Jiyeon opened her eyes. She scanned about the room and realized that this was not one of the rooms in the military hospital in Korea. She remembered agreeing with her eomma to undergo surgery in America. She spotted her eomma sleeping in a chair. In another chair talking to her namja on her cellphone is her Korean-American cousin PArk Soyeon. When Soyeon saw that Jiyeon was awake, she went over to her cousin.

"Annyeong, Jiyeon..Gwaenchanha?"

"Mm..gomawo, eonnie. How's eomma?"

"Well, she slept two hours ago. She had been watching you the whole night, awaiting when you'll wake up. I let her sleep now. Do you need anything?"

"Ani..gomawo.."

***

"Jiyeon, I'll let you study here in America. And then, you can go back to modeling. "

Jiyeon played with her food with the fork. "Eomma..will you let me take up anything related to teaching preschoolers? I still wanted to become a preschool teacher. I don't want to become a model anymore."

Mrs APrk sighed. "What will it gain you being a preschool teacher?"

"Eomma, jebal. I wanted to live a normal life. I wanted to be around children. That's what I was lacking growing up: being with other kids. I want to make up for that by being a teacher. I want to surround myself with kids."

"Well, do you want to teach here?"

"Ani. I wanted to go back to Korea after I graduate. I am and will always be indebt to my country. I'm thinking of opening a school for the children of military personnel. I know I cannot do my duty anymore as a military man. At least, this dream would still not be far from mine. I wanted to have the best of both worlds. Please, Eomma. Don't throttle me with what you want. I'm no longer happy being a model. "

"Arrasseo. I cannot contain a bird who does not want to remain imprisoned in its cage. I just hope you'll not regret your decision. You know very much that prestige and honor are already at your feet, and you just blew it away."

"Ani. I'm not happy with all the prestige given to me. WHen I want prestige, I wanted to earn it because I've work hard for it. When I mean I work hard, it's that I learned through the hard way. If I continue being a model, where would I go if younger models come? I'd be thrown aside, wouldn't I? If right now, I start right, I know that I could have a steady job after I graduate."

Soyeon smiled. "You're learning now, Jiyeon. I'm glad you had that way of thinking. You're not going to have to work hard when you know the ins and outs of your chosen profession. I'm proud if you."

***

And so, it was that Jiyeon enrolled in a school in New Jersey, the same school that Soyeon also went to. She never visited Korea even during her vacation. Jiyeon was so engrossed learning her English. She even volunteered in some community projects. And she volunteered to babysit some of her Korean friends' children. 

One day, walking down the park with Soyeon, a very familiar family caught Jiyeon's eyes. What's more was that one of the boys recognized her and immediately ran up to her.

"Noona!"

"Mavin!!!! My, how you've grown!" Jiyeon said as she knelt down and combed MAvin's hair. His other brothers came along with their parents. Jiyeon stood up and greeted Mom and Dad.

"How have you been?" she asked them.

"Well, we were just visiting some relatives here. We're planning to go back to Canada next week. We're so happy to see you again, Ms Jiyeon," Mrs Moon said.

Mason and Maden pulled Jiyeon down to them and kissed her cheeks. Jiyeon squealed as she embraced them. But MAvin pulled Maden out of the way and kissed Jiyeon's lips. Soyeon too knelt and played with the boys.

"They are such adorable kids, aren't they, Jiyeon?"

"NEh! I first saw them in Korea way back, I can't remember when. Oh...my cute angels have grown! I wish that when I go back there, I could have them as students! But then, they'd be in grade school," Jiyeon pouted as she pinched Mavin's cheeks.  

A little later, the Moon family bid the two girls farewell. Waving at the boys goodbye, Jiyeon and Soyeon couldn't help but smile. 

"I'm so gonna miss them eonnie. Ah...such beautiful kids."

"Ne. I especially liked that MAson Kid. He's very smart. And Maden is just so angelic!"

"Yeah, he is! And Mavin..he reminds me of someone back at home," Jiyeon suddenly said as she looked at a tree nearby.

"A namja?"

"Molla. He could have been..but I pushed him away because I felt I wasn't the right girl for him. I bet he's angry now for me not telling him I'm here in the States. I bet he'll never forgive me."

"Is he that man who was supposed to be betrothed to you?"

Jiyeon sighed and told Soyeon everything about Jin Woon. SHe even recounted the flower pot incident, and how that made her change her view of life. Jiyeon couldn't contain her tears everytime she told her love story that has not even started though Jin WOon was very much willing to accept her as his yeoja. 

"I still love him, I still do. I just...I just don't know how to deal with it."

"Gwaenchanha, Jiyeon. You are still young. You can still sort out your feelings. You may find another. Or if he really is your destiny, both of you will make it. But then, aren't you gonna call him and explain why you suddenly disappeared from Korea?"

