[Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even the main theme of the story... or the idea where I got this story from. Happy, Fanfiction? Happy now? Sincerely, pissed off user.]
It Started With a Kiss
It was the only distraction he could think of. It was the only distraction that actually worked. Yi Jeong spun the wheel and concentrated on forming a pot out of a lump of clay. As he expected, all the thoughts of today melted away as the clay took form. His expert hands guided the clay upwards, carefully forming a shape, slides and curves.
He had a phone call from the doctor that morning.
"Your mother wants to see you."
He remembered the hardened grip on his phone as foul words battled to get out of his mouth. He kept his tongue in control and asked, "She has any specific time in mind?" not minding to be polite.
"This afternoon," the doctor answered, already familiar with Yi Jeong's harsh tones. "If it wouldn't be a bother to you."
"Wouldn't make a difference if it would, would it?" Yi Jeong said and clicked the call off.
He didn't know what to make of it. Sure his mother was progressing but most of the time, his visits to her don't end up nicely. They end most of the time with Yi Jeong freshly wounded, and his mother sedated. It didn't help that Yi Jeong acquired most of his father's features.
He was hopeful, of course, but he was more nervous and anxious than anything. He didn't want to do anything that would worsen her situation. He wanted her cured. That's it. But after too long years, he learned that hope is as dangerous as fire. It can either give you life or burn you alive.
Since he didn't really have anything to do, if you counted school out, he drove all around Seoul with no destination in mind just so he could clear his mind before he faced his mother. He made sure he didn't have any alcoholic beverage in his car then, because if he did, he'd be tempted to drown himself in a bottle and appear drunk in front of his mom which would worsen everything.
Once the clock passed one pm, he drove to the house his mother was staying where she was being treated. It was the same as before. He was greeted by freshly prepared tea and his mother smiling brightly at him. Things seemed to go well at first, they were talking about school and his mother's progress in health, until his mother brought in the topic of Cha Eun Jae, whom his mother was so fond of.
It was a sensitive topic even Yi Jeong didn't want to talk about. He tried his best to steer the conversation from him to the F4.
His mother must have sensed his discomfort to the topic. Suddenly she dropped the tea cup she was holding and started crying without warning. The cup broke into pieces and his mother threw herself to her knees and tried to pick them up with her bare fingers.
Yi Jeong tried stopping her but her hands were already bleeding. She started murmuring about evening secrets and getaways and broken hearts. She began screaming and crying out that "You shouldn't break her heart! You shouldn't!" and that his habits should have to stop.
He tried his best to calm her down and told her in the calmest way possible that Eun Jae was already engaged with his elder brother and that she was of no concern of his anymore. He held her hands carefully but firmly and wiped the blood away with his handkerchief. Then as quick as she started, his mother stopped crying. "Yi Jeong-ah?"
He was still wiping the blood but he looked up to see his mother's curious eyes. Her face was lined with a number of wrinkles, a sign of age, but for some reason, his mother's smile wrinkles beside her eyes were showing.
"Did you meet someone?"
Yi Jeong returned his gaze to his mother's hands which were still bleeding but slower now. He felt a surge of relief and looked back at his mother. "Someone?"
"I-I didn't mean to pry…"
"It's ok," he said.
She looked at his with eyes that were the same as his. Yi Jeong realized that these pair of eyes were the same pair that saw him grow up, even in the distance, these pair of eyes knew more of him than most eyes that have seen him. "You're gentler and more patient. Something happened…" Tears began to pool in her eyes again. "Oh, Yi Jeong-ah. Don't break her heart ok? Please?"
Yi Jeong was close to panicking but he was with worst situations with his mother before. She attempted to jump from the window once so this little drama was nothing. He was still worried though. Where had his mother been getting these ideas? "Mom, what are you talking-"
"Promise me, Yi Jeong. Promise me," she cried, almost begged.
"Ok, ok," he said just to calm her down, although he still had no idea what she was talking about. "I promise."
His mother's lips broke into a smile and she embraced him tightly. She exhaled deeply like she was holding that breath for a lifetime, like she was waiting for this moment her whole life. "Thank goodness," she murmured on his shoulder. "Thank goodness."
Yi Jeong was worried about his mother alright. He'd seen her so broken he almost believed that there was no cure and he loathed his father. He despised his father for what he did to his mother. And yet he followed his footsteps. Yet, he was like his father. He was no different.
He didn't want to break his mother's heart. He wanted her to be happy, even just for a small moment in her life. But he still didn't know what he promised his mother. He was definitely not in a relationship with anyone. All his evening adventures had no strings attached so nothing from there. Eun Jae was already engaged so there was no use promising not to break her heart. Il Hyun should be the one promising that.
You're gentler and more patient…
Was he? He didn't realize. How did he become kinder? What happened?
All of these thoughts he tried to erase as he spun his wheel. It was his best friend. It took the burden with him. As he molded it into the shape he wanted, it's like he's telling his wheel what happened today. He was unloading his burden to this pot and later, when he would finish this, he would look at the pot and know that his master piece carried a special secret with it. His secret.
"Yi Jeong-sunbae?"
Yi Jeong accidentally kicked the table in surprise and made the wheel wobble a bit. Fortunately, he caught the pot on time. The table didn't fall. His kick, he realized, wasn't strong enough to knock anything out of place. He looked up to see a familiar face that he saw more often that he caught on.
