𝐈𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 ― part seven.
₊˚⊹ᰔ summary: Two childhood best friends who both shared their young love that is truly so unforgettable, but then their friendship was separated by unforeseen circumstances. After 20 years, they saw each other again in a summer getaway from a mutual friend of theirs. What would happen in that whole week of the getaway?
₊˚⊹ᰔ pairing: song kang x OC x rowoon
₊˚⊹ᰔ tags: fluff, angst, slow burn
₊˚⊹ᰔ word count: 4.1k
₊˚⊹ᰔ a/n: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!! the next part will be the finale for this series and I hope ya'll love this update :))
₊˚⊹ᰔ cast names: Song Kang as LEE HOJUN, Rowoon as KANG TAEHA, and Wi Hajoon as HWANG DOHYUN
← 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 | 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 | 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 →
A groan escaped my lips as I rolled onto my side, pressing my palm against my forehead. My skull pounded like a drum, my mouth was dry as sandpaper, and the taste of last night’s tequila shots still lingered on my tongue. The faint scent of spilled alcohol and perfume still clung to my clothes.
These damn curtains, why are they even open?!
The sunlight is directly hitting my eyes, and that makes the throbbing headache in my head even worse than before.
I slowly sat up from my bed and carefully not to trip over my steps because of the alcohol. I swear I will never drink that much again, this headache is killing me slowly. I entered the bathroom and just stood there in front of the mirror, my blurry vision still adjusting. I splashed some water on my face and finally saw myself in the reflection.
A whole damn mess.
The dress that I neatly prepared for last night’s party is all unruly and wrinkly and one of the straps is dangling off my shoulder. Upon seeing myself, I buried my face in my hands and cursed about everything I did. This is why I've not touched alcohol for the past few years.
A flood of hazy memories crashed over me. The party. The shots. The laughter. The dancing. Me randomly waking up in Yoobin and Sunhee’s bedroom—and Hojun…with Haesoo.
I winced when my head throbs again, and so is my heart.
I can’t believe I saw that and I feel even more pathetic now that I’m sober. I didn’t do anything, not even call Hojun out, or confront Haesoo. I just stood there like a deer in headlights. How can I even argue with them, knowing that they’re exes and I’m just the person who he spent his childhood with.
But an unforgettable childhood.
“Why did I just swallow my pride and walk away from them? Maybe I should’ve asked Hojun what really is between us and—”
Then something hit me.
Taeha.
The kiss.
My breath caught in my throat as the memory sharpened. How I pulled him in a desperate kiss because of too much emotions that night. Panic bloomed in my chest as I looked down on the ground, instantly feeling the shame and regret as my head throbbed in protest.
I kissed him. I kissed my friend.
I wanted to just scream out, to undo time, to somehow erase the moment from existence. Taeha had been in my life for years—through hardships in our work, late-night vent sessions, and ridiculous inside jokes. I had never crossed that line before. And now…I have ruined everything.
Now it felt too awkward to face both Taeha and Hojun right now. After that day in the woods with Hojun, I thought everything would be alright, but now, I think it’s getting worse. And tomorrow is our last day, I really don’t want to hold drama until it becomes too much for my mental health.
All I think about is how am I going to clarify things.
After fighting with my inner thoughts in front of this mirror, I finally took a shower that literally eased up my tense self, changed up to my clean and comfortable clothes then left the room. My eyes dropped on Hojun’s door as I remembered everything that happened behind those doors, making my cheeks turn in shade of red again.
I shook off my thoughts and went downstairs, where I was surprised that Taeha and Dohyun are just peacefully snacking together and watching TV. Taeha looked okay and I think he’s already done with his hangover, but Dohyun on the other hand, looked like he hadn't slept in days. I just know he had a dreadful hangover.
Last night was really fun. Now, there was only suffering.
I quietly made my way to the kitchen and drank some water, also getting a chocolate bar from the fridge to boost up my energy. When I was about to escape to the back door, I heard Dohyun called out.
“Eunji? Is that you in the kitchen?”
I cursed under my breath. How does he even know that it’s me since he’s too focused on the TV earlier.
“Yeah…” I just admitted, “But I’ll just go outside for a bit.”
