Jalmukesumneda: "I will eat well." Polite to say before beginning a meal in South Korea.

Sung Tang Chuk Ha: Merry Christmas

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the show, Boys Over Flowers, or its characters. I used one recipe of kimchi on the internet, but there may be others out there. And yeah, I used that scene from the show as inspiration (not sure what was up with the bathtub thing, so I made up my own mind about that). I did make kimchi, myself, in Korea, but I forget all the details of it, so forgive any inaccuracies. And the expiration on crushes line was a paraphrase from a line I liked on Strong Woman Do Bong Soon.

Chapter Twelve: Merriment and Mischief

After arriving home from the party, Jan Di discovered that everyone in the house was sleeping. She was surprised but thankful for that, not wanting to hear a hundred questions about attending an elite F4 holiday party, though apparently, it was their first. She would surely be hounded about it in the morning, which she wasn't looking forward to, but right now, nothing could taint her mood. She'd had a wonderful evening with Ji Hoo, and they'd shared a magical moment outside in the snow. It had been yet another dear diary moment but one she knew she would never forget, whether she wrote it down or not.

As Jan Di readied for bed, she still couldn't wipe the smile from her face. Her chest actually ached from being so in love‒was that even possible, or was something wrong with her? But it wasn't an unpleasant feeling; it felt good, and in fact, infinitely surpassed any feeling she'd ever had before. She got into her pajamas, washed her face, brushed her hair and teeth, and slipped under the covers. Before turning out the lamp beside her bed, she took a moment to admire her new bracelet, a gift and a symbol of love from Ji Hoo. She stared down and touched each carefully chosen charm, unable to fathom having gotten such a sweet, thoughtful boyfriend, one who knew her so well. He truly was the whole package, and she couldn't believe how lucky she was. Completely smitten, even more so than before, Jan Di squealed and threw the covers over her head. She rolled onto her side and hugged her pillow tight against her chest, imagining it was Ji Hoo. And off to sleep, she drifted…

The Next Morning…

Jan Di awoke, experiencing something of a love hangover. She'd dreamt of Ji Hoo and wanted to keep reliving it and the events of last night, but waking to the loudness of her family put a damper on that. The sounds of them talking and making noise outside her door brought her quickly back down to earth, but she wasn't quite ready to face them.

It was a quarter past 8, and even though she was on break, Jan Di was surprised her mother hadn't burst through the door to wake her yet. Taking advantage of this rare treat and wanting to remain in her fantasy world just a bit longer, she snuggled with her imaginary 'Ji Hoo' a couple minutes longer. After admiring her bracelet once more, she hopped out of bed. Knowing she couldn't avoid her family forever, she got dressed, took a deep breath, and squeezed her fists together at her sides, preparing to face the onslaught. Not only did she expect to have to tell them all about the party, but she had already invited Ji Hoo over for the holiday, so she needed to ask for permission. Surely, they would have no problem with that.

Regardless, Jan Di was feeling nervous. This was a big step in their relationship...wasn't it? She wasn't sure, but it felt like one. And she wondered how Ji Hoo felt about it. Had he accepted her offer just to be nice? She hoped she hadn't put too much pressure on him.

Upon leaving her room, Jan Di glanced to the kitchen, where her mother was busy preparing food. Her father and Kang San were seated around the table, hungrily awaiting their breakfast. Kang San was the first to notice Jan Di's presence. "Noona!" He greeted her with a wide grin. As soon as her brother said it, her mother and father turned to look at her in unison, and as expected, it began…

By breakfast, Jan Di's love hangover had nearly worn off, mainly due to having to answer a bunch of only slightly differentiated questions about the party. When her mother started prying into her personal business in more depth during the meal, questioning whether or not she'd made out with her boyfriend last night, Jan Di cut it off. "Eomma!" she loudly shouted with brightly flushed cheeks.

The three looked between each other and then to her, her father wearing a confused and shocked expression, Kang San chuckling to himself, and Gong Joo staring at her hard, hands on hips, demanding an answer. Jan Di only looked away.

Gong Joo wasn't a bit fooled. "As if you don't kiss him...yeah, right," she muttered, under her breath but loud enough for everyone to hear. As she said it, Il Bong clutched at his heart and started whimpering about his baby girl being all grown up.

"Well, of course, she's going to. He's her boyfriend and they've been dating awhile. Besides, just look at that face of his." Gong Joo plucked a radish from its dish.

And Il Bong nearly choked on the rice in his mouth. "Yobo?!" he exclaimed after clearing his throat. He stared at his wife, dumbfounded.

"Wae? He's probably the most handsome man I've seen. He looks like a drama star." Gong Joo dipped her spoon in and took a sip of her stew. Kang San nodded along in agreement while Il Bong pouted over the fact that his wife didn't consider him the most handsome man ever. Then Kang San started laughing, finding the whole thing hilarious, and Jan Di just dropped her head to the table in humiliation, barely missing face-planting into her bowl.

After a moment, Jan Di lifted her head, rubbing it lightly since she'd bonked it harder than intended on the wood. And she turned to her father. He would be the more sympathetic one. "Appa-aa-aaa…," she whined.

Il Bong and Jan Di exchanged a look, and he nodded in understanding and turned to his wife. "That's enough, yobo. Let Jan Di be."

Jan Di gave her father a faint smile before speaking up. "It's fine if you say this to me, but please," she clasped her hands together, her eyes flitting between the entire group this time, "please don't say this kind of stuff in front of him."

Her father spoke first. "Don't worry, Jan Di-ah, we won't embarrass you!" His words sounded sincere, despite being accompanied by that cheesy grin of his. Jan Di smiled, in spite of it all.

"No, we won't embarrass you in front of the young master," her mother echoed as she shoved a helping of bean sprouts into . "But what chance do we have to do that? We've barely seen him. You seem to be keeping him away." She shot Jan Di a guilt-laced look.

"I'm not," she weakly lied. "And do you really have to call him that, Eomma?"

"What should I call him, then?" Her mother asked through a mouthful. She finished the bite and raised a finger. "Ah, how about son-in-law?" she exclaimed excitedly.

Jan Di groaned. "No, please no…," she begged, knowing it was probably fruitless.

"What? He's going to be someday, isn't he?" Gong Joo demanded.

Jan Di knew her face must be beet-red now. "I...I don't...how should I know?!"

The group just stared at her.

Kang San was giving her puppy eyes now. "Don't you like him, Noona?" he asked, his lip quivering lightly.

Jan Di sighed. "Of course I do, but we...haven't been going out very long...and we're...too young to be thinking about that, anyway," she added quickly at the end.

Kang San seemed to understand and accept this‒he was, after all, far more rational than either of their parents. "But Ji Hoo Hyung would be a great big brother, Noona!" he added, after considering it for only a couple seconds. "So, make sure to be really nice to him!"

"San-ah, you barely know him." Jan Di dug into her food, not knowing why she was arguing with the fact that her family already liked Ji Hoo so much. Wasn't that a good thing? Wasn't that what every girl wanted, for her family to like the guy she was with? It just seemed like they liked him a bit too much.

"I know enough to know I'd like him." And Kang San started listing off all of Ji Hoo's accomplishments. "He's so cool!" the pre-teen boy finished with.

Jan Di couldn't help but smile at that. It was really sweet that her little brother looked up to her boyfriend so much, and he did seem to have a lot of information about him; he could probably be Ji Hoo's biographer. But Jan Di knew that most of Kang San's info came from the internet. "You know, there's more to a person than their reputation and accomplishments, San-ah. You can't get everything from online news and rumors. Some things you only learn from being around a person."

"And when will we get that chance?" Gong Joo jumped into the conversation.

Jan Di supposed it was about time her family got to know her boyfriend, and even though she'd said they were too young to think about it, a part of her did hope that Ji Hoo would be the only one… But she didn't want to jinx it by even thinking about it now. She took a deep breath. "Actually, about that…"

After telling them she'd invited Ji Hoo over for the holiday, Kang San cheered, and her mother immediately smacked her on the arm. "Yah, Eomma, what was that?!"

Oh, it was not that Gong Joo objected.

"How could you not tell me this sooner?!" the older woman exclaimed. "We're having a very important guest over, so I need to buy some quality meat!" And then she started going off about all she needed to buy and all that needed to be done before the 'young master' came over.

So, apparently her mother was on board, and her father didn't seem to be objecting, either.

"Eomma, you don't have to do all that… Ji Hoo Sunbae won't care." Jan Di didn't think he would, anyway. She knew he would definitely be polite, even if he didn't like the foods. That got Jan Di thinking…

"What does he like to eat?" Gong Joo asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Jan Di considered the question, and to her dismay, she realized that she didn't know many things that Ji Hoo liked. She'd only seen him eat a few, very specific, refined foods, such as F4 was used to eating, that is, when he wasn't eating what she liked to eat. It was then that she realized Ji Hoo was always letting her choose and taking her to places she liked to go. She only remembered that one time when he took her to the fancy, French restaurant that he liked and a couple others when they went to a nicer restaurant. But even those were lowkey, and he'd made sure she would be comfortable and enjoy the food first. That, unfortunately, wasn't always the case with him, and Jan Di recalled a few times when she could tell that Ji Hoo either didn't like the food or it didn't sit well with him. Suddenly, she felt awful. Maybe she should try to go more places he liked…

"Well?" Gong Joo asked, impatiently awaited Jan Di's answer.

"I'm...I'm not exactly sure, Eomma. He likes…" She thought about what foods she could suggest that would be accessible and within her family's price range that Ji Hoo would also like. She did want to make this special for him; he was the guest of honor, after all, but one has to live within their means. She really hadn't thought this through at all when she invited him…

"What kind of girlfriend are you, Jan Di, that you don't know what foods your boyfriend likes?" Gong Joo suddenly exclaimed. "Don't you even care?"

Her mother had just vocalized exactly what she'd been lamenting about in her head.

Jan Di did care; she cared a lot, but one of the most amazing things about Ji Hoo was that he always met her at her level. He did what she liked; he ate what she liked, and he never complained. Before, she had been feeling bad about it, but now, she was thinking about how lucky she was and how amazing Ji Hoo was for being that way with her.

