Thank you so much for reading this fanfic. If you don't know I am a writer who has written a book called Bloom or Fixing the soul. I left a sneek peek of the book using BOF characters. If you would like to continue reading the original click here https://www.inkitt.com/stories/fantasy/134198 once you've created an account on inkitt you can read the entire book after clicking on free copy using the link provided. Make sure to bookmark the book on inkitt so that you do not lose your free read. Thank you for your time and I hope you enjoy this story. 

Before reading please reade the prologue (Foreword):

His weekend had surprisingly been relaxing after calling Sunny his latest two-week fling. They had spent the weekend wrapped up in each other’s lust and Yi Jeong had definitely felt like the past 48 hours had managed to blur his pain enough to a 2^nd degree burn.

“Hey man!”

Smiling at his friend Yi Jeong knew he wouldn’t press him for answers of his whereabouts. They were close enough for Woo Bin to know where he was, what he did, and the subject that was to be avoided. If Yi Jeong really wanted to talk to him or his other friends then he would share otherwise his family was a very private subject.

“Have fun this weekend?” Woo Bin asked with a smirk and Yi Jeong simply replied with the same gesture shaking his head and dropping the subject when Goo Jun Pyo arrived with his girlfriend Jan Di and her cousin Jae Kyung, behind them Ji Hoo.

“Are you alright Yi Jeong?” Jan Di questioned concern in her eyes and although Yi Jeong knew she meant well he simply ignored her question. Jun Pyo simply taking Jan Di by the hand while Jae Kyung headed to Woo Bin and kissed his cheek earning a smirk from his friend. Shaking his head Yi Jeong simply began to empty his locker for his morning classes letting his friends banter slowly edge away the burn inside him just a bit more.

            His friends were all people to trust for him. He considered them close and the only people he could take his guard down enough to trust with the subject of his family. He didn’t discuss much afraid of pity but they knew the basics of his mother and father, not his feelings. Then there was his brother Il Hyun and Eun Jae… Before his thoughts could carry him away too much he was interrupted by the first bell then by Sunny who made her way over to him with her two friends Ginger and Miranda. Only Sunny and Miranda both offered a smile his way. Yi Jeong had previously dated Ginger and it seemed the girl was not over the fact things had ended sourly for her and him the year prior.

“Oppa. Can we talk?” Sunny asked.

“We’ll see you later.” Ji Hoo spoke shaking his head while the rest of his friends walked to class knowingly. Sighing Yi Jeong spoke first after Miranda and Ginger walked away and the halls emptied.

“Let’s break up.” He said to the girl who looked at him in surprise first before crying. This seemed to last for a few more minutes and he was already use to it.

            Trying his best to keep his composure, he watched the girl in front of him break down in front of him. There was such a pleasure and irritation that he felt at watching this girl break. It was times like these that he was able to see people at their most vulnerable and he found it pathetic and amusing. For a moment he pondered to himself thinking that maybe he should ask her why she was willingly allowing him to see this part of her.

“Please Oppa!”
“Don’t you love me?”
            Love? The word almost made him lose his cool but he kept his cold composure and refrained from laughing at her. He wasn’t being cruel. In fact, Yi Jeong had repeatedly explained to every girl that he dated or rather bedded, that it was nothing but ual. There was a chance that maybe in his ual haze he might fall for her. He was a hypocrite of course because time and time again it was proven that he was someone who could not love.

“I love you Yi Jeong Oppa!” Sunny cried her makeup running down her cheeks as she dropped to her knees.

            Unfortunately for Sunny, Yi Jeong had reached his limit. Kneeling and professing some undying love that Yi Jeong knew was only lust irritated him to no ends.

“Enough.” He spoke quietly. He tried his best to be a gentlemen, he really did at least in moments like these were he was cutting all ties with women he slept with but there was no way to avoid looking like a douche. Especially when the girls cried and begged the way they did to him. Professing their love already irritated him enough but kneeling was losing one’s pride and if there was one thing Yi Jeong would never lose and refused for anyone else to lose it was their pride. Sighing he stood her up though she struggled to stay on her knees as she sobbed.

“Oppa-”

“We had a deal Sunny. There was nothing more to this. You agreed.”
“How can you be such a coldhearted man!” Sunny shouted raising her hand to strike him but Yi Jeong stopped her hand calmly.

“Oppa please.” Sunny begged once more shaking him, because he had been on his way to class and holding on to several books she managed to knock them out of his hands.

“Enough. I understand your hurt but begging is too pathetic even for a girl like you.” He spoke calmly gathering his books and walking away.

He headed down the hall then turning left and bumping in to a girl he apologized without a glance and headed to class. Behind him the sobs of another irrelevant girl among so many he had bedded were heard.

~

“What a jerk!” Ga Eul thought in her head as she watched So Yi Jeong the skilled potter, heir of the biggest art museum and member of F4 walk away from a crying girl.

