A/N: I'm sorry it's been so long, everyone. I've been busy and traveling and sick, etc. I know I take forever, guys, but I do try to give lengthy updates each time. If I wrote shorter chapters, you would get updates much more frequently, but the story would end up a lot longer (chapter-wise), and of course, not as much would happen in each chapter. I beg your forgiveness, though, and I appreciate those who have stuck around. I know it's hard to wait and then to have to recall what happened in the previous chapter. I would recommend going back to re-read the previous chapter as well as the entire story when finished (and hopefully there won't be any plot holes I missed, haha).

***My thoughts are with those in Paris, Philippines, and Sri Lanka because of the recent fire, earthquake, and bombings. I hope that you and your families and friends are all safe, that the damage is not too great, and that it is repaired soon!***

Phrase: 'think on one's feet' means to react to events decisively, effectively, and without prior thought or planning.

animnida: no (formal)

I hope you all enjoy. Lots going on in this chapter and the upcoming ones. Within the next five chapters, I'll be building toward the main with some other small ones interspersed (most of the characters will experience some good things and some bad things or challenges). The main will involve who I consider to be the main character (Have you all figured out who that is by now?), but it will affect everyone, basically. Prepare to love and hate me soon.

Chapter Nineteen: Desire and Destinations Part I 

Nearly a week had passed since Aidan and Aria left, and despite her brother's pep talk and the mermaid story, Mee Yon had been in a funk ever since‒mainly because Aidan hadn't called her. He'd sent her only a couple of messages, to let her know he'd arrived safely and then to tell her that he would be very busy over the next few weeks preparing for his tour. Mee Yon responded with understanding and encouraged him; nevertheless, her heart was aching over the fact that he wasn't reaching out more. She'd known that a long distance relationship would be challenging, and she was trying to be positive, but if they were already struggling to communicate, she wondered how they were ever going to make it? She was feeling like this was the beginning of the end…

When another half week passed with no word, Mee Yon's mood worsened. She was stumbling around like a zombie, unable to focus on much of anything, barely speaking or eating, and constantly checking her phone. The only thing she put much energy into was swimming, and she was completely exhausting herself at that. Everyone was worried about her, especially those that saw her the most, her family.

One morning, the Yoons were sitting down to breakfast. Today, Ji Hoo and Jan Di would be working at Yoon Clinic, so they would be going in later than usual, and Ji Hoo had taken the opportunity to cook. Mee Yon was seated in her usual spot at the breakfast table, quietly fidgeting with the half-necklace that she'd received from Aidan.

When Ji Hoo came over to the table and bid Mee Yon good morning with a bright smile, she barely registered him. "Mee Yon-ah," he called her name again. Mee Yon finally looked up; she tucked the necklace she'd been playing with inside her shirt and said nothing, only giving him a brief nod before staring down at her hands in her lap. She'd barely said anything to him since the Cho twins left, in fact, and Ji Hoo had to wonder if his daughter was giving him the silent treatment for not allowing her to go on tour with them.

But how could he do that? He couldn't possibly allow his teenage daughter to travel around the world with her boyfriend. She had school and a life here, and that was just, well, insane. Yes, he knew he'd made the right decision; he just wished Mee Yon would cheer up and start speaking to him again.

Ji Hoo lowered himself into his seat at the head of the table with a sigh, and he glanced to his right at Mee Yon. When she avoided eye contact, he looked sullenly to Jan Di, who had just come over with two bowls in hand.

Jan Di placed a bowl of porridge in front of Ji Hoo and then Mee Yon. Looking down at her daughter, she greeted her. Mee Yon said nothing, only picked up the spoon at her place setting, stuck it in the bowl, and stirred it around. Jan Di opened to speak but thought better of it. She knew this demeanor well‒the slumped shoulders, the broken expression, the cold, empty eyes. It was a not-so-little thing called heartbreak. Instead, she glanced back at Ji Hoo, who was looking on in concern with arms folded. Both were thinking the same thing; they both knew that their daughter was in emotional pain, and it looked a lot like how Jan Di was after hearing nothing from Jun Pyo in six months in Macau. With a sigh, Jan Di gave Seok Young his bowl.

Seok Young was seated across from Mee Yon. He thanked his mother for the porridge and watched her leave, he assumed to take a bowl of porridge to Great-Grandfather. And then he looked to Mee Yon. He was both brokenhearted for her and a little bit angry‒at Aidan for leading her on and then leaving her a mess and at Mee Yon, herself, for treating their parents this way. He wanted to simultaneously cheer her up and set her straight, but he could clearly see that she was in her stubborn mode. It was as if she'd chosen to be miserable and was going to remain that way until she felt like getting better. Perhaps she just needed a little time to mourn his absence, to adjust and return to the life she knew before Aidan Cho.

"Mee Yon-ah, Eomma made pumpkin porridge, your favorite, see," Seok Young held up a spoonful of porridge from across the table as if she hadn't realized it was there and was a child who a parent was trying to convince to eat. He stuck the spoon in his mouth and made a big deal out of how good it was, complete with yummy sounds‒it was so over-the-top and out of character. Mee Yon only looked at him blankly, without so much as a brow furrow or a playful 'babo' comment over how silly he was acting.

Seok Young sighed and put his spoon down. He pushed his bowl aside, folded his arms, and leaned across the table, staring at her. Don't make me force-feed you, he thought at her.

Understanding, through their connection, Mee Yon rolled her eyes and looked away. Not wanting to deal with it, she started to get up from the table, but Ji Hoo stopped her. "Mee Yon, please eat at least some of your mother's porridge before leaving the table. Don't waste it," he said.

With a huff, Mee Yon plopped back into her seat. It would've made more noise if she wasn't so light. She picked up her spoon, scooped the tiniest amount onto the tip, and brought it to her lips. She put it in , clearly under protest, but inadvertently uttered, "Mm."

Ji Hoo smiled faintly. Jan Di was good, alright; she knew Mee Yon couldn't resist her pumpkin porridge. He watched his daughter, who was clearly watching him watching her out of the corner of her eye. She started eating, taking small bites, deliberately slowly. Ji Hoo stopped watching after a couple of minutes, and once Jan Di was seated with her food, he began to eat, too.

Mee Yon started eating quickly and actually finished before everyone else. "May I be excused?" she muttered, and Ji Hoo let her go. She walked into the living room, grabbed her school bag off the couch, and slung it over her right shoulder.

Seok Young finished shortly after, and once excused, he went to the living room. He also grabbed his bag and asked Mee Yon, "Wanna ride with me?" She hesitated for briefly, then nodded.

. . .

Ji Hoo and Jan Di finished breakfast and caught up with the kids in the living room before they left for school, bidding them a good day. Once Mee Yon and Seok Young were out the door, Ji Hoo turned to Jan Di. "I knew it was a bad idea," he said immediately. "I never should've let her get involved with that guy. If I hadn't, maybe she wouldn't be feeling this way now"

Jan Di placed a hand on his arm. "Ji Hoo, you know very well that no one can help who they fall for her. Even if you'd refused to let her date him, it wouldn't have necessarily prevented her from developing feelings for him. What do you think you could have done, locked her away?"

Without realizing it, Jan Di had reminded Ji Hoo of the past. And he knew she was right. After all, he'd seen firsthand how strong feelings could be, despite any obstacles‒and sometimes, the more obstacles there were, the more powerful the emotions, or so it seemed. He'd learned this from watching Jan Di and Jun Pyo struggle to be together, from his own love for her, and from their little love triangle.

But this wasn't his situation; this was his daughter's.

It was strange. Ji Hoo had always thought Jun Pyo's mother (and the rest of the F4 parents) to be a nightmare, and not that he would ever go as far as she did, or for that reason, but in a twisted way, thinking of Madam Kang reminded him of something he now understood well‒the lengths a parent will go to when they believe they are doing what is in the best interest of their child. Even the most rational man (or woman) could get swept up in things they wouldn't normally for the sake of their child, and Ji Hoo knew that both he and Jan Di would move mountains and go to the ends of the earth for Mee Yon, Seok Young, and Ha Joon.

Of course, Jun Pyo's mother was another story entirely. For one, Ji Hoo seriously doubted her sanity after some of the decisions she'd made, and besides that, she never really did anything for Jun Pyo's benefit but for her own‒the latter was the difference between the F4's parents and them as parents. Ji Hoo knew that he and his counterparts actually cared about their children's happiness and listened to them. Whatever their children decided to be, whoever they decided to be with‒rich or poor and regardless of creed or nationality‒they would support them, so long as they were treated well and were happy. They had broken the mold. Ji Hoo had always tried to keep this in mind, which was why he hadn't attempted to control Mee Yon in the situation with Aidan. He'd let her do what she wanted, even though he knew how it would turn out. It was difficult for him, but she needed to live her own life and make her own mistakes. And only time would tell what would come to pass...

But still, this was his little girl.

Ji Hoo sighed, still feeling guilty about the whole thing. "No, but by letting her go on a date with him, I think I made it worse," he finally responded to Jan Di.

"She'll get past this; she's strong, Ji Hoo-ah." Jan Di wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him from the side; as she did so, he raised an arm and welcomed her in. "Whether it works out between them or not, this experience will make her stronger, and I believe that no matter how painful, she'll be glad she had it someday," Jan Di finished saying.

