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The broken hearted phone-call from Young-woo while she was in Jeju still haunts Gwang-ho.
"Abeoji?" she asks with much hesitation.
"Yeah, what is it?" Gwang-ho, knows something is wrong, Young-woo usually just asks her questions.
"What were you going to do if I brought Lee Jun-ho home?"
"Who is Lee Jun-ho?"
"Well ... The person you saw me kissing in front of the house."
"Oh, that 'Punk'." Gwang-ho let's out with his curse, then assuming his role as the protective Abeoji "Why? Are you going to bring him home?"
"No." she states "I just wanted to know why you wanted to meet him?" as her voice waivers.
"What do you mean why?" Gwang-ho attempting to find the words to address his Ttal's sadness. "I wanted to see what kind of person he is. If he can make you happy and take care of you the way I do."
"I see." Young-woo pauses "Jun-ho is that type of person. He can make me happy, and take care of me like you do. The problem is ... me." taking in a deep breath to hold back her tears "Am I someone who can make Jun-ho equally happy? Won't I eventually make him lonely?"
Lonely, Gwang-ho knows he has used that word far to often in Young-woo's presence, he could curse himself; but before he can respond, Young-woo hangs up.
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The two weeks since Young-woo's return from Jeju, Gwang-ho notices many changes in her mood. Before Jeju she was talkative at breakfast, would happily skip off to work each morning. Returning home, often later than he had expected, her mind was just elsewhere in the clouds when she would first enter. Now, she is very quiet, going to work seemed more like a chore to her than a daily adventure.
One night she comes home a little later and states that she had dinner with Gue-rami. Gwang-ho knows that Young-woo confides to her best friend many personal matters that she feels incapable of sharing with him. And while he bristles at the advice she has sometimes provided to his Ttal he knows her heart is in the right place. Something happened in Jeju and if anyone knows Gue-rami will.
He texts Gue-rami.
WGH: DGR I need to talk to you tomorrow about what happened in Jeju to Young-woo.
DGR: Okay. Nine am, after Young-woo has gone to work.
The next morning Gue-rami comes as she promised. Gwang-ho gives her a plate of gimbap and they begin the conversation. "I know something happened in Jeju. Young-woo I think she's becoming depressed, I'm concerned and I have no idea how to help her."
"You know how Young-woo is. When something bothers her, she keeps it bottled up inside. It took me two weeks, just to get her to see me after Jeju."
"Did she tell you what happened?"
"She and Jun-ho broke up."
"That 'Punk' broke her heart."
"No, Gwang-ho. It was Young-woo who broke-up with Jun-ho."
"Why? Did he hurt her?"
"Jun-ho, no way. He worships the ground she walks on. Young-woo broke-up with him because she thinks she would make him lonely. What's worse, she hasn't even told Jun-ho why."
"So she regrets what she did?"
"Yes, she broke her own heart and Jun-ho's. Young-woo is in love with a man who is just as much in love with her."
"Tell me about him."
"He works with Young-woo. Really patient and protective. Never pressures her to do anything, only has eyes for her. Young-woo told me he makes her feel as if she is the most important person in his eyes."
"So, he makes her happy, and he takes care of her, like I can."
"He does. Young-woo thinks that Jun-ho will eventually become lonely and unhappy with her. I told her 'that's impossible, that he is in this relationship for the long haul'."
"I need your help, to meet this man. Sometimes a Appa needs to fix things for his Ttal."
"Hmm, I have an idea, let me text Jun-ho."
DGR: Hey LJH, are you in the office?
LJH: Yes, what's this about?
DGR: It's about WYW. I'll be there in 45 minutes. Meet me outside.
LJH: I'll see you then.
"Okay, Gwang-ho, let's go to Hanbada, right now."
Gwang-ho and Gue-rami get there and await on the main sidewalk with Gwang-ho hidden around the corner. As Jun-ho approaches "Did Young-woo send you to speak to me?" he asks a little curtly.
"No. I asked Gue-rami to arrange for you and I to speak." Gwang-ho causing Jun-ho to have an expression as if he has a million questions and somehow he has none for the senior.
"Lee Jun-ho, this is Woo Gwang-ho, Young-woo's Abeoji." Gue-rami introduces. "I will let you two gentlemen speak privately." as she excuses herself and leaves.
"Abeonim, I mean Woo Gwang-ho-nim." Jun-ho bows, still nervous.
"We should find someplace we can talk, away from Hanbada." as Gwang-ho offers his hand to shake.
The two men find a coffee shop and finally sit. Jun-ho starts "I assume you want me to stay away from Young-woo."
"Frankly, I only want Young-woo just to be happy. What happened in Jeju?"
"I thought we were happy. Then, all of a sudden she tells me she thinks we should not be dating."
"No fight between the two of you?"
"No, sir. About a week ago, I finally asked her, 'Why?' her explanation was a bit difficult to understand. She told me that she thought 'I would become lonely, and that I should be with someone I don't have to take care of'."
"Is she correct?"
"No. I'm happiest when I am with her. Taking care of Young-woo is never a burden, I've just accepted that is what a person accepts to do for the person you love. I love Young-woo, very much, apparently she does not feel the same."
"I'm not so sure about that, Jun-ho. Since Jeju, every night, I've heard her in her room, crying her eyes out."
"Well, she's seriously considering leaving Hanbada to go to Boston."
"Young-woo is not going to Boston. That was a desperate plan by her Eomma."
"Tae Su-mi?"
"Yes. Now never mention that to anyone else."
Jun-ho simply nods.
"Why do you want to be with Young-woo?"
"She makes me happy. She's charming, brilliant, sweet, beautiful. I'm just crazy about her."
"She also has autism. When she becomes very upset she can have an emotional overload, not a pleasant sight to see."
"Young-woo responds well to pressure to reduce the anxiety. I learned about that in my reading on ASD. Before we had even started dating, I just wanted to do things right for her, for us, to be together. I honestly thought we had a future together."
"Can I ask you Abeonim? Has Young-woo ever made you feel lonely?"
"She has. What about you?"
"Only now after we broke up. She is so close and it's as if there is a wall between us. I always knew she has kept her thoughts very private, but she had invited me to share and understand her. Now it's a painful loneliness."
"Are you going to tell her all this?"
"What?"
"Are you going to tell Young-woo that you want to get back together; that you are in love with her?"
"Do you think I should?"
"If you feel that you won't get lonely and fall out of love with her I think you should. The sooner the better."
The men agree to keep this conversation just between them. Both secure that they both want only the best for Young-woo.
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The night of the Raon victory dinner at Hairy's. Jun-ho and Young-woo are back together walking back to her home. "Attorney Woo, are you happy?" Jun-ho asks.
"No, I am not. If we are together I find it unacceptable if you call me Attorney Woo when it's just you and me. I would prefer if you called me just Young-woo."
"I see. I suppose this means we are dating. Is that correct Young-woo?"
"Yes dating."
"Then let's make it official. Let me ask your Abeoji, if I may officially date Young-woo."
"Abeoji may call you 'Punk'."
"I've been called worse."
"When do you want to meet my Abeoji?"
"Tonight, because I also need to tell him I'm hopelessly in love with you, Young-woo."
"Okay, tonight, because I also need to tell him I'm in love with you, Jun-ho."
"May I kiss you first, Young-woo?"
"I think you should, Jagiya."
A beautiful kiss before they enter the Woo household.
