I'm back! I worked like nuts on this and halfway through I realized that this fiction has just taken on a life of it's own. Really, when I started I was worried about having enough interesting plots to tie in. Anyways, here's the update and before I give to much away I will let you go ahead and read ^^

***

Through Muddy Water

Chapter 19: Forgive Me

He awoke so suddenly that though for sure someone must have been shaking him. Panicky, WooBin looked to his right for what seemed the thousandth time to find that YiJung was still sleeping. His face was still rather pale and his locks unkempt but he looked comfortable at least. Breathing a sigh of relief the prince lay back down on the bed once morebefore he realized that his phone was softly ringing from inside his pocket.

He didn’t recognize the number, but whoever it was had called four times already and must have been the reason for his sudden jolt from sleep. He watched as the screen lit up once again, rubbing his eyes tiredly and dragging himself off the bed.

As he entered the kitchen he pressed “receive” bringing the phone to his ear with a yawn. “Yoboseyo?”

“You’re lucky we’re giving you a second chance.”

He recognized the voice immediately and a strange feeling welled up inside him. “Ya, who is this?” he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. The phone call on vacation he had flustered him but he passed it off rather easily. The occurrence of a second call however, made him especially uneasy.

“Pass the message along or else,” the man on the other line continued.

“I’m not involved,” he repeated, hanging up before there was anything else for the man to say. Frustrated, he leaned against the counter. His head hurt, crying out from the sleep deprivation and constant worry that he’d been subjected to for the past twenty-four hours. He didn’t even want to think about the mess his father might be involved in in a time like this. There were more important things than that man’s dirty work.

His phone rang again. He threw his hands up in defeat- this was much more than he wanted this morning. Snapping it open angrily he growled at the caller “Stop calling me!“

There was a good moment of silence before a different voice answered- a much friendlier voice. “Ah… WooBin-ah?”

WooBin blinked and exhaled slowly as he grounded himself again, realizing that it was his friend on the other line. “Oh. JiHoo, mianhe. Is something wrong?”

“Ani, I’m just outside, can you let me in?”

 Confused he nodded even though he couldn’t quite grasp everything that just happened. “Oh, yeah. O-of course.”

He went to the back door, through the studio to let him in. “What are you-“ he asked puzzled at the sudden appearance of the young doctor.

 “Thought I’d give you a break.” JiHoo replied with a smile. “Gwaenchana? You seemed awfully tense just there. Rough night last night?”

“Ah it’s just some phone calls I keep receiving. Wrong number or something,” he muttered, scratching the back of his neck and trying to act normally. The last thing he needed was for JiHoo to think he was going to snap again.

“You look exhausted.”

“Yeah well it was a late night. The nausea seemed to leave near midnight and then it just took a while for him to go to sleep.”

“Ne, well I figured you wouldn’t sleep much even if he did. I’m right aren’t I?” He looked at him with an approving smile.

“Ne,” WooBin admitted sheepishly.

“I can stay for a few hours so go home and get some rest, eat something, take a shower, change. Take a break.” The slender man patted him on the shoulder, entering the kitchen and making it pretty clear he wasn’t about to leave anytime soon.

“I can do all that here.” WooBin insisted, reluctant to give up his post.

“Anyo, I know you won’t do any of that if you stay. You need to actually physically leave or you won’t be able to let yourself have a break.”

WooBin frowned even though he knew it was the truth.

“Ya,” JiHoo assured him, “You’ve done more than enough already. Just rest for a few hours so that you can be able to come back and stay with him tonight, araso?”

His heart said no but the dull feeling behind his eyes told him it was a good idea. “Just for a few hours,” he conceded. “But I’m coming back tonight.”

JiHoo laughed again with that infamous smile of his. “Well I knew that already. I have to go to the hospital for seven o’clock so come back by then, ne?”

He nodded, turning to go but stopping, slightly embarrassed. “Ah can you- uh, can you tell him I wanted to stay.”

“Between you and me I think he already know, but I will.” JiHoo promised sincerely.

 “Ah… The binder with all the emergency contacts, information sheets, and medication guidelines is on the counter in the kitchen.”

“Araso.”

“And he hasn’t eaten since yesterday morning so make sure he gets something.”

“Araso.”

“And water, he needs to stay hydrated.”

“Araso.” JiHoo gave him a gentle push towards the door. “I’m a doctor, remember?”

“Kurae. Call me if you have any questions.”

“What are you, an appa leaving his child? We’ll be fine.”

“I mean it,” he warned the violinist.

“I know. Just get out of here WooBin,” JiHoo chortled as he nicely, but firmly kicked him out of the house and closed the door behind him.

Jamming his hands in his pockets the prince somewhat sulkily fished out his keys.  

“I’ll see you at seven!”

***

She was surprised to see a familiar face appear in her classroom doorway at the end of the day; it was only the second time she’d received a visitor at work.