Ji Hoo wondered if Jan Di was thinking of Jun Pyo now.

Far too many years had passed for him to harbor any jealousy over Jan Di's feelings for Jun Pyo, but he knew she still held memories, both treasured and painful. Those were forever connected to her. In fact, what made Jan Di the strong, amazing woman she was today was, in part, the struggles she had gone through in life. He accepted all this; nevertheless, he still felt the occasional pang in his heart.

"You're right, my love," he said. "She is like you, after all." They exchanged a smile as they broke their embrace.

Jan Di had always been a strong person; Ji Hoo knew this, but there was a time when she'd been rather naive, as Mee Yon was now. But Jan Di had truly grown into a beautiful, intelligent, mature, and even more amazing woman than before, and Ji Hoo felt privileged to have watched it happen over the years. Mee Yon would be the same way, he was certain.

Ji Hoo smiled softly and then sighed. "I know that trials help shape who we are, but I just wish that, somehow, Mee Yon could have discovered what she needed to in another way. Why couldn't she fall for a good guy, who feels the same as her and lives locally, and ideally, not for another 20 or 30 years?" He considered it further. "Perhaps on my deathbed, she can announce that she is dating someone."

Jan Di chuckled. "Oh, Ji Hoo, don't you want to meet your grandchildren someday?"

"Don't even joke about that." He shook his head, not wanting to even go there yet, but Jan Di was right, once again. He would like to be a harabeoji someday, just not for a very long while.

"Love doesn't always go as expected, honey." Jan Di smiled wistfully, for they both knew this well. "Mee Yon is going to have many experiences in life, some good and some bad, but I'm confident that she'll be able to handle whatever comes her way. And she won't be alone. She has family and friends who love her, and so long as we are on this earth, we'll be there to support her through anything."

Ji Hoo smiled and Jan Di's arms. "You're right." He slid his hands up to rest on Jan Di's shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze with both hands. "Yes, you're absolutely right. You've become so wise, my otter."

Jan Di laughed at this. "Well, it's about time, right?" She laughed again, and Ji Hoo joined in her mirth. After a few seconds, he placed his forehead against hers, and he nuzzled noses with her before leaning in to press a soft kiss to her lips.

"I do want to cheer her up, though..." Ji Hoo said after pulling back. He paused as a thought entered his mind. He needed some time, but the wheels in his head were rapidly turning in formulation of a plan to cheer up his daughter…

Jan Di could see that Ji Hoo's mind was in high gear. "What are you thinking?" she asked.

Ji Hoo simply gave her that boyish smile of his and said, "It's a surprise." Then he kissed her forehead and said she'd find out soon enough.

"How very F4 of you," Jan Di teased.

He flashed his pearly smile, giving nothing away, and suggested they get ready to go to the clinic.

Seok Young and Mee Yon pulled up to Shinwha on his motorcycle, and he parked it in its usual spot. After they'd removed their helmets, Seok Young looked at Mee Yon. Immediately, she cast her glance to the side, indicating to him that she still wasn't in the mood to talk, so he decided to bide his time. He placed an arm around her shoulders, and together, they walked into the school.

Although Yoon Seok Young was still revered at Shinwha, the hype had died down somewhat, so he was no longer greeted at the entrance by a crowd of screaming fangirls; he did, however, still get plenty of sidelong glances and flirtatious smiles from the opposite , which he mainly chose to ignore. At most, he'd give a polite nod in response, but that was dangerous because it had given false hope to some girls, who had then proceeded to follow him around. He believed most of the school knew he was with Eun Jeong, but there were still those who either didn't know or held out hope that it wouldn't last because there was still the occasional love letter slipped in his locker and the occasional gift offered directly to him with a hopeful smile. This happened with Jae Jin, Il Hun, and Jun Seo, too. Jun Seo chose to ignore the girls, apparently having no interest whatsoever in any of them, and Seok Young had to wonder if Jun Seo wasn't ready to accept liking girls, as they all knew he did, or if he just deemed none of them good enough. Jae Jin and Il Hun always accepted the gifts from their admirers with a smile and a wink or flirtatious words, but Seok Young would no longer accept anything from another girl. Not only would it be wrong to do to Eun Jeong, but he didn't want to be giving anyone false hope, so he always tried to decline as politely as he could.

As for Mee Yon, she had always been admired and envied for being the daughter of Yoon Ji Hoo, for her delicate facial features, and for her swimming talent. The Shinwha boys were more likely to appreciate her silently from afar, and many of the girls were jealous of her, but after Aidan's farewell concert, the rumor had spread that she was involved with Aidan Cho, and she had been gaining more attention from the Shinwha girls because of that. Some were more jealous than before and would sneer and whisper behind her back, and others had gotten even more obsessed with her and would follow her around, hoping to make friends with her.

When Seok Young and Mee Yon approached the stairs that morning, they were accosted by a small group of junior high girls. One of the girls‒tall and thin, with her long hair pulled back in a ponytail–was clasping her hands in front of her and staring adoringly at Seok Young. The other two began chattering away at Mee Yon, asking her a bunch of questions all at once, such as how she was doing since Aidan left; had she talked to her boyfriend lately, and would she like to join them for lunch later?

Seok Young glanced over at Mee Yon during the onslaught; her head had dropped slightly, and she was staring down at her feet. Noticing his sister's clear distress, he simply told the girls they were in a hurry and apologized, and he led Mee Yon away. Behind them, the siblings could hear a couple of disappointed sighs and another exclamation of how cool they looked.

"Will you be okay?" Seok Young asked as he dropped Mee Yon off at her first class.

"Yes, stop worrying so much, Oppa," she said in a slightly exasperated tone. She didn't mean for it to come out so harsh, but she was a bit on edge from the lack of contact with Aidan, the questioning, and besides that, her oppa had been fretting over her since Aidan left. She shooed her mother hen of a brother away.

Seok Young grinned. At least she was getting annoyed with him rather than acting like a zombie. "Alright, sorry. I'll go now." He threw up a static wave, shoved his hands into his pockets, and turned to walk off. Mee Yon stared after him for a few seconds, let out a sigh, and stepped into the classroom.

As soon as she entered, she heard gossip flying all around, about her. She could hardly believe it was still going on, but then again, this was Shinwha. Some students were debating about whether or not the love serenade was real or staged; some were convinced that something was going on between Aidan and her but that it would never last because of the distance and his celebrity status; some were questioning why Aidan would go for someone like Mee Yon, even though she had a famous father, and a few were commenting that they made a cute couple and that they shipped them. All heads turned when Mee Yon walked in, and most had the decency to quiet down when they saw her.

Head held high, Mee Yon ignored their stares and walked over to her desk. She plopped into her seat, dropping her backpack to the floor in the process. One of her friends, who sat beside her, greeted her, and she greeted back, thankful that she hadn't caught her talking behind her back, too. She hauled her schoolbag up, pulled out her textbook, and placed it on the desk. Then she hung the bag over the back of her chair.

The gossip had ceased for now, but Mee Yon could still feel most eyes burning into her, so she opened her textbook and stared at a sentence on the page, pretending to silently read. Before the teacher could begin his lecture, though, while his back was turned, a couple of the bolder girls in class rotated in their seats to look back at her, and they began firing off hushed question after question. They were similar to the ones from the girls by the stairwell, mostly revolving around whether or not she and Aidan were really dating or if the love song had been part of the act, and if they were dating, had they broken up when he left. Rather than answering, Mee Yon tried to appear intimidating; she scowled at the girls, said nothing, and returned her gaze back to her book. It didn't work as well as she'd hoped, though, and they continued to pester her until the teacher finally turned around and demanded attention at the front. Mee Yon sighed in relief, but she knew this was far from over…

After leaving Mee Yon, Seok Young messaged Eun Jeong on his way to class. He felt bad because he hadn't seen her much lately, and admittedly, it was largely because he'd been preoccupied with Mee Yon's welfare. She texted back right off, greeting in her usual sweet way. Seok Young smiled. Of course, Eun Jeong wasn't angry with him; she wasn't the type to hold grudges.

He'd made it to his classroom by now and could see his professor inside waiting for him, but before he went in, he messaged Eun Jeong again. Fingers flying across the keys, he quickly asked, When can we meet?

At lunch, she sent back.

Stairwell?

Yes.

Don't worry about food. I'll bring something for us, he messaged.

Okay, see you then. I love you. She added several emojis: a smiley, a kissy face, and a blushing face.

Seok Young grinned widely and texted back. I love you, too. See you soon. And he stepped into the F4 classroom, bowing to his teacher in the process.

Half a school day later, Seok Young held Eun Jeong at the stairwell. They'd just finished sharing two large gimbap rolls, and afterward, he'd wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. Linking his arms, Seok Young rested his chin on her shoulder, and her hands settled atop his forearms.

Eun Jeong liked when he held her this way because she could enjoy the comfort and warmth of his embrace, but he couldn't see what her face was doing. And it was probably akin to the lovesick look of a heroine from a shojo manga‒cheeks bright red, face steaming, and eyes shimmering with adoration. If she had a mirror, she wouldn't be surprised to see her eyes bulging out and even tiny hearts dancing around her head. Yoon Seok Young truly did not know the power he held over her; it was an infinite, dangerous sort of power, the kind one should not take lightly, lest it destroy the world.