"I don't think I have the right to explain. I'm not even his girlfriend. The last time I disappeared, I never told him where I went. I gave him a letter a few months after, telling him I was in Africa. I hope he won't have to look for me."

"Well...I don't know what else to tell you, Jiyeon. You can have it your way. I just hope you'll not regret your decision."

***

Four years had passed since Jiyeon had left Korea for America. She went back late of May to meet up with Suzy and to work as a teacher. Jiyeon had heard that Suzy was engaged to actor Kim Soo Hyun and that they were to be married that fall. Suzy had wanted to make Jiyeon as her bride's maid, to which Jiyeon very much happily obliged. The two friends caught up what they hadn't done for the many years they were apart, talking about the gossips here  and there. But Suzy never made mention of Jin Woon, and Jiyeon had forgotten about him. 

"Wow, I've noticed that your tantrums disappeared. I guess that living in the Stated had really altered your outlook in life," commented Suzy.

"I know. I can't be a child forever. I'm glad I've grown, though I'm taking it day after day. And I'm glad to be back here."

"So, what are your plans?"

"I'm planning to teach preschoolers. I believe the military men have children who are in that age bracket too, and I wanted to be near that line of work. Well, basically, I can't become a soldier now because of my injuries. My doctor forbade me from even joining the army. At least, if becoming a teacher would be the next option for me, I'd gladly do it."

Suzy smiled. For the first time, she had heard for herself how her bestfriend had began to make decisions for herself.

***

Sitting in the chair with a book in her hand, Jiyeon recounted to the kids the story of Beauty and the Beast. She acted out her story, to the amusement of the children. Even some mothers and some military men who happened to glimpse at their children were amused. 

"Well, wasn't she a former private?" A sergeant asked his colleague.

"She was. She left Korea years ago to undergo surgery in America as per her mother's insistence. Yet, I'm glad she decided to come back and teach. Poor girl. She could have made her life easy being a chaebol's daughter. Yet, she wanted this for herself. I've heard she grew tired being a model that's why she decided to enlist. But rumours had it that because of her injury from that ambush years ago, the doctor forbade her from even trying to enlist again. But I can say this is good for her. SHe is a very versatile teacher, and she enjoyed what she was doing," the colleague answered. 

Just then, a captain went and approached the two sergeants, pulling them aside and talking to them about some issues. The captain was tagging with him two yi-byeong. One of them happened to take a glimpse of the classroom. His shock was eminent when he saw Jiyeon.

"I can't believe this!" he muttered under his breath.

"Is there anything wrong, Yi-byeong (Private)?" the captain asked. Then the private turned to his superior.

"How..how long have she been here?"

"Park Jiyeon? She just started last week. Do you happen to know her, Private Jung?"

Jin Woon looked back again to the classroom. He couldn't contain his tears as they fell slowly from his eyes. He was seeing Jiyeon in another light. His former classmate was just in front of him, acting in front of her students, making sing-song voices to tell her story. The captain, seeing that Jin Woon was wiping his eyes, pulled him away from the door. The other private looked at his colleague, confused.

"She...I tried to woo her before she left...but she never told me where she went..."

"So, you two were in a relationship with the chaebol's daughter way back then?"

"We almost were..but she..." And Jin Woon said no more. He felt embarrassed saying this all of a sudden in front of his superiors. But the captain patted his shoulder.

"It's all right. There might be reasons why you saw her here today. And maybe she didn't know you enlisted in the army. Do you want us to help you with her?"

"It would be a burden if I drag the whole military in my little problem, Captain."

"Well son, in things like these, we could forget being military men. We are men, and we want to help you get back with your girlfriend. When's her birthday?

Jin Woon told the captain his answer, and the captain smiled. He would connive with his fellow officers and try to make a nice birthday party for their former colleague-turned-teacher.

***

Jiyeon's birthday

When she arrived to work, she was shocked when a private she met handed her a red rose. Jiyeon smiled and thanked him. On her way inside the military base, she was handed more roses by different officers. Even her students gave her roses.

"Gamsahamnida. But I really have no idea why you'd be giving me these," Jiyeon said to her students.

"Saengil chukha hamnida!" her students greeted. Jiyeon was surprised. She had never told anyone when her birthday was.

"Seonsaengnim, annyeong hasaeyo, had you already had seaweed soup this morning?" a female sergeant said. She meant to go inside the room to give Jiyeon her gift, and at the same time, look how her daughter was fairing.

"Eh? Ani..I never even had that way back then. IS that really necessary?" Jiyeon asked. She had never even heard that from Suzy. And her parents never even celebrated her birthday too.

"Ah..arrasseo. Well, here's sea weed soup. It's usually what's given first thing in the morning on someone's birthday. Saengil chukha hamnida."

