Slowly Falling | LK Adaptation

Chapter 44

Lisa quietly sat on the bar for a while. Then, she suddenly reached out and grabbed the alcohol Taehyung was holding.

However, Taehyung's reaction was quick. He immediately moved his hand and hid the bottle behind the bad. Lisa stared at him. Taehyung looked back with a smile. "I've met Jungkook before. He told me he was preparing for the postgraduate entrance exams."

He knew about Jungkook's situation because he got Ah Mao to investigate. And now, Lisa suddenly talked about dreams. It was obvious to him that something had happened with Jungkook's studies.

Lisa picked up her orange juice and gulped it down like a vodka shot. She didn't stop until the glass was totally empty. "He might not take the exam."

Taehyung leaned and put his elbows on top of the bar. "Why?"

According to Ah Mao's report, Jungkook had initially given up the chance to study abroad because his father passed away, and his mother became ill. At the time, his younger sister was in her third year of middle school. In a situation like that, it would be impossible for anyone to just happily hop on a plane abroad. Jungkook had been forced to give up on his studies. But now, he had a chance to continue his studies. Why give up?

"Do you know the current situation with Korea's aerospace industry?" Lisa asked.

"...." Taehyung was silent for a while, then asked: "Do you think I'd know anything about that particular subject?"

Lisa handed him her empty glass and said: "Pour me another one."

He obediently poured her another glass of orange juice and placed it in front of her. Lisa took a huge gulp, and when she was finished, there was only a third of juice left. "Jungkook said that they work on a 611 system. Do you know what 611 means? That's six days a week, eleven hours a day. And that doesn't count the overtime they have to do. The stronger your ability is, the more intense your workload. The higher the welfare benefits, the more likely you are of premature death. They lose young people more and more as the industry develops."

Taehyung was shocked. He asked: "Jungkook's father was..." He didn't go on.

"Un, something like that." Lisa took another gulp. It was like she was an alcoholic. "They've made great contributions to the country, but their families...probably thought that the price wasn't worth it."

She didn't know the feelings of other families, but Auntie Jeon...she would probably prefer if Jungkook delivered takeout for the rest of his life. She most likely didn't want him to have anything to do with planes.

Lisa looked at Taehyung. "If you were a family member, would you support them or not?"

He was silent. He couldn't help but bring out the alcohol and drink a glass. Lisa didn't reach for the bottle and patiently waited for his reply.

He finished his drink and asked: "Jungkook's mother doesn't approve?"

"Un."

"And you?"

"Me?" Lisa smiled. She had seen Jungkook's depressed appearance before and had seen the same sadness in the depths of his melancholic eyes. They were both brilliant rays of starlight that were gradually fading away, struggling to shine as they were being overtaken by the dark of the night. Lisa could understand mother Jeon's thoughts, but she could never agree with her actions. There are people in this world who were willing to be plain their whole lives, but there were also people who would rather burn as a brief but dazzling existence.

Jungkook was undoubtedly the latter. And she would stand by him and support him.

"I want the people that I like to do what they like."

You only have one life. It doesn't matter how long you have, just don't leave any regrets.

Taehyung smiled. "Then why did you ask me? You don't have to worry too much about his mother. I'm sure that to Jungkook, your words are just as meaningful as his mother's. As long as you continue to support him, there's hope."

Lisa felt that after all those years of friendship, Taehyung finally said something that managed to move her.

(T/N: I'm not sure how to word it right, but basically, after years of pursuit and corny love phrases, this was the one sentence that made Lisa feel something. Not that her heart thumped for him, but that it was the one line that moved her.)

After drinking two glasses of orange juice, she was ready to leave. She put down her glass, picked up her bag, and said: "I'll be leaving first. You were the one who offered me the orange juice, so I won't be paying for it."

Taehyung: "....."

You really know how to nitpick, ah.

He looked at Lisa's retreating figure and, with one hand on the bar, called out: "Lisa."

Lisa turned her head back and asked: "The dignified owner of this bar can't even afford to let go of two glasses of orange juice?"

Taehyung chuckled. "No, it's not that. It's just that...if it's nothing important, don't visit the bar for a while."

Lisa's eyes suddenly turned sharp as she looked at his face. Just an hour ago, Jungkook had said the same thing.

What's going on? One by one, people are telling her not to look for them? Haha, do you think I want to find you?

Without another word, Lisa turned around and walked out of his bar.

Taehyung saw Lisa's expression just now and was a little frightened by it. She was probably going to ignore him for the next six months. But, well, that was good. The less contact she had with him, the safer it would be for her.