There she was, being dramatic again. She decided to stop thinking about how deep in love she was and how dangerous her feelings were and just enjoy the moment...

They remained peacefully that way for a while, silently drinking in each other's presence until Seok Young spoke up. Eun Jeong tried to ignore the shiver that ran up her spine when his warm breath caressed her neck‒as well as the less than pure thought of what his soft lips might feel like against her bare skin‒and focus on what he was actually saying because it was important.

"I'm worried about her," he'd whispered. And of course, Eun Jeong knew who he was talking about.

"Me too," she whispered back. She turned around in his arms, and tilting her head back, she stared up into his face. Being so close and looking into his eyes was wonderful, but it was wreaking its usual havoc, so reluctantly, she placed her hands on his biceps and gently pushed. Breaking Seok Young's embrace was not something she wanted to do, ever, but it was for the best right now; otherwise, she'd never focus.

"I know it hasn't been that long, and maybe I'm being paranoid, but sometimes I worry he'll never come back...and she'll never get over it." What he said next surprised Eun Jeong. "What can we do?" he asked directly. It was surprising to Eun Jeong because Seok Young always seemed to have all the answers, and he was the master at cheering up Mee Yon, yet now he seemed at a loss. It wasn't like he had any control over this situation, though; nevertheless, she knew Seok Young well enough to know that he would try to do something, anyway.

Eun Jeong thought it over. She knew how lonely Mee Yon had been feeling since Aidan left, and she couldn't blame her. Even having family and friends by your side doesn't take away the pain of missing the one you love. Mee Yon had fallen hard and fast for Aidan, just as she had for Seok Young, and when Eun Jeong considered Seok Young being snatched away from her just as things were beginning for them, it brought tears to her eyes. She blinked them away quickly, so as not to worry her loving and slightly overprotective boyfriend. She really didn't know what was best or what to tell him, but she was just trying to think about how she would handle it, what she would want from others.

"I guess...the best thing we can do is to let her know we're here for her, and maybe...try to take her mind off him for a little while." She shrugged one arm.

Seok Young nodded, but his expression was pained. "Yeah, I've been trying to do that, but I'm worried that she's bottling everything up inside."

Eun Jeong knew how hard this was for him, and most likely, he was right. Mee Yon had many good qualities; she was strong and warm, but she could also be stubborn and prideful. She tended to keep her emotions inside and deal with her problems alone rather than relying on others. It was hard for Eun Jeong to see her best friend this way, too, but she knew that with time and space, Mee Yon would open up and let it all out. Seok Young, however, was the type to deal with matters in a calm but head-on fashion. And he was so tender-hearted and adored his sister so much that she knew he wouldn't let this go. Not only that, but Yoon Seok Young was a perfectionist, so she assumed he must be feeling like a failure for not being able to 'fix' things for Mee Yon, even though that couldn't be further from the truth.

The two looked at one another for a moment, Seok Young dropping his chin and Eun Jeong tilting hers upward so they could see eye-to-eye. Unthinkingly, Eun Jeong threw her arms around Seok Young's waist. "Don't worry, Oppa," she said as she buried her face in his chest. "Mee Yon will be okay; I know it, and you're doing an amazing job being there for her!" Seok Young smiled softly at her emphatic words and wrapped his arms snugly around her. When she felt him hug her back, she squeezed tighter. He, in turn, increased the gentle pressure on her back and rested his chin atop her head. "Just do what you've been doing and be patient with her. Give her some time to feel better," she said.

"...You're right," he whispered against her hair. "Thank you."

They stayed like that for a while, but Seok Young extracted himself from Eun Jeong's embrace a bit earlier than he normally would. And she understood why. He excused himself to go and find Mee Yon, inserting an apology, but Eun Jeong told him there was no need. She pumped a fighting fist and wished him luck with cheering up Mee Yon. And he gave her a quick peck to the forehead before leaving.

As her boyfriend exited through the door to the stairwell, Eun Jeong couldn't help but feel the briefest prickle of...jealousy. Could it be? This was the first time she'd felt it toward her best friend, and it was a completely ridiculous notion because Mee Yon wasn't competition‒she was his sister. Still, Eun Jeong knew in the depths of her heart that Mee Yon would always come first with Seok Young, always. Blood had always been and would always be thicker than water, after all. Sometimes, every once in a while, though, she couldn't help but wish that Seok Young would dash to her whenever she needed him as he did with Mee Yon. It was like he had an alarm that sounded inside whenever Mee Yon needed him for anything, and he would go, every-single-time, no matter when, where, or what he was doing.

Eun Jeong heaved a sigh, feeling absolutely horrible. She was being petty, wasn't she? Mee Yon needed him right now, and she loved Mee Yon, too. Besides, hadn't Seok Young just been there for herwhen her little brother was sick? Hadn't he taken her far away to escape reality and collect her thoughts? Hadn't he held her and comforted her, risking their parents' ire for staying out all night? And hadn't he stayed with her at the hospital the entire time during Byeong Ho's surgery?

How selfish could she be?!

Right now, Eun Jeong felt as small as a microscopic organism. She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, silently asking for forgiveness for being this way. It was then that a wave of memories flooded her mind, of Seok Young being there for her‒from piggybacking her when she fell off her bike as a child, to carrying her in his arms when she fell out of the tree months ago, to driving her off into the distance on his bike, to most recently, holding her close while she cried over her brother's condition and so many others in between…

Eun Jeong smiled warmly.

She didn't need to worry about finding a space in his heart because Yoon Seok Young's heart was bigger than any guy's she'd ever known. If she told him what she was thinking right now, he would probably give her that perfect smile of his and poke her in the cheek or perhaps even laugh at the silliness of it. She shook her head at herself. Even if she was second, third, or even fourth or so on, she knew she had a place with Seok Young. That was enough for her, and maybe, just maybe, his alarm worked for her, too.

It wasn't difficult for Seok Young to locate his younger sister, for he'd always been the one who could find her. He knew all her favorite hiding spots when they would play hide-n-seek as children, even though he pretended not to find her for a while so as make her feel she was doing well, and just like then, Mee Yon was a creature of habit. She still had her favorite spots she'd go to whenever she wanted to slink away and escape the world, and he was still the one who would find and bring her back.

Most of the time, Mee Yon was a cheerful girl, seemingly without a care in the world, but there were those times when she was sad or moody. Usually, her moods revolved around that time of the month, and Seok Young recalled when it first happened to her, about two years ago. He'd been concerned when she complained of a stomach ache for days and hadn't been swimming all week, but Eomma had told him not to worry, that it was just a woman thing. Enough said. He couldn't help her with that one; that was all Eomma. But still, he felt bad for her. The only thing he could really do was bring her a heating pad.

Like anyone else, Mee Yon needed space when she wasn't feeling well, physically, or was in a bad mood, which Seok Young respected. During those times, he would occasionally check on her, keeping a close, silent watch, while being as inconspicuous as possible. He knew that she often knew he was around, and she accepted it. But sometimes she needed more than a watchful eye; she needed consolation.

Today was one of those days; he could feel it.

Although, this situation was unprecedented. This wasn't a moody day or frustration over something not going right for her; this was heartbreak. And he'd never seen Mee Yon this way, not even after what Park Jung Ho did to her.

Seok Young stepped into the pool area, immediately feeling the humidity in the air and hearing the sound of water splashing. Glancing toward the pool, he saw two slender arms tearing through the water and a black-capped head bobbing just above the surface. As he suspected. He walked over to the edge of the pool and stood there, waiting for her to stop and look up at him.

Mee Yon finished her lap and approached the edge of the pool; as she did so, she caught sight of a pair of brown loafers. Panting faintly, she touched the edge of the pool and stopped; she pulled up her goggles and set them atop her head, and she looked up. "Op-pa," she spoke through heavy breaths.

"Aren't you training too hard?" he asked, staring down at her.

"No way, just having a casual swim," she lied. The fact was she had been pushing herself to her limits, hoping that would somehow take away the emptiness she felt in her heart.

Seok Young bent at the knees, squatting down to her level. "Casual?" He asked in his calm manner. He cocked his head to the side. "It didn't seem that way. I thought maybe you were training for the Olympics."

Mee Yon laughed wholeheartedly. "I wish! Someday, maybe..." And they exchanged a smile. It was the first time she'd laughed since Aidan left, but the moment quickly passed, and her spirits and face fell again.

Seok Young rested a hand on his knee, leaning forward slightly. "I take it Aidan still hasn't called you."

Mee Yon glanced away. "How did you know?"

"How do you think? I know you, Little One, probably better than anyone, and I know that you swim when you're frustrated." Seok Young recalled previous times: she swam before her big entrance exam; she swam when a girl pretended to be her friend because of her name, and she swam when that...jerk...Park Jung Ho hurt her. Seok Young didn't like to speak or even think his name, and there was no need to bring up this list to Mee Yon and force her to remember, but he did.