            Ga Eul had been running late that day for the first time since receiving a scholarship to Shinwa the previous year. She would have made it on time had her white Moped scooter not run out of gas in the middle of the road.  She had managed to get to school just as the bell rang unfortunately for her she was unable to pass through the hallway to her locker because of the cruel breakup that was happening in front of said locker. She had seen the girl around her name was Sunshine or other. Ga Eul didn’t much pay attention in the eyes of the student body at Shinwa she was an irrelevant commoner and she didn’t much care about anyone either. She had no friends in this school and solely focused on school work. For a moment Ga Eul pondered whether or not to help the girl that was trying to collect herself in the empty hallway but settled against it.

“If someone had seen this act cruelty towards me… I’d die,” Ga Eul thought to herself as the girl stood up and walked away sluggishly. Shaking her head Ga Eul frowned as she headed towards her locker stopping as she stepped on a notebook.

Looking down at her foot she sighed when she saw a black notebook. It wasn’t anything out of this world. In fact, she had a similar notebook just like it, coincidentally this notebook was also for history class like hers. Upon further inspection she realized who the notebook belonged to. The name So Yi Jeong was written in perfect scrawl across the top middle and Ga Eul bit her lip.

“Where is his locker?” She thought to herself and realized it was only a few steps away from her own. Mostly she avoided F4 because everyone in school made a fuss at them and Ga Eul wasn’t one to make a scene over money.

“Never wish for things you can’t have or things that don’t belong to you.” She heard her mother say. Knowing that if she stuck the notebook to the locker or tried to break it would only cause a scene regardless from F4 fan girls Ga Eul simply placed the notebook in her bag along with various other things she needed for the first half of her day and headed to class.

            Running to her classroom she opened the door abruptly disrupting the class and found every single pair of eyes looking at her curiously.

“You are late Ms. Chu,” Professor Choi spoke to her. Bowing in apology she found her seat in the back and studiously began to take notes. No one really paid mind to her and she felt herself relax at the invisibility she was feeling at the moment. If there was one thing Ga Eul prided herself in it was school. She wasn’t smart; at least she didn’t see it that way. She was simply a girl who knew how to take great notes. Ga Eul was the type to color code her notes and added extra annotations. During exams she would try to remember as much as she could but her notes helped a lot. She could hear laughter coming from the front of the classroom and looked up to see the Shinwa heir Goo Jun Pyo being hit upside the head by his girlfriend the powerful and also pretty Geum Jan Di. Watching as they yelled at one another made Ga Eul smile.

            As someone who genuinely believed in the perfect happily ever after at first she couldn’t really see the appeal that the Shinwa heir and the Hotel Heiress had for one another. Ga Eul supposed it had to do with an arranged marriage. From what she understood, notably after someone had dare sneak into the women’s locker and caught sight of not only Geum Jan Di but Ha Jae Kyung her cousin and owner of the Biggest Travel agency. After being beaten to a pulp Song Woo Bin; who was dating Jae Kyung and was the owner of the largest construction company in Korea, and of course the guy was beaten by Goo Jun Pyo.  Goo Jun Pyo in his fit of rage informed everyone that Geum Jan Di was his fiancée and if he had not seen her in such a state yet the man who dare lay eyes on her in such a erted matter should not have a life or at least be blind. Ga Eul had been there changing for P.E as well and it was after seeing the Shinwa heir almost kill that student on his own because Woo Bin had been pulled away by Jae Kyung; it was then that Ga Eul realized arranged marriage or not Goo Jun Pyo loved Jan Di. And when Geum Jan Di kicked Goo Jun Pyo in a surprising flying kick and threatened to kill him if he killed someone else “And leaving me alone to suffer a life without you for being an idiot” Geum Jan Di stated she would die. Ga Eul also realized then and there that Geum Jan Di loved the Shinwa heir too.

            Shaking her head Ga Eul smiled softly and was quietly happy for the couple. It was rare for the rich to really get a happy ending and she noted that it all just happened in dramas or books. Though it seemed that aside from being filthy rich they were also lucky in love.

“Never wish for things you can’t have or things that don’t belong to you.” She heard her mother say in her head once again. This time however, she truly did wish not for money but for love. For a moment she thought of her childhood friend Jae Ha and wished he could love her. Closing her eyes briefly she made a wish.

“Please. Let someone love me.” She thought to herself with a smile.

“Yah! Geum Jan Di are you crazy!”

            Waking up from her little daydream Ga Eul chuckled to herself watching the Shinwa heir and his bride to be in amusement for the rest of the class wishing now for someone who would always keep her on her toes like Geum Jan Di did with Goo Jun Pyo.

“Except. Maybe not the arguing and hitting.” She thought to herself smiling.

