Disclaimer: I do not own the Boys Over Flowers characters. Thanks for the lend, Yoko Kamio!

*Nakji-bokkeum: Spicy stir-fried octopus

**The smoothie place I based that part on is called 'Joe & the Juice,' a real chain in Seoul. Interesting names and they look really tasty.

Chapter Ten: Family and Friendship Part I

So Yi Jeong didn't tell Ga Eul his plans but simply dragged her out of his studio. And she just let him. Maybe she was crazy, but blowing off some steam had a nice ring to it.

He put her in his expensive car and drove toward the Gangnam district, where the most expensive places existed. Ga Eul ended up in a stylist's chair at a high-end salon having her hair curled and her makeup done, while Yi Jeong sat back alternating between reading a magazine and supervising the makeover. When Ga Eul's look was near completed, his mouth curled up into a dimpled smile, and he gave her a thumbs up.

Next, Yi Jeong led her to a designer clothing store in the same area. Still not quite sure what was going on, Ga Eul stood around watching him search a rack of dresses. He picked out two and held each up to her. Deciding on the pink one, he urged her to take it and literally shoved her off toward a dressing room. Ga Eul slipped into the short, backless dress, feeling rather . She needed to take a couple of extra deep breaths before she could come out of the dressing room. When she finally did, she was met with So Yi Jeong's flawless grin and an approving head nod.

Ga Eul didn't know what to expect next, but when he took her to the university district and walked hand-in-hand with her toward a particular club, she felt the butterflies gathering in her stomach. Why were they going here? What did he have planned? She didn't want to go in there! She didn't want to face him again!

She hesitated at the door, and Yi Jeong met her eyes. Something in those dark eyes seemed to say 'trust me,' so she followed him inside.

They stepped inside together, and it didn't take long for the both of them to spot Soo Pyo. He was at the bar with a woman, who Ga Eul recognized as the woman he'd dumped her for. Fearing she might tear up, Ga Eul turned her eyes away and focused on a random spot on the dance floor.

Yi Jeong was proud of his creation. She looked beautiful, like a whole other person, in fact, and for the final touch, he was sure this short, pink, silky dress was the perfect one. It was the sort of dress that would make any man want her, and subsequently, eat his heart out when he couldn't have her… And that was exactly the plan.

As soon as he saw the guy who had broken her heart, leaning coolly against the bar with his arm wrapped around some random women, Yi Jeong instantly hated him. This was the sort of guy Yi Jeong couldn't stand. The guy handled the situation all wrong, and he deserved to suffer for his bad judgment. First of all, he should never have led Chu Ga Eul on. Second, and most important, he shouldn't have chosen a girl like her in the first place...

So Yi Jeong couldn't claim to be a saint, but at least he had some...class. At least the women Yi Jeong went out with knew what they were getting into when they accepted an evening out with him. It was a one-shot deal, and that was all. They shouldn't expect flowers or love poetry; they shouldn't even expect him to call them again. And if he did, they should consider themselves extremely lucky.

Despite this cold attitude, Yi Jeong followed a very strict set of rules when it came to 'dating.' He never led a woman to believe she was special when she wasn't, and he didn't make any promises that he knew he would break. In fact, he told them right away what the deal was. He didn't 'date' in the traditional sense, and most of the women he landed didn't care about that. They knew who he was. He was the Casanova, who seduced women, got what he wanted from them, and then cut them loose. Most were happy just to be selected. As far as his selection process went, he never chose a woman who had any connection to his friends, and he didn't choose nice girls.

But this guy was just an amateur who didn't play by his rules, so Yi Jeong not only wanted to get back at him, he wanted to be merciless. The idiot should be miserable for hurting such a nice girl. And now that she had a connection to him, being the friend of his friend's girlfriend, he had even more reason.

His plan worked like a dream. Yi Jeong flirted with and won over the woman who was with Ga Eul's jerk of an ex. She worked at the club, so he quite easily convinced her to let him play the saxophone, and he announced to the crowd that he wanted to play a song for the woman who had stolen his heart. Then he proceeded to play a soulful, romantic piece. While he played, he could see all the women in the audience swooning and trying to catch his eye, each wishing she was the one who had earned his attention. At the very back, he could see Chu Ga Eul watching, too. But she wasn't acting like the others.

. . .

After finishing his song, Yi Jeong brushed off the woman, who so arrogantly assumed she was the one, and he made his way determinedly through the crowd. By then, Gu Soo Pyo had taken the 'bait' and had approached Ga Eul. How could he not when she looked like that?

At first, Soo Pyo failed to recognize her, and when he did he said she should have worn something like this before. What a loser! Yi Jeong listened a bit longer, and when he heard Soo Pyo ask Ga Eul for a date, he swept in.

"Ga Eul-ssi, do you know this person?" Yi Jeong asked, glancing coldly at Soo Pyo.

Ga Eul kept her eyes on Yi Jeong, who shook his head. "No," she said, without looking at Soo Pyo. "I have no idea who this person is."

Yi Jeong grinned proudly.

"Ga Eul-ah, how do you know this bastard?!" Soo Pyo demanded.

Ga Eul still did not look at him. Good girl, Yi Jeong subconsciously praised her, and he turned to address the crowd. "This lady here is the one who stole my heart and never gave it back."

Every woman in the audience exclaimed, "Awww."

He turned resolutely back to Ga Eul and held out his hand. "Ga Eul-yang, please end my suffering and come with me…"

. . .

Yi Jeong kept his hand out, ignoring but relishing in Soo Pyo's horrified look while focusing on Ga Eul. After a brief hesitation, she took his hand, and he placed a burning kiss upon it. Then he wrapped his arm around her bare shoulders and led her off.

