Jan Di shot out of Jun Pyo's arms—faster than a bullet from a gun—at the sound of Ji Hoo's voice. And she took a clear step away from him.

Ji Hoo stood before them now, with his hands tucked neatly into his pockets and his brow furrowed in concern.

Ji Hoo had never really considered himself a jealous man, but the sight of Jun Pyo with his arms around Jan Di—and holding her close—was almost more than he could take…

It hadn't necessarily seemed like a romantic embrace—more like Jun Pyo was comforting her over something. Although he didn't like their closeness, it seemed innocent enough. But why had she needed comforting? And what was more, why had she gone to Jun Pyo instead of him?

"S-sunbae…," Jan Di stammered, looking as if she'd been caught doing something absolutely horrible.

Ji Hoo simply waited for one of them to offer some explanation, feeling his chest begin to rise and fall as the silence lingered.

Ji Hoo focused his gaze upon Jan Di. She simply lowered her head, and he could tell that she had been crying—and was still fighting back the tears. Then, he glanced to Jun Pyo. His jaw was tightened, and he was glaring back at him.

Ji Hoo slowly began to approach Jan Di. "Jan Di-yah…what—?"

Jan Di raised her eyes hesitantly. The redness of them and the clear tear stains upon her cheeks made it completely obvious that she had indeed been crying… And the sight of him only seemed to fuel her tears, for they began to pool again. Ji Hoo watched her body begin to tremble lightly. Unable to stand seeing her this way, he reached out for her, but she pulled back. She sidestepped him—keeping her head low—and she ran off.

"Jan Di!" Ji Hoo called after her, but she didn't stop.

…

Ji Hoo watched miserably after her for a few seconds. The emergency bell was blaring within his heart and every one of his instincts was shouting at him to go after her. But there was something he needed to do first. Ji Hoo gave a sharp exhale and turned back to Jun Pyo.

"What's going on?" Ji Hoo repeated his question to Jun Pyo in a stern tone of voice.

"Nothing," Jun Pyo looked Ji Hoo straight in the eyes with a cold stare.

Ji Hoo clenched his jaw. "Nothing? Really, Jun Pyo, nothing?"

It didn't look like nothing… Ji Hoo had hoped to hide any sign of suspicion or jealousy, but he was failing completely.

"Well, you tell me," Jun Pyo snarled.

Ji Hoo didn't respond.

Jun Pyo shot Ji Hoo one last death glare before moving roughly past him, slamming Ji Hoo's shoulder with his own in the process.

But Ji Hoo wasn't planning to leave it there, so he grasped onto the crook of Jun Pyo's arm, "Jun Pyo!"

Jun Pyo wrenched his arm free from Ji Hoo's grasp and turned back to him. The two men were standing mere millimeters apart now—Jun Pyo slightly taller—and staring each other down.

Ji Hoo took a deep breath. "Why was Jan Di crying?" he asked, in as calm a voice as he could muster. Yet, his fists were clenched hard at his sides and his breathing was elevated.

"I don't know! Why don't you ask her!" Jun Pyo shot back.

"I will," Ji Hoo assured. He certainly planned to find out and remedy the situation in an expedient manner.

Jun Pyo turned to walk off again, in a huff. He only made it a few steps, though, before snapping his head back and glowering at Ji Hoo. "I don't know what's wrong with her, but I know it's your fault! What the hell did you do to her?!"

Ji Hoo stared at Jun Pyo, completely stunned. "What? What do you mean, Jun Pyo? I didn't do anything to her."

Jun Pyo tensed up all over. How dare he act innocent! Obviously, he'd done something! How dare Ji Hoo stand there and claim to know nothing after Geum Jan Di had just cried her eyes out in his arms!

And Jun Pyo's entire body reacted to the vision of that brokenhearted girl… He felt the hot bubbling up of his anger, while it churned like molten lava within him. That coupled with a surge of pure adrenaline was a dangerous combination, and Jun Pyo simply lost it…

He stormed up to Ji Hoo, reared back, and struck him with a fist to the face.

Ji Hoo hadn't expected it at all, so he didn't even attempt to dodge the punch and was instead knocked to the ground. Ji Hoo touched his cheek and stared up at Jun Pyo, his brow wrinkled in confusion and still knee-deep in seawater.

After a moment, Ji Hoo stood slowly, gaping at Jun Pyo.

Jun Pyo's chest heaved, and he continued to stare back at Ji Hoo for another moment before shouting out, "How dare you hurt her!"

