Disclaimer: I don't own Boys Over Flowers or Hana Yori Dango.

AN: Again, Happy B-day Goo Jun Pyo/Domyoji Tsukasa/Dao Ming Si! :) This fic is based upon the Jae Kyung (Shigeru) arc and is set after the end of the K-drama. As always, hope you enjoy reading this. :D

Names: Jae Kyung/Shigeru, Jun Pyo/Tsukasa, Jan Di/Tsukushi, Lee Jung/Sojiro , Woo Bin/Akira, Ji Hoo/Rui, Ga Eul/Yuki, Seo Hyun/Shizuka

Borrowed Happiness
A Boys Over Flowers Vignette
By Maho-chan


It was challenging to have returned to Korea after a year in the United States, Jae Kyung reflected. But the homecoming was also a relief, albeit the bad memories that plagued her.

She had told herself time and time again that she shouldn't be so concerned with the past.

But despite her efforts, in the back of her mind, she would often feel the same shame and embarrassment about events that had happened the year before. And again, today she had felt that same feeling of discomfort, an urge to turn away and hurry back to the United States so that she could avoid a certain curly haired ex fiancé and a certain kind and beloved friend.

She had tried all her usual methods of feeling better, shopping, playing with her dogs, and practicing martial arts. But her attempts hadn't worked.

Jae Kyung contemplated the invitation that now sat in her lap. She had one more night in Korea before heading back to the United States. The trip had been uneventful, except for the memories and successfully eluding seeing the people she had done her best to avoid.

But on the last night of this visit, the stylish invitation that she had received now presented her with a choice. She could go to the party at Lee Jung's house or she could spend a quiet night in her family's mansion alone.

Her fingers traced the handwritten message.

"Monkey, stop by the party if you have time tonight. It's been a while and I'm sure everyone will be glad to see you." Lee Jung had written.

Jae Kyung frowned.

Everyone.

Woo Bin, Lee Jung, Ji Hoo.

And of course…

Jun Pyo and Jan Di.

Jae Kyung inwardly cringed. Try as she might, she couldn't erase the feelings that she felt whenever she remembered the times that she had spent with them. Especially painful were memories of the times when she had acted desperate and almost ruined Jan Di and Jun Pyo's lives.

Jae Kyung sighed.

Closing her eyes, she remembered how the wedding march had played and how Jun Pyo had looked as he had approached her in the chapel, the expression of sorrow on his face that would have followed them their whole lives had they been joined together.

She had been so tempted to keep him, so tempted to disregard what was right. But deep down inside, she had always known that he was meant for someone else.

In retrospect she had known from the beginning, from that first moment with him in the shoe store in Macau. On quiet nights she had often thought about why she had acted the way she had.

Her reasons had surely been part loneliness and part determination. She had wanted so badly to love someone. And be loved in return. And true to her nature, she had believed she could make it so.

Jan Di's stricken expression appeared in her mind and Jae Kyung flinched. She would never forget the look on her friend's face during all those times.

One of the worst times had been when she had tried on the wedding dress. And the time she had implied that Jun Pyo had spent the night.

Jae Kyung's shoulders drooped. Would she ever be free of the guilt she felt for having hurt her friend and the man she had loved?

After all the time that had passed, Jae Kyung had realized that you couldn't take happiness from other people and make it your own. Borrowed happiness quickly became suffering. For everyone involved.

She bit her lip and set the invitation on the table. Sitting back in her chair, she stared at it for a long time.

Her curiosity had finally gotten the better of her misgivings.

But at least the party was crowded, Jae Kyung noted with feeling of relief. She hid behind a pillar and tried to blend into the background so that no one she knew would notice her. A well dressed boy tried to speak to her but she absently waved him away. Far ahead, she noticed see Ji Hoo standing near a group of people.

Jae Kyung scurried up a nearby staircase and hid behind a corner.

If Ji Hoo was there, then they were surely nearby.

Peering out from behind the wall, Jae Kyung scanned the crowd. Woo Bin was standing near the windows and was kissing an older woman on the cheek. Lee Jung was introducing Ga Eul to the DJ. There was a group of three familiar girls glaring at everyone and whispering from behind their hands. A few other heirs and heiresses that Jae Kyung knew were dancing on the dance floor.

But none of them was tall and curly haired.

Jae Kyung leaned out even further. A tall, beautiful woman approached Ji Hoo and took his hand. Jae Kyung remembered a magazine article she had read recently.

Seo Hyun.

That was the woman's name. As the two laughed softly together, suddenly there was a loud crash.