Smiling in pure satisfaction as they walked away, Yi Jeong went to fetch her coat for her. Ga Eul seemed to be in a daze, so he put the black wool coat on her, buttoned it up, and led her out of the club. They ascended the escalator, and she took a few steps off it before stopping. He turned back to her, giving her a wide smile. He pulled off his scarf and approached her. Tucking her hair aside, Yi Jeong wrapped the scarf securely around Ga Eul's neck and held out his arm to her. She didn't take it right away, only stared at him doe-eyed. It made him smile, and he linked arms with her. "Shall we continue pretending for the rest of the night? We might as well, right?" he said with his warmest smile.

After that, the Casanova took the common girl for coffee, and there, Ga Eul seemed to find her words-and her spirit-again. They chatted for nearly two hours before he drove her home. He took her to her door as any gentleman would do, and he placed another kiss upon her hand before bidding her good night.

Driving to his own place afterward, Yi Jeong mused on how surprisingly pleasant the evening had been, in addition to being a complete success. The look on the dope's face was priceless!

"You did well tonight. Pleasant dreams, Ga Eul-yang," he wished aloud.

. . .

For her part, Ga Eul couldn't even believe what had happened tonight. It seemed like a petty, ridiculous thing to do, and she had thought she would be above such a thing… But it felt good, really good. She didn't think she would tell Jan Di and Master about it because it was a little bit embarrassing. And not to mention, Jan Di would probably freak out if she found out she'd went out with F4's Casanova, even on a 'fake date.' But despite all that, tonight had done wonders for healing her aching heart…

Ga Eul readied for bed and slipped under the covers. With So Yi Jeong's two burning kisses enduring on the skin of her left hand, she lay in bed staring up at the ceiling and feeling...something...but she was not quite sure what. It took a while, but finally, she drifted off to sleep…

Things seemed to be back to normal at Shinwha for Jan Di, at least for the time being. Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo had supposedly made up, and Ji Hoo was no longer being threatened to be kicked out of school. The Terrible Trio was making their occasional snide comments, but that was not unusual. Other than that, school was going well enough, but still, Jan Di felt uneasy.

Even though Ji Hoo had forgiven her for meddling and even thanked her for making things right between him and Jun Pyo, her boyfriend seemed extra solemn. And Jan Di wasn't sure how to cheer him… It usually didn't take much--a smile, an inside joke or stupid comment, or a hug-but none of her previously successful methods were working. She hated feeling so helpless, and she wondered if perhaps he was having problems with Jun Pyo, or maybe he'd only been pretending to be okay with her interference…

Since she'd only seen him in passing the last few days, Jan Di went looking for Ji Hoo at the stairwell during a time he would normally make an appearance, but he wasn't there. So, she decided to try the F4 lounge. When she got there, she peeked in the doorway. Yi Jeong and Woo Bin were there, sipping tea and casually chatting. After a moment, they caught sight of her.

"Oh, Jan Di, hello," Yi Jeong greeted first, and Woo Bin smiled from beside him and waved her in.

"Hello, Sunbaes." She took the stairs and approached; she bowed before them.

"No need for formality, Jan Di-ah," Woo Bin quipped, and he reached out to ruffle her hair. Jan Di chuckled awkwardly as she tried to fix it.

"What can we do for you, Jan Di?" Yi Jeong coolly asked from beside his buddy. Woo Bin raised a brow, "Looking for Ji Hoo perhaps?"

Jan Di nodded. "Yes, actually. Have you seen him?"

"No, he hasn't been around much lately," Woo Bin replied, a bit of concern in his voice.

Yeah, I know, she thought. So, they noticed, too… And Jan Di released a heavy sigh. "Yeah… Is everything all right between…?"

Woo Bin seemed to know what she was getting at. "Don't worry. Everything is fine."

Jan Di sighed, in relief this time, but she was still feeling concerned.

Yi Jeong had been watching her closely, and he motioned for her to sit, but she assured him she was fine standing. "I agree with Woo Bin," the Casanova said. "There's no need to worry too much, Jan Di. Ji Hoo is just in a funk. It happens sometimes. He's really very moody," Yi Jeong joked, but Jan Di didn't find it very funny. "Anyway," Yi Jeong cleared his throat, "He always gets this way around the holidays...and his birthday...basically any special occasion. He'll snap out of it; I promise."

"Oh," and Jan Di went off into her head. Of course, Ji Hoo would feel sad around the holidays...his parents… She felt terrible, and furthermore, she didn't even know how it had even happened. Keeping her head lowered, Jan Di murmured, "Holidays must have been so lonely for Ji Hoo Sunbae…"

"Mm," Woo Bin uttered.

"I think they are for all of us. None of us really have normal 'families' to spend them with."

"That's so sad...everyone should be around family during the holidays," Jan Di said aloud, but more to herself.

"Well, we have each other," Woo Bin remarked, resting a hand on Yi Jeong's shoulder.

Jan Di smiled faintly and directed a question at the duo, "Do the four of you have any holiday traditions?"

Yi Jeong laughed a little. "You mean besides getting drunk and picking up women? Well, at least as far as Woo Bin and I are concerned."

Jan Di stared at him in shock. Although, she really shouldn't be so surprised.

"We too like to spread...joy...around the holidays, Jan Di," Yi Jeong quipped, "This is one of our busiest times of the year. If you think about it, we're kind of like Santa Claus…"

Jan Di's brow wrinkled up as she pondered his odd statement. It took her a moment, but she finally got what the Casanova was saying. She let a horrified, "Sunbae!" escape her lips. Did they think she was one of the guys and that it was fine to talk to her that way?

Woo Bin and Yi Jeong were both laughing, so she glared at them until they stopped.

"Anyway, no, we don't really do much during the holidays. They are just normal days for us," Woo Bin answered.