Mee Yon sighed and looked back at him. "You're right, Oppa. I guess I am frustrated...but I shouldn't be! I mean, it hasn't been that long, and Aidan has a life, and he did message me to tell me he'd be really busy…" She lowered her head a bit.

"Don't lose hope. I'm sure he'll call you."

She nodded. "You're right. Yeah, you're right; I'm just being stupid."

"You're not stupid."

"I understand that he hasn't had time to call or message much. He's preparing for his world tour, and he'll be traveling a lot. I just worry because...because he hates...traveling." Mee Yon decided not to tell her brother that Aidan actually had a phobia of flying because his parents had died in a plane crash. He'd told her that in confidence, and she wasn't sure if he wanted anyone else to know. She felt so incredibly bad for him being forced to fly repeatedly when it terrified him so...

Seok Young beckoned Mee Yon to the stairs and extended his hand. She took the stairs, holding onto the railing with one hand and his hand with the other. He then went for a towel, brought it back, and wrapped it around her.

"I know that you're worried about Aidan," Seok Young said as she dried off. "But what about you? Do you think he'd want you to kill yourself swimming? You know that muscles need time to recover, and you haven't been eating properly, either. That is the worst thing an athlete can do."

"I know. It's just that...I haven't been very hungry, and swimming takes my mind off how much I miss him. Whenever I start thinking about him too much, I go swimming. And when I see his face while I'm swimming, I swim harder to try and push it away." She sighed. "Swimming hard is nothing compared to letting my mind wander. My body can take the punishment, but up here..." She pointed to her head. "And in here…" She then pointed to the left side of her chest where her heart would be. "...that's another story."

"I understand." Seok Young knew that his sister was built like a fort, but her heart was tender. He didn't think Mee Yon had ever been 'in love' before, but she seemed to be now, or at least she believed she was. First loves were always intense; he knew that well. He also knew that Mee Yon was going to be the type to love hard. Even if hanging by a thread over a cliff, she would hold on until the string frayed or she had no strength left within her‒and that was what scared him. But rather than encouraging her to try and forget, maybe she should embrace her feelings.

"You know, you don't have to push thoughts of him away." Mee Yon looked at her brother curiously. "I know it's hard, but it's okay to miss him," Seok Young continued. "That's normal when your loved one is away, and loving someone is a good thing. You just need to learn to accept what you're feeling and move on with your life until you see him again."

Mee Yon paused to consider this. "...That actually makes a lot of sense, Oppa." She pressed her lips together thoughtfully.

"What did you and Aidan decide, anyway?" Seok Young asked, genuinely curious. He'd seen the necklace she wore around her neck and assumed it was some kind of promise from Aidan, and he'd been at the airport for their goodbye, but it seemed there was much that was uncertain, at least as far as he knew.

"Well, we didn't discuss everything. He gave me this half-necklace and kept the other end." She held it up to show Seok Young; he nodded. "And he said he'd come back and asked me to wait for him, so…I assume that means we are...together."

Apparently, communication isn't their strong suit, thought Seok Young. Oh, but who was he to talk? He and Eun Jeong had had plenty of misunderstandings before they got together, and he wasn't exactly considered 'chatty.'

"I'm really happy that he asked me to wait for him, and a part of me wants to shout from the rooftops that he's my boyfriend, but I don't really know if he wants people to know about us, and I don't really want the attention, either."

Seok young raised his arms in defeat. "But you're already getting attention because of the serenade."

"I know."

"People may not know for sure, but by serenading you in front of everyone he raised suspicions and put you on center stage."

"Yeah…" Mee Yon heaved a sigh. On one hand, she was embarrassed by the serenade, but on the other, it had made her so happy. It would definitely be one of her most treasured memories, yet the after-effects were kind of a nuisance.

"I don't really care if people know, so long as Aidan doesn't mind. What really bothers me are all these non-stop questions. Sometimes I don't even know the answer to them, and I definitely don't want to talk about it with people I barely know. I think that part has been more exhausting than all the swimming."

Seok Young could understand what she was going through; he'd been there before. He recalled hiding out at the pool from girls. Now Mee Yon and her 'relationship' was the hot topic at Shinwha. That wasn't easy to deal with, and it made him feel rather angry with Aidan because it didn't affect him‒he wasn't the one who had to attend school here, Mee Yon was. It was sweet, in theory, but had Aidan even considered what he could be getting Mee Yon into when he sang a love song to her in front of the entire school?

Seok Young exhaled and ruffled his sister's hair. "Don't worry, Little One. I'm sure it will die down in time. For now, just lie low. Let them talk, and just ignore it."

She smiled and nodded. "Okay, Oppa, I'll try. Thanks."

A week and a half later…

The last Mee Yon had heard, Aidan was headed to Lima, Peru, but she'd received no message indicating he'd arrived or anything. She had just gotten out of the pool after a vigorous swim. Her shoulders slumped, she stumbled over to the white pool chair on which her oversized beach towel was resting. Rather than picking it up, she dropped to a seated position on the chair next to it; she leaned forward and buried her face in her hands. His timing perfect, her brother walked in at that moment.

Seok Young stared over at the figure of his little sister, her body folded over and face hidden. His brow furrowed, and he felt his heart throb in his chest. He took another couple seconds to watch her before approaching. With soft footsteps, he walked over to her. He tossed the beach towel onto the next chair and sat down beside her. He'd been so quiet and she so in her own world that she didn't look up until he put a hand on her bare shoulder.

"Op-pa?" Mee Yon looked up. Her eyes were shiny, moisture pooling below her eyes, but no tears had slipped free.

Seok Young paused for a moment, considering what to say. She had that pitiful look on her face that made his heart ache‒kind of like a neglected puppy‒but at the same time, he believed enough was enough. He certainly felt for her, but she was making those around her suffer, too, especially their parents.

"No word?"

"Not really," she said.

Seok Young took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Look, I know you're upset, but don't you think this has gone on long enough?" He removed his hand from her shoulder and clasped his hands together.

"What do you mean?" she mumbled, not looking at him.

He decided to lay it all out there. "This isn't you, Mee Yon-ah. I know you're hurting, but you're stronger than this."

"Is this supposed to be tough love or something, Oppa?" She stared at the floor.

"I guess you could call it that, but it's really just a statement of fact. I don't know this Mee Yon."

Mee Yon gave an exasperated sigh. "Maybe I've changed..." She slapped her hands against her thighs. "Ah, why can't you just leave me alone, Oppa?!"

Seok Young exhaled. "Because it's hard to see you suffering...and it's not just you..."

"What?" She turned her head to look at him.

"Appa and Eomma."

"Oh." She squeezed her hands together.

He turned in his seat, leaning toward her slightly. "You've kinda been giving them the silent treatment. Did you realize that? You've barely spoken to them in weeks. Are you mad at them? Because they had every right to forbid you from traipsing around the globe with your boyfriend. You're being unfair," he said calmly but firmly. It might be a bit harsh, bringing up Appa and Eomma and making her feel guilty, but he felt she needed a little sense talked into her.

Mee Yon sighed. She hadn't intended to punish their parents for not letting her go, and it must be hurting them a lot, especially Appa. She felt awful, but she just hadn't been in the mood to talk. "I know…mianhae…"

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to Appa. He thinks you're angry with him."

"I'm not...angry with him." She sighed again. "...I know I've been a baby these past few weeks, but I'm just so…so..."

"Sad?" Seok Young asked.

"Yes. ...Well, sad doesn't really cut it," she fumbled with the half-necklace Aidan had given her, "but that's the general idea, yeah." In actuality, she felt like such a pitiful mess.

Seok Young exhaled. "I know how you feel."

"No, you don't, Oppa. You've never gone through this."

"You think you're the only one who's ever had a broken heart?" He said it in a sharper tone than he'd meant to.

Mee Yon's lips parted. Suddenly, she felt horrible for saying what she did. She only had an inkling about it, but she recalled that Seok Young had liked a girl once, before Eun Jeong, at the musical academy. She didn't know the full story, just that the girl had hurt her brother deeply. He never directly told her anything about the girl, not even her name, and he'd probably kept that hidden because he knew she would want to go out and find her and pound her.

If that girl is ever in my sight…!

Mee Yon tucked aside her anger, trading it for sympathy. "Sorry, I forgot." She lowered her eyes.

"Huh?"

"Nothing, Oppa. I mean, you're right."

Seok Young returned his hand to her shoulder. "You're entitled to your feelings; everyone is." He her shoulder gently with his thumb. "But you're not allowed to become a mermaid, remember?"

A soft smile crossed Mee Yon's lips. "Yeah, yeah, arasso," she said in a haughty tone.

They exchanged a smile, and Seok Young rose to his feet, giving her shoulder a little pat. "This distance will get easier, I promise you," he said. "And I'm sure Aidan is going to call you as soon as he gets some free time."

Mee Yon nodded.

"So, let's end this." She cocked her head curiously. "We all want our Mee Yon-ah back, that bright, cheerful, stubborn…" She frowned at this but shrugged in resignation when her brother gave her his signature disarming smile. "...determined girl who never lets anything get her down. I'm not saying you have to be over it but you should start relying on your family again, at least talking to us."

"I will." Mee bobbed her head up and down.

