Tae-pyung and Eon-jin's relationship had grown even stronger, thanks to the support they'd received from Min-jung and Eon-jin's mother, Ji-ah. However, one thing remained: informing Tae-pyung's parents about their relationship.
"Why are you so quiet?" Tae-pyung asked, noticing the sudden silence.
"I was just thinking... When should we tell your mom and dad about us?" Eon-jin wondered aloud. Tae-pyung paused for a moment before motioning for Eon-jin to take a seat nearby.
"Honestly, I'm a bit worried about your mom. Every time we see each other, it feels like she doesn't like me," Eon-jin admitted.
Tae-pyung frowned and probed further. "Have you two spoken before?"
Eon-jin shook her head in response.
"You know, that's not the most important thing. What matters is that I want to be with you," Tae-pyung said earnestly.
"But they still need to know. I don't want to be the reason for any conflicts between the two of you. We've been dating for two months now, and I just don't want to be unfair to you by keeping our relationship a secret—especially since my mom already knows," Eon-jin expressed with a hint of concern in her voice.
"I'll talk to my mom about it, but let's take it slow, hmm?" Tae-pyung said, his thoughts swirling with apprehension. Eon-jin simply nodded and found solace in her boyfriend's embrace.
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Tae-pyung's POV
A/N: This is Tae-pyung's flashback story.
Never did I imagine that moving to Daegu would lead me to find love. If someone had told me this earlier, I would have scoffed at the idea. Initially, I was strongly opposed to relocating to Daegu since it meant being separated from Dad. But in the end, Mom had her way, even though it wasn't what I wanted.
On my first day at Daegu High School, things took a turn for the worse when Mom and I got into a heated argument.
"What's your problem, Tae-pyung? Your uncle Ji-hwan offered to drive you to school. Why did you respond like that?" Mom's voice dripped with frustration.
"I've already told you—I can manage on my own. There's no need for you to drive me. What's so difficult to understand?" I responded calmly, though tension hung thick in the air. As I made my way toward the door, Mom's words stopped me in my tracks.
"Just make sure you don't go to your dad. You don't know what I'm capable of, Tae-pyung." she said, her tone laced with a hint of threat.
I shook my head in disbelief and walked out. As much as I longed to see Dad, I had no means to visit him. Mom had cut off my allowance, leaving me stranded in Daegu without a way to reach Seoul.
I caught the bus and was relieved to find an available seat. However, as more passengers boarded, the bus grew increasingly crowded. Among the new arrivals, I spotted two students—who seemed to attend the same school as me—struggling to find their footing amidst the swaying motion of the bus.
Suddenly, the bus driver hit the brakes, causing one of the students, a girl, to accidentally fall onto my lap. Though I tried to appear calm, my heart raced at the unexpected closeness. Her friend quickly came to her aid, making sure she was okay. I helped her move to my seat, earning a grateful nod from her friend.
Glancing around, I noticed the surprised looks on nearby passengers' faces. My irritation grew as I spotted Uncle Ji-hwan's car waiting at the crossing near the school. As soon as the bus stopped, I wasted no time getting off.
When I stepped into the classroom, my attention was immediately drawn to a familiar face—the girl from the bus. Our eyes met, and her expression mirrored my own surprise. Ms. Kang Ji-won gestured for me to take a seat, prompting me to quickly move to the back of the classroom. It was then I realized the girl was none other than Eon-jin.
