We decided not to cross the line.

Episode 80. Unwelcome Guest

While Julian was washing the ramen bowl

I put water on to boil, thinking I’d make us some tea to drink together,

and asked him.




"Julian, would you like a beer?

The leftover beer from last time I drank

should be in the fridge."




"Oh! Sure.

Friday nights are for beer, not tea!!"




"Want to listen to music while we drink beer?

Want to watch a movie?

Or should we read a book?"




As usual, it was a perfectly ordinary, peaceful Friday night.




"I... want to watch a movie while we drink beer.

Should we go somewhere nearby tomorrow?"





"Then Julli, go find a movie you want to watch.

I'll look up some nearby places we could go."





He was choosing a movie while drinking beer,

and I was drinking tea

and looking up places nearby to visit.




Then,

the phone rang.




On the screen was Mr. Hunji's number.





'Why...again...'





I pressed the call button, ready to get angry.





"I told you not to call.

Why are you doing this, seriously?"





"....I...I'm...sick...'





"What? You're sick?

Where does it hurt?

Are you okay?"





"My body feels hot..."





"Did you take your temperature? Did you take any medicine?

But... why are you calling me?"





"...I wanted to hear your voice..."





"Call your manager or your parents right away.

No.. I'll try calling them.

Hang up for now, Hunji."





"I miss you..."





"Okay. Okay, so just hang up.

I'll call Taehyung, then."




I hurriedly hung up, worried,

and called Mr. Kim.




"Hello?

Ji-ah.. what's going on at this hour?"





"Taehyung.

Hunji says he's sick...

Go home quickly.

He says he has a high fever. Take him to the hospital first, hurry.

Hang up and go right away. Okay?"





"What? Hunji is sick?

Yeah. Got it!!

But why did he call you, all the way in Spain?

Seriously... with me and the manager here, why call you...

Man... I..."





"We don't have time for that kind of talk, so hurry up and go."





"Got it... I'll handle it, so don't worry."





"After you get back from the hospital, contact me."





"Yeah. Okay.

I'll hang up first."





Even after hanging up, I was so anxious

I couldn't sit still.





Julian watched me pace around the house

without saying a word.





"He'll be okay, right?

It seems like he had a really high fever all night...

He should have gone to the ER sooner...

Why is he so foolish, honestly."





"...Hm..."





He let out a short sigh,

then quietly got up from his seat

and walked toward the front door.





"Juli. Where are you going?"





"I don't think this is where I should be right now."





"You're going back to the hotel?"





"Can you really watch a movie in that state?

Traveling probably wouldn't be easy either."





"Ah... sorry...

But... I'm so anxious right now...

Could you stay with me?"





"Ji-ah..

I'm not really the jealous type...

But still...

I’m not about to

worry about your ex-boyfriend with you."





He turned back toward the front door

and started walking out again.





I quickly stood in front of the front door

and blocked him.





"Okay.

I'm not asking you to worry about him with me.

Just... stay a little longer.

Can't you do that too?"





Julian hugged me.




"I thought I could help you get out from under that person's shadow...

but...

I'm losing confidence."




That night,

he ended up going back to the hotel.

 



"Meeting your parents...

let's do it later. We..."