Lisa left QingNan street and drove straight home to sleep. She didn't wake up until 6:00 p.m. She got up, cooked a bowl of noodles for herself, then turned her computer on to check on some orders.
　
The ingredients required to make aromatherapy candles are hard to come by, even if she looks abroad. Most of them can only be bought in specific places, and these shops are quite hard to find. It was thanks to her Chinese teacher that she even found her suppliers. Lisa also paid attention to current trends, so the ingredients would change from time to time. She strived to buy new molds or patters from foreign countries whenever possible.

She had already decided to go abroad and purchase some elk antlers, but she figured that she might as well buy some other things. While she was surfing the internet, Lisa came across a store that recently put out an aircraft mold. They weren't very big, but they were quite cute. She selected the mold and included it in her purchase order.

Jungkook should like it.

Lisa was so absorbed in her order that her noodles ended up lumpy. In the end, she ordered takeout. Fortunately, Jungkook wasn't on duty tonight.
　　
Meanwhile, in Jungkook's home, mother Jeon hadn't eaten yet. Somi had already left for school, so Jungkook was the only one at home to guard his mother.
　　
Mother Jeon was no longer young. Moreover, she had been seriously ill before. He was very worried that her body body wouldn't be able to bear the strain if she continues refusing to eat. Thinking that mother Jeon didn't have the appetite, Jungkook had specially made her favorite chicken porridge for dinner tonight. He even added some other small dishes that she liked to eat.

When the meal was ready, he knocked on mother Jeon's door once more. "Mom, it's getting late. Come out and have some food. I cooked your favorite chicken porridge, ah."

Jungkook stood outside the door for a long while, but she still didn't answer. "What do you want me to do?" Jungkook whispered as he leaned against the door.

Mother Jeon laid in bed all afternoon, but she didn't sleep. The father and son pair she saw in the park was still on her mind.

The little boy looked around seven or eight years old. He was still clumsy at handling his toy plane. Once, the toy plane landed near her, and the little boy stumbled after it. She looked at the small plane lying on the grass, its propeller still turning. She bent down and picked it up.

"Thank you, grandma." The child thanked her with his sweet voice, ran back to his father, and continued to play with his toy.

The little boy looked so much like Jungkook.

The figure of the father and son pair gradually overlapped with the silhouettes of Jungkook and his father. She could faintly hear Jungkook's young voice saying that he would grow up to be just like his dad.

If that little boy grew up and found out that he wouldn't be able to fly anymore, then he will be very disappointed.

"Mom, can you please eat?"

Jungkook's voice sounded from the door. She heard it, but she didn't answer.

She knew that her son hadn't been happy all these years...but at least he was living well.

He knocked on the door one last time, then left. Jungkook sat on the dinner table alone, the hot porridge gradually turning cold.

Even after the dark night completely shrouded the city, mother Jeon still didn't come out.

Jungkook took out his phone and called Lisa.

As soon as Lisa came out of the bathroom, she heard her phone buzz. She subconsciously thought that it was Jungkook calling her, and she stepped forward.

It really was him.

So she answered the phone. "Jungkook?"

Jungkook had battled with himself for a long time before he managed to call her. He even thought of seven different conversational topics before picking up the phone. But now that it was happening, Jungkook still didn't know what to say.

Lisa listened to the silence on the other end of the phone and sat down on her small sofa. "Why aren't you talking? What happened to Auntie Jeon?"

He managed to utter two words. "Lisa, I.."

His voice sounded so dry, as if he was in the middle of a desert.

Lisa softly replied: "Un. I'm listening."

"I...Maybe I shouldn't take the exam."

Lisa's eyes drooped. "Auntie Jeon still refuses to eat?"

"Un. I think she's really angry. She holed up in her room all afternoon and refuses to eat or drink anything. She's already in poor health...."

She didn't reply. Jungkook could barely hear her breathing. The hand holding his phone gradually tightened, the knuckles whitening. "We should part ways."

Was this despair? Jungkook thought that he had experienced despair when his father died and his mother became ill. He thought he understood what it was when he had to give up on his dream. But now, he knew. Despair wasn't darkness. Despair was when the darkness suddenly lit up, but then plunged back into nothingness.

If he didn't do his postgraduate studies, then Jungkook didn't know what he'd do in the future. He couldn't give Lisa any sort of guarantee.

After he said those words, the phone call seemed even quieter. Jungkook sat alone in the room, feeling like the only person left in the entire world.

Then, Lisa's voice suddenly sounded out from the phone. "Jungkook, what did you just say?"

With clenched hands, he repeated: "Let's separate."

"Separate? Are you saying we should break up?

"Un..."

"You're breaking up with me?"

Jungkook's mouth flattened into a line. He didn't answer.

Lisa asked: "Jungkook, are you at home?"

"Yeah."

"Are you going out later?"

"No."

"Alright. You wait there."

"....."

Jungkook's heart jumped.

...

To our beloved Jungkook....I'm afraid that Big Sister Lisa is on her way to knock some sense into your dog head.