A/N: I’m very, very sorry for the long wait.  Well, are you ready to find out what our F4 kiddos and their parents are up to?  I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve missed them… 

I know there are a lot of characters, so here’s a recap to help you keep track.  And I’ll try to use last names more, so it’s less confusing…   

Jan Di and Ji Hoo’s children: Yoon Seok-Young (turning 16), Yoon Mee-Yon (age 15), Wang Ha-Joon (age 23, adopted, away at college)

Joon Pyo and Alex’s children: Goo Jun-Seo (age 13), Goo Ju-Mi (age 12), Goo Jong-Su (appx 4 months) 

Ga Eul and Yi Jeong’s children: So Eun-Jeong and So Yeong-Hui (twins, ages 15), So Jae-Jin (age 13), So Ae-Jeong (age 11), So Byeong-Ho (age appx 4 months)   

Woo Bin and Ji-Hye’s children: Song Il-Hun (age 13), Song Hye-Mi (age 12)   

Original characters: Aidan Cho and Aria Cho (fraternal twins, half-Korean/half-American, ages 16, parents deceased)

Chapter Thirteen: Blossoming Part I 

After his statement of challenge, Aidan calmly turned and walked off down the large Yoon hallway toward the guest bedroom he was residing in.  Less calmly, Seok-Young stormed off in the other direction, his internal thoughts rampaging.

“Well, I guess we’ll see now, won’t we?” Aidan had said to Seok-Young—referring to Seok-Young’s assertion that he would never gain Ji Hoo’s permission to date Mee-Yon.   

How dare he?  Who does he think he is?!  Seok-Young inwardly fumed.  Did he think that just because he was a famous pop star he could have any girl he wanted?!  Well, that wasn’t happening!  Seok-Young squinted in anger and frustration, as he tore down the hall toward his bedroom. 

Once inside the hallowed grounds of his room, Seok-Young collapsed onto his bed.  Dropping a hand behind his head and resting on it, he began to think.

What to do?  Should I go to Appa right away?  He’ll put a stop to this before it even begins…

Monday Morning

Aidan and Aria had requested to attend Shinwha High while they were staying in Seoul, so Joon Pyo had arranged it.  At their manager’s behest—and despite their objections—the pop duo was sent with a couple of bodyguards.  Aidan and Aria accompanied the F4 children to school, followed closely by their own bodyguards and Song Hye-Mi’s bodyguards—who were always nearby.   

As the group entered Shinwha, Seok-Young stopped and turned to Aidan and Aria.  “I would tell you to prepare yourself,” he grinned wryly, “but you’re probably used to being mobbed by now.”

Aidan smirked.  “Yes, we are.”

Beside her brother, Mee-Yon began to giggle.  “My oppa is used to it, too,” she directed her words at Aria and Aidan.  “In fact, he used to have to hide from the girls!” And Mee-Yon continued laughing, while Aidan chuckled alongside her.    

Seok-Young shot his little sister a betrayed look.  In response, she clasped her hands together in prayer position and bowed profusely.  “Mianhae, Oppa, but it was just…,” she stifled her laughter, “so funny!”

Seok-Young sighed. 

When the group stepped inside, a large crowd of students were formed to greet Aidan and Aria.  There was a slightly higher distribution of girls but still quite a few guys there—for Aria—and the students were screaming, attempting to touch the pop duo, and asking for autographs.  In addition, many of the students had brought gifts to offer the pop prince and princess.  The F4 children were used to having all of Shinwha’s attention and adoration, but today it seemed that the pop stars had taken precedence. 

After breaking through the mob, they all began to go their separate ways, bidding goodbye to one another.

Aidan was cool about it and said a polite goodbye to the others, but he was especially friendly toward Mee-Yon.  Smiling, Aidan called out to her, “Have a nice day, Mee-Yon-ah!” as she walked away.

With a frown, Seok-Young watched Aidan give Mee-Yon the biggest smile as he wished her a nice day; she smiled shyly back and wished him a nice day, too.  Then, he noticed Jun-Seo waltzing over to Mee-Yon.  The Goo boy caught her by the arm and barked out, “You’re going to be late, Noona!” while dragging her off.  Mee-Yon argued with Jun-Seo and struggled within his grasp, whilst turning and waving to the older members of the group. 

The younger F4s separated from the older ones and began making their way toward the middle school wing.  But Eun-Jeong lingered, while Yeong-Hui and Mee-Yon—who had since been released by Jun-Seo—went on ahead. 

Eun-Jeong smiled and waved to Seok-Young, wishing him a good day in a bubbly fashion.  Coyly, she waited for him to approach her, but Aidan and Aria were still there with him, watching and waiting.  Seok-Young returned her smile and tossed her a brief ‘have a good day’ before turning to leave. 

Realizing she wasn’t going to get the goodbye she wanted, Eun-Jeong turned her back and began slowly walking off to catch up with her friend and sister.  As she did so, she let out a disgruntled sigh. 

She wasn’t sure why she should be so disappointed, though.  She didn’t even know what she had expected.  She certainly didn’t expect a kiss or even a deep, meaningful adieu as they stared into one another’s eyes.  But she’d hoped for more than just a casual brush off….  It felt that way anyway, she grumbled.  

Maybe it was selfish, but Eun-Jeong couldn’t help feeling disappointed.  It was bad enough that she was so far from him in proximity during most the day, but today, they weren’t even walking together—as she’d become accustomed to as of late…

Eun-Jeong stopped to glance back at Seok-Young’s retreating figure.  He was flanked on each side by the pop twins, with a pair of bodyguards behind them and Aria practically sticking to his side like sweat.  Eun-Jeong inadvertently stuck her lip out.  As she walked away from the three of them—like a child sent to bed without dessert—she began thinking... 

She really had no reason to be jealous.  She trusted Seok-Young, and he had reassured her so many times.  As for Aria, it was obvious that she liked Seok-Young…

Eun-Jeong was trying to be nice and understanding, considering Aria’s painful past, but that didn’t mean she had to like her.  After all, she had kissed her boyfriend—and right in front of her, without the slightest bit of remorse.  It was almost like she wanted her to see that.  She didn’t believe it was just a kiss of thanks, nor just an impulsive one...      

She decided it best not to worry about Aria for the time being, but then she moved on to other questions…  Yes, she felt secure in her relationship with Seok-Young, but she wasn’t exactly sure where they stood on bringing their relationship out in the open. 

They attended the concert together, and recently, Seok-Young had become bolder and started walking her to class before going to his own.  And people had taken notice.  After all, that was as good as shouting from the rooftops that they were together…

As Eun-Jeong meandered down the hall toward her first class, Seok-Young looked back at her.  He broke away from Aidan and Aria, as well as the bodyguards—and a small crowd of followers still nipping at their heels like puppies.  It wasn’t difficult for him to slip away, for everyone was currently focused upon the pop duo.  None attempted to follow but instead stayed the course behind Aidan and Aria. 

Seok-Young stealthily snuck up behind Eun-Jeong and caught her by the hand.  Eun-Jeong gasped at the unexpected touch, and she spun around to face Seok-Young.  “Oppa?!  You startled me…”

“Come with me,” he replied with a smile, as he clutched lightly at her hand. 

There was no arguing with him—not that she would even bother to try—so she went along willingly.  He took her aside to a secluded corner, the same corner—she recalled—that he had taken her to when he was jealous over Hyun-Joo.   

“Oppa?  What is it?” she asked, blushing like mad at their sudden closeness and concealment.   

Seok-Young leaned in toward her slightly, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he would kiss her…  She instinctively backed up against the brick wall—even though she wanted it.  Her heart was beating rampantly against her chest like a battering ram, threatening to break through the wall of her chest.   

