Obsession Part I

Yi Jeong awoke in his bed at his apartment, amidst a tangled mass of navy-colored silk sheets which had practically entombed him. He glanced to his left toward the window—which looked out onto the old town of Gamla stan and offered a magnificent view of the glistening waters of the Baltic Sea and the Storkyrkan Cathedral.

Yi Jeong could not see any of that right now; however. He squinted, as a ray of light peeked through his partially opened curtains. As the light traveled through his retina, he instantly squeezed his—increasingly sensitive—eyes shut. For, it seemed as though the innocent ray of sunlight was rather a blinding solar eclipse that he could not look directly at…

And then the painful throbbing in Yi Jeong's head suddenly registered—the unmistakable and unrelenting aftereffect of excessive alcohol intake—and slammed into him like a wave against a rocky shore. A single tuft of his luxurious feathery hair fell across his forehead, and he released a groan as he rolled over onto his stomach. He buried his face into the soft down pillow and flopped his arm over the side of the bed like a fish.

Yi Jeong thought back to the night before, struggling to recall what exactly had happened and how he had managed to get back to his place…

"God mórgon!" a high-pitched female voice chirped. Yi Jeong's head snapped toward the sound—that was frankly not helping any with his hangover—and Elise waltzed into his bedroom from the adjoining room, as if she owned the place.

Yi Jeong grumbled something unintelligible, as he clutched his aching head and rolled onto his back again.

"What was that, Yi Jeong? I didn't catch that…," Elise teased.

And then Yi Jeong suddenly began to recall bits of last night. He bolted upright—causing the sheet covering him to fall and partially reveal his bare chest.

"Elise! Wh-what? What are you doing here?" Yi Jeong pulled the sheet up and tight against his chest to preserve some semblance of modesty—not that So Yi Jeong was shy… And he stared at the slender blonde before him—who had so casually entered his bedroom—as he desperately tried to recall the events of the previous night…

A woman…at my place…so early in the morning—he glanced at the clock on the bedside table. That was not a good sign...and usually meant only one thing… He looked back to Elise.

She was—at least—fully dressed, but still…what the hell had happened last night?! His head demanded answers of him that he could not provide at the moment. He could barely remember anything from last night, in fact, only fuzzy bits here and there.

So, he turned to Elise for explanation. "Elise, what happened last night?" Yi Jeong demanded.

The corners of Elise's doll-like mouth creased slightly at his reaction. She stood before him—dressed in a black pencil skirt and white silk ruffled blouse—with her arms crossed and her head cocked slightly to the side in an amused fashion. Elise gave a little chuckle; she put her hand over to stifle it.

"Is something funny to you?" he demanded, through slits of eyes.

"No," she replied, "…Well, a bit, yes," she grinned. He scowled at her.

"It's just that…you're so panicked. What, do you think we slept together?" the hint of an amused smile still played at the corners of her fuchsia lips.

Yi Jeong glared at Elise. Usually he got along well with her, but at the present moment she was trying his patience—no, more than that, she was annoying the hell out of him… He was currently in physical discomfort and in a rotten mood—in no mood to play games—and certainly not about something like this… But he found some relief in her indirect denial.

Still, Yi Jeong had to admit that the thought had crossed his mind—that he might have slept with her last night… And it was a horrible thought—one of the worst possible thoughts, in fact. Ga Eul would never ever forgive him if he slept with another woman… He would never forgive himself for hurting her like that…

Yi Jeong didn't think himself capable of hurting Ga Eul like that—at least he didn't want to think so—but he had been so drunk last night that maybe it was possible… Perhaps he was susceptible to falling back into his old lifestyle, and that was one of the reasons he had been staying away from alcohol—until last night, that was.

"Ah, Yi Jeong, please! I have some principles after all…," she responded to his silence.

"Yes, of course," he replied, "But then, why are you here at…," he glanced at the clock again, "Seven in the morning?"

"Well, I just came to check in on you," she placed a hand upon her hip.

"Check in on me? Well, that was very thoughtful of you…," he said, as he slipped out of bed—without bothering to cover his chest. Elise didn't bother to look away, either. Yi Jeong went for his robe, put it on, and tied it snugly at the waist.

"Oh, it had nothing to do with your welfare…," Elise said with a wry smile, "I just wanted to make sure you didn't miss the brunch meeting."

"Ah, I see…," he nodded. "How did you get in here, anyway?" All of Yi Jeong's usual decorum had flown out the window in his current state—and after suffering the fright of his life, thinking he'd ruined everything with Ga Eul in one stupid drunken night...

"I have the key," she held it out for him to see as verification.

"How did you…?" he squinted over at her.

"You gave it to me," she grinned, "when you couldn't seem to get the door open last night. I'm returning it."

You're just now returning it…?

