As a lotus flower is born in water, grows in water, and rises out of water to stand above it unsoiled, so I, born in the world, raised in the world, having overcome the world, live unsoiled by the world
– Buddha

F3 held an "emergency meeting" at their clubhouse to discuss the recent surprising turn of events. Ji Hoo sat in his usual chair, and Woo Bin sat on the couch. Yi Jeong had returned to Sweden, but they had him on speaker phone.

Ji Hoo rubbed his head lightly with his fingertips. Woo Bin folded his arms and studied him for a moment.

"So, you spoke to Joon Pyo?" Woo Bin asked.

"Yes, I finally did. He claims to know nothing about this. I didn't think it was his doing. He says he's going to deal with it in person. He's coming back earlier than he planned because of it."

"But, this doesn't make any sense," Yi Jeong said on the phone.

"I know. Joon Pyo's mother hates Jan Di. Why would she try to force the marriage?" Woo Bin chimed in.

"Did Joon Pyo even tell his mother that he wanted to marry Jan Di, or that that they broke up for that matter?" Yi Jeong asked.

"He said he didn't tell her anything. I would have been very surprised if he did tell her anything," Ji Hoo replied. "She probably just assumed about him wanting to marry her."

"Do you think that in Madam Kang's own twisted way she's trying to do this for Joon Pyo?" Yi Jeong asked.

Ji Hoo scoffed, "Maybe."

"I'll never cease to be amazed at the lengths she'll go to," Woo Bin said.

"I'm pretty sure that Joon Pyo doesn't want Jan Di to be with him through force," Yi Jeong added.

"No, and she'd never do that…" Ji Hoo said. "More than likely it's just revenge. She obviously knows about Jan Di and me. She yelled at Jan Di for humiliating Joon Pyo and told me to stay away from her…"

Woo Bin and Yi Jeong sighed in tandem.

"But how did she find out about you guys, Ji Hoo-yah?" Woo Bin asked.

"How does she find anything out? She just does… Knowing her, she's probably had us spied on," Ji Hoo said.

The three were silent for a moment.

"…So, Joon Pyo really told you that he was still going to ask Jan Di to marry him, even after you told him that you two are dating?" Woo Bin asked incredulously.

Ji Hoo nodded slowly.

"Wow…" Woo Bin commented. "That Joon Pyo, he's got guts…"

Ji Hoo shot a dirty look at Woo Bin.

"Not in a good way!" Woo Bin quickly added.

"I don't think he's thinking clearly right now," Yi Jeong commented.

Ji Hoo tightened his arms around himself. "No, he's not. And that doesn't concern you guys?"

"Yes," Woo Bin replied.

"I'm very concerned," Yi Jeong said. "He's not accepting reality."

Ji Hoo sighed and leaned forward. "Why does this have to be so complicated?" Why do I always have to fight so hard? Is it that she and I are just not meant to be? Perhaps I was only ever meant to watch over her from afar…

"I should have known that Joon Pyo wouldn't give in easily…but now, look at what I'm doing to my best friend…," Ji Hoo sighed and buried his face in his hands.

Woo Bin put a hand on Ji Hoo's shoulder.

Yi Jeong chimed in. "Ji Hoo-yah, I didn't approve at first, as you know, and it's certainly not an easy situation, but I can tell how much you love Jan Di, and judging from when you were in the hospital and from the interactions that I've witnessed between you two, it's pretty obvious that she feels the same…"

Ji Hoo stared out ahead.

"You can't help who you fall in love with… I thought you were just breaking the code before, but now I realize that…perhaps you two are just meant to be together. Perhaps you are…soulmates," Yi Jeong said.

"Soulmates?" Ji Hoo repeated.

Woo Bin gave a short laugh. "Yes, Yi Jeong believes in soulmates. Do you, Ji Hoo-yah?"

Ji Hoo pondered it for a moment. "Yes, now I think I do…," he said with a faraway look.

"But, what if your soulmate is ripped away from you, or, what if you are not good for your soulmate?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Not possible," Yi Jeong stated. "If you are soulmates, it is right…the world may get in the way sometimes, but you should be together…" Ji Hoo paused to further contemplate this.

