Chapter Nine: Anemone Part II

Several days later, Jan Di was working at the porridge shop with Ga Eul after school. The place was empty as an abandoned mineshaft, as it typically was this time of day. Glancing toward the kitchen, Jan Di noticed Ga Eul and Master doing dishes and chitchatting.

While Jan Di wiped down tables with a moistened cloth, she thought of how quickly things had calmed down at school after her talk with Gu Jun Pyo. For one, she no longer seemed to be the target of vicious gossip or threats. But most importantly to her, Jun Pyo had taken no further action toward kicking Ji Hoo out of school. And Jan Di was relieved.

One thing was eating away at her, though. She hadn't told Ji Hoo about going to Jun Pyo on his behalf. She wasn't sure why she hadn't told him; she supposed that she was worried he would think she had overstepped her bounds. And perhaps she had. But the important thing was that it appeared to have worked. Perhaps Jun Pyo had really listened to her this time…

Jan Di, Ga Eul, and Bom Choon-Sik turned at the sound of the doorbell jingling, and in ambled an older man wearing a navy-blue windbreaker, trapper hat, and with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"Look at the state of this restaurant…," the old man grumbled. "How pitiful!" He headed toward a table in the back, and with an over-the-top groan, lowered himself into the seat. The man then took off his hat and tossed it aside onto the seat next to him.

Jan Di and Ga Eul glanced at their Master, who was suddenly at attention. And Choon-Sik shooed them over to wait on the man. It was Jan Di's turn to wait on the next customer, so she approached him, while Ga Eul hung back. The man's hair was graying, and he had a freshly growing patch of stubble upon his face.

When Jan Di got close, it was impossible to ignore the strong smell of fish lingering upon the gentleman. Perhaps he was a fisherman—fresh from the lake, Jan Di assumed. He also looked vaguely familiar to Jan Di, but she couldn't place him. Maybe she'd waited on him before…

She shrugged it off and greeted the customer. Rather than greeting back, the gruff old man simply barked, "Jajangmyeon!"

Jan Di's brow furrowed, and she looked to Ga Eul, but her best friend appeared as clueless as she about the request.

Turning back, Jan Di politely explained, "Um, I'm sorry, Harabeoji, but we don't offer that here."

"Yes, we're a porridge shop," Ga Eul chimed in from behind her friend.

The old man shot the girls an annoyed expression before repeating—more insistently this time—"Jajangmyeon!"

Ga Eul again reminded the customer that they didn't serve it and began to suggest he go to the Chinese restaurant across the street, but Master interrupted. "I can make it," he announced, and he began rolling up his sleeves in preparation.

. . .

The girls and their boss stood in silence, their eyes glued to the old man, as he practically inhaled the meal that Master had prepared. He ate his fill and then slumped back into his seat. He remained seated for only a moment before rising and heading toward the door.

Jan Di stopped him. "Excuse me, Harabeoji...," she began delicately, for she was unsure of how to approach the situation. After all, no one had ever attempted to just walk out without paying the bill. "Um, aren't you going to pay for the meal?"

The old man grumbled. "Why should I pay for eating that garbage?"

Jan Di put on a polite smile. "Still, Harabeoji, you did eat it, so you should pay…"

The elderly man merely growled in response. And Jan Di turned back to Ga Eul, who had far less patience for the man's attitude.

Jan Di and Ga Eul whispered back and forth to one another—debating on what to charge for the specialty meal. The old man cleared his throat to gain their attention. When they looked back, the old man suddenly pulled a fish out from who-knows-where—maybe his pocket? It seemed an extremely odd place to keep one, but where else could he have produced it from?

Jan Di squealed upon being presented with the slimy fish. She rolled down her sleeves over her hands and took hold of the frantically flopping creature. The man stared at Jan Di for a moment, and then called back to Master, "Next time, spicy catfish stew!" before exiting the shop.

"Next time?" the girls muttered in unison.

Jan Di and Ga Eul gawked after the man for only a few seconds before Jan Di shrieked again and rushed the thing over to her boss. "Master!" she cried out, begging him to relieve her of her burden. Master gripped onto the fish tightly.

"My, he was…eccentric, wasn't he?" Ga Eul commented.

"That's putting it mildly," Jan Di remarked.

With sullen faces, the girls looked to their master—who seemed unnecessarily depressed. But there was no question as to why. The old man had insulted his cooking and skipped out on the bill!

"I wouldn't worry about him, Master," Ga Eul reassured.

"Yeah, I think he has Alzheimer's or something," Jan Di suggested, in hopes of cheering up her gloomy boss.

Ga Eul went to the table and picked up the bowl of leftover black noodles. Placing it on the counter, she stared hard at it. "Hey, can we…try it?" she asked.

Master merely shrugged his indifference.

So, they each picked up a pair of chopsticks and took a helping of the remaining noodles. After they tasted, their eyes met. And both pairs widened in surprise. "Delicious!" they exclaimed in unison.

Meanwhile…

F4 sat together in their lounge after school. It had actually been awhile since the four of them were all together in the same room. It was Jun Pyo who had called them together. The air was thick with tension and haunted by the words remaining unspoken. And the silence was deafening.

Yi Jeong and Woo Bin sat next to one another, and Ji Hoo sat across from them. F3 was sipping tea, and the Shinwha heir was staring out into space in his chair. Ji Hoo watched Jun Pyo closely, while Yi Jeong and Woo Bin alternated their glances between the other two.

Ji Hoo could tell when his best friend was deep in thought. It didn't happen often, but when it did he completely checked out. The Golden Boy remained silent—mentally debating on whether he should break the silence or simply wait for Jun Pyo to make sense of whatever thoughts were rumbling around in his head.

Yi Jeong and Woo Bin exchanged a look; they were also wondering if they should speak up.

. . .

Ji Hoo had nearly worked up the courage to speak; he decided to first wet his throat with a sip of tea. But before he could finish, Jun Pyo released a heavy sigh and folded his arms across his chest. "Fine, you're not kicked out," he muttered.

Ji Hoo had been mid-sip when he said it. He swallowed the bit of tea and set his cup down. "Really Jun Pyo-ah?"

"Yeah…," the curly-haired man grumbled, looking away. "Sorry…"

Ji Hoo could hardly believe his ears. Jun Pyo was giving in? He was actually letting it go, just like that? It seemed a bit anticlimactic. Oh, Ji Hoo expected Jun Pyo to eventually get over it, but he had first anticipated him throwing a much bigger fuss...

The quiet musician supposed he should not press his luck, but curiosity got the best of him. "What made you change your mind all of a sudden?"

Jun Pyo was silent for a moment. And then he muttered, "Thank your girlfriend," before standing and exiting the lounge.

The Next Day…

Ji Hoo met with Jan Di at their stairwell before class, as usual. He was quieter than normal, so Jan Di decided to ask if everything was alright.

"Yes, everything is fine, but Jan Di-ah… I was wondering…"

"Yes?" she stared up at him with her large chocolate eyes.

"I was wondering…," he cleared his throat. "Did you talk to Jun Pyo about—"

"Yes," Jan Di responded immediately, cutting him off before he could go any further.

Ji Hoo thinned his lips.

"I'm sorry, Sunbae!" she spoke guiltily.

Ji Hoo sighed. "It's OK, but I wish you would have let me handle it."

Jan Di lowered her head. "I know. I should have. But I just couldn't take it," she spoke rapidly. "I felt like I had to do something!"

Ji Hoo released another sigh—a softer one this time. "I understand. I know that the Wonder Girl does not take things lying down..."

Jan Di poked out her lip slightly. "I'm really sorry I interfered, Sunbae. Can you ever forgive me?"