"Gamsahamnida." Jiyeon said as she took the soup and drank it. Then she looked at the sergeant, perplexed.

"Excuse me, I'm curious. Do you know who happened to tell you that today's my birthday?"

"Well, we were told to keep it a secret. Mianhamnida, Ms Jiyeon. Annyeong hasaeyo," the sergeant said as she bowed and exited the room. Just then, the captain whom Jin Woon had spoken to peeped in the room and saw Jiyeon drinking her soup. He knocked and went inside, smiling.

"Saengil chukha hamnida, Ms Jiyeon. You must really be surprised for this commotion everyone did today."

"I am very much surprised. Gamsahamnida."

"Well, if you don't mind, and I know you wouldn't mind. Come to the dining hall this lunch time. We have a surprise for you. Excuse me," the captain said as he exited the classroom, smiling.

***

Jiyeon entered the lunch room in shock. The room had been simply decorated, yet there was effort to the decorations presented. There was a small stage with some musical instruments. And on the wall was posted PARK JIYEON-SEONSAENGNIM, SAENGIL CHUKHA HAMNIDA!!! Jiyeon couldn't fight back her tears from falling. Seeing around her, she saw that the militarymen were already seated at table, waiting for her. Some yi-byeong accompanied her to the right side of the dining room where a table for her was set. As cue, the lieutenant general stood up, and everybody stood up too. Then they sang to her the birthday song, and Jiyeon covered in awe.

"Gamsahamnida! Gamsahamnida! I didn't know what I did to deserve this," she said.

"Well, you were a former comrade, so it's no big deal. Besides, someone wished this for you. SO enjoy your day!" The lieutenant general answered.

Lunch was served and everyone had their fill. When lunch ended, some officers went to Jiyeon and wished her happiness, and asked for forgiveness that they can't stay long because they had appointments. Jiyeon thanked them and let them go their way.

The emcee, a first-class private with a very funny face and very funny mannerisms went up to start the show.

"Annyeong hasaeyo, I'm First Class Private Jo KWon, and I'll be your emcee today. Hi Ms Jiyeon," he greeted the teacher. Jiyeon laughed because she found the officer so funny.

"Well, our very beautiful teacher had a good laugh! I think she finds me funny! (everyone laughs). Well, anyway, we'd like to start our little program with a song from...well, Ms Jiyeon, you wouldn't mind singing for us, would you?"

"Oh, I wouldn't mind!" Jiyeon said as she stood up and went on stage. Holding the microphone, she looked at Jo Kwon.

"But I don't know what I'll be singing," she said.

"Girl, someone requested this song and I hope you'll sing it for us. Music please."

On cue, the music started to play. Jiyeon was shocked. It had been years since she sang this song in front of everybody. And suddenly, a poignant feeling went back to her.

"If I'm not in love with you, what is this I'm going through tonight..." Jiyeon sang.

At the back of the small stage, a group was preparing for their presentation. The drummer sighed as she listened to Jiyeon singing.

"I wish i had a voice as beautiful as hers," she gushed.

"Well, but you can beat the drums with great ease and dexterity," the pianist commented.

The bassist looked at the lead singer, who seemed to be looking right through the stage.

"Hyung, does that song have any meaning to you?"

The lead singer nodded. "She first sang that song on the night I told her I knew about her feelings for me. And when I told her she might be singing that song for me, she told me she sang that to practice her English. Oh, how different she is now from way back then."

"Do you still love her?"

"I still do. I just hope..that she won't reject me this time. I've been waiting for so long to see her. I was frightened that when I left the band to enlist, I thought I won't be seeing her again. But then, it's as if fate had been kind to me. It came to me as a surprise that she'd be really working here as a preschool teacher."

Jiyeon had ended her song, and the people clapped. Jo Kwon asked if she knew how to dance, and Jiyeon very much obliged to. The DJ played T-ara's Ya Ya Ya, and Jiyeon danced and sang to the song. The military men were clapping like little children and also singing "Let me see you lalalala. Love me hey yayayaya.." When Jiyeon finished, Jo Kwon did his frivolous dance and did a split on the floor.

"Wow, girl, you were very good! How come you never auditioned for any girl groups? I heard T-ara is accepting new members! Why don't you try?"

"Well...I had no interest being in the spotlight whatsoever anymore," Jiyeon said as she smiled. And turning to her audience, she gave a small speech.

"I was shocked, by the way, when everyone gave me flowers and the sea weed soup. This is the first time I've ever drank that soup. My parents never even gave me that, and as long as I can remember, it seems they forgot my birthday too. So when I was still a kid, I ended up celebrating it alone or with my pet cat. Growing up, I celebrated it with my bestfriend Suzy. But maybe, she assumed that I had my sea weed soup in the morning, she never even bothered to ask me nor give me one. And right now, it never occured to me that everyone will be celebrating it with me, considering that I never told anyone about my birthday, except of course when I passed my requirements. But someone told me earlier that someone wished this for me. And whosoever had wished that I celebrate my birthday, thank you very much."

