19

As soon as he found the most corner black-coloured door with the hand-crafted number 204 on its shell, he knocked on the door in rush, afraid if the owner might not heard his arrivement.

"Jung Hana!" he shouted, not minding the other neighbourhood at all. "Hey, Jung Hana!!"

"Choi Junhong, what are you doing?"

Hearing those voice from behind his back made him turned in one instant moment, a little surprised to see the girl that he was looking for was just coming home and giving him such terrified looks.

"Tell me where Jieun is," he said, in hurried.

She looked taken aback for a moment, didn't know whether what she just heard was indeed right or her imagination only. "What?"

"Please. I have to find Jieun," he pleaded, reaching her shoulders to convince that confused girl.

"Wait. I don't get it," she held out her hands in front of her chest, giving him a sign to stop for a while. "Why do you suddenly want to find her again?"

Junhong looked at her, finding how much doubts were there inside of her eyes. He knew he was the one that wanted them to never meet up again and he knew that he was the one that asking Hana to help Jieun to find Yongguk too—but he just didn't think he has made a right decision. He just realized it now, after everything was over.

"I need to fight for my ownself too," he clearly said, didn't want to hide anymore. "I want her to be mine again."

The frowns on Hana's forehead slowly disappeared, leaving only touching feels that suddenly washed over her after hearing his sincere confession. Honestly, she truly felt sorry towards both of Jieun and Junhong, to forever being trapped inside of their own memories and anxiety but she didn't know what to do as well. Even after being with them since years ago, even after seeing what happened in the past—she didn't know what the right and the wrong anymore. Every one of them was suffering and hurting each other—including Bang Yongguk, she believed.

And like this kind of time too, she didn't know whether it was the right thing to tell Junhong about Jieun's existence. He might end up getting hurted again, or even hurting Jieun in another way—she didn't know. She felt like she couldn't stand behind one of them anymore.

"You may regret it," she said, still trying to break his hope.

"I don't mind," he replied, in confidence.

"She doesn't seem to be able to forget Bang Yongguk," she reminded him, just in case he wasn't ready for that possibilty.

"I know," he nodded, without thinking twice.

Letting out a deep sigh, Hana finally decided to help him for the last time. She knew it was his last chance and if he still couldn't make it true, then she would be the one that forced him to move on. No matter how.

"She's in Busan," she told him, "but I don't know where her exact address is."

In that short moment, Junhong felt such overwhelmed relief to finally know where Jieun was, after wondering for a long time. He pulled Hana on his arms, giving her a hug as a sign of how thankful he was for her helps all this time, how thankful he was to have her as his friend.

"Thank you, really," he whispered, with a smile on his face. "Thank you for everything."

Hana sighed, didn't have any idea of why that guy became such a fool in everything about Jieun but she guessed that was the reason why she was there to be his friend though. "Good luck. Don't disappoint me again, okay?"

"Okay," he nodded, slowly closing his eyes to hold back the tears. "I promise."

Junhong finally took a long break from his working place the day before he prepared for his departure to Busan, ignoring his executive's griping and all of his works behind.

Without knowing her exact position nor where he should go, he took a grey backpack by his right side shoulder and making his way out of the apartment to look for a taxi, getting all ready to Busan. It was somehow made him experienced how it feels like to be in her shoes, though. And in that precise moment, he clearly understood her decision to follow her heart.

It was when he already got the taxi and shoved his bag into the back seat that he vaguely heard someone was calling him from the back, making him turned his head a little to see who it was.

"Choi Junhong! Don't go!" Daehyun squealed, hurriedly coming out of his black car and ran towards the taller guy.

Junhong's eyebrows raised, getting a little surprised to find out that it was Daehyun—someone that he didn't expect at all. "Daehyun?"

"Wait," Daehyun stopped in front of Junhong, supporting his hands on both knees while trying to catch his breathe before saying, "are you moving out?"

"No," Junhong smiled. "I'm going to Busan. Why?"