“Oh, JanDi-ah.” GaEul greeted her friend.

“Anneyong!” She looked around the room, eyes wide. “It’s so pretty in here!”

GaEul nodded watching as JanDi walked around the perimeter of the room. “Gomawo.”

“Did the children make these?” She pointed to a series of drawing on the colorful bulletin board.

“Ne.”

“Ah, kyo! These are pictures of you! But you’re not alone… this man-“

GaEul swallowed hard. “YiJung-ah,” she whispered softly.

JanDi turned away from the board, taking her friend’s hand in hers. “You can still call him, he’s probably waiting to hear from you.”

She pulled away instantly. “I can’t…”

“Wae? You love each other. You can get through this, we’re all behind you.” She pleaded reaching out again.

“Don’t you get it? WooBin sunbae was right, I’m nothing more than a negative influence. I can see it JanDi, I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me. He’s scared.” She raised her voice loud enough to make a point, but not too loud for the walls of the room were thin.

“We’re all scared GaEul.” JanDi quetly replied edging closer to her.

GaEul let her shoulders fall, biting back the tears that were returning. “Ani, he’s not scared for himself. He’s scared for… me. I can’t ask him to keep doing that for me.”

“Hajiman… he needs you by his side.”

“Ani, he needs to get well. He can’t do that with me by his side. Because I’m lacking and I can’t hide my emotions he has a lot of stress.”

“GaEul,” JanDi tried once more. “You don’t have to be this way.”

GaEul paused to stubbornly wipe the tears from her cheeks. “Because I can’t be strong beside him I have to be strong in staying away until he gets better. It’s all I can do.”

***

As much as he wanted to relax once home, it wasn’t possible. Things in the Song manor were hushed, secretive, and uncomfortable for WooBin. Well-dressed “businessmen” spent most of the afternoon entering and exiting with grim faces and the tension emanating from the large meeting hall in the basement grew more and more tangible by the second.

He still hadn’t forgotten about his unexpected wake-up call either. The whole situation really didn’t sit well with him and by the time six thirty rolled around he was more than happy to be leaving the house. The night was dark already, the autumn season slowly reaching it’s midpoint and the gentle chill of fall air settling in. Pulling on his jacket and gloves, WooBin decided to walk; it wasn’t terribly far to YiJung’s house and he needed to clear his head. Unfortunately, he was so preoccupied with the night sky that he didn’t even see the men in black following him from the moment he left the gate.

The first blow was to his head, it came as he rounded his first corner and it left him stunned and with the world spinning dangerously beneath his feet. Strong arms dragged him to the side and rammed him up against a brick wall with surprising force.

“I told you to listen.” A voice growled harshly, just inches from his face.

Blinking, he tried to refocus his vision. It had been a while since he’d dealt with confrontation, but he could still recognize what was going on. Three or four, possibly more, suited men stood around him, trapping him in the corner of the alley. They all looked the same and they all were obviously under the control of the elected boss who stood before him. Just like his father’s crew, these were exactly the kind of men he despised.

“I’m not involved,” he hissed, looking the one that faced him square in the eye with defiance. “How long will it take you to realize that?”

“Idiot!”

The force of the sudden second blow left him with a throbbing jaw and he his lips and tasted blood. Spitting it on the ground, he refused to let them think he was part of his father’s plan. A beating he could deal with, the destruction of a clean reputation he’d carefully protected for the past four years he could not.

“I don’t know anything my father does. I choose to stay out of it.”

He winced slightly as his hair was roughly grabbed and his face was forced close to his attacker’s mouth. He could smell the alcohol and cigar smoke from his teeth and his stomach churned.

“Doesn’t look like you’ve much of a choice anymore now does it?” The leader smirked. “Consider this your second warning Song WooBin.”

The third blow took his breath and he tried helplessly to make his body take in oxygen but a foot collided with his ribs making him recoil into a ball. The kick was followed by another and another and another until he lost count. Gasping, he tried to choke out the words that he wanted to desperately for everyone to realize.  “I’m not… like… him…”

Between jagged breaths he felt the fists and feet cease their rampage, heard the maniacal laughter of his attackers fade into the distance, and smelled the metallic sheen of blood on the pavement. The ground grew hazy before him and he felt the lonely wind blow across his torn jacket. He was alone, misunderstood, and hurt and that was as far as his thoughts got before his world faded to black.

***

He was running out of time before he had to be at work and there was no sign of WooBin. Looking at the clock, JiHoo frowned. It wasn’t like the prince to be late or to not show or to not at least call with an explanation for his absence.

“Stop worrying.” YiJung told him as he rinsed off the plates from dinner.“I’m not five, you guys don’t need to babysit me all the time.”

JiHoo didn’t reply, too occupied with trying to decide if he should call his attending or leave the potter’s house and trust that WooBin was going to show.