"I see. So, other than that what happened last night, Elise?"

Some images of the previous night had managed to claw their way to the surface of his consciousness, and he was suddenly seeing the blurred image of himself careening toward Elise as if to kiss her.

Oh God, I didn't kiss her, did I?! Yi Jeong felt himself beginning to mentally panic once more.

"Elise…we didn't…I didn't…kiss you…did I?"

Elise laughed heartily. "No, you didn't."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Good."

"When I tried to stop you from flying off to South Korea for some unknown reason, you told me that you would prevent me from leaving, and then you pressed me up against a trellis, mumbling something about being your true self…"

Yi Jeong put a hand to his head. "I'm…sorry about that."

"It's fine. Well, you leaned in to kiss me, but then you pulled back suddenly, saying you couldn't do this…and then you passed out, onto me, no less."

Yi Jeong groaned. "Elise, I'm very sorry about that. And about the event…I behaved terribly. You see, something was bothering me…"

She nodded. "I assumed as much," she assured, without asking what it was. "And it's fine."

She folded her arms across her chest and gave him a wry smile. "Well, I called for my driver and had you taken home. He and I helped you into your apartment, and then you immediately threw off your shirt and went to your bed and collapsed onto it," she described, waving her hand in an animated way.

Yi Jeong sighed and shook his head at himself. He vaguely recalled that—that, and getting sick shortly after. When he looked back at her, Elise was still smiling at him. She seemed to be taking entirely too much pleasure in the circumstances. And it annoyed him.

And then, all of a sudden, she left the room. He could hear the opening of cupboards and the clinking of a glass coming from the next room.

"What are you doing?" he called out.

She did not respond but returned a few moments later, holding a tray. She placed the tray, which held a glass of water and two pills, upon his mahogany nightstand. "For the hangover," she said.

"Thank you," Yi Jeong replied, "But I thought you didn't care about my well-being..." He popped the pills into his mouth and took a gulp of water. He sighed at the sensation of the cool liquid running down his parched throat.

Elise shrugged. "Well, I need for you to be in good condition for the meeting."

Yi Jeong nodded, "Oh, right. I suppose I should get ready then..." He looked to Elise, and—when she made no move to leave—raised a brow and gently cleared his throat.

"Oh right, I suppose you want me to go…," she smirked over at him.

That should have been obvious, but Elise simply seemed to be toying with him…

Yi Jeong folded his arms. "If you wouldn't mind…"

Elise chuckled. "Yes, of course. I'm going. You'll be OK then?"

"Yes."

"And you won't be late?" She cocked a brow.

"No, I won't be late," he muttered in an irked tone of voice.

"Alright, I'm going then. I'll see you in the lobby at 9:30. And don't forget to shower." She smirked.

This woman is bold!

Yi Jeong grumbled something under his breath before waving her off with a hand. And Elise walked out of Yi Jeong's apartment, with a smile lingering upon her lips.

As Elise left the building, she recalled the night before…

When Yi Jeong had leaned in toward her, she was shocked, at first. And she had demanded to know what he was doing. After all, how dare a man—especially a man she barely knew—be so bold as to attempt to steal a kiss from her!

But then, as his lips grew closer and closer to hers, she became more…curious…almost eager… What would it be like to kiss So Yi Jeong?

The man's reputation preceded him. So Yi Jeong was practically a legend in South Korea. He came from a wealthy, prominent family. He was well-known in the cultural world, obviously, but he was also considered to be one of the country's top playboys…

Elise had always dated the same type of man—handsome, wealthy, distinguished, and boring… Though Yi Jeong could certainly be characterized as the first three, Elise did not find him to be boring. Quite the contrary, she found him fascinating… What would it be like to date a man like So Yi Jeong, someone so dissimilar—and yet, oddly similar—to her?

But, he'd said that he had a girlfriend. This intrigued Elise Andersson even more… What kind of woman could tame South Korea's famous Casanova…? She wanted to find out...

After Elise left, Yi Jeong released a heavy sigh and headed toward the bathroom to shower.

Ga Eul!

Yi Jeong suddenly recalled the conversation with the guy who had answered Ga Eul's phone the night before. As the man's words came rushing back, so too did the rage, like a tidal wave. Yi Jeong searched the room for his phone and finally found it underneath his pillow.

He had a number of missed calls and three voice messages. He began to dial for voicemail, but as he did so, he noticed that Ji Hoo was calling.

…

Yi Jeong exhaled. "Yoboseyo...," he answered hoarsely.

"Yi Jeong, are you alright?" There was clear concern in Ji Hoo's voice. "I have 11 missed calls from you from last night and even more text messages... I tried to call you back when I got your messages, but I assume you were sleeping… What's wrong?"

"Oh yes, I'm sorry about that. I got a bit drunk last night…"

"You got drunk?" There was a hint of disapproval in Ji Hoo's tone, "I thought you were going to slow down on that?"

