A/N: As always, I am sorry for the long delay between updates. I love this story, but I do think it takes longer for me to update this one because of all the characters and ideas I have for it, which often leads to longer chapters than most of my other stories. Anyway, thanks for your patience!

So, there's definitely some fluff in this chapter, and well, I think this is really funny...I have this friend who I send snippets of my chapters to, and she calls me the Fluff Master, so I will often ask her 'Is it TOO fluffy?' And she will tell me yes or no; she keeps me in check, haha. Thanks, chingu! And then I have another friend, who told me, regarding one of my other stories, that there's NOT too much fluff and that there needs to be more KISSING! Lol. And I told her, don't worry, there will be...there will be plenty of romance to come, but you just have to wait for the build-up. Trust me, it's better this way, I told her. She was chipper about it and said ok, that she'd wait.

What do you all think? Is there such a thing as too much fluff with these characters? Haha! And regarding the kissing, I try to put in more than just kissing, like hugs and touches and you know, sappy words and emotions. I consider that fluff, too I like that stuff, but that might just be me. ;)

Moving on, I wanted to point out that I did make a little mistake, so I changed the name of Jun Pyo's baby (if anyone notices). I originally gave him the same name as Alex's wicked ex's evil father (say that three times fast) who tried to kill them, so yeah, oops! Don't think they would name their kid that, so I changed it, haha. Eh, I'm only human! ;)

I also wanted to share a piece of news with all of you‒I just completed the National Novel Writing Month contest challenge! The challenge was to complete a 50,000-word novel in one month. I have attempted this a few years in the past and didn't make it, but this time I did it! It was a good challenge and a push for me to complete one of my novels, so I'm excited about it. The next step will be to edit it, and then I'll attempt for publication or perhaps enter it into another writing contest.

Disclaimer: I do not own the original Boys Over Flowers characters.

Thanks for your attention, and now, onto it… This ended up being a monstrous chapter, so I split it up. I'll try to put the next part out tomorrow or the next day when I finish my edits. And yeah, the fluff may have gotten a bit out of control… I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Seventeen: Sea-Foam and Other Halves Part I

The Next Morning…

It was 5:45 AM when Ji Hoo dressed for surgery and scrubbed in on Byeong Ho's Double-Outlet Right Ventricle procedure. Clothed in a green gown, cap, mask, and gloves, he stepped into the OR and took his place at the operating table across from Dr. Yu. Another surgeon and a pediatric anesthesiologist would be assisting them, as well as two OR nurses.

Ji Hoo glanced around the operating room almost nostalgically. He'd been in this place thousands of times, but he hadn't been performing surgery much during the past few years due to his relatively new role as Director. And he almost never operated on infants. He'd only made the exception because it was Yi Jeong who had requested it.

Every surgery was important to Ji Hoo, and he always strove to give the highest quality care, but this operation brought an extra layer of urgency, due to who the patient was. The fortunate thing was that Yoon Ji Hoo performed exceedingly well under pressure. It seemed that as the stakes rose so did Ji Hoo's perfectionism. He wasn't being arrogant in thinking this about himself, but he'd noticed an even higher level of quality in his work in those high-pressure situations, as had others. He'd even heard one person comment that in those circumstances it was as if he went outside of his body and became an entirely different surgeon, more machine than man. Ji Hoo didn't know about that, but in such cases, he did become stubborn, relentless, even, and he refused to let any obstacle overcome him and his team. Like Jan Di. His wife was like that, too, only all the time, in everything she did.

Yes, this surgery was completely different from the others because it wasn't just any infant on Ji Hoo's table but So Byeong Ho. And he wasn't just any patient; he was the son of one of his best friends. Therefore, Ji Hoo was taking every possible precaution to make sure the surgery was a success. He'd studied the procedure meticulously and had practiced with Dr. Yu on grapes until his hands practically bled, but that was not enough… Although Dr. Yu was confident, Ji Hoo was taking no chances, so to be certain it would go smoothly, he had contacted a specialist from Boston Children's Hospital, who would be guiding them via video chat during the procedure.

For Ji Hoo, failure was not an option here. As if the commander of an important mission, he was determined to guide his team to success, and should problems arise‒like any good commander‒he would calmly lay out the options, and they would handle the situation without panicking.

But he had panicked before, sixteen years ago…

That situation had been totally different, though. At the time, he wasn't the one in charge; he was just the terrified husband and soon-to-be father… And he was much younger and perhaps weaker, then... But that was what love did to a person‒it made them strong and weak all at once. Although, Ji Hoo was positive that Jan Di and his love for her empowered him more than anything.

Ji Hoo couldn't deny that this situation made him emotional inside, too, because blood or not, Byeong Ho was family. F4 was, always had been, and always would be Ji Hoo's family, and now Byeong Ho was a part of that. And Ji Hoo thought of Yi Jeong and Ga Eul out there waiting…Yi Jeong was probably pacing the halls, and Ga Eul might be seated, trying to occupy herself with whatever motherly duties she could complete at the hospital via her phone and planner so as not to neglect the other children, but all the while, she would have her baby on her mind.

The fear of a parent whose child is sick or hurt is very real; Ji Hoo knew this well, and he, again, thought of his own scary moments as a father and a husband…

Suddenly, Ji Hoo was back in the past, reliving that day he first became a father…

He could see Seok Young being born...he could see him being pulled out of Jan Di by the shoulders; he could see his head and that familiar patch of hair, and he could hear his first cries. He could also see Jan Di, exhausted and sweaty yet looking beautiful and with pure bliss written upon her pale face. And he could feel the immense joy in his heart, followed almost immediately by desperation and despair when Jan Di started to hemorrhage…

In Ji Hoo's mind, there were only two things a man could never recover from‒the loss of his wife and the loss of his child. Either scenario would be devastating, but he had nearly lost both in one fell swoop. Yes, they'd lost their first child, and although they would always remember and cherish that child, it had been so early in the pregnancy that he and Jan Di's grief had eventually subsided. But what if he had lost Jan Di in childbirth, or what if they'd lost Seok Young only hours before he was born after 'getting to know him' all those months during the pregnancy? Thinking back on it now, a violent shudder actually shook Ji Hoo. He still didn't know if he could've gone on if that happened, and he had been powerless to stop it.

If not for Dr. Jang…

That day, Ji Hoo had learned‒or rather been forced–to put the life of his loved ones in the hands of another. This made him recall a conversation with Yi Jeong prior to the operation...

"I believe in your abilities, Ji Hoo, and if you say this doctor is good, then I believe that, too. It's just...hard," Yi Jeong said.

"I understand. It would be hard for any parent."

Yi Jeong ran a hand through his dark hair. "Yes… It's just so hard to trust someone enough to operate on my child...even you, Ji Hoo. I've known you almost my entire life, and you're the best doctor I know; I trust you implicitly...you even saved my wife and child not long ago, and I owe you everything for that. Yet, here I am, putting my son in your hands again. I know I shouldn't falter; I know I shouldn't feel this way because it's you, and if it was going to be anyone, it had to be you…but still, to let someone do that to my son…"

Ji Hoo had known what Yi Jeong was referring to‒the concept of cutting his son open and messing around inside his small body, the idea of touching his tiny, vulnerable heart. And Ji Hoo wondered how he would feel if it were Seok Young or Mee-Yon on his table right now. Could he cut them open and stick his hands inside? Could he do what it took to save them? He would if he had to, or at least he'd like to think so. Although he desperately hoped that day would never come, he hoped he would have the presence of mind to do what it took, and he hoped he could do that now.

Ji Hoo recalled the rest of that conversation with his good friend…

"It's only natural for a father to worry about his child." Ji Hoo stuck his hands in the pockets of his lab coat. "It's a true test of faith to put the life of a loved one in the hands of another, but it is necessary sometimes."

He'd said that to Yi Jeong, thinking specifically of the time when he'd had to put Jan Di in Dr. Jang's hands. It served to remind him of how terrified he'd been that day, but sometimes in life, it is important to remember those defining moments that make you the person you are.

"I don't know if I trust anyone enough. Even if I was a great doctor, I don't think I would trust even myself to do it." Yi Jeong sighed heavily.