            The halls of Shinwa were filled with noise all around. Lunch time had come and students always seemed more excited to socialize then eat. Although top chefs cooked for the students most of the time the food remained untouched. Sometimes Ga Eul wished she could just take all of that food back home to eat and share with the entire community seeing as the chefs would just throw the food away after lunch. Looking down at her small bento box she sighed. Her mother had made her a simple lunch and though she enjoyed the cooking the smell of the five-star food at school always left her with a large appetite that her lunch could not fill. Not that she could afford that lunch with the prices. Hearing a snort, Ga Eul looked up to see Sunshine something, Miranda something and Gigi other. She was never good with names and she didn’t want to bother with people like this. It wasn’t that they said anything but the way they looked down on her annoyed her. More so when Sunshine sprinkled perfume as she passed by Ga Eul. For a moment Ga Eul thought about the incident she had witnessed that morning and she thought about saying something to embarrass Sunshine. The minute the though crossed her mind however, made Ga Eul feel sick and guilty for thinking such a thing. She was a girl too and if a jerk like So Yi Jeong had broken her heart she wouldn’t want someone to tell the entire school. Shaking her head, she simply closed her bento box and headed out of the cafeteria.

            Reminding herself about the jerk she had seen this morning she realized she had to give him his notebook back. Heading to the place where she knew F4 would normally hang out during school, Ga Eul was quite surprised to see a crowd of girls outside the front door while Geum Jan Di and Jae Kyung pushed them all back trying to get them to not go inside.

“Go away!” Jae Kyung shouted.

“Stop pushing!” Geum Jan Di shouted at them only to let out a frustrated scream that caused all the girls to silence and move away in fear.

“You can wait until after he’s out of here!” Geum Jan Di shouted.

“Until then if any of you dare come in here I’ll kill you!” Geum Jan Di screamed, her threat sending chills down Ga Eul’s spine.

“Let’s go inside now Jan Di-ah the boys are waiting. You know how irritated Jun Pyo gets when you’re not around him and I’m hungry.” Jae Kyung informed Jan Di before going inside the F4 private lounge with Jan Di following and slamming the door behind them. Immediate groans were heard and the girls around the door remained glued to the door. For a moment Ga Eul thought about heading back to the cafeteria but remembering the test next period for history she gathered her courage to proceed.

“We have a test next period. I should give it to him so he can study.” Ga Eul told herself.

            Pushing past the crowd of girls they all seemed to part with anger and at the same time wonder. She looked inside peering through the small window of the door and found So Yi Jeong sitting at the far end of the room with Yoon Ji Hoo the former president’s grandson. They seemed to be deep in conversation but Ga Eul just hoped they wouldn’t mind the interruption. Opening the door, she heard the other girls behind her groan as she entered the room. When she closed the door behind her all of F4 including Geum Jan Di and Jae Kyung looked up at her. F4 was looking at her in surprise while Geum Jan Di and Jae Kyung both glared.

“You have some balls !” Jae Kyung spoke up.

“Didn’t I tell you to get lost! I told you to wait outside for him!” Geum Jan Di snapped.

            At the cruel words that were being thrown at her Ga Eul bit her lip and tried to ignore the girls while heading towards So Yi Jeong. The trip to the back of the room seemed to last for hours and Ga Eul had to bite her lip hard to keep her composure as everyone observed her. So Yi Jeong was smirking at her in amusement a great contrast to the man she had seen hours ago destroying a girl’s heart. When she reached So Yi Jeong and Yoon Ji Hoo she clutched tightly on to the notebook that lay in her hands. Her heart was racing so much with anxiety because of the unfair scrutiny and she could not speak; dry from fear. Without thinking she did the next best thing and bowed. Her intent was then to push the notebook forward to So Yi Jeong but his next words stopped her.

“Alright.”
“You’re not usually my type but I’ll go out with you. Since you did ask first.”

“What!” Ga Eul spoke her voice coarse as she looked up at So Yi Jeong in surprise feeling her head spin.

“What is going on?” Ga Eul though to herself trying to process what So Yi Jeong had said to her.

“Well,” He spoke with a frown.

“Aren’t you here to ask me out?”
“What!”
“Ew! No!”

“I”

            Her cheeks were turning bright red and she wanted the ground to swallow her up at what was happening to her. More so when laughter could be heard from both Song Woo Bin and Goo Jun Pyo.

“Sorry”
“I’m sorry!” She spoke bowing again and again to So Yi Jeong. Unable to look at his face and looking only at the ground. ing his notebook at him she spoke quickly.

“I only wanted to return your notebook. You dropped it this morning and I- We have a test and- You should study- I- Bye.”

and mind seemed to be out of sync as she rambled and before she could further embarrass herself she quickly walked out the door bowing briefly to Jae Kyung and Geum Jan Di.

“Sorry for disturbing your lunch it won’t happen again.” She managed to say before closing the door with a slam. Ga Eul only managed to get a few feet away from the door before she could feel her embarrassment reach her entire body.

“Damn it Chu Ga Eul when will you stop putting your foot in your mouth.” She muttered to herself feeling entirely exhausted.