She couldn’t even bother to check for onlookers, for her eyes were glued to his.  “O-ppa…,” she uttered. 

Seok-Young leaned in even closer, to where their noses almost touched, and then he whispered—as if it was some secret, “I just wanted to make sure you were coming to my birthday party next Thursday.”

Eun-Jeong nearly groaned out loud.  Did he really need to go to such lengths just to ask if she was coming to his birthday?! 

Disappointed that he hadn’t tried to kiss her—and irritated that he’d made her believe he was going to do so—she gave him a light shove.  The corners of his mouth playfully twitched.    

Seok-Young didn’t normally care much for birthday parties, even though he appreciated the effort Eomma went to in throwing them for him.  Eomma always tried so hard to make his birthday special.  She said that she didn’t have a lot growing up, so she wanted to give him more than she had. 

And this year, he had a girlfriend to share it with, so it was even more special…  As an afterthought, he supposed 16 was a momentous birthday…

Seok-Young instantly perked up.  “I know you don’t mean that,” he said, slyly, “Besides, if you don’t come then maybe I won’t do what I have planned…”  

Eun-Jeong raised a brow.  “What do you mean?  What do you have planned?”

“I’m not telling…”  He placed his hands into his pockets and casually glanced away, as he leaned against the wall beside her. 

Eun-Jeong eyed her boyfriend’s profile suspiciously.  “Come on, tell me…”

He shook his head.  “Nope.  Not until you promise to come to my birthday party,” he demanded, without looking at her.   

Eun-Jeong heaved a sigh.  “Oh, of course, I’m coming, Babo!  Now, tell me!”

“Babo?!” he feigned hurt, but then a bright smile crossed his face once more—the same one she’d fallen in love with. 

“Really, Eun-Jeong-ah?  Is that any way to talk to the guy who is going to take you out on the best first date ever?” 

There was one thing about turning 16 that Seok-Young was really excited for—even more so now that he had a girlfriend…

Secretly, Seok-Young had taken his written examination, gotten his temporary license, and he’d been practicing driving Appa’s motorcycle.  All that was left was to pass his road test, and then he’d get his motorbike license. 

A sugary smile formed upon Eun-Jeong’s face.  “Well, we already had our first date, Oppa,” she stated.   

“That didn’t count,” he replied, as he cast aside a brief jealous moment at the memory of Aidan’s serenade.  He got past it quickly, but that only reminded him of the bomb Aidan had just dropped on him about liking Mee-Yon.  He decided to push that aside for the moment, too...                                    

“Well, I thought it was pretty nice...  Do you really think you can top it?”                

“Definitely,” he nodded assuredly.   

“You seem confident.”

“I am,” he answered without hesitation.

And Eun-Jeong’s eyes sparkled with happiness.  She couldn’t seem to stop smiling, and she wondered what he had in mind.  “When?” she asked immediately.

“Next Saturday,” he replied.  “Will you go out with me then?”

…

More waiting, but regardless, Eun-Jeong was thrilled.  She nodded vibrantly, “I’d love to!” and—unable to help herself—threw her arms around his neck. 

He held her close for a second, taking in the scent of her hair before releasing her.  Staring at each other, they shared an electrically-charged moment before she decided to break it. 

“So, 16, huh?  You know, you’re getting kind of old, Oppa,” she teased.

Seok-Young chuckled.  “I know that.  But that’s not all bad, right?  I mean, there are a lot more things you can do as you get older…”

She didn’t exactly know what he was referring to—it could be many things—but something about the way he said it and his sudden grin that brought a flush to Eun-Jeong’s cheeks.  And she mentally berated herself for thinking that he meant it in a…naughty way. 

Eun-Jeong cleared .  “Well, I guess I should…”

“Yeah, me too.”

Eun-Jeong and Seok-Young hadn’t been the only ones left in the main foyer.  A trio of girls—wearing school uniforms and excessive jewelry—also stood nearby, behind the stairwell.   

Gun Mi Na and two of her friends had witnessed the interaction between Seok-Young and Eun-Jeong.  Mi Na’s face fell when she saw Seok-Young kiss Eun-Jeong on the cheek. 

She’d seen them at the dance together, and it was obvious that they came together.  In fact, she’d known about Seok-Young’s feelings for awhile, maybe even before he did…  And Mi Na’s suspicions were confirmed when he dashed toward So Eun-Jeong after she fell from the tree. 

What was she doing there anyway?   Mi Na’s jealous mind wondered… 

It had taken everything within Mi Na to tolerate it when Seok-Young picked up…that girl…in his arms and ran off with her toward his house.  At the time, she simply told herself that he was trying to help a friend.  But when she needed to go to the hospital, Seok-Young ditched her completely and sent her home.  It was as if she didn’t even exist!  And it made Mi Na’s blood boil.

So Eun-Jeong probably fell out of that tree on purpose, just to get close to him!  And Mi Na scoffed inwardly at her terrible jealousy.  She’d never thought herself to be a jealous girl, not until Yoon Seok-Young came into the picture…  

Mi Na glared as she watched Eun-Jeong; she returned to her senses after the kiss and practically skipped off…     

I hate her!  I hate her so much!  she raged inside.  

Mi Na’s friends eyed her curiously. 

Her voice laced with concern, one of the friends—a girl by the name of Su-Jin—asked, “What’s wrong Mi Na?”  

“That!  That’s what’s wrong!” Mi Na snapped, motioning in the air toward the site of the recent public display of affection. 

“You mean So Eun-Jeong and Seok-Young Sunbae?” Su-Jin asked.   

“Yes.  She stole him from me…,” Mi Na grumbled bitterly.  They had come so close to being together—she and Seok-Young—and that girl had wrecked it!    

Su-Jin frowned and put a hand on her friend’s shoulder, while the girl beside her—whose name was Young-Hee—also attempted to be supportive. 

“I want to get back at her!” Mi Na suddenly burst out with, breaking Su-Jin’s hold on her.    

The duo’s eyes widened in shock. 

“Well, you can forget about that,” Young-Hee bluntly replied.  Mi Na crossed her arms tight over her chest and scowled off in the direction Eun-Jeong had gone.      

“Yeah, I know you’re upset Mi Na, but she’s an F4 daughter,” Su-Jin gently reminded.  

Young-Hee nodded.  “Have you forgotten about what that means?”

“I don’t care!” Mi Na shouted, clenching her fists hard at her sides.

“Are you crazy?!” Young-Hee demanded, and Mi Na shot back with an icy stare.   

“Young-Hee is right, Mi Na.  If you go against an F4, you’ll definitely regret it.  You saw what happened to Park Jung-Ho, right?”

Mi Na shook her head rapidly.  “I don’t care!  She stole him from me, and she deserves to be punished for that!” Mi Na shouted. 

Su-Jin and Young-Hee looked between each other.  Su-Jin proceeded delicately, “You know, you two weren’t actually together, right Mi Na…?”  

“We practically were!” she shouted back.  And Mi Na felt herself welling up at the thought of Yoon Seok-Young.  Proceeding more quietly, she added, “I really liked him...  And we were perfect together…  Everyone saw it...”

Her friends pulled her into a group embrace.  “We know, Mi Na,” Young-Hee spoke sympathetically. 

Breaking away again, Mi Na ranted, “She’s not good enough for him!”

“Not good enough?” Su-Jin stared in disbelief.  “But she’s an F4.”

“So what!”

And Su-Jin and Young-Hee gaped at their blasphemous friend. 

