Shortly before the end of their high school year, Ga Eun and Jin Yang sat for their enrollment test at Yeungjin University. They both were accepted, Ga Eun for International Relations and Jin Yang for Business Management. With that settled, they went through their high school final tests more calmly, without having to worry about university anymore.
It's Ki Jun who experienced more trials. He was still on bad terms with his father. He worked at a diner to make ends meet. He studied for the preparation of high school finals after school, sitting in the library after classes, before running to his room, took a shower, and ran again to the diner in time for dinner's rush hour.
He worked for four hours there, because the owner refused to hire him longer than that per day, as it was against the law. He came back to his room after midnight and slept. He woke up again around four to draw sketches and prepared the dress he would present at the Kookmin Univesity Enrolment test.
He looked drained, like he was only bones and skin walking around. His eyes were a pair of black hollows. Headaches were his best friend lately, with the lack of rest and sleep. Everything was a must.
He must study to graduate with at least acceptable marks to make Kookmin University be willing to review his marks, he must work at the diner to pay the rent, he must draw sketches because he needed to give it at the enrollment test.
The only goal he had in his mind, what kept him going day by day, was that he wanted to study design. He wanted to be a designer. This hard work he had to undergo was to get him there. He believed it. He had to, or else he'd be lost.
So he kept doing his best. The good thing about working at a diner was that he could eat there. He ate dinner when he arrived for work, and brought the left overs home after midnight and ate it in the morning for his breakfast.
He ate lunch at school, as it was free and came with the school fee. But what made him almost give up was when his father decided to stop paying his school fee. Yeungjin High School was one of the best in the country, and also one of the most expensive.
His father stopped paying his school fee because he was hoping that it would make him give up and came home. For who would have a future in this modern world without graduating high school? He thought of taking another part time job, but Ga Eun sternly stopped him.
She managed to convince him to borrow her money. They fought for days, until he finally relented when the administration of Yeungjin called him. She gave him the money that day and his school fee was covered.
So he also worked to pay his debt to her. He had taken notes of every cent of it. No matter how long it would take, he would pay it.
He safely graduated high school. Not with flying colors and high marks, but at least acceptable enough to be reviewed by Kookmin University. He then sat for his test of fashion theories and also had an interview test where he presented sketchbooks of his designs, and discussed the paper he wrote titled "Confidence, Character, Clothes, And Teenagers".
It was ten pages long, and he had poured everything he had to write it.
He couldn't sleep before the test, and he couldn't eat when he waited for the result.
"I feel like I'm standing on a thread. Gonna fall down sometime soon and never wake up. I'm completely exhausted, sleep deprived, and completely worried. If I fail this, I don't know what to do. Maybe just work at the diner for the rest of my life"
"Don't say that. You can do this. I believe in you," Ga Eun assured, one night on the phone.
"Do you think I could, Ga Eunnie?" he asked faintly, with his currently trademark tone, full of exhaustion and stress.
"I have no doubt about it."
"Okay. Let's hope for the best."
"You can do it, Ki Junnie."
"Thank you."
The announcement of who was accepted in Kookmin University School of Design was on a Monday. They both had graduated from high school and had no school to attend to. Ga Eun and Ki Jun were at his place, sitting together in front of his laptop.
He typed his test number, but it came out as an error.
I didn't get in.
Oh God. Now what? What the hell will I do with my life now? Work at the diner and wait for another year? The thought was depressing. But he could do that. He could live for that.
"Give me your card! You must've typed wrongly!" Ga Eun said impatiently.
Ki Jun was near tears by then, turning around to not see the laptop."
Ki Junnie!" Ga Eun screamed in excitement, "You got accepted! Quick! Come here!"
Ki Jun turned around.
"What? Did you read correctly?"
"Look, there, see, it's "Seo Ki Jun, we are pleased to welcome you to Kookmin University School of Design!"
He read the result carefully.
"Oh my God! It's real! I got into Kookmin!"
Ga Eun was jumping up and down as Ki Jun pulled her into a hug.
"Chukkae!" she squealed happily, eyes already wet, remembering all his hard work to be able to achieve this. The fight with his father, staying in that narrow, dingy room, working part time at the diner, the late phone calls.....