~

            Yi Jeong was never the type to lose his cool factor in front of anyone; that included his friends. But at the moment the embarrassment he was feeling as his friends laughed at him made his streak end. Not only were Goo Jun Pyo and Song Woo Bin now laughing at him but even Jae Kyung, Jan Di and surprisingly the calm and collected Yoon Ji Hoo was also dying of laughter with them.

“Ew! No!” Song Woo Bin spoke through his laughter.

“That has honestly been the most epic reaction to you.”
“Ever!” Woo Bin emphasized holding on to his sides while tears sprang from his eyes which he quickly wiped away.

“I guess not every girl in Shinwa wants a piece of So Yi Jeong. Casanova extraordinaire.” Jae Kyung teased.

            Frowning slightly and feeling like an idiot Yi Jeong recalled the events that had unfolded a few seconds ago. The girl that had walked in was a little commoner which Yi Jeong vaguely remembered simply because they had history class together and when she had once dozed off after a test he copied off it. He sat behind her in class that one time specifically for that reason and had passed his test with a perfect score. He continued to sit behind her every test in hopes of her falling asleep again but that didn’t seem to happen again and his test score slipped to a C average once again. He had never really thought of the girl as anything if not average but now he could blame her for experiencing embarrassment for the first time.

“She’s weird.” He thought to himself recalling her words.

            She had been embarrassed and by the fit of emotions that crossed her face from the moment she walked in to the door with fear and determination to reach him while Jan Di and Jae Kyung insulted her, to the embarrassment as she stormed out Yi Jeong found himself smiling in amusement. Looking at the notebook which now currently lay in Ji Hoo’s hands as he read it with a concentrated frown Yi Jeong snatched it.

“That’s mine.” He snapped not wanting for his friends to see the contents inside. If anyone were to see the inside they would not only realize that he never paid attention in class doodling occasionally to appear like he was paying attention.

“No it isn’t.” Ji Hoo spoke pulling the notebook away from Yi Jeong before he could snatch it away. Closing the notebook Ji Hoo read out loud.

“Property of Chu Ga Eul.”

“And if you open this up. You can see the first page decorated in small hearts on the right side with the name Jae Ha on it.” Ji Hoo spoke.

“So she has a boyfriend.” Jan Di spoke with a smile. Walking over to the back Woo Bin took the notebook from Ji Hoo and nodded as he skimmed through it.

“We all have a test next period. These notes are good.” He commented heading over to Jae Kyung while Jun Pyo took the notebook away.

“I need to pass the test today or the witch will kill me so I’m taking this.”
“Yah! Jun Pyo! That’s not yours! I told you to study!”
            Ignoring his friends banter and realizing that the Chu Ga Eul still had his notebook an idea struck Yi Jeong when he realized that he didn’t have a girl for the day. Not that it mattered he could get one just by walking out in the hallway if he really wished. It was why there was such chaos today. It marked the two week strict ual relationships. But when he looked outside the door to see it empty her realized the girl had no doubt though Ga Eul had been the winner of his attention for the next two weeks.

“In deed. She is.” Yi Jeong spoke out loud with a smirk upon realizing this would definitely be fun and a challenged based on the commoners’ reaction.

            The bell for the end of history class signaled Yi Jeong’s hell to end. There was no doubt in his mind that he had failed the test and as of that moment he was just hoping to get out of there. He watched in amusement as Jan Di pulled Jun Pyo by the ear scolding him for trying to cheat on the test warning him about being expelled.

“My noona is the principle! I own this school expulsion is preposterous.” Jun Pyo defended himself trying to break free of Jan Di’s grasp.

“So is cheating on a test by yelling out to Ga Eul and asking her what her answer for question one was! Are you out of your mind you spoiled brat? You’re lucky Goo Jae Hee is the Principal otherwise detention would be the last of your worries!” Jan Di snapped while pulling Joon Pyo out of the classroom. Ji Hoo following close behind them in amusement.

“I have to tell this to Seo Hyun when she comes back.” He muttered to himself while Woo Bin and Jae Kyung simply followed after them.

“Idiots.” Yi Jeong thought with a smile.

            He hated school in general but his friends always kept him entertained. The ordeal a few minutes ago had indeed made him laugh. Although Goo Jun Pyo’s outburst had been funny, Chu Ga Eul’s reaction was funnier. The delicate girl had looked like a deer in headlights before blushing as the classroom burst into laughter. Said girl was currently still sitting behind her desk gathering her things up while the classroom emptied.

            Making his way towards her, Yi Jeong offered a smile to Ga Eul who was still not aware of his presence. The moment she looked up however she blushed a deep crimson red and looked down at the ground, clutching her bag tightly in her hands and biting her lip.

“Yi Jeong Sunbae.” He heard her say bowing politely and trying to move out of the way. Still, he offered his charming smile and grabbed her by the hand gently to stop her.

“Chu Ga Eul right?” He questioned to which she simply nodded gently.

“You gave me your notebook not mine.” He found himself saying unsure as to how to start a conversation with this girl. Normally, most women would throw themselves at him and flirting would begin back and forth. There was no shyness with any woman that approached him and this girl reminded him of a timid bunny.