"It wasn't planned, Ji Hoo-yah…," Yi Jeong grumbled, not in the mood for a lecture at the time.

"What happened? Is everything alright?"

Yi Jeong grinned. His friend's constant concern for the people he cared for was rather endearing. "I'm fine, but Ji Hoo-yah, more importantly, is Ga Eul alright?"

"Ga Eul? …Yes, she's fine, why?" Ji Hoo sounded confused.

"When did you see her last?" Yi Jeong demanded.

"Last night, after the party. I dropped her off at her apartment."

Yi Jeong heaved a sigh of relief.

"Do you want me to check on her or talk to Jan Di about doing so?"

…

"Hello! Yi Jeong…it's me…," a woman's voice rang from the next room. Elise had come back in, and she was calling out to notify him of her presence.

Yi Jeong walked into the living room suite with his cell phone still attached to his ear, and Elise was there, looking around the room. "I'm sorry; I just forgot my purse," she informed him. "Ah, there it is," she said, upon noticing the designer handbag setting on the counter.

"Yi Jeong… Who was that just now?" Ji Hoo demanded—with a slight edge to his tone—upon hearing the female voice in the background.

Yi Jeong exhaled, "Oh. That was just Elise Andersson."

Ji Hoo's brow furrowed on the other end. "What? What is she doing there…so early…?"

"Relax, Ji Hoo-yah... I know what you're getting at, and it's not what you think. Nothing happened between Elise and me. We were at the exhibition last night, and I got drunk, so she took me home. She didn't stay here, if that's what you were thinking. She just returned early to check in on me so I didn't miss our brunch meeting."

"Oh. Well, OK, but…why did you get so drunk last night anyway?"

Yi Jeong's head was still throbbing, so he gave Ji Hoo the brief version of his conversation with the man who answered Ga Eul's phone.

…

"I see. Do you have any idea who this guy is?" Ji Hoo asked.

"No."

Ji Hoo pondered for a moment. "Neither do I, but perhaps Jan Di will have some idea. Or, she or I could ask Ga Eul directly."

"No, that's OK, Ji Hoo-yah. Maybe I'm overreacting… I'll…talk to Ga Eul about it…"

…

After Yi Jeong ended the conversation with Ji Hoo, he checked his voicemail. Woo Bin had also called to check in on him after his frantic attempts at contact the night before…

"Yo man, what's up? Everything alright? I'm sorry I missed your calls and messages. I was out late… Gimme a call back!" was Woo Bin's message.

Then, there was a message from Ga Eul—she must have retrieved her phone. It was from early in the morning, her time. He breathed a sigh of relief that she was alright.

"Yi Jeong-ah, thank you so much for the necklace! I love it, and I'm wearing it now… I'm so sorry that I didn't get to talk to you last night… I left my phone with a classmate, who I'm working on a project with, and I only got it back this morning."

A classmate…, Yi Jeong thought.

"I hope I didn't disturb you… And I hope to hear from you soon… I miss you… Have a great day, Yi-Jeong-ah!" And Ga Eul's message ended.

Yi Jeong smiled, and he immediately dialed Ga Eul's number. There was no answer, so he left her a brief yet heartfelt message. Then, he tossed his phone on the bed and went to the large bathroom to shower.

He shed his robe and remaining clothing, allowing the articles to drop carelessly to the marbled bathroom floor. He turned the knob to nearly the hottest setting and stepped into the shower. Yi Jeong leaned one hand heavily against the wall of the shower and stuck his head under the faucet. The hot water quickly saturated his hair and cascaded in tiny streams down his neck, back and chest. He began to rub a bar of soap between his hands, forming a good later.

As he cleansed himself, Yi Jeong thought of Ga Eul and of their relationship...

So Yi Jeong was not used to being in an exclusive relationship. But—though many might disagree—he did not consider himself to be a cheater… Yes, he had dated a lot of women—and more than one at a time—but he had never given them false expectations… He had never indicated that any of them was the only one, and he had never offered them such a title as he had offered Ga Eul—to be his girlfriend… And he had certainly never told any of them that he loved them… He was very cautious about that… So Yi Jeong knew exactly what to say and do to woo women, but he managed to do it without professing any kind of exclusivity or excessive affection. However, many of them had formed their own assumptions—or perhaps even delusions—that did not coincide with his perspective.

