Four days later, and Woo Bin still hadn't yet talked to Yi Jung. 

After sending that initial text, Woo Bin had tried oh-so-very hard to be calm, cool, and patient in anticipating Yi Jung's call. Well, as calm, cool, and patient as one could be - especially since one desperately didn't want to talk about the topic one would eventually bring up once the other party contacted him. Which could happen any time now.

Any day, now.

...Any moment now, even.

Upon the fourth day of receiving nothing but silence from the potter, Woo Bin decided to stop being such a freakin' wuss and called him.  

Several times.

Funny thing was, the call couldn't connect each and every time - probably indicating that Yi Jung's phone was off.

Which was definitely, curiously odd. Yi Jung never deliberately kept his phone off for long periods of time.

Unless--

But no, that was absurd.

...was it?

This train of thought bothered Woo Bin so much that he was unable to get much work done. His few hours of blessed uselessness in the office, however, prompted him to call Ji Hoo next. "Bro. Did you talk to Yi Jung lately?" he demanded, even before the doctor had opened his mouth in greeting.

There was definite amusement in Ji Hoo's voice when he said, "Funny, that's how my last conversation with him began. Except he was asking about you."

"I'm serious," Woo Bin said, very nearly pouting as he waved his assistant away when the latter tried to get his attention. He swung his seat to face the window behind him. "I can't contact him. Either his phone is off or--" There it was again, that niggling thought. Shying away from it he added, "You didn't... you know, tell him about what we talked about, did you?"

A very pregnant moment waltzed by. "You really think I would do that?" Ji Hoo asked quietly.

"No," Woo Bin said quickly, already regretting springing the question. 

"Then why ask?"

"I'm... desperate?" Woo Bin said tentatively. He cleared his throat. "Bro, can we just focus on the issue here? I can't contact Yi Jung. Can you? Did you call him recently?"

"Haven't tried it yet, but I texted him after our talk," Ji Hoo replied after a lengthy silence, causing Woo Bin to feel absurdly relieved his call hadn't been dropped. "Four days ago, was it? I told him you're alive. He didn't reply, but I assumed he got it."

"I texted him too. Told him we needed to talk, but he never called me. That was days ago. Tried calling him but..." Woo Bin sighed. "It's kind of a weird coincidence, isn't it? Me being unable to reach him just when I decided I needed to talk to him." He paused, then voiced out the fear that's been nagging his brain: "You think he blocked me?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Yi Jung wouldn't block you," Ji Hoo scoffed. "Not without a good reason, at least."

"Liking the same woman as he does isn't a good enough reason for you?" Woo Bin said wryly.

"Something he doesn't know about yet," Ji Hoo reminded him. "Unless-- does Jun Pyo know?"

"God no," Woo Bin said, with definite feeling. "You think I blurt this out to everyone I talk to? 'Hi, I like Chu Ga Eul. Yi Jung's girlfriend? Anyway, how have you been?'" He rolled his eyes heavenward.

"Jun Pyo hardly counts as everyone."

"But it's... it's Jun Pyo." Woo Bin paused meaningfully. "Don't tell him I said that." 

Ji Hoo chuckled. "Why not? He'll be happy to know just how highly you think of him."

Woo Bin emitted a sound of pure frustration from the back of his throat. "Again, let's focus on the issue here," he said firmly. "I want... I just want to get this thing off my chest. Tell him the truth, like you advised. But I can't do that if I can't talk to him."

"Then you know how he feels every time you choose to ignore his calls." The quietly sanctimonious tone in Ji Hoo's voice was palpable.

Chagrined and chastised, Woo Bin said, "You know why."

"Again, Yi Jung doesn't," Ji Hoo said. "Just be patient, Woo Bin. Contact the museum or the hotel he's staying at, if you really can't reach his phone. And when all else fails, you can always go visit him." He then added as an afterthought, "I heard Sweden is nice this time of year. Get me something if you do."

Woo Bin grimaced. Fly to Sweden, and risk getting personally punched by Yi Jung? Not in his list of priorities right now.

Instead of voicing his hesitations to Ji Hoo, Woo Bin said, with even more definite feeling, "I hate it when you make sense."

"Someone has to among the four of us," Ji Hoo replied before hanging up.

Woo Bin stared at his phone for a few seconds, his mind racing. Speed dialing Yi Jung's number, he was quiet as the now-familiar message played in his ear, informing him that his call would not connect due to some undisclosed reasons.

Goddamnit, Yi Jung.

If he was a wiser man, he'd tell himself this was A Good Thing. It meant he still had time to think about what he'd say, and say it in a way that would be least offensive to Yi Jung. Who knows, maybe he could even come out of this unscathed, his friendship with the potter intact.

Unfortunately, he wasn't a wiser man. Which meant that he only saw this as a way of prolonging his misery over the whole thing.  

He stared at his contacts, pensive. His family did have connections over at Sweden. It would be as easy as dialing a number to know if Yi Jung was alive, well, and just purposely ignoring his calls for some goddamned reason.

Hn.

Just as he was about to decide on the matter, three short knocks on his door diverted his attention. He looked up in time to see his assistant come in.

