Christopher Nguyen, Period 8, 5/16/2022

Christopher Nguyen

Period 8

5/16/2022

Modern Mythology 2022

Creativity & Fiction

In Life, There is No Happy Ending

Yang Jungwon was a breath of spring in the middle of winter. He was the sun itself; his

gaze was always warm, his smile was always bright, and his intentions were always pure.

Jungwon was good; too good, in fact. His background was from a rich family, yet he never once

looked down on others. He was always the best one could see in the world, which is why Park

Jongseong, also known as Jay, thought his boyfriend deserved more than he could ever be.

Someone like Jungwon deserved another sun, yet all Jay could be was a moon. Jay was frigid at

worst, cool at best. He had a distaste for others, something brought up by a rough upbringing,

but had a soft spot for his sun. This soft spot, though, opened up many insecurities about his

cool demeanor, as well as lack of money. Being in love with Yang Jungwon felt like being

kissed by sunlight, but getting too close to the sun meant getting burnt.

Left unchecked, insecurity can turn into resentment. Pretty smiles which used to spring

warmth in the middle of Jay’s stomach began to inspire a feeling of weight in his chest. He was

fixated on how to be better for Jungwon, yearning to prove to himself that he was worth his

lover, yet started to extinguish their flame in the process. Their once eventful weeks, full of

dates and hours spent with each other, fell apart to empty words and cold sheets. Jay would call

off dates with the other, stating that he had important events coming up. There were no events,

though. Jay would lie to spend time away from Jungwon, to try to suppress the feeling of hate he

had whenever he saw his love’s bright, wide eyes. Eventually, his lies led him to going to a party

without the other, one which would change the course of their relationship.

Jungwon wasn’t an idiot by any standards; he knew something was up with his boyfriend.

Jay, who used to escort him everywhere like a bodyguard, who used to shower him with kisses

and gifts, who used to take care of him like a puppy, was suddenly avoiding him like the plague.

As a result of this, Jungwon grew to be quite insecure. Was he not enough for Jay? Did Jay start

to like someone else more than him? Is it something that he did? His questions remained

unanswered in the silence of the other. Kim Sunoo, Jungwon’s best friend, tried to get his mind

off of the other. Sunoo suggested going to a party, something which Jungwon protested at first,

but eventually caved into after hearing the other’s whines.

Everything led Jungwon to this moment. He walked through the party with Sunoo,

greeting people he knew along the way. His body swayed to the sound of the music blasting,

letting himself get lost in time with a drink in his right hand. He was a bit tipsy, but could still

perceive the world around him properly. When he got tired of dancing, he planned to find a little

corner to rest for a bit. Fate would not have it that way, though.

Jungwons stumbled upon a room where someone started a game of spin the bottle with

the people, so he joined in to laze around for a while. Jungwon was loyal to Jay of course; if the

bottle landed on him, he would simply drink instead of completing the game. Hidden away in

the same circle, however, was his same boyfriend, who was more than two bottles of soju gone.

The gleam of the green soju bottle spinning reflected throughout the room. Eventually, it

landed on two people near Jungwon; he didn’t pay much thought to it though, as he was just

planning to sit there for a while without getting involved. He glanced over at them though, and

noticed one of the two looked suspiciously like his Jay. Jungwon didn’t say anything though,

trying to turn himself into thin air. He watched in horror as his boyfriend, who was supposed to

be at home due to unspecified family issues, proceeded to heatedly kiss a stranger in front of

him.

Jungwon couldn’t help the undignified sound that left his body. The loud sound of music

and others cheering at the kissing pair masked it, so his boyfriend couldn’t hear him. After the

kiss ended, the two returned to their positions; they were supposed to at least. While the game

went on, Jay just continued to make out with the girl the bottle landed on, all the while Jungwon

silently watched with tears in his eyes.

Eventually, Jungwon couldn’t help it anymore. He wanted to distract Jay without alerting

the others of his presence, so he dialed his phone, only for it to be ignored. His heart was

cracking, as he saw a girl, who was supposed to be him, saddled up next to his lover. Jungwon

didn’t want to run away, though. If he did, he would just convince himself that everything he

saw was a lie and keep it in the back of his mind while continuing to pretend his relationship was

perfect. So, Jungwon waltzed right up to the couple, who were still distracted with each other,

and said with his voice cracking, “Jay?”

Almost if he was snapped out of a rush of lust, Jay pushed the girl he was kissing seconds

before away. Hearing Jungwon’s voice seemed to strike him out of his drunken stupor, as he

made eye contact with his beautiful boyfriend, his Jungwon, who resembled a teary eyed fennec

fox in that moment. Without replying to the other, Jay grabbed Jungwon’s wrist tightly, dragging

him through the party to a bathroom all the while ignoring other’s cries and yelps from the

tightness of his grip.

After they reached the bathroom, Jay finally let go of Jungwon’s wrist. There was a red

mark where his hand was, and Jungwon was staring at him with innocent, teary eyes. Before Jay

could speak, Jungwon started, “W-W-What are you doing? Why did you kiss her? What are you

doing here?” At least, that’s what he wanted to say. All that came out of Jungwon were cries

and whimpers as he constantly replayed the earlier scene in his head.

“Jungwon,” Jay started, “I’m sick and tired of you. You’re too good for me, you know

that right. I can’t stand being around you, hearing others talk about me behind my back. I can’t

stand them calling me a leech off of your money. You do so much, too much. You make it so

hard to be around you. There’s so many expectations that come with you. Someone like you has

to be with a perfect man, but I can’t do that for you. I’m so tired, Jungwon. I’m tired of having

to stick around you like a puppy and being chained by your glory. You’re like the sun, Jungwon,

and I don’t want to be the moon overcast by you anymore.”

Jay’s tone was harsh and uncaring, causing his words to cut into Jungwon’s brain like

knives. Jungwon’s tears poured ever more, and he opened and closed his mouth, struggling to

come up with words. How could his boyfriend feel that way about him? All Jungwon ever

wanted to be was good enough for love. He just wanted to be someone Jay could be proud of to

call his home. He wanted to be a ray of light on Jay’s worst days, but now his light was what

burned Jay. Voice wavering, Jungwon said, “I-I’m sorry. I never meant for you to have to feel

like you needed to keep up with me. I just wanted to be good enough for you. I just wanted you,

Jay. Is there anything else I can do? Is there any way I can make you want me again?”

Even after witnessing his boyfriend kiss someone else, Jungwon was still desperate for

the other’s love. The time they spent together was everything to him. He finally found someone

who he thought loved him for who he was, not for what he was, not for his money or anything

material. Jay did at one point, surely, but now he just felt burnt by Jungwon’s light.

Jay whispered, “Let’s not meet again, Jungwon,” and turned around. He left Jungwon

there, his now ex sobbing while holding the bathroom sink. All Jungwon wanted was Jay; he

wanted to be perfect, to try his best for the other. It’s a shame though; his best was never good

enough.