Myung Hwan's parents didn't mind in the least that Ki Jun stayed with them. Ga Eun had told them the situation. But it was Ki Jun who felt it was inappropriate, for more than one reason. So with Ga Eun and Jin Yang's help, he finally rented a very small room near Yeungjin high school.
He had spent all of his savings to pay the rent three months in advance. He had no idea how he would buy food the next day. But after helping him settle down and after Jin Yang got home, Ga Eun stayed to give him a thick envelope filled with her money.
Ki Jun felt like screaming or crying or kissing her feet, but definitely not like accepting.
"I can't take this," he said forlornly.
"Yes, you can. You have to," Ga Eun said, determined to win this argument.
"I can't take your money, Ga Eunnie," Ki Jun told her, as if she was offering him narcotics.
"Then how are you going to eat? I know you don't have any more money."
"But I can't—"
"Take it!"
"No.....I—Ga Eun, please..."
"Look. We're friends. You need my help. You need money. If you don't take this, I don't think I'll sleep tonight, wondering whether you'll eat dinner and breakfast. So please, do us both a favor and use this."
"This is not right."
"Why? How do you think you'll survive otherwise?"
"I'll find a part time job..."
"It needs time. And then you'll need all the time you can have to try to enter design school. Until then, just please use my money, Ki Junnie.....please don't say no..."
"Okay....." he agreed in a defeated tone.
"Thank God," she said in relief, sitting in the only chair in the room.
"I'll pay you back. Every cent of it."
"Don't think about it."
"I really will, Ga Eun."
"Whatever you want, then."
"Thank you."
"If you say it one more time, Ki Junnie, I'll cry again."
"Really. Thank you. You're the only one who understands me. I'm glad I can turn to you when I need it."
"I'll do anything for you. You should know that."
"Yeah," he nodded with firm conviction. "And I'll do it for you too."
She nodded. "I'll go back right now. Eat dinner after I leave, okay? I'll drop by here tomorrow and we'll go to school together."
"Yup. Take care going home."
She stood up and looked around the small room. It was really small. Consisted only of a single bed, a wooden closet, a desk and a chair. It had no TV and no fridge. It was bare.
"Are you really going to be okay?"
"I will be, don't worry. Call me when you're back home."
"Ahrasseo."
"Are you—"
"Yes, Ga Eunnie, I will. Now go home. Stop troubling yourself. You need to wake up early tomorrow, right?"
"Ne."
"So go."
"Okay. I'll really go now. See you tomorrow morning."
****************************************
During class that day, Ga Eun could feel her phone vibrating. But she ignored it until her class ended. It was Kang Jun's father, Seo Kwan.
He then left a text message : Kim Ga Eun, if you have time, please come to my house tomorrow during lunch time. I need to talk to you. It's important.
The next day was Saturday. For Kang Jun, she was sure she could arrange to leave the house for two hours and meet his father.
She spent a lot of time thinking how she could try to make his father support Kang Jun. Maybe he disagreed because he thought it was a job unfit for a man. But he was wrong, of course. There were many global brand fashion designers who were men.
So the moment she got home, she set to work, preparing a comprehensive set of short biographies consisting of ten designers, which were all men.
She stopped to accompany Lee Chung Ho and Kim Ae Mi for dinner. Kim Ae Mi had to call her twice to ask for a cup of tea. She immediately called the kitchen through the intercom and ordered the maid there to prepare Kim Ae Mi's tea.
"I see that you have something distracting in your pretty head, Dear. What is it?"
"Ne? Oh, yes, Samonim, it's something I'm worried of."
"Care to share it?"
"Oh, no. It's a friend's problem."
"That tall friend of yours? Or the one with the eye smile?"
Lee Chung Ho stopped eating and paid attention.
At the mention of "Eye smile", Ga Eun smiled. Trust Kim Ae Mi to notice everything.
"The tall one, Samonim."
"Oh. Is this something you can handle on your own?"
"Hopefully, Samonim."
"Alright, then."
Afterwards, she ran back to her room to finish her designer's biography.
The next day, when she arrived at Ki Jun's parent's house, she was invited to the dining room and all the three of them sat together, ready for a discussion. Ki Jun was, of course, not even present there.
Before Seo Kwan said anything, she gave him the designers' biographies she had painstakingly prepared the night before. She had inserted the profile and the examples of work from Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, Gianni Versace, Guccio Gucci, Marc Jacobs, and Franco Moschino.
She only went halfway down the alphabet. Had the time been longer and she searched to the end of the alphabets, she was sure her compilation would be thicker. But it was good enough to inform Ki Jun's father.
"Ahjusshi, look, there are many famous designers in the world. And they are men. They are all really successful. If they can, I strongly believe Ki Jun will be able to do it too."