Ji Hoo still had no words. Jan Di is hurting because of…me? How could that be?

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jun Pyo continued the onslaught. "Why are you acting this way?! And why the hell were you talking to your ex-girlfriend?!"

Ji Hoo was still taken aback, but he finally found the words to speak. "Jun Pyo, Seo Hyun and I are just friends. And she called me."

Jun Pyo clenched his jaw and looked away, muttering something that Ji Hoo couldn't make out under his breath.

"And you? Why are you acting this way?" Ji Hoo retorted. But, the question was useless, really. Ji Hoo already had a very strong suspicion as to why Jun Pyo was behaving thus.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jun Pyo growled.

Ji Hoo sighed. "The volleyball game, the dinner, and not to mention the punch just now…," Ji Hoo touched his stinging cheek. "…It's almost as if you're…," and his voice trailed off.

Jun Pyo avoided eye contact and simply continued to silently seethe.

…

"I'm what?!" he finally demanded.

"Nothing, never mind…" Ji Hoo shook his head at Jun Pyo. He wouldn't, he couldn't even acknowledge it aloud. Still, neither could he deny that he had a very real problem on his hands...

Rather than explaining his own actions, Jun Pyo posed another question of Ji Hoo, once calmer. "Do you know what a real man is?"

Ji Hoo tucked his hands into his pockets and looked at Jun Pyo curiously.

"A real man is responsible to the very end. Will you be a man? Will you be responsible for her?"

"Of course I will. Do you think I'm just messing around with Geum Jan Di?"

Jun Pyo tightened his jaw, and he looked away, out far across the water.

"I will treat her right, Jun Pyo. I fully intend to care for her and protect her, always. I promise."

Ji Hoo seemed sincere enough, but even though his assertion should have made Jun Pyo feel better, in a way, it made him feel even worse. Jun Pyo felt inexplicably angry and frustrated on the inside and out. The blow he'd struck had been cathartic, but it hadn't even come close to relieving the tight, unpleasant feeling in his chest.

"Good, you better!" Jun Pyo snipped. "Because I warned those idiots at school not to mess with Geum Jan Di, and I'll tell you the same. My brother or not, if you hurt Geum Jan Di, I won't forgive you. And I'll make you regret it." Jun Pyo's eyes settled on Ji Hoo—eyes dark with the promise of vengeance.

Ji Hoo's lips parted at Jun Pyo's words—and the fervor in them. "Are you actually threatening me, Jun Pyo?"

Rather than answering that, Jun Pyo replied, "This is the second time I've had to comfort her because of you…"

"What are you talking about?"

Jun Pyo scoffed. "You remember the night of Seo Hyun's birthday party?"

Ji Hoo nodded.

Of course he did… It was also the night she'd announced that she was leaving for Paris.

Jun Pyo exhaled sharply. "Well, Jan Di saw you and Seo Hyun kiss…"

Ji Hoo's tightened his jaw.

"She was brokenhearted about it, so I rented out a bar so she could do whatever she wanted to feel better—scream, go nuts, whatever... When I went to the bathroom she drank an entire glass of soju by mistake and got drunk. Then she threw up all over my new suit and shoes, all thanks to you…," Jun Pyo added. "So, I took her to my place."

The corners of Ji Hoo's mouth twitched at the image of that—it sounded like something that would happen to his otter. But then, he immediately frowned, feeling awful over hurting Jan Di. "So that's how she ended up at your place. I wondered…"

"Yes."

Ji Hoo had wanted to question Jun Pyo about why Jan Di was at the Gu mansion so early the next morning and in his pajamas, but he'd refrained. He had to admit that the scenario had concerned him, but then he'd simply told himself that Jun Pyo was not the type to take advantage of a woman, so he had assumed there was some logical explanation.

"Then you left to chase after Seo Hyun. And after all that, after you crushed Geum Jan Di's heart into a million pieces, you just come back and claim her as if nothing ever happened! As if she didn't suffer because of you!"

Jun Pyo's assertion was like a kick in the gut to Ji Hoo. "Jun Pyo, I…I didn't know Jan Di was suffering like that… I didn't realize she felt so strongly… I never meant to hurt her."

Jun Pyo ignored this and continued, his words dripping with disdain. "And then, to think that tonight I was doing it again…comforting her over you!"

Ji Hoo's eyes flitted back and forth, as he searched his memory for what he could have done to upset Jan Di so badly.

Jun Pyo exhaled sharply and glared at Ji Hoo. "If you make her cry…even once more, I won't be patient. I'll be forced to take matters into my own hands."

