We decided not to cross the line.

Episode 81. Reunion

And so Julian went back to the hotel.

I waited for Mr. Kim’s call and

dozed off on the sofa.




Had an hour or two passed...




I woke up to the sound of the phone ringing.





"Hello?

Taehyung, are you at the hospital?

How is Hoonji?"




"Yeah, I’m at the hospital.

His fever’s gone down now, and he’s on an IV.

What kind of connection do you two and I even have

that I have to take turns bringing him to the hospital?"




"Is he completely okay now?"




"Yeah...they said he’s okay.

They said he seems to have been under a lot of stress.

His immune system’s weakened a lot too."





"Then why did you give him my contact info.

If we’d just stayed strangers

it wouldn’t have come to this..."





"What contact info?

I told Hoonji your number?

No...why would I start something like that?"





"You didn’t tell him, Taehyung?

Then how did Hoonji get my number?"





"How would I know...?"





"Yesterday Hoonji called me, so

I thought he got my number from Taehyung.




"It wasn’t me.

If I gave him your number, he’d definitely call...

Why would I do that?

I know you were even avoiding Hoonji."





"I guess so...

Anyway, you’ve had such a rough night since dawn, Taehyung.

Thanks..."





"Don’t mention it...Hoonji isn’t some stranger.

I’m going to switch off with the manager now

and head in to rest a bit.

Call me again sometime.

You were shocked too, so get some rest."





After I finished the call with Taehyung, I felt much more at ease.





'But how did he find out my number?'





Only after easing my worry about Hoonji

did I remember Julian, who had gone back to the hotel last night.




I got ready to go out right away,

and headed to the hotel where he was staying.




Normally,

he wouldn’t have left the hotel until Sunday afternoon,

but he had already checked out.




I could guess how hurt he must have been.




I’d come hoping I’d be able to see him,

so I was disappointed for a moment,

but soon I decided I had to go after him.




'Only Julian can help me forget Hoonji.

This time...I have to hold on to him no matter what...'




I left the hotel and hailed a taxi.

I stopped by home to grab my passport, then headed straight to the airport.




In the taxi to the airport, I booked the earliest

flight to Paris.

Luckily, there was a seat

on a flight leaving three hours later.




Maybe I’d even be able to take the same flight as him,

I thought.




After arriving at the airport,

I called Julian.




"Hello? Julie, where are you now?"




"I’m...at the airport now.

I left the hotel this morning.

Luckily, there was a seat on today’s flight,

so I changed my reservation.

I’m sorry.

I won’t be able to stay with you until tomorrow this week..."





"The one who should be sorry isn’t Julie, it’s me...

I saw that you checked out of the hotel

and came to the airport too.

This weekend...let’s go on a date in Paris. Just the two of us."





"You’re...at the airport now?

Really?

You really followed me all the way to the airport because of me?"





"Really.

I’m at the airport now.

Where are you, Julie?"





"I’m already inside the departure area.

What time is your flight?"




"Wait a second...it’s at 12.




"I’m on the 10 o’clock flight, so I’ll be boarding soon.

I’ll get to Paris airport first and wait for you."




"Okay. Then I’ll see you in Paris."




After I finished talking with Julian like that,

I went into the departure area too before long.




And in the duty-free shop there,

I picked out a small gift for him.



At last, I boarded the flight to Paris leaving at 12.




On the plane to Paris,

I kept praying that he would open his heart to me again.




After landing,

I called him and

hurried toward the place where we had agreed to meet.




Far away, I could see him.

I finally began to feel relieved.

I walked up close and hugged him as he grinned brightly.




"Wow~~ I guess I do have reason to be mad.

So Junga came all the way to Paris looking for me!

And hugged me first!"




"I’m sorry.

I was stupid.

Who is the most important person to me right now...

I only realized it now."




Julian always held me

carefully and gently, like he was cradling a glass bottle.

It was another side of him, different from Hoonji.

 


On the way to Julian’s house,

he said,




"Meeting my parents...let’s do that later. Us...

I think I was a little too hasty.

I think I put pressure on you."




"No.

I want to meet Julie’s parents.

It’s okay. It’s not a burden. Really."




"Are you really sure?

You don’t have to push yourself."




"I’m really okay. Don’t worry.

Oh, right!

Earlier at the duty-free shop,

I bought you a gift."




I took the present I’d bought for him out of my bag.




"A gift? What is it?

Wow! It’s perfume?

This is a scent I like—how did you know?"




"It’s the scent that’s always on Julie, so I knew.

Since Julie likes it, I like it too."





"I’m so happy like this that I’m starting to feel a little uneasy."




I took his hand.




Julian’s words

sounded like a confession that

during the time we’d been seeing each other,

he hadn’t been this happy very often.

It hurt my heart.



"While filming, there was a small accident."