Chapter 35

"Dilemma"

Lying on her bed with her right arm covering her face, Yoo Jin sunk deeper and deeper into a slump, her thoughts getting the better of her, not allowing her even a second to rest. Her entire body felt heavy, making the bed seem like an endless black hole she was sinking deeper and deeper into, her madras, pillows and blanket enveloping her, hiding her from the surface of the earth.

Why, thought Yoo Jin again, and her head immediately threw 10 possible answers at her, none of them positive in any way. And even if the possible answers had a different starting point, they all led to the same resolve.

It isn't meant to be.

"Noona?" The voice of her younger brother brought Yoo Jin back to the surface, her bed spitting her out, releasing her from the bottomless hole.

"Yeonjun, you are home early," said Yoo Jin and tried sitting up, but her heavy body was making it harder for her, so in the end she just fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Early? It is almost midnight," said Yeonjun and Yoo Jin turned her head with a surprised look on her face.

"What?" said Yoo Jin, who had lost all sense of time since she returned home, "mom didn't even ask me if I wanted to eat."

"She did, I spoke to her just a minute ago," said Yeonjun, "she said it has been impossible to get through to you since you returned home from your job interview earlier today."

"Is that so?" asked Yoo Jin, feeling sorry for ignoring her parents like that, "I guess my head is just filled to the max. But you must be tired, go sleep."

"I am not that tired," said Yeonjun and walked inside Yoo Jin's bedroom, closing the door behind him, "if something is bothering you, we can talk about it." Yoo Jin looked at her brother once more, before moving her arm to rest on her face again.

"It's nothing…" muttered Yoo Jin under her breath, only making Yeonjun let out a sigh.

"Was the job interview really that bad?" asked Yeonjun and sat down on Yoo Jin's bed, "you have never been this depressed about a bad interview before."

"It wasn't!" said Yoo Jin in a firm voice, but stopped before she continued in a lower, more insecure tone, "it was… the best interview… I have had in the past 2 years. They practically told me the job is mine."

"Then what are you sulking for? You should be happy, celebrating!" said Yeonjun annoyed and hit Yoo Jin on her arm so she whined in pain.

"Ouch!" said Yoo Jin, "it is not that simple…"

"But it is," said Yeonjun, "stop sulking and be happy about the job interview going well." Yeonjun got up from the bed, walking towards the door.

"Also, call your boyfriend, he messaged me all day asking me if I heard from you." With those words, Yeonjun left Yoo Jin's bedroom and she quickly took out her phone, seeing the missed calls and messages from Taehyun.

You stupid boy… you are making everything so complicated, thought Yoo Jin while she was typing out a message.

Sorry about the late reply, let us meet up tomorrow.

Yoo Jin looked at her message before adding another sentence.

We need to talk.

***

Taehyun was standing outside the Choi family's house, nervously waiting for Yoo Jin to meet him. Her words from the short period they met up at school to arrange things, was still echoing in his head.

"Let us meet up after school," had Yoo Jin whispered, keeping watch that no one was around to see them.

"Alright, my house or yours?" 

"Um… why don't we go for a walk instead?" had Yoo Jin asked in a nervous voice, "we should appreciate this lovely weather we have."

No matter how much Taehyun thought about it, it just wouldn't add up in his head. Her flickering eyes, her nervous voice, her sudden change in behavior. What was going on?

"Taehyun," said Yoo Jin when she took notice of the young boy after walking out of the door, "I am sorry to keep you waiting."

"No, it is alright, I was early," said Taehyun quickly, trying to ignore the awkward atmosphere and the growing pain in his chest.

Side by side, they walked down the streets of the neighborhood, nearing a small green area where Yoo Jin sat down on a bench, asking Taehyun to do the same. Yoo Jin lowered her head, trying to gather her thought well enough for her to be able to formulate a sentence.

"Taehyun… do you remember that job interview in Busan we talked about?" asked Yoo Jin and looked up, seeing a simple nod as a reply from Taehyun.

