The pictures they had taken for that session had already covered buses and buildings of the city, Sam Dong's images were incredible, he looked really attractive and he looked very good with his clothes. Ga Eul was so proud that he was now known by thousands of people, and would soon be as equally as famous or even more than Yuu. At the recording studio everyone was very happy with the comments they received daily from the drama, the performances were praised by critics and the audience was being very affectionate. But that wasn't the most important, the magazine that took the photo shoot had been released, the image of Sam Dong with a mysterious model emerging from the water stretched on two sheets, up until now she had been nicknamed as 'mermaid'. Ga Eul would blush whenever she looked at her picture, it had been fortunate that she had managed to look so well as not to ruin everything with her lack of beauty.

"Miss Ga Eul," Yuu said smiling.

"Yes…" she said shyly and blushing, she had never been this close to him… he was so attractive.

"I would like to have a word with you," he said as he invited her to go with him.

"Ah…I…" she turned to look at her friend, he was still recording.

"Please," he said while maintaining his beautiful smile.

They walked away from people, she looked at him... it was so, he was so attractive and his aura so different from common people. Until now he had remained silent, she was curious, what could he want from her? She wasn't famous... she was only a manager.

"Go ahead," he told her inviting her to go into his dressing room.

"Thank you," she told him entering and realizing the difference between him and the rest of the actors.

"I think you must be very curious... or am I wrong?" he told her smiling and taking a seat on one of the sofas."Please" he said inviting her to sit.

"No, yes… I'm very curious" she told him while timidly sitting.

"Well, I wanted to offer you a deal…" he said as he crossed his hands, "I have recently noticed that you are not only Sam Dong's manager," he smiled ironically, "I can tell there's a deeper interest."

"What!?…" she said surprised and she was turning even more red.

"I bet your in love with him," he let out a laugh.

"No... we are just friends…" she said trying to keep calm, it was not true, he was completely wrong.

"Then you can't refuse to what I'm about to propose," he said while he looked intently at her.

"I…"

"Want you to go out with me," he said calmly.

"ME…" she said surprised... was it a joke.

"I need to go out with a common girl, it is part of a strategy to raise my popularity," he explained as if it were something normal. "If they associated me with a normal girl I will become an Idol who is approachable, making me more real for the public."

"Then... this has nothing to do with feelings?" she ask somewhat skeptical.

"No, never mix feelings in this business," he replied smiling, it was so easy.

"It doesn't seem right," she said lowering her gaze.

"But you can't refuse," he said staring intently at her.

"Of course I can…" she said standing up.

"Then I'll be forced to remove Sam Dong from the drama... perhaps a fatal accident, I think that that would be good for the script," he said calmly with a thoughtful expression.

"You can't do that!" she raised her voice alarmed.

"I can and I will," he confirmed as if playing with a child, knowing that he would win, "You decide."

Without any more options Ga Eul took the deal, she didn't want to do it, but she had to protect Sam Dong, at the expense of anything else. She came out of his dressing room with a grim expression on her face, she never imagined Jae Joong was such a cruel and manipulative person. Sam Dong was looking for her, and he was shocked to see his little frog come out of the protagonist's dressing room, but what surprised him the most… was her expression, it looked as if someone had died.

It was the big day... Yuu had told her that he would pick her up at her apartment, for that reason she had planned a busy day for Sam Dong. In the morning she had booked an hour at the hair salon to get a new look, as the recordings had already ended, it didn't make sense to continue with the same image. Just a few minutes ago he had gone to the appointment and she nervously waited for Yuu to pick her up.

The black car waited outside the apartments, under the glass of the backseat window revealed a Yuu with black sunglasses and his impeccable taste in fashion. Ga Eul went down to face destiny, perhaps she would not have to do it, but a deal was a deal and she couldn't risk him to interfere with any new contracts for Sam Dong, they did not need to have an enemy.

"Where are we going?" she asked while she fixed her large and round glasses over her nose.

"It will be a surprise," he said as he rested his face on his hand. "Is that how you go to all of your dates?"

"Why?" she looked at him and then she looked at herself, it was a comfortable dress and she had fixed her hair a little.

He only smiled and settled his head back, that girl was a disaster, her clothes were old and her hair... it didn't have life or glow. How did he come up with such an absurd plan? He couldn't be seen with a person like her. The car stopped and the door opened, he had imagined a situation like this and he had it all under control. This was not just a plan, it was a game that he was starting to like. He walked in front of her, the chess pieces were moving and she was the Queen that would soon fall under his hand.

