Chapter 118
“It starts from next month.”
“Still, give it a try. Oh, but what about school…”
“…”
“I guess you’ll have to take a leave of absence.”
I muttered, finding the answer to my own question.
So that’s why he didn’t respond when I told him to wear the strap I gave him as a birthday gift next semester? Because he might take a leave of absence?
“Never mind. The duration is awkward anyway. Choi Kyung-won brought it up on his own.”
But those words didn’t sound sincere. At least, it seemed Joo Kwon-oh had considered the overseas internship option.
I couldn’t help feeling flustered by such sudden news, but if there was an opportunity that perfectly matched his situation like this, it would be right to take the challenge.
It’s certainly the right thing to do, but… what if Joo Kwon-oh really goes abroad? Will we have to be apart for a year…?
“If you apply for the internship, how long would it be?”
I asked gravely, swallowing hard. Honestly, if he actually said it was a year, I don’t think I could wholeheartedly encourage him to go.
Of course, it’s right to go when there’s an opportunity, but…
Joo Kwon-oh didn’t answer immediately, instead furrowing his brow and running his hand through his hair.
Seeing his reaction, it seems it’s not a short period after all. For him to look so serious… is it more than a year?
No. What’s going on all of a sudden? I came here with the intention of having a casual date, but now this bombshell of news.
Despite not being mentally prepared, I couldn’t suppress my impatience and asked again.
“Is it a very long period?”
“Yeah.”
I knew it. My heart started beating rapidly, sensing something ominous.
“How long is it…”
“…”
“It’s okay, just tell me.”
“The maximum is three months.”
“Three… months?”
“Yeah. Is that too long?”
“…”
“…”
For a moment, I thought I had misheard. Not a year, not even half a year, but a maximum of three months?
“That… that doesn’t seem bad at all…”
I felt deflated and relieved at the same time. Had I been too dramatic?
Three months is really quick!
“Let’s stop talking about this.”
“Why stop? You wanted to learn this, didn’t you?”
I clung to Joo Kwon-oh as he tried to end the conversation. Somehow, I felt that if we let it go now, he might really pass up this opportunity without even applying.
“The Netherlands is in Europe, right? Isn’t it famous for furniture or something like that? I don’t know much, but… if you couldn’t do it in Korea, it seems good to learn when there’s an opportunity abroad…”
“Then I’d have to take a leave of absence this semester.”
“So what…”
“You’d have to go to school alone.”
Joo Kwon-oh looked at me with serious eyes.
I was stunned for a moment.
“What… I used to go to school alone just fine!”
When I raised my voice in irritation, Joo Kwon-oh’s eyes widened as if surprised.
A maximum of three months? And a school-linked program? To me, who had been prepared for a year from the moment I saw the words “overseas internship,” it didn’t seem like such a big problem.
Rather, I faced the situation calmly.
It’s not a year, not even half a year, but just three months. Of course, it’s very sudden, and if he really leaves next month… it would be disappointing that I couldn’t visit him during the semester. But if it’s an opportunity for Joo Kwon-oh to learn what he wanted to do, I think he should apply without hesitation.
“I’m just going to apply somewhere else during the break. The application deadline is tomorrow anyway, so there’s no time to prepare.”
“Why? You can take a leave of absence and go.”
I tried to persuade Joo Kwon-oh.
“Isn’t this the position you wanted? There’s no guarantee that spot will be available again later.”
“…”
“I haven’t written many personal statements, but… I have some things I prepared for the job fair, so wouldn’t it be easier to apply based on that…?”
“If I go, we’ll be apart for three months. What about that?”
Concern was evident in Joo Kwon-oh’s voice. To me, three months didn’t feel that long. Honestly, I couldn’t understand why he was hesitating so much.
“It’s just one semester. I think you should at least apply.”
“Lee Sung-rok will still be at school until next semester.”
“What does that have to do with anything? I’m not… well, I’m not completely unbothered by what that sunbae does. But, but we’re not even in the same department, so I don’t care.”