"Busan?" Daehyun gaped, hardly believed him. "To see Jieun?"

Junhong shrugged, still holding a smile. "To find her."

"I was trying to call her since yesterday but her phone seems to be not working," Daehyun paused for a while, finally realized something odd from his answer. "Do you know she is looking for Bang Yongguk?"

"I know," he nodded, "that's the reason why we broke up."

"Oh," Daehyun gasped, didn't really know what to say yet it wasn't like he understood their current situation as well to give an opinion.

"Are you going to tell her something?" Junhong asked.

"Yes," Daehyun slid his hand inside his trouser's pocket, before taking out a small piece of paper and held it out for the taller. "She asked me about Bang Yongguk's address but I can only find his working place instead. I hope you can give this to her."

Despite his hatred and unwillingness to do that task, he eventually decided to accept it somehow after realizing that he had to play it fair. He had to make Jieun come back to him, without dissing that guy's existence in her life. Instead, it was something that he had to deal with first.

"Alright," he smiled, a thin one. "Thank you."

Daehyun didn't say anything and only smiled at him, still battling against his ownself inside. He wanted to tell Junhong about what Yoseob had tell him before yet he was afraid if it might causing such negative impact instead. He didn't want to bother their life, or to ruin everything that they believed—but afterall, the truth was something that they must faced no matter what. Sooner or later.

"Junhong," he called him again just before that guy got inside the taxi, making him held the door opened while turning around. "I think I must tell you about this."

Junhong looked at those former class monitor in doubtful stare, little did he know what he was going to say would be something important.

Collecting every pieces of his bravery, Daehyun his dry lips first before going on, "Yongguk has married and even already has a child,"

"What?" Junhong muttered, frowning deeply as that kind of thing never came across his mind even once. He couldn't get it inside of his mind.

"But Yoseob told me it'd better not to let Jieun met Yongguk again," Daehyun went on despite the latter's confusion, even though it was hard for him to take everything in one-time.

"Because he said—the old Yongguk is already dead now."

Still with a backpack on his shoulder, still holding on those small paper by his hand, Junhong walked through the crowds of Busan, not wandering his eyes around but to the front, to the address that was written on the paper.

Once he arrived at the fourth floor building located by the center of the region, he didn't waste any time to take a rest for awhile and went to the receiptionist table instead, whose looking busy talking on the phone.

"Oh, please wait for a moment," she muttered between her conversation with the caller, not giving any sign that it would end soon.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Junhong turned and leant against the table in tired, not going to give up and leave no matter what.

He decided to find Yongguk before Jieun because he wanted to make sure that he was still the same Yongguk, the one that loved Jieun, and the one that would not hurt her—which was his main priority. He was afraid if Jieun would get hurted for the second times just forsake of that guy's indiscreet. He didn't want to break her heart as much as he wanted her to stay by his side.

And it was slowly killing him inside.

"I'm sorry,"

Hearing those receiptionist's voice back making Junhong did a quick turn, hoping that she would give him a positive answer.

"Bang Yongguk-ssi is still out of town to attend a seminar with a companionship agency. Do you wish to leave any message?" she asked, in a flat tone.

"Uh," Junhong cleared his throat, finding a reasonable statement inside his head. "If it's possible, I just need to know his address."

That woman looked suspicious to hear his answer yet before she could say anything against his wishes, he quickly added, "I'm his old school mates. You can check Shin High School's student lists or even ask him about the truth."

"It's not like that sir," she let out a sardonic smile before going on, "it's a privacy thing. I'm afraid I can't help you."

No. He wasn't going to give up now.

Instead, he would never give up.

"I'm coming from Seoul and leave my work in JJ Company just to send him a present," he pressed his lips, pretending to be disappointed. "His daughter is having a birthday, don't you know? This will show my respect to him."

Hearing that he was coming from Seoul and even working on an elite company made the woman surprised, not expecting someone from a high position was coming to their small agency. She quickly opened , planning to take her words back while in the other hand, Junhong had already laughing inside.

