Dares and Heartbreaks: TaeJoo & KangGook

Chapter 4

Tae Joo could see his life ending right before his eyes. He picked up the calendar on the floor and followed the man back to his office. Unstoppable tears quietly running down his cheeks.

"why did you steal from my office young man?" the buff man asked as soon as they settled in the room. It looked different now that the owner was present.

He couldn't tell the man the truth. Letting him know that it as a bet to save his friend from getting expelled could lead him to expulsion. Heck he would be lucky to escape this.

"Sir I have someone with a birthday tomorrow", he took a shaky breathe to control his crying, "I don't have any money to buy presents, it is someone so dear to me, but it was wrong of me to steal" he admitted, his eyes were now red. His face flushed. The man sitting at the other side of the table was touched. Although, it was a lie executed effortlessly.

"that is not good enough reason for stealing. I could expel you right now but im letting you go with a warning. If I ever see you again in this office it won't be a nice ending. One week suspension from classes as punishment. No one steals and walks away unscathed from it. You may go"

Tae Joo was relieved. He got up and bowed his thank you. As he was about to open the door the man said,

"aren't you forgetting something young man?"

He had said his thank you and a bow that lasted about five seconds what else would he have forgotten? He wondered. He slowly turned around and looked at the Dean seated comfortably in his office chair.

He raised up the red parker and calendar. Tae Joo was confused at this gesture.

"Gift it to your father young man, your desperation has pierced my heart. Convey my birthday wishes as well"

Flabbergasted, Tae Joo got the things from the Dean and left the room after another 5 seconds bow of thank you.  As he was closing the door he thought,

I never said it was my father's birthday . Either way, he had succeeded in getting the items.

He sorrowfully walked to Pil Hyun's dormitory room. He placed the items against the door on the floor and knocked the door. When he heard the response coming from inside he started walking away. Trying to avoid explaining why his face was red and his eyes puffy.

"Nice one Tae Jooya" Pil Hyun shouted from the door and Tae Joo just raised his hand in acknowledgemt without looking back.

When he got back to his room he went straight to bed to calm his emotions down. He had been nervous, panicked, scared, relieved, hurt, and just tired. It was too much. He did not wake up Kang Gook who was sleeping ontop of his books. He had been woken up by Kang Gook asking if he wanted to eat dinner but he rejected and slept some more.

The following morning he woke up wondering what he would do for a week of no class. He packed his bags as Kang Gook slept in on a Sunday morning. By the time he was done packing, home as his destination, Kang Gook was getting up from his bed.

"what are you doing this early?" He asked rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"packing" Tae Joo replied nonchalantly.

"where are you going?"

"Home" Tae Joo replied,

"why all of a sudden? What about classes?"

"its not sudden actually I've always wanted to take a little break and go home to get some air"

"you're not making any sense? Why would you go home to get some air? Shouldn't it be the opposite?"

"Its just a week"

"A week is too long" Kang Gook complained but Tae Joo was determined.

"Ok do you need me to come with you?" For a moment, Tae Joo was about to be touched but he remembered the reason why he was going home in the first place and shook his head no.

"ok will you be ok on your own? If it become boring you can go to our house and stay there" Kang Gook said embracing Tae Joo in a hug which was not reciprocated.

Going home did not solve Tae Joo's problems. When he arrived home he saw his father sleeping on the couch, different tablets displayed on the table. He picked up the medicine to see what they were for but he couldn't understand anything.

"Dad?" He called out nervously. Surprised at seeing the man home instead of work.

He saw his father sit up and the sight just broke his heart. His father lost weight and his eyes were watery.

"Dad are you ok?" He asked as he helped him sit up.

"Yeah I have a cold son don't worry about it. Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?" He asked weakly.

"It's semester break, so I decided to come home"

"I'm glad you are here could please get me some food, the housekeepers just left for the day"

Tae Joo saw his father shiver pulling up a fleece that was covering his legs to cover his body.

He went to the kitchen and got some food ready, but he was still bothered. He took his phone and looked up on the name of the tablets his father was taking. He was shocked to see the tablets were for severe pain, usually taken by cancer patients.

He rubbed his forehead. All sorts of thoughts filled his mind. If he loses his father too then he would be alone in the world. He didn't know if his mother was still alive. They never had that conversation before. His father had let him know one thing he took after his mother was being weak.

He became anxious.

He spent the whole week with his father, taking care of him. They talked heart to heart for the first time in forever. They became close, somewhat. They did things that they never did before. His father did not work the whole week and his flue was not going away but Tae Joo could see some colour on his face. Seeing his father smile calmed down his heart.

The whole week he was with his father, he was surprised that Kang Gook did not look for him at all. He did not text or call him. It was worrying but he had more serious things to worry about.

Saturday morning, Tae Joo looked for a nurse to take care of his father since he didn't want to go to the hospital. He went to see Kang Gook's family Sunday morning before he left for school.

When he reached the dormitory, Sunday Evening, Kang Gook was not in the room. He unpacked his small bag and placed Kang Gook's parcel from home on his bed. He left the room to get a shower and when he came back the room was a mess. Food and clothes that he brought for Kang Gook were scattered on the floor.

Did a thief get in the room? He wondered.

Kang Gook strolled in the room unbothered by the current display. What worried Tae Joo even more was how Kang Gook did not acknowledge him at all.

"are you ok?" he asked hesitantly, "I'm back did you not see me?"

"so what if you're back?"

Tae Joo's eyes widened at the harsh tone.

"are you the one who did this?" Tae Joo asked face full of confusion.

"why would you put your things on my bed?" He asked his tone worse than before.

"Gookah" Tae Joo could feel his eyes water, "they are yours from your family."

"I don't remember sending you for things, are you sure you did not steal these?"

"Kang Gook" Tears ran down Tae Joo's face.

"what's the meaning of this? What have I done to deserve this?"

"You clearly know what you have done to deserve this!" He screamed back.

Tae Joo was taken aback.

"What? What are you ta-"

"- YOU FREAKING STOLE FROM THE DEAN'S OFFICE AND EVERYONE KNOWS ITS YOU. APPARENTLY, THE PERSON WAS CAUGHT RED-HANDED AND WAS SUSPENDED FOR A WEEK!!!"

Tae Joo's face went pale.