After an hour of ride, Ji Ho finally reaches his destination, the mansion where his mother is. Kyung was already there with a bunch of their men. All of them gather inside the house. There are just two men patrolling outside the place in case something will happen because they don’t want to attract any attention from the outsiders. Their plan tonight is supposes to be a secret... to his father and also the Park sisters.
Ji Ho knows Hani is not going to let him go that easily… and his mother too. That’s why he decided to move his mother far away, out from Seoul. In his life, this is the biggest decision he ever made and this is the first time he choose to back away without any battle, he already let his revenge towards Ji Seok’s murderer go. He doesn’t care what people will think… It may seem like a cowardly excuse but he can’t stand to risk his mother’s life anymore.
As Ji Ho enter the huge mansion, Kyung stands from his place and walks towards him.
“Right on time…” Kyung says as he greets Ji Ho with a hand gesture.
“This is me you are talking about.” He smirks.
“Where’s Lady Yoo?” Ji Ho asks as he observes the almost packed living room.
“Oh… she’s supposes to be preparing, packing or what-so-ever... She’s in the maid’s room, maybe.” Kyung answers casually pointing to the upper floor.
“I’m going to see her.” Kyung just nods at him and watch Ji Ho walks to the maid’s chamber.
Ji Ho peeks his head into the maid’s chamber and sees Lady Yoo standing back facing him on the balcony. He walks into the room and outlining what he’s going to say to her for this farewell in his mind. Still, she was once his nanny and even if he’s all grown up now… He can never erase his respect towards the wise old lady.
“Ji Ho do-ryeo-nim.” The old lady calls without looking at him. She knows he’s there.
“Lady Yoo…” he calls back, but pauses right away.
“Aren’t you packing?” Ji Ho asks the old lady, that’s not what he planned to say just now.
“It’s been almost 50 years.” Ignoring Ji Ho’s question, she starts to speak.
“Since I served the Woo’s family… You are the third generation.” Ji Ho seems a little bit confuse with her speech but still listens to her. She’s like his grandmother after all, so wise, so strict yet so loving.
“I was here when Jung Ho was still a kid…I’m still here when Ji Seok do-ryeo-nim were born. And then you…” She finally turns and looks at Ji Ho.
“I saw the three of you grow up. I never thought I would be alive until today to see who you are now. You are 23 already. I watched the three of you change as you grow up.” She continues before turns around again. Her sight lost into the dark landscape that surrounds the gloomy mansion.
“Jung Ho… I was the one who raised him. How did it come wrong…? He was once a good kid grown up as a noble man… but everything changes not long after your grandfather died in an accident… which he believed not. He believed that it is a planned massacre... That’s when revenge started to trail in this family like a curse.” She continues after a deep sigh, totally showing her regrets.
“Never once it crossed my mind… that… this family would finally tear apart likes this. Once, you all were so happy... So harmony...” The sad tone of her voice explains everything.
“What makes it even worse… Jung Ho was too carried away with his own vengeance. He fell to deep in the game; he was too obsessed in finding his father’s murderer and he started to neglect his own family…. Ji Seok do-ryeo-nim, you and Ji Hyun.” Not knowing how to react, Ji Ho just leans against the patterned wall, patiently listens to Lady Yoo’s story.
“Ji Hyun, She was so young at that time, so frail… A young woman who’s craving the love from a man… An affection… which she couldn’t get from the husband she really loves. She feels so alone.”
“That was when he came… Like a savior for Ji Hyun. A man named Park Seung Ho… He gave Ji Hyun everything she needed. Everything she longed from her husband who already neglected her for months. That was the starting of the forbidden relationship.” Ji Ho raises his head to look at Lady Yoo, shock. This is the first time he ever heard about this story but he still stays silent and waits for her to continue her words.
“But Jung Ho, being an influential man he is… finally learnt the truth and it was not a good news at all for him. It doesn’t take long for Jung Ho to eliminate anything he hates. And Park Seung Ho is one of them. “
“Without Ji Hyun’s knowing, Park Seung Ho actually has his own family and his wife died when she tries to save him from Jung Ho’s wrath.” Lady Yoo lightly shakes his head. No one knows what’s in her mind right at that time.
