Chapter 9 - Gong Taekwang

Gong Taekwang had always been a guy who likes to be alone. After running into Eunbi he went to the rooftop to just breathe a little. When he came up he saw her sitting on a bench. He didn’t know what to do. Should he go over and talk to her or rather leave her alone. He kept standing at the door just looking at her. She had changed. She was way prettier than she was back in High School.

He had to think about their very first encounter when he thought she was Go Eunbyul. As soon as he realized she was a different person he fell deeper and deeper in love with her. For him it seemed like he could only be her best friend nothing more. It was enough for him at first until the moment he just couldn’t take it anymore.

As his dad was in trouble for everything that happened while he was the director of the High School, Gong Taekwang decided it would be best to transfer schools. He didn’t want to deal with the other students that found out his dad was the director and he also didn’t want to see Eunbi together with Han Yian. On top of it all he couldn’t continue to live with his father because the custody for Taekwang was taken away from him. He didn’t want to live with his mom, but she felt obligated to take him in for his last year of High School. Her second husband had gotten a new job in Tokyo which forged all of them to go to Japan.

Gong Taekwang wanted to say goodbye to Eunbi but he wouldn’t dare. Right before he had to go to Japan he met her by accident in the coffee shop she was working in. He wanted to turn away and leave as fast as he could. The moment Eunbi said his name he lost control. He was so frustrated with the entire situation. He didn’t want to go to Japan and he definitely didn’t want to live with his mother that never cared, but he didn’t have a choice. Eunbi looked so sad that day in the coffee shop but what was it worth being her friend? He couldn’t be just her friend and anything else was not even possible in this kind of situation. Taekwang decided to push her away as much as he could.

Eunbi wanted an explanation. He knew exactly what kind of explanation. She wanted to know why he never called or texted her back. She wanted to know why he was avoiding her.  “There’s nothing for me to explain. You made that very clear as well.”  He said to her in the hopes that she would just let it go like that. He just couldn’t stand looking at her any longer: “Goodbye Lee Eunbi.” The Lee Eunbi he fell in love with was gone, she was Go Eunbi now and was dating Han Yian.

He tried to walk quite fast but obviously Eunbi wouldn’t let him go just yet. He had to hurt her a little in order to save both of them of the despair. Taekwang thought a little heartbreak would be better for him than trying to maintain a friendship he didn’t want. He could never be just her friend ever again. It would tear him apart from the inside.

 “Yah, Lee Eunbi, what more do you have to tell me? Whatever it is, just go to your boyfriend. I have nothing to do with you anymore, or the school or anything else. I changed schools because I didn’t want to see any of you ever again. So please if we ever meet again just pretend you don’t know me.”

Taekwang thought for a minute that he was too harsh but it was the best solution. The moment Eunbi said she missed him, he became weak. If Yian wouldn’t have shown up he would’ve told Eunbi the truth. He never really liked Yian but in this moment he was thankful he was here. When he walked away he heard Eunbi crying which almost made him lose his mind, but he did not turn back and continued walking away from her. Her – his first love.

Just when he thought he could start anew in Tokyo the crossed paths again. He knew it wasn’t Eunbi, but her twin sister Eunbyul. While everyone thought they looked exactly the same, Gong Taekwang was the only person back in school who could tell them apart. He knew by the voice that it was Eunbyul, he then confirmed by looking at here. These weren’t Eunbi’s beautiful eyes. Why did her sister even try to pretend? She should know that he was the last person she could trick.

Eunbyul wanted to know what his problem was with her sister. What problem? As if he would have a problem with this girl. He loved Eunbi but it seems his plan on pushing her away worked better than he thought. He got scared for a second that it might have been too much for Eunbi. He just wanted to leave the store. Whatever he would say, it would not make the situation any better. But Eunbyul reminded him, that her sister was here as well. He didn’t want to see her face. No, that’s not right. He wanted to see her face but didn’t dare to do it. He was happy for her though. Eunbi had a family and was going on vacation abroad. She must be excited, he thought.

Eunbyul forced him to tell him why he did what he did. He didn’t want to hurt Eunbi or let her wait for him, if he wouldn’t even know when he would come back, if he could ever come back. He didn’t know what his future would look like and he didn’t want his messed up family and situation affect Eunbi in any kind of way. She deserved to have a peaceful life for once. Eunbyul wanted to know why he didn’t tell this to Eunbi. Was she serious?

 “Because I know her too well. She would spend more time thinking about my wellbeing here in Japan than thinking of her own life. I also don’t want her to wait for me. If she could meet someone she really likes I’m going to be happy and she already has Yian. He will help her get through it and then she will forget about me like everyone else.” Taekwang explained himself. The moment Eunbyul told him Eunbi broke up with Yian because of him was like a fist punched in his face. He was close to her when he couldn’t really have her, and now when he could have her he was too far away. Maybe he deserved this for all the things he did and said in the past to his parents as well as in school.

