[Love will find a way]

August 18th

Hongbin was going to the hospital since this was going to be the day when Taekwoon will come back home. He just will arrived at his room, but he suddenly taken aback when he saw Mr. Seo was already helping Taekwoon to walk out from the room. Hongbin frowned as he could clearly see that the latter was already changing his clothes with the fine one and Mr. Seo's assistant was bringing a big bag pack, and Hongbin knew that it belonged to Taekwoon.

“Anyeonghaseyo, Mr. Seo,” Hongbin greet the coach politely, and the eldest showing his smile as return. “Where will you go, hyung?” Hongbin moved his gaze toward his best friend, who looked fidgeting.

“I...” Taekwoon paused before he turned his head to his coach. “I’m sorry, Mr. Seo. But don’t you mind to give me 5 um no, 10 minutes. I need to talk to Hongbin before I go.”

Mr. Seo nodded his head before he signaled his assistant to leave both of them alone.

“What is this? Where do you want to go? Did today supposed to be the day for Eunji’s surprise birthday party?” Hongbin threw endless question marks.

“Hongbin-ah... I’m sorry,”

Hongbin sensed a bad thing.

“I have to go to States today since the university offered me a treatment to make my injuries recovered before the election. So, I need you to accompany Eunji to—“

Hongbin landed a fist on Taekwoon’s face before he could finish his words. It made his nose bleeding anyway and he pulled the collar of Taekwoon’s blood-stained shirt.

“Didn’t you just promise her to never make her cry and leave her like what you had done before? Look at you now, bastard! You will hurt her again! You will make her suffering again because of your selfishness!” Hongbin yelled in front of the eldest face before landed another fist on his face.

Suddenly, someone caught Hongbin’s hand as he tried to stop him for hitting Taekwoon again.

“Hongbin-ah, stop it. What’s happening here?” it was Hakyeon, who was coming from nowhere and he already split the best friends from fighting.

“Listen to me, Jung Taekwoon-ssi,” Hongbin pulled out his hand from Hakyeon harshly as he threw a stern look toward Taekwoon. “You should be on your knees and begging for her mercy for what you did to her!”

With that, Hongbin bolted out of the hospital, leaving Hakyeon gaped and Taekwoon who was barely able to feeling his own face.

***

Eunji looked up and her eyes rounded when she saw the wounds on her boyfriend’s face. Taekwoon was standing in front of her, with unfocused eyes and stiff shoulders.

“Oppa, what happened with you?” Eunji was about to touch his face, but Taekwoon stepping back.

Eunji was taken aback by his sudden act, but before she could ask, Taekwoon suddenly spoke up.

“Come to him,” he said.

“What?” Eunji furrowed her eyebrows.

“Come to Hongbin,” he said clearer and this time he mentioned his name. “Come to him and I will let you go.”

Eunji mentally slapped herself when she heard Taekwoon’s sudden remark. “Oppa, are you losing your sense or something?”

Taekwoon was inhaling oxygen as much as he could before he slowly shook his head. “I’m not joking, Ji. Because… I know that deep down your heart, even when you agreed to be my girlfriend again, you will be much happier if you are with him.”

Eunji didn’t know how to react at those surprising things. She walked closer to her boyfriend and she was staring at his face. She could clearly see the doubt and the slight of hurt on his eyes.

“What was really happen, oppa? Just tell me the truth,”

Taekwoon heaved a sigh before he spoke up. “I’ll be leaving soon. I want you to be with someone who can hold your hand tighter rather than I’ve done.”

“What? So… You’re leaving - again?” Eunji frowned.

Taekwoon his lips before nodding. “The university sent me to States for a month for my recovery so I can attend the football election. And I’ll be leaving today.”

“W-what?” Eunji gaped. “But, why you didn’t tell me before?”

“I just got this news from Mr. Choi yesterday. I was thinking so hard before made this decision. I knew you may think that I’m a selfish person who always sacrificing your happiness instead of mine. Just like I did today, I’ll leave you at your birthday date. So, I admit that I’m not a good boyfriend for you,” Taekwoon shook his head. “You deserved someone better than me.”

Eunji was staring at his eyes with confusion appeared inside her eyes. “You’re joking.”

“I’m not, Ji. I know I was so wrong. I know I’ll not able to get your apology with all of the things that happened on you. But, trust me. I don’t want this to happen. But—“ Taekwoon paused as he looked away. “I just realized that during these days… You looked happier when you were being around him. I could clearly see the different sparks on both of your eyes. It hurts me to see that… But, with this injury that I got, and also with the sudden therapy that I’ve got to the States at your birthday date… I think this is you and his fate to—“

“Why don’t you just say that you are doing this just because of your own sake’s?” she scoffed as she cut his words off.

Taekwoon shook his head while put a sad smile on his face. “I don’t want to be a selfish person, Ji. I do I love you, but—“

“But, you loved yourself more than you loved me,” Eunji smiled halfheartedly while Taekwoon mentally slapped herself. “If you really wanted to chase your dream… Just go, oppa. Don’t you ever think about me because I will be okay with or without you by my side… I’m done with all of the things that happened to us… And I think, this is the right time for me to surrender…”

***

It was around 7pm when Eunji received a message from Hayoung.

Eonnie, can you come to Mouse Rabbit Café at 8? I want to treat you a dinner since today are your birthday ^^ My driver will pick you up later.

Eunji smile as she read the message from the younger. She immediately went to her room and changed her outfit. She got dressed up and put on a light make up.

“Eomma, Appa, I’m heading out for a while!”

Since it was her birthday, her parents didn’t find anything weird for their daughter going out at night.

She reached the café on time. She frowned as she noticed that the café wasn’t crowded as usual. Eunji started to enter the main door, and then…

“Surprise…!!!”

She was almost jumping from her place when she suddenly greeted by Hayoung, Bomi, Chorong, Namjoo, Sanghyuk, Hakyeon, Wonshik and Jaehwan. They already wore colorful shirts and dresses, and it made Eunji suddenly amazed.

She immediately threw her gaze around the small café as she found a ‘Happy Birthday Eunji’ banner had pinned on the wall. She also saw that Wonshik was bringing a small birthday cake.

“You should make a wish before you blow the candle,” Hakyeon said and Eunji nodded her head in understanding before she started to shut her eyes to whisper her pray.

“And now, blow the candle, please,” Chorong pulled Wonshik closer to Eunji, so the birthday girl could reach the birthday cake’s candle.

As she had blown the candle, the sound of clapping hands were echoing loudly at the place. Eunji was smiling happily as she hugged her friends one by one and said thank you for the surprise that they made for her.

Eunji stunned for a moment since she realized that there was something missing at the surprise party. She threw her gaze around her friends and around the café, but she couldn’t see his presence.

‘Where is he?’ she muttered to herself, as she looked fidgeting.

Her friends realized it, so Jaehwan suddenly nudged Bomi’s elbow to signal the youngest to walk closer to her.

“Looking for something or should I say someone, Ms. Jung?” Bomi said in a teasing tone as she couldn’t help but put a mischievous smile on her face.

“Um… I-I…”

“He’s upstairs,” Sanghyuk said as he pointed his chin to the stairs.

“And he already waiting for you, eonnie,” Namjoo winked before she pulled Eunji's back, slowly.

Eunji was staring at her friends in doubt first, before they cheered at her till made her blushing. With a throbbing heart, slowly but sure, Eunji headed upstairs.

The