It was true that Yi Jeong had never been a one-woman man. The one time he considered making an exception was for Eun-Jae. That had not worked out as he'd hoped… But then, Ga Eul came along…

Ga Eul… She was definitely a one-man kind of girl, and surely she would want a one-woman kind of man. And that was what he wanted to be for her. Yi Jeong wanted to be different for Ga Eul, better… And so far, it had not been as difficult as he had thought…

But then, there was last night… He had so easily become angered…and he had so easily lost control… Not only had he drank heavily, but he'd very nearly kissed another woman… And his guilt over the mishap was eating away at him, like a slow-burning acid…

Ga Eul was a good girl—in the truest sense—and perhaps he…would always have that bad boy lurking within him, constantly tagging along like a shadow… Had the man on the phone been right…? Was it only a matter of time before he slipped up and deeply hurt Ga Eul…

Ga Eul had informed him that not all nice girls want a nice guy... Yi Jeong knew this to be true… He had known plenty—in fact, many—girls who liked the bad boy type, and he knew how to play the role well… But someone like Chu Ga Eul deserved better than a bad boy; she deserved a man who would be completely loyal to her—a gentleman—who would love her sincerely and unconditionally…

After he showered, Yi Jeong checked his phone. When he found no new messages or calls, he decided to return Woo Bin's call. Woo Bin immediately expressed his concern, as Ji Hoo had. And Yi Jeong explained the reason for his drunken late night phone calls—outlining the story of last night and of the man who had answered Ga Eul's phone.

"Do you think I should tell Ga Eul about last night?" Yi Jeong posed the question to his best friend.

Woo Bin's response surprised Yi Jeong slightly. "Yi Jeong-ah, are you a babo?"

"What?"

"If you tell her you will only upset her and cause her to worry and be jealous… She may even be paranoid that there is something going on between you and this Elise Andersson… And you didn't really do anything wrong that you need to confess to…"

Yi Jeong could understand Woo Bin's perspective. He certainly did not want to unnecessarily cause Ga Eul any hurt or worry, and he and Woo Bin were so used to being secretive when it came to their relationships… After all, they both knew how jealous women could get… But this was Ga Eul… She was different; surely she would understand…

Yi Jeong could just imagine Ji Hoo's take on the whole thing were he to ask him the same question. He'd surely tell Yi Jeong that he should be completely honest. But perhaps some things were better left unsaid…?

"I feel like I did. I feel like I let her down, you know…," Yi Jeong muttered.

Woo Bin sighed. "Don't be so hard on yourself, man…"

Yi Jeong sighed. "As you know, I've never really done the boyfriend thing before… But I'm really trying this time…I thought it would be difficult to remain faithful to one woman, but it hasn't been with her… Still, I'm afraid I'll somehow slip up…"

And the thought of disappointing Ga Eul—or worse, causing her pain—was unbearable for Yi Jeong.

Woo Bin offered his encouragement.

"…Anyway, can you find out who this guy is for me?" Yi Jeong asked.

"Yea, I'm on it," Woo Bin replied, "Don't worry, buddy. Ji Hoo and I will make sure Ga Eul is safe. You can count on us."

"Thanks," Yi Jeong smiled faintly.

Earlier that morning in Seoul…

Ga Eul made her way to meet up with Sang-Woo at the library. She was not eager to meet up with him after the events of the previous evening, but she needed to retrieve her phone...

Ahh, why did I have to leave it there? She berated herself, as she recalled her conversation with Sang-Woo the day before. It would be awkward seeing him again, and it would be awkward to continue working with him on the paper, but she wasn't going to be a coward. She would just face him and then deal with any discomfort for a few more weeks. Surely it would get better after some time…

Ga Eul recalled the evening before, prior to her party… She had gone to Sang-Woo's apartment to share some data and observations she'd collected for their paper…

The Previous Day…

Ga Eul was not looking forward to seeing Kim Sang-Woo after receiving his flowers and letter of confession. Good manners dictated that she should thank him for the considerate gift—and it had been very thoughtful—but she could not accept his heart.

In all the time Ga Eul had known Kim Sang-Woo, she had never expected that he felt that way for her. She was flattered, though, and she appreciated the bravery it took for him to confess his feelings. After all, Ga Eul knew all too well how difficult it is to confess your feelings to another…especially when you aren't sure how they feel about you… And she did not relish the task at hand—she felt absolutely horrible, in fact—for she would have to hurt Kim Sang-Woo. But it had to be done, for she loved another man…

Ga Eul arrived at Sang-Woo's apartment. She considered leaving the papers at the door, or quickly dropping them off and making some excuse to get out of there, but no, she would face him and directly tell him the truth.

Sang-Woo greeted Ga Eul brightly and wished her happy birthday. She thanked him. And he welcomed her in. He was all smiles, which only made her feel worse…

Sang-Woo was a decent-looking guy… He was tall but slender, with short hair, fringe-style bangs, and prominent cheekbones. But Ga Eul had never really noticed Sang-Woo's looks before. She simply thought of him as a nice guy.

