A veces, cuando ando dándole vueltas a cómo podría ser, me imagino que puedo hablar con la versión de mí mismo que ya pasó por todo lo que yo estoy lidiando. Tú me ayudaste cada vez. Y hoy te voy a contar otra vez mis andanzas, por si te sirve a ti; capaz que esta vez seas tú el que está pasando por algo.

Él.

No sé quién es.

Pero tú sí.

Así que si estás enojada con él, aquí estoy yo, recordándote cuánto querías conocerlo, cuánto lo extrañabas sin ni siquiera saber su nombre. Cuántas veces miraste a todos y pensaste: "¿y si es este tipo el que está a mi lado?"

Solo acuérdate de cuánto tiempo llevas esperando a que aparezca.

Cuando estás con tus hijos, pero estás bien cansada, todo está sucio y estás atrapada en algo que en realidad no importa, acuérdate de cuánto los anhelabas, de poder estar con ellos.

Abrázalos por mí, porque yo no puedo.

Ahora decime: ¿ya falta poquito? ¿Pasa pronto? Te veo poniendo esa cara de que no vas a arruinar la sorpresa, como si yo estuviera a un par de páginas de escribir "Conocí a alguien".

Decime, ¿me va a gustar él o no desde el principio? ¿Lo voy a reconocer?

No es la primera vez, ni va a ser la última, que te pregunto todo esto. Quiero creer que la respuesta es: "Va a llegar pronto, y cuando por fin lo veas, vas a decir: 'En un segundo, todo quedó sellado.'"

Así que mientras tanto, perdónalo y dale un beso de mi parte, porque todavía no lo he conocido.

At times, when im wandering how it could be, I imagine I can talk with the version of myself that has alreday gone through whatever im dealing with. You helped me every time. And today i'll tell you again about my wanderings so it migth help you, maybe this time your the one going through something.

Him.

I dont know who it is.

But you do.

So if you're angry at him, here's me, the reminder of how much you wanted to meet him, how much you missed him without even knowing his name. How many times you looked at everyone and consider 'could it be this guy standing next to me?'

Just remember how long you've been waiting for him to appear.

When you're with your children, but you're very tired, everything is dirty and you're trap in something not really important, remember how much you longed for them, to be with them.

Hug them for me, because I can't.

Now you tell me, is it almost time? Is it happening soon? I can see you making the face of not ruining the surprise, as if I'm just a couple of pages away from writing "I met someone".

Tell me, will I like him or not at first? Will I recognize him?

It's not the first time, nor will it be the last, that I'll ask you all this. I want to believe that the answer is "he'll arrive soon, and when finally see him you'll say, 'In a second everything was sealed.'"

So in the meantime time, forgive him and give him a kiss for me, because I haven't met him yet.

It was just another day in Taek’s room.
Sun‑woo looked at Dong‑ryong with a knowing smile.
Sun‑woo: Hey, Dong‑ryong. It’s Nami!
Dong‑ryong: Deok‑sun, where are you? Don’t you hear the music? Will you dance with me? —he says, laughing.
Deok‑sun: Stop, do it by yourself.
Dong‑ryong: I was at the police station today… can’t you dance with your friend? —he insists, with that smile that always convinces her.

Deok‑sun sighs, resigned, and stands up.

Dong‑ryong and Deok‑sun dance to the rhythm of the music.
Everyone is enjoying the show, except Taek.
He´s not watching the star dancers or the television.

He’s watching Jung‑hwan.

And Jung‑hwan… is laughing like never before.
It’s not a shy smile. It’s not a restrained laugh.
It’s a real, sincere laugh.
But even so, he tries to control it: he covers his mouth with his hand, lowers his gaze, presses his lips together to keep from laughing too loudly.

Taek watches him, surprised.

And then it happens.

Deok‑sun, trying to follow an impossible step, turns toward the group.
She sees Jung‑hwan laughing like that, so genuine, so happy.
And instead of getting annoyed, instead of feeling embarrassed…

She smiles.

A small, soft, enchanted smile.
As if that laugh were a gift meant only for Jung-Hwan.

Deok‑sun drops to the floor, exhausted, breathing fast.

Deok‑sun: I’m exhausted…
She looks at Dong‑ryong and laughs.
Deok‑sun: You’re really good. Seriously.

Everyone keeps laughing, but Taek hears nothing.

Taek looks at Jung‑hwan.
And he sees how Jung‑hwan looks at Deok‑sun.
It’s not an obvious look.
It’s not intense.
It’s not dramatic.

It’s a half‑smile. Small. Involuntary.
The kind of smile that appears when someone looks at a person who matters more than they want to admit.

Taek feels an internal noise, a mix of surprise and confusion he doesn’t know where to place.
The memories come as flashes:

• Deok‑sun pushing her brother so she could sit next to Jung‑hwan at the table.
• Deok‑sun leaving early in the morning to coincide with him.
• Deok‑sun looking toward the door where Jung‑hwan had left.
• Deok‑sun searching for him with her eyes when he arrives late.

