A/N: Okay, it took me a bit longer to get this second part out than I thought, but still not too long of a wait, huh? REMEMBER to read part I first or this will make no sense! For those of you reading multiple of my stories, I plan to update "Open Hearts" next and then "GGABB." 

Joahae-yo: I like you (polite)

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to the Boys Over Flowers original characters, nor the song "In Your Eyes" by Onew (SHINee).  I also don't own Kim Da Yeon's song "You're My All" from the At the Moment (When Time Stopped) OST. Lastly, the original "The Little Mermaid" story is by author Hans Christian Andersen.

Chapter Eighteen: Sea Foam and Other Halves Part II

While Dr. Yu checked on another patient, Ji Hoo led the Sos to the recovery area designated for Byeong Ho in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). There was a special section for infants, and Ji Hoo had set aside a more private area for Byeong Ho. Along the way, he explained to Ga Eul and Yi Jeong that he wanted to keep Byeong Ho in the hospital for at least 4 or 5 days and after that, they would send him home based upon how well he was recovering. "We just want to be sure," Ji Hoo said.

"Of course," Yi Jeong replied, and Ga Eul nodded.

"He'll have constant care, but you're welcome to be here as often as you like, of course. And I'll ensure that you are comfortable."

The tension had been too much today (and for weeks, actually), so Yi Jeong made a joke. "Is your hospital a hotel now, Ji Hoo?"

Ji Hoo chuckled. "We're not quite there yet, but I'll do whatever I can to make your stay more comfortable," he quipped.

Yi Jeong clapped his friend on the back and thanked him. "Ah, it's good to know the man in charge."

Ji Hoo smiled a bit, relieved that his friend was feeling better‒and well enough to joke around. "Well, there are still people above me, but I have some say."

Ji Hoo then glanced over at Ga Eul, who hadn't laughed at the joke. She was still looking very somber and walking extra fast to get to her baby. He was glad that she had her husband and family around to support her today, but he knew that she could use Jan Di, too. Thinking of this, Ji Hoo explained that Jan Di was terribly sorry, that she'd gotten paged to an emergency C-section but that she would be by as soon as possible.

Ga Eul thanked Ji Hoo, and they stepped into Byeong Ho's room. A young nurse was inside, watching over the infant. Ga Eul went to her son's side immediately. The nurse smiled, bowed, and stepped aside to make room for Ga Eul.

Ji Hoo was right behind Ga Eul, checking Byeong Ho's vitals on the monitor. He nodded his head in approval. "All looks good."

"Yes, Doctor," the nurse agreed. "He's doing well; he's very strong."

Ji Hoo smiled. "Byeong Ho went through a lot today, but he did do well. He's certainly a fighter. I think you have a very spirited boy on your hands, Yi Jeong and Ga Eul."

Ga Eul let out a laugh-cry as she stared down at her sleeping son, lying in the small hospital bed with the railings. She reached out to touch him but was afraid to. She pulled back and looked to Ji Hoo.

"You can touch him and hold him, but be extra careful when lifting. Make sure to scoop him up and support him by his head and bottom. Be especially careful of the underarm and upper body areas for about 6 to 8 weeks, and try not to let him lift his arms over his head. Also, try to keep him from crying as much as you can. He's able to drink milk but perhaps wait another hour. Don't worry, though; we've given him some fluids. And start him out slowly. Limit to 30-minute feeding times, at least for the first couple days." Ji Hoo went on to explain a few other post-operative instructions.

Ga Eul nodded along as she took in the information from Ji Hoo, but her eyes remained on her son.

Even though Ji Hoo told her she could touch him, Ga Eul didn't want to wake Byeong Ho. He needed his sleep after such an ordeal, so she resisted the urge to reach out and pick him up. Instead, her eyes roamed over his entire body. She knew every detail of him, but right now, she was finding it hard to believe that this was her baby lying here. "Ohh," Ga Eul exclaimed, placing her hands on her face. Already, she was welling up. There was just something about a mother seeing her child in a hospital...

Right away, her eyes settled on the tiny, black stitches in Byeong Ho's chest, and she felt a few tears slipping. Her infant son had stitches in his chest! Unable to hold it back any longer as the realization of everything sank in, Ga Eul broke down in tears. Instinctively, Ga Eul reached for Yi Jeong, and he wrapped his arms around her.

Ji Hoo lowered his head. "I know they look bad, but I'll remove them in a couple weeks, and I assure you, he didn't feel a thing.

Teary-eyed, Ga Eul shook her head up and down. "I'm...I'm sorry, Ji Hoo...to be this way," she said. Yi Jeong was rubbing her arms and her back, giving the occasional squeeze here and there.

Ji Hoo shook his head. "Not at all, Ga Eul-ah. You've been so strong. Both of you have. It's okay to let it all out now."

Ga Eul smiled over at Ji Hoo before wrapping her arms tightly around her husband. "We should bring Eun Jeong in," she said, looking up at Yi Jeong with remnants of tears on her face. "She was very worried, too. She'll want to see Byeong Ho." Yi Jeong nodded and lifted one hand to wipe her face.

"I'll find her," Ji Hoo offered. "You two stay here with Byeong Ho and relax. I want to look for Seok Young, anyway."

"He's probably with my daughter," was Yi Jeong's sarcastic reply. And he smirked over at Ji Hoo. But Yi Jeong was coming around to Seok Young. He really was a good boy, and he cared a lot for Eun Jeong, so he wasn't so worried anymore. Ga Eul was certainly right when she'd said that there were far worse choices for their daughter.

Ji Hoo noticed the change in Yi Jeong's attitude toward Seok Young, and he wondered if something had happened. Whatever the cause, though, Yi Jeong didn't seem angry anymore about the incident. "I'll be back," Ji Hoo said. The Sos nodded.

Before leaving, Ji Hoo motioned to the nurse and told her to stay here and take good care of the baby and the family and to message him immediately if there was any change. "Yes, Doctor," she said. On his way out, Ji Hoo texted Seok Young, Mee-Yon, and Jan Di.

Ten Minutes Later…

Dr. Yu had been to see So Byeong Ho once and planned to go back to check on him again later. When she was there, Mr. So had been out of the room so she'd spoken briefly with his wife about post-op care. She'd wanted to make sure they had all the information, and she also wanted to check the infant's vitals, though she was sure Dr. Yoon had already done all of this as he'd said he would take care of it.

Still, she was their original doctor, and it was her job, even though Mr. So seemed to have no interest in hearing her opinions, only Dr. Yoon's.

As for Dr. Yu Min Jee, she had met plenty of parents, and they were always very concerned and wanted to know everything about what was going on. Some even questioned her treatment of their child, particularly because she was a younger doctor, but never had one ignored her words entirely in favor of another doctor. She was trying very hard not to let her pride affect her, though. It was only natural that Mr. So would want Dr. Yoon's opinion; she couldn't really blame him for that. After all, Dr. Yoon was his friend and an incredible doctor, so of course, he'd value his opinion.

But being the driven person she was, Yu Min Jee vowed to demonstrate her handle over the situation and above all, do the job she was assigned to do. At least Ms. Chu had been willing to listen…

Ji Hoo managed to find Seok Young, Eun Jeong, and Mee-Yon and returned with them. Jun Seo and Aidan had been there, he was told, but they'd both had to leave.

As soon as he stepped into the PACU, Ji Hoo looked in on Byeong Ho, who was awake now. "Annyeong, Byeong Ho-ah," Ji Hoo greeted as he did a quick check of his vitals. And Ga Eul informed him that Dr. Yu had also been by to check on him.

"We get such good service here," Yi Jeong remarked.

"Well, this is an excellent hospital, and Byeong Ho is a VIP patient." Ji Hoo smiled over at Ga Eul and Yi Jeong.

"We're really grateful," Ga Eul said, smiling. Yi Jeong nodded in agreement and walked over to Ji Hoo. And he put his arm around him.

The kids visited Byeong Ho for a few minutes, but all of a sudden he started to cry.

It was a cry that Ga Eul knew well. The kids and the men all looked to her with concern on their faces, but she only waved a dismissive hand. "It's nothing to worry about. I know what that means; he's just hungry. I'd like to try feeding him. Do you think it's alright now, Ji Hoo-ah?" Ga Eul asked, remembering to speak less formally to Ji Hoo as Jun Pyo and Woo Bin had suggested.

"Yes, I think it should be fine now." Ji Hoo gave her a static wave and dismissed the nurse. He showed Ga Eul what button to push if there were any problems, and he pulled a curtain so she could feed in private. Then Ji Hoo stepped out of the room, beckoning everyone to follow. He sent the kids off with some money for the vending machine, and he took a walk with Yi Jeong.

Hands in pockets, the two men walked down the hall of the hospital floor side by side…

"Ji Hoo, I was thinking of asking Dr. Yu out to dinner," Yi Jeong said out of the blue.

Ji Hoo stopped and turned to face Yi Jeong. He folded his arms, a puzzled and disapproving expression crossing his face. "What?" You want to take her out to dinner?"

"Don't jump to any conclusions, Ji Hoo. It's just a thank you gesture. I want to show her how grateful we are, and...I also feel a bit bad for how I treated her. I didn't believe in her abilities, and I was a little condescending."

"Well, that's nice, Yi Jeong, but‒"

"What, you think I want something else?"

"No, it's just...what does Ga Eul think about your taking out another woman?" Ji Hoo smirked, knowing Yi Jeong didn't really have any impure motives.

"Ga Eul is fine with it; it was her idea, actually." Ji Hoo quirked a brow in response. "She suggested we treat Dr. Yu to dinner, but she doesn't really want to leave Byeong Ho's side anytime soon, so she said I should take her."

"Wow. You have a very trusting and understanding wife."

"What? Jan Di wouldn't let you go?"

"Out with another woman?" Ji Hoo chortled. "I highly doubt it. It's not that Jan Di doesn't trust me, but I just can't see her liking the idea. Are you sure this was Ga Eul's idea? Did you slip her something?"

"Jerk…," Yi Jeong muttered.

"I'm just kidding.

"What about you, Ji Hoo?" Ji Hoo cocked his head to the side curiously. "You have an understanding wife, too."

"What do you mean?"

Yi Jeong raised a brow. "Working all those late hours with a young, hot doctor..."

"It's not like that, and you know it," Ji Hoo replied. "I waited so long for Jan Di and fought so hard for her...Do you really think I'd just throw it all away by having an affair?"

Yi Jeong shook his head. "That's good to know." And he gave Ji Hoo a wry smile. "Because you know, Jun Pyo would murder you if you ever cheated on Jan Di, and Woo Bin would help him hide your body where no one would ever find it."

Ji Hoo laughed, though he had the feeling it wasn't completely a joke.

"Anyway, here's the thing...I want you to go to dinner, too, Ji Hoo."

"Why are you involving me in this? Are you trying to get me divorced?" Ji Hoo smirked at his old friend.

Yi Jeong chuckled. "Nothing like that. Jan Di's not going to care if you're out with me; she can even come if she wants, but if I go alone...think about it… Even though Ga Eul suggested it, people may get the wrong idea...you know, me," Yi Jeong pointed to himself, "South Korea's former Casanova taking a woman who isn't his wife out to dinner, alone...what would people say?"

"You're right. I can see the headline of the tabloids tomorrow…" Ji Hoo painted the picture with his hand. "South Korea's Famous Casanova Renews His Title and Trades Wife in for a Younger Model."

"Jerk," Yi Jeong reiterated, and Ji Hoo laughed. "Anyway, that's not the only reason I'm asking you to dinner. Ga Eul and I want to thank you, too, for all that you did."