Woo Bin turned to Ji Hoo," …What are you going to do, Ji Hoo-yah?"

"I don't know… For now, I should go and take her back from there, at least. This is ridiculous. I don't want her anywhere near that psychopath," he said, his voice calm yet impassioned.

"Don't rush in and make a scene," Woo Bin warned.

"You need to tell me that? I'll follow decorum and have my secretary announce that I need to speak with her, and then…"

"And then?" Woo Bin and Yi Jeong simultaneously asked.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll just take her away..."

Jan Di had been dragged off to the Goo Mansion. She mentally berated herself the entire way for not standing up to Madam Kang and for going along with this ridiculous charade, that is, in between racking her brain to figure out what could possibly be Madam Kang's motivation.

Joon Pyo's mother hates me…why would she do this? She should be thrilled that I'm no longer with her son…if she even knows…

Upon arrival, Jan Di was less forcefully escorted into the house. Madam Kang stood before her.

"I suppose you're wondering why I chose to accept you and bring you here."

Jan Di looked down and nodded. "Well, yes actually."

"To put this simply, I know how my son feels about you, and my husband approves of the match, as well…"

"You mean…" Jan Di began.

"My husband remembers you from when you visited him while he was in the coma."

Jan Di thought back to that time when she cared for Joon Pyo's father, before she knew who he was.

"My husband thinks a lot of you," Madam Kang continued, turning her head from Jan Di. Jan Di could tell this was greatly damaging her immense pride to say such a thing to a lowly commoner. But perhaps Madam Kang did have some compassion in her after all.

"So, I am approving of this match because of my son and my husband."

Jan Di lowered her head. She opened to speak. "But I do plan on making you a more presentable partner," Madam Kang cut in.

Of course she had to toss in an insult, Jan Di thought.

"I'm flattered that you approve of me, Madam Kang, but you see, the thing is…" Jan Di wondered how she could explain the situation without being callous toward Joon Pyo. She felt kind of strange being the one to break the news of the break-up to his mother. "The thing is, Joon Pyo and I aren't engaged…," she finally said. The statement seemed safe.

Madam Kang pursed her lips. "I'm sure it's only a matter of time."

"Yes, well…" Jan Di began.

"A marriage proposal from Goo Joon Pyo is an incredible offer."

"Yes…it is, but…" Jan Di stammered.

"I'm sure your family would be thrilled."

Oh, they certainly would be… Just say, it! Just tell her! Jan Di internally demanded.

Just then, there was a ring at the door. Madam Kang instructed the maids to take Jan Di upstairs. As Jan Di was led upstairs she caught sight of Ji Hoo and his secretary.

"Madam, I'm sorry for the intrusion, but Young Master Yoon would like a word with Ms. Geum Jan Di." The secretary bowed to her. Ji Hoo bowed his head slightly in turn.

"That's not possible right now," Madam Kang snapped back.

Jan Di noticed Ji Hoo glance up at her, and they made eye contact. Madam Kang glanced up and motioned for the maid to take her away. Jan Di shot one last glance to Ji Hoo before being taken to the former room she used.

Meanwhile, Madam Kang stared at Ji Hoo, and he stared back.

"I thought I told you to stay away from her?"

"Madam Kang," Ji Hoo bowed his head again. "Please let me speak with Ms. Geum Jan Di for just a few minutes, and I won't return."

Madam Kang folded her arms and shook her head. "Out of the question. She is busy right now."

Ji Hoo felt his chest rising and falling more heavily. He bowed his head," Thank you for your time," and he turned to leave with his secretary.

Once gone, Ji Hoo texted Jan Di. I'm sorry. I was trying to get you out. Don't worry, I will get you out!

She responded: I will get out soon. Don't worry. Please take care of Fluffy. She hesitated briefly before typing: I love you…

Ji Hoo hated this. He had sent Joon Pyo more than a few messages, and Joon Pyo had simply responded that he would be on his way soon after ranting about how Ji Hoo should have just stopped his mother's guys.

