Chapter 39

"A new beginning - Part 2"

"Your girlfriend seems pretty cool," said Eun and nudged Taehyun in the side, "can I ask... how old is she?"

"She is 26 years old," said Taehyun, a little hesitant.

"Really? She looks so young!" answered Eun shocked, "I mean, of course I noticed that she was older than all of us, but not by that much."

"She doesn't just look young, she's good looking too," said Hyun Joo, "if I was her brother's best friend, I would have snatched her up too."

"Hey, be careful!" said Taehyun and pointed his finger at Hyun Joo who quickly raised his hands in defeat.

"Just kidding," said Hyun Joo and Taehyun calmed down.

"How is it? To date someone so much older than you?" asked Eun, "isn't it... weird?"

"Why would it be weird? Girls date older guys all the time," answered Taehyun.

"That is true…" said Eun, "but still, I don't know if I would feel comfortable dating someone who is 8 years younger than me."

"I don't think anyone would be comfortable with that," said Hyun Joo, "since that person would be 10 years old." Eun looked up and thought for a second, until she realized Hyun Joo was right and both of them burst out laughing.

"That is actually a bit crazy to think about," continued Hyun Joo, "when your girlfriend was a first year in University, you were only 10 years old." 

"Let us not talk about that," said Taehyun, "the worst part is that she actually knew me when I was 10 years old… I can't imagine all the stupid stuff she must have put up with from me and Yeonjun as kids."

"And still, you won her over," said Hyun Joo, "teach me, please!" Taehyun let out a chuckle.

The conversation was about to continue, when Taehyun saw Yoo Jin from the corner of his eye and he quickly turned around in his seat, looking directly at her.

"Is something wrong?" asked Taehyun and Yoo Jin slowly took a step closer.

"I just got a call from the company I went for an interview at today," said Yoo Jin, her face completely emotionless. "I… I got it."

It took a few seconds until the words seemed to hit Taehyun and he understood it entirely, but once he did, he jumped up from his chair and swung his arms around Yoo Jin, while loudly saying:

"Congratulations!"

Everyone around the table, most of whom hadn't even noticed Yoo Jin disappear and come back, suddenly saw the strange scene happening in front of them and stopped what they were doing.

"Is it really true?" asked Taehyun after releasing Yoo Jin from his embrace and she quickly nodded her head, a few tears visible in the corner of her eyes. Taehyun suddenly turned around and then pushed Yoo Jin in front of him so she was standing right in front of the table.

"Everyone, my girlfriend just got a job!" Everyone at the table immediately let out a cheer and raised their hands in happiness. Eun quickly got up from her chair and swung her arms around Yoo Jin.

"I know we have only known each other for a few hours, but congratulations!" said Eun while giving Yoo Jin a firm hug. After letting go, Yoo Jin noticed Hyun Joo who was standing behind Eun.

"I will refrain from giving you a hug, otherwise Taehyun will murder me," said Hyun Joo and laughed, whereafter he held out his hand and shook Yoo Jin's hand, "congratulations, I hope you will be happy at your new job."

"Thank you everyone," said Yoo Jin, trying hard to fight back the tears, "I never imagined I would be a University party when I got such a message."

"Life sure is strange sometimes," said Hyun Joo and shrugged his shoulders.

"No more talking, we should celebrate!" yelled Eun, "someone get this good woman another beer! And more meat as well! She should feast like a queen tonight." Yoo Jin laughed at Eun's weird and way too cheesy comment, but she couldn't help but feel a warm sensation in her stomach.

While Yoo Jin was on her way back to her seat, Taehyun suddenly grabbed her shoulder and held her back.

"Noona, I am glad we get to celebrate with everyone today," whispered Taehyun, "but on the weekend, I want to celebrate for real. Just you and me." Taehyun looked at Yoo Jin, as if waiting for a reply and she quickly sent him a smile and said:

"Deal."

