For All The Lost Women (Jung Taeju/My name)

The Second and Last Time

Mujin has only seen Taeju cry twice. The second time was when his heart broke.

After his mother's death, Taeju didn't even bother to talk to his dad or explain anything to the man. He went home, packed a few things and left with Mujin. The boy had no idea where he would take him and didn't care. The only thing that mattered was that there was no home anymore.

As if the older could read his mind, he decided to speak up for the first time since the whole ride to who knows where. "You'll get a new family."

Taeju glanced up at him through his lashed. Did he want a new family?
The boy didn't want to admit how tired he was, but soon lost the fight against it. He woke up with his cheek pressed against the glass and a sore neck. The bag he had held onto his lap was now laying on his feet. Mujin was tapping on his window impaitently which was why he had woken up in the first place. He watched how the younger quickly rubbed his eyes before grabbing his luggage and stumbled out of the car.

When the boy agreed to Mujin's offer he never imagined this was going to help him in any way. Taeju ended up in what these people called the gym. Of course it wasn't just a place that people worked out in, but Taeju didn't want to realise what was actually going on. If he did, his mother's disappointment would drag him down. So he kept training with the other guys and doing all the dirty dishes, knowing that when he was good enough, he would be able to leave this hell hole, work at the hotel these people owned and actually do something that would change his world for the better.

Being the youngest by far was hard enough already without the other's making fun of him. Taeju, however, ignored them because they didn't know enough about him to be able to hurt him and Mujin was there at times to tell him he would kick their asses some day

The days passed by fast and Taeju had grown into a handsome young adult and even though he got enough attention because of it, there was only one woman's opinion that he cared about. His mother.

Girls had been drawn to him for his dangerous job. They wanted to feel the kick to be with someone like that, but Taeju thought that if they only knew he wanted to rip their annoying heads off, they would run the other way.

"I would do a lot to have some girls right now," a guy spoke up. He wasn't talking to Taeju, but he could hear it nonetheless.

"Even punch Mujin in the face?" Another joked.

The guy who spoke earlier groaned. "No, of course not. I don't want to die because I hurt the second in command, you idiot."

"You know, I had a girlfriend before starting this." The other voice said with a dreamy sigh. "I loved her."
He received a punch for this confession.

Taeju knew what love was. He knew the love a son felt for his mother that made him take care of her and make sure she was proud of him.
He also knew the love someone had for a friend could be so intense it was more like a brotherhood. This kind made you want to protect each other and do what was best for them.
Taeju didn't know what love was like that someone felt for another in a romantic way. It was supposed to make you spend all your time and thoughts on that special person. It was different because this one should make you wonder how the other's lips would fit on yours or how their skin would feel under your touch.

This kind was actually rare and he knew from experience that most parents didn't even know or people mistook their crush for it.

When Taeju reached the age of twenty-one, Mujin told him he was going to be the next instructor for the gym. Taeju enjoyed this very much since the tables had turned, however he promised himself to be hard but fair for the guys. He believed that this combination would get them the furthest.