Jan Di released a sorrowful sigh.

"What do you do for the holiday, Jan Di-ah?" Woo Bin followed up, surprising her a bit.

"Oh, well, since my brother and I are off school we usually have a big meal. We don't exchange gifts, but we do eat like kings that day, and everyone seems to get along for a change...it's really nice…" Jan Di smiled wistfully, thinking about past times with her family.

She was thankful for her family, even though they drove her crazy more times than not, but this year, she had an additional person to be thankful for; this year she had a boyfriend. And she wanted to share so much with him, things like holidays and good times... She wanted to bring him so much happiness and see that beautiful smile of his always. And even though her parents didn't think gift giving was prudent-mainly because they'd never had the money for that-Jan Di really wanted to get a gift for Ji Hoo.

But what?

Jan Di stared out into space for a moment before suddenly exclaiming, "I'm sorry; I have to go! Goodbye Sunbaes!" Then she sloppily bowed to them and rushed out of the room.

Woo Bin and Yi Jeong stared after her for several seconds before sharing an amused grin. They didn't always understand the inner workings of Geum Jan Di's mind, but she was certainly entertaining. F2 shook their heads in unison and continued taking their tea.

It was a typical day at the porridge shop, a warm day for winter but windy, and a light mist was falling outside. The old man was currently the only customer in the shop, and he was seated at his usual table munching on a plate of nakji-bokkeum. Jan Di was surprised when he asked for that dish and Master agreed to make it; she didn't even know Master had octopus on hand.

The old man had become a regular visitor to the porridge shop. He didn't come daily but at least 3 to 4 times a week, usually at the same time of day, and sometimes even multiple times daily. And every time, he would ask Master to cook some fancy dish that was not even on the menu, many of which Jan Di and Ga Eul had never even heard of. The old grandfather still hadn't seemed to grasp that they were a porridge shop. He was, indeed, a little strange, but he was growing on the girls. And despite his grouchiness, Jan Di noticed something underneath, something kind yet a little sad.

But that didn't explain why Master continued to accommodate the old guy. Jan Di and Ga Eul's boss always snapped to attention when the man came in, and he always did his utmost to impress him. When Jan Di or Ga Eul would ask about it, Master would simply change the subject or get busy all of a sudden. The only specific thing he ever said to them about the old man was that they should be respectful of him and listen to what he had to say, and one time, he added 'especially you, Jan Di,' at the end.

"Why me?" she'd asked. But Master had simply grinned, said 'nevermind' and returned to the kitchen.

O-kay..., Jan Di thought.

The old grandfather finished his dish in silence and then stood up. He put his coat and hat on and slung his bag over his shoulder, and then he headed toward the door.

Jan Di noticed that he had no umbrella, and the rain was still coming down steadily outside. So, she called out to him, "Harabeoji!" and snatched a spare umbrella from its holder. The old man turned around to look at her. She approached him with a smile, holding the umbrella out to him, "I see that you didn't bring an umbrella. You may borrow this one and bring it back next time."

The harabeoji's lips crinkled up into a genuine smile as he took the umbrella. She'd never seen him smile like that, or at all, actually. It made him seem way less crotchety and quite warm. Right now, he reminded her of her own grandfather on her dad's side who had passed away when she was young…

Still smiling, Harabeoji spoke, "Every time I see your face, I am reminded of the lotus."

"Excuse me? A lotus?"

The response he gave was even more cryptic. "Do you know why the lotus blooms in the mud?" the elderly gentleman asked.

Jan Di's brow wrinkled up. She had no clue.

"Well, that's your homework, to find out for next time!" the old man barked. And with that, he was gone.

Aigoo! It kind of reminded her of another guy she knew who had a habit of saying or doing something unexpected and then just disappearing.

But...homework…?

The holidays were fast approaching, and Seoul was illuminated with brightly colored lights, giant Christmas trees-both real and artificial-decorated to perfection, and the Christmas market was set up. Jan Di had already decided she couldn't let their first Christmas together pass without doing something special for Ji Hoo, so she decided to use her day off to go shopping for a gift for him. She didn't have much money, but she did have some saved up. The problem was, she still didn't know what to get. She couldn't ask him, so she decided to ask the person who knew him best…

Jan Di called up Jun Pyo, knowing it was probably a useless endeavor, but he had agreed to be friends. Besides, she was desperate, and who knew Ji Hoo better than him?

Initially, Jun Pyo refused her request to help her pick out a gift for Ji Hoo, saying that she was never going to find anything for Ji Hoo at a mall that he would want and didn't already have. Sighing in defeat, Jan Di hung up her phone and took a bus to the mall by herself. Maybe Jun Pyo was right; maybe she wasn't going to find anything for Ji Hoo, but she needed to at least try.

The shopping mall was madness, filled with anxious holiday shoppers and children since it was a Saturday. At the entrance, Jan Di looked right, then left, and then she studied the map of the mall. Where to go first?

As she pondered her first stop, she noticed someone in very close proximity to her, and when she turned to look, a tall, curly-haired man in a designer coat stood beside her. "Gu…Jun…Pyo," she muttered, incredulous. "You came?"

Jun Pyo rolled his eyes. "Well, I had to, didn't I?! It's obvious you have no idea what you're doing!"

Rather than getting into an argument with him, Jan Di simply smiled. She was actually very glad he was there. "You're right; I have absolutely no idea. Could you help me?"

"I hope you know that you owe me for this."

"I know," she nodded. Whatever that means...? She had no idea if or when Jun Pyo would want to cash in on this favor and what he could possibly want in return that she could actually give.

"Well, let's go," he said as he took off walking ahead of her.

"Where are we going, Jun Pyo?" Jan Di called out from several paces behind him.