Kim Sang-Woo was always—what Ga Eul would describe as—the invisible type. The Sang-Woo that Ga Eul knew was quiet and kept to himself, so his sudden boldness came as a complete shock to her…

Sang-Woo offered Ga Eul tea. Out of politeness, she accepted.

"So, Ga Eul-ssi…," Sang-Woo began, not wasting any time. He'd wasted enough time already—years, in fact… "Did you…receive the flowers…?" he asked rather nervously.

Ga Eul nodded and stared down into her tea cup. After a moment of silence, she looked up at him. "Kamsahamnida, Sang-Woo Sunbae. That was very thoughtful of you," and she bowed her head.

Sang-Woo smiled faintly. "You're welcome. Did you…also read the card?"

Ga Eul nodded. "I did, Sunbae."

Sang-Woo took a deep breath and moved to sit next to her on the couch. Ga Eul scooted over a bit, and then she set the teacup down and stood. And the hurt was evident upon Sang-Woo's face. He also stood.

"Sunbae, I appreciated the flowers—it was very thoughtful—and I appreciated you expressing your feelings. I know how difficult something like that is to do..." She recalled her own confession to Yi Jeong. "…And I want you to know that I think you are a nice person, and I enjoy talking with you and working together on the project, but…"

Sang-Woo sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. He lowered his head and nodded in anticipation of what she was about to say. "…But you don't feel the same way…," he painfully finished for her.

Ga Eul looked him directly in the eyes. "I'm sorry, Sang-Woo Sunbae. You're a very nice guy, but I have a boyfriend."

He nodded. "I thought as much… I understand…" Then, he smiled and lightly shook his head at himself. "I suppose I just waited too long to tell you how I felt… But, I hope that we can still be friends!" Sang-Woo offered her a very wide, friendly smile.

At least he is taking it well… "Of course we can be, Sunbae," Ga Eul replied, with a smile.

"…So, this boyfriend of yours… Is he the one who sent you the expensive foreign chocolates?" Sang-Woo asked.

"Yes," she nodded.

Sang-Woo felt a fire stirring within him, but he tempered it. "He is…far away?" Sang-Woo asked instead.

Ga Eul nodded. "Yes, how did you know?"

"Just a hunch…"

Ga Eul glanced away.

"That must be very difficult, Ga Eul-ssi…," Sang-Woo took a step toward her.

She looked back at him. "It is. But we make it work," she took a step backward to maintain the distance between them.

Sang-Woo nodded. "That's good. Where is he? And how long will he be gone?" Sang-Woo took another step closer.

Ga Eul hesitated. She didn't feel it was really information he needed to know, or should even be asking. "That's not important, Sang-Woo Sunbae."

Sang-Woo nodded again. "Oh, I'm sorry, Ga Eul-ssi, for being so bold and direct with my line of questioning. But, if you ever need to talk about…anything…I'm here…"

How strange…, Ga Eul thought to herself. She had just rejected him, and now he was offering to console her over her loneliness for her boyfriend…

"Kamsahamnida," Ga Eul said formally. She gave a quick bow, thanked him for the tea, and told him that she needed to go.

Sang-Woo led her to the door. When Ga Eul turned her back to him, Sang-Woo felt the overwhelming urge to run his fingers through her luxurious onyx hair—that looked so soft and smelled so sweet—or perhaps rest his hand upon the small of her back… But he fought it.

After closing the door, Sang-Woo clenched his fists hard at his sides. His chest began to rise and fall, increasingly heavy, and he pounded a fist against the door.

Sang-Woo paced around his living room after Ga Eul left, his insides in complete disarray. His gaze finally settled upon the couch, the spot where Ga Eul had been sitting. And he noticed a light pink smartphone lying upon the couch cushion. Ga Eul must have dropped it. He went over and picked it up. He could easily run and catch her, and he prepared to do so, but then curiosity overcame him. And he hit the power button. The screen lit up, and he was looking upon a picture of none other than So Yi Jeong—the infamous Casanova of F4—the man who had sent his lovely Ga Eul chocolates earlier that day…

She was dating So Yi Jeong?! He had suspected as much, but now it had been confirmed for him…and he detested the knowledge that he had gained!

Sang-Woo knew of So Yi Jeong and of F4. And he knew of them well… He and Ga Eul had not attended the snooty Shinwha High, as So Yi Jeong and the rest of F4 had… But he'd seen them around… And those pretty playboys thought they owned everything and could do anything they wanted…

Sang-Woo recalled his first run-in with the "Flower 4." It was years ago, at a club...

Sang-Woo was making his way through the crowd, and he happened to run into them, literally. The leader had shoved him roughly aside and commanded that the idiot watch where he was going. The red-headed one had simply stared at him—most likely silently judging him. And then there was that So Yi Jeong… He had given a haughty smirk—before offering an obviously insincere apology—and put his arm around the other one, the one with mafia connections. And then the four of them walked off together in stride.