“They have nothing in common…”

“Well, sometimes love is blind…,” Young-Hee shrugged.   

“That’s a bunch of crap…  Whose side are you on, anyway?”

“Yours, Mi Na!” Young-Hee replied, “…But, we just don’t want to see anything happen to you…”

Su-Jin gave an emphatic nod of the head, and she reached out to pet Mi Na’s hair.  “I know how you feel, Mi Na, but what can you do?  If you do something to So Eun-Jeong who knows what will happen to you…”

Two hours later…

Mee-Yon through her aquatic haven.  She’d taken to the pool today because she had a lot on her mind…  But to be perfectly honest with herself, most of her thoughts centered around a certain handsome, intriguing boy…

She just couldn’t seem to get Aidan off her mind.  Every time she thought of him, she felt tingly all over, and every time she was around him, she got butterflies in her stomach.  Mee-Yon blushed at what a silly, stupid little girl she was being.  If she were to tell anyone about her feelings, they would probably make fun of or criticize her—most people anyway.

It wasn’t like it was unusual to like Aidan—he was handsome, talented, and kind, after all.  What girl her age wouldn’t like him?  Mee-Yon was fairly certain that her closest friends—and even her mother—knew about her crush on Aidan, but it went deeper than that now... 

Surprisingly, there were a lot of significant events.  He’d rescued her; she’d fallen on top of him in bed—Mee-Yon blushed at the memory—they’d spent time together, and they’d even shared some of their most guarded secrets…   

Mee-Yon suspected that she was falling for Aidan—for real.  It felt much stronger, somehow, than what she had felt for Jung-Ho.  But what hope did she have that Aidan would ever like her back? 

Mee-Yon finished the lap she was on and—panting faintly—rested against the edge of the pool.  As her breathing began to steady, she looked up.  To her surprise, she saw a pair of male shoes heading toward her.  Expecting to see her older brother, she began to greet him but stopped when she saw Aidan before her instead. 

Gaping, Mee-Yon stared up at him with flushed cheeks.  “Ai-Aidan Sunbae?” Did he somehow know that she was just thinking of him? 

Aidan smiled brilliantly down at her and waved. 

“Wh-what are you doing here Sunbae?”

“Not hiding from girls,” he teased, and Mee-Yon grinned in response. 

“Well, when I said that, I meant…um, my oppa wasn’t really hiding before…  He was just…  It was more like…he was taking a break from it, and...,” she stammered.

“It’s OK, Mee-Yon-ah.  I was just joking.  It’s nice that you defend your oppa, but you don’t need to.  I think he’s a great guy, really.”

Mee-Yon smiled up at Aidan, as he outstretched a hand to her.  He helped her out of the pool, and she shyly thanked him. 

“What brings you here, Aidan Sunbae?”

“Well…,” Aidan placed a hand behind his neck.  “Why don’t you go and change first.  I don’t want you to catch cold,” he said, his question partially out of care and partially stalling.

Mee-Yon blushed lightly at his concern for her.  With a nod, she said, “I’ll be right back,” and trekked off to the locker room. 

…

When Mee-Yon returned, Aidan was waiting patiently for her, seated on a pool chair.  She took a deep breath as she approached him.  It was strange seeing him dressed in a Shinwha school uniform, but he’d wanted the full experience—and it suited him well.  He looked amazing, as always, and his smile was luminous.  It was so beautiful and bright, in fact, that she could barely even look directly at it. 

Mee-Yon sat down on the chair beside Aidan.  He lowered his head for a moment, lightly wringing his hands.  He appeared nervous.  It was so strange seeing him that way… 

Finally, he seemed to decide to speak.  “I was just wondering, Mee-Yon-ah…  I was wondering…if you would like to have lunch with me.”

Mee-Yon’s eyes went wide.  “Really?  Me?” she pointed at herself to verify; perhaps there was someone who had walked up behind her. 

“Yes, you.  Silly girl…,” Aidan laughed good-naturedly, as he reached out to ruffle her damp hair. “Why not?”

“I don’t know…I just didn’t think you’d…want to…,” she stammered.  Aidan simply flashed his pearly smile, causing Mee-Yon to lose her train of thought. 

Wanting to be prepared—and not wanting to assume anything, either, Mee-Yon asked, “Um, will it be just…us…or will there be…?”

“Just us,” Aidan clarified. 

“Oh,” and she nodded, looking down as she felt her cheeks heat up further.  “OK, that would be…nice, Sunbae…”

Meanwhile…

Eun-Jeong snuck to the music room between classes, hoping to catch Seok-Young there.  She saw him approaching from a distance.  He didn’t seem to notice her, so she decided to hide behind a pillar and surprise him.  She held onto the pillar and peered out, stifling a giggle, as she waited for just the right moment to jump out.  It wasn’t often she got such a perfect opportunity—to catch Yoon Seok-Young by surprise.  He was so observant, after all…   

But her temporary distraction—in thinking about him—caused her to lose sight of him as he turned a corner.  Eun-Jeong’s brow wrinkled, as she scanned all around the hallway for him.  Suddenly, she felt a poke to both sets of ribs.  She shrieked and practically jumped 10 feet in the air. 

Eun-Jeong spun around, and Seok-Young was there—chuckling.  He’d somehow managed to sneak up behind her and tickle her sides before she even realized he was there.  Flushing, she whacked him in the arm with the back of her hand.  “Oppa!”

Seok-Young continued to laugh.  “What?  You were going to do it to me, weren’t you?”

Eun-Jeong groaned.  How does he always know...?    

…

They stared at each other—rather goofily—for a moment before Seok-Young’s eyes were drawn to another person approaching them.  Eun-Jeong watched Seok-Young visibly stiffen, as he turned to face the oncoming person.  Eun-Jeong turned to look and saw that it was a tall male, about their age, who she had never seen before.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?!” the guy exclaimed as he strolled up to Seok-Young, carrying a small, expensive-looking musical case in hand.    

“Yoon Seok-Young!  Do my eyes deceive?” the boy now stood before Seok-Young.  The boy stood slightly taller than Seok-Young, and Eun-Jeong noticed that Seok-Young appeared to be attempting to lessen the height difference. 

And Seok-Young’s face said it all—he was clearly taken off-guard.  “Baek-Hyeon, it’s you…”

“That’s right.  How are you, you alien?!” and Baek-Hyeon threw out a hand for a shake.  Seok-Young reluctantly shook it.

Eun-Jeong frowned at the alien comment, finding it to be confusing and insulting. Eun-Jeong glanced at the new boy and then back at Seok-Young.  Her oppa’s face was stone. 

“I’m fine, but Baek-Hyeon, wh-what are you doing here?”

“I go here, as of today.”

Seok-Young’s brow furrowed.  “Oh, I see.”

“What’s the matter, Yoon Seok-Young?  You don’t seem happy about that…  Afraid I’ll outdo you?” Baek-Hyeon gave a devious grin.  

“Of course not.  It’s nice to see you again.”  And Eun-Jeong noticed Seok-Young was giving his fake smile.    

“At least having you here will make things interesting, and more of a challenge…,” Baek-Hyeon smirked.  Then, his eyes slowly drifted to Eun-Jeong, who was standing slightly behind Seok-Young.

“Who’s this?” he raised a brow at the girl peering out from behind Seok-Young.  “Surely not your—”  

“She’s a friend,” Seok-Young responded immediately.  “We’ve known each other forever.  Our parents are best friends,” he casually added.   

Eun-Jeong flinched at the word friend. 