“But Jung Ho being Jung Ho… the couple died in his hand… leaving their children behind… Three daughters.” The old lady now looks deep into Ji Ho’s eyes, trying to tell him something.
It finally registers Ji Ho’s mind. “You don’t say…” he doesn’t finish his words when Lady Yoo cut him off first.
“The three siblings… They are the Park sisters.” Ji Ho shivers at the answer.
He knows that Park Hani is trying to eradicate his family but he never know why. All these time, he only assumed that it was just a mission given to her with the well-known fact to him that the Park sisters were trained as assassins. He never doubts that because he knows that his father have a lot of enemies.
Then… what makes him and Chae Young? Did Chae Young know this? If she did, there’s no way she will love the son of the person who killed her own parents. His heart sinks at the thought. At this moment, he already comes to the conclusion that all the loves Chae Young shows him is nothing more than just her job. She never really loves him. This is a one-sided love and… it is only him who loves her.
“Why didn’t my father kill my mother… at that time he killed Park Seung Ho?” The question just spurt out of his lips due to curiosity.
“It’s a punishment… Killing her wouldn’t bring anything good for him. For years, Ji Hyun was living in torture… not a physical one… but the fear of what Jung Ho might have done to her. And when Ji Seok do-ryeo-nim was gone… leaving us all, Ji Hyun believes that it is one of the punishments that Jung Ho lays upon her. Ji Seok do-ryeo-nim… he died in front of her eyes. That’s why she becomes like that. She’s afraid that the same fate will happen to you. She lives in fear all these time.”
Ji Ho grabs his hairs tensely, confused. All these stories are too new and too hard for him to bear alone. There are still a lot of things that Jung Ho didn’t tell him. Is he only his tool? Jung Ho forces him to execute the Park sisters just because he knows that they will kill him sooner. That finally makes sense. Jung Ho knows everything and yet he didn’t do anything when he knew that Ji Seok’s life is in danger. It is all his fault.
Truth is somewhat hurts. That’s why…It was made from the same alphabets, truth and hurt.
“How did you know this…? …About the Park family?” Ji Ho finally asks.
“Ji Seok do-ryeo-nim.” She answers.
“When Ji Seok do-ryeo-nim was about your age now…. Maybe a year younger… He met a girl, the one who he fell in love with at the first sight. It was all fine at the beginning but it turns ugly when he learnt the truth. Somehow, he comes to know that Park Hani is the daughter of the person who’s his father killed years ago.” Ji Ho is now concentrating on Lady Yoo’s story.
“Ji Seok do-ryeo-nim… he tries to find out everything and that’s how he knows everything about Ji Hyun’s perfidy and the Park couple’s murder and also… Hani’s true identity.” Not wanting to miss a single detail, Ji Ho quietly listens to the old lady’s narration.
“Ji Seok do-ryeo-nim… On his last days… he was always here to find me. He needed someone who he can release everything that stressed him out… His concerns… all he want are just everyone to be happy but he didn’t know how.” Lady Yoo’s tune starts to decline. It’s obvious that she is pained by only the thought of deceased Ji Seok.
“At that time, he was so confused, so tangled… battling with himself. He doesn’t want to lose both women who he loves in his life… Hani and Ji Hyun. He doesn’t want to let Hani go but he can’t choose to risk Ji Hyun’s life either.” Ji Ho knows exactly how that feels. He too can’t choose between Chae Young and his mother. Is this a dejavu? Or is it just a curse that trails after the family just like what Lady Yoo have said before?
“Ji Ho do-ryeo-nim, you were still so young at that time. That’s why Ji Seok decided not to tell you anything. He didn’t want to involve you in this. And he didn’t want you to know anything about all Jung Ho and Ji Hyun’s past mistakes.” Tears start to fill the woman’s eyes. It’s been so long she’s been holding everything and she can’t endure it no more.
“It pains me to see a young lad like him cries every day. He was too young to even facing this kind of situation… too young to even make a hard decision like this. And the day he finally decided to face Hani, he actually sacrifices himself. He died by knowing Hani’s true identity...”