What did you want me to do? Beat them up? Ji Hoo had asked.

Yes! Joon Pyo had responded.

Ji Hoo sighed. That wouldn't have solved the larger problem anyway.

Jan Di put her phone away and sat on the bed. She sighed. She heard the door open again downstairs, and she could hear the sound of talking rising up the stairs. It was a female voice this time. A few minutes later, Joon Hui walked in, fresh from her trip to Europe.

"Unnie!" Jan Di exclaimed.

"Jan Di-yah," Joon Hui approached, looking fabulous as always. She sat beside Jan Di on the bed. "What's going on? I only got a brief version of the story from my mother, and that can't be trusted."

Jan Di looked down, "Well, you see…" Jan Di recounted how Madam Kang had taken her to live there, in order to be trained to be a wife for Joon Pyo. Then, Jan Di sadly told the story of how she and Joon Pyo had broken up and told her about Ji Hoo. Emotionally spent from recounting the whole tale, Jan Di began to cry.

Joon Hui put a hand on her arm. "Don't cry, Jan Di-yah."

"I'm so sorry, Unnie…I feel so badly about Joon Pyo…and I really do care for him so much…we're just…not meant to be together…"

Joon Hui put her arms around Jan Di. "It's OK, Jan Di-yah, it's OK… That happens sometimes…" Joon Hui broke the embrace and pulled out a tissue from her purse. She handed it to Jan Di, and Jan Di wiped her eyes.

"Are you angry with me, Unnie…? Do you think badly of me?"

Joon Hui gazed upon Jan Di sympathetically. "Of course not! I am disappointed that you're not going to be with my brother, but I like you a lot, Jan Di. I want you to be happy. And I will always be your big sister!" Joon Hui smiled at her.

Jan Di sniffed and gave a weak smile.

"But why didn't you tell my mother?"

"I started to, but I just felt like Joon Pyo should be the one to tell her. And she told me that your father likes me and desires the marriage. I just felt badly after that…"

Joon Hui nodded. "She probably wouldn't have listened anyway… But this is strange! And I too agree that Joon Pyo needs to be the one to stand up to her."

Jan Di nodded and then sighed. "But, I guess I need to tell her something. I can't stay here."

"I can handle my mother. And I can get you out of here," Joon Hui said. "You see, my mother always does things her way, and her way is usually not the right way, if you hadn't already noticed," Joon Hui smiled and put a hand on Jan Di's shoulder. "I've never claimed to understand my mother, but perhaps this time she was actually trying to do something for Joon Pyo and consider what he wants. She did it in the worst way possible, of course, and acted without discussing it with anyone involved… But, that's our mother for you…"

Jan Di pondered this. Madam Kang had said that she accepted her and knew that Joon Pyo wanted to marry her. In a way, she had been validating their relationship, the relationship that ironically, no longer existed.

"But she can't force her will on others…she is still doing that. And she is still trying to control my brother and now you…just like she controlled me," Joon Hui said.

Jan Di and Joon Hui exchanged a sympathetic glance.

Joon Hui paused.

"So, you are with Yoon Ji Hoo now?" Joon Hui asked delicately.

Jan Di looked down and nodded.

Joon Hui smiled at her. "He's a good man, and I respect him a lot. He will be able to make you happy."

Jan Di met her eyes and smiled appreciatively.

"Not to mention he's much more sensible and even-tempered than my brother!" Joon Hui joked, attempting to ease Jan Di's guilt, but she didn't quite succeed. Jan Di did her best to smile and then looked down.

"Ohh, cheer up, Jan Di. It will be OK! My brother will get over it eventually. It's just too bad that there aren't more Jan Dis in this world!"

Joon Hui hugged Jan Di. "Unnie…"

Jan Di had filled Ji Hoo in on the details and Joon Hui's involvement by text, and he had notified her that Joon Pyo was coming to deal with the matter. For the time being, Jan Di had been going along with the whole charade, for Madam Kang had been vigilant and had remained in town. Jan Di was thankful for Joon Hui's presence. It made the whole thing much more tolerable. Joon Pyo had been held up and unable to make it so far.