Though Ji Hoo tried to fight it, it was useless. He couldn't possibly be upset with her. She was far too adorable when she was begging for mercy. He approached and lay his hands upon her shoulders. And Jan Di looked up at him doe-eyed.

"Of course I forgive you, my otter. And gomawo."

"For what, Sunbae?"

Ji Hoo tossed her a half-smile. Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead. "Just for being you."

And with that, Ji Hoo left.

The day of the double-date arrived...  Because they had to work beforehand, Ga Eul and Jan Di were meeting Ji Hoo and Ga Eul's date outside of the restaurant.

"I'm sorry he's late," Ga Eul mumbled to Ji Hoo and Jan Di, bowing her head.

Ji Hoo tossed her a smile. "It's alright. We're in no hurry. We'll wait for him."

Ga Eul smiled. "Thank you, Ji Hoo Sunbae."

Ji Hoo, Jan Di, and Ga Eul chatted while waiting for Ga Eul's date to arrive, and a few minutes later he did. He was tall but several inches shorter than Ji Hoo. His hair was teased messily, and he wore a gray wool jacket.

"Why are you so late?" Ga Eul whispered when he approached, but he ignored it and greeted Ji Hoo and Jan Di.

Ga Eul introduced them.

Rather than a bow or a 'pleased to meet you,' Gong Soo Pyo commented to Ji Hoo, "Wow, your hair! How did you get it to be that color?"

Ji Hoo's brow furrowed, and he simply stared at Soo Pyo.

Ga Eul cringed at her date's rude comment and tossed Jan Di an apologetic look. And Jan Di snuck an uneasy glance at Ji Hoo, but he simply smiled reassuringly.

Then, Soo Pyo asked Ji Hoo about his age and insisted that he call him 'hyung'—to which Ji Hoo politely replied that he would prefer calling him Soo Pyo-ssi.

Ga Eul caught Soo Pyo around the arm, "Well, shall we go?" she suggested, hoping to stave off the uncomfortable silence.

The two couples sat together in a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Myeongdong, and the waitress brought over a large communal plate of gopchang.

Soo Pyo dug in first, trapping a brown, cylindrical piece between his chopsticks. He brought it up to his mouth and popped it in. While chewing, he insisted that the others hurry and eat.

Ji Hoo beckoned for Jan Di and Ga Eul to partake first, and then he poised his chopsticks over a piece.

Watching Ji Hoo, Soo Pyo chuckled. "What's the matter? Have you never tried it before?"

"I must admit that I have not," Ji Hoo replied.

Soo Pyo barked out a laugh. "You rich boys and your refined palates...," he muttered sarcastically before taking another bite. "I'll bet you've never been to a place like this before, huh? You've probably only ever been to fancy restaurants," Soo Pyo mumbled through a mouthful.

Pursing her lips, Jan Di studied Ji Hoo's reaction to Soo Pyo's blunt remark. Her sunbae was the picture of serenity, as usual. Ga Eul, however, was looking a bit uncomfortable.

Ji Hoo picked up the piece of intestine and calmly replied, "Not a place like this, but I don't always eat at fancy restaurants. I've been to Jan Di and Ga Eul-ssi's porridge shop, and it was very good, and my friends and I enjoy this little barbeque place now and then."

Soo Pyo nodded. He grinned over at Ji Hoo as he held the piece of gopchang prisoner—looking it over carefully. "You probably can't eat it, huh?" he challenged.

"Of course I can," Ji Hoo assured. "I've eaten stranger delicacies than this," and without further hesitation, Ji Hoo delicately placed the bite into his mouth.

Jan Di, Ga Eul, and Soo Pyo all watched as Ji Hoo slowly, deliberately began chewing the spongy entrail.

"How is it?" Jan Di asked, on the edge of her seat—figuratively and literally. Ga Eul was also waiting to find out, for Ji Hoo's face was a blank mask.

Hoping to be helpful, Ga Eul suggested, "If you chew it well, it can be very savory and good…"

Ji Hoo nodded through the bite.

After thoroughly chewing the piece of gopchang up into nothingness and swallowing, Ji Hoo responded, "It was very good."

"Really?" Soo Pyo smirked in disbelief.

Ji Hoo nodded. "Yes."

Jan Di stared up at Ji Hoo uncertainly. She had the feeling he didn't like it at all but was just being polite. And it saddened her a bit. She always—and only ever—wanted him to enjoy himself with her and be happy. "Are you sure it's OK, Sunbae?" she asked worriedly.

Ji Hoo turned to his girlfriend and looked into her puppy dog eyes. "Of course. It's tasty. And…," he smiled at her, "…another new experience."

Jan Di met his smile with a broad one of her own. And the group continued with their meal.

After dinner, the foursome went to the ice skating rink. Ji Hoo helped Jan Di lace up her skates and stand, and then he went out onto the ice first. Hanging onto the edge of the rink, Jan Di hesitated.

Ji Hoo smiled and waved her out. "Won't you come join me? What's the matter, Wonder Girl?"

Jan Di gave a nervous laugh. "Nothing, except…," she continued feeling a bit embarrassed, "I've never done this before," she admitted.

"There's nothing to fear, Otter. It's only frozen water, and the otter's specialty is water, is it not?"

Jan Di chuckled. "Well, this isn't quite the same."

Ji Hoo nodded. "Well, not to worry. I won't let you fall," and he held out his hand. "I promise."

Jan Di smiled.

Dubiously, she slid one foot out onto the ice and then the other. She shuffled her feet against the slick surface and made her way toward the extended arm of her boyfriend. He was only a few feet away, but it might as well have been miles. She continued cautiously.

When she was nearly there, Jan Di reached for Ji Hoo's hand, but she felt her feet veering off in opposite directions. And she began to slip. Quickly, Ji Hoo skated forward and caught her. Clutching her left arm and maneuvering himself to wrap his other arm around her waist, he kept her upright.

Ga Eul was a bit more practiced at ice skating than Jan Di, and she and Soo Pyo had since begun skating around in a circle hand in hand. Ga Eul glanced back at Jan Di and Ji Hoo, and she smiled when she saw Ji Hoo supporting Jan Di around the waist while carefully skating with her. When she looked back at her own partner, he grinned and attempted to twirl her. Ga Eul shrieked in fear, causing Soo Pyo to immediately stop. They shared a laugh and decided she wasn't quite ready for that.

After a couple laps around the rink, Ji Hoo began slowly weaning Jan Di off his help. He released her waist, and—keeping hold of her arm—he put some distance between them. Then Ji Hoo slipped his hand into Jan Di's, and they began to skate along hand in hand. After a few more revolutions, Ji Hoo decided to give Jan Di some practice. He gave her a warning before gliding out ahead, and then he beckoned her to him.

Determined, Jan Di made her way over to Ji Hoo. Despite her lack of skill and coordination, she was slowly getting the hang of it—and she made it the entire way this time. When she reached him, Ji Hoo took both of her hands in his and gave them a squeeze. They held hands and smiled at one another for a moment before Ji Hoo suggesting trying something different. The Golden Boy gave the Wonder Girl a wink and then turned around. Holding his hands out behind him, he instructed Jan Di to hold on tight. So, she clamped onto his gloved hands. And Ji Hoo took off again, with Jan Di—smiling and laughing—in tow.

Several minutes later, Soo Pyo and Ga Eul joined up with Jan Di and Ji Hoo, and the two couples skated along side by side.

After twenty minutes or so of circling the ice, the group skated off to the side. And Ji Hoo took Jan Di aside. "Are you having fun?" he asked.

Her eyes sparkled with mirth. "Yes," she spoke readily, though her voice trembled.

