Chapter Text
It’s that day of the year.
7th July.
Vincenzo walked down the familiar stairs in the building just as every year. His heart races in anticipation, ready to meet the woman he hasn’t seen in years. His smile is wider than ever, and he can think about reaching to hold her close to him, even if it’s just seconds.
His feet stop almost as he was going to reach their place, in front of the big painting they met the first time.
In front of that artwork, there she was beautiful as always, wearing a silver dress and glowing with her charm. But next to her, there was a man, his hand stayed on her waist as he pulls her close and kisses her.
Vincenzo’s smile falters, a bittersweet feeling creeping onto him and he feels his breath being cut off. Something shatters in him and takes his soul away, leaving him to watch lifelessly. He turns and leaves, he won’t be bothering her with his presence while she is happily living her life.
Because as long as she is happy, he doesn’t care about anything else.
Cha young waited.
She promised to wait as long as she has to.
Years, and she held onto the hope he’d return, yet he was no where to come back, to text her, call her. She no longer knew where he was, what he was doing, whether he remembers her or he moved. At first it tugged in her heart, she might never see him again, but as the moments pass, days passed she let go of him.
Vincenzo became a memory in her mind.
She met a man, sweet and understanding, one day as she was solving a case at court. They had gone on few dates and Cha young felt like this man just really understands her.
One night as they were drinking makgeolli she’d called him Vincenzo. A painful name that slipped off her tongue and then she went on explaining to him who Vincenzo is and this man who she labeled as a friend was quite understanding to her surprise.
Soon after they created this bond between them and before Cha young knew she got engaged. And now that man who she met unexpectedly and was her friend, is her fiancé.
She is happy, she is loved, she no longer waits, she is with her loved one.
This year she decided to go to the Italian Korean Diplomacy relationship celebration when she got her invitation and without thinking much that another person might show up she asked her fiancé to accompany her.
As they walk through the gallery she stops in front “Liberty Leading the People” where Vincenzo met her the last time. She tells her fiancé that this is her favorite painting, and he comments that reflects her nature of seeking justice. She laughs, he might be right, and she shares a kiss with him. But as she pulls away something makes her chest tighten yet she smiles. It’s just nostalgia, she is sure. But her gaze flies to the entrance the stairs. She is not waiting. She is not sure why.
To Luca’s surprise Vincenzo is back early.
He doesn’t question Vincenzo low mood, and they immediately leave for Italy because Vincenzo say, “There’s a lot of work to be finished”.
As they are on the flight, Luca can’t help but ask about Cha young, but later regrets even asking.
“She’ll be better off without me” there is not much sadness to be heard in Vincenzo’s tone, but Luca knows his friend well and knows what his words meant.
He pats Vincenzo’s shoulder “I’m sorry”
Vincenzo shakes his head “That’s what I wanted. I hoped she’d forget me and find a man who’d love her and who she will be safe with. I’m not the one”
It was not to reassure Luca; it was meant for himself. He wants to make this easier for him, but it means taking his heart and throwing it away.
The whole year passes, and Luca doesn’t know who to be mad at; Vincenzo for giving up and being always too hesitant to make a move, or Cha young who decided to move.
Well, he is mad to none, but he would’ve rather not spend the year in chaos seeing Vincenzo come back in blood and senselessly lock himself up in his study office.
Luca is helpless. Many times, he had considered asking help from Cha young, but he knows not to make an awkward situation and wishes his friend to move on fast and get a hold of himself.
It’s at the end of the year when Vincenzo tells him he is getting married.
Luca watches him dumbfounded so Vincenzo goes on, explaining
“It’s the daughter of Dolcelo. This marriage will be good for our family and besides the woman is good, she is smart and worthy to be part of the family”
They have a fight, and Luca decides he won’t talk to Vincenzo, not when he makes decisions without really thinking of the consequences.
That is, only one of the reasons Luca is so upset with the sudden decision. The other… He can’t handle the thought of other woman taking the tittle Cassano besides Cha young, and would never, he doesn’t want to. Call him a helpless fanboy of their love, he won’t disagree, but he refuses to let go of his beliefs.
Vincenzo gets married, but it’s nowhere near the happiness he thought he’d feel to spend the time with a loved one of his own. On top of that his best friend doesn’t show up on the wedding day.
It’s crumbling.
His world.
Wrong.
His world is happy, back in Korea.
Another year after Cha young spend the day with the tenants as it’s the monthly game night and it’s so sudden when she hears Mr. Cho talking with Ahn Gi seok and sharing that Vincenzo’s name is cleared and he is coming back to Korea next month.
She feels electricity rushing through her body. Vincenzo.
Vincenzo Cassano is coming back to Korea.
She is not sure how to feel about it, but she can’t deny that her heart futtered at the thought of seeing him again.
That day she excuses herself and goes home, rather rushes home, a nervous feeling creeping onto her, because suddenly she remembered…
They are no longer Vincenzo and Cha young.
They are not strangers, not anything significant to each other. But she knows her soul will ache for its other half, or at least the man who was her other half.
Vincenzo is greeted by the tenants when he and both his wife visit them.
Everyone is so happy to see him again after so long, and of course Mr. Nam cries rivers
They greeted his wife as well, who in fact knew everyone’s name by name and everyone was so surprised, but even so they warmly welcomed her.
Cha young was standing at the back, her souls breaking as she gets to know the woman next to him is his… wife. She would love to run away from the place as she feels dizzy. He really did forget her and moved on. Was he playing with her when he asked her to wait?