But leave it to her mother to dash that.

Gong Joo was now off on a rant about how Jan Di should be treating her boyfriend better and how she should want to serve him the finest of foods and give him the finest treatment when he came over to visit…

Yes, Jan Di had already come to the conclusion that she was not such a great girlfriend, and yes, Ji Hoo was special, but her mother acted as though she should be worshipping at his feet just for the fact that he deigned to allow her in his presence. Perhaps she should be…

Once she finished berating her daughter, Gong Joo went into business mode, detailing what Jan Di needed to do around the house while she was at the market, including dusting and preparing to make kimchi. She gave all three of them tasks, in fact, and put Jan Di in charge, insisting that she make sure everything was ready for her 'son-in-law's' arrival. As Gong Joo prepared to leave, a thought struck her. "Oh, he should spend the night, too!" She gave her husband an insistent look, and he immediately agreed. "Yes, Jan Di-ah, invite him to stay!" Il Bong reiterated.

Jan Di felt herself blushing lightly. "Stay here...you mean, all night...?" She chewed on her lip as she worked to push aside the string of nervous thoughts that paraded through her mind. "Umm, I don't know…"

But her parents seemed unwilling to take no for an answer or even listen; Kang San was excited by the prospect, too. So, what could she do but accept and hope that Ji Hoo would be fine with it?

On her way out, Gong Joo tossed back that Jan Di should make sure to look nice tonight, to which Jan Di sighed and waved her off. Prior to getting to work, Jan Di sent Ji Hoo a message.

. . .

Meanwhile, Ji Hoo, Yi Jeong, and Woo Bin were seated in the F4 lounge at Shinwa. They enjoyed it when classes were out like this because it was quieter. Ji Hoo wasn't fond of the flocks of fangirls always surrounding them like seagulls hovering around a dead fish, but he put up with it; Yi Jeong and Woo Bin didn't usually seem to mind, and Jun Pyo was just used to it by now, but they all agreed that some time to themselves once in a while was nice.

On another note, Ji Hoo knew that Yi Jeong and Woo Bin were especially thankful for the quiet right now because they were clearly hungover. In fact, they were both slumped more than seated on the couch while Ji Hoo sat in his usual chair.

"How are you feeling?" Ji Hoo asked of the two of them. They only groaned in response, and Yi Jeong started complaining about how bright it was in the room, to which Woo Bin sarcastically remarked that he wasn't a vampire. They bickered for a couple of minutes before quieting again.

Ji Hoo nodded. "Ah, I guess we're playing the who's more hungover game?" he quipped. "Usually it's neck-and-neck with you two, but Jun Pyo also had some alcohol last night." Recalling that made him wonder how his best friend was doing, not only due to the alcohol. He seemed to be in low spirits last night. "Speaking of Jun Pyo, where is he?"

"He'll be here in a bit," Yi Jeong replied, rubbing his temples.

Ji Hoo then felt his phone buzzing in his pocket and assumed it was Jun Pyo. When he took it out, he saw that it was a message from Jan Di; he opened it and read. Sunbae, can you still make it for dinner this evening at my house? 7 PM? He sent her a message back. I'll be there.

After ten or so seconds, he received another message from her. Oh, my parents would like to invite you to stay over tonight. As he read it, his lips parted a bit. This would certainly be a first. He read on. I'm sorry if it's weird. I promised I would ask, but you can DEFINITELY say no. By the end of the message, Ji Hoo had a faint smile on his face. He could practically see Jan Di's colored cheeks and shy expression. She was trying so hard to make sure he didn't feel pressured or uncomfortable. He thought about it for a moment and began typing… Alright, I'll stay. Thank them for the invite.

"Jun Pyo?" Yi Jeong asked when Ji Hoo finished messaging.

Ji Hoo shook his head, and with a light exhale, he put his phone away. He looked up again to see F2 staring at him expectantly. Why were they always so nosy? He supposed because it was an unusual thing for him to have a girlfriend.

"Jan Di?" Woo Bin cocked a brow.

"Yes," Ji Hoo replied.

And this seemed to snap F2 out of the state they were in‒Ji Hoo knew it had been more a sympathy act than anything. Side by side, the two leaned forward and waited, urging him for more information with their eyes.

Ji Hoo sighed. It wasn't like he could keep everything from his friends forever. He might as well tell them and endure the teasing now. He should just get it over with. But if only it were that simple. He knew he was in for much more teasing over the course of his relationship with Jan Di, at least until they got bored of it. However, at least his friends all liked Jan Di. Not that it would change his feelings for her, but it was nice.

"She invited me over for dinner tonight with her family."

Woo Bin made an 'oh' expression, and Yi Jeong started grinning.

"And…" Here it comes… "That was her telling me that her parents invited me to stay the night."

F2 didn't need to say a word for Ji Hoo to be able to tell they were thoroughly enjoying this. He knew they weren't at a loss for words but rather had a plethora of things in mind to say and were simple choosing amongst them. Fortunately, the sound of footsteps prevented them from speaking. And they all turned to see Jun Pyo walking in. He was wearing a red, wool, knitted cap atop his head. It was odd, and Ji Hoo was sure Yi Jeong and Woo Bin would have something to say about Jun Pyo's unique choice of headwear. Perhaps this would take the heat off him...

All three were staring at Jun Pyo, wondering about the new hat, and Yi Jeong spoke first. "Jun Pyo-ah, what is that thing on your head?"

"It's a hat, babo," Jun Pyo said, taking a seat in his usual spot.

"I know it's a hat," Yi Jeong replied. And he moved a bit closer to observe. "...well, at least I think so...but it's the ugliest one I've ever seen."

"Ya, what do you know?" Jun Pyo barked. "It's not for looks; it's to keep your head warm, idiot!" He took off the hat, looked at it, and smiled. "Besides, it's not so bad." He put it back on his head to spite the potter.

Woo Bin had also moved in for a closer look at the hat. "Where did you get it?"

"Yeah, I hope you didn't pay much money for it, or any, actually," Yi Jeong chimed. "Did you get it from a homeless person?"

"Shut up, it was...a gift."

"From someone who hates you?" Yi Jeong remarked, and Woo Bin chuckled along with him.

Sort of. Jun Pyo's face fell a bit, recalling how furious Jan Di had gotten with him last night. "It's from Geum Jan Di," he finally replied.

This caught all of their attention, particularly Ji Hoo's. Jan Di had actually given Jun Pyo a present? He wasn't jealous...not really. He was more...confused. Jan Di had also given him a present‒an amazing one‒but she had actually thought to make something especially for Jun Pyo. He didn't even think she really liked him...well, he knew that she didn't hate Jun Pyo anymore, and he knew that she felt sorry for him. And she had seemed interested in being his friend before, but this was still a bit of a shock.

"So, yes, someone who hates you," Yi Jeong quipped, interrupting Ji Hoo's musings.

Jun Pyo glared at Yi Jeong a few seconds before turning on the TV. He picked up the black game controller, hit a few buttons, and fired up his car racing game. Seconds later, he was in the midst of a heated race.

"Jan Di doesn't hate Jun Pyo anymore," Woo Bin spoke Ji Hoo's thoughts aloud. "But…" he his chin, "It is strange that she would give him a gift…" Both he and Yi Jeong turned toward Ji Hoo to see his reaction to all this.

Ji Hoo was simply sitting quietly, thinking.

"Don't worry, Ji Hoo-ah," Woo Bin said.

"No," Yi Jeong shook his head. "There's nothing to worry about." He glanced over at Jun Pyo, who was clearly immersed in his game now, and then he leaned toward Ji Hoo, speaking quieter, "I'm sure it doesn't mean anything."

"I'm not worried," Ji Hoo replied. And he really wasn't. He knew that Jan Di's feelings for Jun Pyo were purely friendly and possibly more humanitarian than anything.

Woo Bin decided to change the subject, slightly. "Speaking of gifts, did you give Jan Di her gift?"

Yi Jeong attended to Ji Hoo, and Jun Pyo seemed to be listening in as well, despite being in the middle of a game.

Ji Hoo nodded.

"Well...did she like it?" Yi Jeong asked.

"She did," Ji Hoo replied.

"That doesn't sound very enthusiastic. It was jewelry, right? I imagined she'd be swooning for you."

Ji Hoo shook his head at him.

"Yeah, but it is Geum Jan Di, and she's not like other girls," Woo Bin added.

"She liked it a lot," Ji Hoo simply said.

"Aish, you never give us much to go on, Ji Hoo-ah." Woo Bin chuckled. "So, did she give you something, too?"

"Yes." And he went on to tell them about the music box before they could make any ual jokes.

Woo Bin and Yi Jeong both seemed impressed, and Ji Hoo added, with a glance toward Jun Pyo. "She said Jun Pyo helped her win it."

Jun Pyo looked back briefly but was right back to his game.

"Helped her? How?" Yi Jeong was directing the question at Jun Pyo.

"It was just a stupid contest," was all Jun Pyo said.

"Jun Pyo-ah," Woo Bin called out to him. "Is that why your mother dragged you off the other day? Because you were with Geum Jan Di?" Apparently, Woo Bin had come to the same conclusion as Ji Hoo had.

Jun Pyo said nothing, so Yi Jeong jumped in. "If Jun Pyo's mother saw him with a girl, she'd surely be suspicious. She probably thinks they're dating." Woo Bin nodded his head, and Ji Hoo lowered his eyes in contemplation. At the same time, Jun Pyo paused his game, tossed down the controller, and turned slightly toward the group. "Will you guys stop talking about me like I'm not here?" he barked.

"Sorry, Jun Pyo-ah, but we are just concerned." Yi Jeong paused to think. "Does your mother know anything about Geum Jan Di, particularly that she's a…" Yi Jeong hesitated to say the word, noticing Ji Hoo's expression out of the corner of his eye. Ji Hoo never liked when F2 called Jan Di a 'commoner,' even though it was just descriptive and not an insult. They didn't mean anything by it; they loved Jan Di, after all. "Does she know that Jan Di is not from our...social circle?"