"Why did we come here?" Ga Eul asked, seeing that it was not a place for dates, but a hair salon.

"To make a few changes," he said opening the door for her. "Don't worry I book the whole place just for you," he said grinning.

"I do not want to…" she said stopping at the door's entrance. "What's wrong with my appearance?" She complaining with a pout on her lips.

"Everything," he answered almost instantly.

He forced her to go in, and while she was looked after by most of the staff, Yuu sat on a couch to read the latest magazine of the entertainment world. As usual there were a few mentions of him, it caused him so much pleasure to see his name written in a magazine... it was gratifying to know that his presence would never go unnoticed. While the was immersed in the magazine Ga Eul's hair was made, her make-up perfected and she was stripped of her glasses, they were working quickly on her and in her appearance. At times she would complain about a few things like the waxing, there was no point in invest so much time on her…she was not the pretty girl type and she would never be.

Half an hour later she was inside the dressing room, it was stupid having to leave that place dressed like that… it didn't make sense, she probably looked ridiculous... why was he doing this? She bit her lips, she had made up her mind... she would not leave the dressing room with this dress and those shoes.

"Come out already!" Yuu cried out as he noticed that she was taking her time.

"No…" she replied trying to reach the zipper on her dress to lower it.

"I told you to come out!" He screamed at her as he went in looking for her, "Do you think I have all the time in the world for you?" The first time he saw her he knew she was one of those people you can't just judge by first impressions and that was now confirmed, she looked better than many actresses or models.

"But I can't go out like this! I look ridiculous," she said while she covered her cleavage with her hands.

"You look beautiful," he said as he dragged her out and placed her in front of a mirror. "Look at yourself…" he ordered her while he stood behind her and he placed his fingers under her chin.

There was a silence between them, Ga Eul was amazed to see herself. Her black hair was curled and beautifully stylized, her glossy pink lips, it could not be her… it was too beautiful. She touched her face and she still couldn't believe it. It was as if someone had touched her with a magic wand and had fallen under a spell.

The two left in the same black vehicle, only this time Yuu wasn't wearing his dark sunglasses anymore. They got off like a celebrity couple in one of the most popular places for young people, where they made a great stir. They were holding hands which lifted the voices of all the girls, but the whispers of men did not stay behind, in spite of Ga Eul's short height, her legs looked long and toned with that short dress. She tried not to look around because it made her feel even  more nervous. When Yuu got closer to her face, her heart threatened to get out, why was he playing with her that way?

"Could we… leave?" She asked him when they were sitting at a coffee shop. "I don't want this," she said with a serious face.

"Do you not like the attention?" He let out a laugh, "You're the most hated and loved woman at the moment, you should enjoy these minutes with me," he was arrogant, but he had to admit that being with her was unexpectedly fun.

"But…I don't feel comfortable," she moved her gaze from side to side, she felt the eyes of people on her and she also heard the whispers.

"Ah… you would like to spend a few minutes alone with me?" He smiled stretching himself on the table, "That I can understand."

"No," she answered right away, "I didn't mean that."

"It's late to change your mind."

He got up from the table and took Ga Eul's hand confidently. That made her blush and made the fangirls shout out insanely for their idol, for Yuu's ego this was a party. Ga Eul hurriedly walked behind him, the things she would do for Sam Dong... she could even give her own life for him... because she loved him in a different way. She looked at Yuu's back, he was so tall, even more than her friend. They didn't even stop when people tried to talk to him, he only had one objective that was to take her to a place away from prying eyes, so people could whisper even more so about his sudden exit with this woman. They went into an elevator and obviously only they were passengers.

"Please," she said begging, "I already did as you told me to."

"What?" He had been distracted a moment as he pressed the floor number. He saw her with that blush on her cheeks, but that was not what cut his words, it was the sincere way that she looked at him. Generally girls always had a flash of ambition, something hidden in their eyes…but her's were like water from a spring.

"Please let me go," she asked with shyness, "I should go home... Sam Dong…"

"Sam Dong…" he complained annoyed, was she stupid or what? She was on a date with the most wanted man in Korea and she only thought of that silly friend."Isn't Yuu enough for you?" he asked facing her and putting his hand next to her, in order to corner her. "Tell me... is he better than me?" He asked with added annoyance, "I don't think so."