The crowd clapped as Jiyeon took her seat again. Then Jo Kwon went down and blindfolded Jiyeon.

"This would be a very nice surprise for you, Ms Jiyeon. For this presentation, I will have to blindfold you so that you'll just listen to the song dedicated to you. AS it is, I will remove this blindfold after the song is done."

The band waiting at the backstage came forward and went to their respective places.

"We are Three and One, and we will dedicate this song to our birthday celebrant," the lead singer said.

Jiyeon was agape. The voice was very much familiar to her, yet she cannot cheat my peeking from the blindfold. Moreover, the band started singing. Jiyeon listened intently to the song because she thought the writer had a hidden message for her.

Starlight For Me and You (by Three and One)

Your eyes, It's your eyes I see
And you were staring back at me
Yet with those eyes, you glance at the skies above
And you count the stars as you cry

Oh I, why haven't I noticed that time
When you cried behind my back
Silently, you lift your face to look at them  again
As a meteor flashed across the sky

Ref:When I told you I didn't love you
        You feigned being hurt
        But you never realized 
        I saw through your eyes
       And it hurts me inside

Cho: I wish I could have sang to you
          That starlight, star bright chant 
         And I wish I could have made
         Your dream come true that night
         But I was blinded I didn't see
         The love you have right in front of me
         And when I saw the tears falling
         I wished I could have dried them there
        And kiss all the pain away...I'm so sorry...

And when it's time to go home
You smiled and made a promise 
Not to fall in love again with me
Saying sorry for ever liking me (repeat refrain and chorus)

Bri: If I could say to that shooting star that flew by
       To freeze that moment and place for me
        If I have the power to make time stand still
        I'd make it yours, I'd make it mine, I'd do it again.....
 (repeat stanza 3, refrain and chorus)


The crowd clapped after the band sang. And Jo Kwon removed Jiyeon's blindfold.

"Saengil chukha hamnida, Ms Jiyeon," the younger members of the band greeted.

"Saengil chukhahae, Jiyeon-ah," Jin Woon greeted as he went down the stage to give Jiyeon a box. Jiyeon stood up and hugged Jin Woon.

"I missed you, Oppa," she whispered as she cried. By now, the guests were clapping their hands and some young officers were howling and chanting.

"I missed you too, Jiyeon." Jin Woon said.

"Oh my...I'm so touched I wanted to cry right now. I'm so jealous! I wish I could be Jiyeon so that I could hug Jin Woon too!" remarked Jo Kwon, joking. The guests laughed at his remark.

Jiyeon got the box and opened it. To her surprise, it was the helmet she had worn years ago when she and Jin Woon were in Mungyeong together.

"Whoa! A memory..gomawo, Oppa..."

"Ms Jiyeon, would you care to explain to us the significance of that helmet?" A senior officer from the crowd asked.

"Well...this is a helmet. This is not mine, actually. Jin Woon Oppa lent me this when we were in Mungyeong. He had a motorcycle, and as a rule, one must wear helmets, right? We roamed around Mungyeong riding his bike. This is the helmet I constantly wore. I never expect I'd be seeing this again," Jiyeon said as she wiped her tears.

Then, the captain whom Jin Woon had talked to stood up and said what he knew of the celebration. "Ms Jiyeon, It was Private Jung who proposed to us this setting. He actually saw you weeks ago when you first started, and he was having this feeling...I guess I could say he missed you terribly. So we helped him to it. I accidentally asked him when your birthday is, and he happened to know it. At first, he felt embarrassed when I told him that as a man myself, I ought to help another who needed help. That is without regard for position or authority. I simply did it like how I'd help my own brother. "

"Gamsahamnida, Captain," Jiyeon said. Turning to Jin Woon, she held his hand.

"I'm sorry for not telling you that I went to the States."

"It's all right. I never even expected that. I never even knew at all. I just thought you simply ran away for the second time like how you ran off to Africa. And I was scared when years passed because I have to enlist for the army. I was dreading all the time that you had already forgotten me and that you were already married to that guy your appa had told us about. And it didn't occur to me that I would be seeing you right here. Somehow, something brought us here together, and I couldn't be any more thankful. Jiyeon, I don't want to let you go again. Jebal..be my yeojachingu."

"Please be my namjachingu, Jin Woon Oppa..."

And shouts of triumph and joy bellowed across the dining table. The guests in the room clapped. Some cried as though they had seen a daughter or son get married. Jo Kwon had the two embrace as he clapped too. Jin Woon's bandmates played the song Jiyeon sang earlier. 

"Saranghe, Park Jiyeon."

"I love you, Jung Jin Woon."

-fin-