Dressed for their outing in a sleeveless, sky blue sundress, white lace cardigan, and white low wedge Missoni sandals, Sun-Mi leans on the piano, engrossed in the familiar melody and his wonderfully resonant voice, her thoughts drifting back to the first time she'd come here, also for a promised day of sightseeing, standing by this same piano and listening to this same song...

... 'three times is charm'... She recalls the old proverb, that two strangers meeting by chance three times means fate has brought them together for life. Six years ago, that saying had become reality, when three seemingly unrelated incidents - an ill-timed step into the street, a misdelivered letter, a decision to work at her aunt's restaurant for pocket money - came together in a twist of fate to change her life forever.

And now that they are back at the place where it all began, she wonders ... is it possible to start over, to heal the old scars, atone for the mistakes, and chart a different future? ... or will it just reopen the scars, repeat the mistakes, and retrace the past? ...

With a flourish, Hyung-Chul completes the closing bars of the melody and turns his attention to his audience of one. Seeing the wistful distance in her eyes, he prompts her back to the present, "What are you daydreaming about now, Jin Sun-Mi?"

"It's a long time since I heard this song," she sighs contemplatively. "Brings back warm memories..."

"Me, too," he agrees, admiring the attractive, sophisticated newswoman whose polished mastery of English, athletic prowess on the court, and capable skill at the wheel have come to surpass his own abilities.

Yet, with sunglasses perched up on a short, permed 'do, sweater casually draped over bare shoulders, and earnest, sweet smile, she still evokes the images he'd captured with his eyes and stored in a photographic memory, of the cute young college freshman whose awkward English, blur clumsiness, and effusive, ingenuous nature had endeared her to his heart

"Beautiful sunshine, fond reminisces, enchanting music, a tummy full of Auntie's kimbap, and..." she smiles warmly at Hyung-Chul, "good friends, like you, Senior. I'm grateful to have the best things in life today."

Hyung-Chul smiles back, concealing the melancholy feelings that had tugged at his heart as she said ... 'good friends' ... when he wants so much more.

"It was a good thing you brought kimbap for two, or that tummy of yours would hardly be filled," he jests about their picnic earlier that day, on the same bench where they'd previously lunched together and watched the River Cam flow by the Darwin College campus.

Sun-Mi laughs and comically pokes out her tongue, complaining, "How could you eat all your lunch box, and also half of mine, and not show the least bit of remorse?"

"It's so nice to hear your laugh again," he sidesteps her dart. "I'm glad we came together today."

"Me, too," she reflects thoughtfully. "They say you can't go back to old times, but this must be as close as it can get."

"Do you still have that hat?" he asks about the red baseball cap he'd bought for her as payback for eating her lunch the first time.

"Why? You want it back?" she is surprised he mentions it, recalling his words at the time ... 'until I have a girlfriend, you can wear it' ...

He shakes his head, "No, just curious. I always thought you looked cute in it."

"I'm still cute, don't you know?" she brags cheekily, showing her brightest smile to prove it.

... the smile that still melts his heart ...

Hyung-Chul gazes at her contentedly, gaining confidence that his scheme to bring back the feeling of happier times between them is working as planned. He thinks of the engagement ring hung securely on a chain around his neck, close to his heart, and sends a message to her telepathically ... 'Marry me, Sun-Mi! I love you!' ....

Sun-Mi notices his eyes intently focusing on her, when an inexplicable sense of joy swells her heart, ushering a smile to her face along with a feeling of shyness that makes her blush and turn her eyes away.

Hyung-Chul notices her reaction, and prompts hopefully, "Did you get my telepathic message?"

Still feeling the heat in her cheeks, she answers ambiguously, "Mmm... What was it?"

Satisfied that his attempt was successful, he lets the answer dangle. "I'll tell you later. Shall we get that coffee now?"

Sun-Mi shakes her head. "There's one more thing to do first," she states, then waiting a moment before she asks, "Do you know?"

"I give up," he eschews guessing.

"Didn't you get my telepathic message?" she hints.

He reluctantly admits he hasn't a clue, "What was it?"

"Come on, let's go," she orders, as she eagerly grabs his hand. "I'll take you there."

"Where?"

Sun-Mi pulls him along as she reveals her plans, "How can we visit Cambridge, without punting the River Cam?"

