Kim Dong-Hyub went looking for Lee Pil-suk.  He had called her and told her he wanted to just say hey.  She had told him a very excited yes. 

He found her waiting for him.  He smiled at her. 

“Did you make Han Tae-sun laugh again?” she asked.  Kim Dong-Hyub laughed at that.  “He has been laughing a lot actually” he said.

“Yeah, I have noticed a change.  He looks happy again.  It has been several years” Lee Pil-suk said.

“I wanted to thank you Lee Pil-suk for saving him” Kim Dong-Hyub said emotionally.  He absolutely had to say this to Lee Pil-suk because he knew Han Tae-sun was alive because of her.

“Hmmm .. What?” Pil-suk was surprised by this overflow of emotion from Kim Dong-Hyub.

“I just wanted to thank you.  Han Tae-sun has shared a bit of his life and I cannot imagine what would have happened if you were not there. “Kim Dong-Hyub said.  His eyes were wet again. 

When he was alone some days, he thought of what Han Tae-sun had endured.  He always got emotional when thinking about it.  He wanted the names of every guy who beat Han Tae-sun up, had cruelly, and bullied him.  He wanted the name of that stranger who molested Han Tae-sun.  He wanted the name of the trainer who had taken advantage of Han Tae-sun’s love.  He wanted to go look for them and punch everyone in the face telling them with each blow “This one is for Han Tae-sun”.   Kim Dong-Hyub was not a violent person.  He scared himself when he thought like that. 

Kim Dong-Hyub now knew everything there was to know about Han Tae-sun.  He understood the prickly personality.   Kim Dong-Hyub hoped he would stay prickly on the outside for everyone and just stay soft for Kim Dong-Hyub.  Lee Pil-suk was already part of that circle anyway.  Han Tae-sun was great just as his prickly self.  Especially, now that he could laugh and smile much more easily without making it look like he was having a seizure. 

But, he had wanted to thank Lee Pil-suk since the day Han Tae-sun had told him about feeling suicidal and how Lee Pil-suk had helped him stay slightly sane.  Kim Dong-Hyub wondered if Lee Pil-suk knew what she had done.  How important she was.  Kim Dong-Hyub hoped for every troubled teenager out there, there was a Lee Pil-suk giving them to strength to endure. 

Lee Pil-suk was embarrassed.  ‘What is he talking about?’  But, it looked important to him.  He looked emotional so, she simply touched him on his arm and said “I am not sure where this is coming from but you are welcome?”  She was not really sure what the appropriate response should be. 

Kim Dong-Hyub felt slightly embarrassed for feeling this emotional.  So, he then quickly changed the subject. 

“May be three of us go out together sometimes.  What do you think?” Kim Dong-Hyub asked.

A surly voice demanded “Talking behind my back again?” Han Tae-sun was looking for Pil-suk and found her talking to Kim Dong-Hyub. It annoyed him slightly but it did not matter anymore. 

“Yep” Kim Dong-Hyub turned to look at him.  Happy to see him. 

‘How can I look at that face and stay irritated?’  Han Tae-sun thought.

The fact that he could not stay irritated made him irritated.  He belt better. 

“Yep” said Lee Pil-suk almost at the same time as Kim Dong-Hyub. ‘Ah peas in a pod’ Han Tae-sun thought.

“What’s with all the touching?” he asked pointing his stare PIl-suk’s hand on Kim Dong-Hyub’s arm.

Both Lee Pil-suk and Kim Dong-Hyub laughed at that. 

Lee Pil-suk now happily hooked her arm around Kim Dong-Hyub’s arm.  “What? you are jealous?”

“He ed girls before” Han Tae-sun said.

“HAN TAE-SUN!” both of them yelled at him. 

He shrugged and walked away as if suddenly bored.  He laughed inside.  Hopefully it had shocked both of them enough to stop the touching.

“I am sorry.  He is such as ”…  “” both Lee Pil-suk and Kim Dong-Hyub at the same time.

They both laughed at that. 

“I like the idea of going out.  Let me know when” Lee Pil-suk said. 

Kim Dong-Hyub said he will talk to Han Tae-sun and call her.  Then, he ran after Han Tae-sun.

“You are such as ” Kim Dong-Hyub said as he reached up.

Han Tae-sun shrugged again.

‘Well, they stopped touching.’  …

……

Han Tae-sun reluctantly agreed to go out together.

They had nice dinner at a good restaurant.  Han Tae-sun looking very surly as if he was forced to be there.  So, Kim Dong-Hyub and Lee Pil-suk ignored him most of the time and chatted about mundane stuff. 

Han Tae-sun was enjoying listening to the easy conversation.  He did not try to join in.  He was not the one for small talk or any talk really.  He watched two of his most favorite and the most important people just laughing and chatting.  He felt very happy.  Not that he would show though.  It did not go with his personality.

Kim Dong-Hyub checked on him every 10 minutes, just touching his thigh, reaching for his hand, or rubbing shoulders.  Kim Dong-Hyub knew Han Tae-sun was perfectly okay. 

…..

They still had a major hurdle.  Han Tae-sun was independent and knew for sure his future was secure.  He had the right contacts and there was always ajhumma and Oska.  She had watched over him in her own way, it was not like they were in touch but he knew if he needed some help with contacts or jobs, she would help him happily.  She knew of his crush on Oska and wished him well understanding his heart ache.  ‘I was such a brat to her!’   Oska stayed clueless.  He was very fond of Han Tae-sun.  He was another person who saw through the prickliness and surliness.  But he did not clued in on the crush.  Han Tae-sun was glad ajhumma never told him.

