A/N: I included some lines from BOF [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEneniKL8tU]. Hahas xD Yi Jeong is so arrogant.

@madz67: Yeah, Yi Jeong makes people mad. Why did he always have to say the wrong things? ><
@Goddess: I love possessive Yi Jeong too. So adorable ;P
@jelly1139: Thank you ^^ Yi Jeong is really cute. I love his dimpled smile. I don’t like Uee either and I hope she give up Yi Jeong soon.

Chapter 9: Sacrifice

You know you truly love someone when you want them to be happy even if their happiness means that you’re not part of it.

The cold war dragged on for a week with neither party apologizing. In actual fact, Ga Eul had long forgiven Yi Jeong but she was too stubborn to admit it. Yi Jeong, on the other hand, misunderstood her and thought that she was still furious at him. As a result, no one took the initiative to break the ice.

But alas! Fate, who had been observing them, was fed up with their status quo and decided to help them.

“Happy birthday, Ga Eul-ssi!” Yoo Jin clapped her hands together and handed a gift to her. Si Won also came up to Ga Eul and passed her a gift. The two had a discussion and although they couldn’t take a step further in their relationship, they decided to remain as friends.

Yi Jeong lifted his eyebrows so high that they disappeared under his fringe. He hadn’t heard from Ga Eul that today was her birthday. He watched her with steady dark eyes while Ga Eul thanked her friends for the gifts.

Time seemed to flicker by when the school bell rang. Si Won had been very kind and considerate, helping Ga Eul to apply a one-day leave from the porridge shop so that she could enjoy her birthday. Yi Jeong thought that this was a good chance to make up to Ga Eul so he followed suit and applied a one-day leave too.

After bidding farewell to Si Won and Yoo Jin, Ga Eul headed home with Yi Jeong following closely behind her.

“Ga Eul-yang.”

No answer.

Yi Jeong pattered close behind her, placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her around. He stared deep into the depths of her eyes and pleaded, “It’s your birthday. Tell me what you want for your birthday present and I’ll buy it for you.”

His need to be forgiven was making him come up with laughable unrealistic conciliations. Yi Jeong didn’t have that much money to purchase an exquisite gift; the reward from the intercollegiate basketball competition was used to pay the rent.

Nevertheless, Ga Eul was seriously pondering over his offer. The image of a poster she had seen in the morning swirled in her mind. It was a pottery competition whereby the winner would get a scholarship to a prestigious arts school in Sweden. Ga Eul knew that becoming a renowned potter had always been Yi Jeong’s dream and she wanted him to pursue it instead of being trapped in Korea with no bright prospects. His happiness took precedence over everything else. That was it. She was firmly set on what she wanted as a gift from Yi Jeong.

“I want you to make me a ceramic piece.”

Yi Jeong’s expression turned to disbelief. “That’s it? You want me to make a ceramic piece for your birthday?”

Ga Eul nodded her head and looked at him with fierce determination. Yi Jeong saw the firm set of her jaws and knew that she wasn’t joking. Comprehension swept through him.

“Okay. I understand.”

Yi Jeong started spinning the potter’s wheel while his nimble fingers molded the lump of clay. Ga Eul, who was sitting comfortably on the opposite couch, followed his movements with her eyes and surveyed him thoughtfully.

Yi Jeong’s eyes were dark as midnight. She saw his soul shining through those eyes. That resoluteness to do his best. Such an expression only appeared when he was making pottery. She admired him when he was like that.

“Am I that handsome?” Yi Jeong stifled a laugh. “That’s right. There’s no woman who doesn’t get smitten at this sight.”

“Who’s smitten? I-I wasn’t looking at you. I was looking at my present.” Ga Eul defended herself with her arms across her chest.

Yi Jeong’s head snapped up, his eyes lit up in amusement and a smirk curled up onto his lips. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Ga Eul watched the lump of clay intensely to prove her point.

Not wanting to anymore, Yi Jeong concentrated on his task. He had chosen white ceramic because white was associated with purity, which he felt fitted Ga Eul’s image perfectly. He gently molded it into the shape of a bowl. Using his skilled pottery techniques and infusing it with natural, unpretentious magnificence, Yi Jeong brought the ceramic piece to life when he employed the underglaze method. The simplistic light blue decoration demonstrated a demure, natural beauty with the least artificiality.

The tiny smile playing around the corners of his mouth expanded into a broad grin when he was satisfied with the result. He admired the bowl’s exquisite natural beauty and was ready to show it to Ga Eul.

Just then, Yi Jeong’s cell phone vibrated. One new message. He opened it, eyes widening as he read the message.