“Jeong-ha. That bastard might try something behind my back while I’m gone, or he might come and bother you…”
“Spreading rumors about us…? Seeing as he hasn’t said anything so far, isn’t it fine? And even if it, if it becomes known… I think it can’t be helped.”
“Lee Sung-rok will graduate after one semester anyway, so we can think about it again after that. I don’t want you to force yourself to attend school anxiously because of that bastard.”
“I’m not forcing myself. And… I’m not as anxious about this issue as you think anymore.”
Joo Kwon-oh remained silent, as if he didn’t believe my words. So I decided I needed to prove it to him.
“I, I’ve already told someone else.”
“Told what?”
“That I’m dating you.”
“Who did you tell?”
“The, the boss.”
“The part-time job boss?”
“Yeah.”
Strictly speaking, I didn’t tell him, he found out, but it’s the same thing, right?
“Kwon-oh. I admit that I was too defensive about our relationship before… Think of it as me being inexperienced, or rather, clumsy because it’s my first time. I know now that we can’t hide it completely. Even if it’s impossible to completely ignore others’ views… for the sake of dating someone as handsome as you… I’ll, I’ll endure it.”
At my last words, Joo Kwon-oh’s expressionless face softened slightly into a playful look.
“So go. It’s only three months. Why should you give up something you want to learn because you’re conscious of that sunbae? You learned it even with a broken arm…”
“…”
“If there’s an opportunity, you should definitely go.”
Joo Kwon-oh, who had been listening silently, remained quiet for a while even after I finished speaking, as if lost in thought. Then, after a while, he let out a small laugh.
“You’re right about everything, I have nothing to say.”
Joo Kwon-oh’s sincere admiration filled a corner of my heart with pride. It seemed my logical and serious persuasion had worked to some extent.
Was I… a little cool?
He, who had been staring at me intensely, soon poked my cheek with his finger.
“But is it okay for a peach to speak so well?”
At those words, I lost my composure again and my lips quivered.
…What is this? Why does it always end with me being called a peach?
*
After my encouragement, the conversation concluded with him deciding to at least submit an application. If it doesn’t work out, there’s nothing we can do, but if he gets accepted, it would be beneficial for Joo Kwon-oh anyway.
And I was pleased with how the conversation ended. Unlike my expectation of up to a year for the internship period, I was glad it was just three months, which was much shorter. I was also satisfied that Joo Kwon-oh seemed to feel the three months were much longer than I perceived them to be.
Anyway, once the conversation ended, it was almost time for work without any time left for a date.
Having no choice but to go straight to the store, I found the boss, looking miserable, organizing accessories by type. Fortunately, he seemed fine considering he had passed out midway through yesterday.
“Hello, boss.”
“Oh, you’re here. Did you get home safely yesterday?”
“Yes. Are you okay, boss? The hangover…”
“Just so-so. Not particularly good or bad.”
“Ah.”
“You drink well.”
I wanted to tell him that he’s just really bad at drinking, but I held back.
“The bar atmosphere was nice yesterday, right?”
“Yes. I didn’t know there was such a place nearby. Thank you for taking me there.”
It was definitely good that I went. I felt relieved thinking that there might be quite a few people who live without being bound by others’ prejudices, regardless of who they like.
I learned that I didn’t need to take my feelings for Joo Kwon-oh too seriously.
Sometimes it seems necessary to listen to an old-fashioned person’s words.
“Right. Your part-time job was until next week, right? Is Friday your last day…?”
“Ah, that’s right.”
“So you have two more working days left. Time flies, it really does.”
The boss muttered, clicking his tongue.
“If you need a part-time job again next break, give me a call. And dress up a bit more.”
“…”
At this point, I felt a bit intimidated, wondering if my fashion was really that bad. What’s wrong with just a basic T-shirt and jeans…
The boss’s fashion doesn’t look that great to me either.
I feel a bit annoyed at the boss for criticizing my clothes until the very end, but now I’m getting used to it.
“Here, a gift.”
After rustling around for a while, the boss put something in a shopping bag and brusquely handed it to me.