“Oh, Sorry Sunbae,” He heard her say before she extended said notebook out to him. Offering her one of his charming smiles again he winked at her and she blushed once again. He would have laughed at her reaction but he had a purpose to all this and hoped to achieve it without intimidating the girl.

            However, before he could get a word out she had removed her hand from his and bowed rather comically in her haste muttering something about being late and trying to run out of the classroom.

“Wait!” Yi Jeong called after her managing to grab her by the arm once more.

“Can we talk. Afterschool?” He questioned just as the warning bell for next period rang. Ga Eul looked alarmed and she simply ran out dropping a few things in her haste only stopping to pick them up. Yi Jeong watched her stumble about and found her to be quite the klutz as he watched her push her way into the crowd of students.

“Interesting commoner” He thought to himself.

“She forgot to ask me for her notebook” He thought with a smile to his face.

~

            The warm porridge shop remained empty as the hours ticked on by only when occasional customer would come in Master Bom Choon-sik would rush to make fresh porridge. The shop wasn’t always this empty but this was one of those times where it just was. A sudden flash startles Ga Eul followed by giggling from her friend Ariel.

“That one was good Ga Eul,” Her friend spoke with excitement while she held her camera in hand. Offering a tight smile Ga Eul tried to push away the strange day at school out of her mind.

“Sorry. I’m being annoying again aren’t I?” Her friend questioned and Ga Eul shook her head and offered a genuine smile.

Ariel was a girl who had come to live in Korea just a few years ago with her family from Japan. Her father had decided to uproot the family when he was transferred due to his work. The Lee’s had coincidentally moved next door to the Chu’s and Ga Eul and Ariel had quickly become fast friends. Ariel was a nice girl with a bubbly personality. No matter what life threw at her there always seemed to be a smile on her face. Her hair was the softest of natural chestnut hair Ga Eul had ever seen. She wore her hair in a side ponytail most of the time and her smile was 500 watts bright and lit up the room just as much as her light honey colored eyes.

“Ga Eul?” Ariel questioned staring at Ga Eul with concern while tightly clutching on to her Canon camera. It was Ariel’s most prized possession and something the girl had bought with her own money treasuring it like her life because she hoped to one day be a professional photographer.

“Sorry. Just thinking,” Ga Eul spoke to which Ariel offered a smile.

“Are you sure. You seem a bit distracted. Your wiping the table with your apron and you just used porridge as water to clean.” Ariel pointed out.

“Oh” Ga Eul spoke trying to clean the mess up.

“I got it,” Ariel spoke offering another smile.

“Sorry,” Ga Eul muttered taking off her apron and sitting down on the table.

“Tough day?” Ariel asked causing Ga Eul to smile.

            It seemed that no matter what Ariel was the best at reading people and making them talk about their problems.

“Not really. More like strange,” Ga Eul concluded.

“How so?” Ariel questioned and Ga Eul sighed beginning from the moment she left home, to witnessing So Yi Jeong’s jerkish ways, to asking him out by accident, to the strange encounter after class. Her friend on the other hand cleaned the porridge shop seeming to dance around cleaning quite efficiently occasionally nodding in order to let Ga Eul know that she was still listening to her. After a few moments of silence Ariel had finally finished cleaning and even the porridge shop boss was now sitting by a chair at the entrance.

“So let me get this straight,” Ariel began.

“You accidentally asked out one of your schools most infamous playboys and he actually went out of his way to talk to you-”

“Only because I gave him the wrong notebook,” Ga Eul interjected to which her friend simply nodded and dismissed her words with a small hand wave.

“And he asked you to meet him after school and you stood him up?” Ariel asked.

            Ga Eul hadn’t really thought about standing anyone up, not really. She figured by the end of the day So Yi Jeong would forget all about her or at least she would wake up in her bed and realize this was all just a bizarre dream.

“I’m sure he forgot by the time school ended.”
“Besides.” Ga Eul spoke biting her lip nervously.

“Even if he didn’t he couldn’t have waited for me anyways.”
~

            The halls of school were just about to empty. It was almost five o’ clock and school had ended two hours ago. Yi Jeong felt a little more than irritated and for what felt like the hundredth time he checked his watch to see if indeed it was fifteen minutes ‘til five. In his hands Yi Jeong held Ga Eul’s notebook and sighed.

“Hey Yi Jeong. Waiting for someone?” Jan Di questioned walking toward him. Jun Pyo following after. It was more like stumbling Yi Jeong noted; seeing as Jan Di was pulling Jun Pyo by the tie rather harshly. It reminded Yi Jeong of a wild dog being dragged around by it’s owner. Biting back a retort to Jun Pyo, Yi Jeong simply nodded.

“The commoner’s gone if that’s who your waiting for” Jun Pyo spoke up.

“What?” Yi Jeong asked.