Taek had seen all of that.
But he had never connected it.
Until now.

Taek takes a deep breath.
It’s a simple truth he doesn’t know how to process yet:

They had already been choosing each other.
Long before he noticed.

Pending Conversations

Night had fallen over the neighborhood.
The air was cold and silent, and the warm lights from the houses barely lit the alley.

Jung‑hwan walked slowly back home, hands tucked into his coat pockets and his head full of thoughts.
Turning the corner, he saw a familiar figure standing near the entrance of Taek’s house.

Taek was there, wrapped in his thick jacket, looking at the ground as the vapor of his breath faded into the night.

Jung‑hwan stopped for a second, then approached.

Jung‑hwan: What are you doing out here? It’s cold.
Taek: (Lifts his head and smiles slowly) I was waiting for you.

Jung‑hwan looks at him.

Taek: Hey… Jung‑hwan.

Jung‑hwan: (Turns) What is it?

Taek takes a deep breath, as if choosing each word carefully.

Taek: You lost your wallet the other day because you left it in my room. I gave it to Deok‑sun so she could return it to you… but when I opened it to make sure it was yours, I saw the photo.

Jung‑hwan freezes completely.
His heart jumps violently.
His blood turns cold.

Jung‑hwan: Taek… I…

Taek: (Interrupts gently, without anger) You don’t have to explain anything to me. For a long time you thought you were protecting me, didn’t you? Believing that if you kept what you felt to yourself, you were doing all of us a favor.

Jung‑hwan looks down, unable to meet his eyes.

Taek lowers his gaze for a moment, as if remembering the scene in his room —Jung‑hwan’s laughter, Deok‑sun’s smile, and the uncomfortable pull he felt in his chest.

Taek: When I saw you two in my room the other day, I saw how you look at her when you think no one is watching… and I saw how she looks for you.
She hasn’t been waiting for a grand gesture from anyone.
She’s been waiting for you, Jung‑hwan.

Taek lifts his gaze, firm but not harsh.

Taek: Don’t be a coward with what you feel. If you keep hiding behind our friendship, you’re going to hurt the three of us.

Silence falls over the alley again.
Jung‑hwan stays still, but this time he doesn’t look away.
He takes a deep breath, as if finally ready to say something he’s held inside for far too long.

Jung‑hwan: Taek… when I found out you liked Deok‑sun, I thought the best thing was to step back.
Not because it was easy.
But because I thought that way no one would get hurt.

He pauses.
The cold night air feels heavier around them.

Jung‑hwan: I didn’t want to stand in the way of someone’s happiness.
I didn’t want you… or her… or me… to end up hurt by something I could avoid if I just moved aside.

He swallows.
His voice trembles slightly, but he doesn’t retreat.

Jung‑hwan: I thought that if I distanced myself, if I stopped looking at her, if I stopped… feeling…
all of it would disappear.
That one day I’d wake up and it wouldn’t matter anymore.

He lets out a humorless, bitter laugh.

Jung‑hwan: But it didn’t happen.
It never happened.

He touches the pocket of his coat, as if searching for something that isn’t there.

Jung‑hwan: That photo in my wallet…
Ever since I put it there, I realized I couldn’t take it out.
No matter how hard I tried.

He finally looks at Taek, without fear.

Jung‑hwan: And there were moments… moments when I wished someone would find it.
That she would see it.
That everything would come out without me having to say anything.

He breathes deeply.
The confession weighs on him, but also frees him.

Jung‑hwan: Distancing myself didn’t work.
Hiding didn’t work.
Pretending I didn’t feel anything didn’t work.
And you’re right…
I don’t want to keep running anymore.

Silence falls again.
But this time it’s not uncomfortable.
It’s full of truth.

Finally, Taek speaks.
His voice is soft, but firm.

Taek: Jung‑hwan… I know you’ve all always taken care of me.
You, Sun‑woo, Dong‑ryong… everyone.

He lowers his gaze for a moment, remembering all the times they protected him without him asking.

Taek: But that doesn’t have to be a rule.
I don’t want it to be.
I don’t want you living your life thinking you have to give things up because of me.

He lifts his eyes.
There’s no anger, no sadness.
Just calm honesty.

Taek: Don’t protect me from this.
It’s not something you need to save me from.
What you feel… what she feels…
isn’t something I can —or want to— stop.

Jung‑hwan swallows.
The tension in his shoulders seems to loosen for the first time in a long while.

Taek takes a small step toward him, barely noticeable.

Taek: Do what you need to do.
For you.
And for her.
______________________________________
To be continued...

My intention is to post an alternative ending for this show. Let’s just pretend we’re jumping into a different timeline — one where things make more sense and the characters actually get the closure they deserve.

I’ll post the full story soon, but first I just wanna explain why I’m even writing this.

The ending… something was off. It didn’t match the characters’ development or their personalities at all. It felt sad for no real reason, and there was zero closure for the rest of the cast. In a show with so many characters, it’s kinda weird to have them just vanish with no explanation. It makes the whole ending feel incomplete and disconnected from everything we watched before.