"What does that mean, Jun Pyo?"

Jun Pyo threw up his hands in exasperation and turned to take a few paces. Then, he turned back. "I don't know! If you can't take care of her, then maybe I'll just…take her away from you!"

...

Ji Hoo froze solid, unable to fathom the brazen words that had just flown out of Jun Pyo's mouth.

"You'll…you'll what? Did you just say that you'll…take her away from me?!" Ji Hoo stood there staring at Jun Pyo, and he stared back, almost in challenge.

Jun Pyo's statement made Ji Hoo angry, extremely angry. He knew that Jun Pyo was prone to boldly shooting off his mouth and acting like an , but to have the nerve to say such a thing to him…

It made Ji Hoo want to pay him back…

At the very least he wouldn't just stand by and let Jun Pyo spout such insane drivel. Ji Hoo stormed up to Jun Pyo and got in his face slightly. "What makes you think you have the right to do such a thing, or that you even could?" he demanded.

Jun Pyo stared Ji Hoo down menacingly. "I gave you permission to date her because I thought you would be good for her. But if you can't take care of her and treat her right, then I'll have no choice!"

Ji Hoo sighed and turned away again, running a hand through his hair. "Do you realize how ridiculous this conversation is, Jun Pyo?"

Jun Pyo glared over at him. "You better take this serious…," he warned.

"I am being serious." Ji Hoo turned around to face Jun Pyo again, and he took a step forward. "Fine. Although I would never ever purposely hurt her, do you actually think that I would just let you take her away from me without a fight? You think I would never stand up to the great Gu Jun Pyo?"

Jun Pyo snorted. "Well, at least you are willing to fight for her…"

"I am," Ji Hoo asserted.

Then, he paused, took a deep breath, and decided to go for broke. "I don't know what's bothering Jan Di, but I promise that I will clear it up right away. This was all a misunderstanding, I'm sure of it. And though I appreciate your concern for Jan Di, I don't quite understand why you're so angry with me right now."

Jun Pyo released a short, forceful burst of air. He turned from Ji Hoo, gripped his hair, and then immediately turned back. "Because you stole her from me!" he shouted.

...

"Wh-what?" Ji Hoo's mouth dropped open.

And Ji Hoo took a moment to process Jun Pyo's words. It was as he suspected—Jun Pyo did have strong feelings for Jan Di. But to say that he stole her from him…?

Jun Pyo's chest rose and fell. "Did you know that I was going to ask Geum Jan Di out? I was going to tell her that I liked her, but then you waltzed back in and took her away! Why did you have to come back, anyway?!" Jun Pyo blurted out in exasperation.

Ji Hoo was stupefied. And he realized that Jun Pyo's words hurt worse than his fist. "Jun Pyo…do you…truly wish that I hadn't returned?"

"I…I don't know!" Jun Pyo exclaimed. He took a few steps away from Ji Hoo, clutching at his forehead. Then, he turned, shouting back over his shoulder, "You already had a girl! Why did you have to go after the first one I've ever liked in my whole life?!"

And Ji Hoo was rendered completely speechless.

It was true—Jun Pyo had never shown any interest in a girl until Jan Di. And he felt horrible... He'd been the worst possible friend… But how was he expected to know…? Sure, he'd seen the signs, but Jun Pyo never said anything… It was a weak excuse, Ji Hoo acknowledged to himself.

Ji Hoo's paralysis continued for another moment. "Jun Pyo-ah, I…it wasn't like that…," he finally stammered. "Jun Pyo-ah, mianhada…but...," Ji Hoo released a heavy exhale. "But, I asked you if it was OK for me to date Geum Jan Di, and you said yes…"

"What the hell was I supposed to say?!"

And then Ji Hoo's own frustration came spilling out like a fountain. "I don't know, Jun Pyo!" he shouted. "Maybe you should have told me all this sooner! Maybe you should have been honest about your feelings! And maybe I would have—" Ji Hoo stopped mid-sentence.

Stepped aside…

In retrospect, Ji Hoo wondered if he would have done that back then because it was Jun Pyo…

But then again, Jan Di was the reason he had returned from Paris—because he couldn't get her out of his head… Would he have been able to do the selfless thing back then and not pursue Jan Di, for Jun Pyo's sake?

But it didn't matter anymore; it was completely irrelevant—because he couldn't possibly part with her now...

"Why are you telling me all this, Jun Pyo?! Why now?! What did you expect me to say? Did you think I would step aside? ...Maybe there was a time when I would have, but now I can't. I can't now! I can't give her up! I…love her!"