CHUNCHEON, KANGWON-DO...

Young-Mi pushes the club's door open and staggers out onto the street...

"Careful, now!" In-Soo warns, putting a stable hand on her elbow.

After the steamy, smoke-filled interior, the cool air in her face has a sobering effect, and Young-Mi pulls her arm free from his grasp.

"I don't need your help," she maintains icily, "I'm fine."

"You're drunk," he points out her obvious condition.

"So? I can still walk on my own two feet," she snaps back, and starts off to prove it, heading down the street on a wobbling path.

In-Soo chuckles and tells her, "The van is the other way."

Young-Mi stops and wheels about, claiming, "I knew that..."

"Don't be so obstinate," he chides, going over and putting his arm around her waist to guide her.

"Can I bum a smoke?" she asks, using that as an excuse to push him away.

Offended, he grumbles, "Sure, there's still a couple left..."

He fishes a crumpled cigarette pack from his pocket and shakes one out for her, and another for himself. Flicking his lighter open as Young-Mi puts the cigarette to her lips, he lights hers first, then his.

Young-Mi exhales a long cloud of blue smoke into his face, "God, it feels great to be myself again!" she declares.

"Was it wise to attract so much attention?" he questions her behavior in the club. "Suppose some of the locals recognize you from the orphanage?"

"Who would suspect a nun... in makeup, sexy miniskirt, and killer heels?" she dismisses his concern.

"Still, grinding like that with those guys on the dance floor," he complains. "It's obscene!"

"Jealous?" she taunts him, "A girl likes being appreciated. If I've got it, why not flaunt it?"

She drops the butt of her smoke and crushes it under the pointed toe of her shoe. Then swaying her hips seductively to demonstrate her point, she starts off in a slow, tipsy rendition of a model's catwalk strut.

Several men leaving the club at that moment notice Young-Mi, stopping to stare leeringly as she approaches them with an alluring smile and a come-hither glint in her eyes.

"Hey, baby? I know a quiet place we can go for a good time," one of the men beckons with a wad of cash in his hand.

"You don't want that jerk," another says as he steps forward. "Let me show you what a real gentleman can do for a lovely lady like you."

"Just get in line boys, I'm enough woman for all of you," she purrs, teasingly lifting the hem of her skirt and sending a flirtatious wink.

But the threatening scowl on In-Soo's face as he closes in behind Young-Mi warns the men off, and they turn away and keep moving.

Exasperated, In-Soo complains again, "What do you think you're doing, acting like a hooker?"

"Just having fun," she laughs drunkenly. "Come on, let's go for another round..."

"You've had enough for one night," he nixes the idea, propelling Young-Mi forward with a firm squeeze to the rump as he warns, "You'd better get back before morning prayers and Sister Hawk realizes her birdie has flown the coop."

"I told you, I can walk by myself," she snarls, brushing his groping hand away.

"Whatever," he agrees amicably, dropping back a few paces so he can ogle the shapely line of her long, slender stems from short skirt to high heels.

They round the corner, entering a quiet, dark alley where the van is parked. The lights flash once as In-Soo uses the key fob to unlock the van. Then, unable to hold back any longer, he catches up to Young-Mi, grabs her by the shoulders and turns her back to the van, pinning her against it.

"What are you doing?" she feigns a protest, though her moves were designed to entice such an action from him.

"Collecting on that one you owe me," he replies, pressing an ardent kiss her on the lips.

When she responds passionately, he crows, "Bitch, I knew you still loved me. We were made for each other..."

"It's only because I'm drunk," she ridicules his assertion, but signals otherwise with her eyes, tempting him to continue...

Still, In-Soo exercises caution, keenly remembering the last time, when he let down his guard and she pulled his own blade on him.

But Young-Mi has other plans for tonight ... if she plays this right, he will do anything she wants ... even kill, for love ...

She opens the van's rear side door and climbs in, using the opportunity to flash the lace of her stayups and red thong. Lying down in an inviting pose on the mattress, she slides her hand slowly up the inside of her thigh as she coos cajolingly, "What are you waiting for? Don't you want to collect on that other one I owe you, too?"

"Just like old times, eh?" In-Soo remarks with a lascivious chuckle, as he gets in the van and closes the door...