Through Muddy Water

Chapter 15:

The bright sun streaming through the windows roused him from his sleep.  Rolling onto he back he stretched out his arms, suddenly realizing that hid friend was no longer beside him. “WooBin-ah?” he murmured sleepily.

“Oh, you woke up.” WooBin stepped in from the balcony and drew the blinds closed, blocking the light from flooding the room.

“Ne, what time is it?” YiJung asked, propping himself up on his arms.

“Nine. Mian, I should have closed these last night.” WooBin apologized, gesturing to the darkened windows.

“Ah, Gwaenchana.” Slowly he was adjusting to the new way WooBin was treating him. The prince had always been protective and helpful but since the diagnosis it was much more noticeable. As much as he hated to admit it, YiJung kind of liked not having to worry about so much on his own.

“Sleep a little more.”

“What about you?” He noticed that WooBin seemed to have already washed and dressed.

“I’m going to go see if JiHoo needs help with breakfast. The girls are already awake I think, I heard a lot of giggling coming from the bathroom. JunPyo won’t be up for a while but that’s nothing new.”

“Ani… If everyone’s getting up I’ll get up too.” YiJung insisted with a yawn.

“It will be a little while before everyone’s ready. Just stay in bed for another twenty minutes.

“Ani, I’m getting up,” he said while hoisting himself out of bed.

“You are so stubborn sometimes.”

“So are you, you know.”

“Yeh, that’s true too,” WooBin laughed. “Maybe that’s why we get along so well.”

YiJung nodded in agreement.

“Well if we’re both up we should go help out downstairs. Why don’t you grab a shower then we can flush your port before we go downstairs.”

“Araso.” He unconsciously touched his chest gently where the tubing existed. It was amazing how quickly he had gotten accustomed to the central line.

WooBin saw him and gave an encouraging smile. “Ya, before you know it this will all be over and just a story to tell.

YiJung nodded fervently before smiling back. “Just a story. I think I can believe that.”

***

By the time they had all gathered downstairs, the kitchen was filled with an appealing aroma. JiHoo looked up from the food he was setting out on the table to greet them.

“Good Morning.”

“Ahh, it really smells good. Since when did you become such a good cook?”

“It wasn’t me,” admitted JiHoo. “The girls made breakfast this morning.”

“Oh chincha?” YiJung and WooBin asked, looking past JiHoo to the kitchen where JanDi and GaEul were busy washing the remnants of breakfast pots and pans. It was a strange paradox to see them as giggling best friends that chased each other around one night and grown women cooking and cleaning the next. How different things had become over the years.

“Ya, don’t sound so incredulous. My fiancée is an excellent cook,” came a sudden voice from behind.

“Oh! You’re awake.”

“Wae? You never get up this early.” Both WooBin and YiJung were surprised at JunPyo’s appearance.

“It’s our last day, of course I’d get up early,” he scoffed indignantly. “Besides, do you know how many early meetings you have to attend when you run a company like Shinwah. “

“Ne.”  It seemed that even the not-a-morning-person JunPyo had changed since they had parted ways.

“Ya Goo JunPyo, WooBin sunbae, YiJung sunbae. Are you going to let all the food get cold?” JanDi asked as she settled down beside GaEul and JiHoo.

“Oh, mianhe.” YiJung apologized taking a seat.

WooBin and JunPyo joined, practically drooling at the sight of the feast before them.

“Kahmsahmnida, it looks great ladies. Let’s eat!”

The morning had passed quickly, breakfast ending with a table full of contented people and a table covered in empty dishes. When they had finished WooBin had sent the girls outside to enjoy the sunshine, enlisting the guys to clean up. There was much whining and prodding and begrudging help but it was finished sooner than later and somehow YiJung and WooBin had ended up on the deck together.

Reclining comfortably in their chairs, neither spoke but instead immersed themselves in reading; WooBin and his newspaper and YiJung in his book. The weather was perfect again and it seemed a shame that they would be leaving before the day was over.

“Oh, what’s this?”

GaEul was running to the porch from the beach excitedly. “WooBin sunbae, YiJung-ah,” she huffed out of breath as she reached the stairs. “JiHoo sunbae is taking us for a sail, do you want to come?”

WooBin looked at YiJung expectantly who surprisingly refused the offer immediately. “Anyo, you go have fun. I’m going to spend some time catching up with JunPyo.”

“Ah, chincha?” her face showed visible disappointment.

“Yeh, he’s so busy I haven’t seen him in a while. Enjoy the time with JanDi, when we get back home she’ll be quite busy again. We have a lot of time together so don’t worry.” He explained, standing to pull her a tight hug. It was a classic cassanova move, give a plausible reason for not going and then reassure the girl that it had nothing to do with the relationship having issues.

“Araso.” She took the bait, running happily back across the sand to her awaiting best friend.