Well, that answers that question.  So, I guess he’s not planning to publicly say I’m his girlfriend yet… 

But it wasn’t so much his wording that bothered Eun-Jeong, but the way he seemed to callously dismiss her—as if she was some…obligation.  Maybe she was being overly sensitive…  

Seemingly remembering his manners, Seok-Young introduced them formally.  “So Eun-Jeong, this is Kang Baek-Hyeon.  We attended the musical academy together,” he explained, sticking his hands into his pockets.  

“Ah,” and Eun-Jeong bowed before Baek-Hyeon.  “Pleased to meet you, Baek-Hyeon Sunbae.”

Baek-Hyeon winked at Eun-Jeong, while Seok-Young fought back a scowl.  “Oh, in case you were wondering, we called Seok-Young an alien at the academy because this guy could pick up any instrument and just play it on the spot.  And his memory is amazing,” Baek-Hyeon threw his hands up in disbelief.  “He’d get a piece of sheet music and have it memorized within minutes, no matter how long it was.  Most of the time, though, he didn’t even need sheet music.  He has the ear…,” and Baek-Hyeon smiled genuinely at Eun-Jeong.

Eun-Jeong’s lips twitched into an almost-smile.  She knew better than most how amazing Seok-Young was, and it was nice to hear someone else speak so highly of him.  Despite the alien comment, Kang Beok-Hyeon clearly seemed to admire her Seok-Young Oppa.  Still, she didn’t like that—and so far, she didn’t like him.

“Oh, and I also call him an alien because he’s weird,” Baek-Hyeon added, with a chuckle.  “He acts like he comes from some other planet sometimes!” Baek-Hyeon clapped Seok-Young on the back, and Seok-Young simply rolled his eyes.    

By now, Eun-Jeong was casting daggers at the new guy.  Kang Baek-Hyeon, you are on my list…

Seok-Young observed his girlfriend, who appeared close to losing her temper.

Baek-Hyeon turned back to Eun-Jeong.  “You’ve known him for a long time, right?  Did you ever notice that about him, So Eun-Jeong?” Baek-Hyeon grinned, completely ignoring the look she was giving him.

Eun-Jeong shook her head, as her fists tightened at her sides.  “No, of course not.  He’s not weird at all!” she stated forcefully.

Seok-Young smiled faintly from beside her.  It was just like her to defend him.

“She sticks up for you,” Baek-Hyeon commented, the corners of his lips twitching in amusement.

The three suffered an awkward silence until Baek-Hyeon broke it seconds later.  Released a burst of air through his nose, he abruptly spoke, “Going in?” and motioned toward the music room.  

“Yes, I’ll be right there,” Seok-Young replied.  

“Well, I’ll see you in there.”  

Seok-Young nodded, and with a quick wave, Baek-Hyeon entered the music room. 

After he left, Seok-Young turned back to Eun-Jeong and cleared his throat.  “That…was—I guess you’d call him—my rival from the musical academy…”   

“Rival?” Eun-Jeong blinked rapidly.  “So, you aren’t friends?”

“Well, yes and no.  He always tried to beat me at everything at the academy, even when it wasn’t a competition,” Seok-Young said with a wry smile.

Eun-Jeong pursed her lips. 

“Not to be proud, but he never could do it…,” Seok-Young grinned.

“That does sound proud, Oppa,” Eun-Jeong informed with a haughty head tilt. 

Seok-Young shrugged.  “It’s the truth, though.  He always got so angry.  He would get red in the face, and I swear I saw smoke coming out of his ears…,” Seok-Young chuckled, and Eun-Jeong gave a giggle in response.  “A couple of times I tried to let him win—to keep the peace—but he could tell and it just made him madder.”

“Well, I’m not surprised that he couldn’t beat you,” Eun-Jeong spoke in adoration, and Seok-Young gave her a tender smile. 

…

“Well,” Seok-Young began.  He laid a hand upon her arm, giving it a light squeeze.  “I have to go.  I’ll see you at lunch then?”

“Mm,” Eun-Jeong nodded.  “Bye Oppa.”

“See you later, Eun-Jeong-ah,” he waved and walked into the classroom.     

An hour later…

When Mee-Yon first arrived at Shinwha, she was showered with attention and love.  She’d always received special treatment—it seemed—since she was little, and that had only grown with time. 

As she got older, girls became more verbal.  Most notably, Mee-Yon was often approached by admirers of her father, some commenting on how she shared some similar features with him, like his nose and lips…    

Although it was obvious that she looked more like her mother, she acknowledged that she did share some features with her dad, but it was so strange having someone comment on that.  She supposed it came with the territory of being the daughter of Yoon Ji Hoo—the legendary ‘Living Statue,’ of South Korea, but still, it was extremely weird.  After all, what teenage girl wants to hear about how good-looking her dad is...?   

Mee-Yon had endured the -ups, the fangirls, the false friends, and she felt that she had learned something from all of it—she was a tougher person now.  It helped to have been prepared for that by her parents, especially her eomma—who never went into too much detail but was sure to warn her about phonies. 

Aidan had planned to buy his lunch in the school cafeteria, but Mee-Yon offered to share her homemade lunch with him.  Perhaps she was being a bit forward, but he needed to try a special Geum Jan Di lunch at least once in his lifetime!

It was a bit potent but so good—she had explained to him. 

When Mee-Yon first attended the school, her eomma had been worried about sending a lunch with her, and she spoke of her days of being taunted at Shinwha for her stinky lunches.  But Mee-Yon assured her that it was fine.  She didn’t want to hurt Eomma’s feelings, or be a coward, so she had taken the lunch. 

No one said a word to her about it.

Today, as Mee-Yon revealed her colorful lunch to Aidan, his eyes lit up in amazement.  “Wauu!” he pointed at the food.  “What is this?  Who are these people?” he asked, amused.  

Mee-Yon’s cheeks flushed lightly, “Umm, this is my family,” and she pointed out each piece of food, designed specially to represent all members of her family.

After explaining, she glanced shyly away, “You see, Eomma likes to be…creative…with her food...”  And for the first time ever, Mee-Yon felt embarrassed about her lunch. 

But when she looked back to gauge Aidan’s reaction, he was smiling and gazing upon the lunchbox in amazement.  For a brief few seconds, she thought she noticed a hint of a sadness flash in his beautiful blue eyes.  And she wondered if the mention of family had made him think of losing his own.  Mee-Yon wanted to kick herself for being so stupid and thoughtless.    

But Aidan simply exclaimed, “Wow, this looks great!  Can I try it?”

Mee-Yon smiled brightly and nodded, offering him a pair of chopsticks.  “Have as much as you’d like!”

By now, the entire female population was staring at them, and Mee-Yon wished that she had chosen a more private place to have their lunch together.  Next time, she would be sure to do that—if there was a next time, anyway... 

There were several places around school that were more…private, such as the stairwells.  Mee-Yon blushed at the thought of what typically went on in those places, but she quickly pushed such thoughts away.  That wasn’t her intent at all—to get Aidan alone for…for…that… 

And it made her think of Seok-Young and Eun-Jeong—how she’d caught them at the stairwell…  She’d be sure not to go to that one again…  Although they had made up, things were not quite the same—Mee-Yon was still a bit upset with both of them for hiding their relationship.  But she shook it away and focused on Aidan. 

While Aidan ate, seemingly greatly enjoying the food, Mee-Yon watched him with a wistful expression.  It was so nice being here with him.  All she really wanted to do was to spend time with him, and it was like a dream come true that he’d want to spend time with her.  She didn’t know why he was suddenly showing interest in her, or how long it would last, but she would treasure it for as long as it did.     

Aidan finished the bite he was on and gave an ‘mmm’ of approval, stirring her from her reverie.  When Mee-Yon returned from her little inner world, he was holding out the chopsticks to her.

