Loved Since Forever

Taecyeon - 2 Years Ago

When Taecyeon got off the phone with Sam Duchon, he was still in shock. His old band director, friend, confidant has passed away. Mr. Carbonne was crucial to Taec making life-long friends during his time in America. When he was in Jazz Band Mr. Carbonne would coach Taec developmental skills both in music and in other subjects. Taec remembers back to when he told Mr. Carbonne about auditioning in New York to be a model for JYP Entertainment and potentially training to debut as a K-pop star, he really encouraged Taecyeon to follow that passion. If it wasn't for him, and Jihyen, of course, Taecyeon doesn't think that he would be in the position he is in today.

The only good thing about hearing this news now is that he is currently alone in his Seoul apartment where he can cry openly and has a 2 week gap in his schedule before he starts the next project. Being alone is such a wanted feeling now, Taecyeon doesn't remember the last time he could sit and not be embarrassed about crying. Before this week, he was in the military, before that he was in the group 2PM, and starring in dramas, and before that, he was in school while training at the company. Being alone is very welcomed, indeed.

He looked around my open kitchen, trying to digest the news he just got.

Dead, my old mentor, heart attack.

He felt a little guilty that he hasn't been able to stay in touch with Mr. Carbonne since he left for the military. Taecyeon reached out to him on Facebook Messenger right before he left, letting him know how much his guidance and encouragement has meant to him, and that they will talk when he gets discharged. Taecyeon remembers that one of Mr. Carbonne's sons, Justin, the oldest, just got married and the family was still reeling from that journey.

If he leaves on the next flight out to Los Angeles, he can get another 6 hour flight into Logan. It will take him a day to get to Boston, and then the memorial is on Thursday. Taecyeon went through the mental maths in his head as he picked back up his phone and opened Naver to look up flights. There is a flight that stops in Toronto. It leaves in 3 hours!

Taecyeon pulls out his card and bought the flight to Boston through Toronto. This flight will be 18 hours long. He rushed into my bedroom and pulled out his travel bag and frantically started packing. 5 shirts, 3 pants, enough underwear to get him through every day, and then some, socks, a jacket. Taec pulls out a suit bag and puts in a black Givenchy suit with a pair of Gucci dress shoes.

They are going to think I'm so bougie.

He always has a go-bag of toiletries ready since he is on sets a lot, it is best to have at least an overnight bag packed. His laptop, chargers, his latest read: Pachinko.

I think that's everything. I won't have to check a bag if I pack this light. I'll only be there for 5 days anyways.

He sits on his bed and looks around the room and remembers a box of memorabilia that he has under his bed. Under his bed is the home to winter sheets, vacuum-sealed into little cubes, a fan, his empty laptop box, another larger hard roller suitcase, and a shoebox containing little pieces of his past memories. He went under the bed and took out the box and set it on his lap. The green lid had a little layer of dust on the top. Understandable, since this house has been virtually untouched for 2 years. His parents or friends would come in and dust every once in a while, upkeep, but in retrospect, he could have sold the place. It would have gone quickly, but more difficult to find a new place once he comes back. Besides, he owns it and it's in the heart of Seoul. This is also the first home Taecyeon has established on his own, so he has a small emotional investment. He opened the box to reveal its contents. Pictures from soccer, his friends from college, 2PM when they first debuted in 2008. A movie ticket from his first ever date was taped to the front of the 2005 Bedford High School yearbook.

The movie was 50 First Dates and honestly, it wasn't much of a date. BUT, Taecyeon went with a group of friends from high school and the love of his 16 year old life, Rachel Park. It was the first time he saw Rachel outside of school and band. When in band, you spend a lot of time with your friends outside of school, but they were in different sections. Taecyeon played the saxophone and Rachel was in the drumline. He tries to think back to 2005, but he doesn't remember what she was wearing, but he remembers her smile and he remembers her laugh. She has these dimples that popped up with her smile and she sure smiled a lot. Taecyeon wonders if she thought he was creepy then for staring at her, but he couldn't help it. He opened the yearbook to the electives section where we took the group Jazz band photo. There was a group of musicians with Mr. Carbonne smiling at the side, all proud. This is going to be a rough couple of days.

He scooped up all the belongings and went down to the lobby of the apartment complex. He hasn't told his manager yet, but he makes the decision that he can call while he is already on the way on the way. Taec hopes Eun-gab won't be too mad at him.

As he puts the luggage into the car he ordered just moments earlier, he pulled out his cell phone to call Eun-gab. It rings and rings with no answer.

Heck yes! Voicemail, he thinks.

"Hello Eun-gab-ah, it's me, Taec. I, unfortunately, had a family friend from America pass away this weekend, so I'm going to have to go to the memorial. I'll only be gone for about 5 days, but I won't have service on this phone, so you can call me on the other one or send a What's App instead. Talk to you later."

Honestly, this was the best-case scenario for all of them. Taecyeon can't see the fumes coming from his manager's head as he hears that Taecyeon is abandoning him for a small unknown town in Massachusetts.

Taec puts on his noise-cancelling headphones and quietly naps in the car knowing that he won't be able to sleep well for the next 18 hours at least. At this rate, he will be in Bedford in the morning tomorrow. It's enough time for a nap and a shower at the hotel before being summoned for drinks and other activities.