"It… it went well… really well," said Yoo Jin and continued with her head lowered again, "I think they might offer me the job. I... I don't know what to do." 

It turned dead silent while Yoo Jin waited for Taehyun to give his response, but no words came out and after a few minutes, which felt more like a few hours, Yoo Jin lifted her head and turned to look at Taehyun.

"Why… are you looking at me like that?" asked Yoo Jin when she saw the widened eyes, the lifted eyebrow and the jaw nearly dropped to the ground.

"Are you being serious?" said Taehyun in a sharp voice, "was that the reason you called me out here and nearly scared me out of my wits?" 

"Yes… wait… scared you?" said Yoo Jin confused, "why were you scared."

"Why? I thought you were going to break up with me!" yelled Taehyun while Yoo Jin widened her eyes, "you said 'we need to talk' and wanted us to meet outside. Of course I was scared."

"I am sorry… I didn't realize it could be interpreted like that…" said Yoo Jin, "I just didn't want to talk about this in front of any of our parents. I really need to hear your opinion on this matter."

"Alright, alright," said Taehyun, "just give me a second to calm down and we can talk about it." Yoo Jin nodded and sent Taehyun an apologetic smile. She gently took his hand, hoping it would ease his beating heart and help him forgive her for her mistake.

"So, let me make sure I understand your concern," said Taehyun after a few more minutes, "you went for the job interview, it went well, and now you are concerned that they will give you the job and we will have to live far away from each other."

"Yes," said Yoo Jin.

"Why are you focusing on the negative part?" asked Taehyun, "you should be happy you had a good job interview, and if you get the job, you should be happy about that too. Think about how long you have looked for one."

"I know, but things have changed in the past year…" said Yoo Jin with a sigh, "it hasn't been that long since you and I started dating, long distance relationship rarely work out, and the odds are even worse when the couple haven't been together for long." Taehyun sat in silence, listening to Yoo Jin pour out her thought and emotions, the sole foundation for her worries.

"There is still so much I want to know about you. I… I know I was the one who hesitated in the beginning, but now… now I want us to be even closer. But you will be going to Art School for at least 3 years, maybe longer. And when you have finished, who knows if you will be able to find a job in Busan. Who knows if we will even be together at that point, after spending so many years apart?"

"I had no idea you thought about our future so intensely," said Taehyun and Yoo Jin felt her cheeks heat up when she realized what she had said.

"Who wouldn't think about the future when they are dating?" said Yoo Jin while diverting her eyes, "or maybe you just thought this relationship could be a fun way for you to pass time while you were finishing High School?"

"Stop it! You know how much I love you, Noona!" said Taehyun, "but if it makes you so worried, I will just apply for a University in Busan if you get the job."

"Don't you dare!" said Yoo Jin and looked at Taehyun with fire burning in her eyes, "don't throw away your future like that."

"That is exactly what I am trying not to do," said Taehyun, "going to Art School isn't my future. You… you are my future. An education is just an education and a job is just a job. What will really determine my happiness in the future, is you."

"You are talking like a madman," said Yoo Jin, "love doesn't always last forever."

"You were the one talking about our future just a second ago," said Taehyun.

"I know… but just… forget about that for a moment!" said Yoo Jin, "you HAVE to go to Seoul, you just HAVE to."

"But… I don't want to be apart from you either," said Taehyun, "now you have made me all scared that we will break up if we have to live so far away from each other."

"That is… but… ugh seriously, this is too hard!" yelled Yoo Jin in frustration, "let us just not discuss this before I know if I get the job… my head is starting to hurt."

"We can save the conversation for later, but I am sure you will get the job," said Taehyun in all seriousness, "the universe never wanted you and me to be together. That is why they threw another obstacle at us. Now it is up to us to decide how we deal with it."

Hello everyone!

I think most of you saw this coming, and it is indeed a tough situation. What do you think Yoo Jin should do if she gets the job? What would you do in her stead? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments down below.

Also, I hope you are having a good time wherever you are in the world. Please take good care of yourself and stay safe!

Love, Annalise~