It took Mee-Yon a moment to register that he was offering the chopsticks back to her, for she’d become mesmerized by his eyes.  They were a gorgeous shade of sapphire splashed with flecks of green, forming a spiral pattern.  

When she flinched and uttered, ‘Eh?’ Aidan chuckled.  “Where were you off to just now?” he asked, with a grin.   

But Mee-Yon didn’t understand his English expression.  “Excuse me?” she meekly asked in English.  “I’m right here, Aidan Sunbae.  I didn’t go anywhere, really!”

Aidan laughed out loud.  “I just meant, umm,” he tried to recall the words in Korean.  “What were you thinking?” he asked in the best Korean he could muster.

“Ahh!” she clasped her hands together in understanding.  “…Oh, nothing…,” she awkwardly chuckled. 

Aidan flashed her a smile and once again extended the chopsticks to her.  “Are you going to eat, too?” 

She smiled and nodded, taking them from him.  “Thank you!” she exclaimed, as she popped a bite into .

Mee-Yon chewed, her eyes flitting from side to side.  And she could feel all eyes burning into her—no, she didn’t even have to feel it; she could see it.  They were the complete center of attention.  No one even bothered to look away when she caught them staring.  And Mee-Yon was thankful that the rest of the F4 girls and boys were not having lunch at this time.    

Her cheeks still full, Mee-Yon’s eyes shot down to her doshirak and then back up to Aidan.  He was watching her, too, while resting his head upon his palm.  Did he have to watch her like that?  It made her nervous and simultaneously turned her to jelly. 

Why in the world was he taking such interest in her? She wondered.

Doing her best to ignore the onlookers, Mee-Yon continued her lunch with Aidan, and they made conversation…

Even though he only spoke some basic Korean, and her English was completely awful, they managed to understand each other, mostly.  There were certainly times when Aidan would say something, and Mee-Yon wouldn’t get it at all, so she’d just smile and nod along—thinking instead of how cute he looked when he said it. 

And then there were times when she would say something, and he wouldn’t get it.  When that happened, his nose would crinkle up a little, and his blue eyes would shoot to the sky, as he pondered hard on what she meant. 

And Mee-Yon would just gaze upon him, thinking it was the most adorably charming thing she’d ever seen.

As Mee-Yon offered Aidan the last of her favorite item—the rolled omelet—she noticed Seok-Young entering the cafeteria.  Eun-Jeong was at his side.  The students briefly turned to him, and Mee-Yon heard a few shrieks—her oppa still got that treatment now and again.  And she had to admit that she was thankful for the distraction. 

Mee-Yon met Seok-Young’s eyes, as he walked in.  Despite how well she knew her oppa, they flashed with a look she didn’t fully comprehend, and his brow furrowed.  Was he upset, or angry about something?

Seok-Young came over to her table right away and looked down upon Mee-Yon and Aidan.  He briefly greeted Mee-Yon but focused upon Aidan.  After a pleasantry, he commented, “Well, this is a surprise…”

Mee-Yon looked between Seok-Young and Aidan; they seemed to be having some kind of stare-off…

“It is?” Aidan asked casually after finishing the rolled egg.  “Why?  Is there something wrong with me having lunch with Mee-Yon-ah?  We’re friends,” Aidan replied coolly.

Seok-Young tightened his mouth, as he worked to keep his cool.  “No, nothing wrong with it.”

Mee-Yon noticed her brother’s Adam’s Apple bob up in down.  It was obvious he was getting irritated, but she didn’t know why.

“Good…,” Aidan coolly replied before turning back to Mee-Yon. 

Squinting slightly, Seok-Young added, “I’m glad you two are friends,” and he accentuated the last word. 

Keep it that way…, the Yoon boy mentally warned the pop star.

Behind them, Eun-Jeong was also observing Seok-Young closely.  And she took note of the scene before her.  Aidan and Mee-Yon were eating lunch together...  What was that all about?  Did they like each other?  Had Mee-Yon kept this from her?  Not that she could blame her after her own secrecy.  But Seok-Young seemed to know something, too, for he seemed greatly bothered by the whole thing.  She would have to ask him about it later…  But for now, perhaps she should deactivate the bomb before it exploded… To break the tension of the moment, Eun-Jeong waved and greeted Mee-Yon in a bubbly fashion. 

Mee-Yon returned the greeting but again focused upon the boys.  She wasn’t sure what to do—the two males looked as if they were attempting to burn holes through one another with their eyes.  On one hand, Aidan wore a faint smile—that disarming one of his.  On the other, Seok-Young was staring back—hard and serious. 

Not knowing what else to do, Mee-Yon asked if Seok-Young and Eun-Jeong would like to join them, all the while hoping they’d say no…

“Alright,” Seok-Young said, and he took a seat beside Mee-Yon, beckoning Eun-Jeong to sit beside him on the other side. 

Mee-Yon sighed and glanced at Aidan, tossing him an awkward smile.  She had fully expected her brother to turn down the offer, but now that he was here, what could she do?  She would definitely suggest another place to meet next time—again, if there was a next time after this…

After an exhausting half-day of making it impossible for Aidan to see Mee-Yon, Seok-Young returned home.  He even blew off practice after school, in order to make sure they didn’t end up alone at the house—just in case no one else was there.  But, as it turned out, Aidan had gone to rehearse. 

After checking that Mee-Yon was safely in her room—and Aidan was still out—Seok-Young strolled down the hall toward his room.  As he passed by the guestroom that Aria was staying in, he heard the door opening, and she came out.  He hadn’t expected to see her there; he’d thought that she might be rehearsing with Aidan, too. 

Aria stood before him holding a pile of books in her arms.  “Oh, annyeong, Seok-Young-ah,” she said, smiling.

“Annyeong, Aria.”  It still felt strange referring to her without any honorifics, so he gave her a short bow—to make himself feel better about that.  “How was your first day?”

“It was good, very good, Seok-Young-ah, but…well, I’m kind of stumped on my homework.”  Aria glanced away in shame.  “I’ve been away from school for so long, and even though I do study some on the road, I keep so busy with performing and rehearsing that I fear I have fallen behind…”

Seok-Young tucked his hands into his pockets. “Oh.”

“Do you think…if it’s not too much trouble…could you help me?” Aria asked, clutching her books to her chest and pleading with her eyes.   

“Um, sure,” Seok-Young replied, and he led her off to the dining room. 

…

Aria sat down next to Seok-Young at the dining room table.  They began with math and then moved on to English.  And Seok-Young soon realized that Aria hadn’t been joking about falling behind.  “I thought you were good in English,” he teased, as he watched her nose crinkle up while she struggled with an exercise on sentence structure.  “You live in the United States, don’t you?”

“Ya!” Aria exclaimed, giving him a shove.  “I can speak it, but some of the grammar is still tricky!” 

Seok-Young couldn’t help but chuckle at the over-the-top reaction.  “Ah, I see…  Well, I agree with you on that,” he spoke good-naturedly.  And they continued with the lesson.    

…

Just then, Aidan walked in.  Passing through the living room, he looked over at the table where the two sat close together, pouring over a book.  He watched them for a minute or two, as they silently read and Seok-Young intermittently explained things to Aria.  They shared a few smiles and a laugh. 

 “Hey,” Aidan finally called out when neither noticed his presence.   

Both heads shot up from the book.  “Oh, hey Aidan!” Aria greeted vibrantly.

Seok-Young also greeted Aidan, but with a cold formality.   

Aidan approached the table.  “What’s going on, you two?”