. . .

"How do you do it, Ji Hoo-ah?" Yi Jeong's earlier words rang in Ji Hoo's head as he prepared to operate.

"What?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Take the lives of others in your hands? I don't think I could do it."

"Well, I suppose I go in with confidence and also humility, knowing that all is not within my control. I always do my very best, and I believe in my own abilities and in medicine, but sometimes I have to rely on something greater than that. Sometimes matters are out of our hands, and we have to have faith...faith in someone or something else, faith in what we don't know or can't see."

Surprisingly, that seemed to appease Yi Jeong at the time, or at least he pretended that it did…

Presently, Ji Hoo looked down at the tiny infant lying helpless on his table under the bright lights with an endotracheal tube down his throat. Byeong Ho was quite small for his age, which was not surprising due to his condition, and the defect had also given him a bluish tint to his skin due to reduced blood flow to the pulmonary artery.

Ji Hoo had instructed the pediatric anesthesiologist to very carefully monitor the amount and effect of the general anesthesia, so he was closely eyeing the baby's heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and oxygen rate on the monitor. Meanwhile, Ji Hoo's eyes roamed over Byeong Ho as he began to drift off; he looked between the monitor and Byeong Ho, and then he placed a finger on his nephew's tiny wrist to keep track of his pulse manually.

"It's almost time," Ji Hoo said. The anesthesiologist nodded.

A crowd of doctors had gathered in the gallery to observe the surgery, for several reasons. For one, this was a relatively rare condition, and two, Director Yoon was performing the procedure. Yoon Ji Hoo was practically a legend at the hospital but wasn't in surgery much these days due to his bureaucratic responsibilities, so some were taking the opportunity to learn something, and others were just curious to watch him in action.

Before beginning, Ji Hoo glanced up at the observation gallery and noticed that, in addition to the crowd, Jan Di was looking down on him, and as always, that encouraged him. His ever loving wife continued to be his greatest supporter and the singular person who could put his mind at ease better than anyone. Despite how sappy it might seem, he still felt that she gave him strength and courage; she challenged him in her own loving way and pushed him beyond his limitations.

After a clear look to Jan Di and the exchange of a tender smile, Ji Hoo addressed his surgical team, his voice being projected into the gallery for the spectators to hear. "Some of you may never have seen this before, but the patient's aorta and pulmonary artery are both connected to the right ventricle, a condition known as Double-Outlet Right Ventricle. The issue here is obviously that the right ventricle is circulating oxygen-poor blood throughout the body, so our task will be to connect the aorta to the left ventricle."

As she was the pediatric cardiologist and head on Byeong Ho's case, Ji Hoo then turned it over to Dr. Yu. "Based upon the echocardiogram and CT, Dr. Yoon and I have decided to perform an intraventricular tunnel repair, which will involve creating a tunnel to connect the left ventricle to the aorta. We'll then place a patch in the heart to direct blood flow to the aorta."

Ji Hoo nodded to Dr. Yu. "We should also see a small hole in the septum that we'll need to repair," he inserted, for everyone's benefit. "It's called a ventricular septal defect and often occurs with this condition."

Dr. Yu nodded to him. "Yes, Doctor."

Ji Hoo turned to the group again. He'd gotten into the habit of giving his team a short pep talk (of sorts) prior to surgery after filling them in on the technical details. He'd learned this from Jan Di, actually, who liked to do that with her colleagues. The thought made Ji Hoo smile‒after all these years Jan Di was still teaching him and exposing him to new things.

Ji Hoo's speeches were more succinct than Jan Di's but still sincere. He would always remind the team that there was a human life in their hands, that it was someone's wife or husband; someone's child, sister or brother, and he would instruct them to remain focused and do great work. "One last thing," Ji Hoo added, "this surgery is of great personal importance to me, so please do your absolute best work. Let's begin." He bowed his head to the group, and they bowed back, chiming, "Yes, Director," in unison.

Ji Hoo looked up once more at Jan Di in the gallery and then back down at Byeong Ho. And he made a silent promise to his nephew. You'll be just fine, Byeong Ho-ah. Uncle Ji Hoo will take care of you and make it so that you can feel better and breathe easily. Ji Hoo shut his eyes briefly and found his 'zone.' He opened them again and held his hand out to the OR nurse at his side. "Scalpel."

Meanwhile, Ga Eul and Yi Jeong were in the family waiting room. It was nicer, more comfortable, and more private than the regular waiting room. As Ji Hoo had predicted, Yi Jeong could not keep still and was pacing around the room. Ga Eul was just staring out into space, but when she noticed her husband's unrest she called out to him.

Yi Jeong snapped his head toward her. "What is it, Jagiya?"

Ga Eul shook her head. "Nothing. Just...why don't you sit down, Yi Jeong-ah."

Yi Jeong sighed. "I can't. I'm going crazy already, and it's barely begun. I need to do something."

"Everything will be fine," she promised him‒and herself. "But if you want to do something, could you…?"

She didn't even get to finish her sentence before he made his way over and knelt down in front of her. "Yes, anything. What do you need?" he urged, taking her hands.

"Well, could you bring me a cup of tea?" Mainly, she wanted to give him something to do, but she also hoped it would calm her own nerves.

"Of course." Yi Jeong kissed the soft skin of his wife's forehead and stood, and he left the room.

Once Yi Jeong was gone, Ga Eul released a heavy sigh. She was nervous, and Yi Jeong's antsiness wasn't making it any easier. She didn't want to show her husband how worried she truly was, though, because he'd only fret over her. But she knew that giving him a task, even the smallest of ones would make him feel useful.

Yi Jeong returned moments later with a paper cup. He handed it his wife, who took the warm cup between her hands and held it there. And Yi Jeong slumped into the green vinyl chair beside her. After a few minutes of silence, Ga Eul noticed that her husband was watching her, so she blew on the tea, brought it to her lips, and took a sip. "It's really good," she said, assuring him he'd done a fine job. And then she grew silent again.

"What are you thinking about, Jagiya?" Yi Jeong asked after a time. He knew it was surely about their son, but he didn't know the specifics.

"I was just thinking…" She sighed. "Well, I know Ji Hoo will do his very best for our son, and I believe Byeong Ho will be alright, but Yi Jeong, sometimes I wonder what kind of life our little boy will have..."

Yi Jeong nodded sullenly. He'd wanted Ji Hoo to be honest with them, and he always was, so Ji Hoo had informed them that the surgery was not highly risky and would likely be successful but that Byeong Ho may require further treatment, even additional surgery in the future.

Ga Eul was thinking about that, too. "It doesn't seem fair, does it? I want him to be able to run and play like other boys without getting out of breath or nearly passing out, but will he be able to do that? And he may even need surgery again in a few short years, right? Is this what Byeong Ho's life will be like, in and out of the hospital?"

Yi Jeong put an arm around his wife, and she settled her head against his shoulder. "Don't worry, Jagiya. We'll do whatever it takes to make sure that Byeong Ho has as normal and happy a childhood as possible."

Ga Eul smiled at this; she closed her eyes and continued resting her head on her husband's strong, supportive shoulder. "Yes, you're right. Thank you, Yi Jeong-ah."

Because of the surgery, the Sos had given their children the option of going to school or not. Eun Jeong had decided to miss and go to the hospital while her siblings had gone to school. She didn't really have much going on that day and would only be distracted if she went to school. Besides, she was not so studious as Yeong Hui, and Jae Jin had a test in the morning but would be coming after.

Ji Hoo and Jan Di had also allowed Mee-Yon and Seok Young to miss in order to support Eun Jeong, Aunt Ga Eul, and Uncle Yi Jeong at the hospital, though Seok Young had a rehearsal later in the afternoon. He only planned to go if everything was fine with Byeong Ho and Eun Jeong, though.

Jan Di had brought the kids in earlier that morning, around 5:30, and when they passed by the nurses' station, they were all greeted brightly by the head nurse, an overly friend middle-aged woman who was close with Jan Di. Dressed in her lab coat, Jan Di greeted her nurse friend, who vibrantly greeted back with a 'Good morning, Dr. Geum! Good morning, kids!'