Ji Hoo frowned at the shiver in her voice and the rosy tint to her cheeks and nose. It was unbelievably adorable, but it also indicated something worrisome to him. "You're cold," he said, rubbing her arms briskly up and down.

"No, I'm OK," she shook her head.

But he didn't believe her, and he began removing his coat.

"No, Ji Hoo-yah! You'll catch a cold! I'm fine," she insisted, and she quickly began forcing his cashmere coat back on.

Ji Hoo chuckled. "Alright, Otter. I'll keep it on," and he finished slipping it over his arms.

"And button up, too!" Jan Di commanded.

Ji Hoo smiled as Jan Di—starting at the top—began buttoning his coat for him. "Thank you, Otter," he whispered, "But it's unnecessary—"

"Hey, you're always taking care of me, aren't you?" she interjected.

Ji Hoo grinned down at her. "Well, it is my job as your firefighter."

She caught his eye and a smile crept up on her lips. "Well, can't a girlfriend also look out for her boyfriend?" she replied, focusing upon his buttons once more.

"Of course," he spoke affectionately.

And Jan Di looked up again. He was looking down at her now with eyes shimmery with love.

Quickly glancing down out of shyness, she returned to fastening his buttons. When she made her way about halfway down—just above his belt buckle—she grew hesitant, and her hands lightly trembled.

Sensing her nervousness, Ji hoo whispered, "It's OK. I can finish from here. Thank you, Jan Di-ah."

She nodded and took her hands away, as he proceeded to button his coat the rest of the way. Once fully buttoned, Ji Hoo took her hands in his. Noticing that her gloves were thin and practically threadbare, he tightened his mouth. "This won't do, though."

Placing one of her hands between both of his, he began to briskly rub them together to produce friction. Once he felt the warmth exuding from her hand to his, he moved on to the other one. While he heated her hands, Jan Di gazed adoringly upon her boyfriend's sculpted face. Her lips twitched at the sweetness of the gesture—and of his every action toward her.

The longer they were together, in fact, the more Jan Di realized how special Ji Hoo was to her. And she was finally starting to realize—and accept—that he would do just about anything to make her happy. And she knew that she would do the same for him...

But that had always been the case. Somehow, from the beginning, she had known that she only wanted to see Yoon Ji Hoo happy.

Ga Eul tried to give them their privacy, but she couldn't help but watch Jan Di and Ji Hoo. It was touching how thoughtful Ji Hoo was of Jan Di, and they really seemed to be in love…

It came as a great surprise to the raven-haired girl initially that a member of the elite F4, that she had heard so many stories about—most of them not good—could be so considerate and loving toward her best friend…

It was odd, too, that it was with Yoon Ji Hoo. Shouldn't the legendary F4 Loner be the least likely to care about other human beings? But that was clearly not the case. In fact, he'd helped Jan Di from the start, and Ga Eul appreciated him for that.

Yes, Ga Eul had to admit that she'd had her doubts about the relationship at first, but seeing Jan Di and Ji Hoo together now, it was plain as day… They truly seemed to fit together. Maybe Yoon Ji Hoo could be The One for Jan Di…

Soo Pyo tapped Ga Eul on the shoulder, stirring her from her thoughts. "Ga Eul-ah, would you like something to drink?"

"Mm," she responded. "Thank you, Oppa."

Soo Pyo skated over to Ji Hoo and Jan Di. "Ya, namdongsaeng!" Soo Pyo called out, choosing to refer to Ji Hoo as 'little brother,' despite Ji Hoo not being comfortable with the whole arrangement. "Why don't we get the girls something warm to drink?" he suggested. Ji Hoo nodded, and the guys skated off.

While Soo Pyo and Ji Hoo fetched coffees for them, Ga Eul and Jan Di leaned against the wall of the rink together. Both wearing wide grins, they turned toward one other. "This is nice," Ga Eul commented.

"Yes, it is," Jan Di readily agreed.

And Ga Eul observed her best friend, who couldn't seem to wipe the grin away. But who was she to judge? She couldn't seem to either right now...

"So, I see that it is going well with Ji Hoo Sunbae," Ga Eul commented, nudging Jan di with her arm.

Jan Di's lips curled all the way up. "Mm…," she murmured dreamily.

"And you are happy?" Ga Eul asked.

"Yes," Jan Di nodded readily. "What about you, Ga Eul-ah?"

"Yes, I am. I really like him."

"Well, he seems to really like you, too," Jan Di replied, and Ga Eul's eyes twinkled with joy. It was such a nice feeling—knowing that both she and her best friend had boyfriends and were happy…

Unable to contain their mutual joy, the girls embraced one another. Amidst smiles and laughter, they hugged.

After pulling back, Ga Eul asked what she'd been curious about. "Are things better now…with Gu Jun Pyo?"

"Yes," Jan Di replied. "Thank goodness he seems to have forgiven Ji Hoo for whatever he was mad about."

"What a relief," Ga Eul replied.

Jan Di looked toward where the guys had gone. "I wonder what's taking so long?" she mused.

Ga Eul shrugged and glanced around extraneously for any sign of them.

"Let's go find out," Jan Di suggested. The girls chuckled, as they supported one another for balance. And arm-in-arm, they skated off the ice.

After removing their skates, Jan Di and Ga Eul walked over to the snack bar. Upon arrival, they saw Ji Hoo and Soo Pyo off to the side of the building talking. Jan Di noticed that Ji Hoo did not look at all happy.

As if he sensed her, Ji Hoo turned and locked eyes with his girlfriend. Then, he looked back at Soo Pyo, said something in a low tone, and walked away.

Ji Hoo approached Jan Di and Ga Eul. Facing the girls, he somberly said, "I think we should end the night here."

"What? But—" Jan Di looked between Ga Eul and Ji Hoo. At last focusing upon her boyfriend, she studied his face—completely devoid of a smile. She wanted to demand an explanation, but she was certain that Ji Hoo had a good reason—and would surely explain later.

Jan Di pursed her lips and nodded. "Well, OK. If you say so, Sunbae…" She turned to Ga Eul and gave her a hug. "I had a great time. Thank you for inviting us. I'll call y—"

"Ga Eul is going along with us, too," Ji Hoo interjected. "We're taking her home."

Blinking in confusion, Ga Eul's lips parted. Her eyes shot to Soo Pyo, who was leaning against the building with his arms folded. She simply stared at him.

"What? But what about Soo Pyo-ssi, Ji Hoo Sunbae?" Jan Di protested.

Ji Hoo rotated enough to glare at Soo Pyo over his shoulder—out of the sight of Ga Eul and Jan Di. Then, he faced the girls again. Clearing his throat, he spoke, "Soo Pyo is not feeling well, so I'm going to be taking both of you home."

"But if he's not well, then I should check on him—" Ga Eul began, but Ji Hoo cut her off.

"Don't worry about him," Ji Hoo immediately replied, and he glanced toward Soo Pyo—he was now approaching them.

"He'll be fine, but we should go," Ji Hoo insisted. He placed an arm around both Jan Di and Ga Eul's shoulders and began leading them away.

Ji Hoo's behavior seemed very odd to Jan Di. What had suddenly come over him? Why was he so insistent that they leave right now? And what was so wrong with Soo Pyo that he couldn't take Ga Eul home himself?

"Sunbae, are you sure we shouldn't take Soo Pyo-ssi somewhere? Does he need to go to the hospital or something?" Jan Di asked.

"No, he'll be alright, Jan Di-ah," and Ji Hoo continued escorting the two of them away.

Ga Eul looked worriedly over her shoulder, and then she pulled away completely. Ji Hoo and Jan Di stopped.

"I can't just leave him, Ji Hoo Sunbae. I should at least say goodbye and thank him."  That was the polite thing to do, after all.