No one seemed to have an answer to that.

All the F4 knew that Madam Kang had been the one to send Jan Di to Shinwha because of the famous 'Wonder Girl' incident, but the old witch met a lot of people, so chances were she might not remember that Jan Di was that girl. And they had been able to fool Madam Kang at the fashion show…

"How should I know?" Jun Pyo finally spoke up. "Do you think I know anything about the inner workings of the Witch's brain? Do you think she tells me anything? She just had me dragged off and sent to my room, like a kid, without a word!" He started his game up again.

Yi Jeong nodded, and Woo Bin rubbed his chin. Ji Hoo had gone silent again. He was now worried that Madam Kang might know something about Jan Di.

Woo Bin stood and walked over to Ji Hoo's chair; he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, Ji Hoo-ah."

Ji Hoo looked up appreciatively at Woo Bin. He always understood him.

Woo Bin then looked to Yi Jeong and back down at Ji Hoo. "We'll try to find out more information."

Ji Hoo nodded his thanks.

Meanwhile, Jun Pyo had finished his game. He turned off the console and began walking out of the lounge.

"Ya, Jun Pyo-ah, where are you going?"

"I have to go somewhere," was all he said as he left the room.

The three looked between each other. Yi Jeong leaned back on the couch, with a sigh, and Woo Bin shrugged. They were becoming used to Jun Pyo's tantrums, and he'd been even more short-tempered lately. His demeanor actually got a little better after Jan Di came into the picture, but since Ji Hoo returned from Paris, it seemed that Jun Pyo was more temperamental than ever. He had his moments when he was in a great mood, though, such as when he walked in today, but like a tea kettle, the shrill whistle could go off at any moment.

Jan Di had completed some of her tasks at home, but then she'd received a text from Master, asking if she could come in for an hour or two to help with the lunch rush, so she'd decided to go. As she arrived at work, and the dinging bell announced it, Ga Eul greeted her. The place was not packed but busy enough that Jan Di felt bad that Ga Eul and Master had been dealing with it on their own.

Her boss thanked her for coming in on her day off and promised to send her and Ga Eul home as soon as he could.

"It's no problem, Master, but you could have contacted me sooner," Jan Di said. And Ga Eul told her that it had just picked up. Even though this was a popular time for couples to go out, they hadn't expected it to get this busy at lunch.

Jan Di nodded and went behind the counter to put on her red apron. She took the two bowls of porridge waiting to be served over to a table where a middle-aged couple was seated, and she continued helping Ga Eul serve the customers as they came. About twenty minutes into it, the bell jingled, and Jan Di and Ga Eul turned to see a familiar old man enter.

"Harabeoji," Jan Di greeted the crotchety old guy, and she and Ga Eul bowed to him. For some reason, Jan Di couldn't help but smile at seeing him. Even though he could be a pain, there was something about him that made her think he had a good heart inside, and she suspected he was just lonely. Maybe he didn't have any family to spend time with. This might be the highlight of his day coming here.

The man grumbled a greeting, but Jan Di was completely onto him by now. She could tell that he just pretended to be grumpy and mean. She only smiled wider, which brought out a small one on his gray, whiskered face. She then showed him to his favorite seat in the back.

The old man plopped into his seat with a groan. "Have you eaten, Child?" he asked. Jan Di smiled and told him that she had.

"What would you like today, Harabeoji?"

The old man thought for a moment, not bothering to look at the menu‒he never ordered off it, anyway. He ended up asking for his favorite, jajangmyeon.

Having heard the order, Master called from the kitchen, "Yes, coming right up!"

The old man pretended to roll his eyes at the young man's enthusiasm and called back to him, "I hope it's better than last time!"

Jan Di shook her head to herself. She wasn't sure why the old man gave their boss such a hard time, but for some reason, she suspected he was only challenging him. But why...?

Harabeoji looked up at Jan Di; he paused a moment before asking, "Your boyfriend, Child...is he...doing well?"

Jan Di nodded. "Yes, Harabeoji, he's doing well." She smiled at him, though she was quite curious why he was so interested.

. . .

A half hour later, the old man finished his meal, reviewing that it was better than last time but still too sweet, and he left. The place seemed to die down with the old man's exit, and when it was nearly empty, Ga Eul brought up the question that had been rolling around in Jan Di's head since last time. "Why is that old man so curious about Ji Hoo sunbae?" she asked.

Jan Di shrugged, and they both looked to Master, for he seemed to know something. He'd made that cryptic statement to Jan Di last time, after all, about how she, especially, should be respectful to the old man.

Why her especially? Jan Di decided to ask. "Master, who is that old man? Do you know him?"

Their boss began occupying himself unnecessarily in the kitchen, so Jan Di went to the counter, leaned over it, and stared at him. He avoided her gaze.

This made Ga Eul suspicious, too; she called out to their boss, "Yah, Master!" He also avoided her, and she squinted over at him. "You know something, don't you?" Ga Eul urged. Master said nothing and started washing a pan. Ga Eul went to Jan Di's side, and both girls rested their heads in their hands and stared at their boss.

With two pairs of dark eyes focused on him, burning holes into his side, it was difficult to remain aloof. Finally, Master sighed and turned toward them.

Ga Eul asked again, more directly, "Master, what's your relationship to the old man?"

"Ga Eul-ah, you should have more respect than that," was all he said before returning to his dishes.

"Why? Who is he?" Ga Eul inquired further.

"Yes, who is he, Master?" Jan Di echoed. "And why is he so interested in Ji Hoo?"

Bom Choon-Sik stopped what he was doing and shook his head. These girls could be so dense. "Don't you two follow politics at all?"

Jan Di and Ga Eul looked at one another. "Politics? Is Harabeoji in politics?" Jan Di asked.

Choon-Sik sighed. "Didn't either of you pay any attention in school? Don't you even know your own country's history?" And with that, he got back to work, having at least planted a seed in their heads. They needed to figure the rest out on their own.

About two hours later, Jan Di bid Ga Eul and Master goodbye and wished them 'Sung Tang Chuk Ha.' She returned home to find her mother already there, complaining about her leaving. Jan Di explained that she'd needed to go in to work; Gong Joo exhaled sharply, said fine, and demanded she help her prepare the food. Jan Di noticed that her mother had bought so much food; she'd probably broken their budget for the next two months completely, but she was calling it an investment‒because when Jan Di married young master Yoon, she would be heir to his fortune, so what was a little extra money spent on food now? Thinking it useless to argue, Jan Di simply helped her mother ready the ingredients they needed.

They'd decided to make bulgogi, sweet potato noodles, and kimchi. The kimchi would be last, and they would enlist the help of Il Bong and Kang San for that part. They also considered making cakes with sweet red bean paste and sugar candy, if there was time. Jan Di and her mother began cooking; meanwhile, Il Bong and Kang San relaxed in the living room, now that the cleaning was done.

An hour into cooking, the doorbell rang. Il Bong, Gong Joo, and Kang San's ears perked up like dogs'. Could that be him, this early? Jan Di wondered. Surely not. She smoothed down her hair and clothing and went to the door. "Eomma, Appa, San-ah…," she called back, looking to each of them in turn. "Please, be good, and no hints about marriage…," she spoke the last word more quietly than the others, just in case his ears were that good. She clasped her hands together; they nodded in understanding, and she opened the door.

To Jan Di's great surprise, it was not her boyfriend standing on the other side of the door but a slightly taller man, wearing equally stylish yet more flamboyant clothing, with dark, curly hair. Her jaw dropped. "Gu Jun Pyo! Wh-what...are you doing here?"

"Unhappy to see me, Ms. Laundry?" He smirked.

"Uh, no, it's not that exactly...just...surprised." She brought up the slack in her jaw.

After her outburst, it didn't take long for Jan Di's family to come rushing to the door. They stood behind Jan Di, clinging to one another in a group, and staring, star stricken. When her father registered who their guest was, from having seen him on TV, he began stammering, only able to utter, "Sh-Shin-wha?"

Jun Pyo gave a nod of acknowledgment to her family and craned his neck, glancing all around the place from the doorway. "So, this is where you live?" he asked her. Jan Di could tell he was unimpressed by the small space, perhaps questioning how she could live in such a hovel.

"Yes, this is where I live, Gu Jun Pyo," she said strongly. And despite her mother's insistence that she be more polite, she repeated her initial question. He didn't answer but instead entered the living room, after being eagerly invited by her family.

Jan Di protested. "Gu Jun Pyo, you should go. I'm...I'm expecting company." He was an uninvited guest, and besides that, he was really rude to her last night, so why should she be nice to him?

Jun Pyo scoffed. "Ji Hoo, I assume?"

"Yes, not that it's any of your business." She folded her arms and glared at him.

Jun Pyo glared back. "It is my business. He's my friend. Is there some reason why he can't see me here?"

Jan Di rolled her eyes. He always made everything difficult. "It's not that he can't see you here...it's just that…" She groaned in frustration, not knowing how to explain. She knew Ji Hoo wouldn't get jealous, but it might be a little...awkward. Not to mention, she had wanted to have a nice dinner with her family and her boyfriend, not with her family, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend's best friend.

"Don't worry, I won't stay long. Wouldn't want you to get in trouble with your boyfriend," Jun Pyo said in a sardonic tone.

Jan Di sighed. Again, she wondered why he always had to make things so difficult. "Gu Jun Pyo‒"

Jun Pyo cut her off. "I just wanted to..." He folded his arms and looked away.

"What? What do you want, Gu Jun Pyo?"

"Can we…?" He motioned for them to go somewhere else, so she took him into the hall. She could practically see her family pressed up against it on the other side, trying to listen, but she focused on what he had to say.

"Well?" Jan Di demanded, hugging herself tightly,

"I...wanted to…" He seemed to be having a lot of trouble getting the next word out. "...apologize."

"What?" Jan Di's mouth dropped a bit.

