Chapter 5

Meanwhile in California, Jay Hee’s life had just become unbearable.

“Being a girl is no fun at all,” she thought one day, looking into her locker which was trashed and dripping wet.

It had started with Duke coming on to her and trying to kiss her - a month ago.  She instinctively reacted and socked him out sound. As an athlete herself, she packed quite a punch and gave him a black eye. The worst part was when one of the other jocks saw him and made fun of him. In the heat of the moment an embarrassed Duke just retaliated " what can you expect from a girl who doesn't like guys" and that rumor spread like wild fire until she was called a lesbian, and her locker was filled with bad messages and every one but a couple of people avoided like the plague. Her best friend Julie told her to just go around with some one else for some time and the rumors would just subside, but Jae Hee was adamant that she would not pretend to go out with anyone.

'Don’t be like this Jay, so stubborn, it's been almost an year' Julie shouted at her. “For all you know things have already changed with him”. But Jae Hee was not going to give up waiting for him, only Tae Joon could touch her heart that way and she was not ready to even look at anyone in a romantic way. 

But she did not know how to fight back against rumors and innuendoes; what was so funny was when she had pretended to be a guy she had more fun that being her natural girly self.  Struggling with social life, she took refuge in the upcoming exams and anyway school became a punishment for her.

She missed Tae Joon now more than ever. Recounting all the times when he had saved her, taken care of her and protected her. Wrapping his memories around her like an armor - she blindly went to school, survived through the day and came back home. Eventually everyone except Julie pretended she did not even exist.

One bright Sunday, feeling happier than she had in a long time she went on a walk, to clear her head. She wore a bright yellow dress with a white sweater, and took her dog and walked until the beautiful California fall weather cheered her up. When she got home, she stretched out on the patio and opened her laptop - there was a video mail from Eun Gyol. And as he spoke, she learned about all the different things that had changed in Genie High. With Han Na and Sung Ri Sunbae going around, the doctor Sensai leaving for Paris, and Tae Joon going on a trip to Jejudo.

Tae Joon’s birthday was coming up she remembered, maybe his father had taken him on a trip. Unthinkingly she knocked over her dairy, and as she bent to pick it up a shadow fell over her. She looked up, someone was standing in front of the light, and she was unable to see who as bright light surrounded him.  Her heart hammered away first, recognizing him before her eyes did - blinking she focused it was TAE JOON . ....

Chapter 4

Tae Joon was in the national team along with Eun Gyol; he was still maintaining his top form. But competition was becoming fierce with the new kid, who was very athletic and was giving Tae Joon a run for his money. Holidays were coming up and he was feeling very weird nowadays, it felt too long since he had seen her. Some how a distance seemed to have sprung up between them, they had become lovers before becoming friends and now Tae Joon did not know how to talk casually with her anymore. His heart hurt too much when he heard her voice and ached for days after that. Eun Gyol had shown a picture of her in his email, but all he could see was how familiar but different she looked.  Tae Joon’s father was coming today to the practice but even that was not cheering him up. Lately she had been mentioning some other guys name a little too frequently and that was like a prick of a thorn in his heart. His normally expressive eyes seemed dull; without realizing it he was pining for her.

Suddenly he felt a tug; it was Min Hyun Jae's sister. She was his smallest fan and they usually spent some time playing together with his dog!! “Where is Gu Jae Hee Oppa?” she asked in her cute lisping way. “I want to show him and Eun Gyol Oppa something. Last time she had made my hair so pretty I want him to do it again.... Where is she hiding”?

That was the last straw for Tae Joon, it had been so long since any one had even mentioned her name and now to hear about her from this cute little girl was too much for him to take and he just ran out of the gym. Unnoticed by him, his father had observed the whole exchange, after exchanging a few words with the coach, Tae Joon’s father slowly made his way to the dorm. His son was staring at a video - Intently, a young boy was playing on a football field: happy and smiling. So this was the girl, his father realized - one who had made his Tae Joona jump again and also helped him discover a new bond with his own son. Mentally preparing himself he sat down beside Tae Joon on his bed.

Tae Joon was startled when he felt his father sit down next to him,

Quickly he shut the phone off.  “Sorry Abujee, I was a little distracted. Let's go to the gym, I have been practicing some more”..... Saying this Tae Joon walked to the door. But his father gently led him back to a chair and sat down next to him. He took out a sheaf of papers and handed it to him saying.

“You have been getting some mail home. Some of it is from some university in California; I want you to go check it out.  I know she lives there.”

“Go, TaeJoon…..meet your girl. Lets consider this a present for all the birthday’s I missed. Let me book the ticket and talk to the university, you never know -you might like the program there.”

Tae Joon did not know how to react, his deepest desire was to see her again and it was coming true. He had been in touch with the university that Jae Hee was applying to, and the school she was studying in was quite good too 'Thanks you Abujeee I would love it so much. But wont my condition suffer if I go there for such a long time, we have to talk to the coach and…..” 

“Don’t worry I will arrange for it, leave it to me” promised his father. Already dreaming of a time when he could see Jae Hee and the both of them could be together again was making Tae Joon dizzy. “Komawoyo, Thank you soo much”. He cried out, “I have a months holidays coming up and I want to really go. But where do I stay”?

“ I will make all the preparations,” promised his father looking at his ecstatic son.  Tae Joon really felt like floating, but he wanted it to be complete surprise to Jae Hee, so he did not tell any one, especially not Cha Eun Gyol – Who, he was sure, would just follow him all the way to California.