his father met, and to tear it down, "it's like burying the only gift and the memories that your father gave me."

"How could you let me misunderstand you, blame and hate you all these while? Why do you want to suffer this alone?" Sung Jae asked.

"Because.... I felt that it was best for you. I kept thinking that doing that will make you happier, so I kept the truth from you... like what you're doing now, you chose to leave and pretend that you are happy... for Soo Young and Sami's sake... but I know, I know that you are not happy."

Sung Jae tried to keep his tears in but to no avail. His mother walked towards him and held his shoulders and told him to take his chances while he still could, so that they would not regret like she did. Sung Jae asked, "Why?" 

"Because.. you are my son, and I love you. There's many ways to love... maybe my method has never been correct.. but you shouldn't doubt a love that is true." 

Sung Jae finally bursted into tears. 

Sung Jae's mother said that she would support him no matter what decision he took and they both cried. She then wanted to walk away to give him some space, but Sung Jae called out to her.

"Omma."

He hugged her and said "I have never told you this but.. I am sorry. and Thank you."

Sung Jae's mother teared once more hearing these words from her son and finally able to have him in her arms again. She patted his back and told him, "Good luck.. my son."

--

After the touching moment, Sung Jae went downstairs and found his family lawyer waiting for him. "Thank you for accompanying my mother all these years."

The family lawyer retorted, "Sung Jae, you finally realised that it's not that hard to say your heartfelt words." He then continued, "Don't you have anything to say to Soo Young before you leave to America?"