So, Ga Eul began to go to her date, but Ji Hoo caught her by the crook of the arm. She gasped lightly when she felt him grasp onto her.

Ji Hoo's hold was gentle, yet firm. "Ga Eul-ssi, please. Trust me and come with us."

There was a sense of urgency to his tone, and Ga Eul looked deep into the Golden Boy's chocolate eyes. The whole thing felt very strange, but something in his eyes told her to trust him.

And Jan Di trusted him, so she would trust him, too.

Slowly, she nodded. Ji Hoo tilted his head slightly as if to indicate she'd made the right choice. As she was once again guided in the opposite direction, Ga Eul turned back to look at Soo Pyo over Ji Hoo's shoulder with large doe-eyes. And Ga Eul waved at him, mouthing an 'I'm sorry' and 'I'll call you.'

. . .

The sound of Soo Pyo shouting froze the three of them in place. "Ya! Where are you going with my date?"

Ji Hoo turned around and took a step forward, partially blocking the girls from view. Casting a warning glance, he said, "You're not well Soo Pyo-ssi," Or, at least you won't be if you keep pressing your luck…, "so go and take care of yourself. I can make sure Ga Eul-ssi gets home."

"What are you talking about? You can't just take off with my date!" Soo Pyo objected.

Ga Eul looked to Soo Pyo for an explanation. "Oppa…?"

Soo Pyo scoffed. "Come on, Ga Eul-ah!" and he beckoned for her to come.

Ga Eul looked to Soo Pyo and then back to Jan Di. She and Jan Di exchanged a perplexed look with one another, and then they both turned to Ji Hoo.

"Sunbae? What's going on?" Jan Di questioned the stoic man before her.

Ji Hoo met the eyes of his girlfriend and her best friend. They were both staring up at him like cute, furry woodland creatures.

Ji Hoo released a tense sigh. "Please, just trust me, and I'll explain later." He put a hand on both girls' shoulders again and began to guide them away from Soo Pyo.

"Ga Eul-ah!" Soo Pyo demanded, motioning for her to come to him like she was some pet. "You're not really going to leave with them, are you?"

Ga Eul hesitated, and she looked helplessly to Ji Hoo. "Ji Hoo Sunbae…?"

Ji Hoo did not respond nor even look but instead took a few steps forward. "I strongly suggest you listen to me," he directed the statement at the man quickly closing the distance between them.

The icy look Ji Hoo sent his way made Soo Pyo take a step back. Finding his words again, Soo Pyo called out, "Fine, you had your chance, Friend."

"I'm not your friend," Ji Hoo retorted. And Jan Di's head snapped toward Ji Hoo. With a last piercing squint at Soo Pyo, Ji Hoo turned around and headed back to the girls.

"Did you hear that, Ga Eul-ah? Did you hear what he said to me?" Soo Pyo cried out.

Ji Hoo shook his head and simply continued walking.

"Op-pa…," Ga Eul softly uttered, not knowing what to say or do. So, she stood there rooted to the spot.

. . .

When she made no move to return to his side, Soo Pyo called out, "Ya, Ga Eul-ah, if you leave with them, it's over between us!"

Ga Eul's lips parted, and she felt sick to her stomach. But she knew that Ji Hoo Sunbae would not steer her wrong, so she took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry, Oppa. Please forgive me!" She gave him a quick bow before turning around to go with Ji Hoo and Jan Di.

Soo Pyo sneered over at Ga Eul, and then turned his attention on Ji Hoo again. "Fine, take her home," and Soo Pyo waved Ji Hoo off with a hand. "I'll have more fun without her!"

Ji Hoo clenched his jaw but ignored the remark.

Jan Di, however, did not take his comment lying down. "What did you just say?!" she shouted.

Ji Hoo looked to Jan Di; she was now trembling with rage. Just in time, he blocked his girlfriend's path and caught her in his arms, before she could rush past him—he assumed to kick Soo Pyo's .

"Jan Di-ah, he's not worth it," Ji Hoo urged while holding her in his arms and attempting to calm her.

Then, Ji Hoo glanced over at Ga Eul. Her head had dropped, and she looked to be near tears. Ji Hoo tightened his jaw sorrowfully.

Casting a glance at Ga Eul, Ji Hoo suggested, "Ga Eul-ah, Jan Di-ah, why don't we go for some ice cream?"

Ga Eul took a last look at Soo Pyo and then turned to Ji Hoo. Putting on the best smile she could muster, she nodded.

But Jan Di had not yet calmed and was still struggling a bit in his arms—hoping to get at Soo Pyo.  Ji Hoo gently turned her away from her newfound enemy, and he placed an arm around each of the girls again.

. . .

"Fine, don't call me anymore after this!" Soo Pyo shouted at Ga Eul's retreating figure. This time, she didn't look back.

Reeling in humiliation, Soo Pyo shouted a last insult—directed at Ji Hoo. "I still don't get what you see in her!"

At that, Ji Hoo stopped. Releasing Jan Di and Ga Eul's shoulders, he slowly turned around. Soo Pyo was motioning toward Jan Di.

Yoon Ji Hoo didn't like to get physical, but he'd had enough. He'd given the jerk plenty of warnings. In fact, he'd warned him from the start about keeping his mouth shut—at the first negative comment he'd made to him in private. But he just kept pushing it…

Their stare-down lasted only a split second before Ji Hoo wordlessly stormed over to Soo Pyo. His gait was determined, yet almost casual...

The typically reserved musical prodigy stood before the slightly older man. Without hesitation, Ji Hoo tightened his jaw, reared back, and delivered a powerful blow to Soo Pyo's face. Soo Pyo grunted and dropped to a knee while clutching at his already swelling eye.

Releasing his breath, Ji Hoo turned around, and he calmly yet soberly walked back to the girls. Placing an arm around each of their shoulders once more, he said, "Let's go."

There was no further dispute over this, and the three of them made their way through the gathered crowd.

Ji Hoo immediately called for his car, and when it arrived, he ushered the two young women inside. Before telling the driver to leave, Ji Hoo rotated in his seat. Giving her his most comforting smile, he asked, "Ga Eul-ssi, would you like to go somewhere with us? My offer still stands for the ice cream, or we can go wherever the two of you would like." And Ji Hoo cast a glance over at Jan Di to include her.

Ga Eul thinned her lips. "That's sweet of you Ji Hoo Sunbae, but could you just take me home, please?"

Ji Hoo nodded, "Of course," and instructed his driver.

Gazing sorrowfully upon her best friend, Jan Di asked, "Ga Eul-ah, are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Jan Di," and she put on a fake smile. "I'm kind of tired."

Jan Di gave her a sympathetic look and placed a hand briefly upon Ga Eul's shoulder.

Ga Eul folded her hands in her lap and looked out the window of the vehicle. As she watched the night scenery go by, she couldn't help but notice her best friend out of the corner of her eye, staring over at her with a pout upon her lips. She ignored it for as long as she could before finally giving in. Anticipating Jan Di's question, she replied, "I'm fine, Jan Di." And then she turned to look out the tinted windows of the Escalade.

But she wasn't fine—not at all.

They sat in silence halfway to Ga Eul's home before Ji Hoo spoke. "I'm sorry about that, Ga Eul-ssi. I realize that you must be confused by what happened."

Ga Eul took a deep breath, as she slowly turned to look at the Golden Boy. Forcing a smile, she softly spoke, "Well, a little, but I trust you Ji Hoo Sunbae. I'm sure you had a reason."

And Ga Eul replayed the whole thing in her head again, recalling what Soo Pyo had said at the last. Even though it was rude of them to just leave, what he had said was completely uncalled for. And she was feeling awful about it.