"Gomawo. I feel like you're the one who makes this possible."
"Aniya! That's completely rubbish! You can have this because you've worked hard for this!"
"Come on, I'll treat you. Let's eat something nice!"
"Ne? Do you even have the money?"
"I just got my part time salary."
"But you better use it for—"
"If it's not enough, I could always offer you to wash the dishes....."
"Yah! How could you think about it?"
"Or I'll wash the dishes if the money is not enough....."
"Let's not do it. You've convinced me not to!"
"No, no, no. I was joking. Come on, you know I won't do that to you. If I said I have it, then I really do have it. Come on. I want barbeque....." he said, pulling her by her scarf.
Trying not to be completely strangled, she remembered to argue, "But how will you pay your rent next week if you treat me today?"
"Er, let's think about it next week."
"Yah, Seo Ki Jun!"
"Besides, darkness is always inspirational. You know, now that I'll study design and all—"
"Forget it, I'll treat you. It's to congratulate your success for enrolling in—"
"I have the money, Ga Eunnie, seriously. Come on. Let's go. I can taste the meat in my mouth already," he said, pulling her by the hand, and in turn, pushed her body to the direction of the gate.
"Ahrasseo, ahrasseo, stop pushing me. Let's go."
"I can't believe I got in."
"I knew you'll make it."
"Jjinjja?"
"Ne."
"Tsk, this is not a surprise for you. So why should I treat you? Let's just go home."
He turned around.
"I don't care. I'll just eat barbeque alone," she said sternly.
He waved at her from another direction, "See you tomorrow, happy lunch!"
"Yah! Seo Ki Jun! Are you really going home?"
He kept walking away.
"Ki Jun-ah! I'm really going to eat alone!"
He still didn't turn around.
"Bye bye!" she screamed again, before turning around and starting to count.
He was beside her in a matter of seconds, even before she counted to five.
"You're so annoying."
He laughed and linked his arm with hers, "You're such a good girl. Let's go. I'll make you fat. You have to eat a lot."
"I'll make you spend every cent you have!"
"Let's eat meat!" he yelled loudly, fists high in the air.
"You're crazy. And people are looking."
"So?" She sighed and kept on walking."Which restaurant should we go to?"
"Hmmm....that one near the subway station? I love the sauce," she suggested.
"Okay. Let's go there."
"Wait," he suddenly halted.
"Now what?"
"Should we ask Jin Yang to come too?"
She smiled, "That would be nice."
He dialed Jin Yang's number on speakerphone.
"Jin Yang-ah?"
"Ne?"
"Want free barbeque?"
"Waaaaaaaaaaah! Of course!"
"If you could arrive within five minutes to that barbeque restaurant near the subway station around my place..."
"It's impossible!"
"Then no free meat. Bye!"
"Seo Ki Jun!"
"What?"
"You mean you got into Kookmin?"
"Got in where?"
"Kookmin design school?"
"No, I didn't"
"Liar!"
"Really, this guy," Ki Jun began, glancing at Ga Eun who was trying not to laugh out loud by covering her mouth with her hands, "you're rubbing salt on my already wounded heart..."
"Seo Ki Jun, did you or did you not manage to get into Kookmin?"
"Hemm....ask Ga Eun. She's the more trustworthy between us."
He gave the phone to her.
"Yeoboseyo?"
"Oh. Yeoboseyo. Ga Eun?"
"Ne?"
"Did he get in?"
"Ne, he did."
"Waaaaaaaaah!" Jin Yang screamed loudly. "Chukkaeeee!" he said loudly, possibly while jumping because his voice was weirdly shaking.
"Seo Ki Jun, you better treat me now!"
"Sure. If you could come in five minutes!"
"Be there in fifteen," he assured.
"By then the food will be—"
She grabbed the phone from Ki Jun's hand, "Just come here. We'll wait for you."
"Gomawo, Ga Eunnie."
"Neeeee."
Ki Jun made a gagging sound. She hung up so Ki Jun wouldn't continue the silly bickering.
"I'm starving, come on."
"I'll feed you."
And so they went together to the barbeque restaurant.
**********
Author's Note:
The story will jump to 1.5 years later on the next chapter. Please look forward to it. Thank you for following Cruel Oppa.