"The Recognition"

Imagine, Just excited

The gate opened partially and there she went out. She was smiling brightly as she turned her head to the man who went out of the gate after her. He closed and locked the gate while she waited beside him. He smiled back at her as he went walking at her side. They are talking about something and she was laughing with him.

It was a sight to behold, her laughing and looking serenely happy. But it was the person with her that triggers Yi Jeong's unwelcoming feeling. And he knew it was wrong to feel that way especially to...

"Song Woobin" The doubt he had from the moment he arrived had been brought back right in front of his eyes. He hated the idea that maybe 'they are' what he's had been afraid of from the beginning.

Get hold of yourself So Yi Jeong.

…

"Hahaha. You're so fool of yourself, Oppa"

"What? It was her who winks at me. You saw it with your own eyes."

"Fine. But you should have winked back at her."

What? "Huh? Why?"

"We could have these for free..." she wiggled the ice cream stick in front of him.

"Are you telling me to flirt with her to have your ice cream for free?" She's a little... uhm. I don't know.

"I was just thinking if she would if you gave her a wink. Just curious. You know?"

She's 25 years old already but still she was naive for her own good. Looking at how her eyebrows were formed into a furrow and the pout she got on her lips, Woobin could easily say that she was imagining their previous situation the way she had thought of it. He smiled at himself Hahaha. She's really something, right?

She was nodding her head rigorously. Yes. Maybe we could have this for free. Aish! She heard Woobin chuckled and when she turned to him, he erupted a laugh. He would bet his life that she hadn't noticed that they already passed by the patio.

Almost tearing of laughter, Woobin watched her turning irritated. She still hasn't notice anything. And then she turned around looking at the surrounding. He had tricked her and the way she reacted on it was really unique, she kept on turning to her side like a lost kitten. Woobin found her too cute, but still he couldn’t control his laughter.

"Yah! Oppa!" She slapped the arm of the still laughing Woobin. "We're already a few meters away from the patio. How could you?! How could you trick me?!" Now she's really hitting him hard but he's still laughing.

"Sorry... it's just you're too occupied with you thoughts." He said in between laughs. When his laughter died down, he snatched her free hand and dragged her back to the patio before she had hit him again.

"Oppa!" She was catching her breath from keeping with his pace. She suddenly bumped on to his back when he stopped. He faced her in a swift with a smile on his lips.

"We're here. So go inside now." Opening the gate and shoving her in, he waved at her. "Good night, Princess" He said.

Gaeul wanted to make some revenge but she's now being shoved back to the house by Woobin. And it left her with no choice but to retreat. She gave a deep disappointed sigh then smiled back at him. "Good night, Oppa. Be careful with driving." Then she waved at him.

…

All along, Yi Jeong had been there looking at them, having a feeling that he really dislike to welcome. Why? Because it was wrong, it's directed to his best friend and it was not yet confirmed that 'they are' what he had suspected. Just maybe they became close. Too close for my comfort. Yi Jeong continued to console his heart for doubting.

…

Sounds of clatter and utensils being tossed on the metal sink. What a nice alarm clock to wake you up from deep slumber. Annoyed with her sudden waking up, she walked towards the kitchen with eyes still close.

"Oh? Gaeul. Good morning!'' Glancing up a little, Jandi greeted the still sleepy Gaeul.

"Jandi-ah! Why are you too noisy this early? I can hear your clatter all around the house."

"Hehehe. I'm sorry I wake you up. But I need to prepare something because Junpyo said he's heading here."

"Oh? This early? Why? Are their entire servant took their respective leave?"

"I don't know what happen to that stupid Junpyo. He called me this early and told me he's coming and will be having his breakfast here." She ranted while squirming on her food preparation.

"Relax Geum Jandi, maybe Sunbae misses you that's why his coming this early. By the way you look excited." Lazily she smiled at her with a glint of tease in her tone.

"Yah! I'm not excited." Jandi exclaimed at her friend with a piercing stare along with her act of defense.

"Yes you are. Look how messy the kitchen is. You don't work this dirty, so, I could guess that you've been all nervous about this."

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are."

"I SAID. NO I'M NOT! Gaeul-ha!?" Sounding too annoyed and tired of arguing, Jandi chose to just plank down to her seat. "It's just that he is too random sometimes." Working her brains out, Gaeul could sense that Junpyo had something up on his sleeves. For her, it was more than clear that all his action would concern Jandi.

"See you said so." Chuckling at her friend, she ran as fast as she could to her room, freeing herself from the chasing Jandi. From across the door Jandi could hear her laughing her heart out, after Gaeul had closed the door behind her. Jandi was frustrated enough and had banged the door violently.