"You don't need to thank me. It's my job, and you know that Byeong Ho and all of you are like family to us. If you really want to thank me, take your wife out to a nice dinner."

"You have strange requests, Ji Hoo." Yi Jeong grinned.

Ji Hoo chuckled. "Well, I was just wondering how long it was since you and Ga Eul had some alone time. I mean, with all that's been going on with Byeong Ho and then the incident with Eun Jeong...plus the other kids, I'm sure it's been difficult."

Yi Jeong sighed. "It has."

"I didn't mean anything by it; I'm just saying, after this thank you dinner, go and romance your wife."

"I will." Yi Jeong grinned. "And what about you, Ji Hoo?"

"Me?"

"When was the last time you and Jan Di spent some...quality time?" He quirked a brow.

"Oh," Ji Hoo gave a little chuckle. "Well, we've been very busy lately."

"You should follow your own advice."

"Oh, don't worry. I have plans…"

"Plans, huh?" Yi Jeong arched a brow.

"Yes, plans."

The two exchanged a smile, and Yi Jeong patted Ji Hoo on the back. "That's the spirit… Anyway," he returned to the subject at hand," I'd still feel better if I could treat you to dinner. Why don't you check your schedule and also talk to Jan Di?"

Ji Hoo nodded. "I'll do that."

"Okay, great!" He clapped his hands together. "And I'll go and ask Dr. Yu. Any idea where I might find her?"

"She's probably in her office, room 204."

Just then, Ji Hoo felt a buzzing at his hip, and when he picked up his phone, a message from Jan Di came in. She was informing him that she'd finished with the C-section and was coming to meet him. "I'm going to meet Jan Di now. I'll see you soon, Yi Jeong."

The two said goodbye and parted ways.

Dr. Yu had just left her office and was on her way to check on a few patients. She planned to make a quick stop in the doctors' lounge first and then visit her patients, making a loop and ending with So Byeong Ho. She started walking in the direction of the lounge but stopped when she heard someone call her name from behind, and she turned to see Mr. So jogging toward her.

"Mr. So, is there a problem?" she asked once he stood before her.

"Well, sort of."

Dr. Yu urged him to go on with a nod, but Mr. So hesitated. He rubbed the back of his neck and avoided eye contact. "I uh wanted to apologize to you."

She blinked a few times in surprise. "Apologize?"

"Yes. First, for not believing in you. I should have known that if Ji Hoo thinks so highly of someone's abilities, they must be very capable."

Dr. Yoon thinks highly of my abilities? He'd certainly been encouraging of her, but she wasn't sure what he thought, exactly. She listened as Mr. So went on…

"Also, I was rather rude to you earlier, cutting you off like that, not listening. I've just been under a lot of stress."

She smiled faintly. "That's understandable, but thank you."

Dr. Yu prepared to leave but paused, as Mr. So seemed to have more to say.

"I was also wondering if you would like to have dinner with me, as a thank you?"

"Dinner?" Did he just ask me out? Dr. Yu pondered this. It would be a tempting offer… Mr. So was handsome, and she did like older men...but no, she must be mistaken. He's married, and his child just had surgery. Surely, he wouldn't do such a thing! But men had tried just about every cheesy pickup line and lame excuse in the book on her, so naturally, she was skeptical. This did seem like a sincere invite, though.

"Yes. Unfortunately, my wife won't be able to join us…"

His wife won't be joining…? Hm, that made it a bit more curious. "I see. Mr. So, I‒" She made it a point not to get involved with married men, and certainly not with the father of one of her patients…

"Oh, Ji Hoo‒I mean, Dr. Yoon‒will also be there."

"Dr. Yoon will be going?" She placed a finger to her lips. Well, if it's the two of them going it doesn't seem so bad, she told herself. "Yes, I'll go. Thank you, Mr. So."

"Great!" Yi Jeong clapped his hands together. "Well, I have your card, so I'll give you a call soon to schedule when things settle down here."

Dr. Yu nodded.

"I'll see you, then. And Dr. Yu?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you so much, again. You have no idea what this means to us..."

Dr. Yu smiled. "I have an idea." Although she didn't have a family of her own, she could certainly imagine how a parent must feel in a situation like this, and she'd seen enough to know. Not all cases she'd worked on had happy endings, but she was glad that the So family got one. And she only hoped Byeong Ho would continue to improve…

Dr. Yu and Yi Jeong exchanged a bow, and she walked away.

Meanwhile, Jan Di made her way toward the pediatric PACU to visit Byeong Ho and to see Ga Eul and Yi Jeong. She was also eager to see her husband. He'd done so well in surgery, and she wanted to tell him so. And Jan Di recalled watching Byeong Ho's surgery…

After opening Byeong Ho up, the team got in there and ended up having to perform an entirely different procedure than they set out to, but Ji Hoo had handled the situation beautifully. He kept his poise and his professionalism the entire time; Jan Di would have expected nothing less. There were a couple times when a problem arose, and during those times, Jan Di felt herself holding her breath and leaning forward in her seat. She was literally on the edge of her seat through most of the surgery, but she kept her faith in Ji Hoo, and he and the team came through with flying colors.

When the procedure was completed, the entire gallery began clapping. Jan Di released the breath she'd been holding until the very end and smiled. Then she stood, as if giving an encore at a stage performance...it was quite dramatic, but she was just so relieved and proud of Ji Hoo. And she continued the charge, vigorously clapping for her husband and his colleagues' success, along with the other doctors and interns.

Ji Hoo looked up at her then, and she knew that if he could pull down his mask right now, he'd be giving her that flawless smile of his that she had so long ago fallen in love with. Jan Di visibly smiled back at him, so wide that she thought her face would crack, and she gave her husband a thumbs up for a job well done.

Going to meet him now, Jan Di had the urge to suggest to Ji Hoo going out for a nice dinner with Yi Jeong and Ga Eul to celebrate, but on second thought, that wasn't a good idea, at least not anytime soon. Ji Hoo would be tired; Byeong Ho would be recovering, and Jan Di doubted Ga Eul would want to leave him. Perhaps they could celebrate another time, though. Either way, she couldn't wait to see everyone, Byeong Ho, Ga Eul, and Ji Hoo, especially.

On the way, Jan Di ran into Mee-Yon, who was standing near the vending machine with a can of coffee in her hands. "Eomma," she called out to her, and Jan Di stopped.

"There you are." Jan Di went to Mee-Yon and placed an arm around her shoulders. She glanced down at the can she was holding. "Coffee?"

"Yes, I like it now." Mee-Yon smiled awkwardly, and Jan Di shrugged. "Where is your brother?"

"He went with Eun Jeong back to see Byeong Ho." Jan Di nodded and began walking with her daughter.

"Eomma…?" Mee-Yon asked along the way.

"Yes?"

"...Nothing. Never mind, you're busy."

"No, I'm not. I'm just on my way to see Byeong Ho and Aunt Ga Eul and Uncle Yi Jeong."

Mee-Yon was staring at her feet now while walking with her mother's arm around her. "Is something the matter?" Jan Di asked. Mee-Yon shook her head. "No. I wanted to...ask you something, but it can wait till later."

Jan Di glanced curiously at her daughter. While doing so, Jan Di noticed a chain hanging from Mee Yon's neck that she hadn't seen earlier. She couldn't tell what the pendant was, though, for it was tucked into her shirt, and she decided not to ask about it right now. "Okay...or, we can talk on the way?" Jan Di suggested.

"Well, I guess it's...something I should ask both you and Appa."

This had Jan Di's interest piqued. She stopped and faced her daughter, waiting for more of an explanation.

"Don't worry about it, Eomma." Mee-Yon gave an awkward chuckle, one Jan Di knew meant that she was nervous or uneasy about something.

Jan Di placed a hand on Mee Yon's shoulder. "After we visit Byeong Ho, we'll go somewhere with your father and talk, okay?"

Mee-Yon nodded. Jan Di linked arms with her, and they continued walking together.

Dr. Yu stopped in the doctors' lounge to take a break. She pulled a bottled water out of the fridge and took a seat at a table in the back by herself. A few doctors and interns were around, some seated at tables and some standing around in small groups. Her memory was excellent, so she recognized all of them, despite the short amount of time she'd worked here. Dr. Yu removed the cap to her water and took a drink. She started thinking about her next case, tests she needed to run and the like, but her mind drifted to earlier…

Dr. Yoon thinks highly of my abilities… For some reason, her head kept repeating it in full force.

Sure, she knew she was a smart and talented person…After all, she'd graduated high school early, whizzed through a fine pre-med program, and graduated top of her class at the university in Boston...she was even a pioneer in pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass and was an integral part in the development of a safer, more precise technique. But for a man like Doctor Yoon to think highly of her abilities… The corners of her lips curved slightly, but then she heard his name mentioned in the room, so she attuned to that.

A group of young doctors and interns had started talking about Director Yoon, so she listened in, nonchalantly.

"I heard Dr. Yoon might be leaving soon," one doctor said.

Dr. Yu's brow furrowed. She hadn't known that. Was it true?

"He's retiring so soon? He's not very old," an intern commented.

And he really wasn't. In fact, Dr. Yoon was considered to be at the height of his career.

"Not retiring, exactly, but I hear his grandfather, former President Yoon, is not well, so he's planning to take over his clinic."

Dr. Yu interlaced her fingers on the table. Although she understood the situation, he couldn't leave yet! She still had so much to learn from him. And she recalled working closely with Dr. Yoon over the past few weeks…

Yu Min Jee knew the main reason Dr. Yoon started working with her was because of his good friend's child, but in the process, he seemed to take an interest in furthering her career. He genuinely seemed to want to listen and to teach her. Not only that, but he wasn't above learning something from her, and that was amazing to her.

She recalled suturing grapes with him. It had been tedious work that went well into the evening, but she'd actually enjoyed it. The time spent with Dr. Yoon seemed to fly by, whether it was in comfortable silence or talking. They hadn't talked a lot, but some, and a couple of times he even made a joke. Dr. Yoon was professional and serious, but she'd noticed this dry sense of humor in him. He was really funny, actually, and she'd laughed more that night than in a long time.

Dr. Yu continued to listen in to the conversation going on in the room. The subject had veered off Dr. Yoon leaving but remained on him…

"You know, Dr. Yoon may be handsome, but he's so intimidating," one of the newer interns complained.

Dr. Yu sneered and mumbled under her breath, "Well, sure he's intimidating to an idiot like you…"

"He does that really cold stare, you know the one?"

"Yeah," a young female doctor chimed in, chuckling a bit. "He's not very...friendly, is he?" The group collectively shook its head.

Yu Min Jee squeezed her water bottle between her hands. He's always been friendly with me… And then she thought back to all he'd done for her, only small things but meaningful, nonetheless. Mainly, he'd always been a gentleman‒holding doors, pulling out chairs, speaking politely. It was rare to meet a man like that these days, especially for her. Most men she met either failed to recognize her talent or disrespected her because she was a woman, that, or they looked at her lasciviously or even came onto her.

But Dr. Yoon wasn't like that. He'd always treated her with the utmost respect; he treated her as an equal, even though she was his junior, and he made her feel as though she had a bright future. That wasn't something Dr. Yu questioned; she didn't need reassurance of her talent, but it was still nice.

The idiots continued with their gossip...

"He's just so serious," a male doctor commented. "I think the only one he's really friendly with is Dr. Geum, and that's only because she's his wife."