A few attempts to sneak out had been thwarted already with a warning that if Jan Di didn't behave herself that Madam Kang would make things difficult for Ji Hoo. Jan Di wanted to trust that Ji Hoo would be just fine and that this blackmail was baseless. Madam Kang was very powerful, but Ji Hoo was powerful, too. Still, she couldn't stand the thought of Madam Kang messing with Ji Hoo or anyone else she cared for, so she'd gone along with it for the time being. But how long could she keep this up? She knew that Joon Pyo was aware of it, and he'd promised her that he would be there as soon as he could and that he'd deal with it, but why was he not there yet?

It had been a week now, and Madam Kang had insisted on Jan Di being involved in a charity ball. Joon Hui explained to Jan Di that her mother hoped to present her there and make her appear as a prominent member of society. They both assumed that a lot of lying was going to take place that night by Madam Kang.

Jan Di's stomach was in knots and her whole body tensed, as Madam Kang's staff styled her hair and prepped her for the charity event. She was terrified, and she knew that she needed to stop this and say something soon before all of South Korea believed that she and Joon Pyo were to be married.

As the staff curled and whisked her hair up into a fancy updo, Jan Di thought of Ji Hoo. She missed him. She recalled the gentle feel of his hands in her hair when he would do it for her. She missed the way he would tenderly sweep it aside and pin strands back, sometimes taking a moment to run his fingers through each piece. She missed how close he would be and the look of concentration on his face, despite their extremely close proximity to one another. She blushed at this. It was almost too much to handle, being so close…and seeing that look he had when he was completely dedicating himself to the task at hand. It made her feel simultaneously nervous and excited when they were only inches away yet not…quite…touching. She wondered if he felt that way, too. She sighed, unable to believe how incredibly much she missed him already. Why was love so hard?

Madam Kang evaluated Jan Di prior to going to the ball. She smirked but gave her approval. Madam Kang prepared to leave and beckoned Jan Di to follow. "Madam Kang!" Jan Di blurted out, as she walked past her.

Madam Kang turned and looked at her, with a subtle hint of condescension for the way Jan Di had gotten her attention.

Jan Di bowed deeply and finding her courage at last, said, "I'm so sorry, but I can't…I can't go to this event with you…I'm sorry. And I'm sorry, but I can't marry Joon Pyo!"

Madam Kang glared at Jan Di. "And why not?"

"Because…because…" Jan Di wasn't sure what to say. Madam Kang wouldn't possibly understand if she told her that she loves and cares for Joon Pyo but that he's not the one she's meant to be with. And she feared any ramifications for Ji Hoo. She hesitated.

"They're not together any longer, Mother," Joon Hui interrupted, as she entered the room.

Madam Kang looked to Jan Di.

Jan Di nodded. "It's true. I'm sorry."

Madam Kang seemed to ponder this. "Is that so? Hm? Well, I suppose you'll just have to beg for him to take you back then," she said to Jan Di without missing a stride.

Jan Di's lips parted and she stared after her stunned.

"Mother!" Joon Hui shouted. "May I speak with you?"

"It will have to wait. We need to leave for the charity event. Bring her." Madam Kang's men took a still shocked Jan Di by the arms and escorted her out the door.

"Mother! Why are you forcing this?" Joon Hui shouted.

"I'll speak with you later," she replied coldly and turned to leave.

Joon Hui scoffed and released a sigh.

Ji Hoo sat at home. He'd been going insane over the past week. He felt like a failure. He couldn't believe he'd allowed Jan Di to remain at the Goo Mansion. And where was Joon Pyo? He'd made several other attempts to bring Jan Di back, to no avail. What had truly stopped his attempts was when Madam Kang had threatened to ruin Jan Di's reputation… It frustrated and infuriated him to no end that she was still pulling her tricks and that he seemed powerless against it. But, she did not have infinite power! Did she think him so weak? And why was Jan Di remaining there?