"Shopping, obviously."

Jan Di trotted along behind him as fast as her shorter legs could go, doing her best not to lose sight of him in the crowd. After a few minutes, the Shinwha heir slowed down, allowing Jan Di the chance to catch up, but when he stopped altogether she unceremoniously bumped into his back.

"Oof!"

"Ya, watch where you're going! You're such a klutz, Geum Jan Di!" Jun Pyo exclaimed in mock annoyance.

"Sorry!"

Catching her by the arm, Jun Pyo tugged Jan Di forward.

"Yah!"

Ignoring her protests, he pulled her to his side and instructed her to keep up. The two walked side by side through the mall, but Jan Di's eyes kept wandering-to the ceiling, to the sides, and basically, all around her.

Glancing toward her, Jun Pyo noticed this. "What are you gawking at, Ms. Laundry?"

She didn't hear him the first time, so he repeated it louder.

"Ohh, sorry. I was just...looking at all the lights and displays. It's so pretty, isn't it?

Jun Pyo shrugged, and rather than coming back at her with some type of harsh comment, he became uncharacteristically quiet.

"Don't you think it's pretty? Don't you feel happy just looking at it?" Jan Di was staring up at the lights draped from the ceiling with wide, innocent eyes. "I just love this time of year," she commented wistfully.

Jan Di was beaming at the lights like a small child. Normally that goofy grin of hers would make him want to smile, too, but not this time. "Why should it make me happy?" he bluntly asked.

Jan Di stopped and turned to him in surprise. "You don't like Christmastime, Gu Jun Pyo?"

"I don't see what there is to like about it…"

"Well, I don't know what it is exactly, but it's just a magical time of year. Just think about Christmas, Gu Jun Pyo. There's something about it that just gives you this...warm, tingly feeling inside," and Jan Di placed her hands on her chest, "Just think about it, and you'll automatically feel happy."

Who knew that Geum Jan Di had such a soft, mushy side to her when it came to this time of year?

The Shinwha heir, however, did not. "I never once remember feeling happy about it," Jun Pyo punched the words.

Frowning, Jan Di asked, "Why not?"

The Wonder Girl thinned her lips and listened carefully as he reluctantly told her about a childhood memory of his-a young heir sitting alone at a massive table on Christmas, surrounded by maids and a butler and with a Christmas cake before him. The dark, curly-haired child was handed a card, signed simply 'Mom and Dad.' No love, not even something like warm wishes. With an eerie calm, the child set the card down on the table, and in sadness and frustration, he knocked the Christmas cake over and left the table.

"Oh, I see." It was sad, for sure. And it also made Jan Di think of Ji Hoo, how he must have had similar experiences, except...perhaps young Ji Hoo sent everyone away and was left all alone at a long, cold, empty table, or maybe in his room. She felt bad for both of them, but at least Jun Pyo had parents… It must be so sad and frustrating but wasn't having parents, any parents, even absent, emotionally unavailable ones, better than none? She wasn't sure how he felt about it, but she thought so.

Jan Di and Jun Pyo had ended up on a bench in the middle of the mall while Jun Pyo told his story. Now, he sat with his shoulders hunched, and she was seated beside him with a small gap in between. Jan Di reached her hand out, thinking about touching his shoulder in a comforting gesture, but she pulled it back at the last second. "I'm sorry, Gu Jun Pyo." Those two words didn't seem to cut it, but it was all she could say.

"Forget about it. It was a long time ago," he growled as he stood up. Dazed, Jan Di remained seated until Jun Pyo caught her by the wrist and pulled her up. "Come on, let's get this over with…"

Moments later, Jun Pyo strode into a clothing store with Jan Di following right behind. He began casually glancing around the place in disinterest, while she browsed in his general vicinity.

Jan Di thumbed through a rack of shirts, stopping at one that particularly jumped out to her. "What about this one?" She held up the blue and gray vertically striped shirt.

"Ji Hoo wouldn't be caught dead in that," Jun Pyo replied, stiffly crossing his arms.

Jan Di frowned. It doesn't look bad to me… Pitifully, she stared at it a while longer.

Jun Pyo's stern expression softened ever so slightly at her look of disheartenment. "Well, maybe if you bought it for him he'd wear it…," he grumbled.

"That's okay." Jan Di replaced the shirt on the rack. "I'd rather get him something he really likes." Rather than just pretends to like because I gave it to him. And it sounded like something Ji Hoo would do.

They continued perusing the clothing racks with their backs to each other, Jan Di scanning more thoroughly than Jun Pyo, when suddenly he mumbled, "So...what do you and Ji Hoo do together?" Yes, he had asked, even though he was thinking he probably didn't want to know… Still, the Shinwha heir had never had a 'girlfriend,' so he really didn't know what it was like.

"Do?"

"Yes, do you...do stuff together?"

As she studied the shirt in front of her, she smiled, "Yes, Gu Jun Pyo. We do stuff together."

"Like what?"

"Oh, well, anything. Sometimes we go places, like to dinner or a movie. We had a picnic before by the river. We go for rides on his bike. We talk, and sometimes we just...hang out together."

"Hmm," Jun Pyo murmured in a barely audible tone. It sounded kind of...nice...having someone to do those things with. "Did you ever go shopping with him...just you and him?"

Jan Di glanced back at Jun Pyo over her shoulder. "Actually, no. That, we haven't done."

Ha, at least that's one thing I have him beat at, Jun Pyo thought sadly.

Jan Di continued looking through the series of men's clothing racks, and she held up a couple more shirts for Jun Pyo to examine, only to be given a shake of the head each time. She sighed. She was seriously beginning to question how well she knew Ji Hoo. She thought she knew the way he dressed, and she thought she knew what would look good on him, but now, she wasn't so sure? Maybe she and Jun Pyo just had very different tastes?