Drying his hands, YiJung put the plates back in the cabinet before turning to his friend. “Ya, JiHoo-ah… I appreciate it, I really do. But you know can’t be late.”

JiHoo nodded. It was true, as a resident he had an obligation to be there for his shift.

“I’ll be fine on my own, I feel a lot better today,” YiJung insisted.

He eyed the potter closely, checking to make sure he really did seem all right. The day had gone well; they had spent time playing games and YiJung had even managed to eat a fair portion of both his lunch and dinner. Still though, he couldn’t help but recognize that YiJung wasn’t quite back to himself. He just seemed so… mellow.

“You’re going to be really late soon,” the potter commented, looking at his phone absentmindedly. He’d been doing that all day. JiHoo knew he was waiting for GaEul to contact him. Several times he had noticed him staring at the screensaver with a sad look on his brow. He had snuck a peek at the phone when YiJung had been showering and discovered that it was set to a photo from vacation- GaEul smiling in front of the sun going down at the pier.

“Ya, she’ll call.”

“I know he will, he probably just forgot it or something.” YiJung replied, still staring at his phone and completely missing the fact that JiHoo was referencing GaEul.

“Araso, I’ll be leaving now then. You call me if he doesn’t show or if you need anything.”

“I will.”

As he left, he tried to call WooBin once more because something felt wrong inside. Song WooBin, where are you?

***

Alone in the empty house, he became increasingly anxious with every second of boredom. Kneading a ball of clay before him, YiJung gave up and slammed his hands down on the table in frustration. Usually the clay brought him relief from stress and tension, but he was so hindered by the physical weakness that affected his arms and hands that it did nothing but make him more upset.

WooBin still wasn’t responding. It was close to ten o’clock and he had neither showed nor answered any of his texts or calls. He wasn’t sure why, but it was pissing him off that nobody seemed to have time for him. He had tried the others only to find that none of them could take his calls either. JiHoo was busy on call, JunPyo was in an important business meeting, and JanDi was at GaEul’s house undoubtedly ignoring his calls.

He knew that none of his anger had anything to do with his friends and everything to do with his condition. And GaEul.The image of GaEul’s face frightened and pale before she burst into tears had haunted him since the moment JiHoo had driven away leaving him with nothing but his own pessimistic thoughts. He remembered how she had cried, howled, fallen to the ground, and collapsed to the ground the day he was diagnosed. He remembered the worried overtone in her voice whenever he grew too silent or looked too tired. He remembered the way she would run to his side whenever she arrived after school. He remembered the way she volunteered to take days off for him.

YiJung felt guilty.

It was because of him she fretted, cried, toiled, and worried. She was willing to risk her job, her time, and her well-being to stand beside him. He tore into the clay before him, hurling pieces at the floor before him. One after another until there were globs everywhere and his muscles were too exhausted to keep moving. He was making her hurt and he hated it. He had played with her heart and then given it to her. He had left for years and then rely to become this- a man with nothing to give his lover but pain.

A very irrational thought came to his head. As irrational as it was he knew it was right. As irrational as it was, it was the only way out.  He kicked over the bench in frustration.

Fumbling for his phone called the one person who could tell him what to do. The one person who could stop him from being an idiot. Shaking he dialed the number a third time. And a fourth. And a fifth.

Nothing.

Throwing the phone against the bed he grabbed a pen, and a sheet of paper. The clay on his hands marred it’s white surface with ugly streaks of brown. With a deep breath he touched the tip to the first line ignoring the mess.

GaEul,

Mianhe. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I can’t be the man you need me to be right now. All I seem to be able to give you is pain. Perhaps we weren’t soul-mates after all. Maybe we just wanted something that should have ended years ago. You need to find the right guy for you and be happy with him. I’m sorry it wasn’t me. I can’t keep hurting you. Don’t wait for me to be well anymore. Mianhe.

After he had managed to scrawl her name the rest had simply poured forth. He didn’t think, just wrote what was in his head. He didn’t want to read it, he knew it was harsh and could shred her heart but how would that be any worse than what he was already doing?Closing his eyes he let a tear slide down his nose and watched it blossom across the page. What he was about to do he didn’t want to, but he knew it was for the best.

He called WooBin one last time, half-hoping to be talked out of it.

There was no answer.

Sighing he picked up the note with shaking hands.

GaEul, forgive me…

***

Forgive me readers for writing another depressing chapter.
I promise there is SoEul interaction coming back soon, but for now I'm sure there are plenty of comments after this one... (Ducks behind laptop to avoid all the shrieks and pleading).
But really, I want to hear everyone's thoughts... the rest of the plot is by no means set in stone. I know where it is going but I can still be influenced  *smirk*

Also, just for fun...
What's your favorite chapter or moment so far. If there's one that  stands out I'll go back and re-read to see what worked well in terms of style, etc.