CHAPTER 4: Leave

“Ahjumma, one more ttokpokki, please..” Jaehwan told the store ahjumma as we want to prolong our conversation. The ahjumma said yes, before working on our ttokpokki and delivered it to our table.

“As I think about it, you should apologize to me at that time, Hwan ah.. In our 3rd year, when we go back to be friends again..” I said jokingly before I took a piece of tteokpokki.

He chuckled. “Yeah, I should’ve apologized to you back then.. But..” He bent his head down for a moment before looking up and saying, “ But.. it was hard..”

Aaah.. I understood what he means. “Because brought it back to the topic would make you remember Hani, uhm?” I asked him.

And Jaehwan nodded softly.

I made a tsk, before saying, “Hani is a mean girl.” I said it with all of my heart. “How could she left you like that, Hwan ah? She left you like a wind, unnoticeable.”

                So, this was the story.

Jaehwan – Hani was famous as the long last couple. If I’m not mistaken, they last for about a year. A plus point for a pretty girl like Hani, considering many guys tried to steal her from Jaehwan, but she chose to stay. I was actually quite impressed by her loyalty. So, even though many guys were still admiring Hani, they also acknowledged that Jaehwan was her boyfriend. It was seen in our school festival.

One of the events in our school festival was a school play produced by a drama club where Jaehwan was in. They decided to play the plot of Romeo and Juliet in Saeguk costume and the leads was chosen by all the students who watch the casting. And somehow, they chose Hani and Jaehwan. Hani was really happy and excited when she was chosen as Juliet. She even directly hugged Jaehwan tightly in front of everyone, making them to cheer and some even tease them. Even I didn’t see it by myself, I could already imagining how spoiled she must be and how red Jaehwan’s face because of her. That girl was never change, she really loves the attention.

Okay, I sounded too salty with anything related about Hani. But I have to admit, that once she was involved in a project, she did it with all of her heart. Just like when she was involved in this school play project, she who was actually not a drama club member worked so hard with practicing her acting. She was born to be good in acting though, since she was succeed to fool everyone by making me a felon. Ah, sorry I brought back that incident. She even asked the teacher to give her permission to design Juliette costume by herself. She was into the project, and everyone was impressed by her hard work, including her lovely boyfriend. I still remembered that time when I coincidentally pass the park when they practice the acting. Love and proudness was dripping from Jaehwaan’s eyes when he look at his girl acting as Juliette. That time, I was jealous. I wanted someone to look at me like Jaehwan look at Hani, it was so lovely, and I hate it.

Day by day passed, and I was prepared myself to hear the fuss about their lovey-dovey in the school play. I even intended to not attend the festival, since I decided not to participate in any of the events. No one will notice that anyway.

But... what happened the days before was really shocking.

Juliette ran away.

Three days before the festival, the teacher told Seokjin, the drama club’s president that Hani quit school, so he needed to choose another cast. It was a shocking news to him, he nearly got a heart attack because of that. He was directly looking for Jaehwan, ready to ask him why on earth he didn’t tell him that Hani will quit school.

“You must know about it, right? What the hell you didn’t tell me that she leave??! What should we do right now, huh?!” Seokjin was super angry at Jaehwan.

But Jaehwan was left frozen. Slowly he asked back, “L-leave?”

Looking at how shocked and clueless Jaehwan, Seokjin asked again stutteringly. “Y-you don’t know?”

Jaehwan grabbed Seokjin’s collar and asked him, “Who’s leaving? Hani??”

A bit afraid at how tight Jaehwan’s grab on his collar, Seokjin said, “Y-yes.. Teacher told me that she has just quit the school.. How can you not know about that?”

Jaehwan loosened his grab on Seokjin’s collar and ran away.

I still remembered how panic he was that time. It was already shocking for me and the rest of the students knowing that Hani suddenly quit the school, but it must be more shocking and harder for Jaehwan knowing that his girl left without telling him anything.

The story of Hani’s sudden leaving was spreading so fast. Started from how Jaehwan went to her house and found no one there, but the letter. The letter she left for Jaehwan.

One of our classmate who followed Jaehwan to Hani’s house spread the content of the letter that was quite like this..

Jae, I’m sorry..

