Once upon a time, So Hyun Sub thought his son would never stop his womanizing ways. Just like himself, his own son went through life, going through the motions, and the women, like there was nothing to live for. In fact, So Hyun Sub wished that he himself would die quickly. Unlike his son, he didn’t have a strong group of friends like the F4 to help him. All he could do was blame himself for his son’s life, and continue with his.

So Hyun Sub remembers the days when in fact he wanted to change for a woman. She was just like a sparkling light, a gleam that was so beautiful and all he had to do was reach for it, but unfortunately he couldn’t. He was never sure if he was too late to grab her, or if she just slipped out of his hands all of a sudden, but she was gone, and he was trapped in a loveless marriage with the mother of his children. The mother that So Yi Jeong adored. The mother So Yi Jeong would do anything for. His wife, who he considered too clingy for his taste, would send Yi Jeong off to get him away from his flings, disturbing his fun, and in the process he eventually started hating the sight of his son. The son who was a mommy’s boy and would stay that way no matter how many flings he himself went through as well.

In his mother’s eyes, So Yi Jeong was pure, perfect, and clean, like he was just born, but So Hyun Sub knew better. His son was destroyed, broken, and defiled just like himself, and he hated it. His son was a hypocrite! Calling him out for his wrongdoings when in fact, he had done the same thing. So Hyun Sub remembers the last time his son was truly the golden boy his wife believed he was to be.

Young and ignorant, So Yi Jeong was obviously infatuated Cha Eun Jae. No, not in love with her. She was there and she was constant and Yi Jeong was comfortable. If Cha Eun Jae would call, So Yi Jeong would come running in like the obedient child he was. But it was clear that this, of course wouldn’t last. Just by being So Yi Jeong, he was vain and self-centered. Like any teenager, he considered himself on top of the world. Nothing could hurt So Yi Jeong of the F4. So Yi Jeong had everything.So Yi Jeong knew everything. So Yi Jeong was amazing.

Rich and attractive, young women automatically threw themselves at the F4, and slowly but surely Cha Eun Jae was thrown to the sidelines, forgotten, and left to pick up the pieces of her heart after been cast aside by So Yi Jeong. Cha Eun Jae was willing to grow up, become something more than a childhood friend, but So Yi Jeong, caught up in the attention didn’t have time to grow up. He didn’t want to grow up. He liked where up where he was now, casually playing with flings. Afterall, he wasn’t going to be in charge of Woo Sung. It was Il Hyun. Il Hyun was the one who had to grow up, not him.

Ironically, Il Hyun did grow up, but not for the company. He left and without Yi Jeong’s knowledge, Cha Eun Jae tagged along. She couldn’t wait for someone at the end of the line when the person was only at a stand still. She had someone else, she hadn’t noticed before, but now to her, it was all clear. So Yi Jeong wasn’t the person she needed, just the one who was casting a shadow over the one she did. It was always So Yi Jeong this, and So Yi Jeong that. Now that was over. Now began the downfall into the pit of realization for So Yi Jeong. So Yi Jeong, the one who is too afraid to love anyone, in fear of watching them slip through his fingers, much like his father.

***

She was an extremely bland kisser. He wasn’t really sure if was in his right mind at the club, but now, as soon as she tried to deepen the kiss, So Hyun Sub held the urge to roll his eyes. He didn’t stop though. He had a reputation to withhold. He could not leave this lady (in all honesty, he wasn’t so sure how old she was) unsatisfied. Somehow he had managed to take the both of them to Yi Jeong’s studio and continued their party there with a bottle of wine from Yi Jeong’s own private collection of bottles. Something, he knew he shouldn’t have touched, but didn’t care either. Deep in his subconscious he figured he had known she would have been an unexciting fling and was hoping Yi Jeong would interrupt them. Trying to see if she had an element of surprise up her sleeve, he pressed her onto the back of the table; she was slightly lifting herself up and he held her back to his chest tightly and continued to mingle his tongue with hers. God, this isn’t getting exciting any time soon, he thought, and just in time, the lights flicked on.

There at the door was an extremely livid So Yi Jeong. So Hyun Sub did his best to look annoyed but on the inside he was giving praise to the immaculate timing of his son. He watched as the lady let go of him, picked up her purse and flashed a smile at him, waving her phone. He wasn’t going to call her back. She then proceeded to walk out, giving a slight bow to Yi Jeong, like she was a friend. Yi Jeong was not amused. Bracing for the harsh words, So Hyun Sub picked up the glass of wine he had and played with it for a while and taking sips as Yi Jeong made his way to him.