Seok Young grinned and poked her in the cheek before turning to walk away, hands in pockets. "Oh, and don't forget to dry your hair," he called back over his shoulder as he exited through the automatic doors enclosing the pool area.

Mee Yon decided to take just a couple more laps before her next class.

Mee Yon had just finished changing out of her swimsuit and back into her uniform. She quickly towel-dried her hair, leaving it damp, and slung her backpack over one shoulder, and she walked out the automatic doors. As she stepped through the doorway, she nearly collided with someone. Stopping just short of running into the tall male, she gasped. "Goo Jun Seo!" she exclaimed upon realizing who it was. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

Jun Seo's eyes darted all around as he pondered his answer. He didn't want to say he'd been looking for her, and he definitely didn't want her to know he'd been concerned about her. "I was just passing by," he finally said.

"From where?" Mee Yon asked, dumbfounded. There was really no place he could be going to or coming from that was near the pool.

"Uh, well…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "Actually, your oppa sent me," he lied. He'd actually asked Seok Young where to find her, though he should've known she'd be at the pool. Come to think of it, his hyung had questioned him about it, too‒Why were the Yoons so nosy?‒and he'd ended up telling him that their classes were teaming up on a project, and he needed to ask Mee Yon something about it. Surprisingly, Seok Young had bought it, and Jun Seo prided himself on his ability to think on his feet today.

Mee Yon groaned. Even after their talk, her brother still wasn't satisfied. What more did he want from her? Now, Oppa is sending others to check up on me, too? "I guess he's still worried about me. Well, I'm sorry he made you go out of your way, Jun Seo, but I'm fine."

Jun Seo stared at her. She looked really cute with pieces of wet hair clinging to her forehead, but they kind of hid her eyes...and her eyes were her best feature, in his opinion.

"What?" she asked, arms folded.

Jun Seo realized he'd been staring like a moron, and he got flustered. He stammered, finally blurting out the first thing that popped into his head. "Wh-why didn't you dry your hair?" He reached out to grab a dark, damp tendril that had framed the right side of her face, but he barely touched it before she shooed his hand away. Flustered once more, Jun Seo exclaimed, "You're going to get sick, babo!"

Mee Yon scoffed. "Yah, there was no time. But don't worry, I have a strong immune system." She pumped a hwaiting fist, but truthfully, she was wondering why he even cared. Oh great, what if he 'reports back' to Oppa? I'll never hear the end of it.

Jun Seo nodded and looked down. He shoved his hands into his pockets and just stood there, staring at the ground.

"Um, so, I need to get to class, Jun Seo," Mee Yon said when he remained like that. He nodded slowly. "But...you could walk with me if you want." She shrugged her shoulders. He looked over and gave another nod, and they started walking side by side.

As they walked quietly across campus, Mee Yon couldn't help but wonder if something was on Jun Seo's mind. He was unusually quiet and acting a bit strange; in fact, he'd been acting strangely for a while now, even for him. She decided to ask. "Jun Seo…?"

"Yeah?" He didn't look at her.

"Is everything alright? Is anyone giving you a hard time? Do I need to deal with someone for you?"

Jun Seo snapped his head toward her. "You're kidding me, right? Who's going to mess with me? I own this school."

"Actually, your dad does."

"Whatever. No one is messing with me! And how could you help if they were?"

Mee Yon sighed, and she decided to just walk along silently. The two of them crossed the courtyard without looking at one another.

"Noona…?" Jun Seo finally spoke up just prior to them reaching the teaching building where her class was.

"Yeah?"

"Are you…are you dating that guy?"

"Who, Aidan?"

"Yeah, who else, dummy?"

Mee Yon rolled her eyes but then grew serious. "I think so."

"You think so?"

"Well, yeah, I mean...we didn't say those words exactly, but he did ask me to wait for him. So...," she shrugged, "that's what I'm doing."

"That sounds unfair," was Jun Seo's blunt reply.

"What?"

"Yeah, totally unfair. How long is he even going to be gone for?"

"Well, I don't...know...exactly." Mee Yon stared down at her sneakers.

Jun Seo shook his head. "Babo."

Her head snapped upright, and she reached out and shoved him. "Stop calling me that!"

"Hey, it's true, only a dummy would agree to that."

Mee Yon sighed. A dummy or a woman in love… Maybe they were one in the same, but it didn't matter; she would wait for him as long as it took. "Maybe you're right, but I...really like him." She wore an expression of serene determination.

Jun Seo nodded sullenly. "...So, has he called you?" He looked over as they took the stairs to the teaching building.

He sounded like her oppa now. "Um, well...he hasn't called, but he's messaged!" she quickly added the last part. "He's just been busy," she explained, unsure why she was making excuses to Jun Seo, of all people.

"No one is too busy to pick up a phone and call someone for a few minutes in a matter of weeks." Secretly, Jun Seo was glad Aidan hadn't really been in touch with her, but that made him feel guilty. And he definitely hated seeing Yoon Mee Yon sad. Angry, he didn't mind; she could be angry with him if she wanted; that was pretty fun, in fact, but not sad, never sad.

"Yah, what do you know, Goo Jun Seo? He's a pop star, so he's definitely busier than most people."

"I may not be a pop star, but I bet I'm way busier than him." Mee Yon rolled her eyes at her junior. Did everything have to be a contest with Jun Seo? "And I am still here talking to you," he added.

Mee Yon sighed. "Maybe you're right. Maybe he's already starting to forget about me…"

Jun Seo tightened his jaw as he watched her head hang low; she looked so depressed.

Forget about Yoon Mee Yon? Impossible!

"Maybe he's sick of me… What if he found someone else already? It's not like it would be hard for Aidan to find another girl. He could do so easily…" She seemed to be talking to herself, so Jun Seo just listened. "He has thousands, maybe millions of girls who are crazy about him… Do you think that's what happened, Jun Seo? Do you think he met someone else?" She prattled on, turning to look at him with big, doe eyes for the last part.

Jun Seo shrugged. "Maybe."

Mee Yon's eyes moistened. "D-do you really...think so?' she asked with trembling lip, barely holding back her tears. Jun Seo was starting to feel supremely guilty, but it was momentarily forgotten when she grabbed him by the collar and started shaking him. "Goo Jun Seo! How could you say that?!" She no longer seemed sad but angry, instead.

"Yah, Noona, let go! This is a nice shirt, and you're wrinkling it!" He removed her hands, taking the time to hold them for a couple of seconds. They were small, warm, and soft… Realizing he had a hold of her fingers, he loosened his grip, and she pulled them free.

Resignedly, Mee Yon dropped her hands to her sides and lowered her head. "You're supposed to make me feel better," she complained.

The question that immediately popped into Jun Seo's head was 'why?' Why was he supposed to make her feel better? Why was he even here talking to her about this? He wasn't her boyfriend, and he wasn't her oppa; it wasn't his job to comfort her. They were friends, yes, and they grew up together, but that didn't make it his responsibility to make her feel better about some jerk guy who left her.

But as Jun Seo watched Mee Yon hang her head, looking more pitiful than he'd ever seen her before, he couldn't stand it. "I...I didn't mean that. Sorry," he mumbled, staring down at his feet.

"No, you might be right...he might have found someone new..."

"He didn't!" Jun Seo vehemently protested, causing Mee Yon to take a step back in shock. Calming himself again, he took a breath and moved a bit closer, and he looked Mee Yon directly in her big, brown eyes. "He's just busy, okay. He'll call soon."

Mee Yon smiled faintly, and Jun Seo felt warmth stirring inside him. This feeling he got around her lately was so weird…he liked it, yet he didn't. As for consoling her, that was new for him, too. He'd never tried to do that for anyone before, not like this anyway, and he was conflicted. Pushing her toward Aidan, he felt as if a thorn was digging into his side‒only because he couldn't stand the guy‒but he really liked it when Yoon Mee Yon smiled...she had such a nice smile, and he really liked being the one to bring it out. He also realized, just now, that he liked the feeling he got when he helped her, so he took it a step further. "You know, if you're worried about him forgetting you, you should just...not let him."

"What?"

Jun Seo slapped his forehead with his hand. Did he seriously have to explain everything to this girl? He forced an exhale. "You can contact him, too, you know."

"Oh. I-I know, but doesn't that seem a little...desperate?"

"What's so desperate about calling a person or sending them a message? Just don't send fifty all at once."

Mee Yon chuckled. "I guess so."

"Who says he has to be the one to contact you, anyway? You're so prideful. Don't you girls like your equality or something?"

Mee Yon shook her head, though she was grinning widely. He made a good point, and she couldn't believe she was actually getting helpful advice from Goo Jun Seo.

As for Jun Seo, he couldn't believe he was actually trying to help her with her relationship troubles. It wasn't his responsibility and besides that… He shook his thoughts away.

"But...what should I say?" She was new at this long-distance thing, so she really wasn't sure.

"I dunno." Jun Seo gave her a one-armed shrug. "Just tell him you miss him."

Mee Yon smiled and nodded. "That's perfect." And so simple. "Thanks, Jun Seo-ah." They had reached her classroom by now, so she tossed him a smile and a wave and went inside.

Jun Seo stood outside the classroom; he watched her head to her desk and greet a couple of girls as she did. When several heads turned his way, Jun Seo spun around and walked off.