"We hoped that you could persuade him to stop this," Ki Jun's father cut her dryly, "not to persuade us the other way around."
"Is this only your opinion or Imo's too? I don't think Imo looks like she disagrees."
Ki Jun's father took a glance at his wife.
"She cares more about him coming back home than the store."
"If he doesn't do it, he'll suffer."
"He needs to run the store."
Ga Eun looked at him square in the eyes before firmly responding, "What he needs, Ahjussi, is forging his own path in life. Doing his choices. Not yours."
If someone had slapped him in the face, maybe he would have looked that disturbed. Seo Kwan called Ga Eun to find an ally, not another enemy.
"All of my hard work will be useless if he refuses to take it over, Ga Eun. What will I do when I'm too old to run it?"
"I'm sure you'll find a way. Which will not.....sacrifice his happiness."
Seo Kwan looked furious and helpless all at the same time. He desperately wanted Ga Eun to view this the same way as him.
"Help me. Help us. Talk to him. Change his mind."
"I won't."
"Ga Eun, do us all a favor."
"A favor for you, Ahjussi, not for him."
"You refuse to persuade him to change his mind?"
"Even if I try, he'll never change his mind."
She maintained her steady gaze on Ki Jun's father. It's something far from ordinary for her. She used to always bow and smile respectfully at him. But this time she knew which side she should support.
"He got talent in this, Ahjussi. Don't stop him. I beg you."
"I can't agree with this. I'll never agree to this."
His father looked at the girl he knew for years who was staring defiantly at him. Ga Eun would never condemn him. But it's as if her stare alone was enough to make him rethink his decision. He was used to how she's always smiling at him, greeting him politely, joking and laughing with him. But definitely not the cold, unwavering stare she wore that afternoon.
If he intended to find an ally in her, someone who would put his son to the path he intended for him, she was not the person. There was nothing he could do to change her mind.
"Very well, Ga Eun, if this is your opinion. We will both agree to disagree then."
"Ahjussi...do you intend to lose all these years with Ki Junnie? The time when he matures and struggles to find his place in this world?"
Seo Kwan found his throat felt dry and empty. He willed himself to say something, to not be defeated by this young girl. But he was at a loss of what to say.
His wife smiled, though she tried not to let him see.
The situation was amusing, really. To see the great Seo Kwan shutting his mouth tight in front of a young girl.
"Ahjussi, are you sure you are going to stick to this?"
"Yes. A man never takes back his word," he said finally.
"A man should take back his word if he's wrong, Ahjussi."
Seo Kwan's eyes widened.
"You're telling me that I'm—"
"I am telling you that you are wrong for doing this. For trying to stop Ki Jun from reaching his dream. Not everybody is talented. I am sure he is talented in designing clothes. Others are pianists, dancers, painters, or authors. Ki Jun is a designer. It will not be easy for him, but I am sure he will make it."
He looked visibly distressed with everything she said.
"I think we have seen each other enough for today."
She bowed. "Algesseumnida, Ahjussi."
"I won't detain you longer. Surely you are needed in the Lee family's house."
"I'll go home now."
They all stood up and after bowing one more time, she walked to the front of the house, out to the store with Ki Jun's mother on her side.
She was chuckling, as if she just witnessed a comedy.
"I admire you for going against him," she said, rubbing Ga Eun's back. "Such a brave girl."
"I have to, Imo...I wish he could support Ki Jun and their relationship could be better..."
"It will take time....and I'm sure nobody will give in. They are both really father and son. Too stubborn for their own good."
Ga Eun sighed.
"He is doing alright now, I take it?"
"He is shaken, but nowhere near giving in. At this rate, Imo, I'm afraid he will work part time and later go to college at the same time....."
"Seems like it."
She buttoned down her coat, "What do you think, Imo? Do you want him to listen to Ahjussi?"
"Hm? Oh no. He is not the kind of person who will feel satisfied just by running a store. Not that my husband's effort for this store is not admirable. He had dedicated his life to this," she stopped, patting one of the vegetable baskets with her hand, "But it just doesn't feel like.....somewhere where Ki Jun belongs. I know him. He needs something he started from scratch. Not something given from his father."
Ga Eun nodded. "I'm glad we agree, Imo. I have to really go back right now, so I'll see you soon."
She bowed to his mother.
"I'll let you know about him from time to time, Imo."
"I'll look forward to that," she smiled gratefully.
Ga Eun waved and went out the house, her steps were heavy but relieved. She did everything she could. Well, if Ahjussi refused to support Ki Jun, she would do it herself, whatever it took.
***************************************
Author's Note:
Ki Jun is definitely important for her. And she has the courage to try to persuade his father to support his dream.