Jun Pyo turned his back on Ji Hoo completely, unable to look at him after hearing those words. Meanwhile, Ji Hoo worked to calm himself, too, willing his breath to slow and steady.

"Mianhae, Jun Pyo. I never wanted to hurt you. You're my best friend, my brother…," and Ji Hoo paused to reflect. Though he felt badly about Jun Pyo, he also felt that he too deserved happiness, at last.

"I always gave in to you, Jun Pyo, even when we were kids… You were always taking my things! Do you remember my robot?"

Jun Pyo glanced back at Ji Hoo and then looked away again.

Ji Hoo realized the childishness of the conversation, but he continued anyway. "And even after we grew up, I still went along with your whims, even the ones I didn't agree with… I turned my head on all that Red Card crap, didn't I? Even though I thought it was immature and cruel…"

But Ji Hoo hadn't been able to hold his tongue when it was Jan Di. At the time, he'd told himself it was because Jun Pyo was going against a girl. But it was more than that—he'd felt protective of her right from the start...

"But despite all that, you were one of my first friends, and you are my best friend. I don't want this to come between us."

Jun Pyo clutched at his forehead and then began to press his fingers into his temples. He slowly turned back to look at Ji Hoo fully. Jun Pyo sighed and dropped his hands to his sides. "Aish! I didn't say anything about my feelings for Geum Jan Di because of that—because we're friends. I held back because it was you!

"Jun Pyo-ah…"

"I gave you permission because you are my friend. But if you ever hurt her again, even once, I won't hold back. You can count on that!"

And Jun Pyo turned and walked off steadfast, sloshing through the water.

...

Ji Hoo lightly rapped on the door to Jan Di's room. After a moment, she answered. "S-sunbae?" she greeted, as she clutched at the frame of the door.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but can we go for a walk? I'd…like to talk to you about something."

Jan Di prepared to nod in agreement, but then she felt a deep, dark pit forming in her stomach.

Why did he want to talk to her? Was he planning to break up with her—right here and now on the island? She just couldn't deal with that right now…

Jan Di gave him a weak smile. "I'm sorry, but can it wait until the morning, Sunbae? I'm…really tired…," and she cast her eyes away from him.

If he wanted to break up with her, she would accept it—in the morning, but not now. Though her sleep would undoubtedly be wracked with unpleasant dreams, she wanted just one more night as his girlfriend. Couldn't she just live in her dreamland for one more night? Couldn't he just be hers for one more night? It sounded so weak and pitiful…

Ji Hoo's lips parted. He pressed them together and gave her a slow, silent nod.

Keeping her head low, Jan Di tossed him a last halfhearted smile. "Well, goodnight, Sunbae..."

And she began to close the door to her room. She did so quickly—practically shutting the door in his face—for she could already feel the tickle of tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

But Ji Hoo put a hand out and caught the door before it could close.

Jan Di's eyes widened. "Sun-bae?" and she stared up at him.

…

Her eyes grew wider still when he wordlessly swept her up in his arms and began carrying her into her room. "S-s-sunbae? What are you doing?" she stammered, as she clung lightly to his neck and stared up at him with big, brown doll eyes.

Ji Hoo didn't respond but instead set her gently down on the edge of her bed.

Then, he went into the bathroom. In his absence, she put a hand over her racing heart in attempt at calming it. She heard him rummaging around in there for a minute or two before he returned with a first aid kit in hand.

Jan Di stared at Ji Hoo, doe-eyed, as he knelt before her on the carpeted floor. She felt rather self-conscious, for she was wearing a sundress that cut right at her knee, and he was now closely studying her bare leg.

Ji Hoo had glanced down before and noticed a smear of crimson—intermixed with tiny white crystals of sand, sparking like diamonds—upon her knee.

He placed the supplies beside her on the bed and tenderly took her ankle in both of his hands, as he carefully observed the wound.

The medical supplies explained Ji Hoo's purpose without him saying a word—not that she would ever expect him to do anything inappropriate to her... Still, Jan Di couldn't help but feel a rush of anxiety—and a bit of excitement too—when he had scooped her up in his arms and carried her toward the bed. And the thought of that had her feeling guilty…

"What happened? You're bleeding." And clearly, Ji Hoo had nothing but her well-being in mind...

Jan Di glanced down at her creamy leg—now marred by the ugly gash that was freshly oozing and was apparently deeper than she'd thought. "Oh, it's nothing… I just fell. Really, you don't have to—" she protested. But he didn't listen.