Obviously, her heart was broken, but what made it even worse was the way Soo Pyo had treated her best friend. She felt miserable and humiliated. "Jan Di-ah… I'm…sorry about what Soo Pyo said…"

Jan Di gave Ga Eul an affectionate look, and she shook her head. "I feel worse about what he said to you!"

"It's OK…"

"No, it's not!" Jan Di protested. She wished Ji Hoo had let her slug the jerk, but at least he'd taken care of that for her.

Ga Eul tossed Jan Di a grateful smile. "I'm very thankful to you and Ji Hoo Sunbae for sticking up for me, but do you think we could…not talk about it anymore?"

Sullenly, Jan Di nodded. And no one spoke the rest of the way there.

They arrived at Ga Eul's home. Before she left, Jan Di embraced her best friend and wouldn't let go until she promised to call her later.

After dropping off Ga Eul, Ji Hoo and Jan Di sat together in the back of the black SUV. When they were nearly there, Ji Hoo suddenly reached out in the darkened vehicle and clutched Jan Di's hand that hung over the armrest.

"I'm sorry, Jan Di-ah," he said, gently squeezing her fingers. "For how tonight ended…"

Jan Di pressed her lips together before replying, "What happened anyway, Sunbae?"

Ji Hoo took a deep breath. "It's a long story, and I don't want to go into detail on it, but…he was not a good guy. You should encourage your friend to find someone else."

Jan Di's lips parted. That fact had become clear when Soo Pyo showed his true colors there at the end. But she wondered what Soo Pyo had said to Ji Hoo to make him realize that sooner…

Waiting for him to go on, Jan Di stared over at Ji Hoo.

As she seemed to be awaiting more information, Ji Hoo added, "Soo Pyo told me some things that showed he was not invested in the relationship with Ga Eul. I was…trying to look out for her."

Jan Di's lowered her head and nodded. "I see. Well, thank you, Sunbae, for doing that…"

"There's no need to thank me, Jan Di-ah. No one mistreats my otter or her friends and gets away with it." Ji Hoo smiled, and Jan Di tried to return it, but her heart was still aching for Ga Eul.

Sensing her distress, Ji Hoo gave her hand another squeeze. He held it awhile longer before releasing. Then, looking out the window on his side, he grew silent again.

And Jan Di's thoughts settled on Ga Eul. She hoped that she would be alright, but she could practically hear her best friend crying her eyes out into her pillow.

. . .

Upon arrival at Jan Di's place, Ji Hoo got out and opened the door for her. Offering his hand, he helped her out. And they stood on the sidewalk outside her family's dry-cleaning business.

With a heavy sigh, Jan Di spoke, "I hope Ga Eul is alright, Sunbae."

In response, Ji Hoo stepped forward and placed his hands upon her small but sturdy shoulders. "She'll be OK, Jan Di-ah," and he took a deep breath before going on, "…It's terrible when someone you really like rejects you, or when you think someone is The One and find out that you're completely wrong about that… At the time, you think you'll never get over it… You think life won't go on…"

At his words, Jan Di's heart sank further into the abyss. And she wondered if he'd segued into talking about Seo Hyun.

Ji Hoo squeezed Jan Di's shoulders and gifted her with a luminescent smile. "But then you do. And it does. You get over it; you move on, and you find someone else…someone you love so much more than that person…," Ji Hoo smiled wistfully. "And suddenly all the pain just melts away. And you're glad for it even—because it led you to that special person. Besides, if it hadn't happened, you might never have discovered them, and you wouldn't know what you were missing out on..."

"Sunbae…" Jan Di uttered, touched.

Wordlessly, Ji Hoo pulled Jan Di into a warm, tight embrace. "I'm sorry the date ended like it did, but don't worry, my otter," he whispered against her silky, onyx hair. "I think someone far better is going to come along for Ga Eul."

Jan Di smiled as she buried her face deep into his chest and squeezed him tighter around the waist. It was amazing the power Yoon Ji Hoo had to cheer her up. "I hope you're right, Sunbae. …Gomawo," she whispered.

After a moment, Jan Di and Ji Hoo broke their hug, and Jan Di hesitated prior to bidding him goodnight.

. . .

"Oh, I was meaning to ask…how was the food tonight, really, Sunbae?"

"It was…interesting," he replied.

The corner of Jan Di's lip twitched into a half-smile. Ji Hoo had a decent poker face, but she knew him well enough by now to know that he wasn't telling the truth. "You didn't like it, did you?"

Ji Hoo shoved his hands into his pockets. "It was fine, Jan Di. Alright, not my food of choice, but like I said, another new experience."

Jan Di smile faintly. "I'm sorry about tonight…"

Ji Hoo looked at her curiously. "Why do you say that? What do you have to be sorry for?"

"Well, for…forcing you to tag along on a double date—I know you're not so comfortable in a group—for making you eat food you don't like and weren't used to, for Soo Pyo-ssi's remarks to you, and especially for the trouble you went to in standing up for Ga Eul and me."

Ji Hoo softly sighed, and he gazed upon Jan Di with affection. "I had fun today, Jan Di-ah. Really. I suppose I could have done without the dramatic ending, but aside from that…"

Jan Di's gaze fell to her feet, and she stared silently at her shoes.

Then, Ji Hoo closed the space between them. Leaning down and in, he gained her attention. And their eyes met again. "I enjoy spending time with you, Jan Di-ah. Obviously, I like it best when it's just you and me, but I am fine with a group, too."

Blurting out her thoughts, Jan Di muttered, "Why are you so kind to me, Sunbae?"

Ji Hoo's brow furrowed at the question. To him, it made no sense that she should ask. To him, it was evident. He could  about it, but he decided to just give her a simple, honest answer. "Because I love you… And kindness comes naturally when you love someone."

"Sun-bae…"

Ji Hoo smiled, and placing a hand upon the back of her neck, he leaned down to a caress her forehead with his lips. After the brief kiss, Ji Hoo and Jan Di bid goodnight.

As Jan Di walked into the dry-cleaning shop that shared her name, she thought of what Ji Hoo had said. Though she didn't know what was going to happen with Ga Eul, she imagined—she hoped—that Ji Hoo was right and that someone better would come along for Ga Eul.

No, she didn't just hope—she believed.

Jan Di wasn't exactly cynical, but she had grown up in the real world, so to speak. Therefore, she didn't hold too many idealistic notions about life. Her best friend was much more romantic in her thinking. But somehow, being with Ji Hoo, had changed Jan Di… And she was beginning to buy into this concept of soulmates that Ga Eul was always talking about…

So, he had to be right! How could he not be? Even she—a plain, clumsy, nothing kind of girl—had been blessed with her Ji Hoo Sunbae. And if the heavens above were so kind as to bestow such a man upon her, then surely someone incredible must be just around the corner for a wonderful girl like Chu Ga Eul…

The Next Morning…

Ji Hoo sat sipping tea with Yi Jeong and Woo Bin in the F4 clubhouse. Upon arrival, F2 immediately asked Ji Hoo how his date was last night, with only the slightest of innuendo. Ji Hoo responded with, "It started out well enough, but the end was not so good."

F2 looked upon Ji Hoo curiously, as he took a sip of tea. The comment spurred questions from F2, such as, "Did you get sick?" and "Did you two have a fight?"

Ji Hoo shook his head. "No, nothing like that," and he took another sip of tea. F2's eyes continued to bore into him. Jun Pyo acted disinterested, but he was clearly listening in. When Ji Hoo took too long offering up more information, Yi Jeong finally asked, "Well, what happened?"

"Well, basically Chu Ga Eul's date turned out to be a jerk."

Yi Jeong pursed his lips together, and he grew silent in his spot on the couch beside Woo Bin. Ji Hoo took another sip of tea and proceeded to tell what happened.