Seok Young was still half-asleep yet surprisingly awake due to the situation, and Mee-Yon was no morning person either, but she'd managed to muster some extra energy in order to be there for her best friend. Both children bowed politely to the ahjumma.

"Ahh, Mee-Yon is getting so beautiful!" the nurse exclaimed, to which Mee-Yon gave her a smile and another bow. Mee-Yon was always surprised to hear such things because she didn't think of herself as a beautiful girl. She thought herself average-looking at best. She didn't wear makeup, aside from the occasional lip gloss, clear or with a hint of color. What was the point of that, anyway? She was always swimming, and makeup would just get messed up in the water. She also knew she wasn't so thin, but she wasn't fat, either. She was lean and athletic, and that wasn't just what she said to make herself feel better. Because she was always swimming or running, she was nearly pure muscle, but that was not a physique often considered beautiful for a girl, at least not at her age.

Jan Di smiled and thanked the woman for the compliment.

"And she's so tall! She's growing like a weed," the nurse went on. Mee-Yon didn't think of herself as very tall, either, though she had recently sprouted up and was taller than her mom now. She was beginning to develop more, too, which she was kind of thankful for. She had been beginning to think she was going to be one of those really late bloomers and worried that girls might start whispering about her.

Jan Di smiled at the 'weed' comment. "Yes, she is. It's because her dad is tall," she replied.

And then the nurse took a good look at Seok Young, and her jaw practically dropped. "Seok Young is so handsome! Wau, he's like a living statue…," she said in awe. "He's really a mini Dr. Yoon, isn't he?"

Seok Young glanced shyly downward and kicked at some invisible dirt on the floor. He always got embarrassed when women said things like that about him.

Jan Di laughed a bit and put an arm around each of her taller children. "Thank you. And yes, he is. In more than looks." She grinned up at Seok Young, and he gave his mother a little smile back.

It was just past 6:15 AM, and Mee-Yon and Seok Young had found Eun Jeong and were with her in the waiting room. Seok Young was standing a few feet away, watching as his sister tried to cheer her best friend up. Mee-Yon was a little wired on her first cup of coffee ever, so she was speaking more rapidly than usual, telling Eun Jeong she had nothing to worry about, that it was her appa in there and that he was the greatest surgeon who ever lived.

Seok Young smiled faintly at his sister's enthusiasm and her complete and utter faith in their father. Yes, their father was very good at his job, but he wasn't infallible. In a way, Seok Young felt bad for his father. Everyone always looked to Dr. Yoon Ji Hoo when something, anything medical arose as if he was some miracle worker. But he wasn't; he was a man. Smart and talented, yes, but he was just a man, and he could fail. It was just like how everyone expected Seok Young's music to be perfect, always.

But Seok Young wasn't perfect, and neither was his father. Mistakes could happen, circumstances could sometimes be out of his control; he could fail…

And Seok Young recalled how his appa had failed Ha Joon all those years ago… The situation wasn't really within his control, but the fact of the matter was that his adoptive brother's father had died at his father's hands. Maybe that was why Appa had ended up adopting Ha Joon, though he would never say that out loud. Ha Joon didn't seem to hold any of it against Appa, though; he was a mature and forgiving person, and Seok Young had always thought them to be close. Perhaps it was because they'd both lost their parents, and that connected them in a way most could not understand…

Getting back to the situation at hand, Seok Young considered how things could go wrong now. There could be complications, or maybe it was just his time, though it seemed entirely too early for a baby to go. Still, Byeong Ho might die in surgery, and Seok Young had no idea how he would console his girlfriend if that happened. How would he even look her in the eye if it was his father who couldn't save her little brother? And to think that only months ago, Appa had brought Aunt Ga Eul back from the brink of death…

Poor, Appa. He never gets a break. He must be feeling so much pressure right now…

Seok Young sighed, blowing his red bangs out of his face in the process. Maybe he was worrying too much. As she had in the past, Mee Yon-ah would probably call him a worrywort‒a term she'd picked up from a movie or something, so he decided to think positively like Mee-Yon was doing. He wouldn't think about worst-case scenario, and he would just be there for Eun Jeong.

The Yoon boy looked back at the two most important girls in his life (aside from his mom), and he saw that they both had their hands clasped and were now saying a prayer for Byeong Ho. When Mee-Yon noticed that he wasn't doing it, she came over and gave her brother a shake, encouraging him to say a prayer with them. Seok Young usually wasn't the type to do so, but he agreed and closed his eyes and said a silent one.

Afterward, he walked over and sat beside Eun Jeong, who was now in between him and Mee-Yon, and he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Eun Jeong smiled up appreciatively at him and turned her gaze across the room. Seconds later, the Sos entered the waiting room, and Eun Jeong got up and went to be with her parents. Seok Young stiffened a bit at their entrance. He stood and walked over to a nearby corner, putting some distance between him and Uncle Yi Jeong.

It wasn't that he was afraid, exactly, but he thought it best to give his uncle some time and space because of the current situation and the previous incident. It was the first time Seok Young had seen him since the incident, and Uncle Yi Jeong didn't even look at him. The teen assumed that his uncle was either too mad or was just focused on Byeong Ho right now. The latter, yes, that was probably it. As bad as it sounded, Seok Young thought it fortunate‒for him‒that Uncle Yi Jeong was so preoccupied, and surely in no mood to kill him for keeping his daughter out all night. Not that he was glad this was happening… In fact, he felt really bad right now‒and helpless, too. The Sos looked so anguished, even though all were trying to be strong, and he just wished he could do something for his girlfriend.

As for Seok Young, his parents hadn't been at all pleased with him for staying out all night with Eun Jeong… When he got home that night, he could tell that they'd been very worried, especially Eomma, who had been the one to discover he was missing. She'd sent him a couple frantic text messages before he responded, but apparently, Appa had calmed her down some by the time he got home. He did, however, get a lecture about it, as he expected.

After explaining the situation, his appa sighed and said, "I understand that it was an accident, but you need to be more cautious next time, Seok Young. Do you have any idea how much you worried not only us but Eun Jeong's parents, as well?"

"Yes! I thought something terrible had happened to you!" his eomma chimed in. "Like, maybe you had an accident, or someone kidnapped you, or you were lying in a ditch somewhere...I thought I was going to have a heart attack!" she exclaimed.

Seok Young was glad Appa had calmed her down some, and he knew that this was indeed calm for his eomma in such a situation, even though it was the first…

Appa put a hand on her shoulder, which calmed her a bit more. "And not to mention…," she began.

His appa nodded, seeming to know what she meant by that special connection they had. And since she was getting worked up all over again, Appa took over for her. "Not to mention, do you understand how it can be perceived when a teenage boy and girl stay out all night?"

"But we didn't do anything! I'd never…!" Seok Young protested with his words and hands. But he lowered his head immediately when he realized he'd raised his voice to his father. "Mianhada, Appa."

Appa spoke calmly, "It's alright, and we believe you, but it just...looked a certain way."

Keeping his eyes lowered, Seok Young nodded.

"Just be more mindful next time," his eomma joined in. "Always make sure your phone is charged, and that curfew is not just a suggestion; it's the rule. I know, I know...," Eomma waved her hands in the air before Seok Young could even think about saying anything. "You fell asleep… Well, don't get so comfortable that you might fall asleep next time. I know you and your father and your sleeping habits, so don't give me that 'I'm just resting my eyes' garbage..."

Eomma was off on a tangent now, and Seok Young watched Appa stifle a grin. Right away, Appa put on a stone face, and they both listened carefully.

Eomma finally finished her rant. "Anyway, just make sure it doesn't happen again. Arasso?!"

Seok Young nodded his head. "Yes, Eomma."

But Eomma didn't seem quite ready to let it go, and he heard her sniffle. "If...if anything ever happened to you, Seoky, I'd…" He saw tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Eommaaa…," he whined, "Eomma, please don't cry." He fought back tears of his own; he really couldn't stand it when Eomma cried.

