Chapter Text
"You don't want to ask me something?" While driving and facing the front, Logan asked Seokhoon who was sitting beside him.
Seokhoon gave a glance at Logan for a moment before staring at the road ahead.
"Like what?" Asked Seokhoon lazy.
"I don't know, maybe like 'what your plan with involving Rona is?'." The name of the person he loves was said by Logan making Seokhoon looked at him who coincidentally turned his head to Seokhoon.
“I told my mom I trust her so I don't have to know anything. I just wanted Rona to be fine and she promised me she'll take care of Rona. That alone is enough for me." Seokhoon replied Logan while looking back at the view in front of him.
"Fair enough. Anyway considering you didn't trust me before, I thought you would refuse me to take you back." Logan teased Seokhoon.
“Who said I trust you? I just trust my mom. She told me to come with you." Seokhoon was still staring forward, his only focus is on the road rather than the man driving beside him.
"Make sense. I thought you hated your mother after she lied to you. Neither before your mother I mean Na Aegyo was killed nor when she hid and covered up the fact that she was still alive. "
“I've never hated her. Maybe I thought I hated her for the fact that she had been lying all this time, about her not being my real mother, lying about Min Seola being her real daughter and the fact that she was hiding herself. But apparently I didn't, I'm sure she has her own reasons. "
Logan looked at his 'former student' for a moment before looking forward again. After a few minutes, he said.
"I didn't expect you to be this mature in two years I didn't see you." Logan teased Seokhoon. He remembered how his former student liked to counter him and acting childish.
Seokhoon simply replied "Humans can change no matter how long it takes."
Logan then asked "You didn't ask why I said that? Or if I know you?"
"I know you." Seokhoon replied lazily.
"You know who I am?" Logan was surprised to hear that.
"I knew who you were before, but I don't know what you look like."
"What do you mean?" Logan was increasingly interested in this new Seokhoon. The current Seokhoon is very calm, while the Seokhoon he knew before was emotional to the point it's so easy to be provoked by him.
"I know you are Logan. But because I've never met you in your real appearance, I did not know what you look like until my mother mentioned your name." Seokhoon still answered by looking at the scenery outside the car both in front and occasionally beside him.
"We've met before, I'm actually-"
"Our PE teacher a.k.a Gu Hodong?" Guessed Seokhoon.
"So you know?" Logan was surprised to know Seokhoon already found out about him. He wondered who told Seokhoon because the last time he met those Hera Palace kids, he was in the appearance of Gu Ho Dong not Logan Lee, but he also thought maybe Seokhoon knew by himself because afterall he was a smart kid.
"Yes, Rona told me." Seokhoon recalled the time when Rona told him about Logan Lee who turned out to be his former PE teacher.
"Ah" was only Logan's response.
"Rona told me about the person who helped her while she was in the US and it was Logan Lee, Min Seola's older brother who was disguised as a PE teacher at Cheong A." Seokhoon explained to him clearly.
"I wonder why you still want to sit next to me after knowing that. I thought you would hate me."
"And I'm surprised you want to chat with me considering I was one of the people who bullied Min Seola." Seokhoon replied cautiously because the possibility of Min Seola still being a sensitive topic for both of them.
"Well maybe because I saw for myself how different you are compared to when you were my student." Logan could only smile a little. Of course he could not forget how the Hera Palace kids bullied his late adoptive sister. However, the young man beside him showed him a change, a maturity. He is no longer Joo Seokhoon who likes to bully others. Maybe even before this, Seokhoon had shown a little change for the better.
Seokhoon let out a chuckle as his reply for it before saying.
“Does this mean you won't punish me anymore? You're good at fighting, I admit that." Seokhoon finally looked at Logan.
"Well, it depends on your attitude, still being a brat or not." Logan began to relax compared before when they were in an awkward atmosphere.
"Don't worry then, I don't want disappointing people I care about."
"The person you care about? Your mother or Rona?" Logan smiled while teasing Seokhoon.
"Both. I couldn't dare to show my face if my mother found out I still act like a brat and Rona might hate me right away." Like Logan starting to feel relaxed, Seokhoon also began to feel comfortable with the atmosphere in the car.
"Rona really changed you huh?"
"Rona ... when she found out that I took part in bullying Min Seola, she immediately told me to pretend not to know her anymore. Even though at that time I confessed my sincere feelings to her, she rejected me instead by saying those words. " Seokhoon smiled shaking his head.
"Ah, wasn't that when Rona was being bullied by your friends?"
"Yup, when we thought that she was the one who pretended to be Min Seola and terrorized us."
"And that person was actually me." Logan replied casually.
“When I saw the hatred in Rona's eyes when she said that I was as bad as those who bullied her because I bullied Min Seola too, it made me realize that she was right, I was bad. I realize I'm that evil to easily bully other people, after witnessing the people I loved being a victim of bullies. Maybe that's what makes me couldn't hate you for what you did to me, like punishing me after knowing that your beloved sister is being bullied and I'm one of the bullies. I understand how you feel, you must be very hurt." Seokhoon said while looking at his former teacher. For Seokhoon, maybe this is the right time for him to apologize to Min Seola's adoptive brother.
Logan could only fall silent after hearing Seokhoon's words.