After Ji Hoo spilled the whole story, F3 offered their input. Their comments varied, ranging from Jun Pyo saying he would have beaten the guy senseless if she was his girlfriend to Woo Bin asking if there was anything he could do. Meanwhile, Yi Jeong remained silent.

Ji Hoo accepted their feedback and thanked Woo Bin for his offer to take care of the matter. "No, it's alright. I dealt with him. And as far as Ga Eul-ssi is concerned, I think she will just need to move past it and find someone else."

F2 nodded, and Jun Pyo—having bored of the conversation—picked up his controller.

"I hope you two don't treat your girls this way," Ji Hoo offhandedly commented.

"Of course not, Ji Hoo-yah," Woo Bin spoke up. "For one, our girls…," and he laid a hand on Yi Jeong's arm, "are always aware of how things are. They know that it's not a commitment but just for fun."

"Isn't that dangerous, though? They can get attached," Ji Hoo said.

"Well, that happens sometimes, but when it does, we cut it off right away. We don't lead them on like this Gong Soo Pyo was doing with Ga Eul…"

Ji Hoo sighed. The Golden Boy knew there was no arguing with the Don Juan, but despite his friend's dating philosophy, he had a point. Woo Bin and Yi Jeong made their intentions with women clear from the start.

Yi Jeong had been sitting quietly with his hands folded in his lap the entire time. When Woo Bin noticed this, he called out to him, "Ya, Yi Jeong-ah, what are you thinking so deeply about?"

Being far off in his head, the Casanova didn't respond.

"Yi Jeong-ah," Woo Bin called again, "Did you hear me?" and he nudged his best friend.

Out of the blue, Yi Jeong spoke up. "Yes, women get attached. They get emotionally invested. And that's precisely why we don't date nice girls like Geum Jan Di and Chu Ga Eul."

Ji Hoo and Woo Bin turned to focus on So Yi Jeong.

"Girls like that are…special… They deserve boyfriends—guys who will respect them and shower them with attention and affection. But that's not who we are," Yi Jeong said plainly, glancing at Woo Bin. "They deserve guys like you, Ji Hoo-yah, not guys like us."

Yi Jeong's words temporarily muted the group. It was unexpected for him to make such a blanket statement.

. . .

All of a sudden, Yi Jeong stood, blurting out, "I just remembered…that there's something I need to do."

The other three looked upon him with curiosity as he rapidly crossed the room. And Woo Bin called out to him as the potter headed toward the door, "Yi Jeong-ah, what do you need to…?"

But Yi Jeong was already gone before he finished the sentence. Woo Bin exchanged confused glances with his other two brothers and then shrugged off Yi Jeong's odd behavior.  Yi Jeong did get into his moods now and then, so Woo Bin decided to call him later to check on him.

Later that morning…

Jan Di and Ga Eul walked down the street together toward the club where Gong Soo Pyo worked.

"Jan Di-ah, I don't want to do this…," Ga Eul protested.

"Ga Eul-ah, you told me that you wanted to know for sure. Now, Ji Hoo Sunbae said that Soo Pyo-ssi was not a good guy, but he wouldn't say what happened. I think you should confront him about it, so you can have closure and move on."

"But…I do trust Ji Hoo Sunbae…"

Jan Di caught Ga Eul by the arm and continued dragging her along. "I know, but you should still hear it from Gong Soo Pyo. Don't worry, I'll be right there with you."

With a sigh, Ga Eul allowed Jan Di to pull her along. "Now, which club did you say he worked at? It was somewhere around here, right?"

. . .

It was then that Ga Eul looked to her left. Her lips parted and "Oppa…" escaped them.

Jan Di turned to where Ga Eul was staring, and she noticed Soo Pyo walking with an older girl. She wore her hair up and had on a pink coat.

Soo Pyo was strolling along casually with the heavily made-up girl. "You know that high school girl I've been toying around with, right?" he mentioned cockily.

"Yea," the girl replied.

Jan Di's eyes immediately shot to Ga Eul. And Ga Eul was staring over at the pair. Soo Pyo and his girl hadn't yet noticed them, so Jan Di and Ga Eul continued walking along and listening in on the conversation.

"Well, we went on this double-date the other night with her friend and Yoon Ji Hoo. You know of him, right?"

The flaky young woman beside him clasped her hands together in adoration, "Of course I do! Wow, you met him? Is he really handsome?"

Soo Pyo scoffed. "If you like that type…"

"Well, I do," the girl quipped. Soo Pyo glowered back at her.

Shaking his head, Soo Pyo continued, "Well, the guy just dripped of money. His clothes, his coat… I think his family owns the Suam Cultural Foundation, and you know who his grandfather is, right?"

She nodded. "The former president, right?"

"Yes."

"Whatever happened to him anyway?" the girl asked.

"I don't know. He kind of disappeared after the deaths of his son and daughter-in-law in that mysterious car accident. I think there was some big cover-up…"

At that, Jan Di gasped lightly. She knew that Ji Hoo had lost his parents, but she didn't know the details of it. And he never talked about it. As far as his grandfather was concerned, Ji Hoo had only ever said that he left. It was in New Caledonia, she recalled. And she hadn't asked questions. It wasn't the time then, and she still feared upsetting him by bringing it up, but she really wanted to know...

Closing quickly, Jan Di re-focused upon Soo Pyo.

"Well, this Yoon Ji Hoo guy was with this really nothing girl… She had the body of an elementary student, and she wore really cheap clothing. Just like the girl I was messing with. They looked so poor."

Jan Di snuck a peek at Ga Eul, who was walking along as if in a trance, and then she fixed a burning stare at the side of Soo Pyo's head.

"Really? But he's a member of F4." When Soo Pyo appeared confused, she scoffed, "You know, that group of handsome heirs!"

"Oh."

"I don't get it. Does she have something on him?" the girl added.

"I don't know," and Soo Pyo shrugged it off as some great mystery. "Anyway, I told the guy that he should ditch the girl he was with and go with me to the club. I told him he could meet far better girls there, like you…," and Soo Pyo tossed his walking companion an impish grin, "…but he refused. And then when I questioned why he was with her at all, he got pissed. He grabbed me by the collar and slammed me against a wall. He told me to watch what I said and that I could never understand what he has with her. He was right… I just don't get it. Maybe she's really easy or something…"

At that, Jan Di finally spoke up. "Ya!"

Soo Pyo and the girl turned to see Jan Di and Ga Eul staring at them from across the way.

"It's you," Soo Pyo looked on in surprise.

"Was that all true?" Jan Di demanded.

Soo Pyo smirked over at them. "Yeah, it was! What of it? So, you were eavesdropping, huh? Well, maybe it's for the best that you heard," and Soo Pyo fixed his gaze on Ga Eul. "Ya, Ugly Girl, are you stalking me now?! Well, don't bother. You blew your chance!"

Ga Eul felt her eyes beginning to moisten, and her entire body was shaking.

It was then that Jan Di snapped. She gave off some kind of war cry, hopped over the railing separating them, and delivered a swift spin kick to Soo Pyo's face. Ga Eul watched in shock, though it wasn't the first time she'd witnessed her best friend get violent.

And Jan Di didn't stop with the kick. After Soo Pyo went down to a knee, she elbowed him in the chin, knocking him the entire way to the ground. As he lay there on his back, she stomped on his chest. "Ya! Don't you ever speak of my friend like that again, and don't you ever come near her, or I'll kill you!"

Soo Pyo was cowering and holding up his hands to prevent any further attack. Jan Di noticed his reddened cheek—where she'd kicked him—and that he already had a black eye from Ji Hoo's punch the day before.