Appa had been rubbing Eomma's shoulders, but now he took a step back and held out his hand as if to say 'Go, hug your eomma.' So, Seok Young did. He took a step forward and held out his arms. "Eomma, I'm so…" He couldn't finish his sentence because Eomma stepped forward and crashed into his chest. He wrapped his arms fully around her, and she held him tightly while they embraced. "I'm really sorry, Eomma," he said. She finally pulled back from him and wiped away her tears. She nodded and placed a hand on his face.

Appa was smiling from behind them. "Why don't you go to bed now, Seok Young."

Seok Young nodded, bowed to each of them and went to his room. He didn't know if he'd end up being punished or not, though it didn't seem like it.

His parents hadn't said anything more about it since then, but they'd had other things on their mind, namely Byeong Ho's surgery. Eun Jeong's parents had been likewise preoccupied, but she told him about her conversation with her father, and Seok Young was relieved that they'd managed to make amends and that Eun Jeong didn't seem to be in too much trouble, either. They'd gotten off easy, for sure, but he didn't plan on being so careless and running that risk again.

Leaning against the far wall of the waiting room now, Seok Young folded his arms and pretended to sleep. He'd been known to do this and it was early, so everyone would believe it and not bother him, but he was actually watching the entire time, ready to jump in if Eun Jeong needed him for anything. Right now, Uncle Yi Jeong was focused on his wife and daughter, but he surely knew that he was there. Seok Young assumed he was just tolerating his presence for the time being...

As for the other members of F4, they all led busy lives, but they'd all planned to stop in at the hospital as soon as they could. Woo Bin and Ji Hye showed up next, at ten to 7. Woo Bin had taken an early meeting and canceled the rest of his day, so he could be there as long as they wanted him to be. The Mafia Prince and construction chaebol went to his best friend's (Yi Jeong) side immediately, and his wife went to Ga Eul's. And Woo Bin talked with Yi Jeong while Ji Hye gave Ga Eul a hug and urged her to sit. The women sat together and talked while the men stood nearby, doing the same.

. . .

Jun Pyo showed up next, around 7:30 AM. He was dressed in a black, designer suit, but he had Jun young strapped to his front in a giraffe print baby carrier and had a matching diaper bag slung over his arm. Jun Pyo's arms were through a pair of brown and white patched straps, and the four-month-old was inside, nestled against his father's chest, wearing an attached hat with giraffe ears and ossicones on his head.

This seemed to briefly lighten the tense mood, even earning a grin from Yi Jeong when Woo Bin commented, "Giraffe print, nice look," to Jun Pyo and pointed to the baby carrier strapped to his front.

"Aish, I didn't pick it out! Alex thought it was cute…," Jun Pyo muttered. He lowered his voice so as not to wake his sleeping baby. "Anyway, It's better than carrying him around," he spoke in a harsh whisper. "At least my hands are free if I need to make a call."

"True," Woo Bin remarked. After all, he'd been in a similar position before, having a baby carrier strapped to him, but not out in public and not such a...cutesy one. He was actually a bit surprised Alex had picked it out because she wasn't usually so feminine. Maybe Jun Pyo had actually been the one and was just covering… Woo Bin smirked at his own thought but then turned his attention to what Jun Pyo was saying.

The Shinwha president was mainly complaining about his wife and how she had dared to go to work and leave him with the baby after giving the maids the day off. "She didn't think she would need them today, but then she got a call and suddenly had to go to the office." Jun Pyo groaned. "That woman is a workaholic."

"Look who's talking...you're not much better!" Woo Bin clapped Jun Pyo on the back.

"Yeah! Did she assume I had nothing else to do today?!"

Woo Bin smirked, finding it funny, considering Jun Pyo used to avoid work and just do whatever he wanted. He'd really grown up and thrown himself into Shinwha completely since his mother's retirement, and with Alex, the company had expanded even more.

Now, Jun Pyo and Alex were considering working with the thriving JK Group and had been making arrangements for that. They'd heard Jae Kyung was a force to be reckoned with, but Jun Pyo knew how to deal with that monkey ex-fiancee of his. Wistfully, Jun Pyo wondered if she'd changed at all… Shaking off his curiosity, he went over to Yi Jeong and Ga Eul. He greeted them and asked if there was any word.

"Not yet," Yi Jeong said.

"Well, what the hell is taking Ji Hoo so long?" He grumbled, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

Yi Jeong's expression remained somber, and Ga Eul forced a smile.

"It'll be fine." Jun Pyo sighed. "It's Ji Hoo, right." He said it as if there should be no doubt there and they were all fools for questioning his best friend's skills. "I'd bet good money he pulls this off." No, Jun Pyo was not worried a bit.

"Yeah." Yi Jeong nodded and smiled a bit at Jun Pyo's level of trust in their mutual friend. Then Yi Jeong turned to Ga Eul and placed a hand on her arm.

"You're right, Jun Pyo Sunbae, thank you," she said.

"Sunbae, Sunbae, why still the sunbae, Ga Eul?" Jun Pyo complained.

"Yeah, Ga Eul-ah, we've all been friends forever, and we're not in school anymore," Woo Bin added.

Ga Eul's cheeks tinted pink. She supposed she should move on to a less formal way of speaking to her good friends of nearly twenty years. She was honestly shocked they hadn't said something about it sooner. "You're right, Jun Pyo-ah, Woo Bin-ah." She gave them an affectionate smile.

When the adults took a break from talking, Mee-Yon went over to see little Jun Young. "Ooo, he looks so cute in that, Uncle Jun Pyo," she quietly squealed so as not to wake him.

Jun Pyo smirked down at his niece. Just then, his phone started to ring loudly, waking Jun Young and causing him to cry. Jun Pyo groaned. "Ahh…" He turned to Mee-Yon. "Yoon Mee-Yon, can you watch him for a few minutes?"

"Um, I…" But before Mee-Yon knew it, her uncle was unhooking the carrier and sliding the straps off himself and putting it over her arms. He went around the back of her and fastened the carrier on.

Standing before her once more, he said, "I need to take this call. I won't be long, though."

"But, Uncle Jun Pyo, I've never...I don't know if…"

Jun Pyo couldn't help but grin at the look on Mee Yon's face. She had that cute, dumbfounded look that reminded him so much of Jan Di. Although she shared some of his best friend's facial features, her mannerisms, personality, and the eyes...were purely her mother. "You'll be fine," he assured. "Everything you need is in the bag, diapers, bottles, etc." He set the diaper bag at her feet. "I won't be long, and Jun Seo will be here soon. He can help. Thanks!" Before she could say anything else, Jun Pyo walked out of the room, picking up his phone and barking loudly into it as he did.

Mee-Yon stood there with her little cousin strapped to her front, staring at the empty doorway for nearly a minute after her uncle left. And she let out a gust of breath. She had no experience whatsoever babysitting, but she decided to rise to the challenge. At least if she got into trouble, she had her best friend and brother there to consult with, though she wanted to do it all on her own. "You can do this, Yoon Mee-Yon, hwaiting!" she told herself, pumping a fighting fist. Then she looked down at Jun Young. "Please take care of me, Jun Young-ah!" She giggled. "And I'll take care of you, too. I promise."

. . .

An hour later, Jun Pyo was still nowhere to be seen, and neither Jun Seo nor Ju Mi had arrived yet. Jun Young was still awake, but Mee-Yon was getting the hang of taking care of him. She'd managed to get him to stop crying by feeding him a bottle of milk; she'd even burped him, and she was feeling pretty proud of herself. Now, she had his hood off and was sitting in a chair in the waiting room making silly faces at him in order to get him to smile. Mee-Yon closed her eyes, poked her cheeks out, and made a sputtering noise through her lips. She opened her eyes wide and made the sound again, and Jun Young laughed. She beamed down at him. "You laughed, Jun Young-ah, good job!"

"Hey, everyone…," Mee-Yon began to call out, but when she looked around the room, no one seemed to be there. Uncle Yi Jeong and Aunt Ga Eul had gone off somewhere, and Seok Young and Eun Jeong had gone, too. They probably wanted to have a moment alone.

Mee-Yon sighed. "Well, at least I got to hear you laugh," she told baby Jun Young. "I wonder if you ever did that before."