He told Eunbyul he was planning to go to University in Korea. When he would be 18 he could live with his father again. Their relationship was still not great but at least he could talk to his father. His mother just saw him as an accessory. His year in Japan went over quickly. He went to an international Korean High School to finish School. He then applied to Korea University for Business Administration and got in! He did not expect this, as his grades have never ever been good. Maybe it was an error in the system? In the end he did not care. He could go back to Korea and away from his mom and her weird husband. For him they weren’t family, they were strangers.

Taekwang also didn’t feel comfortable in Japan. He was popular in school for once which he thought was weird. His classmates where all children of parents that either work in Tokyo or are half Korean half Japanese. For them School was fun and it was nothing like School in Korea. It seemed like here they put way more importance on social aspects than on grades. Taekwang liked this way of thinking but he just wasn’t used to it and on top of that one year was just not enough time to get used to a different system. He just wanted to go back to Seoul, he wanted to go home.

Eunbi was always on his mind, especially when girls in school gave him presents or wanted to go on a date with him. He always compared them to Eunbi. None of them were as pretty or smart. None of them would really understand them. He had no interest in them and made that clear as well. Sooner or later he was the bad guy, but apparently girls like the bad guy.

In summer he finally came back to Korea and tried to work on his relationship with his dad. It went well. They had topics to talk about and his dad made clear how proud he was of having his son attending Korea University. He still decided to move in to the University dormitory as it was closer to lectures.  After his High School life wasn’t that successful he wanted to make sure that at least his University life would be a rather successful one.

He has never been motivated to study for something but this time he would do it. He wanted to change his life. He wanted to leave the past behind as much as he could and move on. He wanted to become someone that others could be proud of. If he was truthful to himself he knew he did it to one day impress Eunbi. He knew it was ridiculous, who knew if Eunbi was still interested. What if he would never meet her again? Lucky for him this thought was pushed away by Lee Eunbi running into him in the hallway of one of the teaching buildings.

He was so shocked to see her there. On the one hand he was super happy to see her; on the other hand she didn’t seem all that happy to see him. She seemed rather angry. He did not know exactly what to do, but before he could decide on what to say Eunbi ran off. He stood there like an idiot. He picked up Eunbi’s timer, which she probably didn’t even notice dropped. He didn’t dare to look inside but put it in his bag anyways.

As old habits die hard, he searched for the rooftop to get some air and to have a quiet place to think. The moment he saw Eunbi he decided to take a detour. He wanted to go over and talk to her. He didn’t want her to cry, but he also knew that going over right now was not the best idea. Just as he turned around to go back downstairs he heard Eunbi talking on the phone. He couldn’t help himself but listen to the conversation.

“Unnie…” Eunbi said with a crying voice “He’s here… and I don’t know what to do…”

Taekwang knew she was talking about him.

 “Well I mean it’s not like something happened… I ran into him by accident, then I didn’t know what to do an ran away”

Gong Taekwang thought she ran away because she was angry, not because she was confused. What did this mean for him? He leaned over a bit in order to hear better. It seemed like her sister was making fun of Eunbi, which gave Taekwang a little smile on his face.

 “Unnie! Why are you laughing at me? Do you know how terrible that was? I was bumping into him like some school girl and he just looked at me with that weird face, as if he couldn’t believe this just happened” Taekwang continued to listen.

 “What do you mean happy? He probably wanted to get away from me as fast as he could… what should I do now? I can’t see him every day!”

No no no! This wasn’t right. Taekwang started to get frustrated. Did Eunbi actually think he hates her now? And why would she not want to see him every day? Last time he talked to her sister, Eunbyul said Eunbi broke up with Yian because of him… what was this situation now? Maybe she had someone else now…

“So what should I do when I see him next time? Should I ignore him or should I talk to him?”

You should definitely talk to me, Taekwang thought, or maybe I’ll talk to you.

Eunbi continued talking: “I mean he was my best friend and actually the only friend I had that time… and I think I… I still like him.” Eunbi paused, “but that doesn’t mean anything to him anymore. He made it clear.”

Wait what?? So she did actually still like him! So what was all the fuss about? Why was she being difficult? After some reconsideration Taekwang knew it was his fault. He did make it clear; he just never would’ve thought he hurt Eunbi this much that she would actually believe it.

“I’ll try. I’m going to the Business Administration Party tonight with my roommate, maybe this will help to distract me for a while… but how are you doing? How was the second day so far?”

Eunbi was going to the party! Gong Taekwang had no intention of going there, even though one of his classmates asked him in the morning if he would come. He had to reconsider the plan. This might be the only chance where Eunbi couldn’t avoid talking to him. He was determined to go and talk to Eunbi at the party. He would explain himself and get her back. He was sure of it.