"Not all husbands and wives are friendly with each other," a middle-aged, married male doctor seated at a table nearby chimed in on the conversation. A few in the room laughed at his joke.

"True, but Dr. Yoon and Dr. Geum actually seem to get along...can you believe it, after what, fifteen years of marriage?"

"Hey, do you think Dr. Yoon is the type to...you know, fool around?" the female intern whispered. "I mean, he's very good-looking, wealthy, a prominent surgeon... I'm sure he has prospects…"

"Nah, I doubt it. Have you seen how his face lights up when Dr. Geum appears?" the female doctor remarked. "They're obviously still in love."

"Omo, yeah, they're really cute," another young, female intern chirped. "They're like best friends! It's like one of those beautiful love stories that lasts…," She clasped her hands together, looking starry-eyed. "I hope I get that lucky someday."

Dr. Yu was only glad she wasn't eating right now. All this sickeningly sweet talk was giving her a stomach ache as it was.

"She's right. This one time I saw him acting cold as usual, but then Dr. Geum walked in, and he smiled so wide I thought I'd been blinded! I'm telling you, that man is head over heels for his wife, even after all this time."

"Definitely, but aside from his wife and that small group of friends he has‒that legendary F4 group from Shinwha‒he could care less about interacting with anyone on a personal level."

That was the last straw; Dr. Yu had heard enough!

Dr. Yu stood up. "Why don't you all mind your own business!" she exclaimed as she bolted upright. For the next ten seconds, she was silent. Everyone was just staring at her with shocked and confused looks on their faces. Perhaps she'd gone overboard...but what did she care? It wasn't like she was Miss Popularity around here.

She took a calming breath and continued on; she might as well speak her piece now. "What do you expect, huh?" She glanced all around the room at the guilty parties. "Dr. Yoon is the Director. Do you think he's going to take you out for drinks and hold your incompetent hands? He does his job, and he does it well. You should have more respect."

The room was eerily quiet, and Dr. Yu sized them all up once more. She'd seen each of them in action at one point or another, and none were very good at their jobs. What right did they have to criticize Dr. Yoon Ji Hoo on any level? Trembling lightly in anger, she spoke in a low voice, "None of you are even fit to stand in the same room as him." She ended her tirade and stormed out of the lounge.

After leaving, Dr. Yu trudged down the hall in frustration. She couldn't help thinking she'd made a fool of herself, getting so worked up like that. And why? She really didn't care what those people thought, but she just couldn't stand them speaking that way about Dr. Yoon behind his back.

Just as she passed the nurses' station, she saw Dr. Yoon coming her direction, and reflexively, she smiled. She started making her way down the hall to meet him, but then she saw his wife and daughter step off the elevator. As soon as he saw them, he got that huge, bright smile on his face, the one everyone was talking about.

She'd seen a smile like that from him only once, just after this most recent surgery. He'd been so relieved that it was a success that when they were leaving the OR, he'd pulled his mask down, and he had a wide smile on his face, pearly and perfect. Of course, not long after, she saw the concern set in, and she knew he was thinking about all the future visits the patient would have to endure. This wasn't the end of it, by any means.

Dr. Yoon immediately went to his wife and daughter, or at least, she assumed it was the daughter he'd mentioned. Apparently, he forgot all about Dr. Yu, if he'd even noticed her, and he opened his arms wide and encompassed his wife in a tight hug.

Ji Hoo and Jan Di relaxed against each other, and it was one of those soft, warm hugs that had the power to bring the sun out on a rainy day. "Jan Di-ah," he whispered as he held her back; one hand wandered into her hair while the other wrapped her waist.

And Dr. Yu's smile faded away like dust. She wandered a little closer, discreetly, and hung out by the nurses' station, pretending to check a chart as she watched the interaction.

While Dr. Yoon hugged his wife, his daughter stood back just watching and smiling as if this was completely routine. Ten or so seconds later, Dr. Yoon and Dr. Geum pulled back from each other and shared some kind of mushy look. It was then that the doctor from the lounge's words resounded with Dr. Yu.

Still in love, indeed…

After that, Dr. Yoon opened up his arms and beckoned his daughter into a group hug. This hug was different from the one with his wife, looser but still loving. It looked like a scene from one of those overly touchy-feely, heartwarming family movies. Were they like this all the time? She wondered.

It was obvious Dr. Yoon was a family man. He didn't talk a lot about non-work-related things, but when he did, it was always about his wife or kids. And from what she'd heard and seen, the Yoons truly seemed to be the epitome of the ideal Korean family‒parents are doctors, two beautiful, respectful children, and they all love each other. It was the dream but rarely existed in real life.

Will I ever have something like that? Yu Min Jee wondered.

After a while, the Yoons ended their hug, but Dr. Yoon kept a hand on the shoulder of each, and she heard him say, "It's so nice to see my two favorite girls here at the same time, the most beautiful girls in the world, I might add. You two are really a sight for sore eyes."

They smiled at him, and Dr. Geum spoke. "Ji Hoo-ah, you did so well in surgery today. Does your hand hurt?"

"Not so much."

She gave him another affectionate look. "Well, I'm so proud of you."

"Me too, Appa!" his daughter chimed in.

Dr. Yoon smiled and leaned in to kiss each of them on the forehead, first his wife and then his daughter. Turning away, Yu Min Jee glanced sullenly to the side. "Can anyone be that happy?" And with a sigh, she walked away...

Jan Di arrived in the PACU with Mee-Yon and Ji Hoo and immediately went to Ga Eul's side. Ga Eul had just finished feeding and was lying Byeong Ho down.

"Ga Eul-ah!" Jan Di exclaimed, and she held her arms out. Ga Eul went to her, and the two friends met in the middle, sharing an affectionate embrace that lasted longer than expected. The other parties in the room decided to give them some space, so they all stepped out for a few minutes.

"Ga Eul-ah, how are you doing? How's Byeong Ho?" Jan Di asked after breaking their hug. She urged her friend to sit and glanced down at Byeong Ho.

Ga Eul smiled. "He's exhausted but doing well. He ate a little less than usual, but at least he's eating."

"I can already see the improvement in his pallor," Jan Di commented. "That's a good sign."

Ga Eul smiled, but then her eyes began to moisten. When Jan Di noticed this, she went to her. "Ga Eul-ah, are you okay?"

"Yes." She sniffled and wiped at her eyes. Jan Di went for a box of tissues and held it out to her. Ga Eul took one and thanked her, and Jan Di sat down in a chair beside Ga Eul. "It's just that...I was so afraid. Thank the heavens for Ji Hoo and Dr. Yu. I'm really grateful to them."

Jan Di nodded. "Yes, they did a great job. They really work well together."

"My heart can finally rest a bit...I mean, I know he's going to need further treatment, but Ji Hoo told us that he'll be able to breathe much better now, and he shouldn't get sick as much. I'm so thankful for that."

Jan Di smiled over at Ga Eul. "I'm so glad for you."

Ga Eul slowly released an exhale. "Well, I've been obsessing over this so much lately that I need to talk about something else. What's been going on with you, Jan Di?"

"Oh." Jan Di met her friend's eyes. She seemed entirely focused on her now, but Ga Eul was glancing here and there at Byeong Ho out of the corner of her eye. Jan Di felt the need to come up with something really interesting to say, but she couldn't think of a thing. "Not much, really. I've been working mostly."

"How are things between you and Ji Hoo?"

The question caught Jan Di off guard. She paused, blinking a few times before answering. "They're great. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason. I didn't mean anything by it. It's just that you both seem very busy and stressed lately."

"Yeah, we have been. Ji Hoo has been working a lot, even more than me. This new director position has been very time-consuming for him…"

"And we only added to that by asking for his help with Byeong Ho."

Jan Di shook her head. "Think nothing of that. Ji Hoo was glad to do it, and that was very important, so of course, it was good you went to him."

Ga Eul nodded. "Yes, but I can't think nothing of it, Jan Di. I really don't know how to ever thank him properly. We are just so…" Ga Eul was beginning to tear up, so Jan Di put an arm around her. "I know, but you have to understand that Byeong Ho and all of you are no different than family to us. How could Ji Hoo not do everything in his power?"

The best friends exchanged a smile.

"Dr. Yu has been really great, too. We owe her a lot, as well, so I mentioned to Yi Jeong that we should treat her to dinner, or at least he should. I don't think I'll be leaving Byeong Ho's side anytime soon, not until I'm sure he's perfectly fine."

"I understand that, but are you really going to send Yi Jeong out with Dr. Yu?"

Ga Eul pressed her lips together. "Is that something you think I should be concerned about, Jan Di?"

"No, I'm not saying that. Don't take it the wrong way; it's just that...it's kind of…," Jan Di was trying to choose her words delicately so as not to offend, "...an unusual situation."

"I suppose it is, but I really want to thank her properly." There was a pause in the conversation, and then Ga Eul turned toward Jan Di. "So, what do you think of this Dr. Yu?"

"I think...that...she's an amazing doctor."

"Yes, I know that, but...what do you think of her...as a person?"

It was kind of a strange thing for Ga Eul to ask, but she supposed it was legitimate since she was sending her husband out to dinner with this woman. "Well, um, I don't know her all that well. She's very...formal, professional, not overly friendly, but she's generally polite. Ji Hoo only has good things to say about her. I think he sees a lot of promise in her, and he's trying to mentor her or something because they've been working together...a lot..." Jan Di realized she'd been prattling, but it was just dawning on her now how much time she and Ji Hoo had been working together, sometimes alone.

"Hmm..."

"What do you mean 'hmm,' Ga Eul?"

"It's nothing, except…"

"Except what?"

"Well, you're okay with that?"

Jan Di gave Ga Eul a good-natured scoff. "Why wouldn't I be? It's strictly professional, and I trust Ji Hoo."

"Yes, but what about her? Do you trust her?"

"Ga Eul, where is this coming from?" Jan Di hadn't been a bit worried about Ji Hoo working with Dr. Yu until Ga Eul brought it up. And she didn't like the feeling she got in her stomach. She had absolutely no reason to doubt Ji Hoo, yet there was this gnawing sensation going on now.

Not knowing how else to dismiss the subject, Jan Di laughed it off. "Ga Eul-ah, are you starved for some drama or something?"

This time Ga Eul laughed. "Maybe. Anyway, I'm sorry to bring it up."

"It's okay, but really, I don't think there is anything that would make me question Ji Hoo's loyalty to me and to our family. He's a man I completely trust. I know he would never, ever hurt me in any way." And Jan Di meant every word of her statement. She'd always known that her heart was safe with Ji Hoo; he was her Prince, her firefighter, her angel from heaven, and that had never changed. She knew that women still looked at him longingly and even tried to flirt with him sometimes, and she didn't like that, but Ji Hoo never showed them any kind of attention.

"You're absolutely right, Jan Di. I know Ji Hoo adores you and the kids, and he'd never stray."

"Yeah…" Jan Di sighed.

"Jan Di-ah?" Ga Eul looked over, concerned. "I really didn't mean to upset you. I shouldn't have said anything. Forgive me."

"No, it's alright. It's just that...I miss spending time with him… We haven't been able to see each other much, except in passing at work and at night, right before bed. We don't even always get to have dinner together these days. Plus, it would be nice to...you know…," Jan Di blushed madly, despite her age and how long she'd been married, "renew our...well, you know?"

"Yes, I know." Ga Eul grinned at her friend. "Has it been a while?"

Jan Di blushed even harder if that was possible, and Ga Eul realized she'd been entirely too nosy, so she apologized. "It's okay. Um, not too long, but it's...not as often as it used to be."