Ten minutes later, Jun Pyo was back for Jun Young. He told her she did a good job and then whipped a handful of won out to try and give to her for her trouble, but she politely refused. "You're just like your eomma, Duckling," he said. And then he got another call and asked her to watch his son again. She agreed.

Eun Jeong and Seok Young returned shortly after, and Eun Jeong offered to help her, but Mee-Yon was treating this like a challenge, which she wanted to do all on her own. Besides, Eun Jeong was stressed, and she surely wanted time alone with Seok Young, so Mee-Yon would oblige.

The Yoon girl decided to go for a walk with Jun Young in order to give the two lovebirds some space, so she stepped out of the room and started walking down the hall. She waved vibrantly to the nurses at the nurses' station and stopped to let them coo over the Goo baby. After a few minutes, she continued walking, wishing good morning and bowing to all the doctors and patients who passed her in the hall. Most of the staff knew her, but the patients were mainly confused by the random, friendly teenager walking the halls with a baby.

As Mee-Yon passed the elevator, it opened, and Jun Seo came strolling off in his uniform with his backpack slung over one shoulder. She tightened her jaw and waltzed up to him, asking, "Where have you been, Slacker?"

"Slacker?!" Jun Seo barked, annoyed at how she'd pounced on him the second he walked in. Although, she did look nice today… He shook the thought off and noticed that she'd already taken off walking without him. He pursued her. When he caught up, he grabbed her by the crook of the arm, turning her around.

"Yah," she complained.

"Why did you call me a slacker?" he demanded, staring down at her.

Mee-Yon looked up at him with those big, caramel eyes of hers. "Because I've been watching your baby brother for over an hour while Uncle Jun Pyo took calls, and you were supposed to be here. Where have you been?"

Jun Seo scowled. "Who said I was supposed to be here?"

"Your appa." She took in his attire. "Did you go to school?" she asked, though she knew the answer must be yes since he was in his uniform. At first, she'd assumed he just slept in or something.

"Yeah, babo, I did. Can't you tell?" Mee-Yon opened to retort but then closed it and just glared at him. "And you're the slacker! Not all of us get to skip like you." He sneered.

"I'm not skipping. It's a family emergency, so I got permission. And I figured since your dad owns the school that it would be no problem for you to miss. Besides, Uncle Jun Pyo said you were coming."

They started walking together.

"Well, my appa and eomma did say I could miss today, but I had to go in early and make up a test first."

"A make-up test? Ooo, did you flunk?" She stared up at Jun Seo with wide eyes.

"No! I...was sick."

Mee Yon's pink mouth made a little 'O,' and he suspected that she didn't believe him.

"I was!" He stopped to fume for a moment.

"Alright, I believe you." Mee-Yon shrugged and looked down at Jun Young. "Anyway, I didn't really mind watching Jun Young-ah. He's really cute." She the back of his head.

"Sure, he is. He's my brother, after all." Mee-Yon looked at Jun Seo as he pointed at his chest. And she laughed; she just couldn't help it.

Jun Seo's eyes flashed from beneath the single curl that hung over his forehead. "What?!"

"Nothing…" Mee-Yon covered to keep from laughing, and he moved in closer.

He stared down menacingly at her, or at least, he was trying to, but that only made Mee-Yon laugh harder. "Stop laughing," he hissed.

"I'm...I'm...sorry, b-but...but that was funny." Mee-Yon got herself together and looked up at a still seething Jun Seo. "You know, your baby brother does have a much nicer disposition than you," she teased, making Jun Seo even angrier.

He wasn't sure why, but her laughing at him had really annoyed him, and her teasing made it even worse. "Yah, give me my brother back!" he demanded, dropping his backpack and holding his arms out.

"What?"

"Give him to me!"

Mee-Yon sighed. "Fine." She carefully unstrapped the infant and held him out to her junior. Jun Seo took Jun Young in his arms. Mee-Yon moved to put the carrier on him, but he got flustered. "I got it!" he exclaimed, not knowing what to do with this feeling that came over him whenever Mee-Yon got too close or touched him in some way.

"Okay, but be careful. Support his head." Mee-Yon held her arms out in case Jun Seo lost his hold on Jun Young.

"Do you think I'm an idiot, Noona?" he demanded as he slipped the straps over his arms, backward, putting Jun Young on his back like a backpack.

Mee-Yon folded her arms and watched. "The other way," she commented.

His mistake embarrassed him, so to hide it, Jun Seo glared at her. "Don't you think I know how to handle my own brother?" He brought Jun Young around to his front, slipped on the carrier and fumbled with the back buckle.

Mee-Yon sighed. "Let me help," she said.

Jun Seo tightened his mouth but let her this time. And he tried to ignore the shiver he felt when her fingertips lightly brushed the middle of his back. Mee-Yon had long fingers with short stubby nails, which were never painted, he recalled. Jun Seo swallowed out of her sight while she focused on snapping the two buckles into place.

"There," she said, coming around to face him again, "Now you won't drop him."

Jun Seo scoffed. "Like I'd drop him… Come on, Jun Young-ah, let's get away from this annoying girl!"

"Annoying?!" Jun Seo smirked, and Mee-Yon slapped her hands against the side of her jeans in defeat.

Jun Seo started to walk away, and Mee-Yon picked up his backpack for him. "You forgot this," she said, beginning to chase him down the hall. He walked faster to keep some distance between them, grinning at the fact that she was following, but he didn't make it far before catching a whiff of an awful smell. Practically gagging, he stopped. By now, Mee-Yon was standing right behind him; he turned around to look at her. "What's that smell?"

"Don't look at me." Mee-Yon placed her hands on her hips. And then she caught wind of it, too, and her classic Grecian nose wrinkled up. "Um, I think your brother needs a diaper change."

Jun Seo's mouth dropped open, and Mee-Yon walked off, amidst Jun Seo's protests. He followed her to the waiting room where she'd left the diaper bag. She grabbed it and brought it over to him. "Here you go." She slung the bag over his shoulder. "Good luck, Goo Jun Seo."

Mee-Yon patted Jun Seo on the back, turned away from him, and began walking away.

"Noona! Where are you going?" he cried out.

Fighting back a grin, Mee-Yon kept on walking.

"Noona, wait!" he called in desperation.

She stopped and looked back at him over her shoulder. "What?" she asked casually.

Jun Seo approached her in a hurry. He'd already taken the baby carrier off and was now holding his brother out like a bomb needing deactivation.

Mee-Yon quirked a brow. "What? Don't tell me you need help. I thought you could handle your brother."

"I can, but...well, you're a girl..."

"Yeah, so?" Mee-Yon folded her arms and squinted over at him. "Are you saying only girls can change diapers?"

"Yes."

Mee-Yon narrowed her eyes and shook her head in disgust. "Bye, Jun Seo. Have fun." She spun around and began to walk off, but Jun Seo shouted to her. "Wait!" When she looked back, he had a desperate expression on his face. "I didn't mean that."

She slowly approached him. "Do you admit you need my help?"

"Yes, yes, I do. Please help me!"

Taking pity on him, Mee-Yon relieved Jun Seo of his adorable yet stinky burden. "Alright, but you owe me one."

She didn't really need a favor and wasn't even sure what she'd ask of him, but she couldn't resist making Jun Seo pay a little for all the times he'd tortured her in the past.

"Fine, whatever you want!"

Mee-Yon smiled in satisfaction. "I'm going to hold you to that." And she decided that she'd have to think of something really good…

As for the rest of the F4 kids, they were as busy as their parents, and most had gone to school today, in order to keep up with their studies and lessons and clubs, but most had managed to get away for a bit and at least drop by the hospital. All had special drivers, so it was not difficult for them to come and go whenever they wanted. And some brought their schoolwork while others were on their phones as they waited at the hospital.

. . .

It had been nearly three hours since the surgery began, so everyone was getting anxious. Currently, Mee-Yon sat, slouched in her chair, in the waiting room. Jun Seo was across the room, seated in another row of chairs, also on his phone, and the others were around somewhere, but she didn't know where they'd gone to at the moment. Mee-Yon had exchanged a couple of texts with Aidan, and now she was playing a game on her phone to keep herself occupied while she waited. She glanced up after finishing a round of the game to see a tall figure standing in the doorway.