"Apologies, Master Song," he said, eyes not quite meeting Woo Bin's. "But you instructed me to tell you immediately once Shinhwa officials contacted us for the groundbreaking ceremony--"

"When is it?" Woo Bin asked, leaning forward. 

"Tomorrow, depending on your availability."

That soon? He would have complained about the extremely short notice - except there was no point to it, really. This was a priority project after all. He tapped his chin and asked, "What's my schedule then?"

"Two surprise spot checks in the morning, Sir, over at--"

"Cancel them," Woo Bin said, waving a hand. He wasn't really looking forward to uncovering more of his father's problematic dealings anyway. "And confirm my availability tomorrow morning for the ceremony."

"Of course." His assistant bowed before disappearing altogether.  

Woo Bin stared at the closed door for a second or two, then turned his attention towards his pile of unfinished work.

Not that he actually worked on any of them.

So. He was to go to the University tomorrow, was he?

Idly, he wondered if he'd see Chu Ga Eul by then. 

Just as he wondered if he'd get to talk to So Yi Jung by then.

Oh, what a curious, damnable position he'd put himself in.

Stepping foot in the University grounds the following morning, Woo Bin reminded himself that he was here primarily due to professional reasons.

In his experience, groundbreaking ceremonies rarely lasted more than an hour. It was purely ceremonial in purpose, though he was informed that this one would be covered by some media people - and rightly so. After all, ventures between the Shinhwa Group and Song Construction, Inc., rarely ever happened, despite their heirs being members of F4 together. Not that any media outlet would be so bold as to say why that was. 

"Shinhwa dealing with our kind. Jun Pyo's mother is not aware of his business moves, I take it?" his father once said.

Their kind. Like they had some sort of disease because of their... less than stellar connections.

Unfortunately, Go Jun Pyo was unavailable to attend and be seen with Song Woo Bin; apparently he was in Canada that day, attending to some other business of his.

Not that that was new.

The ceremony was to start at ten, as per his preference. He chose to come in earlier than expected, however, because he valued this partnership above all things, as his friendship with Jun Pyo counted as among the most precious things in his life. Of course he was to give it his preferential attention; he owed Jun Pyo that much.

At least, this was what Woo Bin told the Vice Chancellor then, when she hurriedly came up to meet with him at the lobby. 

"There's really no need to worry about me," he said, dimpling at her as he did so. "I realized that I have not yet fully explored Jun Pyo's university. I intended to do so now, while your office finishes up the preparations for the ceremony. I understand that some members of the media had yet to show up?" He paused, taking in her pained expression. "Perhaps I should apologize for not being as transparent with you about my plans for today--?"

"Oh, no. No! Of course you are free to wander around as you please. Perhaps..." The Vice Chancellor looked around her frantically, "perhaps I can arrange for someone to give you a tour--"

He shook his head. "Like I said, there's no need. I hoped to do it as... inconspicuously as possible. I want to explore without disrupting anything, if I could." And what a big if that was - considering who he was. 

Woo Bin nodded at his assistant, then smiled at the Vice Chancellor again. "Please call me only when everything is ready." And out of the building he went.  

The university grounds, Woo Bin realized then, was bigger than how he remembered it from his last visit. With several buildings already erected, each consisting of several floors, it was almost impossible to navigate the area successfully without a map - if one wasn't a student. 

And Woo Bin certainly wasn't one.

Looking at the looming buildings before him, Woo Bin stifled a long-suffering sigh and headed towards the one on his left. 

It didn't matter where he went, he told himself. After all, he was here primarily due to professional reasons. He just wanted to walk around to be familiar with Jun Pyo's university because he hadn't been able to do so earlier, and Jun Pyo's friendship meant the world to him, blah blah blahblahblah. 

He certainly wasn't looking for any particular student in this university or anything. 

Especially after he still hadn't talked to Yi Jung about the whole matter.

...God, who was he kidding?

Woo Bin shoved his hands in his pockets. He could hear faint classroom noises, which could explain the absence of students in the hallways - along with the nonexistence of his mob of worshipful women. The academic ambiance almost made him nostalgic for his days in Shinhwa High, where he, along with the rest of the F4, were young princes in their shared kingdom, assured of their rightful place in society--

The sharp clang of something hitting metal made Woo Bin pause. Undoubtedly, it was the sound of someone roughly shoved against locker doors. Woo Bin would know, having subjected so many students to it during his schooldays before - so did the rest of the F4.

What unrepentant bullies they all had been.

Then they met Geum Jan Di.

"Who do you think you are?" an unmistakably feminine voice demanded, echoing in the near empty hall. "Ya. You really think you can get away with this? Pretending to be someone you're not--" 

"Let's take her bag," another girl snickered. "I want to see her phone."

"Don't--"

"Shut up and let us do our business, or else."

Woo Bin grimaced. While he actually could do something to stop whatever was happening in the area beyond him, doing so would just attract attention to him - something he could honestly go without this morning. Besides, his assistant would be calling him anytime soon and--

"Telling people you know the F4 personally. Just who do you think you are, you stupid--"

"Give me my phone back. Please."