“Be safe!” YiJung called hastily behind them.

WooBin found the whole thing peculiar. For the entirety of the trip YiJung had immediately acquiesced to his girlfriend’s whims. Why the change now? He looked at his friend curiously. “Hajiman… JunPyo is taking a nap.”

“I know.” YiJung’s answer was surprisingly curt. He seemed suddenly agitated for some reason, running his fingers along the balcony anxiously.

“Gwaenchan-“

“Tired- I didn’t want her to see.” His responses were short and carried a tone of arrogance. WooBin wasn’t sure why he was in a sour mood all of a sudden but if there was one thing you didn’t do, it was mess with YiJung when he was in a bad mood.

“YiJung-ah…”  WooBin began cautiously.

“Just wake me before they come back,” the potter muttered hastily as he stomped inside without warning, leaving his friend dumfounded behind him.

Dazed, WooBin sat alone on the deck listening to the crashing of the waves that filled the silent air. He was confused at his friend’s sudden behavior. It wasn’t like YiJung to suddenly blow up like that in front of him. Occasionally he’d seen it happen with the others, but never before with him.

His pocket suddenly vibrated interrupting his thoughts. He didn’t recognize the number but he answered anyways. “Yoboseyo?”

A deep voice, breathy and unfamiliar spoke his name. “Song WooBin.”

“I’m sorry, do I know you?”

“Tell your father to mind his own business,” replied the harsh voice on the other line.

“I’m not involved in my father’s work,” he replied coldly. It was true; he despised his father’s work, avoiding anything but the legitimate business end of things.

“If he doesn’t back down he can expect retaliation.” The cold voice was slow and deliberate, the sentence obviously meant as a threat.

 “I am not involved. Don’t call this number again,” he commanded. Before there was any reply he hung up the phone with a definitive click.

Taking a breath, he tried to get his head around the call. What sort of mess had his father gotten into now? Was it worth speaking to him about? Probably not. Knowing that his son was uninterested in his illegal activities, WooBin’s  father kept him close, but often in the dark. He would have liked to believe it was out of respect, but he knew it was really out of spite. The only reason his father really kept him close was so that he could try and recruit his only son to take over all aspects of the family business.

He felt a hand touch his shoulder and he reacted immediately, grabbing the wrist and giving it a sharp twist.

“Aish!”

“JunPyo! Mianhe!” He jumped to his feet, letting go of his friend who stood, shaking his arm with a pained expression. “You startled me.”

“I startled you?” He gave him a strange look. WooBin realized the statement was unusual considering he was the least shakable member of the group.

“N-n-ne,” he stuttered, surprised at his inability to speak clearly.

JunPyo looked at him oddly while rubbing his forearm for relief. “WooBin, are you feeling alright?”

“Ne… just a weird phone call. Probably a joke. Mian”

“If you say so.” JunPyo yawned looking at the water and then around the deck. “Where is everyone?”

“JiHoo took the girls out for a sail. YiJung’s sleeping.”

“A sail huh,” he looked back out at the ocean.

“Ne.”

“Is YiJung okay?”

“I think so, just tired. He’s beginning to need more rest than usual.”

JunPyo nodded, still looking groggy from his nap. “So this phone call…”

“Just someone looking for my father.” WooBin tried to make it seem like nothing even though something about the whole thing felt unsettling. JunPyo seemed to understand that it wasn’t time to further press the issue and fell silent.

After a good amount of silence, WooBin finally rose, stretching casually. “Any ideas for dinner?”

“Raymun,” JunPyo said quite seriously.

WooBin wasn’t sure if it was a joke or the president’s sleepy mind speaking. He laughed, pushing his friend on the chair. “Something better than that, we were served a 5-star breakfast this morning by your fiancée.”

“Araso, araso. “ He paused looking up innocently, “I don’t know what we have.”

WooBin ordered, pushing him towards the door

“Well then let’s go find out, ga ja!”

***

The water was clear and smooth, a perfect day for a sail and she wished she could enjoy it rather than worry about her best friend.

“GaEul,” Jandi called motioning for her to sit. “I want to talk to you about something.”

“Oh?” She asked even though they both knew what was on both their minds.

“I just wanted to know if you’re-“ she paused trying to find the right words. “I want to know how everything is.”

“With YiJung?” GaEul acknowledged slowly.

“Ne, with YiJung, with WooBin, with you.”

GaEul sighed, looking down at her sandals and biting her lip.  “It’s been- difficult. WooBin sunbae is a good friend. He takes care of a lot. I try to help but I feel as if I’m in the way a lot of the time.”

“Wae? You’re a great help.”

“Ani, it’s just… I get so afraid sometimes. He doesn’t want me to worry but I can’t help it. When I’m afraid YiJung-ah worries about me and I don’t want that.”