Yi Jeong-gun, let’s go out today!

“So who is it?” Ga Eul inquisitively asked.

“It’s Uee-yang. She wants me to go out with her today.”

A brief silence passed over the living room.

“You should go, sunbae. I’ll tell Jan Di that you can’t come for the party,” stated Ga Eul. She pretended as if he wasn’t important and that she didn’t mind him not attending her birthday party. Jan Di had organized a birthday party for Ga Eul at Jun Pyo’s house during the evening. Yi Jeong, the other members of F4 and Jae Kyung were invited too. If Yi Jeong didn’t attend, it just meant more food for the others.

Yi Jeong’s dark eyes remained on hers unwaveringly, as if trying to pierce through and read her mind. Did she know what she was saying? Couldn’t she tell that her friend was asking him on a date? And on her birthday of all times? Fine, if that’s her wish, he’ll grant it.

Yi Jeong grabbed the ceramic bowl on his way out.

“Where are we going?” Yoo Jin inquired. She had intentionally dressed up for their first date – a white ruffled dress with subtly dip-dyed ends.

“Gangjingun Kiln Sites.”

“Where’s Yi Jeong?” Jan Di enquired, looking behind Ga Eul, thinking that he was hiding behind her.

Ga Eul’s heart dropped with dismay. “He has a date today.” Even though she was the one who encouraged Yi Jeong to go for the date, her heart still ached. During that few minutes of silence, she had arrived at the conclusion that Yoo Jin was a perfect match for him, in terms of appearance and personality. While she couldn’t hold his hand, she could at least hand him over to a girl who was able to capture his heart.

“Oh.” Jan Di blurted out. “Well, never mind then. We’ll celebrate your birthday without him.” The happiness shining in Jan Di’s eyes, skin and hair, was a sharp contrast to Ga Eul’s dull-eyed passivity.

Ga Eul spent her birthday jubilantly at Jun Pyo’s mansion. Jan Di’s enthusiasm and Jae Kyung’s eccentric behavior had successfully brought a wide smile to Ga Eul’s sullen face. It was funny the way Jun Pyo and Jan Di squabbled over a meal. Of course, Jae Kyung tiring Woo Bin and Ji Hoo out by feeding them chicken feet was hilarious too.

Darkness began to fall and the birthday party came to an end. After bidding goodbye with the others, Ga Eul headed home with presents in her bag – big and small. She strolled down the dimly lit street, oblivious to the small, isolated figure hunched against a wall in the corner.

Sounds came out of nowhere: sobs, chokes, noises that were almost words.

Ga Eul swiveled her head around, perceiving the figure for the first time. She took hesitant steps towards it and patted its head. The figure looked up and both of them gasped.

“You!” Yoo Jin exclaimed. Ga Eul had to be the one to see her crying of all people. Fate was playing a cruel trick on her. “You must be ecstatic now. Yi Jeong-gun rejected me.” She pointed an accusing finger at her love rival.

Ga Eul looked at her friend a moment in surprise. Yi Jeong rejected Yoo Jin? Why? Being the Casanova that he was, Ga Eul was certain that he would jump at the chance of dating any female. Especially since Yoo Jin was a cheerful and beautiful lady. Glancing at her pain-filled friend, she pushed all these thoughts to the back of her mind.

“Why would I be happy, Uee-ssi? Come, let’s get you home.” Ga Eul bent down to support her friend by her elbows.

“I don’t need your pity. Leave me alone!” Yoo Jin brushed Ga Eul’s hands away, stood up and stumbled home. She couldn’t believe that anyone would be so kind to his or her love rival. Such a selfless person didn’t exist! Denial was like a fortress behind her eyes.

Ga Eul stared at Yoo Jin’s retreating figure, pondering why she refused her help.

When Ga Eul arrived home, Yi Jeong was sitting on a bench outside the apartment building. Her pace slowed to a stop, unsure of how to face him. Should she be furious at him for rejecting such a nice girl like Yoo Jin? But she didn't have the right to meddle in their affairs. Oh God, what should she do?

Yi Jeong, who spotted Ga Eul, moved until he was only a foot or so away from her. He smiled widely, flashing a set of perfect, ultra-white teeth as he bestowed the promised gift on her. It wasn’t an explicit promise but since he had agreed to do it, he wanted to keep his word.

Yi Jeong was pleased with his masterpiece. Unlike his previous works, this one soothed the eyes, calmed the mind and uplifted the soul. It captured the essence of Ga Eul’s personality. He saw perfection’s image, beauty’s queen and a vision that no man has ever seen in this ceramic bowl. Aside from its everlasting beauty, it was the first time he put tremendous effort in crafting a ceramic piece.