“Oh, Seok-Young is helping me with my homework.  Wasn’t that nice of him?”  Aria beamed up at her brother.

“Yes, that was very nice of him,” and he exchanged a tense look with Seok-Young.  Then, Aidan paused before continuing, “You know, Aria, since I’m here, I can help you now, and Seok-Young can go back to whatever he was doing.  I’m sure he’s very busy…”

“You’re going to help me, Aidan?” Aria giggled, for her brother was not always the best student. 

“Why not?”

“Actually, that does sound like a good idea, Aria,” Seok-Young said, as he moved to stand.  “I…uh…do have some things to do,” he rubbed the back of his neck.  “Are you OK now?”

“Um, yeah, I think so…,” she muttered disappointedly.   

After Seok-Young left, Aidan took a seat in his place.  He observed his twin sibling; she was completely focused upon her book—and did not look a bit happy with him.

“I can help you,” Aidan repeated.

“Thanks…,” she muttered in a biting tone.  Aidan could tell it was more of a sarcastic ‘thanks for interfering’ kind of thanks.’  Pursing her lips, she added, “But I’m fine now.”

Aidan continued to observe his sibling, but she was avoiding eye contact with him. 

Without mincing any words, Aidan asked, “Aria, what are you doing?”

“Um, my homework,” she sarcastically replied.  

“No, what are you doing?” Aidan repeated.

With a sigh, she looked up to meet his similarly blue-colored eyes.  “I don’t know what you mean.”

“He has a girlfriend,” Aidan stated simply.

Aria scoffed.  “I know that.  Why do you feel the need to point that out?  What, a guy has to be single to help a girl with her homework?”

“Don’t joke, Aria.  I know that you like Yoon Seok-Young.”

Aria released a burst of air through her nose, as she took pen to paper.  “That’s ridiculous, Aidan,” and she began scrawling in her notebook. 

Aidan softly sighed.  “Tell me the truth, Aria…,” he spoke gently, “I’m your brother.  I know you very well, and I can tell that you like him.”

Her eyes shot up to meet his, “Are you accusing me of something?” she demanded, and then she went back to writing furiously.

“No, I just think that you like Seok-Young.  But if you say you don’t, I’ll believe you.  If you can look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t like him, I’ll believe you.”

Aria stopped writing mid-sentence, and she began clicking the top of her pen.  After half a dozen clicks, she placed her pen down and hesitantly raised her deep blue eyes.  Staring at him, she said nothing.

When she failed to speak, Aidan did.  “Just leave it alone, Aria,” he spoke in a firm, cautionary tone.

Aria’s eyes shot back down to the table.

…

Softening, Aidan laid a hand upon her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. 

Aidan sighed.  “There’s no happy ending in this scenario, Aria.  Either you’re going to get your heart broken or break up a happy couple…  I don’t like either one of those scenarios.  Do you?”

Later that Evening…

After dinner, Ji Hoo was in his study working on some paperwork when he received a video call.  It was from Ha-Joon.  Ji Hoo hit the green button, connecting them. 

“Appa, how are you?” Ha-Joon asked, smiling. 

Ji Hoo smiled back, thinking of how nice it was to see his face again.  “Very well, Son.  Thank you, and how are you?”

“I’m doing great, actually, Appa,” Ha-Joon beamed, and Ji Hoo could tell that his son was indeed doing well.  

Ji Hoo smiled warmly.  “I’m glad, and it’s great to hear from you.”

“You, too, Appa,” and Ha-Joon paused.  “Appa, I know you’re a busy man, so I’ll keep this brief, but I wanted to tell you some news...”

“I’ll always make time for you, Son.  What’s your news?”

“Well, I wanted to tell you…,” Ha-Joon hesitated again, and his smile faded to one more bittersweet.

“What is it, Son?  You can tell me.”

Ha-Joon took a deep breath.  “I wanted to tell you…that I got an internship at Massachusetts General Hospital.  I’m moving to the United States—in three months…”  

Ji Hoo’s lips parted—he hadn’t expected to hear that.  Slowly, he pressed them together, and his smile began to return.  “Well, that’s great, Son.  Congratulations.  I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you, Appa.  I’m excited, but I’m really going to miss all of you so much...”

“Well, we’ll miss you, too, Ha-Joon-ah.”

…

“I have more news, actually, Appa.”

“Oh?”

“Yes…  I asked my girlfriend to marry me, and she said yes.”

Ji Hoo smiled warmly.  “Well, that’s wonderful, Son.  Congratulations again!”

“Thank you, Appa.”

“Big things happening for you, eh, Ha-Joon-ah?”

“Yes, Appa.”

“So, when is the big day?”

“We’re not sure, and we don’t know if we’re doing it here in Korea or in the United States, but I would love for all of you to be there…”

“Of course, Son.”

“I know it would be troublesome if we have it in the US, but…”

“We wouldn’t miss it, Son,” Ji Hoo chimed in.  “We’ll be there, no matter when or where it is.”

Ha-Joon smiled brightly.  “Oh, and Appa, I just wanted to let you know that I’m planning to invite the Jangs…”

“Oh?”

“They helped me a lot back then, you know...”

“Yes, I think you should,” Ji Hoo replied.   

“I don’t know if they’ll come, but I just thought I’d let you know.”

Ji Hoo gave a short nod. 

“Appa?” Ha-Joon continued when he noticed his father’s solemn expression.  “You’re…not still upset with Dr. Jang, are you?”

Ji Hoo shook his head.  “Of course not, Son.  That was a long time ago.”

“Are you sure?” Ha-Joon questioned.

“Yes, I’m sure.  I was just…thinking about the past...”

Ha-Joon waited—as his adoptive father grew nostalgic—in case he wanted to speak further.  But Ji Hoo simply said, “I’m very happy for you, Ha-Joon.”

“Thank you, Appa,” he smiled with affection. 

…

“Well, Appa, I need to go, so I unfortunately can’t say hi to the others.  I wanted to tell you my news first, anyway, you know, in case…well, in case you wanted to be the one to break it to Eomma, Mee-Yon-ah, and Seok-Young-ah.”

“Yes, I’ll tell them, Son.”

“I hope Eomma and Mee-Yon-ah aren’t too upset.  I think Seok-Young will recover quickly,” Ha-Joon finished with a wry smile.   

Ji Hoo smiled tenderly.  “They are going to miss you a lot—we all will.  But don’t worry.  They’ll be OK.”

Ha-Joon nodded. 

“And we will definitely come visit,” Ji Hoo added.   

“Good.  I hope so.  You know that you are all welcome anytime.  I won’t have much space, but we’ll make do.  I’ll be living in a small apartment for awhile, since I’ll be in debt,” Ha-Joon laughed.

“If you need money…,” Ji Hoo began.

“No, Appa.  Gomawo, and I appreciate it, but I don’t want to get by that way…  …You’ve already done so much for me as it is.  Giving me a home, raising me…”  Ha-Joon felt tears suddenly beginning to well up at the corners of his eyes—thinking of the generous man and woman who had taken him in.  “It may take years and years, but I’ll make it.”  

Ji Hoo looked upon his adoptive son’s face with admiration.  “I figured as much.  You know, there may not be blood there, but in some ways, you are a lot like your eomma.  She’s really proud of you.”

Ha-Joon smiled affectionately, as he wiped away a few stray tears.  “Thank you, Appa.  I think that’s the best compliment you could give me.”

And Ji Hoo smiled.

“I’ll talk to you all soon.  I love you, Appa.”

“I love you, Ha-Joon-ah.”