Regardless, when she checked a few random price tags, she realized that these shirts were way out of her price range, so she gradually wandered over to the men's fragrances. She assumed that they were far too expensive, also, but perhaps she could find a small bottle… And then she began to wonder if Ji Hoo even wore cologne. The dry cleaner's daughter mentally berated herself for not paying better attention. Not that she was the type refined enough to be able to identify a fragrance by its scent. But how long had she and Ji Hoo been together, and yet she didn't know things like this? She only knew that she liked the way he smelled, but was it a natural scent or something he put on?

As if anticipating her next question, Jun Pyo, who had found her again, replied, "Ji Hoo doesn't wear that stuff."

"Oh," she gave a sullen nod. Yet another idea shot down…

As pointless and annoying as this whole outing was, Jun Pyo still didn't like to see her so disappointed, so he added, "He wears after shave, though," and he scanned through the bottles of fragrance, finally pointing to one, "That one."

Jan Di had to admit she was impressed with Jun Pyo's knowledge of his best friend, and she appreciated that he was helping her to learn more. "Great, thanks!" She picked up the bottle extra carefully, so as not to drop it and bust it, and she checked the price sticker on the underside. It was pushing the limits, but she had just enough saved for the small one. She felt curling up into a satisfied smile. "So...is this a good gift?" she asked hopefully.

Well, he shouldn't lie to her. "You kidding?" Jun Pyo scoffed. "That's a terrible gift! Are you trying to tell him that he stinks?"

"No!" she exclaimed, "Of course not! And he doesn't stink! He smells really…nice…," her voice trailed off at the end. The Wonder Girl squeezed her eyes shut in disbelief over saying such a thing to Gu Jun Pyo, of all people, and she quickly walked off.

Jan Di felt like screaming right there in the middle of the store. One minute he was helping her out, and the next he was completely destroying her hopes. She'd known this was likely a suicide mission-trying to find the perfect gift for Ji Hoo and asking Jun Pyo for help-but she would endure it.

Jun Pyo wasn't always so bad, anyway… Occasionally, he was even mildly pleasant. She just wished he wouldn't put a damper on every idea she got.

Since the clothing store was producing no results, they left and walked further down the first floor of the mall. Along the way, Jan Di noticed a small music store, and it called out to her immediately. If there was anything her boyfriend truly loved, it was music, so ignoring her shopping companion, she went inside.

Jun Pyo kept walking toward the escalator; he had been ahead of her but able to glimpse Jan Di out of the corner of his eye. He stopped when he could no longer see the petite, dark-haired commoner girl. Turning around quickly, he nearly colliding with an older woman. He made a weak apology and went looking for Jan Di. After searching two stores with no luck, he felt an odd sense of panic rising up inside his stomach. It was very strange. It wasn't like Geum Jan Di was a lost child, and he couldn't explain it, but he just had to find her. Frantically, Jun Pyo scanned the area, and finally, he saw her through the glass of a music shop. Relief hit him first and then anger…

Jun Pyo waltzed into the shop and stormed over to Jan Di, who was staring up at a wall hung with string instruments. He placed his hands on his hips and stared at her. He was prepared to yell and fully express his irritation at her for just walking off on him, but it came out gentler than intended. "Yah, Ms. Laundry! What's the meaning of going off by yourself?!"

She smirked over at him. Did he think she couldn't go off on her own? Granted, she knew she should have told him, but the music shop just seemed to pull her in like gravity, and then she became mesmerized by the shiny instruments.

"Were you trying to ditch the great Gu Jun Pyo?!"

She appeared engrossed in a row of violins hanging on the wall, and she didn't answer right away.

"Yah!"

"Mianhae, Gu Jun Pyo," she muttered distractedly.

"You should be sorry! What in the world are you planning on buying in here for Ji Hoo, anyway? He already has instruments."

Jan Di mumbled under her breath. Never again, she told herself. Never again am I going shopping with him!

"What?" Jun Pyo demanded to know.

"I...just thought I might find some accessory for his violin or perhaps some sheet music, or I don't know…something..." She tore her eyes away from the violins and wandered over to a rack of sheet music, and she began flipping through the neatly stacked pages and reading the titles.

Then she caught sight of a piano and went to it. Jan Di smiled down at the piano keys, recalling her hands and Ji Hoo's moving across them in sync. She reached out to touch but thought perhaps she shouldn't, so she pulled back her hand.

It was then that a short, middle-aged man approached her. "Do you play?" he asked. Before she could answer, he had taken her hand. Jan Di recoiled as the employee observed her right hand thoroughly. She pulled back immediately as soon as he let go, but then he took the other one and did the same. "Well, your hands are very calloused, so either you are a musician or work with your hands a great deal."

Jan Di chuckled awkwardly. "No, I'm not a musician. My boyfriend is, and he has taught me a little. He's very good, but I'm not. I was just searching for a gift for him."

"I see. Well, I noticed you were admiring our fine violins..."

Jan Di nodded. "Yes, they are very nice, but he already has one of those, a very nice one, a…," she thought for a moment. What had he called it? "A Stradivarius."

The man was taken aback; his eyes seemed to light up like beacons. "Oh my, that is a very nice violin, indeed!"

By then, Jun Pyo had found his way over to them. The employee turned to Jun Pyo and bowed. "And how may I help you, sir?"

"I'm just with her," Jun Pyo muttered, shoving his hands into the pockets of his cashmere coat.

"Oh, your girlfriend was just telling me about your Stradivarius! You must tell me where you bought it!"

"She's not my girlfriend, and I don't have one of those."

"Oh."

An awkward silence passed between the three, which the man broke by leading Jan Di over to a rack of bows.