I’m sorry for leaving you without any words. I know you must be really shocked right now. But this is what I have to do. I have some kind of family matter that I couldn’t tell you that force me to leave with my mom.

I didn’t tell you before because it would be hard, not only for you but also for me. Maybe I couldn’t ever leave if I see your face, Jae.. because I know I’m going to miss you so much. That’s why I can’t tell you about it. But I promise I’ll contact you as soon as I reached Paris. It’s only temporary, I’ll be back soon, wait for me.

Love you so much,

Hani.

It was a short letter, I thought. Too short to explain what was actually going on. There were still many question regarding that letter, what was her familly matter that forced her to leave? Is it important enough to make her suddenly leaving like this? Moreover, not telling her own boyfriend about it.

Following her leaving, there was chaos in our school. It was only three days before the day of the festival, but the leads were needed to change. One was leaving and the other one was broken. Of course, no one could blame Jaehwan. It was more than normal for him to be broken down. Sandeul, one of Jaehwan’s close friends, told me that Jaehwan was still waiting for Hani’s call. He often asked, “How long the travel time from Seoul to Paris by plane? Why isn’t she calling me? Does she haven’t reach Paris? What if something happen with her?”

Even from the words, it can be seen that he was frustrated. I could understand what he feels, he must feel miserable right now. Sandeul even asked me to cheer him up, but I was afraid. I didn’t know why, but I was afraid to face Jaehwan. Seeing him sad because of a girl who doesn’t deserve his tears, was something that I don’t want to see. So, I told Sandeul, that I won’t involve in Jaehwan’s business.

I acted cold and not care about Jaehwan, but actually I observed him from a far. Sure, he was broken. The happy Jaehwan was disappeared following his girl’s leaving.

The promise she made to call Jaehwan as soon as she reached Paris was only an empty hope she gave to him. An empty hope that made him waiting for her day by day.

In my heart I was cursing Hani multiple times. How could she hurt Jaehwan like this? Why on earth did she leave him like this?  

And somehow, my question was answered when the news coming out. Ahn Junghan, the CEO of Junghwa Freetech, who is also Hani’s father, has ordered to appearing court for his trial with accusations of embezzling 2,4 million USD worth of funds. That news became a hot topic in school, because somehow it answered the question why Hani has to quit school and leave with her mom. People were speculating that Hani and her mom didn’t want to be associated with Mr. Ahn.

Knowing that news, somehow I remembered the situation in my family. If I have just enough money to leave like Hani and her mom, I must have chosen the same way.

But people were mocking Hani for running away. One even said, “Gosh, when Hani and her mom spent a good time in Paris, what do you think of all of the children and family members that went bankrupt due to his father would feel? Tsk tsk, they are heartless..”

Listened to that, Jaehwan went mad. He faced the boy who said it, and told him firmly, “Don’t say like you know what actually happened, Hyung! You better watch your mouth!”

But that boy won’t give up, he chuckled before argued back, “It’s like you know what actually happened Hwan ah, when you absolutely know nothing!” He laughed with his friends, while Jaehwan was remained silent.

He even put fuel in fire with saying, “Do you still want to defend her, huh? You should be ashamed to have an ex-girlfriend who is a criminal’s daughter..”

With that, Jaehwan wanted to punch him, but fortunately Sandeul was fast enough to hold him.

“Shut your ing mouth, Hyung! Don’t ever say anything bad about Hani!!” Jaehwan was still shouting to that guy even when Sandeul was trying to drag him out of the groups.

Looking at that situation, my heart was hurt. Until when should I run away from him? Until when should I pretend that I didn’t know and stay silent like this? Is it really the best decision?

So, that time, I ran to him and tried to calm him.

That time, he cried in my embrace.

The thing that I was afraid of became true.

In my arms, he cried because of another girl.

Jaehwan was playing his chopstick in the bowl of the tteokkpokki as he said, “I think it was the hardest moment in my life..”

I made a tsk to make the situation lighter. “Don’t be a melodrama.. You were good enough getting through that moment, Hwan ah..”

He glanced at me. “Really?’

“You were going back to be cheerful again, don’t you remember?” I asked as I smiled at him.

He laughed bitterly. “Yeah, I was strong guy, right?”