"Well, that's common. You have two kids at home, and you're both high-powered doctors."

"Yeah." Jan Di nodded. "Ji Hoo wants to take a vacation sometime soon, though. I hope that happens. I'm actually really looking forward to it."

"I hope it happens, too, Jan Di. I think it's a great idea."

. . .

After visiting Byeong Ho and Ga Eul for a bit, Jan Di took Ji Hoo aside and mentioned that Mee Yon wanted to talk to them, so the three of them stepped out and went to Ji Hoo's office.

"This really isn't necessary, Appa, Eomma...you have a lot going on right now," Mee-Yon said, playing with her fingers along the way.

"It's fine, my little lotus. Byeong Ho is stable, and I'll be paged if anything happens. I can give you some time," Ji Hoo replied.

Mee-Yon plastered on a smile and nodded to her father.

When they got to Ji Hoo's office, he pulled out seats for Jan Di and Mee-Yon and went to sit behind his desk. Mee-Yon sat with her ankles crossed and her hands in her lap. Why did Appa have to sit behind his huge desk? That made it seem so much more intimidating…she felt like she was making an important business proposal. And she kind of was…

Mee-Yon was really nervous to say what she was about to, actually, and she knew her parents could see it. They knew it was something big because she could see their nervousness, too. She could just tell by the look in their eyes. Each had their own individual look when they knew something major was to come‒her father's eyes were calm, yet eerily so, and her mother's were practically bulging out as if to say 'just get it over with and tell me.'

"Appa, Eomma...," she began, and her hands began to lightly tremble.

Ji Hoo was very concerned, but he tried to put his daughter at ease. "Whatever it is, you can tell us, Little Lotus." He tried to internally reassure himself, but Mee Yon's body language had put at least a hundred terrifying thoughts in his head. He felt his hand sliding across his desk, his hand instinctively reaching for Jan Di's, for comfort. And if hers had been near enough, he would have grasped it at the moment.

As for Jan Di, she kept calm, though she was becoming more and more impatient to know what Mee-Yon was going to say with each passing second she hesitated.

"Appa, Eomma," Mee-Yon repeated. "I...I was wondering...I would like to…" Ahhh, how do I put this? "Aidan Sunbae, he…" She saw her father tense up a bit at his name. No doubt Appa was thinking Aidan had done something horrible. She took a deep breath. "Aidan Sunbae asked me if…" She swallowed. Here goes nothing… "...if I can go on tour with him."

Mee-Yon watched her parents' reactions, which happened almost in slow motion. Her mother's eyes got wider, and her father just stared at her, his lips parting ever so slightly. After several seconds, they turned to look at one another, and then her mother turned back to her, exclaiming, "Are you crazy?!"

"Eomma…," Mee-Yon muttered, dropping her head to look down at her hands.

Jan Di stood up. "No, no, don't say 'Eomma!' How could you even ask such a thing, Yoon Mee-Yon?"

As for her appa, he was entirely too calm and quiet, even for Yoon Ji Hoo. Perhaps he was having an aneurysm right now?

Ji Hoo had put his hand over his mouth; he removed it and finally spoke softly, "Jan Di-ah…" He stood and leaned forward enough to catch Jan Di's hand. He held it, in hopes of calming her while she stood there, rigid, looking down at Mee-Yon. Ji Hoo went around his desk, said his wife's name again, and guided her gently by the shoulders back into her seat.

Mee-Yon carefully raised her gaze, and her eyes darted between her parents. "I know it's a lot to ask, but Aidan Sunbae has thought of everything. He has a tutor, so I could keep up with school, and there will be adults to help take care of me, and I'd have my own room, of course, when we travel." Mee-Yon immediately knew that was a mistake to say, and she felt her cheeks heat up when her mother muttered a sardonic, 'Well, I should hope so,' knowing where her mind must've immediately gone.

"It-It would only be for maybe a...month or two…"

"What? That long?!" Jan Di's head snapped upward toward her husband, and she would've bolted upright again if Ji Hoo's hands weren't on her shoulders, keeping her in place. "Are you hearing this, Ji Hoo?" Ji Hoo tightened his mouth and nodded.

Jan Di looked over at Mee-Yon again and shook her head emphatically. "No, certainly not. End of discussion. Ji Hoo?" She looked to Ji Hoo for back-up.

"But Eomma…," Mee-Yon whined, and she looked to Appa. Sticking her lip out in a pitiful pout, she met her father's eyes. He released a little sigh. "I have to agree with your mother, Mee-Yon."

A higher-pitched whine inadvertently passed her lips. "Aaapppa…"

"No. I'm sorry, but it's just out of the question."

And Jan Di was glad that Ji Hoo had backed her up.

Fruitlessly, Mee-Yon looked at her mother, knowing she'd get no sympathy there, and again to her father. She stared helplessly at her appa for a few extra seconds, but his face was cold and hard. Mee-Yon heaved a loud sigh and stood. With a frown and a last look to both of them, she spun around and left the office.

Ji Hoo hesitated for about five seconds before taking a step forward, but then his feet rooted to the spot. He remained there, staring at the doorway as if contemplating going after her.

"Let her go, Ji Hoo," Jan Di said, and she sighed. "Give her some time to be alone and cool off." Jan Di knew this was good advice, for Mee-Yon was like her in a lot of ways. But then again, Ji Hoo knew her and what she needed so well, same with Mee-Yon…

The force of Ji Hoo's exhale was such that Jan Di could hear it even from a couple feet away and with his back turned to her. He walked back over and slumped into the chair Mee-Yon had been seated in, next to Jan Di. He looked at her, and she slipped her hand into his.

Jan Di felt as bad as Ji Hoo, and she knew that she'd overreacted. Decidedly, she, or the both of them, would need to sit down with Mee-Yon and have a more thoughtful conversation about this later. But Jan Di believed that Ji Hoo's and her decision was firm, and they were right to say no to Mee Yon's request. Mee-Yon had so much to do here, after all. She had school, the swim team, and her family and friends, of course. Even if Mee-Yon felt like she wanted this now, Jan Di knew that she would be missing all of that when she was gone, and she would probably end up miserable. Not to mention, she was far too young to be traveling the world without her family, especially with a boy she barely knew, one she and Ji Hoo also knew very little about. Aidan Cho seemed like a nice enough boy, but this wasn't something Mee-Yon was ready for, and Jan Di knew it.

Still, Jan Di told herself she should have handled it in a more delicate, understanding manner. Her daughter was fifteen and in love, and she could relate to that. Although she had fallen for Ji Hoo at a much later age, it was equally intense, and she had been just as inexperienced and naive. Digging back through her memories, Jan Di reminded herself what that first love was like and how it had affected her own decision-making process, causing her to do things like begging Seo Hyun to stay and going along with the New Caledonia trip just because he would be there. Perhaps she should talk to Mee-Yon, alone. After all, it would break her husband's heart to learn that his little girl was in love… But then again, he would have to learn to deal with it someday, and as intuitive as Ji Hoo was, he surely already knew…

The next few days passed in the blink of an eye. Byeong Ho was slowly getting stronger but was still in the hospital. The nanny and Ji Hye alternated staying with Ae Jeong and Jae Jin, and a substitute was teaching Ga Eul's class while she spent most of her time at the hospital. Yi Jeong was there as much as he could be, too, between meetings and exhibits. The F4 kids stopped in sporadically to visit Byeong Ho, the So kids more than the others, at least once a day. And Seok Young had been there a lot because of Eun Jeong.

As for Aidan and Aria, their manager had pulled them out of school early in order to rehearse them for the upcoming concert. And life went on for the rest of F4 and their children as normal.

Mee-Yon, however, had been less cheerful than usual. She missed seeing Aidan around campus, even though she appreciated him messaging her‒to let her know why he wasn't in school and to chat whenever he had the chance.

. . .

The concert was fast-approaching, only a day away now. There was nothing Mee-Yon could do to stop Aidan from leaving, and she felt her heart sinking with the inevitable passage of time. She felt like she was staring at one of those underwater stopwatches that divers use, and she could see her oxygen quickly running out with no hope of making it the surface in time...

Saturday…

The evening of the concert came in a flurry of enthusiasm. Everyone in school was talking about it, had been for a week, actually, and most were so distracted they could hardly get anything done at school. But Mee-Yon was distracted for a different reason. All she could think about was how this concert signified the last time she would see Aidan in who knows how long… She didn't see it as the end of their relationship‒if that was what they were calling what they had‒but definitely a parting.

"This is it," she said to herself as she dressed for the concert. Eun Jeong was over, so Mee-Yon got some help from her with her hair. That evening, Mee-Yon wore her hair up and dressed nicer than usual, in a floral print button up and black mini skirt (not too mini, of course), black tights and boots. She even wore a tad of makeup, though all this seemed pointless. Yes, she wanted to look nice for her...Aidan Sunbae, whatever he was, but at the same time, it seemed silly.

While they got ready, Eun Jeong tried to make conversation with Mee-Yon, but she just wasn't in the mood.

An hour later, Mee-Yon tucked the backstage passes Aidan had given her into her purse and left for the concert with Eun Jeong, Yeong Hui, and Seok Young. Since there were four of them, they were driven by the Yoon secretary.

Upon arrival, Seok Young, Mee Yon, Eun Jeong, and Yeong Hui gave their tickets to the staff at the door, and after Mee Yon showed their VIP passes, the staff told her to hold onto them for later. Inside the Shinwha gymnasium, there was a stage with a few instruments already set up and a large open area with some sections blocked off. It was general admission, standing only, so the four of them found a spot on the floor near centerstage and stood there, awaiting the concert to begin.

They were there pretty early, so they had a good spot, but other students and even non-students were already starting to filter in around them. There was a lot of time to kill, so they started chatting and messing around on their phones, and Seok Young and Eun Jeong were being flirty as usual. But as for Mee-Yon, all she could do was stare anxiously at the stage, waiting for him to appear.

Seok Young and Eun Jeong‒now flanking Mee-Yon like palace guards‒noticed her zombified state, and Eun Jeong asked, "Are you okay?" She touched her shoulder, and then Seok Young spoke the same question, but silently, and his eyes remained on her, awaiting the answer.

"I'm fine," Mee-Yon said, faking a smile.

. . .

Time passed quicker than expected, and before the kids knew it, the band was taking the stage, a guitarist, bassist, and drummer. Aidan and Aria's manager walked onto the stage a few moments later to specially announce the performance tonight. He said a few words of thanks, and without further ado, he announced his clients. The crowd cheered for Aria, who came out first. The pop princess, who had gone blonde, walked over to her manager in an amazing outfit and heels that looked impossible to even stand in let alone walk, and she gave him a side-hug. Then Aidan took the stage amidst ear-piercing female screams. He seemed to be the more popular of the two, but that was probably due to the predominantly female audience.

As soon as Aidan stepped out from behind that curtain, Mee-Yon could feel her heart throbbing in her chest. He looked really good tonight...he'd done his hair differently; it was gelled back but with a few messy pieces falling over his eyes, and he was dressed in a white button-up, black pants, and vest. Since they had been so early, they weren't far from the stage, and Mee-Yon could easily see Aidan without the need for those really big screens on each side. Mee-Yon squeezed her purse straps with both hands and stared out over the heads of the few fellow students of hers who had gone in front of her to try and be as close as possible.

