We decided not to cross the line.

Episode 110. Reconciliation

"Why are you going to Paris?"




Hoonji frowned and asked.

 

 


"Um... well...

Julien suddenly had to have surgery,

and it looks like he needs someone with him.

My parents are in Korea too,

and if I tell them, they'll just worry again..."

 




"So you're saying you're going to Paris

to act as Julien's guardian right now?"

 




"Actually, the call I got earlier this morning...

was from Julien.

Sorry I couldn't tell you right away."

 

 



"Jung-ah, are you in your right mind right now?"

 

 



"Don't think of him as your ex-boyfriend,

just think of him as a friend.

It's not some big deal, you just need to

stay at the hospital with him as his guardian

on the day of the surgery."

 

 


"A guardian doesn't mean something that simple.

If something happens during the surgery,

the guardian is the person who can

make decisions on the patient's behalf.

Do you understand what I mean?"

 




I thought it was just a matter of comforting Julien

before his surgery.

But hearing Hoonji's words,

I felt like I had taken it too lightly.

 

 


"And...

he was already your ex-boyfriend,

so how can you just think of him as a friend?

You held hands and kissed when you were dating...

Do you do that kind of physical stuff with friends too?

Please make some sense.

There's no way... I'm absolutely not letting you go, Jung-ah."

 




An agitated Hoonji paced back and forth, unable to sit or stand still.

Then he turned toward his room.

Before going in, he looked back at me and said,

 



"I clearly told you there was absolutely no way."

 




After saying that,

he slammed the door shut and went into his room.

 



He didn't come out of his room for hours.





As it started getting dark,

I made hamburger patties with the meat I had bought in advance.

I washed the vegetables and tomatoes, and started grilling the meat.

 



"Hoonji~ Can you come out and help me?"

 



To get him to come out of the room,

I deliberately asked for help.

There was no response.

 



I made three hamburgers and put them on the table.

 


I didn't want to eat without Hoonji there,

so I left the hamburgers as they were and went into my room too.

 



'I shouldn't have brought that up...

Maybe I should have just gone quietly.

No... Hoonji is right.

Even if it isn't a major surgery, it's still surgery...

I'm not family, so

I'm not in any position to make any decisions...'

 




I felt sorry, like I had only hurt Hoonji's feelings.

After washing up, I stood in front of Hoonji's room, hesitating whether to go in.

 



I put my hand on the doorknob,

but I couldn't open the door.

 



"Hoonji... good night."

 



There was still no sound coming from inside the room.

I went back to my room and lay down on the bed.



I tossed and turned because I couldn't fall asleep easily,

then drifted off for a moment.

 


Half asleep,

I rolled over and touched something.

Startled, I woke up.

 



I sat up and turned to look behind me,

and Hoonji was lying there with his back to me.

 



Maybe he felt me move,

because without turning around, he said,

 



"On our wishlist,

we said we'd sleep in the same bed even if we fought."

 



"... Hoonji, I'm sorry.

I was wrong.

I won't go to Paris.

You're right, Hoonji.

I don't think I should be Julien's guardian."

 



I finished speaking and lay down,

wrapping my arms around his back.

 



As soon as I finished, he rolled over,

and slipped his arm under my head to give me a pillow for my arm.

 


"I'm sorry I got angry earlier too.

You couldn't eat dinner because of me, right?"

 



"You couldn't eat dinner because of me, Hoonji.

I made hamburgers because I thought you'd like them, but..."

 



"Should we go out and eat together now?"

 



"Should we?"

 



We got out of bed at the same time.

 

Just as I was about to get down from the bed,

he stopped me.

 



"Why?"

 



"I don't think you've said 'I love you' even once today?"

 



"I'm hungry, so can we do it after we eat?

We can do it now too...

but I feel like it'd lose some sincerity then.

I'm really hungry..."

 




Hoonji gave a faint grin and lowered the arm that had been blocking me.

 



"Then after we eat later, you have to say it for sure.

My beloved Jung-ah."

 



"Yes. My beloved Hoonji."

 



That night, we each ate a hamburger as a late-night snack,

and even watched a movie, enjoying a relaxed Saturday night.

 



That was how we adjusted to each other

and were getting used to living together.

 



It had been about a month

since the last call from Julien.

 



One day, while I was working at a cafe,

a call came again from Julien's number.

 

 

"Jung-ah? It's me... Julien's mom."