Through Muddy Water

Chapter 14: Goodnight Jagiya

It was the first time he had seen her so genuinely happy about something since his initial diagnosis and as Woobin pulled up the car beside JunPyo’s he watched her with a smile.

“Wahhh it’s so beautiful!” GaEul exclaimed, spinning in a circle looking up at the sky. Beside her JanDi was doing the same and the two of them giggled like high schoolers before staggering to the front porch and leaning against the rail breathlessly.

YiJung stepped out of the car, breathing in the fresh salt air. He had never had a problem with motion sickness before, but about halfway to their destination the ride had become stuffy and uncomfortable. He knew he shouldn’t be surprised, but believe it or not, he was actually starting to have moments when he forgot he was sick and it put a damper on the morning to be reminded.

“Ahhh…” WooBin sighed, stretching his long legs and pulling suitcases from the trunk. “Shall we bring these in?”

Extracting his duffel from the trunk, YiJung nodded and followed behind. He met up with GaEul at the front door, nudging her gently with a smile. She bit her lip shyly, looking so cute that if his hands hadn’t have been full he surely would have tackled her into a hug.

“Yo, Mr. President let’s go!” WooBin spiritedly shouted at JunPyo who, across the lawn, was busy chasing JanDi and leaving JiHoo to quietly unpack the car.

Together the six of them entered the house, dropping their bags on the floor and gathering in a group. The entryway was spacious and airy, clean and simple in design- a perfect place for a getaway.

“Araso.” JunPyo half-shouted, snatching a wriggling JanDi tightly in his arms with a grin. “There are three bedrooms and six of us.  JiHoo-ah and WooBin-ah take the first, YiJung and Chu-GaEul in the second, and-“ he paused rather triumphantly, “I will share with Guem JanDi.”

“Ya!” All five friends shouted simultaneously. JanDi tried her best to escape his embrace, face red with effort.

“Bwoh?”

“You can’t make the rooms like that!”

“Ah chinca?” He looked down at his fiancée, faking an innocent look.

“ANDWAE!” They exclaimed collectively.

Ever more mature than his counterpart, JiHoo pointed at each of the members of the group seriously. “Woo-Bin and Yi-Jung. GaEul and JanDi. JunPyo…” He pointed at the president’s face with the best stern face he could must without laughing, “You’re with me.”

“Ya JiHoo-ah, you’re no fun.” JunPyo pouted letting go of JanDi who brushed the stray grass off her jacket and made a beeline for her bags.

JiHoo ignored his protests with a grin, shaking his head at the typical response. Taking up the suitcases in hands once more, he began making his way up the stairs.

WooBin gave JunPyo a pat on the shoulder. “You had to know that was never going to work.”

“Aish!” JunPyo exclaimed, shaking his head. He looked up the staircase with a frown for a second before taking off in a rush as if he suddenly realized something. “Ya JiHoo-ah! You better be picking out the biggest room right now, araso?” YiJung heard him exclaim as he went bounding up the stairs.

Chuckling, WooBin picked up his and YiJung’s bags.

“I got it.” YiJung insisted, reaching for the handle.

WooBin refused politely. “Anyo, gwaenchana. Why don’t you help GaEul with hers.”

“Eh… “ he took a step back. “Araso.”

WooBin gave him a smile, nodding his head at the teacher who was trying to fit all of her belongings in her arms. YiJung hurried over, taking them from her arms.

“Oh anyo, I can get it.”

“Too late,” he flashed a grin at her over the bags. “Just get that suitcase and go ahead of me.”

“Ne.”

He had told to go first so that he could catch her if she tripped, but as they ascended he found himself enjoying the view from behind. WooBin noticed him looking and gave him a fair slap to the back of the head.  He flinched at the impact and instantly apologized under his breath. He couldn’t help it really, she had a nice shape and he wasn’t trying to be erted or anything it was just a fact.

“Did you say something?” GaEul asked, turning her head to look at him.

He ducked behind the boxes so she couldn’t see his guilty face. “Uh… anyo. How many more steps?”

From behind, WooBin snickered at his recovery.

“Just a few, are you sure you’re alright carrying all that?”

“Ne. Definitely. You just watch your step.”

“GaEul!” JanDi called eagerly, appearing at the top of the stair and helping her friend tug the suitcase the rest of the way up. “The room is really pretty with flowers and we have a balcony and everything.”

“Oh chincha?”

“Ne, come on!”

“I guess we’re this way,” GaEul told him as she was dragged down the hall.

YiJung followed obediently, passing by a large bedroom where he could see JiHoo already neatly hanging clothing in the closet with JunPyo sprawled across the bed lazily.