"Aidan Sunbae!" Mee-Yon sat straight. "You came…," she said, pleasantly surprised. Aidan knew about the surgery and that she'd be there, but she'd thought he would be far too busy to come. And why would he want to spend his time hanging around a hospital?

Aidan smiled a little and walked over to her. "Did you hear anything yet?" he asked with a serious face and concern in his tone.

"Not yet," Mee-Yon told him.

Aidan sat down next to Mee-Yon, and she smiled shyly at him. "It was nice of you to come," she said. He smiled back at her. "So, what have you been doing?" she asked.

"I just finished rehearsing, so I thought I would come to check in...and see you."

Mee Yon's smile grew wider.

"What have you been doing?" he asked.

"Well, I've been up to my elbows in poop, actually." Mee-Yon immediately heard the words that had come flying out of , and she cringed.

"Excuse me? Did I misunderstand? Did you say poop?"

Mee-Yon looked down sheepishly. That was not very ladylike of her at all, was it? Great, Yoon Mee-Yon, that's really something you want to say to the guy you like!

"Uhh, yeah…" She repeated the word, this time in English. Oh good, you want to be absolutely sure he understood you this time, babo! "Um, well, you see, my uncle's baby needed a diaper change, and I was watching him and Jun Seo was afraid to do it."

"Ah." Aidan nodded. "That was nice of you." He smiled and gave her hair a ruffle.

"But don't worry, I washed my hands! I swear I did!"

Aidan chuckled. "I'm sure you did. You're so funny, Yoon Mee-Yon." He ruffled her hair playfully again, and her cheeks warmed.

Meanwhile, Jun Seo had been listening in on the conversation, and he came storming over. "I was not afraid!" he exclaimed. Mee-Yon simply put a finger to her lips. "Shh, this is a hospital."

Jun Seo rolled his eyes and lowered his voice, but only slightly. "Yeah, well, if you don't want me to be loud, stop making stuff up about me."

Mee-Yon sighed, unsure why Jun Seo had so much animosity lately. Sure, he had a temper on him, and he'd always run his mouth off without thinking, but he wasn't usually so...angry-sounding. She looked to Aidan, who looked up at Jun Seo from his seated position. "You know, have you ever thought about just talking nicely to Mee-Yon?" he asked.

Mee Yon's lips parted in surprise, even though it was a natural question to ask after witnessing even just a few of their interactions. She smiled a bit to herself, appreciating how Aidan was standing up for her, even though it was only Jun Seo, and she could easily handle him. Still, no one had ever done that for her except her oppa, and it was much different having a guy she liked...defend her. And it wasn't the first time either...he'd defended her in front of Jung Ho, too.

She glanced between Aidan and Jun Seo. Aidan had a calm but serious expression on his face, and Jun Seo was glaring at him.

Jun Seo was trying really hard to hold his temper, but he seemed to be losing the battle. Didn't this punk know that this was how he and Mee-Yon had talked to each other ever since they were little? And where did he get off talking to him like that? He had just barged into their lives a few weeks ago, and all of a sudden, he thought he knew them? He thought he knew her?! Too irritated by Aidan to think of a good comeback or even face him right now, Jun Seo quietly turned and walked out of the room, despite Mee-Yon calling to him.

Once Jun Seo was gone, Aidan turned back to Mee-Yon. He gave her a playful smile, and she suspected he was a little bit satisfied that he'd gotten rid of Jun Seo. She smirked at him but had to admit that she was glad they were alone now, too.

Mee-Yon was enjoying their quiet moment, just looking into each other's eyes, and wondering if–kind of wishing‒he would be bold enough to try and kiss her when Aidan got a really serious look on his face. "Mee-Yon, there's something I need to tell you."

Mee-Yon could instantly feel a knot instantly forming in her stomach. Garnering her courage, she asked, "What is it?"

"Well, Aria and I…," he took a deep breath, "will be going on a world tour soon."

"Oh." She nodded sullenly, knowing what that meant. And she put on a smile. "That's great!" she exclaimed in an overly bubbly tone that she hoped didn't sound as fake as it was.

Aidan looked down at his hands. "It is…," he nodded slowly, "but as you know, that means we'll be leaving…" He looked up at her again.

Mee-Yon pressed her lips together. This was the thing she'd been afraid to hear him say but that she knew was undoubtedly coming. "...When?" she barely squeaked out.

Aidan sighed. "After our concert at Shinwha."

"But...that's this Saturday…"

"Yeah…"

"How long will you be…? Are you…" She was afraid to ask, but she needed to know, "coming back?"

"...I'm not sure."

Mee Yon's chest hurt, badly, as if it was being pierced with sharp spikes over and over again. It hurt so bad she almost wondered if something was physically wrong with her. She took a deep, calming breath and stared at her shoes.

The two remained silent for several minutes, both unsure what to say until finally, Aidan broke the silence. "Come with me," he mumbled.

"What?" Mee Yon's eyes shot to his. What did he mean by that? Did he know what he was even saying? Was he serious? As she stared into his cool blue orbs, he certainly seemed serious. His eyes, they're so mesmerizing...it's so easy to get lost in them… Her head started to get fuzzy, so she glanced away.

"Yes!" He clapped his hands together, his excitement growing at this obviously spontaneous idea. "You could come with me, on tour. It'll be fun!" Aidan talked about it as if it was a day at the beach rather than a huge life change. "You could go to all my shows, and we could hang out together in between. We could travel the world, see new places together…"

It all sounded nice, amazing, really, but… Mee-Yon gave him a sad little smile. "Aidan Sunbae," she cut him off, "It sounds so great, and I'm really flattered, but...I can't."

His face fell a little, but he didn't seem deterred. "If it's your parents you're worried about, we could talk to them…maybe I could talk to your dad, and..."

Mee-Yon gave a sardonic little laugh. "You're really going to ask my appa if you can take me on tour with you?" She glanced away, thinning her lips. "You have so much courage, Sunbae..." It wasn't like her father was a scary man, not at all, but he was very protective of her, and he had some scary friends…

"What? I talked to him about you before, and he seems like a reasonable man."

Mee-Yon grinned a bit. "Oh, he's reasonable, but that doesn't mean he'll let me go." In fact, I know exactly what he'll say… Mee-Yon looked to the ceiling, picturing the scene in her head‒the look on her father's face, his calm yet concerned words.

"He let us go out on a date," Aidan said.

"I know, but...this is totally different, Sunbae." Besides, he only said we could go on the one date…and he didn't even want to agree to that...

"It won't be for very long, maybe a month or two at most."

"A month or two?" Mee-Yon shook her head. "No, I'm sure my parents won't let me go for that long. What about school?"

"That can be taken care of. I have a great tutor, and there would be adults around all the time, my manager and the women who do my hair and stage makeup, and they are all really great. And there's Aria, of course."

Mee-Yon forced a smile. Aidan's twin sister didn't seem that fond of her, but she didn't want to say that. And it was sweet that Aidan was considering all the ways to make her comfortable so she could go.

"Maybe Seok Young could even come along if that would make it better. That might make your parents more likely to agree."

"Maybe…" Mee-Yon muttered, but she wasn't wholly convinced. In fact, she knew it was an incredibly long shot that her parents would send off both their children for that long. Yes, Seok Young had gone to the academy for two years, but they could visit him, and that was for his education. Besides, even if her parents agreed, Seok Young would never want to be away from Eun Jeong for that long. She sighed and fidgeted with her hands. Please Aidan, just stop getting my hopes up about this…

It jolted her when she felt his hand covering hers. "I'm sorry if I'm forcing this idea on you…"

"You're not."

"It...doesn't seem like you want to go…"

"It's not that…" Actually, Mee-Yon wasn't sure what she wanted to do. She wanted to be with Aidan as much as she could be, but she would also hate being away from her family and friends for so long. The idea of having to choose was a nightmare, but she didn't think she was even going to get the choice.