"For...last night." He tucked his hands neatly into the pockets of his black pinstripe, designer suit. "I don't want it to...be this way between us. I don't like it."

Jan Di was stunned. "...Um, it's...okay, Gu Jun Pyo," she managed to stammer.

"I want us...to be friends," he said.

"Really?"

Staring down at his expensive black, leather shoes, he nodded.

"We are friends, Gu Jun Pyo, so don't worry." For good measure, she gave him a friendly slap to the arm.

He scoffed at her affectionate, yet violent gesture. "Oh, and I…" He shifted uncomfortably. "I like the hat."

"Really?" Her eyes widened and then darted from side to side. "But...you're not wearing it..."

"I was earlier, all morning, actually."

Jan Di felt the corners of her lips twitch. He'd actually been wearing the hat she made, he, the 'great' Gu Jun Pyo had worn something made of low-quality material by a mere commoner.

"Yeah, it's really warm," Jun Pyo added.

"I told you!" She smiled fully at him, and he did so in return. And their smiles lingered. It was a rare, pleasant moment between the two of them.

"So, did Ji Hoo...like his gift?" Jun Pyo asked, breaking the silence. He had considered getting Jan Di something, too, but he didn't know what. Anything he bought she would just yell at him about, saying it was too expensive. And then there was the fact that it would seem like something a boyfriend would do. Then again, she had gotten him something… He was confused. She was just being nice, wasn't she?

Jan Di nodded and smiled in response. "Yes, he did, and thank you, again, for helping me win it." She truly appreciated it, and it made her think how it wasn't the first time he'd done something nice for her. She still had the Park Tae Hwan goggles. Part of her wanted to use them, but part of her wanted to keep them tucked safely away in her drawer because they were so special.

"Aish, you already thanked me, enough already."

Jan Di chuckled in response. She then recalled the contest at the mall and how his mother had shown up and dragged him off. She wanted to ask about that, but at the same time, she felt she shouldn't. She hesitated for a minute or so. "...Was everything…? ...Your mother was...angry," she finally said.

Jun Pyo scoffed. "She's always angry about something. It's no big deal..."

Jan Di slowly nodded.

And speaking of mothers, it was then that her own mother chose to burst through the door. She made up some excuse about why, but it was clear she wanted to know what was going on. When Jun Pyo told her he was just leaving, Gong Joo invited him to stay.

"Eomma…" Jan Di quietly chided her mother.

"What? Young master Jun Pyo came all this way, so we should at least invite him to stay for dinner."

Jan Di opened in protest. "But Eomma, Ji Hoo…"

Her mother scolded her with a slap to the arm. "Ohh, they can both join. There's plenty of food. And aren't they friends?"

This was not part of the plan at all. "I guess, but...dinner isn't even ready…" All she needed was the pain of entertaining Gu Jun Pyo for hours...

Gong Joo placed a finger to her chin and nodded. "Well, he can have some appetizers in the meantime." She then looked up at Jun Pyo, smiled, and spoke in a sickeningly sweet voice, "Young master, have you ever made kimchi?"

Jun Pyo's brow wrinkled quizzically. He had definitely never made kimchi. He didn't even really like it.

"We're making kimchi before dinner. Would you like to join us?" Gong Joo held the door open and waved a hand, beckoning him in, while assuring him that it would be a lot of fun.

Jan Di fully expected Jun Pyo to decline her offer. After all, who ever heard of the Shinwha heir making kimchi? It would definitely not be something he knew how or wanted to do.

"Yes, I would." Jun Pyo said, and he gave Jan Di's mother a little bow. Gong Joo squealed and clapped her hands together as Jan Di froze there, mouth agape.

Jan Di stood rooted to the spot for several seconds, wondering what had just happened. When the door nearly closed on her‒apparently, her mother didn't care if she came in or not‒she pushed it open and followed after them.

What happened next was nothing short of disgusting. Jan Di's family started fawning over Jun Pyo, praising and complimenting him, calling him handsome, even her father. The kimchi was temporarily forgotten while Jan Di's mother prepared and offered Jun Pyo a series of side dishes that had been reserved for dinner, as well as leftovers, and basically the best foods they had available. When Jan Di tried to protest, her mother scolded her, saying there was plenty for later and not to be so rude and stingy. She sighed and accepted that this was out of her control.

Ten minutes later, they all sat around the table, staring at Jun Pyo, awaiting him trying kongjaban. He plucked a single black bean from its dish and held it up in front of his face, eyeing it almost suspiciously. Finally, he popped it into his mouth and started chewing. Everyone was watching; her mother and father were grinning eagerly, and even Jan Di was curious to know what he would think of it. After he finished thoroughly chewing, Jun Pyo gave a nod of approval, which caused shouts of joy from her parents and brother, akin to the excitement of winning an all-expense-paid trip to Jeju.

After serving Jun Pyo his fill, Gong Joo prepared the kimchi ingredients, and she brought out aprons and gloves for all of them. Jun Pyo hesitated before putting his on, but Gong Joo assured him that he didn't want to get his fine suit dirty.

Jan Di pulled back the sleeves of her purple sweatshirt to put her gloves on and saw the charm bracelet from Ji Hoo on her wrist. She was torn; she didn't want to take it off, ever, but she didn't want to get it dirty or lose it amidst the kimchi.

While she stared at her bracelet, pondering what to do, Kang San noticed it for the first time. "Noona, is that a new bracelet?"

A bit startled, Jan Di looked up. "Huh?"

"Is it from Ji Hoo Hyung?" her little brother ventured further.

This caught Jun Pyo's attention, and he looked over.

"Oh," Jan Di's cheeks flushed. "Yeah, it is." She smiled a bit, staring down at the bracelet.

Her mother, father, and brother stampeded over for a closer look, excitedly commenting as they touched and admired it. Kang San asked about what the charms meant, and not wanting to explain each one, Jan Di simply said it was something between them. Well, that was the wrong thing to say. This caused her family to gasp, shout, and squeal, so much so that Jan Di needed to extract herself immediately. She slipped away from them and rushed to her room, slamming the door behind her. In the quieter environment, she took another moment to admire her bracelet before reluctantly removing it. She opened her drawer and placed it safely inside its box.

Jan Di came out of her bedroom in time to see her mother finishing putting Jun Pyo's apron on for him. When Gong Joo saw Jan Di, she urged her to come over and help her wash the cabbage. Jan Di complied, and she and her mother thoroughly washed and pulled strips of cabbage from the heads and placed them in bowls. They wanted to make a large amount of kimchi to last for months, so they decided to use the bathtub for the rest.

Jun Pyo found this process very strange, but he participated in the assembly line Jan Di's family had formed. He took the middle spot, catching heads of cabbage thrown by Jan Di's brother, and tossing them to Jan Di, who had knelt beside the bathtub. She and her mother were removing leaves from the heads, too. Once all the cabbage was stripped and in the tub, Jan Di and her mother proceeded to run water and submerge the cabbage. Jun Pyo could not even imagine what the smell was going to be like when all was said and done...it was already fragrant, and they hadn't even added the spices that were out and ready on the table.

When it came to mixing the spices, they at least didn't use the bathtub. Jun Pyo wouldn't want to bathe in that, but Jan Di and her family weren't exactly normal, at least not by his definition of normal. Still, there was something he really liked about all of them, and especially about this family time together. It was weird but nice.

After washing and draining the cabbage, Jan Di and her mother put the strips in various mixing bowls. They took them to the table and added sugar, pepper flakes, and nori in several smaller bowls and placed them in front of the guys. Kang San and Il Bong dug gloved hands in and started mixing the spices in the bowls in front of them, and Gong Joo instructed Jun Pyo to also try it. She took his hands and showed him the motion to use to properly mix the spices into a thick paste.

It was an odd feeling for Jun Pyo but kind of fun, in a way.

In the meantime, Jan Di prepared the daikon, ginger, scallions, and garlic, and when finished, she added the mixture to the bowls. She then urged her father, brother, and Jun Pyo to mix it well. After making the paste, they all proceeded to cover the cabbage leaves with paste and tightly fold the cabbage. Again, Gong Joo showed Jun Pyo how to do it properly. After successfully making the kimchi, Jan Di placed most of the leaves in jars, added a little brine, sealed them up, and set them by the window to ferment.

Gong Joo kept some of the kimchi out for everyone to taste, so they all tried some, occasionally being silly and feeding one another. Jan Di grabbed a strip for herself and stuck it in . Gong Joo extended a piece to Jun Pyo, and he took it. She even wiped his mouth afterward. Kang San pretended Jun Pyo had bitten him after feeding him some, and they all laughed. Deciding he liked it, Jun Pyo tasted more, even grabbing Jan Di's hand to steal the piece she was about to eat, and forcing her to feed it to him, despite her objections. At the end of the test pieces, everyone was satiated and happy.

Nearly two hours later, Jan Di and her mother finished cleaning up in the kitchen, and Jan Di went to get changed for dinner. She wasn't sure what to wear, though. She wanted to look nice for Ji Hoo, but she didn't want to look like she was trying too hard. Her family would surely notice that, and Jun Pyo might even give her a hard time about it…

She sighed and looked through her closet, ultimately deciding on a nicer sweater and jeans. After, she went to her drawer to retrieve the charm bracelet. She put it back on her left wrist and checked her phone. Ji Hoo had messaged that he'd gotten held up at a rehearsal for a Christmas performance at the Suam Center, so he might be a few minutes late, but he was on his way. Jan Di considered telling (warning) him that Jun Pyo was here, so he wasn't caught off guard, but she didn't really know what to say. Not knowing the best way to say it, she just messaged ''No problem. See you soon' and stuck her phone in her pocket. As she opened the door of her room, she rethought it, and pulled out her phone again.

Bringing up the conversation thread with Ji Hoo, she began messaging. I should tell you that Jun Pyo showed up at my house out of the blue. We had a little argument last night, and he wanted to apologize. Can you believe it? Maybe he already told you, but if he didn't, I just wanted to let you know that he's here. Her finger hovered over the send. The message sounded so rambling… She tried to think of something better, but not coming up with anything, she squeezed her eyes shut, exhaled, and hit the button. Cringing the entire time, she awaited his response. When, ten seconds later, she felt the phone vibrate in her hand, she looked at it and opened the message from Ji Hoo. Okay. See you soon, was all it said.