After wracking his brain over it for awhile, Seok-Young decided to bring up the situation to his father.  So, after dinner, he went looking for Ji Hoo in the Yoon mansion.  He knew that his father was home and was probably in one of two places.  If not with his mother or sleeping, he had to be either in his study or the music room. 

As Seok-Young headed down the hallway containing both rooms, he heard the sound of a violin.  And immediately Seok-Young knew where to find his father.  Not only was his father the only other person in the household who played violin, but his father’s music was unmistakable—beautiful and flawless. 

People were always raving about Seok-Young’s music and treating him like some kind of musical genius, but the truth was that he didn’t yet eve rival his father’s talent...    

As Seok-Young approached the door, he took note of his appa’s musical piece.  He could always tell his father’s mood—and what kind of day he’d had—from his choice of song…   

Tchaikovsky’s concerto…  

Feeling nostalgic, Appa?

…

Seok-Young lingered outside the door, leaning against the frame and just listening to his father’s soothing music for a moment.  He shut his eyes and followed along in his head.  Music always brought vivid visuals to Seok-Young’s mind, and he could see them floating around in his head now.  Seok-Young became so caught up in the music that he barely registered that his father had stopped playing and was beckoning him inside.

“Come in,” Ji Hoo called out once more to him. 

This call stirred Seok-Young, and he pushed open the ajar door and entered. 

Ji Hoo held his bow in one hand and his violin in the other, both resting at a side.  “Well, there is—the soon-to-be birthday boy,” and Ji Hoo smiled brilliantly when he saw Seok-Young enter.  “I thought it might be you, Son.”   

Seok-Young smiled ever so faintly and nodded, “Yes, Appa.”

“Hello, Son.”

“Hello, Appa,” Seok-Young answered flatly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Tchaikovsky, huh, Appa?”

Ji Hoo nodded and further explained that it had been a tough day at work.  And Seok-Young suddenly regretted disturbing his father’s relaxation time.  So, he prepared to make an excuse and politely exit. 

“What’s troubling you, Son?” Ji Hoo asked. 

“How did you know?” Seok-Young practically sulked.

“Well, for one, you were loitering at my door…”

Seok-Young glanced to the side.

“Two, your body language,” Ji Hoo pointed his bow at Seok-Young.  “And three, your face is very expressive, like your eomma’s.  It’s plainly written there.  I can see it in your eyes.”

Seok-Young inhaled and then released a long, slow breath.  “Appa, I’m concerned…  Maybe…it’s not the best idea for Aidan and Aria to stay with us…”  

“Why would you say that, Son?”

Over the next week, despite being constantly hounded by the Shinwha masses—and despite Seok-Young’s interference—Aidan managed to find time to see Mee-Yon.  Although, they were often interrupted.  They tried meeting in several different places—to talk and hang out—but they were always discovered.  The swimming pool was where they had the most privacy, and Aidan knew he could always find Mee-Yon there right before lunchtime.  The problem was that Seok-Young was clearly trying to keep them apart, and he knew about the swimming pool, too—along with all the other places Mee-Yon liked to go.   

Mee-Yon had just finished doing a few laps and had changed back into her uniform.  She straightened her clothing and checked her watch.  Then, she stared expectantly at the door.  She smiled luminously when Aidan walked in, right on schedule.

It hadn’t been easy to find the time or place to be together—alone—but they’d somehow managed it.  They had been meeting up, at least briefly, every day this week.  And it had been wonderful for Mee-Yon…  Aidan would always do at least one sweet thing to brighten her day, even if he it was just bringing her favorite drink.   

Jun-Seo had said at the carnival that Aidan was flirting with her—but she hadn’t believed him.  But now, it did seem that Aidan was going out of his way to see her and be nice to her…  And it sent Mee-Yon’s heart fluttering like mad.  Whenever she saw him, her heart pounded in her chest, and she couldn’t stop smiling…

The romantic tension between them was palpable at home, too.  And Mee-Yon feared that others were aware of her feelings.  She knew that Seok-Young was, for sure, but he hadn’t said anything to her yet.   

That Evening…

Aidan waited, rather impatiently, for Yoon Ji Hoo to get home from work.  When he walked in, Aidan gave him a few minutes before going to his study and knocking. 

Ji Hoo bid him to enter.   

Aidan bowed to Ji Hoo.  “Yoon Ji Hoo-ssi, may I speak with you, sir?” he asked. 

Mee-Yon had seen Aidan go into her father’s study, and—she didn’t feel good about this—but the door had been open just a bit, so she’d eavesdropped.

When she saw Aidan going to leave, she’d hidden around the corner.  After he walked off, she approached the door to the study.  Her appa was sitting in his chair, his hand covering his face. 

Mee-Yon knocked, and she heard her father wearily call her in.

Standing before him with her hands clasped together, Mee-Yon smiled.  “Hello, Appa…”

Ji Hoo put on his best smile and tried to push back all the emotions he was feeling.  “Hello, Mee-Yon-ah.”

Mee-Yon’s chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath.  She just couldn’t wait to find out if her father was going to agree.  “Appa, I…heard what Aidan Sunbae said…”

“Oh, you did?”

“Yes, and I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to listen in, Appa, but I was just wondering…what do you think about it?”

Ji Hoo inhaled deeply and slowly released his breath.  “I don’t know, Mee-Yon-ah...  I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”   

Mee-Yon inadvertently poked her lip out.  And she dropped her head in sorrow.  She looked so depressed that it broke Ji Hoo’s heart.  He sighed.  “I’m sorry, my little lotus.”

Mee-Yon sniffled and nodded.  When she met his eyes again, they were saturated.

“Oh, please don’t cry, my little lotus…,” Ji Hoo muttered painfully. 

“I’m sorry, Appa,” she sniffled.  “But I…I like him, Appa.  Please, Appa…,” she blubbered.  “Please let me go out with him…”

Ji Hoo tightened his mouth.  “Mee-Yon-ah, please understand.  I am not trying to be mean, my little lotus, but I’m just afraid that you’re going to be hurt…  He’s here now, but you know that Aidan will have to return to the US eventually.  That’s where his home is.  And I don’t want you to be heartbroken when that happens.  Just look at how sad you are right now…”

Mee-Yon quickly wiped away her tears.  She needed to show her father that she was not as emotional about it as she seemed.  “No, I’m not sad.  I’m OK, Appa!” she assured.  “It’s OK, really.  It’s not going to be anything serious.  I just want to get to know him better while he’s here.  I understand that he needs to leave, and I’m fine with it.  I just want to go on one date with him, just to get to know him better.”

“You may feel that way now, but…”

“It is how I feel, Appa.  Please, just trust me.”

“It’s not about trust…”

“..Please, Appa.  Can’t I just go out with him once?”  

Ji Hoo could foresee everything that was going to happen, and he desperately wanted to prevent it.  He never wanted his daughter to experience any kind of pain, and it killed him that she already had.

Aidan leaving was a major concern, but Ji Hoo had other worries, too.  Things like:  Could the boy be trusted?  Would his adoring fans swarm them while they were together?  Would they want to do harm to Mee-Yon just for being with him? 

Seok-Young had caught the end of the conversation, and he knocked on his father’s door.  Ji Hoo was spent, and he wondered who it could possibly be this time, but he beckoned the person inside.

As Seok-Young entered, he observed his father leaning forward in his chair with his face buried in his hands.  Silently, Ji Hoo looked up. 

“Appa?”

“Yes, Son?” Ji Hoo replied wearily.

Seok-Young took a moment before finally speaking, “With all due respect, Appa, you can’t possibly be considering letting Mee-Yon-ah go out with Aidan, can you?”

