Tokyo 9 days ago…

Yoo Rin was ushered with great misgiving inside the Principal’s office of Eitoku Academy’s High School.

“Han Yoo Rin-san?” a tall balding man offered his hand to her.

“Sensei, Arigato, Thank you for seeing me, I know you’re very busy.” Yoo Rin replied

“Oh, Mimasaka-sama is a very persuasive man. Seeing you became a must.”

Yoo Rin growned inwardly, nothing like a little animosity to make thing harder for her. Akira, she knew was a subtle kind of person a master at diplomacy. Maybe his friend Domyoji Tsukasa’s personality rubbed off.

“I’m very sorry for the inconvenience, but I only have 2 weeks to-“ Yoo Rin tried to explain. But the Principal cut her short by pushing a brown manila envelope towards her.

“These are the copies of the records you needed.”

“Arigato.” Yoo Rin said staring at the envelope on the table. She hesitated about picking it up.

“It’s not much…the boy only studied here for a year and a half…”

“Deh?”

“Jang Geun Suk. A bright good looking student, that one, Wealthy without a doubt, but he was only interested in the advance business classes and kendo of all things.”

“ Kendo? Business Classes?” Yoo Rin asked almost to herself. The Park Shin Hoon she knew was not interested in anything athletic or business, he liked to build things, draw and design things.

“Mimasaka-sama insisted that I ask no questions but Han Yoo Rin-san, Why are you so interested in Jang-san?”

Yoo Rin wondered if she imagined it. The feeling of familiarity, the security she felt around Geun Suk. Could he be really Shin Hoon? Yoo Rin picked up the envelope but did not open it. Why is she hesitating? Was it so unimaginable that she’d fall in love with Park Shin Hoon? Yoo Rin looked up to see the Principal staring at her with speculation. She thanked him quickly and left the office in a hurry.

* * *
“Kyaaaa! He is so handsome! Kyaaaa!!! F4!!!”

Yoo Rin looked up from the document she was holding at the sound of the screams, the coffee shop became filled with screaming crazed women.

“Yo! Yoo-kun!”Akira waved at her cheerfully from 2 tables away. Women glared at Yoo Rin with hostility. Yoo Rin gave a short wave back and bought her eyes back to Jang Geun Suk’s transcripts.

“Missed me?”Akira greeted as he placed his hand on top of her head.

“Akira don’t be like that, she’s doesn’t look anything like your type.”Nishikado Sojiro chided. “On the other hand, she is definitely mine.” He added grasping Yoo Rin’s hand in his.

“Oi! Behave!”Akira said slapping Sojiro’s hand with a spoon as he sat next to Yoo Rin. “She’s a family friend after all.”

“Ya! And I’m what?!”Sorijo complained rubbing his hand.

“Being over protective Akira? This is a surprise.”Hanasawa Rui said sitting across from Yoo Rin his face expressionless.

“Konichiwa Senpais.” Yoo Rin said standing and giving the F4 a formal bow.

“Eeeh?!”Sojiro and Rui said turing to Akira confused.

Akira shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t look at me, like I told you Yoo-kun has a mind of her own.”

“Awww! I was so looking forward to seducing you…”Sojiro said

“Then be ready to go to jail or be hunted like a dog by my father. She’s his god-child, Baka.” Akira pointed out. Sojiro gave Yoo Rin a wink as if to say that would not stop him otherwise. Yoo Rin rolled her eyes, she was used to such overtures since she’s known Akira for years.

“Aniki, long time on see.”Yoo Rin said to Sojiro tilting her head with meaningfully. “But I’m sorry I’ll have to pass on the you seducing me part, since I am trying to discover the love of my life’s motives for deceiving me.” Yoo Rin said in an off hand manner and smiled winningly at Sojiro.

Sojiro blinked at Yoo Rin in confusion. Rui and Akira started laughing.

* * *

“Find anything interesting?”Akira asked as they drove him in one of the Mimasaka’s SUVs Yoo Rin was unwilling to ride anywhere with Akira at the wheel.

“I need to go to Boston.”

“Boston? In Massachusetts? America? Seriously?”Akira asked raising a eyebrow.

Yoo Rin nodded. Akira nodded sagely. Then he leaned forward. “Take us to the airstrip, and call Makoto-san to have them bring Yoo-kun’s luggage as well as my passport.”

Yoo Rin looked at Akira puzzled.

“I can’t let you go to a strange place by yourself.” Was all Akira said.

----------------------------------------

Geun Suk jumped out of the car into the pouring rain and ran towards his parent’s country house as fast as he could. Cursing his grandfather the entire time. The sky was already dark because of the rain. Yoo Rin would be terrified. Geun Suk thought worried.