"Hmm," she muttered to herself. Is he really not surprised, at all? "I was…" Although, it was sometimes hard to read Ji Hoo, and most people, over a message. Maybe Ji Hoo already knew that Jun Pyo planned to come here, but he probably would have given her a heads up if he had. She shrugged it off and returned to the living room.

Ji Hoo arrived approximately twenty minutes later, and her family eagerly greeted him at the door. They fawned over him as they had with Jun Pyo, of course. As for Ji Hoo, he presented himself as the perfect boyfriend. He bowed and spoke with the utmost politeness, even brought gifts for Jan Di's parents to thank them for the invitation, a bottle of Hwayo 41 soju for her father, a skincare set for her mother, and even a gift for Kang San, a cool smartwatch. This only made them fall even more in love with him than they already were. Ji Hoo then greeted Jun Pyo, who greeted back but gave him a look that seemed to say, 'Aren't you trying too hard?'

Shortly afterward, they all sat down to dinner‒Ji Hoo beside Jan Di, Jun Pyo on one end of the table, next to Ji Hoo, Kang San on the other end, and Il Bong and Gong Joo across from Jan Di and Ji Hoo.

"Jalmukesumneda!" Jan Di and her family exclaimed in unison, and Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo reverberated, albeit more quietly.

Dinner was interesting, to say the least. It started out well enough, with Ji Hoo cutting Jan Di's meat for her; he followed that up by adding a piece of his own beef to her dish of rice since he didn't think she had enough. The two smiled at one another, and most everyone thought it was sweet. But that, strangely, seemed to spur Jun Pyo on...after that, he began eagerly offering to pass Jan Di side dishes, and he even aggressively reached across the table in front of Ji Hoo when he attempted to pass her the bean sprouts she'd requested. Jan Di poked out her cheeks and accepted the sprouts. And she thanked them both, so as not to offend anyone.

Gong Joo, Il Bong, and Kang San watched with rapt interest as this display continued a few more times until Jan Di started going for her own food. As they all dug into the tasty meal, the tension subsided. There were a couple of side dishes that Ji Hoo or Jun Pyo seemed hesitant to try, but they both ended up trying everything, even if only taking a small portion. And sometimes they took a large portion, at least Jun Pyo did.

When the meal was finished, Jan Di exclaimed, "Masegaemugusuyo," and Gong Joo brought out dessert, sweet red bean paste cakes.

Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo thanked their hosts for the wonderful meal, which greatly pleased the family. Gong Joo was more than glad to have their guests there as was Il Bong, who chuckled and smiled before going for the alcohol Ji Hoo had brought. "We should have some!" he insisted as he held up the bottle. He then brought out cups and poured alcohol for himself, Gong Joo, Jun Pyo, and Ji Hoo. Kang San wanted some, too, but his father refused, and Jan Di turned down the offer from her father, insisting on having water instead.

The elders and men ended up having two rounds of soju, and then Gong Joo and Il Bong went off to the side and began discussing asking Gu Jun Pyo to stay overnight as well. Overhearing this, Jan Di, Ji Hoo, and Jun Pyo all exchanged looks. Jan Di lowered her eyes a bit in dread, wondering how she was going to get out of this mess. But to both Jan Di and Ji Hoo's surprise, Jun Pyo rose from his seated position that very moment and announced that he needed to go. Jan Di's parents, particularly Gong Joo looked very disappointed and tried to protest, but Jun Pyo simply bowed, thanked them again, and turned to leave, grabbing his coat off the rack and slipping it on along the way.

Ji Hoo hesitated only a minute or two after Jun Pyo exited before excusing himself and going after him. He caught up to his best friend outside the dry cleaning store in front of the large, glass window with Jan Di's Dry Cleaning printed on it.

"Jun Pyo-ah!" Ji Hoo called, his breath visible in the cold, evening air.

Jun Pyo turned around slowly to look at him over his shoulder, his face stone. "What?"

"You're leaving?"

"I'm sure you don't want me there," Jun Pyo growled. And he didn't really want to be there all night with the lovebirds, either. He had considered staying over, just to prevent...something from happening, but Geum Jan Di's parents were there, so he wasn't too worried about it. Jun Pyo shook his head at his own patheticness.

Ji Hoo sighed and stuck his hands into the pockets of his ed cashmere coat. He didn't know what to say. "Jun Pyo-ah…"

"What?"

Ji Hoo took a deep breath before continuing. "What was that tonight?" he asked gently.

"What?" Jun Pyo played dumb.

"Well, first of all, showing up at Jan Di's place…" Not to mention, the tension during dinner…

"Sorry!" he snapped. "I guess I really spoiled the evening by showing up, huh?"

"It's not that, but…" Ji Hoo sighed again. His friend was definitely being moodier than usual. "Jun Pyo, what's wrong? Why are you acting this way?"

But really, he already knew; he just wanted confirmation from his friend's lips. Ji Hoo had long since had the gnawing feeling that Jun Pyo still liked Jan Di, and he was probably only growing to like her more. It was very clear from the way he suddenly showed up at her place and the way he acted at dinner. Would Jun Pyo ever accept that this relationship between Jan Di and him was real? Ji Hoo wondered. Was he ever planning on giving her up? If he didn't, how were they ever all going to hang out together? It worried him. Maybe Jan Di was right; maybe Jun Pyo needed a girlfriend. Another woman was probably the only thing that was going to get his mind and heart off Jan Di…

When Jun Pyo said nothing, Ji Hoo began speaking, "Jun Pyo, do you…are you…?" But he ultimately decided against it. He already knew what the case was, and Jun Pyo was clearly in no mood to discuss it right now. "Jun Pyo, what will you do now?" Ji Hoo asked instead.

"Like you care," he muttered.

"I do care, Jun Pyo-ah. You know I do."

Jun Pyo exhaled forcefully and looked away.

Ji Hoo took a step closer. "I know this is a hard time of year for you, too." Jun Pyo scoffed in response, but Ji Hoo continued, "Your mother and father are away, aren't they? What will you do? Will you go somewhere?"

Jun Pyo shrugged and turned around to fully face Ji Hoo.

"You could go to Woo Bin's," Ji Hoo suggested.

"No, it's too noisy over there. He'll be partying. I don't feel like doing that…"

"Yi Jeong's, then?"

"He'll be there, too."

They stared at each other for a moment. "Jun Pyo-ah…"

"WHAT, Ji Hoo?!" Jun Pyo shouted. "I'm used to being alone around this time! What makes this year any different?!"

Ji Hoo felt horrible. He was used to the same thing, and it wasn't like holidays were a big deal for F4 because of their upbringing, but this year, he had someone to spend it with, and Jun Pyo still didn't. "Do you want to stay here?" he asked. It would be weird, but it was better than sending him off depressed and alone.

"I wouldn't want to intrude," Jun Pyo remarked bitterly.

"You won't. Jan Di's family seems more than happy to have y‒" Jan Di's parents had invited him, though Jan Di didn't seem too thrilled about the prospect, so that part made Ji Hoo's offer rather half-hearted.

"No, I don't want to stay."

Ji Hoo sighed. He was so incredibly stubborn. He clearly wanted to, but he would never admit it. "I'll leave then," said Ji Hoo, "and you can come to my place." He hated to do it to Jan Di, but right now, he was really concerned about Jun Pyo.

"Forget it, Ji Hoo!" he snipped.

"Jun Pyo-ah," Ji Hoo began as Jun Pyo slowly turned away, "I...don't want you to be bored or lonely. You can message me if…"

"Don't bother feeling sorry for me. Just take care of yourself." And the Shinwha heir turned his back and walked off.

Ji Hoo watched Jun Pyo walk away until he was out of sight. With a sigh, he messaged both Yi Jeong and Woo Bin, asking them to check in on Jun Pyo soon, and he went back inside.

Meanwhile, Jan Di's mother had, of course, brought up the tension between Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo, demanding to know what was going on and if they both liked her. All three spectators asserted that Jun Pyo seemed to like Jan Di a lot, too. When Jan Di replied that she didn't know, maybe he did, her mother practically had stars in her eyes.

"That's great!" Gong Joo exclaimed.

"What?"! Jan Di's mouth hung open. How is that a good thing?!

"Now you have two incredible options!"

Jan Di dropped her head in frustration. "Eommaaa…"

Gong Joo then started going on and on about how it was nice to have a backup and how she should be extra nice to Gu Jun Pyo, just in case. He was an amazing backup, after all, if not the better offer. "Master Jun Pyo is wealthier…" Gong Joo mused.

Jan Di groaned.

"But Ji Hoo Hyung is cooler!" Kang San exclaimed.

This started a debate between mother and son over who was cooler, to which Gong Joo proclaimed that Yoon Ji Hoo was polite and had beautiful features, but Gu Jun Pyo was more stylish and manly. Kang San didn't agree that Jun Pyo Hyung was more manly or stylish than Ji Hoo Hyung but that the former's style was more unique and trendy, whereas the latter's was more distinguished.

Jan Di wanted to die. More than that, she was livid. This was not a matter up for discussion!

Balling her hands into fists at her sides, she shouted, "I don't want another option! Listen up, I'm with Ji Hoo, and he's the only one I want, ever!" She covered as soon as she said it, thankful that at least Ji Hoo hadn't heard. She then took a breath and worked to calm herself while preparing for merciless teasing.

Oddly, her father spoke first. He was agreeable to it, saying that his little girl could date whoever she wanted, so long as he was good to her, and that he approved of Ji Hoo. Jan Di appreciated this.

And then her mother joined in. "Well, it would have been nice if you'd chosen to date that Gu Jun Pyo, Jan Di-ah...he's wealthier, after all," she brushed a curl away from her face, "but Yoon Ji Hoo is plenty wealthy and has a great reputation. His grandfather is the former president, after all. Not to mention, he's more handsome. If your kids get half their looks from him, they'll definitely be worth bragging about."