Sang-Woo had found F4 to be shallow and obnoxious then. But it was his second encounter with F4 that stuck with Sang-Woo the most—an encounter which spurned a deep hatred within him, for one member of F4 in particular…

This whole thing was making Sang-Woo absolutely crazy, the notion that Chu Ga Eul was dating So Yi Jeong… He wanted to throw something, just smash something into a million tiny pieces! He clenched her phone tight within his grasp.

How could it be?! So Yi Jeong… So Yi Jeong?! Of all people! How dare he! That So Yi Jeong was doing it again, taking away the woman he loved!

…

The Present…

It was mid-afternoon, and Ga Eul was talking with Jan Di on the phone.

"So, Kim Sang-Woo has had a crush on you for years, and he finally confessed to you?!" Jan Di asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"Hm, I remember him… So, he took it well when you turned him down?"

"Yes, he seemed to be OK with it," Ga Eul replied.

"That's good."

"Yes." Ga Eul sighed.

"What is it, Ga Eul-ah?"

"I just feel bad for him…"

Jan Di nodded on her end. "Don't feel bad, Ga Eul-ah. You can't help your feelings. He'll get over it and move on..."

Ga Eul nodded. "Yes, you're right…," she released another small sigh. "Oh, speaking of feelings…how are things with you and Jun Pyo?"

"Ah, pretty good, I guess…"

"You guess?"

"Well, it's just that he's been busy, so we aren't talking as much..." Jan Di paused on the line. "I miss him..."

"I understand, Jan Di-yah."

Jan Di pursed her lips and decided to change the subject. "So, I heard that you got another special present from Yi Jeong Sunbae!"

"Yes," Ga Eul smiled and pulled out the infinity knot necklace that had been safely tucked underneath her shirt.

"Have you talked to Yi Jeong Sunbae today?"

"Not yet. We keep missing each other…," Ga Eul sighed and her smile faded. She ran her fingers along the necklace, tracing the grooves of the infinite loop with her fingertips. "Ah, but let's talk about something else. How is your day going, Jan Di?"

Jan Di released a heavy exhale. "It's been OK…"

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. Just a bit stressed and…well…," Jan Di sighed, and she took a long pause, ultra-slowly drawing in her breath.

"Come on, Jan Di-yah, what is it?" Ga Eul pressed.

Jan Di gave a heavy exhale. "It's stupid…"

Ga Eul chuckled. "Come on, Jan Di… If you can't tell your best friend about stupid things that are bothering you, then who can you tell?"

Jan Di smiled. "That's a good point." Then, she sighed. "OK… Well, yesterday when I was setting up for your party…there was…this little incident between Ji Hoo Sunbae and me…"

"An incident?" Ga Eul asked, curiously.

"Yes, and I've been feeling a bit…guilty about it, I guess…"

"What happened?" Ga Eul's interest was piqued.

"Well, I was hanging your banner, and Ji Hoo Sunbae came home and told me to get down. And when I didn't, he pulled me off the ladder, and I was surprised…so, I wrapped my arms around his neck…and we kind of ended up…embracing…each other for a couple minutes..."

A small smile crossed Ga Eul's lips. "Oh, I see," she commented casually, "Well, Jan Di, that was innocent. That's nothing to feel guilty about."

"…It's not that part that I feel guilty about, Ga Eul-ah…it's…the feeling…I had…when he had his arms around me…"

Ga Eul wasn't all that surprised by her best friend's admission, though she did her best to hide that fact.

"Mm, I see. And what was this feeling?" Ga Eul asked.

"I don't know… Ji Hoo Sunbae has hugged me hundreds of times, and it's always…nice…warm and comforting… But this time, it felt a bit different…and the way he was looking at me…" Jan Di recalled the moment. "Ah, I don't know what I'm talking about...!" she shook her head back and forth rapidly.

Ga Eul smiled to herself. She had noticed the romantic chemistry between Jan Di and Ji Hoo from the beginning; she'd thought it had subsided, but lately she'd been noticing it again… But Ga Eul decided it best to simply reassure her best friend. "Well, Jan Di, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I mean, you are a girl and he's a guy, and you live together, so there's bound to be some...tension…and some awkward moments between you two…"

Jan Di was silent on the other end, so Ga Eul decided to lighten the mood a bit. "…You haven't walked in on each other in the bathroom yet, have you?" Ga Eul chuckled.

"Ga Eul-ah!" Jan Di shrieked in horror.