Instead, he soaked a cloth in disinfectant and moved his hand up higher. As he slid his hand up her leg in one fluid motion, Jan Di worked to steady her thundering heart, while inadvertently clutching at her chest in the process.

There was nothing impure about what he was doing right now. In fact, he was being completely professional—detached even. Still, the motion and his touch were enough to drive her wild and cause goosebumps to prickle up all along the area.

But then she recalled their current predicament and what had transpired, and that was enough to subdue her rampaging hormones.

"Really, it's OK, Sunbae. I'm fine."

"You shouldn't leave this go. It could get infected," he argued, while his eyes fixated upon the injury site. "I don't know about a lot of things, but I do know this much," he gave a wry smile.

Ji Hoo rested one hand behind her knee—holding it steady—and with his other, he pressed the disinfectant-saturated cloth against the cut. Jan Di winced when she felt the sting of alcohol making contact with the laceration.

Ji Hoo raised his eyes to look upon her. Her entire face was tensed. She shut her eyes for a split second and then opened them again, meeting his. It obviously hurt, but she was doing her utmost to be strong and brave. At this, Ji Hoo grew tender.

And he responded by gently blowing upon her knee to take away the sting...

Jan Di's breath hitched, as she felt the cool air emanating from his lips caress her burning skin. And the soft breeze served to simultaneously relieve her pain and send shivers up and down her spine.

"Better?" he asked, as he looked up into her eyes.

Jan Di shook her head up and down. "Gomawo…"

Satisfied, Ji Hoo brought the cloth back down and continued his work—holding it there to stop the bleeding and then dabbing at the dried blood to remove the persistent pieces of sand.

His touch was gentle, yet firm, and he was utterly focused. He seemed determined to remove every last trace of debris from the area, and he was taking entirely too much time and care for such a minor injury—in Jan Di's opinion.

And Ji Hoo didn't speak another word. After all, she had asked to talk in the morning—which meant that she apparently did not want to do so tonight—and he would respect that.

Finally, Ji Hoo covered the wound, delicately smoothing a large bandage at the site. After finishing, Ji Hoo rested a hand upon his own knee and took a moment to look over his handiwork—ensuring that she was indeed fine now.

"Gomawo...," she whispered.

He looked up and gave her a nod. And they stared into each other's eyes for a moment...

Then, Ji Hoo stood. "I'll go now. Again, I'm sorry to intrude," he spoke formally. "Goodnight, Jan Di-yah." And with a thin-lipped smile, he turned from her to head out the door.

"Sunbae, wait!" Jan Di called.

She went to Ji Hoo and grasped onto his arm, turning him back. She had noticed something amiss about him, too…

Jan Di stood before Ji Hoo now, her brow wrinkling as she studied his face. There was a puffiness and the swirling of a blackish-purple tint to his cheek. It almost looked as if he had a black eye forming…

What in the world—?

"Sunbae, your cheek! It looks a little…swollen… Did something happen?!" she demanded, forgetting all about her own personal anguish. Concerned, she reached out to touch his face. He allowed her fingers to brush lightly across his cheek before catching her hand and pulling it back.

Jan Di tightened . "It looks bad. Let me get you some ice—" and she prepared to leave, but he kept hold of her hand.

"It's fine. It's nothing for you to be concerned about, Jan Di-yah," he said calmly. And he brought her hand down, giving it a light squeeze before releasing it and allowing it to fall gently to her side again.

But she was concerned. How in the world did he get a black eye?! Surely Gu Jun Pyo hadn't… Why would he…?

"But Sunbae, what—?"

Before she could press any further, though, he cut her off. "We'll talk more in the morning," he said and then bid her goodnight.

After Ji Hoo left, Jan Di slumped back to a seated position on her bed, nearly missing the edge in her daze. Her thoughts were running wild; she couldn't stop thinking about what Ji Hoo wanted to talk to her about—and not to mention what had happened to his eye… She felt a deep sense of dread.

Jan Di felt as though she was in the eye of a hurricane, actually. Everything seemed quiet and calm right now—Ji Hoo had seemed serene, too, when he treated her injury—but she couldn't help feeling like something horrible was coming...

She mulled it over, and she came to a decision...

Jan Di refused to be a coward. Though she didn't feel at all ready to hear what he had to say to her—if ever—she would face it. Bad news or not, she couldn't possibly wait until morning. And she decided to go see Ji Hoo.

