The Dark Horse

This Boy From Daegu (Irene POV)

*March 21, 2023, 5PM

Right, this should be where I'll get off... I uttered as the bus reached my designated station.

I was still in utter shock really. As a matter of fact, the entire faculty was when Gukjoo suddenly announced her father's sudden death, a heart attack specifically. As the principal, I had to do what I could to console one of my beloved staff.

Despite it being her only first semester as teacher, she's actually one of my best performing faculty staff throughout the campus. She was loved and highly respected amongst her students for the most part. She had her own efficient way of disciplining her more mischievous students back to normalcy.

Perhaps it was because she knew what it was like to be bullied first hand and saw the solution based on her experiences. Or maybe it was because of the fact that she was Han Eunsu's dongsaeng, arguably the most talked about man these days in Daegu alongside that guy from BTS who was said to be an alumni here in Daegu high as well. What was his name again? Kim Hyungtae? Kim Taehyung? I think it was...

But yeah, ever since that man entered my life, things have slowly changed here in Daegu one way or another. I watched these last two years this city transform in ways I didn't think I would ever since that man started putting our city on the world stage. Tourism was booming, and bullying incidents inside the school have drastically reduced to none ever since I took over the position as Principal when Principal Nam had to retire due to his health. I may have been the author of our new policy, but I wouldn't have done it without Han Eunsu's involvement that day 2 years ago...

Right, it shouldn't be that far now... I uttered as I turned right at a landmark.

I still can't believe this really. Of all the times my car could possibly break down, it had to be now? When I was the principal of Daegu high? I couldn't believe it! I know this was still Sukhyun's car back when he was still alive, but I still didn't think it needed repairs now at a time when Jinyoung and I needed a vehicle more than ever.

Despite my position, I couldn't afford a taxi all the time, only grabbing one when we needed to catch up in time. We would grab a taxi by day, and take the city bus at night and we would have to cope until my car gets fixed by the end of the week, hopefully.

And now here I was, back in the days of my youth riding the city bus to get to my destinations. This was my first time in a while riding a city bus apart from traveling to Daegu high and back. The Han family residence was in another part of town and it has been years since I entered this section of the city.

I was a few blocks away from the Han residence with a small bouquet of flowers in hand to pay my respects. And as I was walking, I started to wonder, was Gukjoo's Oppa here? I haven't heard anything from him since the news broke out. I didn't want to bother him out of respect. Perhaps he was grieving somewhere up in Seoul or wherever he was training. Gookju did tell me he would come home, but he never mentioned a specific time and date.

But nevertheless, he should come home, right? It's his father's death after all... Why wouldn't he?

"Omo!"

All of a sudden, right from a distance where the Han residence was nearby, I spotted the shape of a very familiar figure! He was tall with jet black hair with a tone yet slender physique. He had a black top on with a small gym bag on his hand and even from the distance and the angle I was seeing him, I could tell that he was rather handsome...

Yet he was just there, sitting alone at a convenience store, an empty plastic cup of ramen on his table, staring blankly towards the direction of the Han residence. Oh my! Could it be that he was-...?