And honestly, I’m only writing this because the story was \*really\* beautiful — like 75% of it was genuinely amazing. It had relatable characters working hard toward their goals, real struggles, and even meaningful community representation, which you barely ever see. It had so much heart… and that’s exactly why the ending hit so wrong.

Seeing the community’s reaction made me feel like I missed something. Since I’m from that era myself, the lack of closure hit even harder — especially the way the community and the families were just… gone. It made the ending feel even worse.

With all this being said… get ready. I’ll be posting everything in parts.

\*\*The Butterfly Effect Begins\*\*

While the neighborhood is quiet, Jung-hwan and Jung-bong lie side by side waiting for a shooting star on the rooftop.

After a while, Jung-bong breaks the silence.

\*\*Jung-bong:\*\*
“Wow… we saw it. Did you make a wish?”

\*\*Jung-hwan:\*\*
“No. I forgot.”

\*\*Jung-bong:\*\*
“I did.”

Jung-hwan laughs, teasing him.

\*\*Jung-hwan:\*\*
“What did you wish for? A good relationship with Maggie?”

Jung-bong chuckles but shakes his head.

\*\*Jung-bong:\*\*
“No. I wished… that my little brother can do what he truly wants. You know, I don’t want you to go to the Air Force Academy because of me. I want you to do what \*you\* want. That’s my wish.”

Jung-hwan goes quiet.

\*\*Jung-hwan:\*\*
“I’m not doing it for you. It’s what I really want. I mean it! Do you think I’m stupid enough not to know the difference?”

Jung-bong listens patiently.
But he can’t ignore the tears gathering in Jung-hwan’s eyes.
He knows his words are painful but necessary.

\*\*Jung-hwan:\*\*
“I mean it! Why are you acting like this? I’m serious.”

He tries to keep a carefree smile, swallowing the knot in his throat.

Jung-bong breathes deeply.

\*\*Jung-bong:\*\*
“Jung-hwan-ah… I always thought you were strong because you never complained. But now I think maybe you were quiet because you were carrying too much.”

He sees Jung-hwan’s smile fade.
His brother rarely speaks like this.

\*\*Jung-hwan:\*\*
“Hyung… what are you saying?”

\*\*Jung-bong:\*\*
“I just want you to live \*your\* life. Not mine. Not the one I couldn’t have. I don’t want you to feel obligated to fulfill dreams that aren’t yours.”

Jung-hwan lowers his gaze.
His hands tense.
For the first time, someone says out loud what he never dared to admit.

A shooting star crosses the sky.
Jung-hwan follows it with his eyes, and something inside him breaks—
but in a freeing way.

Jung-bong smiles softly, the way only he can, and then stands up.

\*\*Jung-bong:\*\*
“I’ll leave you alone. You have a lot to think about.”

He gently pats Jung-hwan’s shoulder and walks away.

Jung-hwan’s mind drifts to all the moments when he ended up mirroring his family’s hopes—especially his brother’s—as motivation, as a path he thought he had to follow.

Another shooting star flashes across the sky.

This time, Jung-hwan makes a wish.

\*\*Jung-hwan:\*\*
“…I want to stop living in fear of failing.”
He pauses, swallowing hard.
“And I want to learn how to choose what \*I\* really want.”

The words hang in the air. The knot in his throat is impossible to hide now.
His whole life has been discipline, expectations, silence.
But on that rooftop, something shifts. His chest feels tight, but lighter than before.

He wipes his eyes quickly, breathing out the last of the tension.

That night, Jung-hwan makes a decision.
He will no longer go to the military academy.

Down in the yard, soft footsteps crunch over the gravel.

Jung-hwan leans forward, looking over the edge of the rooftop.

Deok-sun is crossing the yard. She’s humming something off-key, completely unaware of anything heavy happening above her.
Her voice is clumsy, familiar, comforting.

She doesn’t look up.
She doesn’t see him.
She just keeps walking, wrapped in her own little world.

The porch light catches her face for a second—simple, warm, exactly as he’s always seen her.

Jung-hwan’s expression softens.
A small smile appears, the kind he never lets anyone else see.

For a moment, the emotional weight of the rooftop fades.
Her presence—ordinary, imperfect, Deok-sun—grounds him.

She just moves through the night with that simple confidence she’s always had—
the kind that comes from following her heart first and figuring out the rest later.

He watches her, the way he always has:
from a distance, quietly, longing without saying a word.

And for the first time, he smiles not out of ache…
but out of recognition.

Because she has always known how to choose what she wants.
Even when she stumbles, even when she’s loud or clumsy or unsure,
Deok-sun moves toward the things she loves.

She is everything he never allowed himself to be.

He exhales, long and steady.

Tonight, he realizes something simple and terrifying:

He feels the unfamiliar emptiness of wanting something for himself… and for the first time, he admits it out loud.

\*\*Jung-hwan:\*\*

“…I think I’m gonna need help.”

And the truth settles quietly—he knows exactly whose help he wants.