“This is my studio,” he had started. Hyun Sub raised his eyebrows, still drinking from the wine glass, surprised at the calmness of his own son’s voice. “You can go elsewhere to do your thing.”

“Son…” Hyun Sub retorted back, “I know you do your thing here too. Let’s give each other a break.” He smirked at Yi Jeong’s choice of words. Your thing? Was having flings such a repulsive thing to Yi Jeong know that he couldn’t even say it? Was his son changing?

He watched as Yi Jeong took a deep breath and swallowed. “If you’re going to come and go like this I’m going to move my studio.”

“You can’t do that,” Hyun Sub said, “If anyone is to leave, it would be me, but you can’t.” He noticed Yi Jeong slightly twitch. “Now, the one to carry on the name for the So household as the gifted potter isn’t me, but you Yi Jeong.”

“I never said that I wanted to do it.”

“But you never said that you didn’t want to do it either.” Hyun Sub flashed a smile at his son, noticing the trap he put him in.

“Why do you live like this?” Yi Jeong questioned. His voice was faint. Hyun Sub continued to drink from the wine glass. He swished the drink in his mouth to properly savor the taste.

“Because I’m bored,” he replied back. Aren’t you bored as well? Are you still bored? “Life is just too boring, my son.”

“Have you even for one moment lived the right way?” Yi Jeong continued. Lived the right way? Yi Jeong what is happening to you?

“The only woman who that made me want to live a straight life…” Hyun Sub dolefully stared into the wine glass. “There’s only been one in my whole life.” Who is this person for you Yi Jeong? “After losing a woman like that...the rest of them are all alike. Just meaningless repetition.” Who is special to you Yi Jeong?

“Don’t you feel sorry to mom?” Hyun Sub wanted to cringe. There was the So Yi Jeong he had learned to hate who would do anything for his mom. He could have sworn his son was either trying his best to either not cry or not punch him in the face. He admits that his son was finally growing up, but of course he would be on his mother’s side. His mother was more of a parent than he was. “Don’t you think you were too cruel to my mother?”

“That’s why I’m hoping that this life goes by quickly, but it’s not going the way I want to.” Hyun Sub finally placed the glass on the table next to him and turned to look at his son. “Do you know how it is that you surpassed Il Hyun and became the gifted one?” After hearing his older brother’s name Yi Jeong glanced at his father. “It’s because...you take after me the most. Isn’t it cruel?” Prove me wrong.

He began to walk away from his son, but first grabbed Yi Jeong’s shoulders. “Don’t forget it...once in a lifetime. The real thing only happens once.” He finally then started walking towards the door to leave. “It’s just another cruel reality.” Remember Yi Jeong. Once in a lifetime.

***

Only a few days later, So Hyun Sub found himself seated in front of a soaking wet So Yi Jeong. Chu Ga Eul definitely had a fire in her and So Hyun Sub could appreciate a girl with spunk. Such a girl who could cause his own son to act irrationally was definitely worth watching. Was it her? Hyun Sub started to question. Was she Yi Jeong’s once in a lifetime?

“You went too far this time, son,” he had stated and left the booth. Before leaving he looked back to see his son still seated, seething and slowly pouring the wine into his glass with his injured hand. He had given up pottery because of his broken hand, and of course Woo Sung’s board of directors were all out of sorts. Yi Jeong not only was a master ceramist, but just by being the symbol of Korea, many women would come to the museum and donate large amounts of money to perhaps see a glimpse of the young master. Of course, Hyun Sub didn’t care. He never did actually care for the museum in the first place. Right now, even if he didn’t want to admit it, he wanted his son to get the ending he never had. He wanted him to be happy.

***

“Aboeji,” Yi Jeong said causing his father to look up from his desk. Currently two major stockholders were threatening drop their shares which was taking a toll on him. He didn’t necessarily have time to talk to his son right now, but the fact that Yi Jeong was coming to him at his office while he wasn’t with a fling was a strange sight in the first place. He couldn’t let the moment pass. He had noticed a smile on his face, one that wasn’t there a few weeks ago.

“Yi Jeong, what is it?” he asked.

“I’ve decided to continue pottery.”

