Prologue

Is forgiveness a given, if one ask should the other person just forget all the past transgression and let bygones be bygones. Choi Young Do was finding out the hard way that was not always the case. Some pain could not be forgiven or forgotten. The pain that was going through his jaw, courtesy from the person who was standing in rage before him, was proof that forgiveness wasn't always given.

However, he stood up and faced the boy in front of him once again. The Young Do of the past would have retaliated with a vengeance for someone of low status daring to lay a hand on him. But, that wasn't who he wanted to be anymore. He wanted to be someone his mom would be proud to call son. It had been five years since he had found his mother again and come back to stay with him.

After his father, Choi Dong Wook CEO of Zeus Hotel, had went to prison for fraud, his mother had reluctantly decided to come back to the mansion to stay and take care of Young Do. He knew the place held painful memories for her so he tried to persuade her to reconsider her decision to come back.

However, she informed him she was a mother first and it was time she started to act like one. So for the past five years, they both finally got to know each other again. She told him about her life since she left. How she was able to open her own shop and live a quiet life outside the Choi Family. She had told him she had wanted to take him with her when she left, but she knew he would get a better life with his father.

It took Young Do almost a year before he broke down and told his mom how he had been living his life since she left. All the bullying and all the horrible stuff he did to his fellow classmates. He had expected her to hit him and yell at him like his father had done many times before when he did something he did not approve of. However, she just smiled a sad smile and hugged him to her.

Young Do told her how he was trying to make amends to all the people he'd hurt in the past and she had told him how proud she was of him. So now here he was, once again standing before one of his victims asking for forgiveness. So far half had forgiven him, while other had wanted retaliation against him and decided to use their fist against him. But, he knew this was the only way he could finally get peace from his past.

So once again the great Choi Young Do the heir of Zeus Hotels, bowed his head to another person. If his father was out of jail, he would have beaten him to an inch of his life. But, that was no longer here nor there. This was all about him and the final step toward becoming a new person. "I'm sorry." he finally spoke, "For everything." Young Do could hear the boy gasp in shock. "Why should I forgive a bastard like you?"

Young Do looked up at him, "Not asking for forgiveness, I am more than willing to live with my mistakes. However, you shouldn't have too. I just hope this will give you some sort of peace." Without a second glance Young Do turned and walked away, only to be stopped by the voice behind him, "YA! Choi Young Do?" He turned around and looked back at the boy, "Not saying I forgive you….but thanks."

With that they both went their separate ways and moved on with their lives. Young Do felt lighter with each sorry he spoke. His father would call him weak, however he didn't care what his father thought anymore. All that mattered was getting his life back on track.

Young Do entered Myung So's game to the sound of Eun Sang and Tan's laughter, "You guys were so adorable." He could hear the fake offensiveness in Tan's voice as he answered, "Oh and I'm not now." Young Do entered the room as the two sat on the couch looking at what appeared to be old photos. Eun Sang gave a gentle smile as she looked up to see him standing there, "You got hit again didn't you?"

He just shrugged his shoulder and walked over toward the sofa, as Tan started to laugh, "How many times does that make it now…three…four?" Young Do shot a glare at Tan as he collapsed onto the sofa opposite of them, "Shut it up, Tan. Whose fault is it that I have to do this huh?"

Tan looked at him in disbelief, "You're trying to blame me for this?" Eun Sang laughed beside him, "Well you did say you were the one who started the whole charity student's torture sessions….Young Do just carried on your legacy." Young Do laughed as the two started to argue. It had taken two years before Tan and he could close the gap between him. He sometimes thought the reason he had acted out so badly was because a small part of him missed Tan.

Though he would be damned if he ever told him that. His gaze shifted toward Eun Sang and his heart gave a little flutter. It still hurt to see her, however he discovered not seeing her or hanging out with her hurt even more. A year after Tan and he became friends again, he knew he had to be nicer toward Eun Sang and lucky for him he did.

She had become one of his main supporter's when he decided to hunt down all his old victims. When he wanted to give up, she wouldn't let him and pushed him to complete what he started. Young Do gave a satisfied smiled and leaned back on the couch. Tan caught the grin, "What are you grinning like a fool over there for?"

"He finally completed his apologies, who wouldn't be happy," Eun Sang smiled, "I'm proud of you Young Do." He crossed his arms across his chest, "Just glad it is finally over. No more bowing my head and apologizing. It is done." Tan glanced at him, "You sure there isn't any you killed and hidden in your backyard. You know their parents might be still wondering where they are." Young Do smirked, "Nope my backyard is reserved especially for you."

Before Tan could make a comeback, Young Do raised up and snatched the picture out of his hand, "What are you looking at anyway…naked pictures of you as a child?" Young Do looked at the picture and saw a younger version of himself smiling back at him. "Who the hell unearthed these," he said with a glare at Tan. He raised his hands in defense, "Don't look at me…Omma found them she wants us to find pictures to put in the wedding video. However, almost all my pictures have you in it."

"The best part of the picture," Young Do said with a smirk. There were dozen upon dozen of picture, he didn't remember taking so many as kids. Memories came to surface with each picture he saw.

Suddenly Eun Sang voiced snapped him back to the present, "Whose this girl with you guys?" Tan took the picture and looked at it, "Well I'll be damned…Young Do look at this." Young Do took the picture of what appeared to be of three kids and took a look at it. "Her name was Nicole but we called her Nikky," Tan explained to Eun Sang, "We grew up together, basically inseparable…."

Tan voice disappeared as Young Do looked at the picture, with his eyes focus mainly on the girl called Nikky. It had been years since he had thought of her, mainly because he had chosen to forget. Not only had she been one of his best friend, she had also been the closest thing he had to a sister. His hand started to shake as memories of their last encounter flowed through his mind. He could still hear the pain in her voice as she begged him to explain how he could do that her. Back then he was still hurting from his mom's disappearance and he felt betrayed by her still being friends with Tan.

All that anger had built up and made her become his very first victim. Young Do had hurt her in a way that she would probably never forgive him. "Young Do?" Tan voice broke through his thoughts. He looked at Tan and laid the picture on the table, "I think…I have one more person I have to beg for forgiveness."

The airport was bustling with people as a girl walked from the airport with her family and into the bright sun of Korea. She looked toward the sky and took a deep breath, "I'm home."