“We’re all afraid GaEul,” JanDi promised, putting a hand on her friend’s shoulder comfortingly.

“But WooBin sunbae is so strong. He’s useful and calm.” Her voice wavered slightly.

“I’m not calm, I’m not strong. I’m so scared. What if- what if the treatments don’t work. What if he doesn’t-get- better.” She began to sob openly between words.

JanDi wiped her tears quickly, shocked at how quickly her friend’s grief had all come out. All of those feelings must have been hidden for so long that GaEul’s heart began to burst at the seams. She felt terrible for not realizing sooner and selfish for worrying about silly things like the wedding date changing.

“I-don’t-want.., to be sc-sc-scared all the time.”

“You don’t need to be, you have us.” JanDi promised, pulling her friend in her arms. “And if you are then let me be scared with you. I’m so sorry I’ve neglected you. I’m so sorry.”

***

“YiJung-ah.”

Someone was calling his name and he opened one eye lazily, only half aware that he had fallen asleep. His best friend stood in the doorway.

“Ah WooBin, what time is it?”

“Almost dinner, JiHoo and the girls will be back soon.”

“It’s that late?” He questioned, sitting up.

“Well, kind of. We’re having a bit of an early dinner because we have to drive back. The rest of them have work tomorrow.” WooBin came and sat beside the potter. “Are you hungry?”

“A little.” WooBin eyed him closely.

“I’ll eat, araso?”

The prince smiled, patting him lightly and rising. “Ga Ja.”

“Oh… WooBin-ah?”

“Mmm?”

“Earlier, for being so grouchy… mian. Feeling like this all of a sudden- it’s just frustrating and a bit unsettling.”

WooBin returned to the bed with a sigh. “Nobody’s going to fault you YiJung. You don’t need to put on an act for us.”

There was an uncomfortable silence between them- an unusual awkward silence that they both acknowledged but didn’t understand.

“Mian.” He forced a reply for the sake of breaking free of the oppressive feeling.

“Aish, enough talk of this.” WooBin smiled at him with a brother’s smile once more. “Let’s go set the table.”

***

“Aaah I’m so sunburned.” JanDi frowned as she poured herself aglass of water.

“I brought medication. I’ll give it to you after dinner.” GaEul told her friend.

“Ya, JiHoo. I let you take my girlfriend on a boat and you don’t even make sure her face is protected?” JunPyo complained jokingly.

JiHoo said nothing as his mouth was full so he pointed to his own red face in reply with narrowed eyes.

“Ya, you three look like this lobster.” JunPyo laughed, holding up his chopsticks.

YiJung looked over at GaEul who was indeed quite burnt. “Does it hurt?” he asked gently brushing her cheek.

“Ani… not really.” She blushed, making her look an even darker shade of crimson. He still found it endearing how shy she was about touching each other in front of their friends.

 “Oh, JunPyo. Did you two have a good time catching up?” GaEul asked, looking from YiJung to JunPyo.

The president gave her a puzzled look, opening his mouth to answer. WooBin saw what was coming and kicked him under the table. He didn’t need GaEul to worry any more than she already was.

“It was nice,” replied YiJung, quickly shoving rice into his mouth so that he didn’t have to say anything else.

“N-ne. It was nice.” Echoed JunPyo rather confusedly.

"How was the sail?" WooBin inquired changing the subject yet again. YiJung smiled thankfully across the table at him. Surrounded by his best friends he didn't feel nearly as frustrated as before.

The rest of the meal was finished with stories and jokes and laughter. When everyone had stuffed themselves full and there was no more seafood left to be had, they leaned back in their chairs happily.

“WooBin and I packed this morning so we’ll clean up. Go gather your things so we can get going before it gets late.”

Thanking him, the remaining four trudged upstairs to pack. YiJung sat on the edge of his bed with a sigh.

“Gwaenchana?” GaEul poked her head in the doorway.

He smiled, happy at the mere presence of her. “Gwaenchana. Just a little tired even though I slept a lot earlier.”

“Slept? When?” She caught his little slip up immediately.

“After I talked to JunPyo I took a short nap.”

She frowned a little, entering the room to stand before him. “Is that why you didn’t come sailing, you felt tired?”

Her gentle gaze was killing him and he looked down at the ground ashamed. “Mian, I shouldn’t have lied to you.”

She put a hand out to touch his cheek.  “Ya… you can tell me these things. Just because you felt tired doesn’t mean its bad. I’m not going to go crazy because you’re tired. You don't need to put on a brave face all the time.”

He reached up to hold her hand against his face. In that moment, with those words- he couldn’t help but believe her.

***

Aish, I wish I could write fanfiction all day instead of college papers XD
I had some gaps that I filled with F4 interactions so sorry if it's a little slow at times. I'm super excited for the next chapters though- I started writing them before this one was finished keke... So please stay tuned! And forgive me for being slow to update please ^^