Aidan grabbed the mic off its stand, took a breath, and began speaking in his best Korean. He greeted the crowd and thanked everyone, and he informed them, again, that this would be their farewell performance in Seoul‒the crowd aww'ed‒and he broke the news that they would be going on a world tour after this. And the crowd cheered. He went on to speak about how much his time here had meant to him, about the friends he'd made and the experiences he'd had.

Mee-Yon could hear the emotion in his voice and see it in his eyes, and she felt herself welling up. But she tried to will the tears away; it was too soon for them! This wasn't the end, she reminded herself. She would enjoy his performance, and she would see him after the concert and tomorrow. And she would say goodbye properly.

"We're very excited about this tour," Aidan went on to say, "But we are sad to leave South Korea, the place where we were born. But don't worry, we plan to come back again. That is, if you want us to..." The audience shouted their approval.

He's coming back… Mee Yon's spirit soared.

And then Aidan's gaze settled on Mee-Yon, and her heart, which had just begun to settle down, started to speed up, to an almost painful level. He gave her a little smile and suddenly wiped away a tear with the back of his hand. "Mianhae!" he told the audience with a laugh-cry as he cast his glance all around. And he added, "I promise I'll work on my Korean for next time. I'm really an embarrassment to our country, aren't I?" lightening the mood.

The audience laughed and shouted 'Aniyo!'" And they all cheered for him.

Mee-Yon smiled to herself, for she knew Aidan wasn't completely joking, for this was an area he was insecure in. Actually, she really felt for him because he was trying so hard to learn Korean, and she remembered her difficulties with learning English. Appa had been the most helpful by singing English songs with her. She absolutely adored listening to her father sing, and that had helped her learn faster‒and retain it. As for Aidan, she'd done what she could to teach him, even implementing Appa's song method, and he had improved, but there was only so much a person could learn in a few weeks. Still, those times spent singing Korean songs together were some of her fondest memories…

Aidan had just handed the mic off to Aria, and he turned his back on the audience, bringing his hand up as if wiping away tears. Please don't cry, Aidan Sunbae, or you'll make me cry…, Mee-Yon thought.

The pop princess began speaking more about what was in store tonight, about their new album, which they'd been working very hard on, and about their upcoming tour. Finally, Aidan turned around again, and he was smiling brightly. Aria finished her speech, and with a flash of bright lights and the strumming of a guitar, the concert began…

The pop duo started with one of their hit songs, and brother and sister were doing a lively song and dance number. The crowd was singing and moving along with the music, having all the lyrics memorized, even the English ones. And with the aid of Eun Jeong and Yeong Hui, Mee Yon managed to get into the spirit of things and started dancing along, too. As expected, Seok Young wasn't dancing, even though he was good at it, but he did give each of the girls a few brief twirls.

For the next song, the house lights came down completely; bright blue lights silhouetted the stage, and a heavy fog emanated as if from nowhere, covering the floor of the stage as Aidan and Aria began singing a slow duet, accompanied by a small string ensemble. "Two Halves" was a unique song, basically about the love between family, siblings especially, and it was one of their most popular ballads. During the song, Aidan put his arm around Aria's shoulders, and at the end, they shared a hug, and Aria gave him a quick peck on the cheek, causing the crowd to roar. The whole loving brother-sister concept was a big hit, both domestically and internationally, and they even had their 'shippers' as a pairing, not romantically, of course, but just for the bond that they shared.

Seok Young took the opportunity when the lights were low to put his arms around Eun Jeong's waist from behind and rest his chin on her shoulder. He felt her shiver in surprise at first, but then she relaxed into him.

After that number, the lights came back on, the pyrotechnics began, and the music sped up. And the audience went nuts when Aidan, Aria, and some attractive, talented backup dancers started performing one of their hot new dance songs. The crowd was dancing and jumping again and trying to move closer to the stage, for the chance at possibly touching one of the pop twins. Maybe...they would even get pulled onstage if they were lucky…

All the movement was causing the F4 kids to get pushed around a bit, which they weren't used to. It was their first concert like this. Even Aidan and Aria's last concert hadn't been this crowded or intense. Where did all these extra people come from anyway?

During the pushing and shoving, Seok Young was being protective of Eun Jeong, Mee-Yon and Yeong Hui, though the latter hardly needed it and had already told off a couple not very nice girls. Seok Young kept the other concertgoers at bay as best he could while maintaining some semblance of politeness and personal space, and some backed off just by seeing who he was.

The Yoon boy was thankful when another ballad came on because it seemed to lull the active crowd, which seemed to be deriving its energy from the pop twins. When they were upbeat, so was the crowd; when they were subdued, so was the crowd.

. . .

The night wore on at an accelerated pace with Aidan and Aria performing a mix of original songs and covers. Mee-Yon was trying to enjoy and be in the moment, but she just felt in a daze, her mind wandering constantly, her thoughts drifting back to moments with Aidan, to his smiles and touches, to things he'd said… How funny that he was before her now, performing‒singing, dancing, smiling and looking perfect‒yet she was thinking about a past ghost of him as if he was already long gone…

The concert was much shorter than Aidan and Aria's last one, or at least it seemed like it, and before Mee-Yon knew it, they had finished their 'last song' and left the stage. At that moment, she felt as though her heart had stopped. Was it really over already? However, they came back a couple minutes later for an encore after a round of heavy clapping…

Aidan picked up the mic and spoke to the audience once more, telling them that for his encore he would be singing a cover of a song that he really liked by an artist he admired. He paused and looked at Mee-Yon before adding, "I'm singing this song for a special someone...someone who has made my time here very special and memorable."

Mee-Yon felt her heart race again.

"With this song, I want to thank her, and...tell her...that I'll never forget her."

No, don't say things like that Aidan Sunbae…

Why was she suddenly starting to cry? This was not good. Her heart couldn't take this. It wasn't strong enough. She suddenly felt like Aidan had been sending her so many mixed messages the past couple days.

First, there was the necklace. The necklace… Mee-Yon reached inside her shirt, finding the pendant. She took it out for a moment to run her finger along it, and then she tucked it safely back inside. He'd tried to get her to go on tour with him; then, he'd said he would come back to Korea...and now, he was speaking about her as if this was goodbye forever…

Mee-Yon didn't know what to think or how to feel. Should she be happy, flattered, head over heels for this guy who was about to express his feelings for her in public, in song, or should she be heartbroken that it was all coming to an end? She stared down at the floor for a second to regain her composure, and she wiped at her eyes, hoping he‒and everyone else‒didn't see.

A stool was brought out for Aidan, and he sat down on it. He closed his eyes for a moment, looking very solemn, perhaps lost in thought, and then he began to sing…

Mee Yon was surprised...Aidan was actually singing in Korean, which he didn't often do, at least not fully. Even more surprising was his pronunciation, which was better than ever. When did he get so good, and how many hours had he spent rehearsing this one song?

Aidan kept his eyes closed, his velvety voice washing over her and caressing her skin like silk. From the beginning, she'd known he had an amazing voice, but right now, it was even more melodic than she remembered. Again, she assumed he must have worked really hard.

When he finally opened his blue eyes, he looked straight in Mee Yon's direction; he fixed her with a meaningful gaze, and his words rang out…

Mee-Yon recognized the song and really liked it, but Aidan's voice was higher and sweeter than the original singer. Somehow, the song came out even more beautiful from his lips. She felt a few droplets of moisture teasing the corners of her eyes.

When he finished the verse, Aidan paused for a moment. He gave a little smile that Mee-Yon knew was meant for her, and he slid off his stool. He made his way toward the edge of the stage, and the staff started clearing the area in front. Meanwhile, a couple of bodyguards had taken the stairs and were in front of the stage now, just waiting. Was he coming into the audience? Just then, rather than taking the stairs, Aidan hopped off the front of the stage and went into the audience, as expected. The staff had cleared a path for him in the middle, and his bodyguards kept close, one in front and the other right behind.

Mee-Yon followed him with her eyes, and he was looking directly at her. His eyes didn't deviate from hers as he headed her direction, and it seemed the entire room had figured out that she was the one he was singing to because she could feel all eyes on her, staring as if she was an animal at the zoo. She glanced shyly down at her feet as he approached her, but almost instantly, she looked back up and met his eyes.

He was slowly walking toward her while singing into the mic…

Along the way, he touched some of the hands stretched out to him, but he kept his focus on Mee-Yon. He stopped a few feet in front of her and continued his serenade, singing stronger, louder, and more soulfully into the mic while placing a hand over his heart.

He sang the next words directly to her…

Mee-Yon was completely enraptured, no longer caring that she was the center of attention, well, she and Aidan. Some girls nearby squealed and a few made 'she's so lucky' comments and the like, but Mee-Yon wasn't paying attention to them. The tears began to pile up behind her eyes, begging to be set free.

Meanwhile, Eun Jeong and Yeong Hui watched the scene unfold with bated breath. As for Seok Young, he stood by, not planning to interfere like before, but he didn't have to like this, either.

Yoon Seok Young, like his father, appreciated the beauty and power of music, and Aidan had a way of singing that was absolutely mesmerizing, even for him. It wasn't like he was swooning like most of the girls in the room, but he appreciated the timbre and range of Aidan's voice. What he didn't appreciate was the effect this song was going to have on his sister, and he knew that it would have its effect…

No, Seok Young couldn't fully appreciate the music right now, for his mind was reeling with conflicting thoughts… On one hand, he was touched by Aidan's serenade and the apparent depth of his feelings for Mee-Yon, but on the other hand, he was thinking: You bastard, how could you do this to her? How could you lead her on? After all, you don't sing a love song for a girl and then leave her; you just don't do it.

And then Aidan took her hand, and Mee-Yon choked out a sob.  By now, salty rivers were streaming down the Yoon girl's face and had reached the corners of her lips. Before she could raise her hand, though, Aidan reached up with his free one to wipe the tears away for her. He kept singing the entire time…

The emotional quality of the situation had hit Aidan now, and his eyes were also moistened. He took Mee Yon's hand again and began running his thumb lightly along her knuckle.

Thank you so much for coming to me... 

After the song, they stared at each other for what seemed like a long time, and Mee-Yon smiled. He returned it with a bright one of his own and said, "Gomawo," and pulled her into a hug. The couple stood there, embracing, amidst the cheers and screams.

Mee-Yon supposed it was out now, that there was something going on between her and Aidan, and she briefly wondered what school would be like Monday, but at the moment she didn't care about that, nor did she care about the thousands of pairs of eyes on them. She just wanted to hold onto him and enjoy this moment for as long as she could.

Aidan removed his arms far too soon, gave her a last lingering look, and returned to the stage...

The concert concluded with a burst of confetti from the ceiling, and the audience's deafening cheers. Mee-Yon, however, wasn't cheering or clapping but instead had her head lowered. She'd done this so that others wouldn't see her crying softly, but her brother and two friends had certainly noticed it, and Eun Jeong and Seok Young each had a hand on one of her arms.

Mee-Yon raised her tear-stained face, and Seok Young offered her his handkerchief. She used it and returned her eyes to the stage in time to see Aidan and Aria hold hands and take a group stage bow with the band. Then, they waved, said goodbye, and exited the stage.

. . .

"The concert was good, huh?" Yeong Hui tried to break the silence with small talk.

"Yeah," Eun Jeong replied, looking to Mee-Yon, who still seemed rather dejected. "Hey, Mee Yon-ah, you know, we have those backstage passes…" She shook her friend's arm a bit to break her out of her trance.

"Oh right," Mee-Yon muttered.

"So, let's go see Aidan, Little One." Seok Young smiled down at her, and she smiled back.