Four days passed. Mee Yon had taken Jun Seo's advice and messaged Aidan, telling him she missed him. He had responded relatively quickly, within twenty minutes or so of her message, and had said that he missed her, too. After that, he told her goodnight, and then...crickets. Even though she hadn't heard from him since‒and she felt rather pathetic that she'd read that short message about a hundred times‒she'd decided not to brood. She was now occupying herself with school and swimming, but this time, she was making sure to take better care of herself. Her family and friends had been right, and she didn't want to worry them unnecessarily, so she'd decided to at least pretend to go back to the life she knew before Aidan until he returned to her. And he would return; she was sure of it. She felt bad for having so little faith in him and in their relationship, but no longer. There were a few things Mee Yon was certain of, those being: that her family loved her, that swimming was the best sport in the world, that Eomma made the best pumpkin porridge ever, and that Aidan would come back to her.

It was a Thursday morning when Mee Yon walked into her classroom, and the place was abuzz. The teacher wasn't there yet, so everyone was goofing off like usual, on their phones and such, but she noticed that a crowd had gathered around one of the popular girls. She had her phone held out, and they appeared to be watching a video. Mee Yon wandered closer, planning to simply go to her seat and ignore whatever video they were gawking at, but then she heard Aidan's voice. It was unmistakable to her; she would know it anywhere. Unable to contain her curiosity, she took a peek over the shoulder of a girl she knew, somewhat. Aidan was on the screen being interviewed by a beautiful Latina woman, probably in her twenties, with long, sleek, black hair and curves to die for. He was talking about his Latin American tour and about heading to Chile next; he was speaking in English to the woman, and there was a Korean translation scrolling across the bottom of the screen.

Mee Yon watched with rapt interest, smiling broadly at the sight of his handsome face and gorgeous blue eyes. She'd missed him so much. Then the interviewer asked him a question that made Mee Yon hold her breath, along with every other girl in the classroom: "Do you have a girlfriend?"

This is it… Mee Yon in a bit of air and tried to breathe normally. She could feel her palms sweating. It wasn't like she expected him to say her name, but she truly wondered what he would tell the woman‒and the rest of the world. She squeezed her moist hands together as she watched Aidan's face. He'd gone silent, and he looked deathly serious. The camera panned back to the interviewer, who repeated the question, thinking he hadn't understood her. "Do you have a girlfriend, Mr. Cho?"

The camera was back on Aidan. He looked more composed now as he opened his mouth to answer, "No, I don't."

Mee Yon felt her stomach drop out as if she was plummeting from a cliff. Had she understood correctly? He said 'no?' She couldn't believe it, yet it was true. There could be no misunderstanding. Not only had he said 'no' in English, but there it was in plain Korean, in big, bold letters flashing across the bottom of the cell phone screen‒animnida.

No… Animnida…

Mee Yon took a couple wobbly steps back from the crowd, and she headed toward her desk. Her head felt fuzzy and detached from the rest of the body, and right now, her desk seemed so far away. She could see that everyone was looking over at her now. Most said nothing and returned their attention back to the phone, but she heard a few girls whisper 'So, I guess it was an act,' as she stumbled along. When she finally made it there, she slumped into her seat, catching the edge and nearly sliding off, in her daze. She clutched the sides of the desk, managing to keep herself upright and in her seat. Immediately, she felt hot tears welling up, but she refused to let them out here, so she folded her arms on the desk and buried her face in them.

When she felt a hand in her hair, Mee Yon blinked away any moisture that threatened to spill and raised her head. One of her good friends, who had been gently her hair, asked if she was okay. Mee Yon put on her best smile and nodded, appreciating the gesture. She then noticed everyone staring at her again, but her friend simply told her to ignore them. Thankfully, the teacher walked in shortly after and began speaking. Class came to order, and the lecture began, but frankly, Mee Yon didn't hear a word.

After her last class of the day, Mee Yon was feeling spent. She'd been holding back tears all afternoon, just trying to pay attention in class, but she simply couldn't. All she could think about was Aidan and how he'd denied being her boyfriend. And the icing on the cake was that she'd had no free time to swim and clear her head.

The school was practically cleared out when Mee Yon made it to her locker. She managed to toss a couple of books in her backpack, not even caring if they were the right ones or not, and she slammed the door shut. Then she meandered off, not even quite sure where she was going. She managed to recall that Seok Young had to stay after for music practice, but she couldn't remember if she'd arranged for a ride or not. So, she fished her phone out of her jacket pocket and dialed Secretary Park.

. . .

"Yes, Miss. Your brother and father both informed me. I'm out front," he said. Mee Yon told him she'd be right out and made her way toward the exit.

Jun Seo was one of the last ones to leave Shinwha due to a make-up project. As he came around the corner into the main hallway, he caught sight of Mee Yon coming down the stairs. He watched her descend ultra-slowly, actually afraid she might tumble down because she seemed distracted and depressed, really depressed. And he could guess why…

The whole school had been talking all day about an interview Aidan had given, and the juiciest piece of it was that Aidan had denied having a girlfriend. At least half the school had been certain that Mee Yon was dating Aidan after his love serenade, but now, most were inclined to believe it had been staged. When one of the most annoying girls at school had shown the video to Jun Seo during class, he'd nearly ripped the phone out of her hand and chucked it across the room, but he'd controlled his temper.

Jun Seo waited around the corner of the stairwell for Mee Yon to take the last step, and then he revealed himself. "Oh, Noona, it's you," he said in a careless tone, pretending he'd only just noticed her by pure coincidence.

She didn't react, just kept walking past him. With a sigh, Jun Seo shoved his hands into the pockets of his designer slacks and took a couple of long strides to catch up to her. "Yah, Noona!" he exclaimed. She ignored him again, so he jogged ahead and stepped out in front of her. He started walking backward, pulling a hand out of his pocket to wave in her face. Only then did she notice him and stop.

"Oh, Jun Seo, it's you," she muttered.

"Yah, where's your head, Noona?"

She shrugged one arm, staring at him blankly. The whites of her eyes were pinkish, and she had a little wrinkle in her brow. He could tell she wanted to cry but was fighting it. Just look at what this guy had reduced his strong noona to!

"Noona, are you still hung up on that guy?" She simply looked away and said she had to go, but Jun Seo wasn't letting her off that easily. Getting an idea, he grabbed her by the crook of the arm and tugged.

"Yah, Goo Jun Seo! What are you doing?" she protested.

"Don't resist. I have something to show you." He slid his hand down her arm to her wrist.

"I can't. Secretary Park is waiting for me."

She again tried to slip away, but he held on tighter. "This will only take a minute."

Curiosity got the best of Mee Yon, so she allowed Jun Seo to pull her along by the wrist. "Okay, but this better be good," she said as he led her toward the high school wing. He reassured her that it would be, and she just hoped they didn't get into trouble for loitering after school. Jun Seo took her up a set of stairs and to a classroom labeled 'F4' by a sign hanging next to the door. They stopped there for a moment as if Jun Seo was giving her time to prepare.

"This is…," she began.

"Yep." He grinned as he opened the door and ushered her inside.

Mee Yon stepped cautiously through the door as if into a wonderland, and she looked all around. This was it!‒the famous F4 classroom where her father had studied with Uncles Jun Pyo, Yi Jeong, and Woo Bin, where her brother now studied, and where Jun Seo, Jae Jin, and Il Hun would soon. Somehow, he felt as though she was standing on hallowed ground.

It was much fancier than her classrooms. There were arched floor-to-ceiling windows, four mahogany desks, and four black leather tufted chairs behind them; each desk had a thick glass nameplate on it, too, signifying whose desk it was. She immediately recognized her brother's name on one of the nameplates next to a small, fancy globe, and there were also ones for Jun Seo, Jae Jin, and Il Hun. She'd never thought it fair that only the boys were given such a classroom, but she was still glad to be here. And maybe that would change when she, Eun Jeong, Yeong Hui, Ju Mi, and Hye Mi made it to high school.

"What do you think?" Jun Seo asked, folding his arms and grinning satisfactorily as he watched Mee Yon's eyes roam the room in wonderment.

"It's nice," she commented.

"It's more than nice. Don't you even know where you are?"

"Of course, I do." She'd seen the sign outside the door, and she knew all about this place. But she'd never actually been here. "This is the special F4 classroom where our dads studied and where my brother does now."

"Right."

"Can we...we can't...be in here, can we?" She raised a hopeful brow.

"Of course. Who do you think owns this school?"

"Your appa," she replied immediately. Jun Seo frowned at the fact that she, again, hadn't said him. "Or his company...or something…" She scratched her head. "I'm...not really sure."

Jun Seo groaned but decided to just move on. "Anyway… You should consider yourself lucky because not just anyone can be here."

Mee Yon nodded. "So, why did you bring me here?"

"Well…," he paused for dramatic effect, holding his arms out wide. "I've decided...to let you in F4."

"What? Really?!" Her eyes widened to the size of large coins, and she clapped her hands together.

"Yeah, as long as you stop crying over that guy and be brave, you can join."