“Yo,” WooBin elbowed him as he turned to enter the third room. “Behave.”

“Aish… do you want to die?”

In reply, WooBin gave a knowing smirk, backing through the doorframe before YiJung could find a way to hit him.

Dumping the bags on the bed, YiJung straightened out his shirt which was wrinkled from the car trip. He carefully peeked between the buttons to ensure that his port was still secured. He had learned to tape the extra slack of the lines to avoid them getting snagged.

“GaEul,” he called tentatively to the balcony. Her and JanDi were at it again, laughing and holding onto each other joyfully like four years had never passed at all. They didn’t seem to hear him so he stood there awkwardly watching. “I’m going to put these here and go help WooBin unpack, araso?” he called a little louder.

“Araso!” he heard JanDi shout back before there was another fit of laughter.

He was almost out the door when the patter of small footsteps appeared behind him followed by a small tug on his sleeve. He felt a small hand wrap around his wrist lightly.

“Gomawo.”

“Chunmaneyo.” He smiled, turning and tucking her hair behind her ear. It was good to see her old smile again. “Go,” he encouraged, pointing to the balcony where JanDi was taking pictures. “We’ll gather for lunch in a bit.” She smiled, nodding brightly before taking off.

Her smiles were dangerously contagious and as he entered his bedroom even WooBin noticed that he was wearing one as well.

“What are you so happy about?” WooBin raised an eyebrow in mock suspicion.

“Ya!” YiJung threw a pillow at his head which the prince easily dodged. He expected it to be immediately thrown back at him but instead it was picked up, brushed off and placed back on the bed neatly.

“Is it because of GaEul.”

“Ne, it’s really nice to see her in brighter spirits.” He ped his suitcase, starting to take out his clothes one by one.

Putting a hand on his arm to stop him, WooBin frowned surveying the room. “Before we put everything away I might clean a little.”

“Ya, it’s clean enough really. You don’t have to. If I wanted to be in a sterile environment I’d go back to the hospital.”

“I suppose.”

YiJung lay down on the bed, patting the edge and staring at the ceiling. “Relax WooBin-ah. It’s vacation. When was the last time we all had a chance just to be comfortable like this?”

“Mmm,” WooBin murmured, looking out across the water. “It is nice to be on the shore.”

Together they enjoyed the view quietly for a few moments. The waves crashed into the shore leaving behind smooth sand shiny with salt. Here it was the opposite of their busy lives, calm and peaceful and satisfying.

“YiJung-ah?”

“Mmm?” He murmured lazily.

“I’m glad we came, are you?”

“Ne, very glad."

***

Early fall was his favorite time of year. Outside by the ocean there was a gentle breeze- enough to keep the air cool but not enough to blow sand all over the food.

“Ah sunbae this looks really delicious!” GaEul praised as she carefully unpacked the lunchboxes and laid them out on the blanket

JiHoo smiled unwrapping chopsticks. “It’s nothing.”

Across the blanket JunPyo had wasted no time in shoveling mass amounts of food onto his plate. Reaching over for an egg-roll and discovering that there weren’t anymore, JanDi gave him a frown. Quickly, he sheepishly transferred half of his bounty to her which, naturally, she shared with everyone else in turn. WooBin silently arranged his plate neatly, dropping bits and pieces of food onto YiJung’s plate accompanied with a look that plainly said ‘Don’t even think about refusing this.’

JiHoo stretched lazily, leaning back and looking at the sky above them.

“So what is everyone doing after this?” WooBin asked, covering his mouth as he chewed.

JunPyo leaned back comfortably, looking down the waterline. “JanDi and I are going to walk to the end of the beach. There’s a pier that overlooks the water where the sunset it supposed to be really beautiful.” He looked quite pleased with his plan as he explained.

GaEul’s eyes grew wide. “Oooh,” she exclaimed softly, her chopsticks halfway to .

 “Did you want to go?” YiJung asked quietly, putting his hand over hers.

She looked at him, slightly pink in the face. “Ani… I mean not if you don’t want to.”

Pulling her hand to his lips he kissed it gently. “I do, with you I do.” His words and touch sent her into a daze and YiJung could see her face flush red from across the blanket.

JanDi pulled on her friend’s jacket eagerly. “GaEul, it will be a double date. The last time we did that was in high school, remember?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” JunPyo groaned remembering the disastrous end that date had come to.

“Ya, you won’t beat me up, right?” YiJung played around, cowering in mock terror.

“Treat your girl like I treat mine and I won’t.”

“Ya, like you treat yours?” WooBin burst out laughing. “I can’t believe you managed to keep her after all the stupid things you’ve done. JanDi is one special woman to be able to put up with you.”

“Aish, what would you know anyways Song WooBin.”