When the crowd made place for her she found herself wanting the ground to open ad swallow her whole.
Her eyes met Vincenzo’s, and it might have been seconds for everyone else but for them it lasted more than it should, more than what they can and are supposed to. Her breath is stuck in her chest as his eyes pierce through her. Her gaze is filled with betrayal, and she tries her best to hide it, but if Vincenzo still remembers her well, he’d know.
He knows.
Cha young being a polite person greet his wife with a warm smile on her face
“Hello, Mrs. Cassano” the words sounded unfamiliar on her tongue, and when she glanced at Vincenzo she saw the pained look behind his calm composure.
“Please just call me Sofia. It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Hong, I’ve heard a lot about you and would love to get to know you”
Cha young feels herself relax for a moment, if not in this messy situation, she believes that Sofia would be a good friend of hers, she likes her vibe.
For the rest of the day Vincenzo doesn’t turn to talk to Cha young nor does she. They’d share a few secret glances but nothing more than that.
Well, she caught him staring at her ring and the stupid thing she did was hide it. There is no point, why would she hide it.
Later as Sofia explain how they’ve met and got married Cha young realizes that Vincenzo didn’t play her, didn’t betray her. And at that moment she feels guilty, when she looks at him he is staring down at his hands, not trying to meet her eye, not even for a split second.
Cha young was the one to move on first, to break what they had. Or have.
But could she wait forever? Live in endless torture?
It’s only fair for both of them, this way.
Few months later Vincenzo gets a wedding invitation.
It doesn’t really get in his hands first, it’s his wife that finds it and tells him they have to go. If he was the first to get hold of him, he’d ignore it, forget about it and probably won’t go.
It’s silly that when Cha young writes the invitations she leaves on for Vincenzo.. and his wife.
She didn’t mean to, but she wanted to.
It was not with any bad intention, rather than just wanting him to be there, even if just standing between the guests and not by her side, to be there with her.
That how deep it goes.
Their love? Not really.
The safety of being with each other, the relief that after everything they are the partners who are stuck by each other side through hell and heaven.
On the day of the wedding that was held in Geumga Plaza to Cha young’s request, Mr. Nam is the one to walk her down the altar that was specifically designed by the tenants, his eyes filled with tears as he talks and rambles how her father would be so proud of her.
Cha young is not the person to get emotional over these things, but the nervous butterflies in her stomach are having an effect on her so before she starts crying in front of everyone she threatens him.
“Mr. Nam, if you don’t stop right this instant I swear you’re losing your job at Jipuragi” he shouts up
Her eyes lean on Vincenzo and he smiles at her, she chuckles. It’s their secret language of simple understanding. It’s been years and even now they understand each other through looks.
Mr. Nam who catches their interaction comment to her, this time more serious
“He is happy for you” her smile fades for a second before she answers him.
“I’m happy for him”
The celebratory continues, and Cha young excuses herself, weary from standing in her high heels and heavy dress.
She walks down the halls, each wall decorated with white roses and other wedding decorations, she reaches the balcony and finally takes a deep breath.
She leans against the glass and sighs tired of all the greetings and dances she’s done throughout the whole evening. She is sure she’ll need a week to charge her social battery.
“Byeonhosa-nim”
She hears a familiar voice, and she turns her face lighting up with a smile
“Byeonhosa-nim”
Vincenzo stand beside her silently
“Inside. It’s so crowed I feel like running away if another person says some blessing or whatever”
He snorts at her statement.
“Don’t laugh, you don’t know how it is”
“I do”
Right, he does. He did it too, the wedding.
“Ah, right. Yours must’ve been bigger than this, with the whole Cassano family and…”
“Not really”
“No?” she tilts her head and looks at him
“It was only small circle. Luca, he wasn’t there’ he didn’t mean to mention it, but to who if not to Cha young he gets to be this honest
“What?” she completely turns to face him
“But he shares the blessings and congratulates you” he smiles at her
“Aish that boy..”
“It’s not his fault”
As Cha young stares into his eyes she finds a familiar comfort, something she needed and couldn’t find anymore. Something they were both searching knowing very well they could find only in each other.
“I’m sorry” she starts, and her voice is weaker
Vincenzo shakes his head, but Cha young continues
“No, if… If I waited for you, if I came to you, but I gave up, I was tired”
“Cha young ah” he cups her face in his hands, tenderly drawing his thumb across her cheek “Stop. It’s my fault, I promised you and let you wait- “
“You should’ve had come” she turns her gaze away, eyes glistening with unshed tears
“I know, I know and I’m sorry”
“I missed you” she sighs and a part of her feels less heavy finally being able to say it “Day and night, I was worried you were dead. Or you’ve forgotten me”
“I could never forget you. You’ve been on my mind ever since we last met” he confronts her, making sure she is of the truth in his words
“Why couldn’t we have our happy ending…”
Vincenzo sigh, helpless with no answer, no response, he doesn’t want to promise anything anymore.
“Same time, same place” he starts, and Cha young looks at him carefully not understanding where he is leading this.
“Here, at Geumga Plaza. I’ll meet you again in our next life. And then I promise, I’ll really come”
Next life. Her chest tightens as she is aware she’ll have to wait, but if that means being with him until they reach their happy ending she is willing to go back to waiting. For their right time. A tear is rolling down her cheek and he wipes it carefully
“I will make sure of it.”
“I trust you.”