"When did I cry?!" Mee Yon balled her hands into fists and took an aggressive step forward, but then she backed off. She hadn't cried, right? No, surprisingly, she hadn't really cried much at all. She'd been trying so hard not to, and she thought she'd done pretty well, considering… She certainly hadn't cried in front of him.

"So, um, what do you say?" he asked, lowering the hands he'd put up in defense.

A wide smile crossed her lips, and then, to Jun Seo's great shock, she ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Jun Seo, thank you! I really, really wanted to be in F4!" Jun Seo's body went rigid, and it seemed that seconds later, she realized what she had done and extracted herself. He didn't even have the chance to hug her back…not that he wanted to…

"Um, I uh, sorry about..." She glanced shyly away as she took a step or two back. "Thank you."

After they'd parted, he saw that she was teary-eyed again. "I told you that you had to stop crying, or no deal!"

"I'm not; I'm not!" She wiped away the droplets that had slipped, smiling happily.

Jun Seo dug his shoe into the floor, staring downward. He shook away the remnants of feelings from the hug and said, "No problem. It really means that much to you, huh?"

"Mm." Mee Yon nodded emphatically.

"Why?"

"I don't know..." She shrugged. "Maybe it's stupid, but...I guess it makes me feel closer to my oppa and especially my appa. They're both F4. You see, I...didn't get to see my appa for the first two years of my life, and even though I was a baby, I always felt kind of sad about that. I just want to be as connected as I can to him."

Jun Seo's first instinct was to make a smart comment, but he just couldn't. It was too touching. "...That's not stupid," he said. He raised his eyes to the ceiling, and he was reminded of something. "Oh, by the way..." He walked over to Seok Young's desk. "Look at this…"

Before Mee Yon could protest, Jun Seo opened the bottom drawer of her oppa's desk and pulled out something chunky and rectangular. He held it up to her. It was another nameplate, this one with 'Yoon Ji Hoo' printed on it. Mee Yon's lips curled up as she ran her fingers over the white letters; she took the heavy block of clear glass and cradled it in her arms.

Jun Seo watched Mee Yon stare at the nameplate for quite some time. She seemed so happy just looking at her appa's name on a chunk of glass. The corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily. "You should take it," he suggested.

"Huh?" He'd clearly startled her because she clutched the nameplate tight to keep from dropping it.

"Take it."

"But I-I can't do that!"

"Why not? It belongs to your appa, and who else is going to use it? I don't know of any other Yoon Ji Hoos who attend Shinwha."

Mee Yon pressed her lips together thoughtfully. Jun Seo expected her to put the nameplate back in its drawer, but instead, she set it down while she ped her backpack, and then she stuck it inside. Quickly, she zipped up the backpack and looked all around the room, her head snapping conspiratorially from side to side. "I wonder if there are any cameras in here…," she whispered.

Grinning, Jun Seo shook his head. "You are such a goodie-goodie."

"And you are such a bad influence, Goo Jun Seo," she retorted, wagging a finger at him.

"Hey, what do you think is gonna happen if you're caught; you think my appa will expel you?"

She gave him a huge smile, one that threatened to melt his outer layers, and she just kept smiling. When Jun Seo couldn't take it any longer, he had to do something...so, of course, he ran his mouth…

"You know, when I said you could be in F4, obviously I didn't mean you could be a regular F4…"

"What do you mean?" Mee Yon took a step toward him.

"Well, if we let you in then we'd have to change the name, and F5 just doesn't sound right. It doesn't have the same effect…

"Why you…! You promised me! You can't take it back now!"

She took another couple steps and reached out as if she was going to grab him by the collar again. He stepped back and put his hands up in self-preservation. They argued for a minute or two about how he'd never said the word 'promise' and how nothing was in writing, and if he'd learned anything from his father it was that a contract was only binding if it was in writing, but when he feared Mee Yon was going to hit him, Jun Seo came up with a counteroffer, "But I'm sure we can work something out. Maybe you can be...F4's...mascot! Yeah, you can be the mascot!"

"Mascot?! That wasn't part of the deal…," she grumbled.

"Come on, it'll be great. Maybe you could even wear a costume," he blurted out the first thing that popped into his head.

Mee Yon's face reddened, and she gave him that 'I'm gonna kill you' look that she'd perfected over the years. And if he was being honest with himself, Yoon Mee Yon could probably beat him to a bloody pulp if she really wanted. It was a little scary but also downright adorable.

"A costume?! What kind of costume?" she demanded.

Going off in his mind, Jun-Seo raised his eyes skyward. "I don't know…maybe…" And a little smile crossed his face.

Mee Yon glared at him, hands rooted to her hips. "What are you picturing?"

Jun Seo didn't answer but remained in his inner world. "Yea, that'd be cute…," he mumbled, just loud enough for her to hear.

dropped open. "What? What would be cute? What were you thinking about just now?!" she demanded, giving him a shove.

He finally looked at her, casually. "Nothing."

Mee Yon scowled. "Ugh, you're such a ert..." She took a step back and shivered as if her skin was crawling.

"What?! Yah, I'm not a ert! You're the ert! What were you thinking?" He pointed an accusatory finger.

Mee Yon shielded her chest and turned up her nose in disgust. "Don't try to turn your weird thoughts around on me."

"Weird?! Yah! I wasn't thinking anything weird!" It wasn't very convincing, though, particularly since he could feel his face boiling, so he knew it must be beet red.

Fortunately, Mee Yon received a call in that instant. She pulled out her phone and looked at it, gasping, "Oh no, Secretary Park! I forgot!" She answered quickly.

"Miss, are you alright?" Secretary Park asked from the other end of the line.

"Yes, sorry, sorry; I'm so sorry, Secretary Park! Something came up, but I'll be right out." Mee Yon turned toward the doorway. "I gotta go, but this is NOT over!" she shouted as she rushed out, leaving Jun Seo standing there.

Jun Seo sighed as he watched her bolt away. That could have gone better...but at least he'd maybe taken her mind off Aidan for a little while. He'd also wanted to impress her by taking her to the F4 lounge, but he supposed that would have to wait for next time.

When she arrived home, Mee Yon was in a daze. Jun Seo had distracted her from thoughts of Aidan, but not for long, and the entire ride home she'd been replaying that part of the interview in her head: Do you have a girlfriend? -No. No. No. No. No. No… She sighed as she stumbled into the living room, head hung low. To her surprise, her appa was there, seated on the couch with a stack of paperwork on his lap. She raised her eyes slightly to look at him.

"Mee Yon-ah?" Ji Hoo took one look at his daughter's face and knew she was about to break down.

"A-ppa…" Mee Yon felt her brow wrinkle up; her eyes squinted, and her chest began to heave.

Despite how bad she'd been feeling, Mee Yon hadn't let herself cry, except that one time, right after Aidan left. She'd been fighting her feelings for what seemed like forever, ever since Aidan stepped through the security gate. Occasionally, some drops would squeeze through, but she'd wipe them away immediately and quickly occupy herself before more could replace them. She'd been refusing to let go and just have a good cry, but now, it felt like a dam was about to burst. No, I won't cry. I won't...cry…

But it was no use.

Looking at her father, her lip started to tremble; her face contorted in pain, and she felt the hot tears beginning to slip down her cheeks. "Ap-pa...A-a-ppa…," she choked out. Her appa tossed his paperwork aside and stood; he sidestepped the coffee table, took a couple of steps toward her, and raised his arms in preparation.

Her tear ducts had become overactive, and no matter how hard she tried to squint them back, the droplets sprung forth from the corners of her eyes, rolling down the bridge of her nose and each cheek. "Appa!" she exclaimed, just prior to dropping her backpack and rushing to him.

They met in the middle, Ji Hoo opening his arms fully, just in time for her to crash into his chest. And Mee Yon let loose, shedding all the tears that had been tormenting her for weeks.

As he held her, Ji Hoo's heart clenched within his chest, for there was nothing more painful to a loving father than witnessing his daughter cry. But at the same time, he was relieved. It was odd that he would feel such a thing upon seeing his daughter cry, and it wasn't that he wanted her to cry, ever, but he knew it was a big step in the healing process for her. She'd dealt with her pain; she'd faced it, and now she was banishing all the hurt feelings she'd kept locked away inside. For weeks, Ji Hoo had watched her do as Jan Di had done years ago‒trying to hold it back, trying to fight the pain and be strong, but it never worked. In the end, she always let her feelings out. Even though it broke Ji Hoo's heart when Jan Di had cried, and now when Mee Yon did, at least he could do something about it‒he could hold her, give her temporary solace, and shower her with his love.

"D-daddy...Daddy...it-it hurts, Daddy," Mee Yon blubbered. Her tears were overflowing as if from a faucet, rolling down each side of her face in thin, salty springs that stung her skin and wet her father's nice shirt. "My heart...it hurts, Daddy…"

Ji Hoo squeezed his eyes shut and her dark, mid-length hair. Mee Yon hadn't called him 'Daddy' since she was a little girl… When she was learning English in primary school, she started calling him 'Daddy.' It was one of the first words she learned, and she was quite proud of being able to say it right. The thing was, she only used that word when she was very sad or scared.