When she said nothing, Aidan took her hand in his. "It's just that...I'm not ready for this to end yet…" He interlaced their fingers.

Mee-Yon felt her cheeks heat up again at the gesture and at his words. It brought joy yet immense sadness to her heart. "Me either, but…" We knew all along that it had to…

"Will you at least think about it?" he asked, giving her hand a squeeze.

Mee-Yon stared down at their interlocked fingers and smiled a bit; she gave a squeeze back and nodded. And with a sigh, she rested her head against his shoulder.

Another silence passed.

"...Mee Yon-ah?"

"Mm?" she muttered distractedly. Being here with him now, she was slipping into that dream world again. She knew they had so few moments like this left, and she only hoped no one would happen along and ruin the moment.

"I've been thinking a lot, about you...and me…," Aidan continued, "...and I don't know quite how to say what I feel or if I even should, but…" With a little sigh, he seemed to give up on speech and instead, stuck his hand in his pocket, reaching for something inside.

Mee-Yon took her head off his shoulder and watched him. She could feel her heart speeding up as he dug something out...

Aidan came up with it and clutched whatever it was tightly within his fist and held it out to her. He turned his hand over and slowly uncurled his fingers, and Mee-Yon looked down at the palm of his hand. Resting inside were two silver chains with a half a heart pendant hanging from each. One was black and the other was silver with two crystals on each side; they seemed to form a kind of yin & yang, and each pendant had the words 'I love you' on them.

"Aidan Sunbae…"

He broke them apart and presented her with the silver one. "I know this isn't the best time to offer this to you, but...I didn't know when I'd get another chance, and…well, you can wear half, and I'll wear the other half...that way we can always be connected, and when we see it we'll think of each other." He paused. "I, uh, understand if you don't want to accept this…"

Mee Yon's eyes moistened as she looked at the dangling trinket. "I do! I want to accept it," she cut him off, nodding her head vibrantly.

Aidan smiled at her enthusiasm and let her take the silver necklace from his fingers. She was looking at it closely and clearly, trying not to cry. He was pleased that it made her so happy.

He'd actually been afraid she wouldn't want to take it at all because not only had they not known each other for very long, but he had just told her he was leaving… Man, did he have terrible timing or what? He knew that this was quick, but he also knew how he felt. Yes, he fell in love hard and fast. It had only happened once before, but it had been in a similar way then…

After what happened with that person, Aidan had been afraid to fall again, but with Yoon Mee-Yon, it was swift, and he couldn't help it. It was because Mee-Yon was just so...her. She wasn't perfect; she knew it, and she didn't try to be. She never pretended to be someone she wasn't, either. With her, what you saw was what you got‒raw, natural, beautiful‒and he loved that about her. That, in and of itself, made her perfect to Aidan.

"Let me put it on you," he said. She let him take the necklace from her fingers and turned around.

Mee-Yon swallowed, and she tried to cease the trembling that happened when she felt his fingers brush against the skin of her neck.

Does this mean we are a couple now? Is this some kind of promise? she wondered. It seemed like it, and she could hardly believe what was happening. Although she was incredibly sad that he would be leaving, this made her feel like, no matter what, they would be together. Mee-Yon stared down at the pendant, willing away the tears that threatened to fall before facing him again.

"Thank you, Aidan Sunbae," she told him after he finished. He nodded. "Can I…?" she began. Knowing what she meant, he handed her his portion of the necklace and turned around.

In her nervousness, Mee-Yon fumbled with the clasp, but she managed to get it off. As she wrapped the necklace around him, she worked to control her breathing and fought the urge to hug him hard around the neck. She began to fasten the clasp, taking her time while breathing in his scent and memorizing the curve of his neck and the shade of his hair, and she even noticed he had a small brown dot of a mole below his right ear. She finally clasped the necklace and smiled.

Aidan looked over at her. "Thank you," he whispered as he leaned forward to touch his forehead to hers. She nodded against him.

And then he turned to look out ahead, giving her heart the chance to slow and letting her feel at ease enough to rest her head against his shoulder. They found each other's hands again and simply sat there in peaceful silence.

A few moments later, Jun Seo returned to the waiting room. He lingered outside the door when he noticed Aidan and Mee-Yon sitting together, looking very cozy, and the annoyance burned within him again, just after he'd finished walking it off. Why did this guy get on his nerves so bad?! He watched the two of them sitting there... Mee-Yon had her head on Aidan's shoulder, and he was looking down at her while they held hands...how disgusting!

The Goo boy sharply exhaled at his own bad luck. Why did he always have to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?! And he wondered if and how he should break this up… Perhaps he should go and get his hyung. Where the hell was Seok Young anyway, and why was he letting this go on? If he knew, he would definitely put a stop to it! But Jun Seo didn't really need Seok Young to break it up. He could just walk in, himself, and Noona would get embarrassed and immediately take her head off his shoulder and drop his hand. But then he would need something good to say…

Jun Seo was seriously beginning to question his sanity. When did he start feeling this way, anyway? He searched his mind… He'd always thought Noona was one of the few girls he could stand to be around, even if he gave her a hard time, and in the last year or so‒after all those annoying little changes started happening to him‒he'd decided that she was kind of...pretty, in her own way. But thinking hard on it, it was the night of the dance, when he'd rescued her from that jerk… That was the night when he really started looking at her...differently.

He hated feeling this way, absolutely despised it! Why couldn't things just go back to the way they were before? Maybe it would have been better if he wasn't there that night of the dance… No, then that jerk would have taken advantage of her. Oh, Yoon Mee-Yon could hold her own, but he might have kissed her or gotten a feel in before she beat him down. And Jun Seo couldn't stand that thought.

What's the use? I saved her from one jerk only to have another one kiss her anyway… He supposed the difference was that she actually wanted this jerk to kiss her. Suddenly, he felt really crappy.

Jun Seo took a last look at the two of them before deciding not to bother them this time, and hanging his head, he walked away. He felt stupid about it, but maybe he should talk to his appa about how he'd been feeling lately… It couldn't be much worse than that talk his parents gave him around the time those changes started happening… Appa did okay with the body stuff, but when they got to the part, his appa got kind of embarrassed. But Eomma had just smacked him in the arm and told him to get over it and grow up. It was pretty funny, actually. That part made the whole thing more entertaining.

. . .

Byeong Ho's surgery was taking longer than expected, and it was closing in on 9 AM. Nearly three hours now...and Yi Jeong and Ga Eul were both going stir-crazy. Yi Jeong was sure he'd walked the entire length of the hospital floor at least 10 times, and Ga Eul had spent a lot of time off in her head. Currently, Ga Eul was resting against her husband's shoulder, fighting the urge to text Jan Di and ask how everything was going, since she was in the gallery. Yi Jeong had suggested this an hour ago, but Ga Eul didn't want to bother her friend. Ji Hoo and his team were doing their work, and they should just trust in him.

When Eun Jeong and Seok Young returned from getting something to eat in the cafeteria, Ga Eul decided to kill some time by having a talk with her daughter. She knew the staying out all night was an accident, but maybe this would be a good time to have a mother-daughter talk and determine how things were going in the relationship. So, she asked Eun Jeong to go for a little walk with her, but before leaving, she whispered in her husband's ear, warning him to be nice to Seok Young while they were gone. With a sigh, he agreed, and Ga Eul and Eun Jeong walked out.

Eun Jeong shot a last look to her boyfriend before leaving the room, hoping he'd be okay alone with her appa and praying it wasn't the last time she saw him alive… Apparently sensing her worry, Seok Young gave her a warm, reassuring smile, though she could tell he was a little concerned, too.

Once they'd gone, Seok Young garnered his courage and went to take a seat beside his uncle. Neither said anything for nearly five minutes and though Seok Young usually didn't mind silence, this one was eating him alive, so he decided to speak. "Unce Yi Jeong…," he began.

Yi Jeong was leaning forward a bit in his seat and staring at the ground now. "Yes?" he asked.

"Mianhada."

Yi Jeong leaned back in his chair and slowly looked over at Seok Young. He didn't say anything and let Seok Young go on.