Ji Hoo heavily sighed, “I don’t know, Son.”

“But Appa!” Seok-Young lamented loudly.  Upon realization, he immediately lowered his voice.  “Appa…  I just think it’s a really bad idea.”

“I know that, Seok-Young-ah.”

“Then, why, Appa?”

“I never said I was going to agree,” he simply replied.  “I plan to discuss it with your mother.”

“What is there to discuss, Appa?!” Seok-Young shouted out.  Ji Hoo stared at Seok-Young, who lowered his head in humility upon realizing how he’d rudely raised his voice again. 

There was a pregnant pause... 

“Where is Eomma, anyway?” Seok-Young murmured, attempting to diffuse the tense moment—and he did, in fact, wonder.

“At the hospital, finally delivering that Chul baby after about 40 hours of labor…”

Seok-Young nodded, “Oh.”

“That’s one good thing about being a surgeon—unless it’s an emergency, it’s scheduled.” Ji Hoo continued making small-talk. 

…

“Appa…you’re not really going to let her go out with him, are you?” Seok-Young resurrected the topic. 

Ji Hoo sighed.  “I don’t know.  I need to think about it and talk to your mother.  Believe me, I don’t like it any better than you, but I don’t want to control your sister.  I want her to make her own decisions.”

“She’s young, and parents are supposed to control their children at this age.  That’s their job!” Seok-Young blurted out.  “I mean, um, that’s not what I meant…  Mianhada, Appa!”

Ji Hoo gave a halfhearted chuckle. 

“She’s going to get hurt.  I just know it…,” Seok-Young muttered.  

Ji Hoo heaved a sigh.  “I have a bad feeling about that, too.  I don’t want to see Mee-Yon get hurt, either.  You know that.”

“So, put a stop to it, Appa.  Please!  You can stop it!  She’ll listen to you!  If you forbid her from going out with him, she won’t do it.  She may be angry for awhile, but she’ll get over it, and it’ll be much better in the long run.  Maybe we could take her away, Appa!  Just get her away from him!  You were talking about a vacation, Appa.  Let’s just go, and then Mee-Yon will start to forget all about him!”

Ji hoo suddenly grinned, and Seok-Young was flabbergasted.  “You know, sometimes you really remind me of your eomma…”

Seok-Young simply stood there, taking deep breaths in and out to regain his composure. 

“I told Mee-Yon clearly how I felt about it,” Ji Hoo continued, once Seok-Young calmed a bit, “but I’m not going to lock her away and prevent her from seeing him.  I hope that she’ll respect my feelings and make a good choice.  If not, then perhaps it’s just a lesson she needs to learn…”  

Seok-Young couldn’t believe his ears.  Appa surely wasn’t going to give him some crap about it being better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all, was he?  What kind of horrible lesson was he trying to teach Mee-Yon?  She’d already had to endure that jerk Park Jung Ho.  How could he?!

“Appa, that’s—!” Seok-Young wanted to shout out at his father that it was crazy, and he very nearly did.  He didn’t understand it a bit—how Appa, who had always so closely protected Mee-Yon—could allow her to be set up to be hurt like this.  He was her firefighter, for crying out loud!  It was his job to prevent that!

Seok-Young couldn’t take it anymore, and he stormed out of the study without bothering to show his father any respect. 

Jan Di returned home later that night, thoroughly exhausted from delivering the baby.  Ji Hoo was in bed, but he hadn’t been able to sleep.    

Jan Di greeted her husband, tossed off her lab coat, and began preparing for bed.  “I’m so exhausted I could just fall asleep right here,” Jan Di called from inside the bathroom.  “Maybe I’m becoming like you, Ji Hoo-yah,” she called out, chuckling. 

Ji Hoo smiled faintly.  “That could be, Jan Di-ah.”

“Aigoo!” she suddenly exclaimed.

“What is it, my love?”

“Oh, well I was just thinking…there’s still so much to do for Seoky’s birthday party!  I don’t know how I’ll get it all done!” 

She stepped out of the bathroom in her nightgown. 

“Well, I can help if you need,” Ji Hoo replied.   

Jan Di approached Ji Hoo.  She leaned down and gave him a quick kiss, “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, but you’re not going overboard, are you, Jan Di-ah?”

“No, of course not!  Anyway, how could I go overboard?  It’s his 16^th birthday.  It’s a very special one.” 

Ji Hoo nodded.  “Yes, it is…  He’s really growing up…”

Jan Di nodded.  “It seems like only yesterday that he was born…”

And they both recalled the bittersweet memory.  Jan Di slipped into bed, and Ji Hoo wrapped his arms around her.  He placed a kiss upon the top of her head.  “Jan Di-ah, I was just wondering…”

“Hm?”

“Why do all of your predictions keep coming true?”  

She looked up at him.  “Eh?”

Jan Di considered his statement, and she recalled her prediction about Seo Hyun—that a king or prince would fall for her.  That must be what Ji Hoo meant, but he said predictions…

“What other predictions have I made that have come true, Ji Hoo-yah?”

“Well, do you remember what you said about Mee-Yon liking Aidan Cho?”

“Yes.”

“And do you recall how you said that it wasn’t like he was going to end up liking her?”

“Yes…,” Jan Di responded, as she eyed her husband curiously from below him. 

“Well, I guess it’s more irony than prediction,” Ji Hoo said.  When Jan Di seemed confused, he explained, “Aidan Cho likes our daughter…”

Jan Di’s lips parted.  “Wow.  Really?”

Ji Hoo nodded.  “Yes.  He asked me tonight for permission to take her on a date.”  

“Really?  What did you say?” 

“I told him I’d think about it.  I wanted to get your input…”

“Well, I think…”

Suddenly, Ji Hoo got out of bed and walked across the room. 

He stopped, turning his back to her.  “I don’t like it,” he said.  “Everything is changing…”

Ji Hoo turned to look back at Jan Di, and she smiled tenderly at the man she loved. 

The Next Morning…  

The Yoons sat down to breakfast the next morning.  Jan Di, Ji Hoo, Mee-Yon, and Seok-Young were the first ones in the kitchen.  The pop stars hadn’t yet emerged.    

Ji Hoo and Jan Di finally got around to discussing the subject the previous night, and they felt they’d come to a good compromise. 

Mee-Yon was silently eating her breakfast.  Ji Hoo looked to Jan Di, and she nodded. 

“OK, you can go on one date with him…,” Ji Hoo said.

Mee-Yon’s head snapped toward her father, and a huge grin formed upon her face.  She squealed and rushed over to her father, throwing her arms around his neck.  “Thank you, oh thank you, Appa!  I love you!”

“Thank your mother, too,” Ji Hoo smirked, as he hugged her back.  Mee-Yon broke free from his embrace and went to Jan Di, giving her a hug, as well.   

“But…  I do have one condition,” Ji Hoo interjected.  Mee-Yon turned back to look at him, mid-embrace with Jan Di.    

“A condition, Appa?” and she stared over at him. 

“Yes.  You can go on a date with him, if you also go with your brother and Eun-Jeong.”

Mee-Yon blinked.  “Like, a double-date, Appa?”

Ji Hoo nodded.  “Yes, you can go on a double-date.”

Mee-Yon wasn’t exactly thrilled by the prospect of having her brother accompany them on their date, but it was better than not being allowed to go.  And besides—upon consideration—it might be comforting to have Oppa along.  Maybe it would take some of the pressure off.  She felt so nervous in Aidan’s presence, after all. 

Mee-Yon thanked Ji Hoo and Jan Di again profusely, and in her excitement, she ran out of the room.  Sullenly, Seok-Young met his father’s eyes.