. . .

Jan Di didn't find anything at the music shop that seemed right, so they moved on, and after another 45 minutes of fruitless shopping, during which she had considered buying Ji Hoo a hat, a scarf, and even a dumb sweater that he would surely hate but never say so, she noticed that Jun Pyo was clearly getting bored and beginning to complain.

She wasn't in the mood for this. She was already frustrated enough at not finding anything Honestly, it was like entertaining a five-year-old! So, Jan Di decided another approach was in order. If he was going to act like a five-year-old, then she would treat him like one. So, she put on a cheerful smile. "Aww, what's the matter, Gu Jun Pyo?" she asked in a saccharine tone.

Jun Pyo narrowed his eyes at her, apparently picking up on her subtle sarcasm.

"Is your blood sugar low? Are you hungry, perhaps?" Jan Di continued to tease, "Do you want to go to the food court? Maybe you want a smoothie or something?"

It actually sounded like a good idea to her. She'd made herself hungry, so maybe it was time for a break.

She'd also gotten Jun Pyo's attention, and he perked up a bit. "A smoothie? What's that?"

Jan Di's mouth dropped open. "You..don't...know what a smoothie is?!" She shook her head. "And here I thought you had everything, Gu Jun Pyo. I guess I was wrong," she smirked.

"Well, what is it?" he persisted.

"It's a mixed drink."

"What's in one?"

"Hm, fruit, water, and ice, basically."

"You want to drink frozen juice in the middle of winter? You're really weird, Ms. Laundry."

She smacked him lightly out in the arm. "Ya, I know it's cold out, but they're so good, and healthy, too."

"Healthy doesn't sound good."

"Well, it is," she asserted, "And don't you know, Jun Pyo, that to drink something cold in the winter will regulate your body temperature so you won't feel so cold anymore? You might feel a bit chilly at first, but then your internal thermostat will match the one outside. It's quite simple."

"Since when do you know so much?"

"I know stuff!" Jan Di shouted back at him as she grabbed him by the arm.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

Jan Di tugged at his sleeve, "Come on, we're going."

"Yah, where?"

"To the food court."

. . .

When they arrived at the food court, Jan Di led her reluctant companion over to a small drink place with large block letters in English over the doorway, and they went inside. At the counter, a young female employee greeted them, and Jan Di greeted back. Then, she directed Jun Pyo's attention to the colorful sign, displaying descriptions and pictures of the various choices. Jan Di pointed to the section labeled 'juice' and looked at the man next to her, "Which one looks good, Gu Jun Pyo?"

"I don't know...," he stared up at the board. "What's with these names? Why would I want to drink something called…," Jun Pyo squinted, "does that say what I think it says?"

Jan Di blushed at the one he was pointing to, the one called ' Me Up.' "Um, yeah. It does. I've...I've never had that one…," and she quickly changed the subject, "Anyway, I like the 'Pick Me Up' and the 'Heck of a Nerve.'"

"Can't you read, Ms. Laundry? It says hell," Jun Pyo pointed out, jabbing a finger in the air toward the sign.

Jan Di glanced away, grumbling, "I know."

"Oh, I guess you didn't want to say that word, huh?" he smirked.

The employee stood there silently while they bickered, and eventually, they made their choices. Jan Di offered to treat, and Jun Pyo ended up choosing the 'Hell of a Nerve' and she chose the 'Pick Me Up,' and they took a seat at a small round table toward the back. Several moments later, the girl brought over a tray with their drinks and set them on the table before them. She bowed and told them to enjoy. Jan Di bowed back while Jun Pyo stared down at his drink.

Jan Di rolled her eyes a bit. "Just try it, Gu Jun Pyo."

He hesitantly took a small sip as if it was medicine, and then his face lit up like a kid enjoying ice cream for the first time. He took a larger sip and kept going, downing half the thing in seconds.

"Be careful; you don't want to get brain freeze," Jan Di warned.

"What?" Jun Pyo asked just as it hit him. "Aish!" His brow wrinkled, and he clutched at his forehead.

"That's brain freeze," Jan Di pointed out. With a small smile, she took to sipping at her own smoothie more slowly.

After finishing their smoothies, Jan Di and Jun Pyo continued their mission. They took a lap around the second floor of the mall and then rode the escalator down. While going down, Jan Di starting thinking that perhaps she needed to re-evaluate here.

What does a girl get for her boyfriend? she wondered. And she really had no clue, partially because she'd never had one before, but also because this particular boyfriend had—or could have—anything he might possibly need or want. Just like…

Staring at Jun Pyo's back, she blurted out, "Gu Jun Pyo, what would you want to get for a Christmas gift?"

"What?" He turned back to look at her over his shoulder.

He seemed flabbergasted that she'd asked him, and she just waited for his response.

"I...I don't know…"

"I ask because...you have everything you could possibly want, right? So, what does a person get for someone who has everything?"

Jun Pyo thought long and hard about this. "I guess I'd want...something one of a kind, something that no one else has. Something that was...just for me and no one else."

A light bulb seemed to go off in Jan Di's head. "That's it!" she snapped her fingers. "You're absolutely right. That's what I need to find!" She beamed and stepped off the escalator with renewed determination. Jun Pyo had just made an extremely helpful comment; although, he might not know why. She'd been going about this the wrong way. She'd been looking for something Ji Hoo wanted or needed, but instead, she should look for something meaningful. But what, exactly?

. . .

Turning a corner, Jan Di and Jun Pyo heard a loud, amplified voice. Curiosity got the best of them, so they headed in the direction of the noise and noticed a large crowd gathered. They stood in the back and listened in, and it didn't take long to find out what was going on. It was a contest—a couples' contest, to be precise.