“Yeah. She left on her Moped after class. She seemed to be in a rush.” Jan Di pointed out.

“Probably afraid to be beaten by Yi Jeong’s fan club” Jun Pyo laughed earning a hit in the head from Jan Di. The two started to quarrel and Yi Jeong felt annoyed.

            His first thought was to be angry. He had stupidly waited for that girl for over two hours. The next thing he thought about was why he had waited. Yi Jeong realized that given any other time he would have waited no more than maybe five minutes. Why had he given this commoner the benefit of being waited on.

“It’s because she’s not like all the other girls.” Yi Jeong thought to himself, but just as the thought came to him he quickly dismissed it.

“I’ve been stood up.” Yi Jeong thought to himself and then he found himself smiling at the irony,

            Here was the great So Yi Jeong. The most notorious of players and he had not only been rejected today by a commoner but said commoner had also stood him up. Shaking his head, he decided to just head home. There was no need to stick around school anymore and he wasn’t about to explain himself to Jun Pyo who had just gotten himself out of detention. He watched Jan Di pull Jun Pyo along the hallway to head outside and Yi Jeong shook his head when he saw Jun Pyo smile at Jan Di as if he was happy to be treated in such a way.

“Idiot” Yi Jeong thought to himself realizing that his friends were all just a bunch of masochist just waiting to get their hearts broken.

            By the time Yi Jeong was home he found himself feeling suffocated upon reaching the door. Quickly, and trying to avoid confrontations with any of his family members he headed to his kiln. It was a safe haven for as long as he could remember and since that incident that past weekend Yi Jeong had made sure to change the locks and made sure he was the only one with a key. The air inside his kiln still however felt stifling at the memory that had carved itself here. There were traces of his turmoil on the ground shattered across the floor. Yi Jeong felt the strange urge to walk on broken glass and immediately picked up the broom and dustpan to pick up the mess. Sighing, feeling fresh air come only when he had cleaned up and sat himself in front of his potter’s wheel. Reaching his hands to a safe world he began to dive into a place where he could escape. This wasn’t just something like women that he discarded sooner than later. No, this was his life, his air, something that brought happiness to him.

            Pottery for him meant safety, creativity, and something that even with everything that happened around him it was something the darkness could not reach. His father and mother could not take that away from him because they both did not have the time nor the talent to ever understand what Yi Jeong had. Yes, his father was a well known potter in his day and his mother a great painter but as his older brother Il Hyun had so eloquently put it.

“Not everyone is blessed by the god of Pottery,”
And for that Yi Jeong was grateful.

If he had been blessed with such a thing, he was truly glad that what he expressed through his work and what he produced not for anyone but for himself remained unreachable and untainted by anyone who caused him great pain.

            For hours, Yi Jeong lost himself in the one thing that could truly make him forget his problems and simply worked in molding beautiful art. He was just about done when a hand on his shoulder startled him and he turned to meet the eyes of someone who he feared, detested, and one day had believed he loved.

“Oppa”
With her voice a trigger of the many girls he had bedded flooded his mind.

“Shouldn’t you be calling my brother that Eun Jae? Not me,” Yi Jeong spoke trying to maintain his cold demeanor. Standing up from where he sat he reached out for a towel to wipe his hands from the clay.

“No. Just you.” Eun Jae responded with a carefree smile.

“What do you want Eun Jae?” Yi Jeong asked getting to the point and not wanting to talk to this person more than it was necessary to do so. He watched Eun Jae offer a smile and when she reached out to caress his cheek he moved away in disgust.

“Come on. Don’t pretend I don’t mean anything to you. I was the only woman you ever loved Yi Jeong.”
            His mind seemed to rush back to the days where he in deed had stupidly believed in this woman. A woman who had manipulated him to believe that she indeed loved him. For a moment Yi Jeong himself had believed he was in love. Just like that, things were swept out from under him when Eun Jae. Believing that his older brother Il Hyun would inherit everything left Yi Jeong.

“Love is never enough.” She had told him.

In deed it wasn’t.

            Yi Jeong had suffered another let down and had felt beyond idiotic for falling for Eun Jae’s tricks. The irony of the situation had been that Il Hyun had not only given up everything to open up a small coffee shop but had also gifted Yi Jeong the pleasure of watching Eun Jae’s lifestyle crumble away with his brother’s comfortable now commoner life.

“Yi Jeong.” Eun Jae spoke once more pulling him into a kiss and though Yi Jeong tried to fight the urge to kiss her back it seemed he was not yet immune to her. If only for a second, he kissed back and just like that he pushed her away.

“Just. Give in Yi Jeong.” Eun Jae spoke trying to pull him into another kiss but he managed to push her away.

“I’m seeing someone.” He told her and she laughed at him whole heartedly; which annoyed him.

“It’s never serious. You don’t do romance Yi Jeong. You do and one night stands. It’s why we make sense. We both don’t believe in love.”

“I believe in power, money, , passion” Eun Jae continued almost purring.