…

Jan Di tried Ji Hoo's room, but he didn't answer. Perhaps he was already asleep. That was fast, she thought. But she knew how quickly and easily Ji Hoo could fall asleep…

Regardless, she was still very restless, so she decided to take a walk.

It was practically pitch black out now, aside from the faint glow of moonlight and the occasional hung lantern illuminating her path. Jan Di swung her arms back and forth as she walked, in attempt at releasing some of her pent-up anxious energy.

As she crossed a small bridge, Jan Di noticed Ji Hoo sitting on the sailboat they had fished upon down by the water's edge. He had one leg crossed over the other, and he appeared deep in thought. She watched him for a few seconds—until he noticed her. He looked up, and they exchanged a silent conversation.

Jan Di approached and took a seat beside Ji Hoo. Neither of them uttered a word for at least another 15 seconds—which, incidentally, seemed interminable…

Finally, Ji Hoo broke the silence with a comment. "You were crying earlier," he muttered, as he stared out across the darkened waters. He had told himself he would wait, but she was here now…

Jan Di's lips parted, and she let out a small sigh. "Yes. I was a little upset," she replied, as if that explained everything.

She expected him to press further and ask what she had been crying about, but instead he muttered, "You went to Jun Pyo…"

Jan Di's eyes flitted from side-to-side. "Well, I—"

"If you were upset, why didn't you come to me instead of Jun Pyo? I'm your firefighter, aren't I?"

There, he said it.

And it sounded utterly possessive, but he had needed to speak his mind…

Ji Hoo immediately berated himself for his statement, knowing that it wasn't the important thing to focus upon at all. All that really mattered was why she had been crying, and what he could now do to fix it…

Jan Di was stunned. She could tell by the look upon his face how deeply he was hurt by that, but she didn't quite understand it. If he was going to break up with her then why would he care who she went to…?

But she simply responded with, "I didn't go to Jun Pyo. I just sort of stumbled across him…" Literally.

Ji Hoo continued to gaze upon her.

Jan Di took a deep breath and slowly released it. "Sunbae…," she tightened her fists at her sides and put on her bravest face. "I…was upset because…I know how you feel… And I know what you wanted to talk to me about…"

He looked at her curiously. "You do?"

"Yes, and it's OK. I understand," she spoke proudly, despite the familiar feel of tears forming.

"You understand?" he gave her a puzzled expression.

"Yes," she cast her eyes downward and blinked away the tears. "I knew that the idea of you and me was just a dream…," her voice cracked, "…one that…had to come to an end, eventually…"

Ji Hoo scoffed and shook his head. "Geum Jan Di, are you trying to break up with me again?" he demanded.

"I think it may be the other way around," she spoke in a sardonic tone. "But I promise I won't hold any ill-will toward you." And she was completely sincere about that.

"What?" Ji Hoo's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about, Jan Di?"

Jan Di stood and turned from him, still clenching her fists at her sides. "…I know that Seo Hyun Unnie is dating someone now, Sunbae, but maybe it's not really serious. You should at least talk to her about it and tell her how you feel. I don't think you should give up on her so easily…"

Ji Hoo stared at her back. "How I feel? So, let me get this straight… You are telling me to go and win Seo Hyun back?"

Jan Di tightened and turned back to look at him over her shoulder. And she softened. "That guy may be royalty, Sunbae, but don't think that means you have no chance…because it's you… You mean so much to Seo Hyun Unnie; I know that you always will… And you're so amazing, Sunbae…"

Jan Di turned away when her tears began to break free from their prison.

Ji Hoo sighed. He stood and immediately closed the distance between them. He placed his hands upon her shoulders and turned her around to face him.

"Jan Di-yah… Why are you saying all this?" he looked down into her eyes, as he held her shoulders firmly.

"Because… I just want you to be happy, Sunbae. Please tell me you'll be happy. If you're unhappy, then I'll be unhappy, too…," she spoke, with words full of emotion.

…

In that moment, Ji Hoo's own emotion overtook him, and he leaned in resolutely to capture her lips. The kiss began soft, but then Ji Hoo's lips slowly parted…

Jan Di didn't understand what was happening right now… Why was he kissing her? Didn't he want to break up with her? Was it a goodbye kiss? Several tears rolled down her cheeks, while their lips remained locked.

Regardless of her confusion, Jan Di followed suit—tentatively—and allowed her own lips to part, as he deepened their kiss and ran his hands all along her arms.

Then, Ji Hoo raised one hand to her hair and tangled his fingers within the strands. He tasted the saltiness of her kiss but persisted—until the oxygen ran out...