Jan Di's mouth dropped open. "Kids?! Who said anything about having kids?!" she lamented, covering her heated face. Kang San came over and placed a sympathetic hand on his noona's shoulder.

Gong Joo just kept at it. "Besides, Gu Jun Pyo has to wait to inherit everything, but Yoon Ji Hoo already has it all."

That did it. Jan Di was furious now; Ji Hoo only had his inheritance already because his parents were dead…

"Eomma! Don't ever, EVER say anything like that in front of Ji Hoo!" Her brow was set and hardened, displaying just how serious she was.

Her mother scoffed. "As if I would. And there's no need to shout or take that tone, young lady!"

After a few bickerings, the family managed to settle the matter, just in time for Ji Hoo to re-enter their home.

Ji Hoo seemed a little weary upon returning, Jan Di noticed, but he snapped out of it shortly thereafter and asked her if she would like to go somewhere with him for a few hours. Her parents didn't seem averse to her staying out as late as she liked; no curfew was given, just a 'have a great time; stay out as long as you'd like, and we'll have a place for you to sleep ready when you come back.'

He took her on his bike, and they ended up at Lotte World. She was a bit surprised at first, but he had mentioned wanting to take her to see the lights. Again, he had to be doing this purely for her. This definitely did not seem like something Yoon Ji Hoo would choose to do.

They went inside, and the place was crowded, jammed with couples and parents with kids. But they didn't mind. They walked hand-in-hand through Santa's Miracle Village and stopped to take pictures at the snowman photo zone and under the Happy Christmas sign. They watched the red kiddie train go round and round as the small children jumped and squealed and waved to it, and they viewed the parade. Jan Di oohed and ahhed over the bright lights, neon windmills, and large Christmas tree in the center of the indoor amusement park. She briefly wondered if she was acting a bit too excited...Ji Hoo probably thought she was behaving like a little kid, but she couldn't help it.

Next, they were approached by several larger than life characters, including a big bunny and the Lotty raccoon pair, dressed in Santa attire. Jan Di didn't like it much when a couple of women dressed in short Santa dresses and hats came over and one winked at Ji Hoo, but other than that, she was having a blast. Then, to Jan Di's great embarrassment, a woman in a multicolored dress, blonde wig, and crazy hat came over to them with a piece of mistletoe. She held it over their heads and insisted that they kiss. Ji Hoo looked at Jan, gauging her response, and he leaned in to softly peck her lips. It was a very nice kiss, but it caused her to turn fifteen different shades of red due to the publicness of it.

After they, they went ice skating on the indoor rink. They skated along hand in hand or arm in arm. Ji Hoo let her go a few times, standing only a few feet away, ready to catch her if she fell. She almost did a couple of times, nearly taking him down with her, but they managed to stay upright and just laughed it off. The evening ended with a ride on the ferris wheel, on which Jan Di squeezed in close to Ji Hoo and wrapped her arm around his while holding onto the bar and grinning and shrieking with delight.

Once they'd had their fill of the place, Ji Hoo and Jan Di left through the main doors of the illuminated castle, arms linked, and headed across the bridge, where they had shared a kiss the night before. "Did you have fun?" Ji Hoo asked as the snow crunched beneath their feet.

"Yes, it was amazing! Thank you, Sunbae!" She smiled and squeezed his arm tighter as they walked to his bike.

When they returned, her parents had set up their room with red and blue silky blankets and pillows; Jan Di nearly died when her father explained that these were the linens they'd used on their honeymoon and started reminiscing. Ji Hoo was stoic about the whole thing and simply kept a straight, polite expression on his face, though Jan Di was sure he had to be embarrassed, too. She even thought she caught a hint of color in his pale cheeks. Her parents had decided that Ji Hoo and Jan Di would share their room, but Gong Joo would sleep in there with them, while Kang San and Il Bong bedded down in the living room.

Separately, Jan Di and Ji Hoo readied for bed. She went through her normal routine, brush-brush, wash-wash, but took a bit longer due to her nerves. Ji Hoo took a much shorter time to get ready, probably because he was a guy and always perfect, and he came out dressed in a long-sleeved, gray and white, striped shirt and pant set that he'd brought from home. It looked rather casual for an F4 but absolutely adorable on him. Jan Di didn't tell him so, though, and only admired him from a distance while he wasn't looking.

At bedtime, Jan Di tentatively entered her parents' room with Ji Hoo right behind her, and she stared down at the sheets. She half-expected her mother to lie in between them, but she took a spot on the outer left side, leaving two places for them, side by side. I guess she trusts us… That thought made Jan Di's cheeks heat again; she patted them in hopes of cooling off.

With all these thoughts popping into her head, Jan Di wondered if maybe her mother shouldn't trust her, but she was sleeping in here with them, so apparently, she had some concerns, too. Even though it was weird, it put Jan Di more at ease, having her here. It was like they had a chaperone…not that they needed one… Again with the thoughts! She slapped herself lightly in the face, earning a quizzical, yet amused look from Ji Hoo.

Not long after, Jan Di's mother turned out the lights, and the three settled into bed. Gong Joo was out almost immediately, but both Ji Hoo and Jan Di were wide awake. Ji Hoo lie on his back, one arm behind his bed, staring at the ceiling; Jan Di lie between her mother and Ji Hoo, also on her back, staring at the ceiling, with arms at her sides atop the blankets. She pulled the covers higher and whispered, "I'm sorry if this is weird."

Ji Hoo glanced over, a faint smile on his lips. "It's not weird."

"Really?" He couldn't possibly mean that; he was clearly just being nice. No, it is weird, Ji Hoo, definitely weird. She fixed him with a 'give it to me straight' look.

"Well, a little," Ji Hoo admitted as he stared up.

More than a little; it's a lot weird. She thought, adjusting her covers.

Ji Hoo glanced over again with just his eyes, and he noticed that Jan Di wore a mildly distressed look and was violently scrunching her covers. He smiled wider. "But...it's also...kind of nice."

Her lips parted in disbelief, causing Ji Hoo to let out a short, quiet laugh. He shifted onto his side to look at her completely, and shyly, she did the same; they were now facing each other.

Come to think of it, it is nice, she mused pleasantly. Having him beside me… Maybe someday it would just be the two of them like this... She felt the heat rising from her neck up. Stop it, just stop thinking things like that! She inwardly berated. Feeling guilty, she glanced back over her shoulder at her mother; she was softly snoring.

When Jan Di turned again, Ji Hoo poked her in the cheek with his index finger. "Don't worry." She nodded, and he tapped her on the nose. And they stared into each other's eyes in the darkness...

"You know, I'm not used to sleeping next to someone," Ji Hoo spoke softly. "I mean, occasionally, Jun Pyo stays over, and he always ends up in my bed for some reason. Most of the time I just give it to him because he takes up so much room and is such an aggressive sleeper."

Jan Di's lips twisted into a small grin. Gu Jun Pyo was even aggressive in his sleep, made sense.

"And besides, I don't really have any desire to share a bed with him."

Jan Di stifled a laugh.

"I shared a bed with Seo Hyun before…"

Jan Di felt her heart stop in her chest. What's he saying? Why is he telling me this?!

"But we were just kids then..."

She turned away long enough to let out a sigh of relief. When she turned back, Ji Hoo was off in his head, once again staring up at the ceiling. Was he thinking of Seo Hyun Unnie?

Ji Hoo's thoughts centered on Seo Hyun, but they were only fragments of past feelings. The time he slept next to Seo Hyun, he was 8 and she was 10, so it had been innocent. It had been like a brother and sister lying next to each other; nonetheless, he recalled feeling shy and timid because he had recently discovered a new kind of feeling for her. He recalled that she had snuggled close to him at one point. When she did that, he'd had the urge to hug her and touch her hair and face; he didn't know why. Shakily, he'd raised his hand and brushed away a strand of long, dark hair from her face, and he'd just stared at her, feeling as though he wanted to do something more but not sure what… He'd reached out again to touch her cheek but got scared when she sighed and moved in her sleep, and his hand ended up at his side. It was then that she'd shifted and hugged him around the waist in her sleep, and Ji Hoo had felt his entire body trembling. But he'd tried to control it because he didn't want to wake her. Tentatively, he'd raised a hand and placed it lightly on her back in a half-hug‒the other hand was pinned down by the light weight of her slightly longer body.

"I always knew I felt more for Seo Hyun than she felt for me. Ever since we were kids and into adulthood. When I started feeling a different way about her as a boy, I didn't really understand it. As I got older, I knew what it was that I felt, but I was too afraid to tell her. She would never accept my feelings because of the age difference, and she just didn't think of me that way; I knew that she didn't. It was hard to accept in the beginning, but in time...I got so used to it, and really, I was okay with it so long as I could be by her side." Ji Hoo paused, musing on how he'd since learned that he could have so much more than remaining in another person's shadow, always walking a step behind; he could walk beside a person, hand-in-hand. With Jan Di.

"After meeting you," he continued, "I realized that I was lacking something as a person, the courage to go after what I wanted…"

Ji Hoo rolled onto his side again to face his girlfriend, who was staring at him with those big, doe eyes of hers. He smiled and smoothed a piece of her bangs. "I'm telling you this because I don't want to shut you out, Jan Di. I want to talk to you about everything, even when it's difficult for me."

"Ji Hoo…"

He smiled at her. "You saw how miserable I was, and it was because she was leaving, of course, but also because I'd never even tried to express my feelings to her. You gave me that push at the airport, but I think you were nudging me along even before that… The night of Seo Hyun's birthday party, I finally told her how I felt all those years. I told her I was a man, and…" He hesitated as if he didn't want to say the rest.

"I know." Jan Di smiled a painful smile that couldn't be well-seen, thanks to the darkness. "I heard everything...and I...saw the kiss."

Ji Hoo's lips parted. She'd heard and seen it all?