“At first, he could actually choose to kill her. It’s not a big deal at all for him considering his father’s power but he chose not to… it’s all because his love towards her.” Ji Ho doesn’t know how he should console her and just end up staring at the wrinkle on her face. He suddenly feeling drowned as Lady Yoo mention Ji Seok’s name several times.
“I still remember… when he came to see me… he had always asked:
‘Eomonnim, what will happen to Ji Ho if I’m gone? Can he take care of himself?’…
No matter what he did, he always thinks about you… his only little brother. I didn’t know back then… that it wasn’t just an empty word only. I never expected that he would really leave us.” Lady Yoo doesn’t even care to hide her sadness anymore and she starts to sobs as she tells Ji Ho the story. Also Ji Ho, he never knows that Ji Seok has to face all these hardship alone at the end of his life.
“Ji Ho do-ryeo-nim…” Lady Yoo suddenly calls his name.
“After Ji Seok’s death there’s one thing that I’m really afraid of… It is you.” Ji Ho startled at her mention.
Why?
“I’m afraid that you will try to find Ji Seok’s murderer. And my concern comes into reality when you actually did.” Ji Ho doesn’t say anything. What she said… it is true after all.
“I blame myself every time I see you become more likely as Jung Ho. I’ve been asking myself… Is it my fault? Two boys that I raised with my very own hand grown up to be a merciless man. All because of the thing called revenge… Jung Ho was tied with revenge because of his father’s death… and you because of your brother’s.” Lady Yoo sobs are even gaudier than before: The Cries of guilt and regrets.
“From day to day… you resemble Jung Ho a lot. People were calling you the second Jung Ho and it really pains my heart. I don’t want you to be like Jung Ho. It just means I failed to guide the both of you. What will Ji Seok do-ryeo-nim thinks of me?” She blames herself as if it was her fault from the beginning. Ji Ho felt the guilt inside him grows. He knew he shouldn’t have done that but when revenge blinded you there’s nothing you can do.
“But I can’t stop you… because you are already a grown up man who won’t listen to an old person’s words like me. Just like Jung Ho…” Like a mother who was forgotten by her own son, she weeps.
“But deep inside my heart… I still know that you are different from him. Your love towards your mother… Your respect towards me… It proves everything. And when you come to me telling that you want to end this war. I know there’s still hope and I know you still have loves in you.”
“When you let your revenge towards Ji Seok’s murderer go… I am very glad. Not because I don’t care about Ji Seok but it seems that finally the chained revenge that ties this family for years would finally break. Ji Seok will be happy.” Her sadness is replaced with blissful tears.
“Ji Ho do-ryeo-nim… Thank you.” She bows at him multiple times, still sobbing.
“Lady Yoo… I am the one who should thank you. Even after all these you still didn’t leave us and stay to keep this family together. I’m very grateful by that.” Ji Ho quickly stops Lady Yoo from showing him respects too much.
“Hyung would be grateful by that…” He gently put his hands on both of the old lady’s shoulder and speaks to her tenderly. It is full with love.
“Lady Yoo… “
“Can I call you eommonim…? I always heard Ji Seok hyung calls you by that name” Suddenly, he feels like requesting her with that wish. Since they were child, Ji Seok has always been very close with Lady Yoo and their relationships are almost like a mother-son bond. But Ji Ho, he was afraid of her since he was little… that’s why they never have the chance to get closer to her.
“Sure Ji Ho do-ryeo-nim … I have always thought of you as my own grandchild.” She hugs him lovingly which he accepts tenderly, like a mother and son.
Without him knowing, tears escaping his eyes. How could this be so wonderful? Regrets, sorrow mix inside him. If he ever let his revenge a little earlier, maybe he could taste the essence of happiness a bit more. But past can never be rewind. The thing left to do is to fix everything… all the damage done. But do he has enough time to fix everything? He already decides to fight the fate.
Happiness is just for seconds.
Suddenly, sound of ruckus could be heard from the lower floor. Ji Ho stuns at the sounds made and gently let go of his hug and dash out of the room before bumping into Kyung at the corridor.
He doesn’t have any chance to ask the reason when the panting Kyung is first to speak. “Ji Ho…. We got a problem.”