"Maybe this isn't the time to be saying this...I know you have a lot on your mind, but I wanted you to know that I really didn't mean to keep Eun Jeong out all night."

Yi Jeong looked away, saying nothing.

"Even though it wasn't on purpose, I know I really messed up, and I'll take full responsibility for it. It won't happen again; I'll make sure." Seok Young lowered his caramel eyes a bit.

Yi Jeong remained silent; he leaned forward again and rubbed his hands together.

"Uncle Yi Jeong, I hope you know I'd never do anything to hurt Eun Jeong. I really care about her." Seok Young glanced over at Yi Jeong, and he looked, too, meeting his nephew's eyes. "I respect her, too," Seok Young went on, "And you. Both of you, so much. I understand if you want to forbid me from seeing her, and I would respect your decision, but I hope you won't do that because…" He took a breath. "...it would be really hard on me."

The Yoon boy seemed to have more to say, so Yi Jeong continued to listen while staring out ahead. Seok Young never talked this much, so it must be really important to him...

"It would be hard for her, too, I think, because...we both...really, really like each other...and...if we had to be away from each other…" Seok Young stopped and shook his head, not knowing the end to that sentence. All he knew was that being away from Eun Jeong for very long would be a horrible thing that he never wanted to experience.

Yi Jeong sighed. He sat up straight and focused completely on Seok Young. "I know you care about her, and I'm not going to stop you from seeing her."

Seok Young blinked a couple times. "Really?"

Yi Jeong tightened his jaw and nodded. And then he sighed. "Whether your parents decide to punish you or not is up to them, but I won't keep her away from you."

Seok Young's face broke out in a wide, pearly grin. He bolted upright and bowed a couple times. "Kamsahamnida, Uncle Yi Jeong!"

"But!" Yi Jeong held up a finger, freezing Seok Young mid-bow. "I won't tolerate something like this happening again. Next time there will be severe consequences, young man."

"Yes, Uncle Yi Jeong." Seok Young nodded, and Yi Jeong patted the seat next to him. The teen returned to his spot.

After a moment, Yi Jeong glanced over, fighting a grin. "You know, for such a smart kid, you sure get into a lot of trouble. You must take after your eomma."

"Huh?"

"Never mind." Yi Jeong shook his head at Seok Young, deciding it would take far too long to explain all the troublesome situations Jan Di had gotten herself into when she was young. He did resemble her in a way, and unable to stop it, Yi Jeong's lips curled into a wide grin.

Eun Jeong and her mother had a nice talk as well, covering a lot of ground in a short amount of time. It was nice for both to get some things out and take their minds off Byeong Ho's surgery, even if just for ten or fifteen minutes.

. . .

"Yeah, I'm really happy about how things are going with Seok Young Oppa, but I'm also scared, Eomma," Eun Jeong confessed at the end.

"Scared of what, Baby?" Ga Eul asked.

"Of...how I feel."

Ga Eul nodded in understanding.

"I just...love him so much, Eomma. I didn't think I could feel like this." It didn't seem possible, but it was true that when Eun Jeong was away from him she felt like her chest was on fire, and her stomach felt unsettled. It happened when she was with him, too…it was so contradictory. "What if...what if he stops loving me someday? Or what if something or someone keeps us apart...?" She almost felt herself beginning to panic at the mere thought.

Ga Eul smiled at Eun Jeong's speech. "Baby, I think you have been watching too many dramas…"

"Eommaaa…"

"I'm only joking. Believe me, I was your age once, and I know how powerful young love it. But you can't predict what's going to happen, so you just have to do your best. Love him with your full heart, and cherish each moment you have with him. Don't live life being afraid that what you have might end, but be thankful that you have it right now."

Eun Jeong smiled at her mother. "You're right, Eomma." I'll do that, for sure!

Thirty minutes later…

Dr. Yu scrubbed out beside Ji Hoo. After finishing cleaning her hands, she pulled down her mask and looked over at him. His usually perfect posture was hunched slightly, and she could practically see the tension in his shoulders. "You were great, Dr. Yoon." That was a rather stupid thing to say, she decided, and she was certainly not stupid. Of course, he was great, more than great, amazing; he was Dr. Yoon Ji Hoo. "It was really an honor working alongside you, Seonseangnim," she said, hoping that sounded a bit more professional.

Ji Hoo gave her the faintest nod of appreciation. "I just wish I could have done more."

"You did everything you could for him," she said. "Shall I speak with the family for you?" He did look weary.

Ji Hoo sighed. "No, I'll do it." He finished washing his hands. Although Dr. Yu was their doctor, technically, Yi Jeong had asked for Ji Hoo personally, and they were best friends, so Ji Hoo felt he should discuss the outcome with the Sos.

"May I come with you to talk to them, Seonsaengnim?" Dr. Yu asked.

He nodded. "Of course. You are an important part of the team, after all."

The two doctors left the scrub sink area, and Dr. Yu followed Dr. Yoon to meet with the family in the private consultation room. Ji Hoo messaged Yi Jeong along the way to tell him they were finished and to ask them to meet in the family consultation area.

Ga Eul and Yi Jeong got to the consultation room before Ji Hoo and Dr. Yu, and they stood up when the two entered. "Ji Hoo!" His arm snug around Ga Eul's waist, Yi Jeong looked over at his friend expectantly, trying to determine how the surgery went by his face.

Ji Hoo gave a little smile and nodded.

"Oh, thank God!" Yi Jeong's shoulders dropped in relief, and he and Ga Eul breathed a collective sigh and hugged each other. Then they both turned back to look at Ji Hoo.

"Yes, the operation was a success. Byeong Ho is fine," Ji Hoo said, his eyes smiling at them.

Yi Jeong rushed over to Ji Hoo and threw his arms around him. Ga Eul also went to Ji Hoo and hugged him in turn.

Meanwhile, Dr. Yu was standing a few feet back, and when it seemed everyone had forgotten she was there, Dr. Yoon looked back at her. "Dr. Yu, here, did an excellent job. Yi Jeong, Ga Eul, it's because of her, more than me, that Byeong Ho is alive."

Dr. Yu's lips parted. She couldn't believe Dr. Yoon was actually giving her the credit. He was just as responsible for the success of the operation, if not more. He'd done most of the work, anyway. Why was he being so modest?

Mr. So walked over to her and took her hands. "Thank you, thank you so much!" he exclaimed, shaking her hands a bit. Mrs. So was at his side, and she bowed deeply to her. And when Mrs. So raised her eyes, they were teary. "You have no idea how much this means to us. Thank you!"

"Yes, so if there is ever anything we can do to repay you…," Mr. So began.

"That's not necessary," Dr. Yu cut him off, "but Mr. and Mrs. So, I wanted to further discuss your child's prognosis. There were a few complications, but‒"

"Complications? Ji Hoo?" Mr. So interrupted, and ignoring her completely, he looked to Dr. Yoon for further explanation.

"It's nothing to be too concerned about, Yi Jeong. When we got in there we discovered that the intraventricular tunnel repair that we discussed was not feasible, so we performed an arterial switch instead." Ji Hoo gave Yi Jeong and Ga Eul a brief explanation of it. "We also repaired the holes between the left and right ventricles, and it went well, but as I suspected we will need to go back in there in a few years when Byeong Ho grows."

Yi Jeong was holding Ga Eul close to him; they both nodded in understanding, but it was clear that this news was disturbing to them.

As for Ji Hoo, he was pleased with how the surgery went, but he feared Byeong Ho's battle for health and normalcy was far from over. "I don't want to make you worry, Yi Jeong and Ga Eul; I just want you to be aware. He'll need regular follow-ups, which I'll set up for you, personally. I believe that as long as we monitor him regularly then everything should be fine."

"Thank you, chingu," Yi Jeong said.

Ji Hoo nodded, and Dr. Yu came forward to hand Yi Jeong a pamphlet and a card. "If you have any questions, or if any issues arise, please call me," Dr. Yu said. "My personal cell number is on there as well, so don't hesitate to call or message."

Yi Jeong nodded, and both he and Ga Eul thanked her. Dr. Yu looked between the couple and gave them a short bow.

***To Be Continued***