***

"So… I know I said you and I could celebrate this weekend with just the two of us," said Yoo Jin on the phone, "but my parents are throwing some sort of party, you are invited by the way, but we will have to postpone our own celebration party." Taehyun let out a sigh before answering.

"Fine, send me the details and I will be over."

Being home at the Choi family's house after two months certainly felt weird. In one way it felt like nothing had changed, but in other ways, it felt like everything had changed. Something was different, he just didn't know what. But no matter what it was, it felt good to be back here.

"I can't believe you actually found a job, finally!" said Jeong-Yeon in the same high pitched voice she had been speaking in the entire day, "it is incredible. Amazing."

"Mom, I get it, you are happy, so am I," said Yoo Jin and laughed.

"Bear with your mother for today," said Se Hyeong, "she hasn't been sleeping well for the past two years because she has been worrying about you." Yoo Jin looked at her mother and suddenly felt an urge to give her a huge hug.

And so she did.

"Thank you for always worrying about me," said Yoo Jin while still holding her mother in her arms.

"You don't have to thank me, it is a mother's duty to worry about her children."

"Speaking about your children," said Se Hyeong, "where is Yeonjun?"

"Here!" yelled Yeonjun while he ran inside the house, nearly stumbling on his way to the kitchen where everyone was gathered.

"There you are, little brother," said Yoo Jin and gave Yeonjun a quick and awkward hug, "but where is your girlfriend?"

"Don't call her that, do you want to scare her away?" said Yeonjun angry, but Yoo Jin just laughed it off. 

A few seconds later, a young girl with long brown hair and a slim body, stepped inside the kitchen while facing down.

"Su Bin, it is good to see you again," said Yoo Jin and Su Bin looked up for the first time since entering the room. For a second, it even looked like there was a hint of a smile on her face.

"You two haven't met before, have you?" asked Yoo Jin while looking at Su Bin and Taehyun, both of the shaking their heads in response.

"Su Bin, this is my boyfriend, Kang Taehyun," said Yoo Jin, "Taehyun, this is Kim Su Bin, another trainee at the company Yeonjun is in."

"She isn't a trainee anymore," corrected Yeonjun and everyone looked at him in confusion, "she was given a place in an idol group last week. She will debut this winter."

"Really?" said Yoo Jin happily, "then we have two things to celebrate tonight!"

"N… no!" said Su Bin quickly, "I don't want to… take the focus."

"Nonsense," said Yoo Jin and swung her arm around Su Bin, "there is enough spotlight for both of us."

After little while, dinner was finally ready and everyone sat down at the table. Jeong-Yeon truly had outdone herself, and even though Yoo Jin and Yeonjun ate their fair share of everything, even they had to give up at the end.

"You are amazing, mom," said Yoo Jin while leaned back in her chair, "thank you for a wonderful meal."

"You deserve it, after everything you went through to get to this point," said Jeong-Yeon, "really… at some moments I was wondering if you would ever a job."

"Me too," said Yoo Jin.

"I mean, you had a lot of close calls, but even they never went anywhere, like the one in Busan."

"Yeah, I really worried about that one too," said Taehyun, cutting in to the conversation out of nowhere, "I thought about it so many times, if it was the right decision of Yoo Jin to reject their offer. But look at her now?" Everyone turned completely silent at the table and Yoo Jin sent Taehyun a glare until he suddenly realized what he had said.

"I thought the company in Busan were the ones who rejected you," said Jeong-Yeon in a hostile voice, "not the other way around."

"Ah… ha ha…" Yoo Jin laughed nervously, "why are we talking about the past, we can't change the past now and a wonderful future is right ahead of us, let us talk about that."

Of course that wouldn't work on someone like Jeong-Yeon and she kept going until Yoo Jin explained the situation to her, earning a huge earful for acting so immature. Even Yeonjun was shocked at how she could bring herself to turn down an offer after a whole year of nothing, but Yoo Jin just continued to laugh it off and tried to change the subject.

In the end it did seem like the conversation died down and everyone decided to forget about it. As Yoo Jin had said herself, there was no need in talking about the past. But that didn't stop Jeong-Yeon from getting her revenge.