But then the manager came onstage again. He thanked the audience once more and told everyone that regrettably, Aidan and Aria wouldn't be able to meet with anyone after the show, that they needed to leave right away. He bowed and wished everyone a good night.

"What?" Seok Young questioned.

Mee Yon's face fell. They have to go...right now...already? She felt a tight sensation in her chest as she started to panic. She suddenly burst out with, "But I need to talk to him!" And without waiting for her group, she started making her way through the crowd.

"Wait!" Seok Young called to her, "We'll go with you." He grasped Eun Jeong's hand to keep her close, and Yeong Hui immediately took Eun Jeong's other hand, forming a kind of train, and they s their way through the crowd.

Mee-Yon kept trying to get through the crowd, but she was being pushed around. And Seok Young and the twins caught up to her just as she was stopped at the steps leading to the stage by a man in a black shirt that had 'Staff' written on it. "I'm sorry, but you need to stay back," the staff member said.

"But ahjussi, we have VIP backstage passes," Seok Young tried to tell the staff member while Mee-Yon was busy digging the passes out of her purse. But the man didn't seem to care. Seok Young continued on, "Sir, we know Mr. Cho, and he invited us to see him after the show. Do you really think he's going to like that you denied his personal guests?"

"Look, Kid, I have my instructions. I can't let anyone back there right now."

Seok Young sighed. "Arasso, ahjussi." He turned around to face the others, thinned his lips, and gave a little shrug. Catching Mee Yon's eyes, his stomach sank. "I'm so sorry, Little One."

"It's okay, Oppa," she muttered in a voice so depressing that it broke Seok Young's heart. There must be something he could do!

The So girls weren't ready to give up, either. "Please, sir," Eun Jeong clasped her hands together. "Just gives us a few minutes."

"Yeah, don't you know who we are?" Yeong Hui chimed in. "Our uncle owns this school."

"I don't know anything about that. I don't work for the school," the staff member said, blocking their path. "All I know is there are too many people, and I'm responsible for the Chos' safety so they need to leave right away."

"Yes, I understand, but.." Seok Young interjected, though there didn't seem to be anything he could say, and the man just shook his head again. Then Seok Young thought to drop his father's name, just to see if it helped. "You know, my father is Yoon Ji Hoo. Do you know of him?" It sounded like such a lame thing to say, and he'd be kicking himself tomorrow for attempting such a ploy, but he would be kicking himself harder if he failed Mee-Yon.

The man's eyes widened a bit. "Oh, yes, of course! He's very talented!" But that seemed to be the end of it. The man continued to stand in their way, making no kind of movement to let them pass. Should he offer a meeting with his father? But there was no way he could deliver on that, at least not tonight. Appa was at the hospital now…

As Seok Young thought some more, the man told him to step back. He begrudgingly began to lead his group off, all the while, wracking his brain for some way to convince the guy. But then Mee-Yon caught a glimpse of Aidan coming through a door near the backstage area. She shouted for him and made a move in that direction, but the security guard stepped in front of her and placed a hand on her arm. Seok Young nearly lost it. "Hey, there's no need for you to touch her," he growled.

"She can't go any further. I won't repeat myself," the man told him. Seok Young stared the man down, mainly because he still had his hand on his sister. The man let go after another couple seconds, and it was a good thing because Seok Young was just about at the limit of his patience. Shocked, Mee-Yon wobbled a step back into the waiting arms of her brother, and he caught her by the shoulders. "It's okay," Seok Young whispered to her.

After a moment of hesitation, Seok Young announced, "We're going," to the man, not bothering to use polite speech. He shot one last glare at the staff as they walked away. The crowd was beginning to die down and was heading outside, perhaps to wait and see the pop stars leave, so Seok Young led his group that way. Maybe Mee-Yon could at least wave to him. He hurried them along in hopes of catching them out there.

The F4 kids were now standing outside Shinwha, in the courtyard. While the girls waited at the edge of the crowd for the pop stars to come out, Seok Young was ten or so feet behind them with his back against a tree. He was still close enough to keep an eye on them, even step-in if the crowd got rough, but he also had a little space. All of a sudden, he felt a hand on his arm, and he turned around.

Seok Young's eyes widened. "Aria-yang? How did you get back there?" he asked.

"Shhh," she whispered, placing a finger to her glitter glossed lips.

Was she sneaking out? Were they leaving secretly from another entrance?

"Aria-yang, can Mee-Yon see Aidan?" he asked immediately.

She shook her head, causing her blonde curls to bounce. "I'm sorry, Seok Young, but we have to go."

"Go where? You're not leaving yet…?"

"Not leaving-leaving, not until tomorrow at 9 AM. Incheon. It's the only flight to São Paulo, Brazil."

"Brazil?"

The girls had turned to look over curiously, and Aria tried to keep out of sight as best she could.

"Yes," Aria whispered, "we're starting our world tour there. Anyway, I'm sorry about this, and we did want to see all of you after the show, but we really have to go now. It's...not our decision."

"Can't Mee-Yon just see Aidan for a few minutes, though, please? It's really important, and she's right over there." He pointed.

Aria pressed her lips together. "I'm sorry. I wish I could help, but he's talking with our manager. As you know, our manager is also our guardian, so what he says really goes."

Seok Young nodded.

"You see, Aidan is kind of in trouble with our dad for that little...improvisation at the end."

Seok Young knew what she meant by that. "So, singing for Mee-Yon wasn't planned?"

Aria thinned her lips. "Not at all. And it didn't go over well."

"Why? The audience loved it."

"Well, there are reasons that our manager doesn't want Aidan to make it known that he has feelings for her, or any girl for that matter."

"I see." Seok Young sighed and stared dejectedly at the ground.

"It was kind of reckless of Aidan, too. It wasn't good for Mee-Yon."

"What do you mean?" Seok Young was beginning to worry.

"Let's just say there will be a lot of jealous girls out there."

"Oh."

"Fans can get a little...crazy sometimes, but I'm hoping they just think it was an act. And I'm not too worried because we're leaving, and you're here to protect Mee-Yon."

"You think she needs protection?" Seok Young raised his voice slightly, then lowered it.

"Not exactly, but...just keep an eye on her for a while, okay?"

Seok Young nodded. "I will. Thank you, Aria-yang."

Seok Young was torn. He wanted to do his best for Mee-Yon, so that she could see Aidan, but he was also worried now. He sighed. "But couldn't he just see her for a minute or two before you go?"

"Sorry," Aria muttered.

"Ok, thanks, anyway." He didn't plan to fight it because of the crowd. Besides, he had their flight information now.

"Seok Young-ah, can I speak to you privately?" Aria asked, glancing at her feet.

"More private than this?" he quipped, earning a grin and a little shove from Aria. Eun Jeong was looking over now, craning her neck to see what was going on. Seok Young nodded to her and held up a finger as if to say he'd be back in a minute. "Okay." And the two of them stepped behind the tree.

"Seok Young-ah, I don't have much time, but there's something I need to say before I go…"

"Yes, Aria-yang?"

Aria smirked at the boy who was only slightly younger than her. "I know you're all about politeness, Seok Young, and I like that about you, but couldn't you just call me by my name...just once?"

Seok Young nodded. "Okay. Aria."

She smiled brightly; it was like music to her ears. "Gomawo." She paused. "So, what I wanted to say...was…"

He silently waited for her to go on, not having a clue what this was about.

Aria glanced away, took a deep breath, and met his eyes again. "Joahae-yo…"

Seok-Young's lips parted. Taking a deep breath, he slowly released it through his lips. "Aria, I—"

"You don't need to say anything," she cut him off. "I know you don't feel the same way about me, and I know you're with So Eun Jeong, and she's great. You two are really good together. I just…wanted to say it out loud…" She looked away as her eyes began to moisten. "That's all."

Seok Young felt like he should respond in some way, to make her feel better, but there was nothing he could really say that would be comforting. He liked her, yes, as a friend, but that would only hurt her to say. Still, saying nothing seemed wrong, too…perhaps he should thank her? No, that didn't seem quite right, either. But as she'd said, she knew how things were with Eun Jeong and him.

"Aria…," he began, but again she cut him off.

"There's something I want to give you, too," she said.

"You don't have to…" She cut him off once more, this time by placing a finger to his lips. He recalled Eun Jeong doing that in the woods at his house, the day he returned from the academy. That interaction under the trees...that was the moment when it really began between them…

Returning to the moment, he watched Aria produce an item from her coat pocket, and she handed it to him. He glanced down at it; it was a silky blue ribbon. He looked up at her curiously.

"It's the first award I won for singing, and I want you to have it."

Seok Young stared down at the ribbon and shook his head. "No, I can't possibly take this," he said, looking up at her. "It's very special." He tried to hand it back, but she pushed his hand away.

"Please take it. I really want you to have it." She was so emphatic that it convinced him. "…to remember me by…," she added, glancing shyly away again. Seok Young hadn't thought Aria to be a shy girl, but right now, she seemed almost so. She was blushing lightly and not making a lot of eye contact with him.

Seok-Young bobbed his head up and down, and he stared at the ribbon in his hand. "Thank you for this, Aria. I will take good care of it; I promise." He tucked it carefully inside his jacket pocket and took her hand, shocking the pop princess. Holding her hand, he said, "I'm glad I got to know you, Aria Cho."

Aria sniffled a bit as the tears began to come. "Me, too, Yoon Seok Young."

He smiled genuinely at her and held her hand for a few extra seconds. When they broke away, Aria seemed to regain her courage because she stepped closer to him, trapping him against the tree. Seok Young's body went rigid. "I know I shouldn't do this, but…" She placed her hands on his shoulders, went up on her toes, and kissed his cheek.

She stepped away and noticed Seok Young's blush, and she smiled.

After a couple seconds, Seok Young mentally shook off the unexpected kiss and prepared to speak, planning to tell her he needed to get back to the girls, but she spoke first. "Seok Young, Aidan didn't plan on telling Mee-Yon when we are leaving…"

Seok Young's lips parted.

"He just thought an airport goodbye would be too hard for both of them, but...I know Aidan wants to see her again, and I know he'll regret it forever if he doesn't see her one more time and say goodbye properly, so...that's why I told you about our flight."

Seok Young nodded. "Thank you." He gave her shoulder a quick squeeze and smiled.

"So, maybe I'll see you tomorrow?" Aria waved and took off running from whence she came. Seok Young watched her for a moment, sighed, and stepped out from behind the tree. By now, the girls were heading his way. He supposed he had some explaining to do...

Later that night…

Seok Young made his way to Mee Yon's room; it was nearly midnight; although, they'd just gotten home about a half hour ago, so maybe she was still awake. Aria had put him in a bit of a difficult position, having to explain why he disappeared behind a tree for seven minutes after the concert. At the time, he'd just explained that Aidan couldn't get away but Aria wanted to say goodbye and deliver Aidan's goodbye and apology as well, so he basically gave them the really condensed version. However, he knew he would need to talk to Eun Jeong in private soon because he could tell she was a bit jealous as soon as Aria's name was mentioned, and he wanted to reassure her. He didn't know if he should tell her about the ribbon and the kiss, even though it was nothing. Well, not nothing, but nothing for her to worry about.

At Mee Yon's doorway, Seok Young raised his hand but hesitated…

He'd decided to tell Mee-Yon about the Chos' flight, though he'd been back and forth on that. At first, he thought that he shouldn't tell her because as Aria had said, it would probably be really hard on her. But then, he thought that he owed her this information. He should at least let her make her own decision about what she wanted to do. Not to mention, if he kept it from her, she would probably hate him forever. "How do these things keep happening to me? Didn't life used to be simple?" Seok Young wondered as he knocked on his little sister's door.