Dohyun pouted, “We’re watching Anastasia, I know you love this movie.” He smiled.
Now he’s reeling me in using my most favorite animated film ever. And when someone calls me up to watch Anastasia, I am there and always going to be there. Of course, I joined them. I felt the thick awkward atmosphere between me and Taeha, no words leaving from our mouths, the only focus we have is the movie right now.
Halfway through the movie, I noticed that Dohyun is already sleeping on the couch, and the next thing I didn’t know it would happen is that Taeha finally spoke in our deafening silence earlier.
“Eunji, can we talk outside?”
I gulped.
“Uh, yeah, sure,” I nodded, but my eyes reverted back to Dohyun, “Should we just leave Dohyun here?”
Taeha shrugged and soon stood up from the couch, “Yeah, he should be fine.” He replied.
Me and Taeha finally went outside towards the lake shore. It’s already afternoon and the golden sunlight shimmers across the rippling water, creating a dance of glistening reflections. Gentle waves lap against the pebbled shore. The sky, painted in soft blues with streaks of wispy white clouds, casts a warm glow over the landscape, making the lake appear almost ethereal. I will truly miss this place.
I am still standing awkwardly beside him, feeling unreasonably nervous.
“So…about last night.” I started.
His lips twitched. "Yeah. About that."
I inhaled deeply. "Look, I was very, very drunk. And when I get drunk, I apparently get bold. And stupid. And—I don’t know what got into me, but I just—"
"You kissed me," he finished.
I winced. "Yeah."
There was a pause. I expected it to be awkward, but it wasn’t. He looked at me with that same calm expression, the one that made me feel like I could say anything and he wouldn’t judge me.
"You don’t have to explain yourself," Taeha said. "I know you were drunk. And it’s okay."
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. "I just don’t want this to be weird between us. You’re too important to me, and I don’t want some…drunken mistake to mess things up."
“Don’t worry, you didn’t mess things up. We’re still us.” Taeha smiled, and my heart swells.
I blinked at him. "So… we’re okay?"
"We’re okay." He brought his hand on top of my head and messed around my hair, causing me to groan and playfully pushed his hand away, making Taeha chuckle.
He soon added, "Though, I do think I should start keeping track of how many drinks you have at parties.” He grinned.
I groaned, my head dropping down. "I’m so sorry, I feel so pathetic."
He laughed, that warm, familiar sound, and just like that, the tension melted away between us.
And maybe, just maybe, something had changed—but in a way that didn’t break anything.
In a way that left the door open for something more.
But for now, we were okay. And that was enough.
This is such a spontaneous idea.
Me and Taeha are both holding some snacks and drinks, clothes, towels, and a blanket. Taeha first laid down the blanket on the grass and put all of our things there. Kicking off our shoes, we raced down the wooden dock, our bare feet slapping against the sun-warmed planks. Without hesitation, we leaped into the lake, the cool water embracing us as we plunged beneath the surface. Bubbles streamed around as we resurfaced, gasping with exhilaration and grinning at each other.
“The water feels amazing!” I exclaimed, letting my body float around.
Then suddenly, a huge splash of the water slapped my face, and that interrupted my serene floating here. I looked at Taeha who was giggling like a little kid on what he just did, and I gave him a mischievous smirk.
“You’re gonna regret that.”
We spent the next several minutes battling in the water, splashing, laughing, and dodging each other’s playful attacks. The sound of our joy echoed over the lake, mixing with the rustling trees and distant calls of birds overhead. After a while, we drifted toward the deeper part of the lake, floating on our backs. The sky above was a beautiful golden hue, unmarred by clouds. Our arms occasionally brushed, neither of us moving away.
“This is perfect,” Taeha murmured. “I wish this could last forever.”
I turned my head slightly to look at Taeha. He had his eyes closed, his face relaxed as if soaking in every ounce of peace the lake offered. I smiled. “I wouldn’t mind that.”
We swam back toward the shallows, letting the water carry us lazily. When we finally reached the shore again, we just indulged in the snacks we brought here and watched the sky turn to orange and the sun getting ready to set. A light breeze soon whispered through the trees, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine. The water lapped gently at the shore, where smooth, time-worn stones lay scattered, perfect for skipping.