Madam Kang had also been trying to prevent Jan Di from attending medical school, so Ji Hoo hadn't even seen her there in a week. That also angered him, and he vowed that he would never let Madam Kang or anyone else stand in the way of Jan Di's dream. If she attempted to cut off her funding, Ji Hoo would simply fund it himself. He would do whatever needed to be done.

He had been doing a lot of reflection lately. Ji Hoo was a believer in Fate. He recalled his conversation with Yi Jeong and Woo Bin about soulmates. He wondered if he and Jan Di were truly soulmates. He had begun to believe in and hope for this, but so many obstacles had been getting in the way lately. Right now, it seemed that all the signs were pointing out that he and Jan Di were not meant to be.

But Ji Hoo also believed that people have the power to shape their fates to some extent. He'd been there by Jan Di's side through everything for the past 7 years, and he'd truly believed that their new-found love could overcome any hardship, but he was beginning to falter. How far did he have to go? How hard did he have to fight? Joon Pyo seemed willing to fight to the death, and nothing was swaying his resolve…did this mean that he deserved her more?

Ji Hoo recalled the times he'd attempted to let go of Jan Di, in order to do what was best for her happiness. Did this mean that he didn't love her as much? Did it mean that he didn't deserve to have her? Was he not selfish enough to have what he wanted? Perhaps Jae Kyung had been right. Perhaps he wasn't selfish enough to take what he wanted most in life. Did that mean he didn't truly desire it enough? Did that make him unworthy of it? He briefly wondered about Jae Kyung and how she was doing. The two of them had given up on what they wanted most for their loved ones' happiness. Was she happy now? Had she found love again?

Since Joon Pyo had told him that he was going to propose, Ji Hoo couldn't get it off his mind. The thought of Jan Di marrying Joon Pyo made him crazy. Surely she wouldn't say yes, but the thought of her breaking his best friend's fragile heart was killing him, too. How could he possibly be happy knowing how Joon Pyo was hurting?

Ji Hoo was stirred from his thoughts by Fluffy, who had just rested his head on Ji Hoo's leg. Fluffy was now at full size and entirely too big to be a lap dog. Still, he and Fluffy had become closer, and he had to admit he was fond of the crazy mutt, so he allowed it. It sounded silly, but he believed that Fluffy had a bit of Jan Di's personality in him. Fluffy whimpered and Ji Hoo smiled and petted his head. "I know, boy, I miss her, too…"

Ji Hoo had been notified of a charity event that Madam Kang was hosting. He assumed Jan Di would be there, if Madam Kang truly wanted to present her to society. He debated it but not for long before deciding to go. It was open to any potential wealthy benefactors. Ji Hoo put on his best suit and groomed himself. Woo Bin planned to attend, as well, in case he needed reinforcements.

Jan Di arrived at the ball with Madam Kang. She had been dressed in an entirely overstated powder pink ball gown with a sweetheart neckline and crystal beading and handmade roses along the waistline. She felt like Snow White. Her wedding dress wouldn't be so fancy! If she ever had a wedding…

Madam Kang encouraged her to mingle and talk with others before the auction started, but all she could think about was how ridiculous this whole thing was and how to get out of it. Jan Di wandered around. A waiter came by and presented a tray of hors d'oeuvres. She began shoving them nervously into .

After finishing off the tray of hors d'oeuvres, she continued to wander around. She glanced around the room, and as the crowd parted, she noticed that Ji Hoo and Woo Bin had walked in. Her heart skipped a beat at seeing Ji Hoo. He was dressed in white, naturally, and he looked completely dashing. She smiled. Apparently the prince was here to rescue her from the evil queen.

But the evil queen had also noticed the prince, and she approached him, which Jan Di observed from across the room.

Madam Kang stood before Ji Hoo and Woo Bin. She glared at Ji Hoo.

"What are you doing here?"

Ji Hoo remained cool as ice. He bowed his head slightly and without faltering said, "This is an open charity event. I enjoy giving to charity, and this cause is of particular interest to me. I intend to give a sizable donation tonight."

Madam Kang released air through her nose. She glanced to Woo Bin. "Yeah, me too!" he added.

