Ai took several long minutes to calm down. Even if this was her second chance and her life was different than before with Jun by her side now, nevertheless she felt as if the wounds inflicted upon her were still fresh. They bled her heart and the old memories invoked the same grief which she tried so hard to overcome this time. The ignorance, the betrayal, the loss - was even heavier than what she felt at that night she fell.
The nauseous feeling within her settled down, feeling Jun's gentle pats and his soft kisses on her forehead and cheek. He wiped the traces of tears off her face. As she felt relaxed, she said, "For four years, I didn't hold my pen again for writing. Instead, Mom arranged a job for me in the university where she worked. She was retired, but she had connections. I became a professor in college and spent the next four years teaching, trying to forget everything I suffered," her eyes stung, "It was hard, but Mom and Dad were there for me."