Jae Kyung approached the banister and looked down.

"Oh no." Jan Di moaned.

Jan Di lay on the floor in disarray. Beside her was large overturned platter of appetizers. The metal surface gleamed in the light, drawing attention to the appetizers strewn all around Jan Di and over her pretty evening gown. She awkwardly sat up, and unintentionally her skirt parted a bit too much.

"AISH!" Jun Pyo cried as he rushed forward and covered her bare legs with his tuxedo jacket. "What happened to you?"

Jan Di looked up at him.

"I fell. I think these heels might be too high." She replied regretfully.

Jun Pyo tugged her foot out from under his jacket and said exasperatedly. "Why are you wearing these shoes?"

"Ow, I…they are so pretty." Jan Di said sheepishly.

She winced.

Jun Pyo hovered over her, looking concerned.

"Now what's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"No it isn't! What is it?"

"I'm fine!" Jan Di reassured him.

"No you aren't." Jun Pyo frowned and began rummaging under the jacket that covered Jan Di's legs. As his fingers grazed her thigh, Jan Di blushed.

"Hey…WAIT!" She wailed, blushing deeply.

Jun Pyo paid no attention to her as he continued to feel her leg. Jan Di sat up further. She hit his shoulder, her face a cherry red.

"Goo Jun Pyo, what the hell are you doing?" she hissed.

Jun Pyo pressed on her thigh and then her knee. As he found the spot where the plate had hit her, Jan Di winced again.

Jun Pyo glowered at her. "You're hurt!"

"No I'm not." Jan Di grumbled.

"Yes you are!" Jun Pyo ducked his head and tried to look under his jacket at her leg. Jan Di's eyes widened. As he bent his head, Jan Di pounded on his shoulders with her fists.

"I'm fine! Don't look! Goo Jun Pyo! Idiot, everyone is watching!"

Jan Di continued to shrilly protest as Jun Pyo ignored her. Lee Jung sauntered up with an amused smile on his face. Leaning over the frustrated couple, he said calmly. "Are you alright?"

"Yes!" Jan Di insisted.

"No!" Jun Pyo said.

"She's hurt!" Jun Pyo continued.

"I'm alright! This guy is an idiot." Jan Di complained.

They turned to each other and stuck their tongues out.

Lee Jung laughed.

As Jan Di frowned at Lee Jung, Jun Pyo took advantage of the moment. Plucking Jan Di from the floor, he straightened her skirts before picking her up in his arms.

"Now what are you doing?" Jan Di cried.

Jun Pyo paid her no heed as he said. "Lee Jung, we are leaving. Jan Di has hurt her leg."

Lee Jung nodded.

Jan Di gripped Jun Pyo's collar.

"We don't need to leave yet, I'm fine!" She fidgeted in his arms as she glared at him

As she opened her mouth to object again, Jun Pyo silenced her with a firm kiss.

Jan Di's eyes closed instinctively. As he broke away, Jun Pyo smiled affectionately at Jan Di's flushed face.

And Jae Kyung, who was still watching, felt a little of her inner guilt subside.

He's happy.

And as Jan Di opened her eyes, even though she glowered at Jun Pyo, there was the hint of a smile on her lips and in her eyes.

They both are.

It was apparent in their words and their actions, in the way Jun Pyo carefully held Jan Di and how she leaned against him despite her earlier protests. It was in the way their friends grinned at them and the crowd watched in awe.

A perfect match.

As they left the room, Jae Kyung couldn't tear her gaze from them. She had never seen either of them like this. Was that really Jun Pyo, grinning from ear to ear? And had Jan Di always smiled like that, a quiet smile that came from deep inside? They weren't anything like the couple she remembered, who had been all frowns and secrets and quiet desperation.

Jae Kyung stepped back from the banister.

Their happiness was written on their faces and followed them everywhere they went. Even after Jun Pyo had carried Jan Di away, down to his car and into the night, a feeling of joy remained behind.

Jae Kyung clasped a hand over her heart, feeling better than she had felt in months.

Perhaps she could finally let go of her regrets.

Jae Kyung smiled to herself.

Goodbye Goo Jun Pyo and Geum Jan Di.

She thought.

I love you both.

As she turned to go down the stairs and leave as well, she thought.

One day, I'll find my own love, one that wasn't borrowed or stolen.

And I'll have a happiness that is all my own.

With a lighter step, Jae Kyung left the party, ready to leave her guilt and sadness behind.

-Maho-chan (1/31/2010)