Ga Eul couldn't help but giggle—she hadn't expected quite that strong of a reaction from Jan Di. And Ga Eul wondered if perhaps she had struck a nerve… Perhaps something like that had happened, after all…

Not again… And Jan Di thanked her lucky stars for that. She was also extremely relieved that this conversation was by phone, for she was certain she was turning a very bright shade of red right now at the recollection of the Macau incident—which she planned to take to the grave with her… And she was certain that Ji Hoo would, too, unless he wanted to be beaten senseless… Still, Jan Di couldn't help but smile at Ji Hoo's sweet gesture afterward. He'd prepared a lovely breakfast for her and arranged the food items to form a smiley face. He'd also left a single red rose in a vase and a note that said "memory deleted." She smiled again.

"I'm sorry, Jan Di-yah!" Ga Eul uttered through giggles, tearing Jan Di from her reverie. "That was uncalled for... Forgive me?"

Jan Di sighed. "Yes, Ga Eul-ah... Well, it's nothing like that…but there is something else…"

"Oh?"

Jan Di proceeded to tell Ga Eul about seeing Ji Hoo in the library this morning studying with a girl, a very pretty girl, who he had failed to mention to her…

…

"And the way she was flirting with him…it was shameless!" Jan Di exclaimed after several minutes of ranting. "She kept finding any excuse she could to touch him… And then, of course, Sunbae caught me watching them…" Jan Di recalled the earlier humiliation of attempting to hide behind a bookcase when Ji Hoo glanced her way. But it was to no avail, for Ji Hoo saw her and called her out, suggesting she come over. Jan Di had given a nervous chuckle, plastered on a smile, and joined the two. And Ji Hoo had introduced the lovely girl as his lab partner.

"Jan Di…," Ga Eul began, after Jan Di finished her story.

"What?"

Ga Eul considered how best to put it, but there was really no way to delicately say it. "Jan Di-yah, is it possible that you were…jealous?"

"Ga Eul! Wh-what?" Jan Di exclaimed in shock, and Ga Eul could almost hear the hurt in her voice. "Why…would I be…I wasn't…jealous!" Jan Di stammered.

You're so stubborn…, Ga Eul thought.

Ga Eul sighed. "I'm not suggesting that you necessarily have romantic feelings for Ji Hoo Sunbae or that you don't love Jun Pyo, but you and Ji Hoo Sunbae are always—literally, always—together… Not to mention, you live together. It's only natural that you'd become a bit attached to him… I mean, you guys are so close, and you've always had his undivided attention, you know… And now, well, someone else is taking some of that attention away…so, no one would blame you for feeling just a little bit jealous…"

Jan Di tightened . "You make it sound like I'm some child who craves attention constantly…" Ironically, she wore a slight pout upon her lips. And then Jan Di began to lament about what a horrible person she was.

"Jan Di, I didn't mean for it to come out the way it did. I just meant that you guys are really, really close… And I just think that…you like having Ji Hoo Sunbae's attention… And there's nothing wrong with that. It doesn't make you a bad person, only human…" Ga Eul recalled her own inner battles with jealousy over Yi Jeong…

Jan Di released a heavy sigh. "Ga Eul-ah…"

"Maybe you guys should talk about it," Ga Eul suggested.

Jan Di shook her head vibrantly back and forth on her end. "No way! I don't want him to think I'm trying to keep him from having friends…or even a…girlfriend...if he wants…" The word was a bit tougher to get out than Jan Di would have liked.

But Ga Eul's words had struck a chord with Jan Di, and she suddenly wondered if perhaps she was holding Ji Hoo back from moving on to someone else… Perhaps she was in the way… After all, it couldn't be easy for him to bring a girl over and explain why he was living with another girl…

"Ga Eul-ah…"

"Mm?"

"Do you think I've been…selfish with Ji Hoo Sunbae…or that I've taken advantage of him?"

"What do you mean, Jan Di-yah?"

"Well, I mean…he is always helping me out…picking me up, helping with my homework, and not to mention allowing me to live in his home…"

"No, Jan Di-yah, I don't think that," Ga Eul answered immediately, "I think Ji Hoo Sunbae truly enjoys being around you. And as far as helping you out goes…," she smiled, "I think he lives for that, for looking out for you…"

Jan Di nodded slowly. Perhaps Ga Eul was right about all of that, that Ji Hoo enjoyed her company and being there for her, but she couldn't help but feel guilty about that. And she wondered if perhaps she had been holding her firefighter back somehow… Perhaps she had been getting in the way of his happiness…

…

It was a day later, and Ga Eul had still been unable to reach Yi Jeong. She was currently in the library with Sang-Woo, attempting to work on their paper, but she was distracted.

"Ga Eul-ah, what's wrong?" Sang-Woo asked.

Ga Eul put on a fake smile. "Oh, nothing, Sunbae."

Sang-Woo nodded. He closed his book and flashed a sweet smile. "You know, Ga Eul-ssi… I still remember the first time I saw you…"

"Really…?"