“You believe in , power, money, passion. It’s the same so why don’t you-”

Unable to hear much more Yi Jeong pushed her away and harshly grabbed her by the arm pushing her out the door.

“You’re with Il Hyun. And I don’t want you anymore” Yi Jeong told her closing the door in Eun Jae’s face.

“Until you accept me again Yi Jeong I won’t leave Il Hyun!” Eun Jae yelled from behind the door before leaving.

            Shaking his head Yi Jeong felt idiotic once again for ever thinking he had loved that woman. Looking at the ruined vase on his potters wheel he sighed. Looking at his clock he realized it was well past seven o’clock and he decided to get his mind off this atrocious encounter with Eun Jae. Stupidly, he realized he’d left the door open to his Kiln when he came in. For now, he simply counted his blessings that A, no one had walked in on him and Eun Jae and B, that his father had not dare come here with a mistress again.

            Just thinking of his father made him want to reach for a drink and call a girl up but not wanting to drink on a school night he simply tried to relax. Pushing all the clutter away he tried to think of a distraction and Chu Ga Eul came to mind. The little commoner that had stood him up made him smile at the thought of this new unwanted experience. Reaching for her notebook which he had coincidentally placed on the table he saw her neat writing.

Property of Chu Ga Eul

If found, please return the notebook to:

            Chuckling to himself Yi Jeong shook his head when he realized the girl had actually written down an address. Wondering if someone’s naive nature really did stretch as far as to give out an address without any fear of danger as to who would find it. Then again, from what he had seen that day he realized Chu Ga Eul was an open book of innocence. Deciding to talk to her he grabbed the notebook and headed out to see her.

            To say that he was surprised to be in front of a porridge shop was an understatement.

“At least she’s not completely naïve” Yi Jeong thought to himself. Stepping out of his orange lotus car he headed inside. The soft ding of the bell was heard and everyone who was in the shop which only consisted of Chu Ga Eul, a man with a mushroom like haircut and glasses, and a Japanese/ American girl all stood up.

“Sorry. We’re closed” Ga Eul spoke bowing as did the other girl only to look up at him in surprise.

“Yi Jeong Sunbae.”
“You stood me up.” He found himself saying to her offering her one of his signature smiles which he knew would make any girl kneel at his feet. It seemed to work he noted because Chu Ga Eul blushed and the girl beside her squealed. Turning to the other girl he offered a charming smile and reached for her hand.

“So Yi Jeong” He introduced himself.

“Ariel Lee” She responded with a genuine smile that reminded Yi Jeong of a playful and hyper child.

“This is our boss,” The girl spoke up the man bowing to Yi Jeong in greeting something that Yi Jeong himself reciprocated.

“Why don’t we go finish up in the kitchen while you two talk,” Ariel spoke heading into the back while pulling the older man with her. Turning to Ga Eul who at the moment was quiet Yi Jeong smiled.

            He watched the girl blush and unconsciously bite her lip and place a piece of her dark brown hair behind her ear.

“You stood me up.” He spoke to her again to which she blushed once more.

“I didn’t think you were serious. I apologize.” She spoke her timid voice barely above a whisper.

“Here.” He spoke handing Ga Eul back her notebook. Yi Jeong watched her hold the notebook tightly in her hands and place it against her chest nervously fiddling with the corners of it.

“Thank you.” She spoke to him.

“I hope you know I came for more than just returning a notebook.” Yi Jeong spoke and he watched her blush once again.

“I.”
“I know you didn’t ask me to date you but I’ve been left without a girlfriend for the next two weeks and I wondered if you would like to date me?” He questioned. Once again he watched Chu Ga Eul blush but there was a flicker of something else that passed her eyes that was to quick for him to see.

“I. I already like someone”

            It took all it had for Yi Jeong not to laugh at Ga Eul. He wanted to say that the chances of that man wanting her for anything more than a good time was impossible. He didn’t want to be slapped so he kept his mouth shut. Then again, these were the same intentions he always had.

“It’s only two weeks.” He pointed out to her.

“I. I can’t. Jae Ha he”
“Are you dating him?” Yi Jeong questioned upon hearing who he assumed was her love interests name.

“No I”
“An open book” Yi Jeong thought to himself upon the dejected look that crossed Chu Ga Eul’s features and he realized that just maybe he would be able to get his way with this girl.

            With a smile he pulled took he hand and began to pull her outside.

“Wait. Where are you taking me?”
“Home.” Yi Jeong responded to her noting how loud the girl spoke and wanting to laugh at the high pitch she was using because she was startled. Reminding Yi Jeong of a deer caught by headlights once more.

“I have my Moped!” Ga Eul screeched pulling away from Yi Jeong.

“It’s alright. I can drive it home for you Ga Eul this seems exciting.” Came the voice of the other girl who briefly stepped out of the porridge shop.

“Say cheese!” The girl spoke to Yi Jeong before her camera flashed in front of his face startling Yi Jeong; who still managed to keep his composure.