His plan was definitely a big success.

"I'll ask my supervisor first," she held him back, now with a set smile on. "Please wait for a moment, sir."

It was a small yet looking comfortable apartment, the place that was given by those receiptionist lady which she claimed as Bang Yongguk's house.

Even though Junhong had already know that Bang Yongguk wasn't home, he was still feeling so much nervous to meet his wife, and to find out what made Yongguk to be a different person, even to his own best friend. He had to find it out no matter how much worries that were crawling into him though. He had already got too far to turn back.

After a while, Junhong knocked the door slowly, patiently waiting for someone to open the door.

It wasn't that clear but Junhong could hear the vague talking from behind the door—probably between Yongguk's wife and his daughter, and Junhong could only lowered his head with hundred questions inside.

Was it right to bothering their life?

Would everything be alright afterwards?

What would happen if they ended up ruining their marriage?

So on, so on.

The questions kept running inside of his head until he heard the door was slowly opened and those voice that sound so familliar to him somehow.

And when Junhong slowly lifted his head up to meet that woman's face—all of the questions before were completely washed away. Left nothing but anger alone with him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm really surprised."

Junhong looked at those woman, giving off such unfriendly gaze without him really trying.

"Tea? Coffee?" she asked, walking her way to the kitchen with a smile on her face. "I guess you would prefer coffee."

"It's ridiculous," he scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Out of all people in this world—why you?"

Hyosung glanced at those guy, not getting offended by his words at all. "If not me—who else?"

Junhong frowned. He knew she was actually referring to something else.

But she was only smiling.

A smile that was really distracting for Junhong.

"Bang Yongguk didn't marry you because of love," he stated, toughly. "I'm sure of it."

"Really?" she chuckled, placing a cup of coffee on the table before sitting on the chair across him. "I appreciate your confidence for that."

Junhong scoffed again. "And I appreciate your shameless."

Hyosung finally lost her smile. She stared at Junhong with hurted looks, obviously showing that she didn't want to be called that way—especially from his mouth.

"Do you think what you believe is always right?" she held her breath, trying to control her temper.

While Junhong still didn't move from his principle. He just looked at her, waiting for that girl to finish.

"You're right," she nodded, letting out a small sigh. "He doesn't love me."

Junhong smirked to hear her honesty. It was when he was about to comment that she later added her statement.

"He doesn't love me but he will never leave me," she said, slowly forming a smile back. "As much as he hates me, he will still stay by my side. No matter how hard I push him away, he will always try to come back to me."

Junhong frowned, didn't understand what she said at all.

"Junhong-ah," she leant against the chair, still fixing her eyes on him. "I never ask him to be with me. I swear."

She was indeed a type that might lie about anything but for this time, he could see through her somehow. And it confused him so much.

"He stays with me on his own willingness. Before you come here and judge me like this, learn it first," she stood up from the chair, getting ready to open the door to let him out.

"I can't believe it," he shook his head, slowly covering his face with his both hands. "Then how—how?"

Hyosung turned, looking at her with her droopy eyes. "Please don't bother our life again."

Junhong lowered his hands, facing her cold face again. "Bother?"

"From the reunion party to this," she crossed her arms, "stop it, okay? Go mind your own business."

"Are you insane?" he raised his voice, now losing his patience. "Don't you know you have make someone suffered just because of your selfishness?"

Hyosung knew who he meant by that. He must came with no other reasons but those girl.

"Do you think she is the one that suffering?" she muttered, pressing her lips in annoyance. "Do you really think I'm so happy now?"

"If you're not, then leave him," he said, straight to the point.

But she didn't answer him. She was looking at somewhere else, the right side of the room precisely. He turned to see what made her silent like that and found a little girl was hiding behind the slightly opened door, looking a little freaked out to hear their noises.

And Junhong just remembered that they were already had a child—a little girl that might be the reason of why they couldn't separate no matter how.

"You can leave now," Hyosung muttered, opening the door for the latter to go. "And don't ever come here again."