Stigma

Ch 3

KIM TAEHYUNG

"Everything is going to be okay" I buried my face onto his chest, clawing the back of his clothes.

"How can you be sure?!" I cried, tears long dried, hours of crying onto his chest, as he held me closer, whispering assuring comforts. Never let go once, only holding tighter.

He shushed me, humming. "I'm sure of it, Ttàihēng. You're so strong! Strong than any person I knew, you can do this!"

"But what if I don't want to be strong anymore?" I croaked. "I'm scared! I don't want to go! I'm contented here"

"Baby, it's okay to be scared and definitely, It's okay not to be strong" He whispered lovingly to me, fixating his hold to mine. "But it's not okay to run away, sooner or later you need to stand up from them to move on"

"B-But!"

He pulled our position in a sitting, eyes gazing to mine, understanding and full of love, palming my face with his hand. "Baby, Ttàihēng. Remember, drowning yourself with your demons will prevent you to move forward—"

"—I will always be here for you, even if I'm far out of reach. There's always a way for us to connect but for now you need to stand up for your own" He reached my head, kissing my forehead. "I promise, I'll find a way to visit you, will find time to spend together—"

"—I know your scared because of what had happened before but you're going to be alright. I also know you're afraid I'll leave you behind but that won't happen" He smiled at me, eyes never wavered under mine. "You know that do you?"

"I know.." I whimpered and nodded. "I love you"

His eyes widen in surprised, eyes glisten with tears, holding me close.

"I love you too"

-

I stared piles of papers before me. It was organize into different sections, as Sejin hyung fixated everything, beckoning me to come and seat.

"What's this?" I asked, eyes narrowing. Sejin hyung sighed, seated in front of me in between the table with unfamiliar papers scattered.

He pointed at the first folder. "This are your passport, and other documents, when we leave China and this your application papers"

I tilt my head to the side. "Application papers? What am I applying?" I asked.

"Remember that you are obligated to return to Korea as an actor and model to expand your fame but Si Hyuk ssi and the other board members believed that It would good to enroll you into a university"

"Ohh" I nodded along. "M'kay"

WAIT

WAIT

WHAT

"W-W-What do you mean enroll into a university?" I stared at Sejin hyung, confusingly. "Like going college online?"

Sejin hyung shook his head. "No, you're actually going to a university and interact with other people"

"What?!" I exclaimed in shocked. "What do you mean?! You know I'm like famous right? I'm not being narcissistic with myself but with this kind of face it's not hard to distinguish, who I am, right?"

"Aish!" Sejin hyung snorted, staring at me in disgusts. "Sometimes, I really wonder if this kid loose few screws in his head"

"Hey!"

"We already settled with that and yes, you're quite famous with your dashing face" Sejin hyung muttered the last with sarcasm. "You'll be attending to National University"