“Yoo Rin! Yoooo Riiinn!!!”

Geun Suk stopped short as he got to the backyard. A well lighted Gazebo, It was decorated with blue roses and twinkling lights. In the center was Yoo Rin curled up on a soft blanket asleep. Geun Suk fell on his knees beside her in relief. She was safe.
Geun Suk drank the sight of her, still in her travel clothes, one hand cradling her head the other lay palm up next to her face which was partly covered with her hair. With all the tenderness and longing he felt he brushed the hair away from her face.

Yoo Rin felt something wet drop on her cheek. Tears? She wondered as she opened her eyes to see Geun Suk’s face so close to her own. Yoo Rin gasped and jumped away.

Geun Suk felt his heart clenched. She hates me and I don’t blame her.

“YOU!”Were the first words to come out of Yoo Rin’s mouth.

Yoo Rin blinked. Araboji didn’t lie. Jang Geun Suk was here, or rather he is here now. Soaking wet.

“Yes, ME.”Geun Suk replied wiping his face with a handkerchief then squeezing the water from his coat.

“Ya! Your all wet.”Yoo Rin pointed out stupidly.

“It’s raining.”

**Now what? Yoo Rin groaned to herself suddenly feeling awkward. Silence. Geun Suk turned his back.

**Now what? He asked himself.

A flash of lightning sparked then a loud roar of thunder. The lights at the Gazebo went off. Yoo Rin screamed and leaped into Geun Suk’s arms.

“You’re ok. you’re ok. I won’t let anything hurt you.”Geun Suk said soothingly. Yoo Rin buried her face on Geun Suk’s chest. Geun Suk was wet and hungry but he felt elated to have Yoo Rin in his arms.

The Gazebo lights turned back on .Geun Suk swore under his breath, Yoo Rin opened her eyes slowly then tried to pull away from Geun Suk’s embrace. Geun Suk didn’t let go.

“Ya. You’re all wet.”

“You’re stating the obvious.”

“I’m getting wet.”

Geun Suk sighed then let her pull away a bit but kept his hands on Yoo Rin’s arms.

“Ya! You were supposed to some straight home. What are you doing here?”Geun Suk asked. He tried to act fierce steering Yoo Rin away from the actual issue, afraid of her reaction to his secret.

Yoo Rin stared at Geun Suk, amazed that he would have the arrogance to scold her after what he did.

Silence. Geun Suk suddenly felt uncomfortable. **Why isn’t she saying anything?

**My chubby best friend has grown up to be so handsome. Yoo Rin thought as she freely studied Geun Suk’s face looking for the traces of his former self Park Shin Hoon.

“Han Yoo Rin, you exceeded the 2 weeks you promised. You must be punished.” Geun Suk said trying to get a rise from Yoo Rin. Anger, annoyance anything but the silence. “Ya! Would you stop staring at me? I might get the wrong idea, and think you want me to kiss you.”Geun Suk warned nervously.

“I know.”

“DEH?”

* * *

Boston, 5 days ago.

“Shin made the choice himself. He’s our only child and he didn’t want to choose between me or his Appa.” Shin’s mother said “He’s a very sensitive boy you know Yoo Rin. After we dragged him to a foreign country, his appa and I ended up divorced…Life here wasn’t easy for Shin, being away from his country, his friends, you…in a way my father gave him a way to come back to Korea.”

“Why?”

“Hmm?”

“Why did he have to change his name? Ajumoni, his entire identity?”

Shin’s mother smiled at Yoo Rin. “My father is clan chief Yoo Rin, the only way to be an heir to the Jang legacy is to be an actual Jang.”

“So Araboji needed to adopt him as heir?”

Shin’s mother shook her head. “That’s not the only condition to becoming heir, there is YOU.”

“DEH?”

“You didn’t know? Your grandfather and my father agreed a long time ago that…”

“Their grandchildren be united in marriage to create a stronger bond of blood between the two families? It’s not just an old story?!”

Shin’s mother nodded. “Shin will not be heir unless he agrees to take you as his bride.”

“Mom! I’m going to the baseball practice!” a boy said interrupting them.

Yoo Rin stared at the boy as he moved towards her. It was like seeing the her best friend the way he was when he left 8 years ago.

“Tsk! Don’t be impolite Yul, come say hello to Yoo Rin your hyong-su”

“Annoyong.” The boy bowed politely. “Mom, Dad will be picking me up?” Shin’s mother nodded

“Ajumoni…”

“Oh, why quibble with words? Call me Omoni, You’ll end up married to him eventually.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because my dear, You made it a point to come all the way here for answers; that wouldn’t be so if you have no feelings for my Shin.”

“I…”

“Yoo Rin, I know he lied to you and all, but do me a favor? Don’t make him suffer too long."