The woman with him simply stood there, mouth agape. Jan Di turned toward her while keeping Soo Pyo down. "What are you looking at?! Go on, get out of here!" Jan Di demanded. When the girl hesitated, Jan Di made an aggressive move toward her. The girl squealed and took off running.

After dealing with Soo Pyo, Jan Di went to Ga Eul. Ga Eul still seemed to be in shock, so Jan Di linked arms with her and walked her over to a bench. They sat down together, and Jan Di eyed her best friend sorrowfully.

"Ga Eul-ah…," Jan Di began.

"I'm fine, Jan Di," Ga Eul replied. She was doing her best to keep it together, even though she felt like coming apart entirely at the seams.

"Are you sure?"

Ga Eul faked her best smile. "Yes. I really am."

Jan Di hugged her arm sympathetically.

Ga Eul raised her eyes skyward. "You know, one good thing came of this."

"What's that?" Jan Di couldn't fathom what possible good could have come from this.

"Well, we know how loyal Ji Hoo Sunbae is. He really cares for you a lot."

Jan Di smiled faintly.

"Now, go see him, and thank him properly for me."

"Ga Eul-ah, are you sure…?"

"Yes. I'm fine. Like you said, now I have my closure. Gomawo…"

But Jan Di wasn't wholly convinced. The Wonder Girl puffed out her cheeks, causing Ga Eul to smile genuinely. And Ga Eul poked her in the cheek like Ji Hoo did sometimes. "Now, go on, Jan Di-ah. I'm sure your boyfriend misses you," she said with a grin.

With a sigh, Jan Di embraced Ga Eul. "Alright, I'll call you later," and Jan Di motioned that with her hand.

Ga Eul tossed her a small smile and waved goodbye to Jan Di as she ran off.  Sighing, Ga Eul rose from the bench. She decided to walk for a little while, to clear her head.

. . .

As Ga Eul wandered aimlessly down the street, Soo Pyo's words reverberated in her head…

"Ugly girl…"

"…that high school girl I've been toying around with…"

Soo Pyo had a point. She was just an ugly, nothing girl... She really had nothing special to offer, so how would she ever find a boyfriend again?

Ga Eul always tried to stay positive, and though she was a humble person, this self-deprecating thing was new. She felt like such a pathetic mess, but she just couldn't help it. She'd truly liked him, and she'd thought he liked her, too. But it was all an act. He'd just been leading her on. And that was what hurt the most...

And Ga Eul continued stumbling down the street, fighting back the tears that were determined to slip free at any moment…

After Yi Jeong left, F3 remained at the clubhouse. There was nothing else to do, really. Ji Hoo sat on the couch strumming his guitar, while Jun Pyo and Woo Bin played pool in the open, adjoining room.

. . .

Out of the blue, Jan Di waltzed in—and straight up to Ji Hoo. Mid-note, Ji Hoo paused and looked up. "Jan Di-ah, what brings you here?"

She was standing before him, stiff as a board. "Sunbae, I…," and her chest began to heave.

"Jan Di, what's wrong?" Ji Hoo asked, his voice laced with concern. He placed his guitar gently on the seat beside him and stood.

Resting his hands upon Jan Di's shoulders, he asked, "Are you alright? Did something happen?"

Jan Di's chest continued to rise and fall as she stared into his eyes, and Ji Hoo was becoming more and more worried by the second. But suddenly, Jan Di threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. It took Ji Hoo by surprise, but he succumbed to it, wrapping his arms around her back and holding her close. Over her shoulder, Ji Hoo could see Jun Pyo and Woo Bin staring at them.

Jan Di broke the hug after a few seconds and again looked up into his eyes.

"Jan Di-ah, what is it? Is everything OK?" he urged.

"Mm," she nodded. And then she hesitated. "Sunbae, I…," she began before exclaiming, "Thank you!"

"… For what, Jan Di?"

Jan Di simply stared adoringly up at the Golden Boy—oblivious to the two extra sets of eyes watching them. Catching him off-guard once again, she wound her hands around his neck and pulled him down to her. Overtaken by her emotion in the moment, Jan Di pressed her lips hard against his.

Ji Hoo's eyes went wide at the unexpected feel of her soft, moist lips upon his. Not only was it the first time she'd initiated a kiss with him, but she'd never given him such a passionate one. And in front of Jun Pyo and Woo Bin. Did she realize they were watching—surely not?

Ji Hoo almost stopped the kiss for that very reason, but it was so amazing that he didn't want it to end just yet… So, he kissed her back with equal fervor.

Jan Di continued moving over Ji Hoo's—to the best of her ability. Her lips parted slightly, and she captured his bottom lip between hers.

It seemed to him like she planned to continue, but Ji Hoo once again became aware of the onlookers. Woo Bin had folded his arms and was smirking satisfactorily over at them, while Jun Pyo stood there stock still, looking—as best Ji Hoo could describe—horrified.

Ji Hoo ended the kiss before she did, and they broke away breathless. And they were instantly met with the sound of clapping and whooping—from Woo Bin.

Jan Di gasped, and her head snapped toward the sound. There were Woo Bin and Jun Pyo watching them from the next room. Jun Pyo looked dumbfounded, and Woo Bin was grinning.

"Wow, that was some kiss, Wonder Girl! What did Ji Hoo do to deserve that?"

Jan Di's face turned red as a chili pepper. She opened and shut several times, as she looked between Ji Hoo and F2. "I…I…I didn't know you guys were here!" she stammered.

Jun Pyo scoffed. "Ya, Geum Jan Di, how could you not know? You really don't pay attention to anything, do you?!"

Jan Di's body tensed up. She opened to tell off Jun Pyo, but nothing came out. Instead, she squeezed her eyes shut, shrieked in humiliation, and ran off.

"Jan Di-ah, wait!" Ji Hoo called after her.

She didn't stop, though. Covering the side of her face with her hand, she rushed past F2 and out the door.

Ji Hoo prepared to take off after her. He ran a few steps and then stopped. Groaning in frustration, he turned to Jun Pyo and Woo Bin. "See what you did!"

"Us?!" Jun Pyo exclaimed, and Woo Bin pointed at his chest while wearing a hurt expression.

Ji Hoo sighed.

"Well, aren't you going after her, Ji Hoo-yah?" Woo Bin asked.

Ji Hoo had planned to, but now he was rethinking it...

He didn't want her to be upset, and he wanted to comfort her, but right now she was probably feeling humiliated. So, she probably wanted to be alone… Still, he didn't want to abandon her, so he decided to give her a five-minute head-start.

Meanwhile…

Yi Jeong had just come from his father's pottery class. He wasn't sure what had possessed him to suddenly pay a visit to Professor So Hyun Sub, but he had. The younger So had hung back and watched his father's class. Afterward, he'd gone to his father's office. When Yi Jeong arrived there, he'd seen nothing short of what he expected. Through a small crack in the door, Yi Jeong witnessed his father kissing and pressing himself up against a much younger woman. Yi Jeong squinted at the sight and walked off.

For some reason, today, he couldn't let it go. So, he waited down the hall until he heard the sound of a woman's heels clacking against the floor. When she came close, he stepped into her path.

"Oh!" she practically jumped at seeing him there.

Yi Jeong stood before the lovely young woman—who couldn't be older than late-twenties or early-thirties. He flashed her a debonair smile. "Lipstick," he commented.

"Excuse me?" she politely asked. She seemed too sweet to be with his father…

Yi Jeong reached out to touch her full lips. Startled, the woman pulled away.

But his charm was enough to assuage her. With a disarming grin, the potter commented, "You have a bit of lipstick there," and he reached out for her again. This time she allowed him to wipe away a smudge of ruby lipstick beneath her bottom lip with his thumb.