"That was why Jun Pyo covered for me…"

Ji Hoo nodded to himself. "I wondered…" He'd been curious about that, and later, Jun Pyo had mentioned how Jan Di was upset that night. "I'm s-"

But she didn't let him get it out. "Why are you apologizing, Ji Hoo? That's all in the past, and besides, just because I had a crush on you doesn't mean you should feel bad for kissing the woman you loved."

"Loved, yes. That's the key word, Jan Di. I mean, I'll always care for her, but it's not that way anymore. I hope you know that."

Jan Di prepared to say 'I do know,' but she couldn't get it out.

Ji Hoo continued on, "Actually, I thought I loved her, but it wasn't really 'love.' It was a crush as you say you had…" And he wondered, could there be an expiration date for crushes? Had his time to be with Seo Hyun lapsed, or were they never meant to be in the first place?

Jan Di was also thinking about her crush. It was a crush, Ji Hoo, but now's it's so much more…

Ji Hoo hated to even bring up the next part, but he had promised to let her in. "When you pleaded with Seo Hyun to stay for me, I was really upset. I guess it hurt my pride or something, but now I realize how stupid I was. After what you said to me, I understood why you did it, and I felt horrible. That you cared so much about me…" He cupped her cheek. "I'm sorry I took you for granted, Otter."

She shook her head, which was still within his hand. "No, you…"

"I did, Jan Di, and I'm sorry." He sighed. "I thought long and hard about it after that, and when I finally decided to follow her, I felt lighter and happier. I thought I was finally taking charge of my life and going after what I wanted most, and it was because of you." He her cheek with the back of his hand.

Telling you to go was the hardest thing I ever had to do, Ji Hoo, did you know that?

"I was really humbled by what you said and did, and I was grateful to you for giving me that final push. What I didn't expect was...that I'd already fallen in love with someone else, with you…" He felt her lower her head, and he wrapped his hand around to the back of her head. "On that plane to Paris, it may seem strange, but I was miserable. I felt like I was betraying you somehow, and for a while, I was confused, that is, until realized I'd been denying my feelings for you for a while. Seo Hyun saw it long before I did, so she wasn't surprised at all when I brought it up."

Jan Di smiled softly. Garnering her courage, she pressed her lips together. "You have no idea how hard that was for me. In my heart, I knew what I needed to do, but it was so hard to...let you go, so I questioned it. I even asked Jun Pyo for advice."

Ji Hoo raised a brow. "Really?"

"Yeah, really. I asked him…" she exhaled, "if when you really care about someone, should you let them go? Do you want to know what he said?"

Although Ji Hoo knew Jun Pyo well enough to guess at what kind of answer he gave, he still responded affirmatively.

Jan Di smiled to herself. "He said that that was stupid, that when you love someone you should tell them immediately; you shouldn't wait but grab onto them tightly and never let go. He said that if the world ended tomorrow you wouldn't want to have any regrets." Jan Di suddenly realized how Jun Pyo had helped her in more ways than either of them knew…

Ji Hoo grinned. Jun Pyo didn't always use the best logic, but sometimes, occasionally, he was pretty smart.

It was then that Jan Di noticed the light from the moon catch Ji Hoo's face, and he was smiling a bit. At that moment, all she could think about was how she wanted to be even closer to him than she was. She wanted to feel his touch and his kiss; she wanted to fall asleep, not just beside him, but in his arms. The problem was, her mother could wake at any time.

After checking to see that her mother was truly out cold, Jan Di inched a tad closer and basked in the warmth Ji Hoo's body was exuding. She observed his face‒his handsome features highlighted by the moonlight, his expression, serious but warm, his dark eyes penetrating her soul. There was so much she wanted to tell him, so much she wanted him to know, about how she felt for him and how strong her love was…

"I…" Never want to lose you. "don't want to have any regrets," she ended up saying, just prior to closing the small gap between them and eagerly wrapping her arms around his waist. Ji Hoo took the opening she gave and placed an arm around her shoulders, drawing her in. She ended up resting her forehead, barely, on his soft, muscular chest, just beneath his chin. His hand traveled upward, into her hair, and he began it. She ventured further, too, taking a few blissful seconds to bury her face all the way into his chest and breathe in his essence before letting go.

When she pulled back, Ji Hoo was staring at her, and through the powerful connection they shared, she gathered that he was telling her that he felt the same way. She hoped so, anyway. And not even the sound of her mother droning on beside her could ruin the moment.

Ji Hoo could hear that Jan Di's mother was sleeping, but he glanced over to verify, anyway. Then he moved a bit closer and gently ran his hand up and down Jan Di's arm.

Jan Di felt her heart thumping in her chest, still beating fast from their hug, but now speeding up even more. He was her arm and mumbling, "If the world ended tomorrow…no regrets, huh…?" in a husky, leading tone. Or, was it just her imagination? She swallowed hard.

He kept haphazardly, occasionally squeezing gently, all the while off in his head. "No, I've never experienced anything quite like this before, Jan Di," he whispered.

She wasn't quite sure what he was getting at. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you know..." He gently ran a finger down her arm in a teasing, winding pattern, sending goosebumps rushing to every inch of her body. He then got in close, speaking even more quietly, "Being a man, lying in bed with the woman I love…"

Jan Di felt the blood rush to her cheeks so fast that she thought they might remain permanently burnt. She was suddenly grateful for the darkness obscuring her. But it wasn't just her face that was scalding hot; her entire body was. What is he thinking?! And as if it had spiked a fever, she shivered.

Obviously, she wanted to take things further with Ji Hoo, someday, but not here, not now. This situation was definitely too dangerous. She could just imagine her mother waking and shouting, also raising her father, Kang San, and the dead along with them. Her father would then burst into the room brandishing some sort of makeshift weapon and chase Ji Hoo around the room in a comical fashion.

Despite that possibility, all Jan Di could do was hold her breath and wait for Ji Hoo to do...something… She felt her eyelashes fluttering closed, and inadvertently, she pressed her lips together.

. . .

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, she felt nothing, so she opened her eyes, and he was smiling at her. He chuckled in response to her shocked expression and tucked the covers around her, over her arms.

"Y-you were teasing me?!" she exclaimed in a harsh whisper.

Ji Hoo gave her a warm smile and pinched his fingers together. "Just a little bit." And then he leaned in close enough that she could feel his breath against her ear. "Do you think I would do something with your mom right there?"

Jan Di fought her embarrassment and smacked him on the arm, hard. She was annoyed, honestly. How could he be so mean?! He knew how inexperienced she was about these things and how crazy she was about him, so why would he torture her this way? And why would her parents torture her by letting her sleep right next to him?! Her parents liked Ji Hoo a lot, that was for sure; he was handsome, charming, and wealthy. He was every parent's fantasy for their daughter's boyfriend, but still, how could they do this? Was her resolve being tested?

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable," he said.

No, you're not, was what she wanted to say. But she softened.

"I'm not uncomfortable with you," she said, sincerely. But that wasn't the complete truth. Usually, she was extremely comfortable with him, like when they were in public or sharing a private, friendly moment. But whenever it got...romantic...that was when she thought she might leap out of her skin. Would it ever get easier‒love?

One of the wonderful things about Ji Hoo, though, was that, despite his teasing, he always knew when to back off. And he did so now. Putting a little space between them, he returned to lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. "I'm comfortable with you, too," he finally said. "Only you."

He always knew the right thing to say, and Jan Di felt the blush coloring her cheeks again. "But what about F4?"

Ji Hoo nodded his head against the pillow. "Well, I can tell them a lot of things, but I don't tell them everything. With you, I feel like I can, though. That's one reason I like you."

"Ji Hoo-ah." She couldn't help but say his name affectionately at this moment. She watched him slowly turn his head toward her and smile. And then he rose up on his elbow and leaned in…

He was carefully coming closer, moving extremely slowly, as if in slow motion, and Jan Di felt her body begin to tremble beneath the covers. Trapped in her cocoon of a blanket, she waited for him to make his move. Perhaps he was teasing her again, and if so, she was definitely falling for it, but she didn't care. As his lips drew ever closer, she closed her eyes and held perfectly still. She didn't feel his lips on hers but instead on her forehead as he pressed a firm, but soft kiss into her skin.

Jan Di opened her eyes, and they smiled at one another. She then felt Ji Hoo slip his hand beneath the shared blanket, and he found her hand. At first, he merely brushed the back of it with his fingertips. Growing shy, and a bit ticklish, she began to pull away, but he grabbed her hand before she could escape. He interlaced their fingers and gave it a squeeze; she smiled and squeezed back.

They both nestled in and tried to sleep while fondling hands beneath the covers. He let go of her hand a couple minutes later, much to her chagrin, but then he began the back of it with several long fingers. He moved on to caress her palm, making her shiver, and then he worked his way down her wrist. His gentle tickle of the sensitive skin there made her giggle a bit, and she subdued it as best she could. Apparently, Ji Hoo liked to play with fire and found enjoyment in her ticklishness, though, for he poked her lightly in the side after that. She grabbed his finger, trying not to move much and wake up her mother. "Ji Hoo, stop," she chastised, and she glanced back to see if her mother was still asleep.

"Sorry, I'll be good," he said with a little grin. After that, they went back to just holding hands, and both closed their eyes, enjoying the feel of their fingers intertwined.

Jan Di didn't know if she could fall asleep with him so close like this, but she would try. She tried to relax her muscles and not think about the beautiful man lying next to her. That is, until…

"Jan Di?"

"Yes?"

"You know...you can...stay over at my place sometime, too, if you want…" Ji Hoo immediately squeezed his eyes shut, realizing he shouldn't have said that.

But Jan Di only uttered, "Really?"

Was he serious? He had to be teasing her again!

"Yeah." He placed one hand behind his head and stared up at the ceiling, still holding onto her hand with his other.

"That would be nice," she said, trying not to think too much about what he could mean.

It wasn't like she'd never stayed over there, after all. There was the time when that guy slipped something in her drink at the club, but that hadn't been a romantic thing; Ji Hoo had been taking care of her...