I soon found myself standing at the water’s edge, a small, flat rock cradled in my palm. I turned it over, feeling the cool weight of it, the slight roughness of its surface.
“You’re gripping it too hard,” Taeha said from behind me, stepping closer. His voice was low and warm, like the summer air around us.
I sighed, glancing up at him. “I don’t get how you make it look so easy. Mine just always plops into the water.”
Taeha chuckled, “Here, let me show you.”
Taeha reached for my hand, his fingers brushing against mine. My body tensed slightly, caught off guard by the brief contact, but I didn’t pull away. He gently adjusted my grip, making sure my index finger rested along the edge of the stone.
“Okay,” he murmured, stepping beside me so that our shoulders nearly touched. “Now, keep your wrist loose. The key is the angle. Flick your wrist, like this—”
He demonstrated his own rock skipping effortlessly across the water, bouncing three, four, five times before finally sinking beneath the surface. I let out a soft sigh of admiration.
“Now you try.”
I took a steadying breath, mimicking his stance. With a quick flick of my wrist, I released the stone. It struck the water once, twice—three times before vanishing beneath the lake. A triumphant grin spread across my face.
“I did it!” I exclaimed, turning toward Taeha.
My breath caught in my throat when I am too close to him again, thinking about what I did last night haunts me. Taeha’s lips parted slightly, as if he was about to say something, but the words never came.
Finally, Taeha exhaled, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Told you you’ll be good at this.” he said, his voice softer now.
I swallowed, blinking as if breaking free from some unseen pull. I let out a breathy laugh, shaking my head. “Yeah…and I will be better than you now.” I teased him again.
Taeha laughed at my sudden teasing, “Ha, think you can beat me now?”
I smirked, already reaching for another rock. We skipped rocks for almost half an hour and that leads me from giving up again, obviously knowing that Taeha is still the best at skipping rocks.
But at least the score improved from three over ten back in our first day here, to seven over twelve today.
The golden hues of the setting sun reflected off the calm surface of the lake. Laughter still echoed through the trees as we both gathered our things after an afternoon of swimming and skipping rocks. The water droplets on our sun-kissed skin sparkled under the dimming light, and the warmth of the summer air still clung to us.
My heart was light again—lighter than it had been after what happened last night. This has been the perfect way to end the week-long summer getaway.
Until now.
Just as we were about to enter the cabin again, I heard an all-too-familiar voice call out from behind.
“Eunji.”
The name came sharp, almost cutting through the serene twilight. I turned around, my stomach sinking when I saw her—Haesoo.
Taeha was even confused as to why Haesoo is suddenly approaching me since he knows that I haven’t interacted much with her throughout the week.
“Can I talk to you?” Haesoo said, but her voice came out a bit shaky.
I swallowed. I hadn’t expected this.
I felt Taeha instinctively step closer in silent support but I stopped him there. “You should go ahead inside Taeha, I’ll just talk to Haesoo for a bit.” I gave him a reassuring smile.
Taeha didn’t try to argue with me as he let out a sigh, now taking my things to return it back to our room. But before he left, he wrapped the towel around me and made sure that I won’t be too cold because my clothes are still a bit damp before he made his way inside the cabin, leaving me alone with Haesoo.
“What are we going to talk about—”
“Let’s talk over there.” Haesoo cut me off and headed her way to the far side of the cabin, just steps away from the trail that leads to the falls.
When we are now standing across each other, maintaining a distance between us since I still feel uneasy around her, not because he’s one of Hojun’s past and the one that made me feel anger last night of what she did, but instead the lack of proper interaction between us.
“I saw you last night…” Haesoo started, that shaky voice still there.
Ironic. That same five words is also the one I badly want to tell her.
“W-what?” I was very confused.
“You and Hojun, in the hallway.” Her voice is now laced with anger.
My eyes widened when she said that, remembering that moment with Hojun, how he craved for me as he wanted to touch me in that hallway. I even warned him that someone would walk in on us, turns out, someone really did.
"You really are something else," Haesoo said, her voice laced with bitterness. “Who even are you to do that with Hojun? It seemed impossible to just gather feelings in just a goddamn week.”