Woo Bin paused again. That voice, though--

"Why? We're just checking your story. I mean, it's not like anyone here believes you know Go Jun Pyo personally."

"We're really helping you out here, come to think of it."

"I don't need this kind of help, thank you. Don't you three have better things to do than--"

"You have So Yi Jung's contact number?" The girl laughed, and it was an ugly sound. "Just how deluded are you?"

"Is it real?"

"It can't be. I bet it's just some guy's number with his name on it."

"Wait. Let me get it. Stop scrolling--"

"I said, give me my phone back."

Woo Bin quickened his pace.  

"Stay where you are, or I'm going to break your phone." A few moments passed, and the girl laughed again. "You need this, don't you? It's not like you have enough money to buy a new one."

"What is she even doing here, anyway?"

"Said she's Go Jun Pyo's charity student. I wonder... what did you have to do to get in this school? Or should I say... who?" The innuendo in her words was unmistakable.

As was the malice behind them.

There was barely-controlled fury in the other's voice as she replied, "I'm here to study. Just let me--"

"Ya. You dare talk back to us? I guess being poor does mean you lack manners, doesn't it. What if I--"

"Prince Song! She has Prince Song's number, too!"

"Give me that--"

Woo Bin cursed. Just a few more steps--

"Call it. Let's see if it's real."

"No! Stop. Stop! That's--"

"--Do you guys hear something ringing?"

Woo Bin finally turned a corner, in time to see what he'd only been listening to mere moments before: three bullies standing like a wall between freedom and their captured prey, who turned out to be none other than Chu Ga Eul.

Of course.

It was like something out of a movie. Because his phone was making a ruckus, the four of them looked towards his direction. Upon seeing him, however, their faces began displaying various types of emotions - such as shock, bewilderment, awe... and burning embarrassment. 

He'd find it funny if he wasn't so damned furious. 

And his phone was still ringing.

Leaning on a locker opposite from them, Woo Bin casually took his phone out of his pocket and nonchalantly took the call. "Chu Ga Eul?" he said, his voice honey-sweet, all the while looking directly at the three women harassing her. "I'm so glad you called. How are you? Do you know how much I missed hearing your pretty voice? When are we going to see each other again?"

The girl holding Ga Eul's phone took a hasty step back, sweat glistening from her forehead. The one behind her looked about ready to faint. The other dropped what she was carrying to the floor - which he assumed was Ga Eul's bag. Not missing out on the opportunity, Ga Eul bent and took it back.

Woo Bin ended the faux call and smiled at them. Its effect on the girls, however, was akin to him taking out a weapon. And well, they weren't exactly wrong.

He held his hand out, palm up. Wordlessly, Ga Eul's phone was given to him.

"I'm going to count to three," he said. "I expect by that time, the three of you have already disappeared from my sight. Oh, and that after this you'll be telling everyone you know that Chu Ga Eul is under the F4's protection... specifically, mine." He took a step towards the group, who - to their credit - stood their ground. "If I find out that she got hurt in any way... all of you, especially you--" He gently tapped the leader's chin, "will get to see me angry." He chuckled humorlessly. "I have a feeling you won't like it."

It's a variation of a tactic he used before indulging in mindless brawls against mindless men. This worked on people who had absolutely nothing to gain from fighting him - and they knew it.

He checked his watch - and grinned. "One. Two--"

And off they went, almost stumbling and tripping on their pretty heels as they did.

Woo Bin watched them go for a moment, before quickly turning to give Ga Eul her phone - and his undivided attention. Reaching for her arm he asked, "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you want me to come after them?"

Her cheeks were becomingly pink, he noticed. "I wish-- You shouldn't have seen that," she said, her voice small and wounded. "I can take care of myself very well, thank you. Besides--" Ga Eul glanced at him a moment before angling her arm away - out of his hold. "--it's not like you know me."

. . Woo Bin let his arms fall to his sides, a sense of dread overcoming him. "I'm sorry. I can explain that." Could he, without admitting how he felt about her? Hastily, he amended the statement with, "I can-- I can make up for it."

She shook her head and busied herself with adjusting her bag. "You don't have to. You don't owe me anything--"

"We're friends, aren't we? Please." He reached for her arm, but let his hand drop before he got to touch her. "I'm sorry. I must have humiliated you that day. I didn't mean to do it, I swear. What I did was stupid and wrong and god, Ga Eul, the last thing I want to do is hurt you. Believe in that, at least. Please."

She must have been surprised at the vehemence of his words; he certainly was, and he was saying them.

Ga Eul looked up. Something in her eyes softened as she regarded him, and ruefully he wondered if he looked as appropriately pathetic as he felt. "You have a habit of showing up unexpectedly, Sunbae. Someone should cure you of that," she said, and thankfully she seemed less guarded, more relaxed around him now. He must have said something right, then. "Why are you even here?"

There was only one way to see if she'd forgiven him or not. He held out his hand to her. "Why bother telling you when I can show you?" 

She eyed his hand suspiciously.

Woo Bin grinned.