The next morning, Mee-Yon bolted upright from a very unnatural sleeping position, hair sticking out everywhere, and she grabbed her phone. When she noticed the time, she almost screamed. She immediately smoothed her hair down, leaped out of bed, and started throwing some clothes on.

After Oppa talked to her last night, she had considered his words for the majority of the night. She ultimately decided that she needed to go to the airport to see Aidan off and tell him that she loved him. Maybe it was a bad idea, but she would regret it if she let him leave without saying it. Her nerves kept her from sleeping a wink, that is until she finally lay on her bed at nearly 4 AM, hugging her otter, and she then closed her eyes. She obviously drifted off because the next thing she knew, it was 7:15 AM. "Oh, no, no, no, no, NO!"

How did this happen?! She'd set an alarm for 6 AM! But when she checked her phone, she realized she'd set it for 6 PM instead of AM! "You babo!" She yelled at herself as she stuck the phone in her pocket, grabbed her otter, and ran toward her bedroom door. She tripped along the way but got right up, opened her door, and sprinted down the long hallway toward her brother's bedroom.

"You stupid, dumb idiot!" she berated herself the entire way down the hall.

When she got to Seok Young's bedroom door, she knocked‒and not politely; she banged on it. He didn't answer right away, so she assumed he must have slept in, too. Of course, she hadn't had the foresight to tell him last night what her decision was, so he wouldn't have expected her to need a ride to the airport...though, he should have anticipated she would want to go. "Oppa! OPPA!" she shouted. "Wake up!" She was about ready to just barge into his room when he opened the door. His rusty hair was disheveled, and he was rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Mee-Yon?"

"Oppa! I slept in! I need you to take me to the airport!"

Her brother's cognitive skills weren't quite up to speed yet, so he just stared at her for a few seconds.

"NOW!" she shouted.

"Alright, alright. Let me put some clothes on."

"HURRY!" She was absolutely panicking.

Seok Young nodded and went back in, or more like was pushed back in, and he closed his door in the process. He grabbed the first shirt and pair of pants he saw hanging in the closet, and he put them on.

He finished dressing quickly and met Mee-Yon, who was waiting outside his room. She was holding her stuffed otter. There was no time to question that, so he said, "Let's go," and he led her downstairs. "Don't forget a coat," he told her, grabbing his along the way, too, and they went outside and jogged over to his motorcycle.

He slipped his jacket on and put hers on for her because she hadn't bothered to take the time to do so, and then he handed her the helmet. She looked at him as if she didn't want to bother with it, but he gave her a stern look, the kind Appa got sometimes. "You're not getting on my bike unless you put this on."

"Okay." She put the helmet on, and he put on his. Then he secured the strap for her while she stuck her otter in her coat pocket and zipped it up so it wouldn't fall out. Seok Young hopped on his bike, and she got on behind. "Hold on," he said. It was the first time he'd driven her on his bike, but Mee-Yon had gone with Appa on his before, so she knew how to hold on and to do so tightly. Seok Young started the engine and took off.

. . .

"Are you sure you want to go?" Seok Young asked as he drove them onto the main street.

"How can you ask that?" she said as she rested her chin lightly against his shoulder.

"You know why."

"Look, I know you have my best interest at heart, Oppa, and I know you don't want me to be in pain, but it's already too late; my heart is already aching beyond measure...and I don't care! For me, it's all been worth it. It's the experiences that we have in life that make it worth living, and all those experiences are important, even the painful ones. And I think...the painful ones are the ones that make us who we are more than anything. Whatever happens or doesn't between me and Aidan, whether he returns someday or not, I'm glad that I got to know him, and I'm glad that I wasn't afraid to get close to him just because he wasn't staying here. Now, I need to respond to his song. I need to tell him how I feel before he leaves, or I'm going to regret it. Don't worry, I'm not expecting anything. I don't expect him to ask me to be his girlfriend or to wait for him. I don't expect him to promise he'll be back, but I need to at least say what I feel. It's cowardly to keep your feelings hidden."

She felt Seok Young nod against her. "You're right."

"What?" Mee-Yon blinked a few times. Perhaps she had misheard him due to the wind. It wasn't easy to talk to a person on a motorcycle after all.

"I'm saying I absolutely agree with you," Seok Young replied. And he recalled what Appa had said before about almost losing Eomma. He had almost lost Eun Jeong, too. "I think you should say what you need to say."

Mee-Yon smiled. "Thank you, Oppa. And thank you for helping me."

"You're welcome, Little One."

They drove down the highway, Seok Young picking up speed slightly while still maintaining safety, and Mee-Yon holding on tightly to her brother's slim waist, silently chanting, Please make it, please make it, please make it!

Since it was an international flight, Aidan and Aria would probably board an hour early, so he might even be going through security now, and then she wouldn't be able to see him...and if she missed him, Mee-Yon would never forgive herself. Was she being punished, she wondered, or was this Fate, that she wasn't meant to see him again before he left? No, it was just her own stupidity, her own carelessness, and she really hated herself right now. Not to mention, Aidan probably heard from Aria that she told Seok Young when they were leaving, so if she didn't come it was as good as saying she didn't care about him.

They made it to the airport at 7:45, and as soon as they got inside, Mee-Yon bolted off. Seok Young ran after her. Despite the crowd, she was at full speed, and he could barely keep up with her. Seok Young was a musician, not an athlete. Oh, he was no slouch when it came to sports; he could play and run as well as the rest of the boys, but his strong suit was music. Mee-Yon was the true athlete of the family; she bested most of the girls at anything physical and could give the average boy a run for his money, too, and compared to her, Seok Young was nothing.

Damn, she's fast! As good as people said he was at music, that's how fast she was.

Seok Young was trying his best to catch up to her while avoiding colliding with anyone, which he noticed Mee-Yon had almost done, twice. Somehow she'd maneuvered around the shocked persons, though, and was off again, increasing speed.

Mee-Yon had always been fast, ever since she was able to run, but now she had some kind of strange superhuman adrenaline going that made her basically uncatchable. When she got so far away that he could barely see her, he called out, "Mee Yon-ah!" hoping she would stop or at least slow down. She didn't respond, only kept running, so Seok Young picked up his pace. When he lost sight of her, he glanced right and left but then just followed the signs. She had to be going to security.

Mee-Yon was sure she'd never run so fast in her life, but because of all the people, she'd been slowed down. She finally made it to security, and she caught sight of Aidan in line. He, Aria, their manager, and their bodyguard were just about to walk through the empty First Class priority (VIP) line when she shouted to him. He didn't hear her the first time, so she shouted louder, and this time he turned around.

Aidan looked surprised to see her, but then he smiled. He said something to Aria and walked over to the edge of the security area and rested his hand on the bar. Mee-Yon ran over to meet him. She was sweaty and out of breath, and she'd had no time to prepare this morning, so she knew she looked awful. What a way to appear before the guy you love when seeing him off on a long trip!

"Mee Yon-ah, you came?" he said, leaning over the railing.

She grabbed hold of the bar beside his hand. "Of course I did," she said through labored breaths.

He didn't know if this was a good or bad thing, but he was happy to see her. "I'm glad you came."

Mee-Yon smiled to herself. "I-I'm sorry I'm late," she said, her breath still coming out in short puffs.

Aidan kept smiling at her. "It's okay." He laid his hand over hers on the railing separating them. "I'm just glad you're here."

Mee-Yon flushed a bit and glanced away, still trying to catch her breath. "I..I thought...I'd miss you." She looked back at him.

"You made it so you can breathe now," he said, grinning at her.

And then he did something Mee-Yon didn't expect; he leaned over the bar and wrapped his arms around her. Mee-Yon hugged him back as tight as she could, resting her face against his chest and not caring that the bar was jabbing into her stomach. She felt as though she'd never gripped anything as tight as she was gripping his back right now, just beneath his backpack. She supposed it was because she was afraid that if she let go, he would walk away and she'd never see him again...

"Do you really have to go?" It slipped out of in a moment of weakness.

"I wish I didn't," he muttered, still holding her.

They continued to embrace for a bit longer…

Meanwhile, Seok Young watched the heartbreaking scene with a furrowed brow. He'd gotten there just as Aidan placed his hand over Mee Yon's on the bar, and now they were hugging tightly. It hurt him to watch this, but he forced himself to stand far enough back and do so.

As for Aria, she had already reminded her brother that they needed to go or they'd miss their flight when Mee-Yon showed up, but he'd asked her to 'wait a minute.' Aria sighed as she watched the two of them, and then she caught sight of Seok Young off in the distance, about 10 feet behind Mee-Yon.

After what felt simultaneously like a lifetime and a microsecond, Aidan pulled away, still holding Mee-Yon by the arms. Looking into her eyes, he also gave in to a moment of weakness. "I have to fly…," he lamented, expressing his fear to the only other person he trusted as much as his sister.

Mee-Yon looked up at Aidan with a tender sympathy. "I know…" She couldn't blame Aidan for being afraid to fly, not after what had happened to his parents. Anyone would have a fear of flying after losing their parents in a plane crash, and it made her heartsick.

"Will you be alright?" she asked, knowing this tour was going to be a difficult one for him. She knew it had been hard enough for him to fly to Korea and back to the US, but he wasn't even flying straight back there; he was going to fly around the world first.

"Yes. I have to get used to it. I'm going to be flying a lot. It's just…every time I know that I have to…the nightmares come back, just when I thought I'd gotten rid of them…"

"It'll be okay. You can do it." Mee-Yon pumped a fighting fist.

Aidan tried to smile, but it barely came out as one, and she knew it was forced. Then she recalled something, and she ped the pocket of her jacket and pulled out her otter. She knew it was kind of dumb, but she'd been thinking about doing this ever since he gave her the necklace. Doing her best to hold in her tears, she held the otter out to Aidan. "Take him. He'll...protect you." She knew the protection thing was stupid; the real reason was that she wanted to show him how much she cared about him.

"Mee Yon-ah, your otter? I can't take that; it's too important to you."

"It's okay." She shrugged. "I've outgrown it, really."

"No, you haven't, silly." He ruffled her hair.

Mee-Yon lowered her eyes. "Well, I…"

Aidan smiled and squeezed her arm in appreciation. "I appreciate the gesture, but I can't take your otter. You love it."

"I do, but I also love…" She didn't finish her sentence, but Aidan knew what she meant. He glanced down, smiling a bit, his cheeks a little flushed. Mee-Yon had never seen Aidan blush; it was cute.

Mee-Yon took a deep breath, bolstered her courage, and pushed the otter back at Aidan's chest. "Take him, please." And then she got an idea. "He's just a loan, anyway. You can hang onto him for the time being, but I'm gonna want him back so that means you have to return."

Aidan gave her that flawless smile of his in response to her little trick. He nodded and took the otter. Still smiling, he ped his backpack and he stuck the otter inside. Then he pulled something else out. It was a small, brown, ragged teddy bear. She stared at the bear that he was handing her. "Is that…?"

"Yes."

Mee-Yon shook her head. "I can't take that…"

"Yes, you can. Since I'm borrowing your otter, it's only fair that, in exchange, you hold onto my bear for me."

Mee-Yon felt her tears slipping, but she tried to contain them. "No, it's way too special...your p-parents…"

"And your appa…it's an equal trade."

Mee-Yon lowered her head a bit, sniffled, and nodded. "I'll take great care of it; I promise!" she exclaimed, looking up and into his cool blue eyes.