"I don't know if my parents will allow it, though. I mean, they let us sleep in here together, but that's probably just because they're so close that they think they could easily stop anything from happening...I mean, uh...not that anything would!" She'd been a little too loud, but by some miracle, her mother hadn't woken.

Ji Hoo simply chuckled and squeezed her hand.

But upon second thought, Jan Di wondered if her parents would be fine with it. They didn't seem bothered by her staying over at Jun Pyo's or Ji Hoo's when those situations came up, but there had been reasons behind it. Maybe she could make up an excuse...like she was sleeping over at Ga Eul's... She immediately felt guilty about that and rapped on her head with her free hand.

At the same time, Ji Hoo fondled her hand and looked over, grinning mischievously. "You could tell them you're staying at Ga Eul's."

Jan Di gasped‒because of what he'd just said but more so for the fact that he'd read her mind. "Sunbae!" she chided.

He smiled that perfect one of his. "Only joking. Goodnight, Jan Di-ah."

Jan Di exhaled softly. "Goodnight, Ji Hoo." She managed to settle down, and together, they drifted off to sleep, still holding hands.

Three Days Later…

The holiday had passed; Jun Pyo seemed to be feeling better now, and things had gone back to normal, for the most part. F4 was currently planning a winter ski trip, and they wanted to invite Jan Di and Ga Eul along. This morning, Ji Hoo had intended to have Jan Di over for breakfast and to ask her about the ski trip after, but before that, he had something rather unpleasant to do. First thing, he'd received a request, or rather an order, from Jun Pyo's mother to meet her at her office.

It was really strange. And no details whatsoever.

Ji Hoo had no idea what would possess Madam Kang to summon him to her office, but it seemed urgent; then again, everything was urgent when it came to Madam Kang. She was the type to demand rather than ask, and she didn't take no for an answer. So, he planned to indulge her.

Ji Hoo dressed in a suit and had Secretary Park drive him to Madam Kang's office. When he arrived, he took the elevator and walked into her office, his loyal secretary following. Madam Kang was seated at her desk, fashionable as always, dressed in a silk shirt and black skirt, with hair, nails, and makeup immaculately done. Ji Hoo approached her desk, stopping a few feet away. He bowed low to her, as did Secretary Park.

She scrutinized him first‒Madam Kang had a way of sizing down a person, no matter who they were, and to her, he was surely still that little wayward orphan boy from a good family. Her own secretary, Secretary Jung, stood behind her; he bowed to Ji Hoo and Secretary Park, and they bowed back.

"Yoon Ji Hoo, I'll get right to the point," Madam Kang began. She never did mince words. "Geum-Jan-Di." She punctuated each word, and those three words froze Ji Hoo's entire body.

Why was Madam Kang interested in Jan Di? Ji Hoo didn't know for sure, though he could guess.

"What is her relationship with my son?" she asked directly.

And there it was.

Ji Hoo tensed. She obviously knew Jan Di and Jun Pyo had interacted with one another, but how much did she know? If he knew her like he thought he did, she probably knew everything…

Ji Hoo controlled his shock and considered how best to answer. "They simply attend the same school, Madam." He gave her a little bow for good measure.

Madam Kang scoffed. "What do you take me for? If that is all there is, then explain these." She beckoned him closer and tossed a pile of pictures down on the desk.

Ji Hoo's legs felt suddenly wobbly, but he walked over as strongly as he could. He picked up the scattered stack and thumbed through. They were photos of Jun Pyo and Jan Di amidst a large crowd of people at what looked to be the mall. In some she was standing beside him; in others, she was on his back, holding on tight like a monkey. Ji Hoo's lips parted, and he felt a brief pang in his chest. Jealousy. He'd felt it before, but not like this. He could actually feel the tightening in his chest as if something was squeezing his heart. But then he recalled something: Jan Di had said Jun Pyo helped her win a contest, for the music box she gifted him. These must be photos from that contest. That was the explanation, and how could he be angry with her for doing something nice for him?

Although he didn't exactly like the closeness he saw in the photos, Ji Hoo wasn't upset or feeling threatened. Instead, he moved on to the much more pressing issue. Calmly, he placed the photos back on her desk in a neat stack. "Please don't misunderstand, Madam. It was just a meaningless contest."

Madam Kang's lips twisted into a small snarl. "Let me explain something to you, young man. I am not the type to notice a problem brewing and let it go. I deal with it immediately before it becomes a bigger problem. Do you really think I got my position by letting things go, by letting small blisters fester into gaping sores?"

So, Jan Di was a blister now? Ji Hoo could practically feel his blood pressure rising, and he felt as though he should be defending his girlfriend's honor. The thing was, Madam Kang was always condescending; she was like this with everyone, aside from those she needed to up to, and nothing short of cataclysm could change her mind about something it was set on. Arguing with her was pointless; he needed to remember this and keep his cool.

"It's not what you think," Ji Hoo retorted.

"Oh, it isn't?" She rested her chin against her raised hand. "And pray tell, what do I think?"

Ji Hoo was certain Madam Kang didn't think much of him. She might have respected his grandfather and his parents, but to her, he was a weak child, one who could be bullied and manipulated. He was the somber, quiet orphan boy, which most people equated with timidity and lack of spine, but that wasn't who he was. When he said nothing, he was simply observing and thinking, evaluating in his head what to say and do in a given situation.

Deciding not to be pushed around, Ji Hoo spoke strongly, "Geum Jan Di has no relationship with your son. She's in a relationship with me." He said the last part proudly.

Madam Kang's lips twisted in sardonic amusement, and she tapped her long, crimson nails on her desk. "I know that."

She knew?

Madam Kang then picked up the stack of photos, glanced at the one on top, and held it up in front of his face. It was the one of Jan Di on Jun Pyo's back. "But does this look like being in a relationship with you? Tell me, Yoon Ji Hoo, do you always allow your girlfriends to hang all over other men? Perhaps you should better control her?"

Control. There it was. Of course, Madam Kang would view a relationship, any relationship, as being about control.

Ji Hoo felt his chest begin to rise and fall. No, he wouldn't give in to her mind games! "It wasn't like that." But he knew that nothing he could say would have any effect.

Madam Kang sighed and tossed the stack on the desk, face down this time. "This matter is not open for debate, Yoon Ji Hoo. I don't care about the circumstance surrounding her being near my son; I simply won't stand for it happening again. As for you, I could go on to lecture you about your taste in women-yes, I know all about Geum Jan Di, who her family is, and what they do, but it's none of my business, and I refuse to waste my time with such things. If you want to ruin your life and destroy your parents' legacy by being with a...girl like that, so be it."

Now, Ji Hoo was barely holding back. His chest was rising and falling heavily, and his hands were tight at his sides. His fingers were curling up, almost into fists; he fought it, though it wasn't easy. How did Jun Pyo deal with her on a regular basis?! At least she was gone frequently. She may be his mother, but it was probably in both their best interest not to see each other often.

Madam Kang continued on her tirade. "You think there is nothing to worry about because she is with you, but young people break up all the time, and she has no family taught values to keep her loyal. How can I be certain she hasn't lost interest in you and set her sights on my son?"

The witch certainly didn't pull any punches, and she had a hell of a right hook because Ji Hoo felt her words as a punch square to the jaw. His entire body felt like jelly now, but he didn't falter. "I am certain. And I promise you, on my family name, that you have nothing to worry about."

Madam Kang smirked at him, though she seemed satisfied with his response. "I will hold you to that promise, Yoon Ji Hoo. Do as you wish, but as for my son, I don't want her anywhere near him. Make sure she doesn't go near him, or else."

He hated this, absolutely despised standing in this room, listening to this woman basically call Jan Di trash and demand that she stay away from Jun Pyo when they were only friends. He felt disgusted with himself, too, making promises and deals with her, but the last part had really struck him. Would Madam Kang try to do something to Jan Di if he didn't comply with keeping her away from Jun Pyo? He certainly wouldn't put it past her to take matters into her own hands, and she had the power to make Jan Di's life a living hell. He couldn't stand to see that. Jan Di's life was hard enough as it was, working so many jobs and going to school… It almost brought tears to his eyes to think about. But he would protect her, no matter what.

"I will do that," he responded. It was best to go along with this, for Jan Di's sake. He bowed his head slightly but not all the way. As he came up, he filled his chest with air and continued on strongly, "You don't need to worry, Madam. She is my girlfriend, and it will remain that way."

Ji Hoo knew he sounded like a caveman, but a decisive response was the only way to convince Jun Pyo's mother. If Jan Di someday chose not to be with him, or for some reason it didn't work out, that was another matter, but for now, they were together, and he would do all in his power to be a good boyfriend and to keep her by his side. Above all, he would protect her.

Momentarily placated, Madam Kang nodded and waved a hand, dismissing Ji Hoo. He halfheartedly bowed then his heel and stormed out of the office with Secretary Park close behind.

As he walked out, Ji Hoo thought about what had just transpired. He was feeling strange about his promise. What right did he have to tell Jan Di she couldn't hang out with Jun Pyo? That would mean the rest of F4, too, and she was friends with all of them. Ji Hoo supposed he could see Jan Di and his friends separately, but eventually, they were sure to have run-ins. Perhaps he should talk to Woo Bin and Yi Jeong about this. He wasn't sure if he should say anything to Jun Pyo, though because that would probably just lead to a fight with his mother.

Ji Hoo wasn't sure what he was going to do in the future, but at least he'd appeased the old witch. For now, this was for the best...

A/N: Yeah, so I had to rag on Jan Di's mother a little bit in this chapter because I couldn't stand her. She was such a gold-digger, and so many times, I wanted to just strangle her. I am trying to make her a little bit more likable in some of my AU stories, but here, I am trying to keep her more in character. Maybe I'll evolve her a little in this to be a slightly better person, though. Don't know. So, I realize the little time jump ending may have seemed a little out of place, but it was for a change of pacing and dramatic effect. I'll fill in some of the blanks next chapter. And yep, MK is such a witch.

Next Time: Ski lodge fun, trouble, and romance. Our 'buddy' MK will probably make things difficult, and Ji Hoo might have a little run-in with Grandfather.