Madam Kang scoffed. She glared at Ji Hoo once more as if to warn him not to try anything funny. Then she walked off.

Jan Di watched Ji Hoo look to Woo Bin briefly and then turn his eyes toward her. He gasped slightly but noticeably at the sight of her, and then he approached. Woo Bin moved around the room and began schmoozing people. Ji Hoo glanced to Madam Kang before approaching Jan Di. Dancing had begun, so he held out his hand to her. Surely he was not making a scene by asking a lovely party guest to dance with him.

She smiled and took his hand. He put a hand on the small of her back and led her onto the dance floor. He wrapped his arm snugly around her waist. He positioned to lead and slowly, smoothly pulled her in closer. She leaned into him slightly, wishing she could more freely rest her head against his shoulder, but she knew Madam Kang was watching like a lioness on the Savannah. Part of her wanted to completely disregard Madam Kang and do it anyway.

"You look gorgeous," he whispered fervently against her ear.

She felt her breath catch, "You, too…I mean, handsome," and she smiled.

He smiled and pressed his cheek against her hair, and they continued to dance. She glanced around the room as they spun, and she was suddenly very aware of how close they were. The dance floor was rather crowded, but she could clearly see Madam Kang still watching them closely. Ji Hoo was being rather bold to hold her so close in front of Madam Kang. Perhaps he too no longer cared.

"But, what are you doing here?" she whispered.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm taking you back with me, where you belong…" he whispered. His words were refreshing. She still feared any consequences from Madam Kang, but perhaps she needed to trust Ji Hoo more, and as he'd said before, stop trying to protect him. And she did trust him.

He danced her closer to the exit. The dance ended, and the auction began. Ji Hoo and Jan Di stood next to each other watching. When Madam Kang was temporarily occupied, Ji Hoo grabbed Jan Di's hand and whisked her out of the ballroom.

Ji Hoo led her away by the hand to his motorcycle.

"You came on your bike?"

"Yes," he nodded, suddenly realizing it may not have been the wisest choice. "It was a spontaneous thing, I guess."

She chuckled. He handed her her helmet, and she attempted to hop on the bike with him, no easy feat in such a massive dress. When she struggled he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her on, and then he got on in front of her. She laughed when the dress practically engulfed him, and she smoothed it down and out of his way. They drove off, with her arms encircling his waist and her cheek resting against his back.

They drove for awhile and stopped by the river. Jan Di wondered why they were stopping, but she didn't question it.

Ji Hoo got off and hoisted her off the bike. "Sunbae, it's OK-" she began but allowed him.

They stared at each other for a moment. "So, what's the rest of your plan?" she asked.

Ji Hoo shrugged. "There's not really more to it. I just couldn't stand it any longer, and I had to get you out of there."

Jan Di smiled. "Thank you…" She gave a sigh of relief. It had been pure torture for her…

Ji Hoo gazed upon her, appreciating the way the moonlight was hitting her just right.

He moved closer to her and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Fluffy missed you," he said, "He wouldn't leave me alone…"

Jan Di smiled. "I missed him!"

"…I missed you, too," Ji Hoo said, closing the rest of the distance between them and standing before her. Jan Di's smile widened. "I missed you!" He smiled tenderly, took his hands out of his pockets, and pulled her into him. He s an arm around her waist and wrapped the other around her back. She leaned into him and clung to the back of his jacket with both hands. He began to run his hands firmly, tenderly up and down the bare portion of her back. Her breath caught in , and she suddenly felt anxious… Seconds later his hands slowed and rested just above her waist.

She noticed he was holding her very tightly now, and he did so for a few more minutes. Then, he pulled back, too quickly for her liking. He began running his hand up and down her arm. He noticed a tiny parade of goosebumps forming along her arm, despite the warmth of the summer evening. He quickly realized he'd been remiss and pulled off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. There was a bit of a breeze after all, and her shoulders and arms were bare. They gazed at each other a moment longer, feeling drawn to each other like a plant to sunlight. Ji Hoo ran his thumb lightly down her cheek. He leaned in and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her deeply. He ran his hand through her hair and further deepened the kiss, while his other hand put light pressure on her waist.