Yi Jeong stared at the lipstick stain upon his finger, and his smile faded. Leaning closer to her, he whispered, "Do you know you're his fourth girlfriend this year?"

The lips of his father's mistress parted. Did she not know? Perhaps she was sweet. Or, perhaps she simply didn't like having it thrown in her face…

Yi Jeong smirked at her. "You're far too pretty to be that…," and immediately he turned and walked off.

Affected, the woman stared after Yi Jeong as he strode down the long hallway.

As he walked away, Yi Jeong rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, in order to banish the lipstick stain from sight. And his face clenched up as he lost himself in thought. He felt disgusted—with his father, with her, with himself, and with everyone right now…

Minutes later, So Yi Jeong sat in the back of a black, stretch limo. Her timing impeccable, his mother had called right after he left his father's office.

. . .

"This is enough! Please, just give up," he pleaded into the cell phone. Little good it did to silence the hysterical woman on the other end.

. . .

Yi Jeong sighed, "So, first Father, and now you are going to threaten me with taking pills?"

. . .

Knowing well that it was all a bluff, Yi Jeong ended the call there. Slamming his phone down upon the car seat, he squeezed his eyes shut. Momentarily, he felt bad for ending the call prematurely with his mother, but he'd had enough of her drama for today. Hearing from her always worsened his mood…

Yi Jeong felt pity for his emotionally crippled mother, but pity quickly gave way to annoyance—and annoyance walked a fine line with hatred. Sometimes, he really wanted to hate her...

It was her fault, too, after all. It was her fault for being weak and foolish, for believing his lies in the beginning. It was her fault for remaining in the situation, for holding onto something phony and pathetically trying to gain his father's love—when she never had it in the first place…

And she was always dragging him down with her…

But when it came down to it, it wasn't his mother that Yi Jeong hated but his father, or at least his father's ways, and it was himself—because he was exactly the same.

Amidst these thoughts, Yi Jeong turned to stare out the window. And he caught sight of a girl walking with her head hung low. She had long, dark pin-straight hair and a bright canary-yellow coat. When he glimpsed the side of her face, he immediately knew who she was.

Yi Jeong watched Chu Ga Eul out the window as she shuffled down the street. From her posture, it was obvious that she was depressed about something, and Yi Jeong recalled what Ji Hoo had told him about the double-date.

Yi Jeong had his car follow her for another half a block. He watched her as she finally settled down upon the steps of the market. And she began to cry.

There she was—Chu Ga Eul—sobbing like a small child on the stoop of the corner market.

Yi Jeong squeezed his eyes shut and scratched his head. He debated for a few seconds longer before finally commanding, "Stop the car."

With a sigh, Yi Jeong stepped out of the car. Cheering up Chu Ga Eul would be a nuisance—and he was certainly no White Knight—but he couldn't leave her this way. For some reason, he couldn't stand the sight of her like this…

Yes, she was a pain, and he was no do-gooder… Still, he expected it to be easy—because he knew women. His charms always won a woman over. It just took a little finesse…

. . .

Yi Jeong approached Ga Eul, putting on his most charming of smiles. And his smile was usually enough, but today it did nothing. She barely looked at him, and she just kept crying.

Yi Jeong glanced around, wracking his brain for some way to make her stop. Then, he turned back to Ga Eul. Clearing his throat, he said, "You know, some girls think they look pretty when they cry, but really they don't." His comment was an honest one and meant to get her to stop crying, but it backfired horribly—only making her cry harder.

As tears poured out, drizzling down the cheeks of the sweet, innocent girl before him, Yi Jeong felt utterly horrible. And he only regretted it more when he noticed passersby tossing him filthy glances.

When her tears seemed to have no end, Yi Jeong shook his head. Tossing a disarming smile at each disgusted person walking by, he protested, "It wasn't me…"

After denying his guilt several times, Yi Jeong turned back to Ga Eul, clasped his hands in a prayer position and begged, "Ga Eul-yang, please… Please stop crying!"

Her crying began to subside, but she still looked completely miserable. Realizing he was going to have to pull out the big guns, Yi Jeong took her by the wrist and pulled her up. With a gentle tug, he began guiding her along behind him toward his car. "Where are we going?" she blubbered.

"You'll see."

. . .

They ended up at his studio.

Ji Hoo caught up to Jan Di on the edge of the school grounds. It was near the bench where they'd first met. He considered teasing her about continuing the kiss, to ease the tension, but he didn't want to press his luck with her right now…

Jan Di was clearly humiliated, but she also seemed angry. "Why didn't you tell me Gu Jun Pyo and Woo Bin Sunbae were there, Sunbae?!"

"I'm sorry, Jan Di-ah, but I thought you might have noticed them when you came in. And then when you kissed me, well…" My rationality flew right out the window…

Jan Di heaved a sigh. There was still the hint of a flush to her cheeks. Ji Hoo approached her and tilted her chin upward. He tossed her a disarming smile.

Oh no, Yoon Ji Hoo… You're not going to get out of this so easily!

"Are you angry with me, Jan Di-ah?" he asked sincerely.

And Jan Di softened. She shook her head.

"Good. You know… I liked it much better when you were grateful to me," he cooed, as he began the back of her cheek.

His touch made Jan Di's knees begin to go weak, as they still often did in his presence. "Well, I suppose it's my fault…," she began—but soon lost her train of thought when he leaned in closer. "I um…I guess I…should have noticed that they were—"

And then his lips met hers, stopping her mid-sentence.

This kiss was softer than the one she'd given him, but it expressed just as much love and passion. Ji Hoo tightened his arms around her, pulling her in close as he deepened the kiss.

Silently—and with perfectly straight posture—Ga Eul sat at the table in Yi Jeong's studio. When he brought out the tea he'd prepared for her, Ga Eul admired the pottery. The kettle and teacups were white with delicately painted blue lotuses on them.

Yi Jeong poured a cup of tea for each of them, and then he picked up another empty cup. Hanging his arm over the edge of the table, he suddenly let go.

Ga Eul flinched as the cup hit the floor. It dinged upon impact but did not break.

Yi Jeong smiled as he picked it up. "It's much stronger than it looks."

"Sorted, stepped on, cut, and baked at 1,300 degrees. That's what it takes, and if it's still not strong enough…" With a small grin, Yi Jeong picked up the teacup and took it over to another table. He grabbed a nearby hammer and set the teacup underneath a cloth. Yi Jeong quickly raised the hammer and swiftly brought it down.

Ga Eul couldn't help but cover her eyes at the last second before impact, so she only heard the sound of the cup being smashed to bits. Ga Eul peeked through her fingers and watched Yi Jeong uncover the cup, which was now neatly broken into several pieces.

"That's what it takes to become strong. Much like what you experienced today…" And he strolled over to her. 

Ga Eul gazed up into Yi Jeong's dark eyes. As he looked back, he couldn't help but wonder if she was like the pottery there. Perhaps he should put her to the test, too...

"Do you think you can withstand that, Ga Eul-yang?"

A small smile crossed her rosy lips. "I think I understand what you're saying to me, Sunbae."

One side of Yi Jeong's lips curled up and then the other. "Good. Well, shall we go out now?"

Ga Eul blinked. "Where to?"

Yi Jeong simply gifted her with his dimpled grin.  "I've had a bad day, too. I'd like to blow off some steam." And with that, he grasped onto Ga Eul's wrist and pulled her up. "Let's go!"

Ga Eul had no choice but to follow along...

***To Be Continued***

Teaser for next chapter: At long last, the SoEul 'fake date!' Jan Di finds the perfect gift for Ji Hoo, but she has to win it- with some help from Jun Pyo. Madam Kang causes problems (of course), and Ji Hoo spends the holidays with Jan Di's family.