 "Yah! Chu Gaeul!"

…

With throbbing head, Yi Jeong stood up from his bed. He only got an hour of sleep thinking about what he saw last night. And a plan on how he would talk to the rest of the gang. Due to the doubts he had, he was having a hard time figuring out how to tell everybody that he was abducted by his own grandfather and placed into a four year exile away in Sweden.

Will they understand me? My reason sound so absurd and there is something with the way they have reacted when I went back. Something that made me feels they had despised me for a certain reason that I don't know.

"So Yi Jeong, you really need to do this. You went back because of them, because of Gaeul-yang. You can't go chicken, never." Like a mantra, he said it to himself and darted it deep down to his brain. Opening the shower room he grabbed his towel and went inside the glass door to freshen up his mind.

…

"Young Master, here are the documents you have requested. It was sent this morning from France."

"Is this the data collected from Sweden?"

"Yes. Young Master. And by the way somebody needs to see you; he's in your office."

"Okay. Thank you Mr. Han."

A man sitting on the seat in front of his table stood up the moment Woobin went inside his office. The man turned towards him and smiled.

"Uncle!" Though surprised, Woobin immediately bowed his head to greet the man standing in front of him.

"Hey come here." The man gestured the young man to come near him as he widen his arms to offer a hug. "It's good to see you, Woobin-ah.''

"You too Uncle. You look great by the way"

Raising his infamous brows, he smiled at him. It was the familiar smile that Woobin always see when he's with that somebody close to him. "Should I say you look beyond great for that?"

It was a hint of teasing but it sounded weird on Woobin's ear for he never had been that close with this man. Social gatherings would be the time he could see him and the interaction between them was merely greetings and handshakes. But today he's here seeing him and giving him a hug? There is something he is up to Woobin smiled at him for the complement.

"I know you're wondering why I went here to see you. This is not how we usually meet and interact, and I get that you look reluctant."

"Oh... I agree, Uncle."

"I went here to talk about my son, Yi Jeong" So Hyun Sub declared. As he looked at the young man's expression, surprise is clearly what he had expected. Never in Hyun Sub's life he had went to talk about Yi Jeong on his friends. He never gave any sign of concern over Yi Jeong, he did care but never showed.

Woobin had closed his mouth several times after it had open and say something he couldn't even process. "Uh... what is it about Yi Jeong, Uncle?" He managed to ask when he recovered.

Pointing at the folder on Woobin's hand, he said.

"That file will tell you little things about what happen to him. And that's the reason why I came, to tell the rest of it."

…

"YAH! GU JUNPYO! Slow down. You're almost choking. Haven't you eaten anything? Did your house run out of food or something?"

"I TOLD YOU ALREADY! Our new chef is Italian so he doesn't know how to cook ramen and kimchi jigae. I'm sick with eating pasta that's why I'm here."

"Sunbae?!" Gaeul -in as she saw the food bursting out his mouth as he spoke to Jandi. It was too overwhelming having them both with her. But they're her friends so what else could she do.

"I'm sorry Princess but this stupid is disturbing my meal" He apologized immediately when he saw Gaeul drawing her brows together then smiled at her after.

Gaeul then look at Jandi in the eyes with the message. See Jandi, he looks the weirdest when calls me that. Jandi got the message right after and burst a laugh together. Looking at them laughing, Junpyo suddenly became self-conscious.

''YAH! YOU TWO. WHAT?" Pointing his chopstick to his laughing friends, he asked them confusedly.

Then Gaeul and Jandi broke into another round of laughter.

Phone ringing

"Aish!" Reluctantly he fished his phone from his pocket and answered directly.

"YAH! WHAT IS IT?"

"Gu Junpyo, watch your tone."

"Oh... sorry. What is it?"

Sound of laughter in the background

"Are you at the patio?"

"Yeah! Why? What is it?"

"I need to tell you something. At the lounge. 10 A.M."

"Oh?! Okay be there. Bye"

Immediately, Junpyo stood up from his seat and straighten his suit. Both girls looked up on him waiting for him to say something. "I have to go, Gaeul." Then he swiftly turned and gave Jandi a quick peck on the lips. "And thank you for the wonderful breakfast." He said after the kiss.

Gaeul just chuckled at Junpyo's act and watched Jandi shock with the sudden happening.

"Okay, Sunbae bye. Drive safely" As she wave her hand to Junpyo who's on the door to leave.

He smiled back at them, to the smiling Gaeul and to his shock girlfriend. "You two too take care. Bye."