The ceramic bowl was aesthetically pleasing, demonstrating Yi Jeong’s competence in the art of pottery making. It glimmered in the moonlight; the result of firing in a kiln. Ga Eul noted this and remembering what Yi Jeong told her about pottery techniques, asked.

“You went to a kiln?”

Yi Jeong nodded his head in agreement and tears of joy welled in Ga Eul’s eyes. She hadn’t expected him to remember it since he was going out on a date. She thought that he had forgotten it as soon as he exited the apartment.

Ga Eul flung herself upon Yi Jeong. He swayed backward with the force of her impact and she could feel his surprise. She wasn’t usually so demonstrative in public but she couldn’t hold back the gratefulness she felt.

The urgent need to be forgiven, like an anxious child’s, was written all over Yi Jeong’s face when he whispered in her ear. “So do you accept my apology?"

His soft voice sent her heart thudding against her rib cage and she broke free of the embrace. She mentally scolded herself for not thinking before acting.

“Apology? Isn’t this a birthday present?” Ga Eul rebutted him and laughed, a gay tinkle. She walked ahead of him to hide her embarrassment. Yi Jeong immediately understood that as an indication that she pardoned him.

Bathed in the light of a nearly full moon, they pressed forward into the building. Ga Eul grabbed the opportunity to take a few photographs of the ceramic bowl when Yi Jeong took his bath. She then attached the pictures to the online application and sent it for the pottery competition.

Director Lee informed Yi Jeong and Ga Eul that the commercial was going to be aired the next day during evening. With F4’s wide network, it was obvious that they would hear about the news. Jun Pyo told Jan Di while Jae Kyung didn’t need to be told – she had her own network. Thus, everyone assembled at Jun Pyo’s mansion to witness the broadcast of their commercial.

Yi Jeong and Ga Eul were astonished when they realized that Director Lee had included the scene when Yi Jeong inspected Ga Eul’s injury.

“Man, you actually looked worried, Yi Jeong,” remarked Woo Bin, “If I weren’t your friend, I would have thought you two were dating.” He laughed while Yi Jeong frowned in displeasure.

“You look photogenic, Ga Eul!” Jae Kyung complimented Ga Eul whose cheeks flushed to a pink, cherry color.

The others took turns to congratulate them for their successful performance.

Yi Jeong’s and Ga Eul’s popularity increased with the broadcast of the Anycall Bodyguard CF. Passersby recognized Ga Eul on the streets while Yi Jeong was offered to star in another commercial. Ga Eul was taken aback when Yi Jeong declined the offer. Knowing that it was a rare chance, she tried to persuade him to accept it but he was obstinate.

What Ga Eul didn’t know was that the commercial required Yi Jeong to star with Yoo Jin. Hence, he turned down the offer. Yi Jeong wanted to give Yoo Jin some time to breathe especially since he rejected her recently. On top of that, he didn't want to give her any hope for the future. He also didn’t want to create any unnecessary misunderstandings. That was like killing three birds with one stone.

Danger was lurking around every corner while Ga Eul sauntered alone in the dark streets.

Yi Jeong was forced to take a day off after the media discovered his workplace. Reporters had been swarming outside the porridge shop for the past few days due to Yi Jeong’s tremendous popularity. They weren’t aware that Ga Eul worked at the same place because she was in the kitchen most of the time, being a cook.

Two tall figures lurched out of dark corners suddenly and one of them muffled her screams with a gag. Her struggles were feeble as the sedative effect set in.

“Ya sure we got the right girl?”

“Of course! Her father will settle the debt if we have her as hostage.”

The shrill ring of the telephone roused Yi Jeong. Who could it be at this time of the night? He had fallen asleep early that evening, thinking that it was a good time to catch up on lost sleep.

“Yeoboseyo.”

“Could I speak to Ga Eul?” The voice on the other end of the line was anxious.

“Hold on, please.” Yi Jeong searched the apartment for Ga Eul but to no avail.

“She’s not in at the moment.”

A quarrel broke out as two people on the other line exchanged a verbal disagreement.

“I told you not to gamble. Look! Your daughter’s in trouble because of your debt.”

“I didn't want it to happen either, okay?”

The words seemed to speed like bullets across the telephone line.

Yi Jeong hung up.

Glossary

Here’s the picture of the ceramic bowl [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/niccw55/The%20Fallen%20Casanova/ceramic.jpg]

Nae namjachinguga doeeojullae?: Will you be my boyfriend?
Yeoboseyo: Hello (Phone dialogue)