Not Just A Memory | Ko Kyung-jun

Title: The Story of How I Was Forced to Swear Never to Get Involved in Ko Kyung-jun's Life Again, Losing My Family, Loved Ones, and Future

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Both of us fell silent, unable to say anything, and simply walked intently toward the taxi stand outside the event venue. Then,

“Is that Kyung-jun?”

“Eun-kang.”

It was Choi Eun-kang, the player. He seemed to be on his way back too, accompanied by his manager, carrying a cardboard box and heading toward the parking lot.

“…Are you the one Kyung-jun has been waiting for? I took a photo with you earlier, and only after returning to the waiting room did I suddenly remember.”

“Waiting?”

“Ah, he meant this.”

Kyung-jun quickly showed me his phone. The wallpaper was a photo of me from high school. On the screen, I was wearing my school uniform, looking incredibly happy and smiling.

“This…”

“I’ve never changed the wallpaper for seven years.”

“Even when I went to college, became a professional player, or when I met him on the Korean national team, Kyung-jun always told me, ‘This is my girlfriend. If you see her, let me know.’”

I never expected that he would ask about me so many times.

I never thought Kyung-jun was the type to actively interact with others, let alone ask for favors like that.

“I didn’t just want to know where you were… I also wanted to know if you were doing okay. I was always worried about whether you were living in a warm place, eating well, and leading a peaceful life. If not, I wanted to help you immediately. That’s why I didn’t hesitate to use every means to find out about your current situation.”

Not only Kyung-jun’s father, but Kyung-jun himself had always cared for me in his way.

“You’re really loved, you know,” Eun-kang said to me.

“…Maybe so.”

“Now that he’s found you, things are definitely going to get more complicated.”

“………Huh?”

When I asked Eun-kang again, he also seemed confused.

“People around us keep saying things like:

‘Kyung-jun is ridiculously hung up on his past relationship.'

‘If she’s caught, he’ll never let her go.’

‘His obsession is five times that of a normal person.’

‘His love only grows more persistent with each passing year.’”

I was surprised and turned to look at Kyung-jun, but he stood there confidently, as if to say, “So what?” The fact that he didn’t deny or seem flustered by those words suggested that he was probably used to hearing such things.

Immediately, I felt anxious.

“Is that so? Maybe I should go home alone…”

“How could I let you go home alone?”

I started to regret not being bold enough to run away from Kyung-jun instead of trying to leave early. But Kyung-jun had already positioned himself between me and Eun-kang, as if he didn’t want me to escape.