Between sniffles and gasps for air, Mee Yon begged like a small child for her daddy to please make it better, for him to make the pain go away as if it was an imaginary monster in her room. Then she started blurting out things like: Why won't he call me? Why doesn't he like me anymore? Why did he say that? Ji Hoo didn't know what had happened exactly, but he simply wrapped her tighter in his arms, whispering that it was okay and that he was here.

This situation felt painfully nostalgic for Ji Hoo. Mee Yon was so much like her mother that it was uncanny. They even grieved similarly. Ji Hoo felt like he had a magic mirror and was looking back in time. When he looked at Mee Yon, he could see Jan Di stumble around and nearly run into a door after Jun Pyo had kissed Ha Jae Kyung; he could see Jan Di lean, defeated against a pillar, and he could see his wife finally succumbing and crying in his arms at the Clinic after her run-in with Madam Kang at the hotel. Ji Hoo absolutely hated seeing his wife and daughter cry, but far more concerning to him was when the two kept their feelings inside because he knew how it ate away at them.

. . .

Mee Yon had already received comforting from her brother and even from Jun Seo, in his own way, but she needed this, too. After all, there was nothing better than a hug from your father, even as a big girl or a nearly grown-up woman. Actually, the two best huggers in the world, in Mee Yon's opinion, were her brother and her father. That is, except for Aidan. The only thing was, when she was in Aidan's arms or when he was touching her, she felt so uneasy‒the exact opposite, come to think of it, of being in Appa or Oppa's arms. Was being in love always like that?

When Seok Young got home, his eomma was arriving just behind him. He greeted her and waited, so they could walk in together. As they stepped into the living room, they saw Ji Hoo and Mee Yon locked in an embrace…

Seok Young immediately knew what was going on; he could hear Mee Yon's sobs, and his heart ached for her, but he also knew she was receiving the care she so desperately needed. He felt his eomma slip an arm around his waist, and he draped an arm over her shoulders, and mother and son watched father and daughter share their moment without interruption. After a few minutes, both realized that Mee Yon was in the best hands in the world, and they slipped away together, leaving the other pair alone.

. . .

Mee Yon cried for nearly ten minutes in her father's arms, after which, she felt so much better. Holding her tears in for weeks had left her body feeling like a desert in need of rain, and now she felt strangely rejuvenated. Sore eyes, scratchy throat, and stinging, tear-stained cheeks aside, the healing properties of her father's hugs were practically miraculous. That, combined with her newfound determination to move on with her life, even though she had been denied by her first love, had turned her mood around, at least for the time being. Actually, she felt stupid for acting in such a manner. Maybe love was simply fleeting, and this too would pass? She did have things to do, after all, so there was certainly no time to sit around moping over a guy, even one as amazing as Aidan.

She sighed and put on a smile, then allowed her father to lead her into the dining room where they met up with her mother and brother.

That evening…

After dinner, Ji Hoo tucked Mee Yon into bed. She'd said she was tired and wanted to go in early, and she'd asked him to join her. Ji Hoo scanned the shelf above her bed, planning to give her her otter, but he noticed it wasn't in its usual spot; instead, there was a stuffed bear in its place.

"Appa, I'm sorry," she whispered. He looked back down at her.

"For what, my little lotus?" he asked gently, tucking the covers snugger around her.

"For shutting you out all this time. I wasn't really mad at you; I was just…"

"I know. It's okay." He brushed the bangs out of her face.

"Thanks for understanding. I love you, Appa."

Ji Hoo smiled. "I love you, too, always."

Mee Yon smiled, and Ji Hoo stood up. "Goodnight, my little lotus." He turned to leave, but she called him back.

"Appa. Will you...sing for me?"

Ji Hoo nodded and took a seat on the edge of her bed. Wanting him to come closer, Mee Yon patted the spot beside her. He stood and walked over, and she made room for him to sit beside her.

"What would you like to hear?" he asked as he put his arm around her and pulled her in close.

"Anything," she said, nestling into his chest.

Ji Hoo thought about it for a moment and then started to hum the opening notes to a lullaby he'd written for her many years ago. Meanwhile, Jan Di stood in the doorway watching.

Softly, he sang…

From the moment I met you

When you came into this world

Felt like I had it all

Girl, you make me smile

My heart beat fast

Cause' I'd never loved something more

Your lovely face and sparkling eyes

You're so beautiful

Girl, you make me smile

Just having you by my side

I'm such a lucky man

I'll always be by your side

Girl, you make me smile

Sweetie, honey, baby girl…

You are happiness

Girl, you make me smile

With a smile on my lips

I'm still smiling today

I have everything now

Because you're by my side

No matter what

I can't lose you

I'll always be by your side

My baby girl, you make me smile

By the end of the song, Mee Yon had dozed off in her father's arms. She appeared exhausted but at peace. Ji Hoo laid his sleeping princess down gently and kissed her forehead. Then he stood up extra carefully and tiptoed toward the door, but as he did, he heard Mee Yon's voice. She wasn't speaking but singing softly, her eyes still closed. She was singing a piece of another song they both knew well. "I love you forever, Abeoji," she sang the last part of 'Forever, I love you, Father.' And Ji Hoo smiled.

"I love you forever, too, Mee Yon-ah," he sang back. And then he bid her goodnight and left the room.

Ji Hoo closed the door to Mee Yon's room three-quarters of the way and put his arm around Jan Di. She smiled up at him, her eyes shining with appreciation for the loving man and father he was.

"How's she doing?" Jan Di asked as Ji Hoo led her off toward the living room.

"She seems to be doing better."

"Do you know what happened?"

"No, but I'm sure she'll tell us or Seok Young in time."

Jan Di nodded.

"Oh, by the way, you should start packing, my love."

Jan Di's brow furrowed. "Packing?"

"Yes." Ji Hoo smiled softly. "We're leaving for New Zealand in two days."

Jan Di knew she should be shocked, but somehow, she wasn't. This must be the 'plan' he'd mentioned before.

"I've taken care of all the arrangements. You just need to pack."

"But what about…?"

Ji Hoo already knew what she was going to ask. "I've arranged for coverage at work and informed the school that Mee Yon and Seok Young will be out for two weeks."

"Two weeks? But Ji Hoo-ah, there's a young pregnant woman who'll be going into labor any day now, and she's really scared."

"I know. I've already introduced her to the obstetrician who'll be taking over for you, Dr. Im, and they had a talk. She is feeling better about it."

"Dr. Im, huh? Yeah, I guess she's pretty good...," Jan Di muttered. She had no issue with Dr. Im, but it was still difficult leaving her patients in the hands of someone else.

"Yes, she is. Not as good as you, my love, but she's perfectly adequate."

Jan Di pressed her lips together and stared up at her husband. "You know what you did, right?"

"What?"

"You pulled an F4." She smirked. "I guess that part of you is still inside."

Ji Hoo flashed his brilliant smile. "I suppose you can't take the F4 out of a man, no matter how many years pass, my dear."

Jan Di grinned and nodded in resignation. In this case, she didn't mind so much.

"Oh, speaking of F4, I don't think we should tell the guys or their wives about this. You know how F4 likes to...join us when we go somewhere."

"Right." Jan Di went off in her head. A large percentage of their vacations over the years had turned into group things. Somehow, it seemed the four families were linked and had to go everywhere together. It was enjoyable, but it would be nice for it to just be them for a change. "I agree, Ji Hoo, but what about Ga Eul and the baby? Even though Dr. Yu will be available, what if something goes wrong…?"

"Well, Byeong Ho has been doing really well, and Dr. Yu is on the case, but I suppose I can tell Yi Jeong and swear him to secrecy from Woo Bin and especially Jun Pyo. You know Jun Pyo will get very offended if he discovers we're trying to keep him out of this."

Jan Di agreed though she wasn't wholly convinced this plan would work.

***To Be Continued***

A/N: For Ji Hoo's song, I changed the wording to Kim Hyun Joong's "Smile" but kind of went with the idea of it, only making it more my own and more of a father/daughter song. So, it's a mix of the song "Smile" (English translation) and my own creation. Check out the song because it's one of my favorites and always makes me 'smile.' :)

On another note, I'm sorry they didn't make it to vacation this chapter as I'd planned, everyone, but I ended up writing more build-up and about Mee Yon's sadness. I will also get to dinner with Dr. Yu within the next few chapters. I PROMISE the next couple of chapters will be much more exciting. It's gonna be fun! It'll mainly be vacation, and they'll probably make it back home toward the end of the third part of this installment. I'll try not to make the gap between updates so long next time, okay?

WARNING, TEASER coming!

. . .

Teaser for the Next Two Chapters: Desire and Destinations Part II and III- The Yoons (including JanHoo's adoptive son and his fiancee) vacation in New Zealand with a stopover in Sydney, Australia for a special event. On vacation, family bonding occurs, and jealousy rears its ugly head with comical consequences. Ji Hoo tries to make sure the kids experience everything to the fullest, and JanHoo rekindle their romance. Jan Di and Mee Yon have a mother-daughter talk, and Mee Yon finally hears from Aidan. Furthermore, Mee Yon finds herself in a dangerous situation and does a little rescuing of her own. And late one night, Seok Young gets a big surprise.

Video to watch: "I" by Taeyeon (for some New Zealand scenery, and she is one I would consider to portray a slighter older Aria, if a movie or drama was made of this story, hehe).