“Therefore, I don't want to see the hatred in Rona's eyes anymore. Nothing is more painful than seeing the look of hatred and disgust from someone you love." Seokhoon turned back to face his side window.
Logan could only nod in agreement. He thought that Rona truly could bring out the goodness from this young man beside him.
"I'm sorry." Seokhoon said suddenly.
"Eh?" Logan glanced at Seokhoon before returning to focus on driving.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for my action bullying Min Seola, your adopted sister." Seokhoon looked at Logan. He sincerely apologized for his action in the past. An apology that he has not addressed to his former teacher who is also Min Seola's adopted brother.
"I… I didn't expect you to say that." Logan laughed awkwardly. He knew and realized that Seokhoon had changed, but he really didn't imagine Seokhoon would apologize for what he did to his adoptive sister.
"I'm serious, I'm really sorry. This is not because of compulsion."
"I accept your apology. If I already forgave her killer how could I've not forgave a kid who regrets and apologizes to me. After all, your mother as Min Seola's biological mother has already forgave you and never crossed her mind to hate you."
"You know who the real killer is?" Seokhoon asked curiously. But Logan only gave him a small smile without telling him.
"Looks like you don't want to tell me that." Seokhoon understood his silence.
"Someday… You will know the answer." Logan could only reply to that extent.
They were silent for a few minutes.
"And ... Thank you." Said Seokhoon suddenly.
"What for? Because I forgave you?" asked Logan in surprise.
“That and for helping Rona while in the US. She got even better at singing." Seokhoon answered with a smile and blushed.
"It's not because of me, she basically already has great talent." Logan smiled when he saw Seokhoon with a red face.
"I agree." Seokhoon nodded steadily.
"I guess you really fall in love with Rona, huh?"
"Yes, she really is a great girl, almost perfect for me."
"I've never imagined you will fall in love with her." Logan shook his head. For him the story of a rich and bad boy falling in love with a simple girl who is innocent and kind-hearted only exists in fiction.
"I never thought I would fall in love with Rona either." Seokhoon chuckled.
"You must have been very hurt when Rona died."
Hearing Logan were discussing the time Seokhoon really wanted to forget, Seokhoon suddenly fell silent. The smile immediately disappeared from his face.
“You may not understand, but the time Rona died was my worst time. I felt my desire to continue to live vanished. My days are filled with regrets." Seokhoon faces outside.
"I really understand that." Logan answered slowly.
Seokhoon, who thought what Logan talked about was Min Seola's death, immediately nodded in understanding. But what he didn't know was that it wasn't only Seola's death that Logan regretted but also Shim Suryeon's death.
"I thought if only Rona did not return to Korea maybe she would not have herself get killed like that." Seokhoon said while looking outside.
"Did you try to blame me?" Asked Logan curiously.
"Ah no, of course not. I blame Rona for making that decision to return to a place that was once a hell for her." Seokhoon replied defensively.
"It's because of Min Seola." Logan said succinctly.
"Because of Min Seola?" Seokhoon who was surprised to hear Logan's answer immediately turned and glanced at Logan.
“I also prevented her from coming back to Korea because it was still dangerous, but she gave the excuse that it was for Min Seola. She wants to win the Cheong A Arts Festival trophy for Seola."
"Why? Is it because she thought she was able to enter Cheong A because of Seola's death?” Asked Seokhoon who was still staring at Logan but Logan could only look forward.
“Let Rona answer it. I have no right to tell you." Logan could only give a wry smile.
"I'm sure she must have that thought. Thinking she really didn't deserve to be in Cheong A. " Seokhoon turned his gaze back to his side window.
"Ask Rona about it to make sure, but at the right time."
"She's really only thinking about other people." Seokhoon said softly.
"Rona is a nice girl, really nice. You're very lucky to have her." Logan could only answer with that statement because telling Seokhoon the real reason why Rona wanted to win the trophy for Seola was not his right to tell.
"Yes, I know that, I'm really lucky she came to my life." Seokhoon smiled sincerely.
"Don't let her go then. Just watch out if you dare hurt her." Logan threatened him as a joke.
"Don't worry. I lost her once, I don't want to lose it again. Hurting her is something that never crossed my mind because my first priority is to be beside her and protect her. " Seokhoon replied firmly.
"Oh young loves." Logan shook his head.
And they laughed together.
As time passed and as they spent their journey with talking, they didn't realize they already arrived at their destination. Logan drove into the parking lot where Seokhoon will drop off. While Seokhoon started to take off his seat belt.
"Thank you for taking me." Seokoon said before removing his seat belt completely which was replied only with a nod from Logan.
“Don't forget to let me know when it's over. I hope your plans will succeed." Seokhoon was getting ready to open the car door. But before he does that, he said.
“It turns out that chatting with you is not that bad, I hope our relationship will be better than before. I hope it is more than just a former student with his former teacher and we can chat like this again." Seokhoon smiled as he got out of the car.
"Oh I agree, I also hope our relationship is more than just a former teacher with his former student." Logan replied with another meaning in his mind but he was careful not to tell his true intention. Afterall, the fact that his former teacher liking his mother is not something that could be accepted easily.
With that, Logan then drove his car to his next destination.