Without waiting for an answer he took her face as he crushed his lips onto hers. He didn't know if she was resisting at first since he came across tight lips that did not give way to a real kiss of lovers. But as they separated he saw it... it wasn't her resist the kiss, it was that she did not know how to kiss... he noticed it in her frightened eyes and her trembling body. With his thumb he opened her lips, he moved down to the bottom lip, leaving barely open. Never had he felt so much power over a woman, that explosion he felt as he kissed her was not a product of simple pleasure, it was a mixture of so many emotions.

The elevator's door opened and the couple continued with their mouths glued to each other, guided by a professional Ga Eul had her first kiss and as every girl wanted to. Except for one thing…it was not the guy who she had hope to kiss, she had lied to the guy she wanted to kiss, had abandoned him on this day. Yuu's hand went to her narrow waist to secure her for a longer time, the kiss was just a form of joke for the girl... that she thought at the beginning, now that the sweet taste of his lips had recorded on her own, some sort of gluttony possessed her, she wanted to have that fleshy mouth fastened between her teeth, steal his breath away and why not hear some sweet moans coming out asking for more.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

A cry teared the peace of the mall, it made all heads turn, hoping to find its origin. Yuu never thought a person could approach him that way, but then he was the subject a forearm to his neck and then fell to the floor with force.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Sam Dong eyes were bloodshot with hate, this guy had gone too far... he could allow him to make fun of him, he couldn't stand to be under his feet, he could even bend over to his every whim but...SHE WAS NOT A TOY…"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER EVER AGAIN!" he was at the point of throwing himself on him to smash his face with blows when a weak pair of arms tightened around him.

"No," she asked sobbing. This was too much, she should have never yielded to Yuu's blackmail. "Please…" but he knew that if he beat Yuu, he would be losing her, his best friend, his…

"Don't touch me!" He said gruffly to Ga Eul and without turning to see her he took her hands from his body. "Go home…" she whispered. 

With great strides he left the lover's scene, he was going crazy with jealousy, if he had stayed he would not stop until he felt Yuu's blood on his fists. The great South Korean Idol was lying on the floor in shock, with his eyes wide open, publicly humiliated by the rookie and worse... completely confused by what was happening. Soon enough people approached to help him, leaving Ga Eul forgotten, with her eyes nailed to the floor and her lips tightened between her teeth, she was biting them to the point that she was to inflict pain.

Yuu's date and fight was the gossip on all the T.V. channels, even newspapers published photos of the incident, the two idols were known and loved by the girls, mothers and even some men, so everyone had their say on the facts. Some supporting the big star while others supported the new rising star Sam Dong, but they all concluded that it was the girl's fault, that beautiful and demonized woman which had caused a dispute between two good guys. While people enlisting on their sides three people remained silent.

Yuu had not given interviews, he had not said a word on the issue, this plan had turned out better than expected. If people supported him that would be his best victory, then... why wasn't he taking advantage of this? Sitting with his gaze on the ceiling, the only thing he had been thinking about these days was that Ga Eul's lips were delicious, in how he wanted to try more of them and to know just how smooth her skin was.

At the apartment things were going worse than expected, Sam Dong would not speak a word to his friend, he could not even look her in the eye. Whenever he did, he was reminded of how she had betrayed him, how was she able to fall for such a guy? Why? when he loved her... when the only reason he lived was for her, to obey all her order, all her wishes. But had he taken his time he would have noticed how swollen her eyes were. She had not stopped crying since that day, she wasn't crying for Yuu, she didn't even cry for the kiss... what caused her pain was the tone, the cold way she was placed away from his presence, how she was treated every day, that even though they were living together... they were like two complete strangers.

"Sam Dong," she called on his door, tapping on it, but she didn't heard a sound. Again she began to cry and was left sitting outside his room, waiting for him.

Her voice had traveled to his ears, but he did not want to see her, he didn't want to hear her, he placed his headphones on and turned up the music, he plopped himself on bed closed his eyes and waited for another day to come. Her body felt numb as she waited for him to open the door, and only until the doorbell rang did she move. She opened the door with reluctance.

"I thought you wouldn't want to see me," Yuu said.

"Leave," she said with watery eyes, it was all his fault. She tried to close the door but his hand stopped her.

"Please," he asked with pleading eyes, he had never used those words, feeling them as now.

"Is it not enough what you have done," she countered as her tears fell, "Was it not enough?"

