The remaining two days of the conference passed by quickly. Jan Di and Ji Hoo continued to meet up in the afternoon to sight-see, but both kept a friendly distance. Before she knew it, she was packing her bags to return to Korea.

She heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?"

"It's me." Ji Hoo's voice sounded from behind the door.

She opened the door and Ji Hoo stepped into her suite. "Wow...even my suite isn't this luxurious."

Jan Di smiled, "It was a gift to me from Joon Pyo. I was originally planning on staying at a hotel near the airport."

"Well, I guess Joon Pyo still has some skills..." he said as he toured the Prime Minister's Suite.

"Would you like some coffee, sunbae? I have a pot brewing." Jan Di offered.

"Sure." he said with a smile.

She went to the coffee pot and poured two cups. "So what brings you by?" she said as she handed him his cup.

"I just wanted to see you before we left today. What time is your flight?"

"2:30 this afternoon. Yours?"

"I fly out around Midnight." he replied.

"At least you can sleep the whole way and skip jet lag." she said with a bit of jealousy in her voice.

The pair talked over coffee for a bit, but there was no heavy conversation. Ji Hoo stood up. "Well, thank you for the coffee, Jan Di-ah. I'll let you get back to packing."

"Ji Hoo..." Jan Di began.

"Yes?"

She wanted to say so many things, but her better sense held her back. She was hoping that when they both returned to Korea, they could continue as friends. She asked, "Do you want to meet up with the gang for dinner when we are back home?"

"That would be great. Have a safe flight." He gave her a hug and then headed for the door.

"You too, sunbae. See you soon."

Jan Di went back to packing, but her heart ached.

The dream is over. It's time to go back to reality.

Her chauffeur Jack was waiting for her in front of the hotel. As he grabbed her bags to put them in the trunk, he said, "Did you have a good time in Toronto, Miss Geum?"

"Yes, very much, thank you." Jan Di said with a smile.

After sliding into the driver's seat, he looked at Jan Di through the rear view mirror, "I'm surprised I didn't hear from you during your stay."

"Ah, that...I mostly stayed at the hotel and walked around downtown."

"That's too bad. I could have given you a grand tour of Toronto. Perhaps even Niagara Falls." Jack said with a pout.

Jan Di laughed to herself. "Maybe next time, Jack."

Finally arriving at the airport, she said her farewells to Jack and, after making her way from the ticket counter and then through security, she finally settled into her first-class seat. She took out her phone and began flipping through the photos her and Ji Hoo took together.

She quietly mused aloud, "My prince. Always there when I need you. Always there so I'm not alone. Thank you."

By the time the plane landed at Incheon airport, she was exhausted. It was late afternoon, but she decided to give her greetings to Joon Pyo's parents before she went back to the apartment.

Let's just get this out-of-the-way.

While she was in Toronto, she picked up a few gifts for Joon Pyo's parents. If she hadn't she would have dealt with months of passive aggressive behavior from Kang Hee Soo, Joon Pyo's mother.

She arrived at their palatial mansion and Butler Lee was there to greet her.

"Geum Jan Di-ssi. Welcome home." he bowed.

"Thank you, Butler Lee. I missed you." Jan Di gave the family butler a hug.

"You're, too kind, agashi." he said as he helped her with her bags.

"Where are omonim and abunim?" she asked.

"Gu-sajangnim is out playing golf. But Kang-sajangnim, she is in the study."

"Thank you, I will see myself to the study."

Jan Di made her way through the mansion with the house-staff greeting her along the way. Finally she was outside of Kang Hee Soo's study, but just as she was about to open the door she heard the voice of Kang Hee Soo and Gu Joon Pyo. Jan Di stopped dead in her tracks and listened.

"I didn't ask you to do any of that, oma." Joon Pyo said in an exasperated tone.

"That's not the point, Joon," Kang Hee Soo began to lecture her son, "She is the daughter-in-law to be of Shinhwa. You were just going to let her stay in some shabby hotel and take taxi's everywhere? What if someone saw that?"

They're talking about me, Jan Di thought.

"I was busy with other things to even think of that." Joon Pyo retorted.

"So I have to think of it for you? I begrudgingly accepted your relationship. I shouldn't have to cover up for your lack of efforts. It makes my skin crawl. But what can I do? If I don't, you won't. And if you won't, then the tabloids start talking."

"Look, oma, there is a merger coming soon...Shinhwa needs this merger..." Joon Pyo tried to reason.

Kang Hee Soo sounded incredulous, "Ha! Shinhwa always needs a merger to go through. It's what we do. Jan Di is coming home today. Leave and go prepare something nice for her. And get ready to prepare for your wedding! I'll not have it delayed any longer, Joon!"

Jan Di was so stunned by what she heard, she couldn't move her feet. The door opened and there was Gu Joon Pyo with a shocked look on his face. Kang Hee Soo's expression was more annoyed.

Joon Pyo blinked hard, not believing his eyes, "Jan Di-ah! I thought I'd see you at home..."

Jan Di looked past him at Kang Hee Soo, "I came to pay my respects to omonim and abunim before I went to the apartment."

She walked forward as if in a daze. "Omonim, please accept these gifts. Thank you for graciously arranging my stay in Toronto."

"Ah..yes." Kang Hee Soo accepted the gifts.

"Jan Di-ah..." Joon Pyo started.

"If you will forgive my rudeness, omonim, I am not feeling well and will be going home. Please give my greetings to abunim." Jan Di turned around to head for the door.

Joon Pyo yelled after her, "Yah! Geum Jan Di!" But Jan Di pretended she didn't hear him.

I won't cry here. Not here. Not in this house. Let me just make it to the car.

And make it to the car she did. As the chauffeur pulled away from the Gu family house her phone began to ring. It was Joon Pyo. She turned off her phone and finally succumbed to her tears.