So Hyun Sub’s eyes widened in shock. Wasn’t it just a few days ago that his son was going around in an effortless state, living like he had nothing to live for, living like...him.

“I suppose you’re in too much of a shock, but be sure to tell the stockholders that they don’t have to give up on me yet,” Yi Jeong responded. Suddenly a cell phone rang and Yi Jeong fished into his coat’s inner pocket pulling out his phone, reading the caller id. So Hyun Sub didn’t not miss the glint in his son’s eyes as his son answered the phone call and mouthed him a ‘goodbye’ before respond to the call.

“Ga Eul-yang?”

So Hyun Sub smirked. Ah, so have you realized she’s your once in a lifetime, yet?

***

So Hyun Sub laid his back on the wall of the hospital extremely nervous. All of a sudden, he felt dirty. Of course, he knew he was dirty. He knew that all along, but now it was different. Now he felt disgusted by it. After seeing his own son, who was in the same situation he was in, miraculously change and finally grow up, he didn’t feel like the ‘parent’ any more. In fact, he was never truly Yi Jeong’s ‘parent’, but now he felt like he had switched places with him son. The saying is true that parents learn many things from their children, and he had accepted that saying a while ago. He had just never thought growing up would be that lesson. Slowly he edged to the room, only to realize that the door was open and someone was already inside. Yi Jeong.

Yi Jeong held tightly to his mother’s hands staring at her resting face, calm, and peaceful. She was not awake, but Yi Jeong opened his mouth to begin speaking. “Omma, have I done something wrong to feel this way? Why is it that my heart is in so much pain?” So Hyun Sub noticed that his son’s body was shaking and his voice was strained. “I was going to tell her we should stay as friends, me, cowardly me was going to tell her this, but no. It had come out of her lips first. She said she didn’t want to burden me anymore. That she knew how I felt.” Yi Jeong sniffed and his hands left his mother’s momentarily, wiping the tears off his face, right before they went right back to his mother’s. “I didn’t even know how I felt during that time! I just wanted to protect her. All she did was walk away from me. Omma, can you believe how stupid I am? She had to walk away from me so that I could realize that I love her. I love her. Now...she’s left me, and I have to leave her to go to Sweden.”

“Yes, you are a stupid idiot! What are you crying here for!” So Hyun Sub shouted at his son, causing Yi Jeong to slightly flinch, and then stare at his father in amazement. “Well?” Yi Jeong nodded and immediately stood up and began to walk out the door, but was halted by his father. He gave off a gross look on his face and pulled out his handkerchief and passed it to Yi Jeong. “God, not looking like that.” Yi Jeong began to wipe the tears away from his face. “You have snot too, you know.” Hyun Sub pointed out, but pulled away his handkerchief from Yi Jeong’s hands. “Use yours now. I just gave you this one, so I can sell it to the creepy girls online who enjoy things like this.”

Yi Jeong let out a laugh and continued to wipe his nose with his own handkerchief causing Hyun Sub to smile. “Shouldn’t my snot add to the value?”

“Ehh...something about online selling rules.”

“Thank you...aboeji,” Yi Jeong said uneasy.

“Your welcome, Yi Jeong-ah,” Hyun Sub replied back. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to attend to my wife.”

***

So Hyun Sub sighed at his son’s great luck. Only a few hours after he had rushed out the hospital to find Ga Eul, Gu Jun Pyo was in an accident, and Yi Jeong found himself back at the hospital, and this time, for a friend. Gu Jun Pyo, had managed to lose all the memories he had ever since he had met the amazing Geum Jan Di, the girl who started it all. The girl who made it possible for So Yi Jeong and Chu Ga Eul to meet, and now Gu Jun Pyo, who had grown a lot since he had met Jan Di, was back to square one.

Being the supportive friend she was, Chu Ga Eul was always by Jan Di’s side, always cheering her on, but of course, Chu Ga Eul wasn’t enough. Jan Di needed Gu Jun Pyo and she visited him as often as she could. Chu Ga Eul on the other hand, was taken away by So Yi Jeong himself and was given a promise, and knowing his son, So Hyun Sub could bet that she was given more as well.

He on the other hand, decided to change just like his son. He understood that he could never get the one person he wanted back, but that didn’t mean he had to shut himself out from the rest of the world, spending his days in the emptiness of oblivion. No, he could do better than that. Maybe, just maybe, he hasn’t found his once in a lifetime yet.