We decided not to cross the line (1)

Episode 78. Hunji's phone call

living in Paris

Since I couldn’t see Julien very often,

we mainly kept in touch by calls and messages.




After our first meeting in Paris,

though it was something I found out only after a few months,

he was one year older than me, and

an only child.




He said he had majored in painting

at a university of fine arts called Beaux-Arts de Paris.




After his parents went back to Korea,

he once said he wanted to live there someday

and teach students at a Korean university.




If he took time off sometimes on Mondays or Fridays,

he would stay through the weekend and come to Spain to see me.





That day too, he had taken leave and come to Spain

and it was Friday, when he was spending time with me.





After we had dinner together,

we were out walking

when a call came from Korea.





It was Hunji’s number.




‘Ah... so Mr. Kim told him...’




I felt like I had been waiting for this number,

and also like I had been hoping it wouldn’t come.



Not knowing whether I should answer or not,

I just stared at the phone screen.





“Why are you just staring at it instead of answering?”





“It’s a number from Korea.”





“Could it be... your ex-boyfriend?”





I couldn’t answer easily.





With that brief silence alone,

he seemed to have figured out the answer.





“I’ll step away, so

you can take it comfortably.”




Without even waiting for my reply,

he lightly patted my shoulder and gave me some space.





I took a deep breath,

and pressed the call button.





“Hello?”





“It’s me.”




I couldn’t say anything for a moment.


“...Yes.”





“Why didn’t you tell me you got a new phone?

You didn’t even call me once...”





“Didn’t Mr. Kim tell you?

I asked him to pass it on...”





“What are you talking about?

You mean that you’ve got a boyfriend?”

I... don’t believe what you’re saying.”






“Hunji... it’s true.

I’m seriously seeing that person.

I don’t want to do anything unfair to him.

So please don’t call me anymore.

I won’t answer.”

“You’re really seeing someone else, not me?






Is that really true?”

“...It’s true.”





“You really are doing something





so cruel to me?”

“Please don’t shake me up like this and just leave me alone.






Every time I think of you,

it feels like my chest is being torn apart.

I want to feel at peace now too.

Don’t contact me... please.”

“You said you’d wait until you could accept me.





I’m trying my hardest

to keep that promise...”

“Don’t try that hard anymore.

It’s because you’re trying to do something difficult.





Because you’re trying to do something that doesn’t make sense.”

“I can’t help how I feel either,

so what do you want me to do...?”






I couldn’t keep listening

to his tearful voice any longer,






so I ended the call and turned the phone off.

And then,

I collapsed right there and cried out loud.





Julien, who had been standing far away, ran over

and held me as I sat there.





“Because of this person who sometimes throws me into turmoil,

I feel like I’m going crazy. Really...





I want to let go, but

I can’t, and I feel like I’m losing my mind.

Please do something for me.

Please make me stop shaking like this. Please...”

Holding me as I sobbed,

Julien said nothing





and just patted my back.

I didn’t know how much time had passed.

The sun was sinking low.





Until my crying subsided,

he kept holding me just like that.




After I calmed down somewhat,

we walked a little farther



and went up to the hill

that overlooked the whole village.

When we sat down on the bench,

he took my hand warmly.





“My parents are coming to Paris next week.”

“Really? Are they coming to see Julien?”




“Well...




to be exact, they’re coming to see you.”




“Me? You told your parents about me?”

“Yeah.





I told them from the time we first started seeing each other





so they already knew.”

“I see...”

He was someone who hadn’t hidden me from the start.





Unlike Hunji,




he was someone who could meet me openly.

“Would it be okay if you met my parents next weekend?”

At his words, so sudden,




I couldn’t immediately find the words to answer.





Meeting his parents meant that it was

not just a simple romance.





His hand tightened around mine.

For a moment, it felt like I’d snapped to my senses.

“Yes. I’d be happy to meet them.”




“You can do that?”

“Mm. Of course.




The fact that they’re coming all the way from Korea to Paris to see me




is so touching.”




“Thank you.”

He met my eyes,

and pressed his lips to my forehead.





When I was with Julien,





my heart didn’t race the way it did with Hunji.

Instead, I felt warm and at ease.




That calmness,

was what I needed most right now.

“Sleep here tonight.”




translations are one per item, input order maintained.