"No…" he pushed the door, fully entering the apartment, he was desperate to see her.

"Leave!" She cried out and then placed her hands on , she had forgotten about Sam Dong, "Leave," she repeated more silently now but with the same intensity.

"I can't," he said taking his hands from his pockets. "I have tried…" he looked at her smiling, "You do not know how much... but I can't…" he ce and twice he was confused, as his ideas.

"Stop with this game...you have what you wanted…" she lowered her gaze and supported herself against the wall.

"No…" without knowing how he was already in front of her, he looked at her with hunger. Her face was sad, emaciated, haggard and still she looked perfectly beautiful...How is that he had not notice it before? How could she have hidden it so easily... or was it that now he saw beyond just her appearance?

"What are you doing?" She asked feeling scared, before he wouldn't look at her like that... before...

"What have you done to me?" He replied by placing his hand on her cheek. "What have you done?" He repeated as he comforted himself with a sweet caress over her blushed cheek.

"What are you talking about? Stay away…" she asked turning her face.

"You're horrible... you have dark circles, your fashion taste is bad…" he began to tell her as his breathing agitated. "You know nothing of the world, you are naive, clumsy, extremely odious... like a bug."

"You came to insult me," she complained but when she saw him… was that Yuu? It didn't look like him.

"I want to do many things to you… but insulting you is not one of them," he said smiling.

Sam Dong heard noises, he thought it was probably something silly so he raised the volume of his music, he needed to forget everything and that helped him. Yuu instead was as restless as a bee on flowers, he did not know where to put his hands, but he did know where to put his lips.

"Come with me," he ordered her with a smile.

Curious things happen when you least expect them, her mother would say that and it was putting itself in practice. That night didn't end like the previous date, it was not an event for the public, it was not even something surprising it was just an outing. He took her to the least expected place... to a small food stand.

"Are you that surprised?" He asked her as he noticed how quiet she was.

She lowered her gaze, nodding, it was to her taste but she never would have thought that it was to his.

"I have never told anyone this before but," he began to say to her when they placed two bottles of liquor and he ordered something to eat. "But before I was famous I lived this was," he knew that his normal tactics would not work on her. He knew that she would never appreciate Yuu, she wouldn't fall for him but she would for Shin Jae Joong.

"Really?" She asked in disbelieve. The great Yuu had gone through these places.

"No," he answered dryly, "but I figured that would impress you."

"Don't joke like that with me," she complained as she noticed that he wouldn't change his ways.

"Why don't you believe what I say?…why?" with her being Yuu was exhausting, he missed his former self, more so when he had her near by.

"Because you have always lied to me and used me," she answered.

"Then... you can use me and lie to me in exchange," he looked at her seriously.

"Stop teasing…" it was becoming annoying.

"I'm not joking…" he bowed his head, "Please be my girlfriend…" he asked maintaining his reverence, "If you don't want me just use me... and lie to me, as you tell me you love me."

"What?" Was he talking seriously?

"Lie and tell me that you want to be my girlfriend…" there was a long silence, "Please…"

"I can't," she finally answered, "I…"

"You love him, I already know...and I don't care…" he replied, he picked up his gaze. "I know I can steal your heart," he said confidently.

"Do you really want me?" She asked confused.

"Is the sky blue? Or perhaps you think Yuu begs for love to all women?" Now his voice was heavier than at the beginning.

In the morning Ga Eul was dressed and ready with her new clothes, courtesy of her… boyfriend. She hadn't completely grasped how things had come to pass, she was in love with another, why did she accept? But even though she repeatedly questioned herself it remained unanswered. She came out of her room and Sam Dong was eating his breakfast, she looked at him and she staggered… it wasn't the heels, it was her body telling her how much it hurt to see him like that.

"Sam Dong…" she spoke softly.

He stood to lock himself in his room.

"I'll go…" she said before he disappeared from her sight.

He couldn't move... had he heard correctly?

"I know you don't want to see me... that I ruined everything," she was controlling herself in order not to cry, "So I'll go... you don't have to worry anymore," she told him running away before she cried.

Without doing anything he was left standing in the kitchen... it was a nightmare, of all the horrible things that he had ever imaged this was not on the list, losing Ga Eul was like losing air. He followed her steps and he raised his hand to hit the door, but as always something stopped him... and if she wanted to leave? Who was he to stop her? He was just her friend.