“For the police to identify you if something happens,” She spoke, whether she was serious or not Yi Jeong couldn’t tell but she waved at Ga Eul and headed inside the shop.

“Well then. Shall we?” Yi Jeong asked Ga Eul opening his car door for her. She seemed to pause unsure of what to do but slowly she got into the front seat and he smirked closing the door behind her heading to the driver’s side. He was about to put his seatbelt on when he noted Ga Eul was still looking straight ahead of herself sitting tensely beside him without her own seatbelt. Smiling her reached to put the seatbelt on her only to startle her enough to do it herself. Shaking his head, he chuckled to himself and placed his own seatbelt on before putting the car in drive and taking off.

            The ride was silent and Yi Jeong wasn’t really hoping for much conversation from this girl. Had this been any other girl, she would have practically been talking his ear off or in the middle or trying to sit on his lap. Instead, the girl sitting before him was practically scared as a leaf which both fascinated and bothered him. It occurred to him that he had no idea where she lived and they simply parked in front of a park.

“I don’t know where you live,” He found himself saying.

“Sorry,” Ga Eul spoke softly both of them going quiet once again. Not wanting to startle her any further Yi Jeong simply kept his hands on the wheel.

“I. I don’t think I can date you Sunbae.” She spoke to him quietly.

“Why?” He asked her quietly.
“I believe in true love. Soulmates. Forever.” She spoke timidly but at her words Yi Jeong felt angry, annoyed.

“Typical country bumpkin,” He wanted to say while rolling his eyes.

However, there was something that intrigued him about this girl. Something that he realized from the very moment he experienced embarrassment for the first time because of said girl. Chu Ga Eul would definitely make these two weeks interesting.

“I’m not like those girls Sunbae.” Ga Eul continued pulling him out of his own thoughts.

“Until today I had not been aware of your… dating rule.”

“It. Certainly implies a lot especially at the end.” She spoke to him blushing and Yi Jeong realized what she was implying.

            It was no secret to anyone that all he wanted from his flings was and it took one look at this girl and the way she carried herself for Yi Jeong to realize she was a . Her words however, made him realize something else.

“You didn’t know about this?” He questioned.

“I’m sorry. I. I don’t really listen to gossip I”
“I didn’t say you had to listen to gossip,” He corrected.

“I just. Thought everyone knew.” He told her.

“I didn’t.”
“Sunbae. I really can’t accept your offer. I’m sorry,” She responded to him.

            She was about to get out of his car but he simply reached for her hand.

“The guy you like. He doesn’t reciprocate does he?” Yi Jeong questioned and at her silence he continued.

“How about I help you?”
“I could use a break from dating for a while. And I could help you get what you want. Two weeks. I promise no funny business.” He spoke to her. He watched as Ga Eul bit her lip and sat back down turning the car back on he asked her where she lived and she seemed to speak almost automatically. The ride was once again quiet but she seemed to be contemplating so much.

            When they reached her house he noted there was a streetlight on and the living room light seemed to be on as well.

“Parents that care.” He thought to himself bitterly. Pushing those thoughts away he simply got out of the car to open the door for Ga Eul who was still lost in her own train of thought.

“We’re here.” Yi Jeong said to her. Startled Ga Eul slowly unbuckled herself and stepped out Yi Jeong quietly leading her to her door sure that Ga Eul would say no, now that they were at her door.

“Alright.” She whispered to him softly that Yi Jeong almost missed her answer.

“Alright?” Yi Jeong questioned back unsure if he had heard right confirming that he had after Ga Eul nodded.

“I’ll agree to date you for two weeks.” She whispered. Flashing his charming smile at her Yi Jeong nodded.

“Alright then. I guess I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning.” He said to her.

            Later Yi Jeong would analyze the situation as routine when he reached up to cup Ga Eul’s cheek and kissed her on the lips. It was soft, brief and caused a shock to spark on his lips, but what happened next truly did shock Yi Jeong. Ga Eul gasped and abruptly pushed him away and then. She slapped him. Surprised Yi Jeong placed a hand to his cheek and watched Ga Eul gasp, blush and incoherently speak.

“I’m sorry!”
“You said no funny business”
“I’m sorry Sunbae!”
“That was my first kiss”
“I hit you”
“I’m sorry”
Finally he watched as she blushed so red he thought she might eventually turn blue and faint.

“I’ll see you tomorrow Sunbae.” She finally said to him running inside her house and slamming the door behind her.

            Startled as to what had just happened Yi Jeong took a moment for himself to analyze the situation. The sting on his cheek was still there and he rubbed at it silently. Shaking his head at her antics he found himself laughing silently.

“Chu Ga Eul will definitely be interesting.” Yi Jeong thought to himself before heading to his car and driving away. He realized that he had gone through other lengths to get this girl to date him even if it would be two weeks Yi Jeong knew even if he might not bed this naïve girl he would certainly spend the week amused and that somehow sounded like it would be worth it.