Kim Dong-Hyub was not independent.  He was financially dependent on his parents and it kept bothering him.  He had still not told his family and Han Tae-sun was starting to get concerned about how guilty Kim Dong-Hyub felt.

So, one day Han Tae-sun said.  “I know a director who works on video commercials. She has a lot of contacts.  Do you want me to call her and see if there is anything there?  I know she will help”

He did not want to make Kim Dong-Hyub uncomfortable.  But he had to start somewhere.

“Who is that?”

“Oska’s wife”

“Oh.  She will help you?”

“Yeah, she will” Han Tae-sun said.

“Did she know?” Kim Dong-Hyub was curious.

“Yep.  I wrote a song for her as a gift.  It was on the 7^th album” Han Tae-sun said.

“Wow!” 

“Yeah anyway, do you want me to call her?”

“Do you feel comfortable asking her though?” Kim Dong-Hyub did not want Han Tae-sun to put himself through any discomfort.

“I think so.  She thinks I don’t know but I think she got me the scholarship for the school” Han Tae-sun said.

“Wow”

Kim Dong-Hyub “Well, there were some good people you met as well.  That makes me feel good”

“I don’t want you to always think of my life in those terms.  It’s been over now.  I am over it.  You need to get over it now. “ Han Tae-sun told him annoyed.

Kim Dong-Hyub “Okay, okay, sorry”

“Should I call her?” finally Han Tae-sun snapped.

“Okay, call her if you are comfortable.  I need to start somewhere”

“I hope you are good at what you do.  She will be happy to help but if you are not good, then I don’t want to embarrass her” Han Tae-sun was blunt as always.

Kim Dong-Hyub felt a little offended.  Then he sighed.  He knew what Han Tae-sun was trying to say. 

“I think I am good.  But I need experience and feedback.  College work is not sufficient.  Let her vet me normally.  She does not have to do favors.   That way, it is her decision”

“Okay, sounds good”. 

…..

Another day Kim Dong-Hyub asked Han Tae-sun.

“When I come out to my parents, I want to tell them about you.  Are you comfortable?”

Han Tae-sun panicked.  “I don’t think I am ready for that”

“You don’t have to meet them.  I will just let them know about you”

Han Tae-sun “Can’t you come out without disclosing me?  First find out how they feel.  If they are uncomfortable, you don’t want to talk about me”

Kim Dong-Hyub “And if they are comfortable?”

Han Tae-sun “I don’t know right now.  Frankly it scares me”

Kim Dong-Hyub “Okay, we will see how it goes”

…….

Kim Dong-Hyub had not visited the family in a while.  All his free time was spent with Han Tae-sun.  Their relationship felt steady.   He felt comfortable enough to go away for the weekend to meet his parents.

“Stay here if you want” Kim Dong-Hyub told Han Tae-sun.  Both of them had keys to each other’s apartment now to come in and go as they pleased.  But Han Tae-sun studio apartment was too small, so they mostly spent the time in Kim Dong-Hyub’s apartment. 

“I will see.  I might miss you more here”

‘Is he pouting?’ Kim Dong-Hyub thought.  It looked like Han Tae-sun was pouting. 

So, Kim Dong-Hyub kissed him while laughing. 

“What?” Han Tae-sun said annoyingly.

“You were pouting” Kim Dong-Hyub said.

“Yah!  I do not pout!” Han Tae-sun tried to wipe the kiss.

“Okay, you don’t pout” Kim Dong-Hyub said even as he laughed.  ‘He is so ing cute!’

…..

 “Are you going to tell them this weekend” Han Tae-sun asked.

“No, I am going to feel it out first.  If I feel comfortable, I will”

“Either way, we will have to be mentally ready to get out of this apartment”

They had already talked about this, and Han Tae-sun had asked him to share his apartment till he found an alternative.  It was not the best option.  Both of them not very sure if they were ready to live with each other yet and also in such a confined place. 

“Well, let’s hope it does not get to that”

Kim Dong-Hyub “Do you hate the idea of living together so much?”

Han Tae-sun “I need personal space.  I need privacy.  I need to be alone sometimes so that I can think about music and create it.  If we had a bigger place and I had a room and a studio for myself, I would feel different.  It is not about living with you.  It is about my need for space”

Han Tae-sun “We have spoken about this.  Don’t make me feel bad”

Kim Dong-Hyub “Sorry, I know.  One day, we will find a place where both of us can stay”

“We will.” Han Tae-sun said with certainty. 

Han Tae-sun had stopped thinking about end of this relationship.  It would drive him crazy.  He did not want to make choices based only on fear anymore.  It anything goes bad with them, it would be for the right reasons.  They would have loved and tried.   If it did not work out, he would have no regret.  He would never think of this phase in his life as something he should not have lived. 

He felt he was healed of everything bad that had happened in his life in the time he had known Kim Dong-Hyub. 

So, he felt every comfortable making long term plans.  He will try his best to make this work for both of them.  No matter who said what. 

‘Kim Dong-Hyub never looked as if he had any doubts’.  Han Tae-sun thought.  He had already started thinking of giving up the security of him family the moment he found out about himself.  Han Tae-sun knew with certainty, no matter what his family said, things between them would not change. 

But, Kim Dong-Hyub would be so much happier if his family was okay.  No matter how rational you get, when your family does not support you, there was this guilt you carry.  It affects your other relationships.

…..

So, that Friday evening, Han Tae-sun dropped Kim Dong-Hyub to the train station.  They hugged but did not linger.    They already had said their byes at home.

Han Tae-sun missed him terribly.  He almost wish he had gone with him and stayed closed just in case Kim Dong-Hyub needed support.  But it was not the best idea.  He wished him good luck mentally. 

They would be in touch constantly.  Han Tae-sun would be there to support him if anything went wrong.

....