And then he suddenly broke the kiss and pulled back. He slowly turned from her. She noticed a change in his face. He suddenly seemed…sad. She put a hand to her chest in futile hope of slowing her rapidly beating heart. "Sunbae…," she muttered rather breathlessly,"Is everything OK?"

He had his back to her now, and he was looking out over the river. He was quiet, very quiet...

"Sunbae," she said again, in case he hadn't heard her the first time. "What is it?"

"Joon Pyo…still wants to ask you to marry him," he finally said.

Jan Di's lips parted. Ji Hoo turned to see her reaction. She was looking down now, and she was blinking rapidly.

"How do you feel about that?" he asked, meeting her eyes.

Her lips parted but no words came. After a moment, she finally replied, "I don't know… I guess I feel…sorry and guilty…"

Ji Hoo nodded and turned from her again. "I don't know what to do about this anymore… I hate hurting my best friend…"

"I don't like hurting Joon Pyo either, but…"

Ji Hoo cut her off, something not typical of him. "Maybe it was better when…maybe we should…"

She noticed that he was trembling lightly now.

"…go back to being…friends…," he finally uttered.

Jan Di's mouth dropped slightly. "Sunbae…" she said painfully. He dropped his head, and his back was still turned from her.

She felt herself welling up, and she felt pressure in her chest. She felt as though her heart would burst at any second. She didn't understand. He told her he was so afraid of losing her and now he was casting her away…

"It's just gotten so complicated…" he continued, "…and it just seems like…maybe we aren't….meant…to be…," his words were shaky. "…Maybe you were meant to be with Joon Pyo. Maybe I was only ever meant to be your sunbae and your firefighter…"

Jan Di exhaled and blinked back tears. She pulled his jacket tighter against her. "So…what are you saying…?"

He remained facing away from her. He didn't want her to see how near tears he was.

"I guess I'm saying…that maybe…we should just go back to the way things were before…and just be…friends." The word friends once again left a terrible aftertaste.

Jan Di needed to sit now. She glanced around before deciding to just sit down on the bike.

"I don't think I can do that," she said directly, "I don't understand… You don't…want to be with me anymore? Did I do something wrong?" she asked naively, as she continued to wrestle with her tear ducts. "I know...I've caused you a lot of problems..." she continued, wobbling slightly. She had to put both hands at her side to steady herself against the seat.

It was crushing his heart. He covered his face in his hands and then turned to her. "No, no you didn't do anything wrong at all!"

He came closer and put his hands on either side of her on the seat of the bike. He leaned down to look into her eyes, and she averted her gaze.

"Hey, you did nothing wrong, OK? I just feel like it would be…better this way…" Even he didn't believe his own words.

"Better?" She attempted to put on a strong façade, but a few tears escaped and ran down her cheeks. Ji Hoo instinctively reached out to her. "No! Don't wipe them away!" she suddenly shouted at him. He tightened his jaw and tensed all over. She turned from him and walked a few feet. Then she wiped her eyes swiftly with her arm.

"Don't you love me anymore?" she mumbled, in a voice barely audible to him.

He went to her immediately. He grabbed her by the wrist and turned her to face him. "Jan Di…," he began.

"What?" she asked bluntly, clenching her jaw in preparation.

He took both of her hands in his. She avoided eye contact. "Jan Di, look at me."

She finally did. "Of course I love you! Jan Di, I will always, always love you…," he said.

"Then why are you doing this?"

He realized he didn't have a good answer for that at all. Because it's for your own good… Because I feel guilty about my best friend… Because there are so many complications… None of those reasons seemed worth a damn! But still, he couldn't seem to shake his fears and doubts…

So, he simply took her in his arms and held her head against his chest. He could feel the wetness from her tears. "I'm not…I'm not doing anything, OK. Don't worry. I'm sorry, Jan Di-yah, I'm sorry…I love you…"