…

After they broke apart, Ji Hoo pulled a breathless Jan Di back and rested his hands once more upon her shoulders. "Jan Di-yah… Why would you think I am unhappy?"

Still faintly catching her breath, she replied, "Well, I…overheard what you said to Yi Jeong Sunbae and Woo Bin Sunbae about Seo Hyun Unnie—about how you will always love her…"

"…You heard that?"

"Yes," she dropped her head. "I'm so sorry to eavesdrop, Sunbae. I didn't mean to…"

Ji Hoo let out a soft sigh and gently squeezed Jan Di's shoulders. "I think you misunderstood, Otter. You must not have heard all of what I said…," and he placed a finger under her chin and tilted upward.

She gazed upon him with those large doe-eyes, which were moistened by the tears that had managed to break free again.

She hadn't heard anything after that; she'd run away…

"Well, that wasn't the end of the sentence. After that, I said that I will always love Seo Hyun…but only as a dear friend, or a sister…"

Jan Di sniffled, and a few tears rolled down. "Really?"

Ji Hoo nodded and wiped away her tears with his fingertips. "Yes. I feel love for her, and she will always be important to me, but I am not in love with her anymore," and Ji Hoo flashed Jan Di a brilliant smile. "I am in love with you, Otter."

Jan Di's relief and joy shone through in her smile like a beacon. And the tears continued to freely flow. But now they were tears of happiness.

Still, Ji Hoo wiped them away. And then she suddenly launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his waist. And he happily welcomed her in.

"Sunbae…," she uttered, as she sank deeper into his chest—she wouldn't have minded residing there permanently… And Ji Hoo wrapped his arms tighter around her and placed a kiss atop her head.

Jan Di choked back a few sobs. "Sunbae…," she snuggled in even more. "I'm so relieved…"

He smiled and held her for a while longer before pulling her back to gaze upon her. She was beaming at him and fresh tears clung to her eyelashes.

Ji Hoo looked upon her with pure affection. "Ah ah, what did I tell you about that?" he gently chastised.

Jan Di gave a little chuckle. "Oh right, I meant Ji Hoo…"

"Much better," he cooed, and he brought her back in for another tender embrace. Ji Hoo her hair, as he ran his hands along her back.

"You never need to question my feelings for you, Jan Di-yah," he whispered against her hair. Then, he brought her back again and moved his hands up to cup her face.

"How can I make you understand the depth of what I feel for you?" he asked, while holding her face—his thumbs lightly caressing her jawline.

"Ji Hoo-yah…," she murmured.

His look was sorrowfully tender, almost desperate. "What do I need to do to prove to you that I love you and will never leave you?"

And suddenly Ji Hoo worried that he was being too forward in saying such a thing…

But Jan Di merely gazed upon him—her eyes were shiny with emotion. "You don't need to do anything, Ji Hoo-yah," she paused, and the corners of twitched. "…It's just…still so hard for me to believe sometimes, Ji Hoo, that someone like you would ever want to be with someone like me," and she lowered her head in humility.

Ji Hoo tightened his jaw. "That's ridiculous, Jan Di. I've told you before that you should not be so harsh on yourself."

No, it's not ridiculous, Sunbae. You have it all…and I have nothing to offer in return…

But Jan Di wasn't fishing for a compliment, nor was she being insecure; it was truly a mystery to her. Perhaps she had Ji Hoo upon some kind of pedestal, but she just thought so highly of him…

"I know, but I still don't understand why…," Jan Di continued, "Why me? Why would someone like you want to be with someone like me…what could you possibly see in me?"

Ji Hoo thought for a moment. There were easily a dozen answers he could give her for what he saw in her, but he chose a particular one. "Because you're special…"

"Special?" It was funny he should choose that word, for Seo Hyun had said the same thing to her on the night of the school party—the night she first danced with Ji Hoo…

"Yes, you're unlike any person I have ever met before, Jan Di. You bring new experiences to my life; you challenge me to be…a better man, and…you bring me…happiness. You make me so happy, Jan Di, happier than I ever thought I could be…"

And in that moment, Ji Hoo forgot all about his troubles with Jun Pyo, for it was true. So long as Jan Di was in his life, he knew he would always be happy…

"Ji Hoo…," she murmured lovingly.

"I love you, Geum Jan Di," he suddenly spoke, in a tone soft but certain.

Jan Di's chin quivered lightly before bravely replying, "I love you, too, Yoon Ji Hoo."