"With the holiday coming up, everyone is looking for gift ideas, right?" the announcer boomed. The energetic, 30-something-year-old guy stuck his microphone out to the audience, and the crowd gave a resounding, "YES!"

"Well, look no further!" The man waved his hand as if it was magic, stepped aside to reveal a series of prizes on a table behind him. He started describing the prizes, getting more and more excitable as he went on. The third place prize was a series of coupons for various stores in the mall. The second place was a rice cooker. The man paused before revealing the first… "And for the first prize...now, this is really special! It's perfect for the music lover you love!"

Upon hearing those words, Jan Di was at full attention.

"We have here a beautiful, masterfully crafted, antique music box in the shape of a Grand Piano!" the announcer held his hand out to the girl who was assisting him. The thin, lovely young woman in the short red dress held the music box out in the palm of her hand.

"This music box dates back to Napoleon III and was originally designed for the Parisian nobility," the announcer continued, and the crowd oohed and ahhed. "It's made of metal filigree, ANNNND…," he beckoned to his assistant, who then carefully lifted the lid of the piano. When the assistant did, a soft melody began to play, and Jan Di gasped. She recognized the tune before the announcer said it. It was Ji Hoo's favorite song—Franz Liszt's La Romanesca.

"What is it?" Jun Pyo questioned the obviously dumbstruck Jan Di.

"That's it!" she shouted a bit too loud, causing several people to turn and give her a dirty look, but she ignored them.

"What's it?"

"That music box! It's perfect for Ji Hoo!" And even though she was sure-and hoped he didn't dash her wonderful idea-she looked to Jun Pyo for confirmation, "Isn't it?"

Jun Pyo shrugged. "I guess so…yeah, it's okay."

"It's more than okay," she corrected, "I think it's perfect! It's the perfect gift for Ji Hoo! I have to win it!"

Jan Di was practically jumping out of her skin. It really was the perfect gift because not only was Ji Hoo an amazing piano player, but pianos held special memories for them as a couple—and that song, in particular.

Jan Di recalled that it all began one night when her stress level was through the roof. Her father's gambling had landed them in trouble again, and she was forced to take on extra jobs to make ends meet. When Jan Di first found out about her father's trouble she had taken to the pool…

After doing laps until she was exhausted, she changed and wandered out into the hall. Catching a beautiful melody in the air, she wandered into the auditorium of the Suam Center following the sound. The place was darkened, aside from the spotlights shining down on the stage, and when she got closer she saw Ji Hoo onstage, seated at the piano and playing a soft, lovely tune. She stepped as lightly as she could, so as not to disturb him, but she only made it halfway before he noticed her.

Ji Hoo turned to look at her over his shoulder and smiled. "Do you have a concert ticket?" he asked, cocking his head playfully to the side.

"Well, no." Jan Di gave him a sheepish grin.

The smile never leaving his face, Ji Hoo patted the spot beside him on the piano bench. "Then come up here and turn the pages for me in exchange."

Jan Di smiled brightly; she went up on the stage and sat next to her boyfriend. His expression grew serious yet remained soft as he gently positioned her hands on the keys. Then, he placed his hands next to hers. Guiding her with his words, and occasionally with his fingers, he instructed her to do what he did. And they began to play together. Ji Hoo showed her the basic scales and then attempted to teach her his favorite song, 'La Romanesca.' She didn't get it right away, but after a few tries, she did. And now she knew it by heart. It was absolutely beautiful, and that was one of Jan Di's most treasured memories with him..

After that, came several dates that ended with them at the arts center after hours playing the piano. It was peaceful and romantic and one of their very favorite things to do.

"Gu Jun Pyo, please, please!" Jan Di clasped her hands together, begging him to be her partner just this one time.

The Shinwha heir never thought he would see the day when the proud Geum Jan Di would do such a thing as to openly beg him for something. Did she really love Ji Hoo so much…?

With an exasperated sigh, Jun Pyo exclaimed, "Fine!"

"Fine? Really?"

She looked stupefied, so he grasped onto her wrist.

"Ya, Gu Jun Pyo! What are you doing?" she protested as he dragged her along through the crowd. This brought attention to them, and some people had recognized Jun Pyo, and they were making room for them and snapping photos.

"You said you wanted to win it, so let's go win it," Jun Pyo stated.

"Okay...kamsahamnida," Jan Di muttered, fighting back a grin.

Amidst the backdrop of Christmas music booming over the speakers, the contestants came forward to be signed up. Six male-female pairs, including Jun Pyo and Jan Di, stood onstage listening to the announcer's explanation of the contest.

When she learned what they had to do to win the music box, Jan Di realized that she hadn't exactly thought this through. One partner, likely the male, had to hold up the other partner for as long as they could, and the last pair to let their partner touch the ground would be the winner. What had she gotten them into?

Jun Pyo rolled his eyes when he heard, and Jan Di stood before him. They stared at one another for 5 to 10 seconds before she mumbled 'sorry, I'll make it up to you.'

It seemed less awkward and perhaps more stable to get on his back rather than have him hold her in his arms, so Jan Di went around behind him. Putting her hands upon his shoulders, she attempted to jump onto his back, but he was just so tall. "Ya, Gu Jun Pyo, can you bend down a little." Jun Pyo heaved a sigh and squatted a bit, so she was able to get into a piggyback position.

"Ya, Ms. Laundry, how much do you weigh?" Jun Pyo grumbled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Ya!" she removed one hand long enough to whack him in the arm.

"Ya yourself," he spoke through gritted teeth, "You shouldn't hit the person who is helping you… You owe me so big, Ms. Laundry; you're gonna be paying for this forever…"

"I know, I know," she responded in a harsh whisper. She really would owe him something for helping her out--for taking the time out to help her shop and now, for this. Maybe she should...make him something… But he'd probably hate anything she made, anyway.