A few days and others went by completely as usual, everything seemed the same with or without her, his work as a model and actor had provided some gains, he had contracts, recordings and his schedule remained busy. He was getting his make-up done as he watched television, and to make matters worse they were talking about that idiot Yuu... he stopped watching the screen until a name rang a bell.

"Choi Ga Eul is the girl who has captured the heart of our most beloved Idol…" the camera focused on the couple who was about to go to an awards event, "Undoubtedly she is a beautiful young girl, although totally unknown."

He took off the towel and everything that bothered him, he took his jacket and ran out. It was impossible, not her… her… she could not be his girlfriend. A step on the hallways seemed like thousands of kilometers, whenever his foot landed on the floor a memory came to his head, the first time that he saw her, the first time they played together, the afternoons in the tree, the nights in her room, her laugh, her face, her tenderness, her beautiful eyes, the way in which she looked at him… she was all of that, all of that was his... it could be no one else's.

GaEul walked the carpet with a beautiful red dress, by Yuu's arm, with the lenses of the cameras taking each of their movements, living the fairy tale that she always wanted... from a frog to a princess, she was now the princess of the prince of all girls' dream, she was with the most wanted person and she felt guilt…she looked at him and got a smile from him.

"You are so beautiful…"

"Thanks…"

They continued walking waving to the fans and to a rampage of shouts and loud shrieks. Ga Eul turned with curiosity and instead of meeting a fan trying to reach for her idol...

"Sam Dong…" it was her friend who was fighting. He slipped from the grip of the guards running towards her.

"Please!" He cried out bending over to catch his breath, "Please!" He repeated, "Don't leave…" his eyes were red from crying, but he still had the strength to hug her.

In front of everyone, fans, cameras, even of Yuu. Sam Dong hugged her tightly, praying to the sky so that she wouldn't push him away.

"I love you... I can't live without you…" he said crying and leaning his body over her, "You can't leave me, you can't abandon me…What will I do?" There were all those feelings, gushing like a waterfall, "If you leave me.... what will I do with all this love?"

"Sam Dong," she whispered. She was so happy... so... this was what she always wished for.

"Please!…"

"This is awkward…" Yuu's voice was heard. "To see how the woman you love melts into the arms of another," he put his hand in his pocket, it was the first time in anything, losing to a girl, asking for the love of a woman... being kind to another, stop being selfish, "You better go."

"Yuu…" Ga Eul said turning her face to see him, he didn't deserved this.

"Go…I knew who had the advantage," he raised his shoulders, "I just wanted to take the risk…"

Facing the cry of the fans, the questions of the reporters and the eyes of people in their homes, Sam Dong and GaEul held hands and they looked at each other with love, confessions of two foolish hearts that without knowing always had belonged together and that by their own fears had moved away.

As it was to be expected that terrible spectacle had unleashed many negative views for Sam Dong, his contracts, his career was affected... but he didn't mind it, he did not want to be an actor, he didn't even want to be famous everything he did he did it for her and now he had her, there was nothing else to strive for other than to make her happy. On the other hand for Ga Eul doors had opened, she had received offers for modeling, including a role in a drama.

"Are you sure you want to try it?" He asked his girlfriend.

"Yes. I would like to try it out," she replied smiling, he had become possessive over her career and all that meant work.

"You don't have to do it, we are as good as well," he reminded her so she would desist.

"Please," she begged before going into the studio.

"Yes, Sam Dong. Let her try it out."

"What?" He turned to see who it was.

"Good morning Ga Eul," Yuu said to his unrequited love.

"Good morning Jae Joong" she smiled when she saw him, they continued talking to each other but only as friends.

"What are you doing here?" He asked him, somewhat rude to address him.

"You don't know?" He crossed his arms, "I will be Ga Eul's lover in the drama," he smiled as he saw the boy's face.

"WHAT?" the scream could be heard all the way to the other hallway.

"It's just acting," she told him to calm him down.

"Yes… relax…" he advised him with a side smile. He stepped on his side and whispered, "It will only be a few kisses," he placed his hand on his mouth to cover his laughter as he left.

"WHAT?... KISSES…" he yelled even louder.

"Oppa... shh…" she asked him by putting her finger on his lips.

"Yes," said Yuu turning, "Although we already have practice in that…"

"I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU DO IT... NO!…"

Story written by Usu-Arlet.

Story translated by Jud3Starfir3.