"Now we just need to do the dishes," said Jeong-Yeon, "Yoo Jin, would you be a darling and do them all?"

"Me?"

"Yes you, the person who mooched off of her parents for another half a year so she didn't have to move far away from her boyfriend." Yoo Jin opened her mouth, but quickly realized he had no good comeback at this point.

"Yeah, I will do it."

"Great, the rest of us can go to the living room and relax," said Jeong-Yeon and everyone followed along as she left the kitchen. That was all except Taehyun.

"You don't have to help me, you can go and have fun with the others," said Yoo Jin while she started carrying everything to the sink.

"It isn't fun without you," said Taehyun, "besides, it is my fault you got found out, sorry."

"It is okay, somehow, I feel much better now that everything is out in the open," said Yoo Jin. Taehyun let out a sigh of relief, whereafter he started helping, carrying the rest of the pots to the sink.

While Yoo Jin carefully cleaned everything and Taehyun did his best to wipe everything dry and put it back in its place, the kitchen was awfully quiet. It had been a long day. A long week. A long year.

Taehyun suddenly looked at Yoo Jin when he heard a slight chuckle from her.

"What?" asked Taehyun, wanting to know what she found funny all of a sudden.

"It is just… when I was in University, I never thought my life would turn out this way," said Yoo Jin, "I am glad I didn't know back then, I don't know if I would have had the courage to move forward."

"Not even if you knew I would be there for you?" asked Taehyun with a pout.

"Are you kidding? If someone had told me I would be dating you in the future, I would have called them crazy."

"I guess that makes sense," said Taehyun, "I wonder how my life will be when I am 26 years old."

"Oh no!" said Yoo Jin.

"What? What is it?"

"I just realized, when you are 26, I will be 34," said Yoo Jin in horror, but Taehyun just let out a laugh.

"Did it only occur to you just now? I thought you were the one who was good at math." Yoo Jin only raised her eyebrow and Taehyun quickly cleared his throat, realizing she wasn't in the mood for a joke.

"Don't think like that, Noona. It doesn't matter if you turn 34, 44, 54 and so on, I know I will still love you as much as I do now. In fact, I don't care how my life looks in 8 years from now, as long as you are still by my side." Yoo Jin looked at Taehyun who was staring into her dark brown eyes.

"Well, that depends," said Yoo Jin and the smile on Taehyun's face suddenly faded, "if you keep saying such cheesy lines, I might leave you."

"Seriously, don't scare me like that!" said Taehyun annoyed and Yoo Jin started laughing.

"I am sorry, but no one ever told me that before," said Yoo Jin between her laughs, "I guess I will have to get used to those cheesy lines. I have a feeling, even when you are old and wrinkled, you will deliver those exact same lines."

"You bet I will," said Taehyun, "I will do anything to bring a smile to your face, even if it makes me cheesy in your eyes."

"I am glad," said Yoo Jin and looked Taehyun, "I couldn't imagine a better future."

The End

Hello everyone!

Yup. That's it. That was all. It's over. No, I'm not crying, you are! What do you mean you are not crying? Okay I guess I'm crying alone in front of my computer... 

Jokes aside, I really did love this story. I think it is one of the most fun, heartwarming and lighthearted novels I have ever written. I truly enjoyed every second of it and I just hope you, as a reader, enjoyed it too. If you did please let me know in the comments down below.

Now, if you know me from Wattpad, you have probably heard me raving about NEVER writing sequels... but guess what? I have such a strong urge to write a sequel for this book, that I might do it. Lol, let's see. Right now I'm gonna take a break from it a little while, and if I still have this urge later on, I might actually sit down and write a sequel.

What do you think? Would you be interested in a sequel?

Lastly, I just want to thank all the people who commented on this story, they made me feel so warm and happy inside. And to those who read in silently, I truly do hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for showing my stories your love.

Please take good care of yourself and stay safe wherever you are. I'll see you in the next book!

Love, Annalise~