"Mm. It was in kindergarten. You entered the classroom arm-in-arm with Geum Jan Di, and I immediately noticed you… I remember that your hair was in a ponytail and off to the side. I was building blocks alone, and you came up to me and asked if I wanted to play with you two… Your cheeks were slightly pink, and your eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky… I'll never forget that moment. It was the first time I witnessed your kindness, Ga Eul-ssi…"

Ga Eul glanced away. "That's sweet of you, Sunbae, but I don't think…"

Sang-Woo continued as if she hadn't even spoken. "And then you smiled at me—you had the cutest smile—and I remember thinking that you were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen...," he smiled wistfully, "You were my first crush…I'll bet you didn't know that, Ga Eul-ssi… As I said in the card, I've liked you for a very long time… And…," he paused, "it's rather…freeing to finally say it out loud…"

"Sunbae, I think we should get back to work now...," Ga Eul muttered, avoiding eye contact.

"We will. But first I want you to know this. It took me 15 years to work up the courage to say all of this to you, so please hear me out, Ga Eul-ssi."

She cast her eyes downward and nodded.

"Back then I was too afraid to tell you that I liked you, so I simply watched you over the years… I always sat behind you in class. I loved when you would turn to whisper something to Geum Jan Di because it allowed me to catch a glimpse of that lily white face."

Ga Eul was silent and kept her head lowered.

"I always appreciated how sweet you were and how much you cared for your friends… And your friends, of course, adored you. I recall one day when you were being bullied. When I saw I rushed over to help, but Geum Jan Di had already gotten there and was standing up to that little jerk. I always kind of envied her for that… Even though I would have probably been beaten senseless—the boys didn't go as easy on other boys as they did on girls, and I wasn't very strong back then—I wanted to be the one to stand up for you. I wanted to be the one to protect you, Ga Eul-ssi. Back then, I don't think I could have, but I can now. I'm much stronger now," he assured her.

Ga Eul gave an awkward smile.

"There were a few times I almost worked up the courage to confess to you, but something or someone always got in the way… Like when you dated that Soo Pyo… At that time, I sort of gave up. Another girl had expressed interest in me at that time, too, but I always turned her down because I felt like I would be betraying you… I suppose I was waiting for you or something… But when you were dating Soo Pyo, I decided to go out with the other girl to try and move on…"

Ga Eul tightened . "I see. What made you finally confess?" she asked.

"Well, my girlfriend and I eventually broke up, and then my family sent me away for a foreign exchange program for a few years, if you recall."

Ga Eul nodded. She vaguely recalled.

"And when I came back and we ended up in college together, in the same major, I thought it was fate. So, I planned to express my feelings to you, finally. And then you received that box on your birthday, and I saw who it was from… You need to know, Ga Eul-ssi, that So Yi Jeong is no good. He's the reason my girlfriend and I broke up..." Sang-Woo wore a hardened expression.

Ga Eul simply stared at him.

"I absolutely despise So Yi Jeong! He's not a good guy; he's bad for you, and I told him as much."

"What?!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, I told him that he didn't deserve you and I warned him against hurting you…"

"What? When…when did you talk to him?!"

"When you left your phone at my place, he called, and I answered."

"Wh-what? Why…would you do that?!"

"Well, he was rather persistent, and I thought he might worry about you, so I answered."

"I…can't believe you answered my phone…," Ga Eul mumbled, in disbelief. She was angry, extremely angry.

"I'm sorry, Ga Eul-ssi, but I thought it—"

Ga Eul released a short burst of air. "What did he say? And what did you say to him?!"

"Well, he was concerned for you. And he demanded to know who I was and why I was answering your phone. I told him that I was just a friend and your study partner and that you left your phone by mistake. And I reassured him that you were fine, but he seemed very angry...and jealous…"

Ga Eul scoffed. She was concerned now… Had Yi Jeong gotten the wrong idea?

"Ga Eul-ssi, I can't believe that he wouldn't trust you," Sang-Woo continued, "If he knew you like I do, he wouldn't think anything negative of you… And besides, a Casanova like him has no right to accuse a sweet, wonderful girl like you of being unfaithful."

"You shouldn't have talked to him! You shouldn't have answered!" Ga Eul raised her voice but lowered it again upon recalling that they were in a library.

"Ga Eul-ssi…"

Then, she suddenly stood up and stormed off on Sang-Woo.

…

To Be Continued…

Teaser for Next Chapter: Obsession Part II: Sang-Woo continues to pursue Ga Eul. F2 and Jan Di stand up to Sang-Woo and discover the reason for his hatred of Yi Jeong. Ji Hoo presents Ga Eul with yet another surprise from Yi Jeong.Obsession Part II: Sang-Woo continues to pursue Ga Eul. F2 and Jan Di stand up to Sang-Woo and discover the reason for his hatred of Yi Jeong. Ji Hoo presents Ga Eul with yet another surprise from Yi Jeong.