I also laughed.

Actually I knew that behind his cheerful character, he held a pain. A painful hope that someday his love will come back again to him.

“But as I think about it, I guess I didn’t love her enough back then..” Jaehwan’s words woke me up.

It was my first time listening to him saying that words. “Why?” I asked softly.

“You know, about her dad’s scandal.. Actually I knew that something wrong happened in the family, especially her dad.. That was because she often mention her mom, but she never even once mention her dad..” Jaehwan bent his head down as he continued to say, “You know that the first time I met her was when she cried, right? I think it was because her dad..” He paused to make a sigh. “Aah, I should’ve asked her to tell me the problem..”

I tried to cheer him up with saying, “It’s not your mistake, Hwan ah.. She was the one who didn’t want to tell it to you.. And you just tried to be understanding..”

“That was my mistake, Kyung.. Trying to be understanding.. If I have loved her enough, I would try to know her problem, helping her to solve it.. But what I did was only understanding..” Jaehwan argued.

“She was the one who didn’t love you enough, Hwan ah.. She didn’t believe you enough to share her problem with you..” I argued back, but my own words was actually jabbing myself. I did the same as Hani. I also didn’t tell Jaehwan about my problem. Was it mean I didn’t love him enough? Ot it was only because I wanted the person who I loved see the only good thing in me?

Jaehwan was absorbing my words, slowly a smile was seen in his face. “You’re always in my side, Kyung.. Trying to defend me, no matter what happened..” He said it calmly, but somehow it made me blush. Yeah, no matter what happened, I always see Hani as the antagonist of Jaehwan-Hani’s drama, while Jaehwan as the protagonist who always be the victim.

“But..” Jaehwan’s words got me back to reality. “Hani was actually really clever in hiding her sadness, Kyung.. You always see her smiling, right? You never know what kind of hardships she must get through..”

I absorbed what Jaehwan was saying. As I think about it, Hani faced the quite same problem with me, family issue with the center of the problem was in our dad. But we got through it differently. While I chose to exclude myself from the world, Hani chose to have the world in her hands. She tried to forget her problem by making herself shining, so people won’t looking at her problem in the back but instead focus on her. While me, trying to hide as possible as I could, so people won’t look at me or even my problem.

I chuckled.

Somehow, I’m jealous with her character.. If only I could face my problem as brave as her, maybe everything will be different.

“Kyuuung..” Jaehwan called my name knowing that I’ve been daydreaming again.

It snapped me back to reality. “Ah! Why?”

“You really like to daydream, Kyung..” Jaehwan commented.

I laughed. “ Sorry that I left you talking by yourself..”

Jaehwan pouted cutely and it made me laugh even louder.

To conclude the conversation, I said, "But what good is, it end happily, right?  You got her back as she fulfilled her promise to come back..”

Jaehwan chuckled. “Are you sure, it is the end?”

I was quite surprised with his answer. “So, it isn’t?”

He was only responding with a smile.

“Oh, I know.. Hwan ah, you should tell me how you two got back together! It must be worth to listen to.. Maybe more than watching the drama or reading a novel..” I .

He laughed responding to what I was saying. “Okay, but not here, not now.. Look, the ahjumma was already staring at us because we’re the last customer..”

I stole a glance to the store ahjumma and said, “Looks like she want to close the store.. We better leave soon..”

We were both laughing and then paid for the tteokpokki and left.

As we went outside the stall, Jaehwan told me, “Kyung, are you sleepy?”

I shook my head. “No, why?” Seriously, I didn’t feel sleepy at all, because being together with Jaehwan was really fun.

“So, why don’t we go somewhere and continued to chat?” Jaehwan gave a good idea.

“Great!” I welcomed his idea with all of my heart, but then asked, “But where the place that still open in this hour?”

We both were thinking for a while and shouted together, “Sauna!”

We smiled, knowing that we were thinking the same. Soon, we got inside the car and went to the place we mentioned before.

It will be a long happy night. I thought in my head.

[A picture of Jaehwan crying in Kyungri’s arm]

#bgm: Brian Kang – Without you

A/N: What do you think about the characters (Kyungri, Jaehwan, and Hani)? Please share me your thought, thx ^^