1 Chapter 1 - Forgotten

"Five minutes."

Son Jin Ae drew a deep breath before running down the road as swiftly as she had flown out of the bus. She threw herself in the already full elevator, oblivious of everyone being cramped. Pushed the 7th-floor button while cursing at it at the same time. Once out of the elevator, she immediately looked for the auditorium which was fortunately just at the right end. Her watch read one-twenty.

'Okay I'm late but it's better than never,’ she whispered.

After checking herself, polishing the creases of her crocodile-lady polo blouse, pencil-cut skirt, and pushing a strand of hair out of her face, she opened the back door of the room confidently. She knew she could easily grab a seat at the back inconspicuously and she was not totally wrong about it. It was just that there was a camcorder placed right in front of the door which she knocked over her way in.

"Ooops!"

The owner could have reacted more violently if she wasn't in the middle of a seminar. All she could do was to give Jin Ae a glare that could make a hole way in her skull. Jin Ae pulled on an apologetic face yet thought how on earth would someone place a camcorder near the door.

'Did she think all people in Korea come early? My goodness!'

The incident didn't grab much attention, just a short pause, to her relief. But the catch was, people seemed to hate latecomers. The lady, beside an empty seat Jin Ae had eyed on, put her bag on it then rolled her eyes at her. Jin Ae scoffed at such childishness but she chose to calm herself. She walked ahead, her feet touching the floor down as lightly as possible.

Finally, she found an empty seat in the middle, about five meters away from the podium and the speaker.

'Really! What a perfect place to sit!' she muttered to herself sarcastically, knowing she could get all the attention she wanted.

Clearing her throat once she was seated, she decided to listen attentively, comprehending what the speaker was saying at the moment. She was quite amused to find that the speaker was about her age or maybe even younger, he looked quite handsome. He was tall and well built.

'City lecturers don't disappoint after all,' she thought.

The lecturer, Hyun Jun Ho, was a Psychology Ph.D. and a part-time lecturer at Cambridge University. With his writings, he had earned respectable prominence in the student education field not just in England but in South Korea as well. Arriving in the country a week ago for a research study, he was also asked to lecture at his alma mater, Seoul University, which he couldn't decline.

When Jin Ae took her seat, Jun Ho was stupefied. It was like he was struck by a bolt of lightning.

Jin Ae lifted her face and stared at him at that very moment. Though her hair was shorter than before, Hyun Jun Ho knew that he was no doubt looking at the person who occupied his mind for ten years. The person that he couldn't forget, no... he did not even know if he wanted to forget her. May it be borne by animosity or affection he wasn't sure anymore but he had longed for this moment to see her again.

Yet, that too-familiar face stared at him blankly. Her face was devoid of recognition and instead, she kept a straight face.

'Is she acting like she doesn't know me?'

That thought came like a stab in his heart.

Hyun Jun Ho broke his gaze, inhaled deeply to gain back his composure, and walked around continuing his lecture. He gave the lecture coolly as much as possible although his insides were undeniably in a state of panic. Nervous and pained by a presence who acted invincible.

Jin Ae, on the other hand, felt strange. Trying to calm herself, she shook her head to put her mind straight but it was a careless mistake. Hyun Jun Ho noticed it and called her attention. He intended not to repeat the question to catch her on the spot. Sweet revenge.

Jin Ae was “not totally not listening” but “not listening totally” either. He asked something about a school and she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.

"I mean- I'm sorry, what school again?" she clarified when he looked confused after hearing her answer.

"I'm asking about a school of thought, not what school you're from, Ma’am," he replied brusquely. The attendees started to whisper with each other. Silently celebrating that a latecomer was being chastised.

"Ahh! I'm sorry, I'm so used to people asking where I teach," she replied, trying to laugh herself out of the situation.

'He's handsome, yes, but what a brute!'