"I know you will," Aidan said. "And I'll take care of your otter, too." He then brought both hands up to cup her cheeks, leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead.

When Seok Young saw Mee-Yon hand the otter to Aidan, he was shocked. That was one of Mee Yon's most prized possessions, if not her most prized possession; she'd had it since she was a baby, yet now she was giving it away. Did this guy really mean so much to her?

Aidan handed Mee-Yon a stuffed animal in return, a bear. Seok Young didn't get what the whole stuffed animal exchange was all about, so he just watched. And then Aidan did something that made Seok Young take a step forward. He placed both hands on the side of her face and leaned in. Seok Young forced himself not to take another step as Aidan kissed Mee-Yon on the forehead.

After the forehead kiss, Mee-Yon and Aidan stood there for a moment, and she could tell that he was debating how to tell her that he had to go. She felt like, at this moment, all these words should be coming to her to say, about their time together and what it had meant, about how much he meant to her and always would...but nothing. She couldn't think of a single thing to say. She also felt that all their beautiful memories together should be flashing before her eyes in a sequence, like those sappy couple montage videos, but instead, she just had the desperate desire to make the time stop, to hang onto these last precious seconds…

It was then that a song popped into her head. She didn't know what she was doing or if he'd think her crazy, but she wanted to tell him. She wasn't the greatest singer in the world, so she started speaking the part from the song that had come to her head, in English, since he'd sung to her in Korean.

Yes, she was borrowing the words from one of her current favorite songs, "You Are My All," but it was really how she felt. In her head, she was singing the lyrics freely and loudly, but she was speaking the words to him. "Aidan Sunbae, I wanted you to know that…" She took a deep breath. "Whenever you are, I'll be right here. Wherever you are, you can find me… You...are my all." Mee-Yon lowered her head, blushing furiously at the sappy words she'd just said to him.

Aidan didn't know how to respond. She'd obviously spoken the lyrics to some song, in order to tell him how she felt, and it had truly touched his heart. Not knowing how else to reciprocate, he dropped his bag, hopped the railing, and took her in his arms. He caught her off guard when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in, and her hands were now pressed against his chest.

"Mee Yon-ah...," he whispered against her hair as he hugged her. He'd been dying to tell her something, but it had been too difficult to say to her face before, mainly because he didn't think he should when he was leaving. But now, he had to say it. "Mee Yon-ah, saranghae."

Pulling back, she uttered, "Aidan Sunbae…" in shock. But almost immediately, she smiled. She'd heard that word before, from her parents, her brother, but never had it meant so much as in this moment; she felt like bursting.

He didn't let her respond but instead continued on. "I know I shouldn't say this to you right now...because...well, you know...but, I had to. And I also need to ask you something…"

"What? Anything..."

"Will you...wait for me?" he asked hopefully. He hadn't intended to force her into such a promise, but in the moment it just came flying out… Why were airport goodbyes so dramatic, anyway? Well, this was his first one, but he got it now. For some reason, parting with someone in an airport just made you say things... But still, it needed to be said. Otherwise, she might end up dating some other guy…

Mee-Yon may have never been in a relationship before, but she was smart enough to know what that meant. Without thinking, she said, "Of course I will wait for you." And then, she felt her eyes inexplicably misting over. She was so happy, yet so miserable right now...how could that be? She felt like a complete wreck inside, and she couldn't get any more words out.

"Oh, don't cry, Mee-Yon-ah… I will come back to you. I promise." Aidan wrapped his arms around her again. She went stiff from the intensity of this whole encounter but then she relaxed against him.

"Aidan," Aria was calling to him. Standing with her, the bodyguard's face was stone, and their manager/guardian had his arms folded and didn't look pleased.

He pulled away from Mee-Yon and looked over. "I...I have to go," he muttered. She nodded, sullenly.

As she watched Aidan step back over the railing and head toward the priority lane, Mee-Yon felt herself welling up again. Stupid tears! She couldn't seem to stop them today. She let a few slip free before calling out, "Aidan Sunbae, I love you!"

He spun around to look at her, his chest lightly heaving.

"I love you," she repeated, "and I will wait for you!"

Aidan didn't hesitate to run back to her, and he hopped the railing again. Standing before her again, unable to contain himself any longer, he placed his hands on her shoulders, leaned in and took her lips. Their kiss lasted a few seconds, and then he pulled away. Their eyes met, and they shared a lingering gaze, but then Aidan went back over the railing and walked away. He looked back one last time and threw up a static wave at her before showing his ticket and going through security.

A gaping hole, a hollow emptiness she'd never known overtook Mee-Yon as she watched the guy who could possibly be 'the One' walk out of her life, for now, and possibly forever. She felt hopeful because of their promise, but she didn't know when she'd see him again, and she was no fool. Neither of them really knew what was going happen...anything could come between them through the powers of time and distance, but still, she chose to have faith.

Mee-Yon watched Aidan for as long as she could see him, but being celebrities, he and Aria were rushed through security in no time. "Goodbye, Aidan Sunbae," she whispered to the air.

Seok Young had wanted to give them their space, but now, he approached his sister. He could see the back of her; her shoulders were hunched, and she was softly shaking. When he got to her, she was staring at the spot he'd walked through while singing a little song…

"I'll be right here, Aidan Sunbae," she said.

Seok Young recognized the song as one she'd played on repeat many times lately. She didn't seem to notice his presence at first and was repeating, "Ooh, you are my all...ooh, you are all my all...ooh, you are my all…" in a daze.

When he placed a hand on her arm, she finally looked back at him, her eyes red and wet.

"Oh, Little One…," he said, and he opened his arms to her. She didn't hesitate and crashed into his waiting embrace.

Mee-Yon wrapped her arms tight around her older brother, the boy who had always been not only her brother but her best friend and protector ever since she was born. "O-ppa...op-pa…," she blubbered, unable to say anything else.

"I know," was all he said. And neither of them needed to say anything more. He knew how she felt, and she knew that he was there for her. Mee-Yon wrapped her arms tighter around his waist and squeezed his shirt between her fingers... she stayed in his arms for several more minutes before Seok Young softly suggested that they go.

Mee-Yon agreed, and he put an arm around her shoulders and led her out of the airport. When they got on his bike, she asked, "Will you take me somewhere, Oppa?"

Seok Young looked back and nodded. He didn't ask her where she wanted to go, but he simply chose a place. This time, he made sure to send a message to their parents, letting them know where they would be.

Twenty minutes later, they stood by a small river on the outskirts of the city. They stood there for a while without saying anything, but they'd always been comfortable in silence, him mainly, and Mee-Yon knew this about him.

After some time, Mee-Yon pulled out her necklace and its grooves. "I miss him," she said, staring down at the pendant between her fingers.

"I know," Seok Young said.

"It hurts, Oppa. It really hurts. Why does it hurt already...and when will it stop?"

"I don't know, Little One." And he truly didn't. Seok Young had never been in quite a situation as this. The only thing that came close for him was Ayame's betrayal. But Aidan hadn't betrayed Mee-Yon; he just left her. Although, that seemed just as heartbreaking in its own right. As for her question of how long before it stopped, Seok Young tried to calculate in his head how long it had taken him to get over Ayame, but curiously, he couldn't really put a timeline on it.

"Oppa, can't you tell me something encouraging? Can't you tell me it's going to be alright?" Mee-Yon turned and looked expectantly at her brother.

And Seok Young wanted so badly to say just that. He would do almost anything for Mee-Yon, after all, but the words just weren't coming out… He didn't want to make any false promises to her, but he did want to cheer her up…

"Do you know the story of The Little Mermaid?" he asked.

She was a bit confused by his digression. Was he really going to tell her a children's story now? But she just said, "Sure."

"Not the Disney one, the original one. It's much sadder."

That wasn't one she could recall being told at bedtime, so she shook her head, and Seok Young went on to tell her the story…

He told her about the little mermaid's curiosity about humans and her trip to the surface where she fell in love with the prince at first sight, from a distance, of course. He told Mee-Yon of the mermaid's rescue of the prince and of her longing to be with the prince and obtain a human soul. And then he told her all that the mermaid went through to be with the prince: the sensation of a sword passing through her as she took the potion the sea witch gave her, the feel of walking on sharp knives and bleeding from the feet just so she could dance for the prince…

He was right; this version was much, much sadder, and kind of violent… Mee-Yon gave her brother an awkward smile. "Appa never read that one to me…"

"Why would he?" Seok Young gave her a one-armed shrug. "Appa only liked to give you happy endings."

Mee-Yon nodded to herself, really hoping Oppa had a point in all this.

Seok Young went on with the story, relating to her how the mermaid became the prince's companion, but then the prince fell in love with a princess from a neighboring kingdom because he believed she was his rescuer rather than the little mermaid.

"In the end, the little mermaid couldn't bring herself to kill the prince and his new bride in order to turn back into a mermaid, so…" And Seok Young finished his story.

"She died of a broken heart and turned into sea-foam?!" Mee-Yon was near tears now and frankly, a bit disturbed by her oppa's choice of story. "I don't like that story, Oppa." Shaking her head decidedly, she said, "No, I don't like it at all."

But Mee-Yon didn't need to ask 'Do you have a point?' or 'Why did you tell me that story?' because he'd already read her mind, something he was so gifted at.

Seok Young went on to say, "I told you this story because…" He paused to stare out over the river, and he tucked his hands into his pockets and sighed. "...I don't want to see you turn to bubbles. Appa always says you're like an otter, you and Eomma. ...So, be the otter that you are, not a mermaid."

Mee-Yon looked away from her brother, a little smile teasing the corners of her lips, and they both stared out ahead. She appreciated his intentions, graphic and heart wrenching tale aside, and oddly, it had brought her spirits up. How did he always do that?

Mee-Yon took a deep, calming breath and released it, and she turned her head slightly toward Seok Young. "You know that it's just a story and I'm not really going to turn into bubbles just because I'm brokenhearted, right, Oppa?" She smirked.

Seok Young thinned his lips and kept his gaze on the horizon. "Well, you never know...and I'm not willing to take the risk."

A smile crept upon Mee Yon's face once more; it quickly transformed to a grin, and she squinted mischievously at her brother, who was only looking at her out of the corner of his eye. And she gave him a hard shove.

"Yah." He turned to look at her fully. She simply smiled and wrapped her arm around his, hugging it and leaning against him.

"Thanks for cheering me up," she said.

"...Uh, you're welcome," he replied. I can't believe that worked…

A/N: Ah, the reason for the title finally becomes clear! Well, another one down. I hope you all enjoyed. And if anyone is wondering, I haven't decided exactly how many more chapters this story is going to be, though I do have my ending somewhat planned out. I'm going to say around 10-12 more chapters, but don't hold me to that. Possibly an epilogue included in that or as extra.

Teaser for Next Time (WARNING, WARNING!): Ga Eul gets a funny feeling from Dr. Yu during a dinner out with her, Yi Jeong, and Ji Hoo. Ha Joon (JanHoo's adoptive son) plans his wedding. Mee-Yon deals with missing Aidan and receives some comfort from Ji Hoo as well as an unexpected person. In order to cheer his daughter up and spend some quality family time, Ji Hoo arranges an impromptu, secret vacation for just his family. Will it just be them? Fun in the sun, culture, romance, surprises, and likely some trouble, too!

So, the Yoons go on vacation at last! I've been waiting to do this chapter forever! And I promise extra romance, for the parents, especially, in the next couple chapters. BIG STUFF COMING, guys, so stay tuned!