The laundry girl was a bit of a burden, but Jun Pyo didn't mind so much having her on his back. In a weird way, it was kind of nice, even though it was awkward. What in hell was wrong with him?

The contest began…

One couple went down after a few minutes and then another after about five…

Jan Di remained on Jun Pyo's back…

Ten minutes later, Jan Di lost her hold and started sliding down him like a pole, so he bent slightly, allowing her the chance to scooch up and get a better grip. She wrapped her legs tight around his waist, so it wouldn't happen again, and held on for dear life.

"Ohhhh, he almost lost her, but she's okay now!" the announcer chimed, and Jun Pyo shot the guy a chilling look.

Another five minutes later…

It was then that the sadistic announcer decided to make things more difficult, in order to eliminate more couples, so he instructed each couple to do 5 squats. Jun Pyo wanted to beat him senseless, but instead, he complied for Jan Di's sake. With a groan, the dark, curly-haired man began bending at the knees.

Panting faintly through the last two squats, Jun Pyo muttered, "Ya, Ms. Laundry…this is...getting really ridiculous…" He finished the exercise and stood upright again, still catching his breath. "You know, it's really embarrassing for the heir of Shinwha to be doing something like this," he complained. "What if someone important sees me, or it ends up in the paper?"

"I'm sorry, Gu Jun Pyo. I owe you; I really do, but please...please don't give up yet." She looked over at the three other remaining couples, "We can't give up yet!"

She was like some kind of crazed addict…

"Look, I know I'm a pain in your …," she began.

"Yes, you are a pain in my ," Jun Pyo confirmed.

But rather than getting angry, Jan Di simply acknowledged it. "I know that, but this isn't for me; it's for Ji Hoo, remember? You like Ji Hoo."

Jun Pyo grew silent.

"You'd do anything for Ji Hoo, wouldn't you?" he finally asked, but it was really more of a statement; he already knew what her answer would be.

. . .

His question didn't embarrass her or make her feel ashamed at all. It was like common sense. She didn't have to think about it, and without blushing or stuttering, she replied, "Yeah, pretty much."

. . .

"Aish, fine! But why don't you just buy it?"

"Are you out of your mind?! I could never afford that in a million years! It looks like it belongs in a museum. I can only imagine how much..." She was practically panicked.

"Fine, I'll buy it for you if you just get off my back," he commanded in a firm yet surprisingly gentle voice.

"But we're so close," she whined. "Besides, then it wouldn't be a gift from me. If I can't buy a gift for Ji Hoo, I want to earn it for him on my own, with my own skill."

"Are you doing this on your own?!" Jun Pyo protested. "It's more like my skill..."

Jan Di sighed and simply hung on tight, ignoring his comment. At least she felt like she was contributing toward winning the prize...

Over half of the couples were down now, and Jun Pyo still supported Jan Di while she clung to his neck like a spider monkey. Geum Jan Di was indeed a fighter, one who absolutely refused to fail her boyfriend. She couldn't possibly lose out on the music box now.

Her partner was surprisingly stable and stronger than she thought, but she could feel him beginning to fatigue beneath her. Jan Di was beginning to tire, too, so she closed her eyes and thought of Ji Hoo… Concentrating on him and the look she imagined he would have on his face when she gave him the music box seemed to pass the time...

When a smile graced Jan Di's lips, the announcer burst out with a laugh, commenting that this contestant-meaning her-was just happy being held. It made her feel a bit embarrassed, but she quickly shook it off.

. . .

Before Jan Di realized what was happening, their final competitors were staggering; they went down, leaving the Geum-Gu team victorious. The overly bubbly announcer then proclaimed them the winners, and Jan Di immediately slid off Jun Pyo's back. She couldn't believe it; she just couldn't believe it. She squealed in pure glee and started jumping up and down. And then, unable to contain her emotion over winning the precious prize for her boyfriend, Jan Di threw her arms around Jun Pyo's neck.

Jun Pyo stiffened but then relaxed, and he carefully placed his hands on her back, returning her hug. Almost as soon as he touched her, though, he retracted his hands. Realizing she may have gone overboard, Jan Di also pulled away. She looked up at Jun Pyo, who now stood stock still. She said his name, but he paid her no attention; instead, he was staring blankly out over her shoulder.

Jan Di turned and followed the path his eyes were on, and there, standing not 10 feet away was Jun Pyo's mother… She was staring at them from beneath heavy makeup and dark black eyeliner. And she did not look at all happy…

Jan Di recognized the illustrious Madam Kang from the time Jun Pyo had taken her to his home after she'd gotten drunk the night of Seo Hyun's birthday party. When Jun Pyo discovered that his mother had come home, he'd called F3 in a panic. They'd rushed over and arranged for her to be made up and clothed in an expensive dress, and they presented her as a friend from school who was participating in the auction. Then Ji Hoo and F2 'covered for her' when Madam Kang asked what her parents did for a living. They'd told his mother that her parents were in the 'fashion industry,' rather than telling the exact truth. Jan Di hadn't understood at the time, but she went along with it, trusting that F4 knew what they were doing. They had explained to her how ruthless Madam Kang could be. Jan Di had heard the childhood story of F4 running away, only to be tracked down by Madam Kang and the police force...and apparently, that was nothing…

The middle-aged woman, dressed in high fashion and escorted by three bodyguards, had fixed the two of them with a devilish stare, and before Jan Di knew what was happening, she waved her hand, and Jun Pyo was taken under each arm by a bodyguard. He resisted, but it was no use. Madam Kang shot Jan Di one last withering stare while Jun Pyo was being dragged off before turning on her heel and leaving herself.

To Be Continued…