"If you could repeat your question, I-"

She wasn't able to finish her sentence when he called another lady who had just raised her hand. Leaving her on air. After answering successfully, the lady glanced at her smirking. Jin Ae scoffed unbelievably upon realizing who she was. The lady was her co-teacher in Dae Gu High School, but they were not closely acquainted. She had memorized her small face and bratty smile perfectly that she could easily recognize out of a crowd.

"Very well!" Hyun Jun Ho said. "-now, from what school are you teaching, Miss-?"

"Han Seo Ah. From Dae Gu High School," she answered sweetly. Betraying her attraction to him.

Seo Ah was known in their school as the student's favorite. Exactly Jin Ae's opposite. Seo Ah was sweet to her students, while Jin Ae was cold and affectless.

"Oh, you have the same school," Hyun Jun Ho realized, glancing in Jin Ae's direction.

Jin Ae frowned, sensing the mock from his voice. She straightened her back and fixed her hair, trying to act cool. When the lecture resumed, she never left her gaze on him. Examining his every facial expression and gesture. She crossed her arms in front of her and studied him from head to toe as if he was a rat in a laboratory. Jin Ae couldn't see a flaw though, he looked too handsome and expensive. But she could feel that he was tense. A smirk appeared on her face.

When Jun Ho was about to dismiss them, Jin Ae grabbed the opportunity and raised her hand.

"Sir," she said impassively.

"Yes?"

"May I know your name, Sir?" She slightly raised her chin when she asked that.

Hyun Jun Ho was surprised. 'Did she remember me now?' His heart drummed frantically. He was taken aback by her question such that Seo Ah answered for him instead.

"Yah! Are you real? He is Sir Hyun Jun Ho... Hyun Jun Ho! The famous Psychology book writer!" Seo Ah said in a hushed tone.

"Oh! So I have been here for almost two hours with a respectable writer?-- I never thought I'd be so privileged," Jin Ae remarked, intentionally stretching her last word. And it sounded so satire as she intended to seem.

"-but the thing is..." Jin Ae continued, giving him a sour expression.

"You-- Sir, seemed to have a knack for writing rather than giving lectures. If what they said about your books are true."

Then Jin Ae gave Jun Ho a deadly stare which made him give her his most stoic expression in return. Just like what he expected, she won't back down like that. It's the same stare who welcomed him one long semester in High School. Piercing eyes he had learned to endure and admire at the same time. She was definitely her but her actions didn't give any hint that she remembered him.

He felt strangely pained, only she could make him feel this way.

After dismissing the class, Hyun Jun Ho immediately searched his bag for the book he always had on hand just in case. He looked for Jin Ae and luckily she hadn't left the room yet, he saw her stand up from her seat and was about to walk out of the room.

"Daegu-ssi?"

Jin Ae turned her head and looked at him with an annoyed expression from calling her by the name of her school.

"I have a name," she snapped.

He extended his hand to her but she stood there glancing once at the book he was holding then back to his face. He knew she could be so stubborn.

"This is my first book. I'm giving this to you since you haven't seemed to read one of my books."

"Thanks but I can buy one myself," she retorted.

"I'm not giving this for free... and even if you have money I don't think you'll waste effort buying it."

Jin Ae looked at him profusely puzzled and irritated, "What do you mean?"

"Hey, stop staring at me like that. I'm giving you this book so you can read this. Give me your review in exchange. You know, there are only a few people who can give me an honest review just like what you did a while ago. I wanted to know your thoughts about my writing."

Jin Ae sighed to ease her temper, noticing the deep dimples that formed on his cheeks as he insisted on the book. How he could smile while his insides were in turmoil, Jun Ho did not have an idea as well. All he knew was, he had to give her the book.

Jin Ae sighed, "I'm sorry for what I said," then she studied the book from his hand and continued:

"-It might take time for me to get back at you, but... okay!"

She took the book, "I have to go now, I still have a class." She bowed slightly to him courteously and walked out of the room immediately.