I took a breath, steadying myself. "Haesoo, I—"
“And you’re even hanging out with another guy after doing that to Hojun. You’re…you’re selfish. Do you even care about anyone but yourself?”
Her words hit me harder than I expected. A sharp pang settled in my chest. Everyone had been gossiping that her and Hojun are literal exes, meaning they broke up, their relationship is now gone, and Hojun clearly moved on.
And Haesoo is still holding onto Hojun.
I felt the weight of the moment pressing down on me. I could hear the quiet lapping of the lake against the dock, the rustling of leaves in the evening breeze. My heart pounded.
"Haesoo, I never meant to hurt you," I finally said, voice calm but firm. “But me and Hojun…we had something—”
“Bullshit, I don’t remember an ounce of your face or name from Hojun, I—”
I cut her off, “Why? Are you certain that you know everything about Hojun?”
Now Haesoo was silent. She wants to argue again, but with her clenched fists, she tries not to.
I exhaled, “Me and Hojun…we had history way, way back. When we are still little kids.” I explained.
Haesoo's ears perked up when I brought that up.
“We are the best of friends and totally inseparable. And before Hojun left for Australia, I confessed my love to him. We haven't seen each other for over 20 years, and I was surprised that Hojun still has feelings for me. I can't help myself but react the same because the feelings I have for him are still there.” I explained, but when I looked into Haesoo's eyes, I knew she's not believing every word I've been saying right now.
Haesoo lets out a humorless laugh, “Since you're the lucky one here, you have no idea what I'm going through. To watch someone you loved the most slip away, only to see them fall right into someone's arms. I haven't seen him flirt or romantically interact with anybody after our break-up, it's just you.”
No, I didn't know that pain—not yet. But that didn't mean she had the right to make me feel guilty for being happy.
A heavy silence fell between us. The sun had almost fully dipped behind the treeline now, and the shadows stretched longer across the dock.
I exhaled deeply. I wasn’t going to let Haesoo's words define me. "I didn’t come here to fight with you, Haesoo," I said softly. "I’m sorry if this hurts, but I won’t apologize for being happy. You deserve happiness too. And one day, you’ll find it."
For a moment, Haesoo just stared at me. Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away, disappearing down the path leading back to the cabin.
I let out a breath that I didn’t realize I was holding on for so long.
Haesoo now knows about my past with Hojun, but I think she's still not buying it. I just shrugged off my thoughts when the breeze is now nipping on my skin, sending chills down my spine.
While I was walking back to the cabin, the confrontation still lingered in my mind. But I knew one thing for sure—I wasn’t going to let anyone make me feel guilty for following my own heart.
Moonlight slipped through the curtains, painting silver streaks over my tangled sheets. Yet, despite the silence, despite the comfort of my own bed, sleep refused to come.
My mind was too loud.
I turned onto my side, staring at the dim glow of the digital clock on the bedside table—2:37 AM. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing to push away the memory of Haesoo's voice, the sharpness in her words, the accusation laced with pain.
You're selfish, Haesoo's words echoed again.
I exhaled slowly, shifting onto my back. I knew I shouldn’t let it get to me. I had done nothing wrong—did I? They broke up. I wasn’t some villain who had swooped in and stolen him from her.
But still…
The look in Haesoo's eyes haunted me.
I turned onto my stomach, burying my face into the pillow with a frustrated groan. I wished I could shut these thoughts off like a switch, erase the moment, let it disappear like footprints washed away by the lake’s gentle waves. But emotions weren’t that simple.
A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I rolled onto my back again, staring at the ceiling.
I wasn’t heartless. I hadn’t meant to hurt Haesoo.
I turned to my side and that's where my heart skipped a beat when I saw Taeha sitting up from his bed as he turned to look at me.
“Taeha?” I whispered, “Did I wake you?”
“You looked troubled.” Taeha replied, tilting his head in curiosity, “Did Haesoo say something bad earlier? You still haven't explained why she suddenly wanted to talk to you. And judging from the tone of her voice, it feels like she's holding a grudge against you.”
Why is his intuition always right?
I sighed as I sat up from my bed too, “I'll explain everything now.”