JiHoo laughed at all the playful banter, pleased that everyone was getting along so well. The sea air and the company made him feel more complete than he had in a while. “You should get going if you want to make sunset,” he announced, checking his watch.

“Ne!” The two couples agreed, gathering there things.

“Just get going, JiHoo and I can get this.” WooBin said, waving them away.

“Gomawo.”

“Are you warm enough?” YiJung checked, looking GaEul up and down.

“Yeh.” She replied, buttoning her jacket.

He reached out and took her hand in his happily. “Ga ja!”

“Don’t be too long!” WooBin yelled after the four with a grin.

“They sure seem happy together.”

“JanDi and JunPyo or GaEul and YiJung.”

“Both.”

JiHoo nodded as he cleared the plates, stopping short of the last one. It looked like it had barely been touched and he felt his good mood begin to deflate like a balloon. Sighing, he carefully scraped it back into the lunch box to save for later.

“Gwaenchana? Oh… he didn’t eat much, did he.”

JiHoo shook his head.

Woobin ran a hand through his hair. “He’ll be hungry eventually. The car ride down made him feel a bit sick, let’s let his stomach settle before we push it.”

JiHoo could tell his optimism was slightly forced. “WooBin-ah. You don’t need to pretend with me. You forget I know as much and perhaps more than you do about these treatments.”

For a moment WooBin was stunned to silence. “Mian.”

“Ani… I should apologize too. I just- it seemed so normal for a while.”

 “He’s having a good time. We all are. Let’s be thankful for that, araso?”

“Ne. You’re right.” He picked up the rest of the plates quietly. “Let’s go get the fire started for when they return."

***

By the end of such a busy day, the F4 were all reduced to silence. Together, they sat around the dying flame, simply enjoying the company of one other. Surrounded by his friends, YiJung felt better than he had felt since returning from Sweden.

“Ya,” JunPyo broke the silence, prodding YiJung, pointing to his right with a goofy grin. “Keyopta.”

JanDi and GaEul were sleeping, heads stacked on top of each other, arms intertwined against the cold. Both of them seemed engulfed in their hooded sweatshirts but their sweet faces were still visible. They seemed happy, content, warm. YiJung reached for the camera.

“Ya! Don’t take pictures of her when she’s sleeping.”

“I think it’s cute.”

“They’re not drooling or anything, it’s just cute.” YiJung insisted. In the end he ended up taking a snapshot anyway. He knew that despite the protests, JunPyo would most certainly be asking for a copy of the photo later.

JiHoo looked at  his watch, stretching. “We should get these two to bed- we all should get to bed if we’re going to get up and enjoy the time we have tomorrow.” He stood with a yawn, beginning to pour sand over the fire.

JunPyo quickly jumped up, shielding his fiancée. “Ah don’t wake them, they’ve had a really busy day. I’ll carry her.”

“I’ll help.” YiJung carefully supported GaEul’s head as JunPyo picked up JanDi, disentangling her arm from her best friend’s. Once he picked her up, YiJung slid his arms around his girl.

“Let me get it,” WooBin volunteered.

“Ani, I can carry her.”

“You must be tired from the walk to the pier and back.”

“WooBin. Jebal. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to do this.” Just that one plea and WooBin immediately backed down. YiJung hated generating pity for himself but it was the truth.

Luckily, GaEul wasn’t that heavy and in her sleep she clung to his jacket, making it easier to support her weight.

“Oppa?”

It was the first time he’d heard her call him that. For a few seconds, her eyes fluttered open.

“Ani.. I can wal-“ she quietly protested.

YiJung kept moving, making his way up the stairs despite her feeble pleas. “Gwaenchana, go back to sleep it’s late.”

“Hajiman, JanDi…”

“JunPyo has her, we’re taking you to your rooms.” He soothed in a quiet voice looking down at his sleeping angel. She was so perfect and beautiful and his.

When they reached the room he didn’t want to put her down. If he had it his way he’d lie down next to her on the bed and never let go. Beside them, JunPyo pulled the covers up over his fiancée, brushing some stray hairs of her face. He bent down to whisper next to her ear. “JanDi, saranghae.”  

Following suit, YiJung begrudgingly released his hold, taking her delicate fingers off of his lapel with a kind of smug satisfaction. She was hanging on to me, he though fondly. Making sure she was covered securely with the blanket he bent down, hovering over her smooth forehead.

 “Goodnight jagiya. Sleep well.”

He sealed the wish with a kiss and left the room walking on air.

***

Yay! I get so excited when I update this fic. Partially because it takes so long for me to write between all my schoolwork and classes and also because although I am the author I still love seeing where by brain takes the story.

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