Three and a half weeks later…

Jan Di was no longer living in the Goo Mansion, and she was back to school and work. Joon Pyo was back in Korea, for the time being at least. But things were far from OK for Jan Di. The reason being, Ji Hoo had disappeared. He'd left her a note, a note of all things! However, she recalled that she'd done the same to him once before. The note had simply stated that he was going to be away for awhile, but he didn't indicate how long or where he would be going. It had driven her crazy. She attempted to wait it out, plaguing Ga Eul with questions such as, How long do you think he meant by "awhile? and How long should I wait to text or call again? She hadn't been able to reach him by phone either. It seemed to be turned off or out of order or something…

She'd attempted to track him down and had gone to Woo Bin and Grandfather, and she even tried Yi Jeong and Joon Pyo. None of them knew any more than she did, and they were all a bit worried. Woo Bin had simply said that Ji Hoo had been very down and that he said he needed to clear his head. He also said simply that he'd be away and not to worry.

Jan Di sighed. She missed him so much, yet she also wanted to beat him to a pulp right now. Had he wanted to get away from her so badly?

Jan Di wandered around the porridge shop like a zombie, wiping down tables. The lunch rush had just ended, so Master flipped on the TV. He was interested in watching a story about a recent hurricane that had hit Cheongsando Island. Jan Di and Ga Eul continued to chat, as they wiped down tables and swept up. They finished up and Jan Di leaned against the wall and watched the TV, slightly dazed. She sighed.

A reporter talked about the devastation from the hurricane and how volunteer relief workers had been working tirelessly to help out the victims. Jan Di watched as a group of men and women in their early to mid 20s were playing with a group of children. She noticed that some were medical students and were wearing lab coats. Jan Di did a double-take and suddenly let out a gasp.

"Jan Di, what is it?" Ga Eul turned to her. Jan Di was staring at the TV. Ga Eul turned to look, and they both noticed Ji Hoo on TV helping out the victims of the hurricane on Cheongsando Island. Jan Di stared hard at the TV, and there was no doubt in her mind that it was him.

With little to no deliberation, Jan Di had decided to go to Cheongsando Island. She truly wanted to help the victims, but she felt a bit guilty about her ulterior motive. At this point, though, she didn't care. She'd decided to let go of her pride. She signed up to go with a group of her fellow medical students from Shinwha University.

Days later she was on a boat heading for the island. She had no idea what was in store for her or what she would say to him when she got there, but all she knew was that she needed to see him. The boat ride took only approximately an hour, but the water had been rough and she'd gotten a bit seasick. Truthfully, she believed it was more nerves than motion sickness.

She stepped off the boat with the group and looked around, clutching her backpack of supplies. She was dressed in a gray t-shirt with Shinwha University Medical School written across the front and old jeans. She followed along with the group to meet up with the program coordinator.

Jan Di felt guilty about being preoccupied. She'd done her best to be as attentive as possible, for she knew this was very important, and she truly did want to help out. She kept telling herself that this was a good cause and she was here to help, even though she felt a bit silly right now for following him all the way there like a lost puppy. Still, she would do her best!

Jan Di stopped upon noticing a beautiful field of yellow, and the group continued on. She stopped to stare at it, and she found herself getting lost in her thoughts and the beauty surrounding her.

A voice calling her name stirred her from her dreamworld. She snapped toward the sound of the voice, and she saw Ji Hoo standing approximately 50 feet from her. He was dressed in old jeans and his green button up. It hung open, and he wore a t-shirt underneath. "Jan Di…?" He asked, as if he truly wasn't sure that it was her.

They were both staring at each other, dumbfounded. She hadn't been able to form words yet, and she felt as though her heart would leap out of her chest. It felt so long since she'd seen him, despite it only being less than a month. Why was she so affected…?

"Jan Di, what are you doing here?" he asked.

She approached him slowly, and he remained still. "I could ask you the same question," she said.

He put a hand on the back of his neck and looked at her rather guiltily.

"I'm, uh, helping out…," he said simply, though he knew it wasn't exactly what she meant.

She nodded. "Well, I came to help out, too."

He nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"And also, I heard the emergency bell...," she added.

"Well, I suppose this is an emergency," he replied.

"That's not what I meant."

To Be Concluded...