Episode 8 of *A Hundred Memories* whisks us back seven years to a frost-laden bus station. This time, our lens focuses on Jong-hui, who is found shivering in the biting cold and is subsequently picked up by Yeong-sik. Her hands, numb and frostbitten, prompt him to secure her a ticket to Seoul. Generously, Yeong-sik also slips her some cash and watches as she boards the bus, leaving her past behind.
In Seoul, Jong-hui finds employment as a chambermaid at a hotel. It’s there that she discerns a disturbing pattern: one of the residents harbors suicidal thoughts. Determined to help, Jong-hui begins leaving encouraging notes and ensures that meals are discreetly delivered to her door each day. Yet, when she receives a note in return, Jong-hui’s intuition screams danger.
Rushing to the room, Jong-hui forces the door open to find the woman poised barefoot on the windowsill, on the brink of jumping. With urgency and empathy, Jong-hui pleads with her, sharing her own heart-wrenching story of losing her parents and understanding the weight of life as a relentless punishment.
The woman Jong-hui saves is none other than a highly influential Chairwoman, a figure of considerable power and prominence. Touched by Jong-hui’s kindness and selflessness, the Chairwoman adopts her as if she were her own daughter.
Under the Chairwoman’s wing, Jong-hui is showered with gifts—designer clothes, sumptuous dinners, and a lifestyle she could have never imagined. The Chairwoman firmly believes that Jong-hui’s arrival is a divine blessing, a sign that her own life, once clouded by dark thoughts, has found stability and purpose.
Encouraged and somewhat overwhelmed, Jong-hui accepts the role of the Chairwoman’s adoptive daughter. The opulent accommodation she’s offered is beyond her wildest dreams, but it comes with a stringent condition: Jong-hui must sever all ties with her past. She is forbidden from discussing her former life or maintaining any contact with those she once knew.
Fast forward to the present, and Jong-hui faithfully adheres to this promise. When she encounters Yeong-rye at the salon, she goes to great lengths to avoid her, feigning ignorance and pretending they share no history.
When a pair of scissors clatters onto Jong-hui's lap, she jerks upright with a startled gasp. Clearly, the harrowing incident involving Mr. No at the bus station has left her with a lingering fear of sharp objects.
After wrapping up work and leaving the salon behind, Yeong-rye receives an invitation to the Chairwoman's residence. Here, Jong-hui is a transformed person, racing over to her best friend with outstretched arms and enveloping her in a warm embrace. Their reunion is heartfelt, filled with laughter and shared sips of tea, made all the more relaxed by the Chairwoman's absence on a business trip out of town.
Jong-hui remarks on the subtle shift in their dynamic, noting how Yeong-rye has grown cooler, exuding a tough exterior. As for herself, Jong-hui is thriving in college, particularly in her equestrian studies. Yeong-rye, on the other hand, isn't pursuing higher education at the moment, as she's dedicated to supporting her family and lacks the financial means. However, she's contemplating enrolling in night classes. Before they part ways, after a brief mention of Jae-pil, Jong-hui hands Yeong-rye her journal and hugs her tightly, confessing how much she's missed her.
On the bus ride home, Yeong-rye opens the journal and finds herself engulfed in tears as she reads through the entries. She can sense Jong-hui's lingering pain and the weight of the past still bearing down on her. Overwhelmed, Yeong-rye gets off the bus prematurely, her mind swirling with emotions.
Further flashbacks reveal Mr. No's decade-long scheme of embezzling money from Cheonga, meticulously doctoring the books to cover his tracks. Yeong-rye stumbled upon this incriminating evidence in the office and, seizing the opportunity, confronted the boss while he was convalescing in the hospital after Jong-hui's stabbing. Though he survived, Yeong-rye's blackmail forced him into silence, effectively burying the entire incident under a shroud of secrecy.
Yet, amidst the shadows of the past, another joyful reunion unfolds. Jong-hui makes her way to the restaurant, where she's warmly greeted by Ho-suk, Man-ok, and the twins. But the biggest surprise of all is the heartfelt catch-up between Yeong-sik and Jong-hui, a moment brimming with nostalgia and newfound understanding.
The duo sets out for a drink together, and amidst the clinking of glasses, Jong-hui can't help but compliment him, calling him handsome. She recounts how he once saved her life, and a warm, intimate conversation about their lives ensues. Yet, the atmosphere shifts when Jong-hui prepares to head home. The Chairwoman has returned from her trip, armed with a surprise for Jong-hui.
The Chairwoman is eager to play matchmaker, arranging a dinner date between Jong-hui and a man named Jo Hyeon-woo. Their meeting at a hotel unfolds with an air of stiffness and awkwardness. Jong-hui's disinterest is palpable; she gives him the cold shoulder before being whisked away in a car.
Amusingly, her driver is none other than Mr. Kim, the seasoned charmer who hasn't lost his touch. On their way, they pass by the University Hospital, prompting Jong-hui to change her mind and decide to visit Jae-pil.
As she lingers outside, she spots Yeong-rye arriving to deliver some supplies to Jae-pil. Jong-hui is on the verge of stepping in, but then she observes the pair engaging in playful banter and teasing—even Jae-pil gently removes an eyelash from Yeong-rye's face. This sight gives Jong-hui pause, and she ultimately chooses to head home.
Meanwhile, inside, Yeong-rye attempts to tell Jae-pil about Jong-hui's return, but an emergency call interrupts their lunch, plunging Jae-pil straight back into the fray of work.
Back at her mansion, Jong-hui arrives home, irritated and viewing her surroundings with a fresh perspective. True, she resides in a grand, beautiful estate, but now those gates with their bars resemble prison bars to her.
Speaking of Mr. Kim, he happens to stumble upon little Su-jin and Hu-sook. Although Su-jin is technically his biological daughter, he is far from being a father figure. Su-jin, brimming with anger, forces him to leave. For now, it seems he remains oblivious to his paternal status.
The following day, Yeong-rye is greeted at the salon with a lavish basket of flowers and a note. However, it's not from Jae-pil but from Jeong-heyon. After getting a haircut, he invites her to dinner, but she declines due to a prior commitment.
As for Jong-hui, her mind is preoccupied while riding her horse, leading to a fall and a hard landing on the ground. She's rushed to the hospital. Although her vital signs are stable upon arrival, she's unconscious and has sustained a serious blow to the head. When she regains consciousness, Jae-pil is there by her side, shocked at the sight of her.
Jong-hui stumbles out of the hospital, refusing further treatment, but Jae-pil intervenes, telling her she has a knack for surprising people. When Yeong-rye arrives at the hospital and spots the pair engaged in conversation, the scene ends on a note of tension and unease.