My heart kept beating loudly in my chest as I tried to find the right words on how I can even start this conversation.
“If you feel uncomfortable then it's okay—”
“Me and Hojun had a past.” I finally blurted it out, right here in front of Taeha.
Silence. Taeha didn’t say anything, but I could feel his stare pressing into mine, waiting for more explanation.
I forced myself to continue. “I told you I didn’t know him when we first saw him again, but that wasn’t true. I do know him.” I finally lifted my gaze to meet Taeha’s, guilt swirling in my chest. “I’ve known him for a long time.”
Taeha’s lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he stayed silent. His expression was unreadable, which somehow made it worse.
I inhaled shakily. “Hojun… he was my childhood friend. He was more than that.” My voice softened. “I liked him. A lot. He was my whole world back then.”
A shadow flickered across Taeha’s face, but still, he didn’t interrupt.
A small, sad smile tugged at my lips. “But then, one day… he just left. He left for Australia with his family and I didn't know they would never come back.”
My voice wavered as I looked at Taeha, my heart pounding. “When I saw him, I panicked. I didn’t know what to do, what to say. So I lied. I told you I didn’t know him because…”
My thoughts trailed off, stopping on what I'm about to say.
Because I have these weird feelings that I feel about you that I truly can’t explain.
Can I even tell him that?
“Because…” My tongue is still tied.
But Taeha interrupted me now, “It's okay, don't explain further if you feel uncomfortable sharing it with me. If you're thinking that you would lose me because you suddenly met your childhood best friend, please don't.”
Taeha stood up from his bed and suddenly knelt down in front of me, slowly holding my trembling hands that were resting on my lap.
“Always remember I won't leave this friendship. You're too important, and I don't want to lose you.” Taeha smiled at me warmly.
I've never felt so lucky to have a friend like him, a person that won't pressure me through life and a person that always makes sure that I'm smiling.
“I'm happy that you and Hojun reunited again, and there's no need for you to tell too much, since he's been in another chapter of your life that I don't have any business with.” Taeha said.
I nodded my head at him and I tried to regain my composure. I watched Taeha stand up again and suddenly took his phone out, clicking onto something and suddenly heard a familiar slow beat.
“Taeha—”
“Remember years ago? When we're still new teachers in the school, and a parent suddenly falsely accused you for flirting with her husband?” Taeha suddenly took a trip down memory lane.
I rolled my eyes, “You still remember that? God, I feel so miserable that day.”
“Right, and when we got home, you suddenly pulled me close to dance to this slow song, demanding me to just slow dance until you calm down.” Taeha smiled.
A shade of red crept up on my face again when I remembered that exact moment. I did that because it's my first time living away from home, and when I'm sad, my parents would usually rock me to a slow song and that would ease me up effectively.
“Oh, yeah, I remember.” I chuckled, “And you have two left feet at that time.” I teased.
Taeha scoffed and now he suddenly offered his hand to me, “Now you have to find out if I still have two left feet right now.”
I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head. “You’re serious?”
“Dance with me?”
My eyes lit up when he said that, and I gladly took his hand.
Taeha smiled as he pulled me close. One hand rested gently on my waist, the other holding my hand in his. I placed my free hand on his shoulder as we swayed.
The music played softly between us, a comforting lullaby in the quiet. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting myself sink into the rhythm.
Taeha's voice broke the silence. “You know, you don't have to think too much.”
I let out a small laugh against his chest. “You know I can't do that.”
We kept swaying, the song coming to its last few notes. Taeha hummed along, off-key as always, making me smile just a little.
As the music faded, he pulled back slightly, looking down at me. “Feeling better?”
I met his gaze and, for the first time tonight, the tightness in my chest loosened just a little.
“Yeah,” I murmured. “I think I am.”
Taeha grinned. “Good. Now, go to bed, it's our last day tomorrow and we still have to pack our things.”
I groaned when I remembered our last day will finally be tomorrow and I still haven't packed my things, but I still smiled as I stepped back. “Goodnight, Taeha.”
“Night, Eunji.”
As I climbed back to my bed again, slipping under my covers, I realized something.
The thoughts were still there, lingering at the edges of my mind.
But they weren’t so heavy anymore.
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