And then they shared a kiss—a kiss filled with the intensity of the emotion they were both feeling… Jan Di smiled against Ji Hoo's lips, for she knew that this was only the beginning of something wonderful. And somehow, she was completely convinced—he had convinced her—that this man would always be in her life, no matter what…

Meanwhile…

Jun Pyo turned and walked away from the sight before him, clenching his fists so hard at his sides that his knuckles turned white.

…

Jun Pyo had watched Jan Di wander off alone that night, so he'd followed to make sure she was OK. She had been upset, and she was so accident-prone, after all... Somehow trouble always seemed to find that stubborn, clumsy weed of a girl, and Jun Pyo was certain that she would get into a bad situation if left alone. She might fall into the water and get a cramp again, or perhaps get bitten by a snake… So, what else was he to do?

…

And then Jun Pyo had discovered the two of them. They had been off in their own little world and hadn't even noticed him approaching. He watched them talk; he watched her cry, and he watched them embrace.

The sight of Jan Di leaping into Ji Hoo's arms and them professing their love for one another made Jun Pyo's insides wrench. And then they'd kissed, twice…

The sight of Jan Di and Ji Hoo kissing made Jun Pyo feel a pain in his chest that he'd never experienced before, even worse than the time he realized that it wasn't his father sending him Christmas gifts, but his father's secretary.

It was too much for Jun Pyo to bear, and he felt hot tears inexplicably well up at the corners of his eyes. How had the great Gu Jun Pyo gone so soft?!

But how could he possibly continue to witness such things…? How could he possibly continue to stand being around them…?

So, he left.

And as he walked away from the scene, Jun Pyo realized something—he realized that he had wanted to kiss her tonight. Earlier, he had wanted to kiss her so bad, so bad that it ached… And he had nearly leaned in… It took everything he had not to.

Jun Pyo was sure that he would not have succeeded and that his efforts would have probably been met with another swift punch or kick—like before—or some other painful form of retribution… But he had barely stopped himself from trying. And he only refrained because of Ji Hoo…

Still, as he held her, Jun Pyo could not deny the overwhelming desire to kiss her, to stop her from crying—and never allow her to cry again—and to make her forget all about Ji Hoo…

The Next Morning…

Ji Hoo and Jan Di made their way to breakfast. Ji Hoo sat down next to Yi Jeong and across from Jan Di, and Jan Di sat next to Ga Eul and across from Woo Bin. Jun Pyo was nowhere to be seen…

Woo Bin was on his phone. "What?" he exclaimed to the party on the other end. And then Woo Bin nodded, "Arasso," and he hung up.

"What?" Yi Jeong questioned Woo Bin. "Did Jun Pyo really leave without us?"

Woo Bin exhaled. "Seems like it. He left by jet this morning at dawn," he informed the group.

Yi Jeong shook his head. "Crazy fool…"

Yi Jeong looked between Ji Hoo and Jan Di. "Did something happen? Do you guys know anything about this?"

And Yi Jeong did a doubletake at Ji Hoo. "Ji Hoo, what happened to your eye?"

Woo Bin looked highly curious, too. But Ji Hoo said nothing.

Ga Eul looked curiously at Jan Di, and Jan Di shook her head to indicate that she didn't know anything about any of it. Jan Di's brow furrowed in concern, and she lowered her head, pondering…

Ji Hoo tightened his mouth and remined silent, though he had a fairly good idea why Jun Pyo had taken off so suddenly and left them all behind…

The group was forced to take a boat home.

F4 and Jan Di were back at school after their spontaneous New Caledonia trip, and the entire student body—particularly the female population—was thrilled. But it didn't take long for things to go awry. Jan Di had once again become Public Enemy Number One at Shinwha. The reason for it—Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo were not speaking, and the whole school was blaming Geum Jan Di for breaking up F4…

To Be Continued…

AN: Oh gee, how I love my misunderstandings, haha! And yep, fluff...  Even though this chapter may not have been all that exciting, there are many more events to come in the next ones…

Teaser for the next two chapters (Pending title)- All's (or All and Nothing's) Fair in Love and War Parts I and II, or Anemone Parts I and II: Ji Hoo and Jan Di go on a double-date with Ga Eul and Soo Pyo. Jan Di vows to help mend Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo's friendship, as well as her own friendship with him. Will a mysterious person aid her? Madam Kang discovers Jan Di's identify as the Wonder Girl. A misconception leads to a vendetta against Jan Di, and Jan Di discovers how ruthless Madam Kang can be. Ji Hoo vows to never let Jan Di be hurt, no matter the cost. Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo both confront Madam Kang, and she gives both of them ultimatums.