"Ga Eul-yang," he called. She was already in the studio, in her famous red coat and her red headband on. He hasn't asked her her favorite color yet but he had a good guess. "What's up?" he asked.
"I knocked but you didn't answer," she pointed towards the door. "But the lights were on and the door wasn't locked so I figured I could go in…"
Yi Jeong nodded. No big deal. Ga Eul could come in even without knocking. It was just respect that kept her from doing so, Yi Jeong supposed. Then Yi Jeong realized, when had Ga Eul and he become this close that he would allow her to come in without knocking?
"Is something wrong?" she asked, still standing. Yi Jeong thought that she could just sit down on the seat in front of him and his wheel whenever she wanted, and then asked himself again, when had he and Ga Eul become this close? "I could go, if you're busy…"
"No," Yi Jeong said too quickly. "Stay, please," he stood up and wiped his hands on his apron. "Sit down. I'll go get some tea."
Ga Eul nodded and sat down right on the seat he was thinking about and he made his way to the kitchen counter. He was looking for some teacups when she called, "Sunbae?"
"Yeah?" he called back.
"You're pot's confused."
He almost dropped the teapot. "What?" he asked, confused himself.
Ga Eul appeared in front of him while he was making tea, and sat down on the seat by the counter. "You put your emotions on the pot," she explained, "and this one's confused. What's up? Something happened?" she asked.
Yi Jeong wondered when he had become so readable. Better yet, when had Ga Eul been able to read him like this? "My mother told me I was gentler," he said, not hesitating a word. "I was just wondering what changed."
Ga Eul grinned knowingly. "Ah, that's good then," she said. "You could use a little gentler."
"You want poison on your tea?" he asked dangerously with a little smile.
She smiled back and shook her head. "No, sir."
Yi Jeong continued making the tea and wondered for the nth time, when had he and Ga Eul become this close? He was sure Woo Bin couldn't read him like that nor could he coax an answer from Yi Jeong that easily. Ga Eul didn't even do any coaxing. She just asked.
"Your eyebrows are wrinkled together again," she pointed out.
"Still handsome, though."
Ga Eul stuck her tongue out to him, her cheeks brightening red. He had to smirk. He still had that charm even though… he paused. Even though he hadn't been seeing any girl lately. He realized he hadn't been having evening adventures for the past weeks. Why?
"Sunbae, seriously, what is up with you today?" Ga Eul asked, this time genuinely worried. Yi Jeong didn't answer and instead poured tea in the teacups. Ga Eul sighed, like dealing with Yi Jeong was what she did on a daily basis, which he realized, was true. "Sunbae, want a kiss?"
Yi Jeong pushed the teapot a little too hard and poured a little too much tea on his teacup, but not too much that it spilled. Thankfully, Ga Eul didn't notice. What did she just ask?
"It'll make you feel better, I promise."
Yi Jeong placed the teapot on the table and placed a teacup in front of Ga Eul and another to him. "A kiss?" he clarified.
"You could have more if you want to," she said.
Was she serious? A kiss? Kisses? Yi Jeong tried hard not to gulp. Why was the thought of kissing Ga Eul… appealing? He looked at Ga Eul's angelic face without even a trace of blush. What was happening?
"I insist, come on," she said and leaned over.
Yi Jeong was too surprised to react. He didn't even know what he was supposed to be thinking about right now? Or was he supposed to think at all? What the heck?! This is not your first kiss, So Yi Jeong! he thought desperately.
"Palm up," Ga Eul demanded.
"What?" Yi Jeong asked, more confused that ever.
"Do you want a kiss or not?"
Yi Jeong obeyed and handed her his right hand palm up. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be expecting but he was sure it was not a tiny volcano shaped silver wrapped sweet. "You're kidding me, right?" he asked as he stared at that single chocolate on the center on his palm.
"You could just ask nicely if you want more," she said and placed two more Hersheys' Kisses on his opened palm.
From her pocket, that's why she leaned over a while ago because she had to scoop them up from her pocket, she took out another one, unwrapped it and popped it inside her mouth. "Come on, sunbae. Everyone loves Kisses," she said as chewed.
He rolled his eyes and watched her unwrap another one. Before she could place this one near her mouth, he caught her forearm. "Sunbae?" she asked questioningly.
He leaned over the counter and met her lips with his. Her mouth tasted sweet, like the famous Kisses. He laughed inside his head. It was the first time he tasted lips this sweet. It will probably the last one, too, because he was sure he didn't want anyone else to taste her lips but him. It was a sort of possessiveness he had never encountered before and realized he knew all the answers to the questions he had a while ago.
The Question: Since when was he in love with Chu Ga Eul?
The answer: It didn't matter.
When he pulled back, he met with Chu Ga Eul's surprised eyes. He smirked and said, "You shouldn't be surprised. You gave me three Kisses. You should know what that means."
Ga Eul laughed, a little flushed. "Well…"
He unwrapped the first chocolate and popped it inside his mouth. It was sweet. But it was not as sweet as Ga Eul's lips, which was ironic if you think about it. Yi Jeong chuckled inside his head. Maybe, there was just something about those lips. He leaned forward again, only to be stopped by Ga Eul's finger on his mouth.
"Finish that one first," she said and reached over the counter to take one of the Kisses he placed there.
"Hey! You can't take Kisses back!" he said, laughing a little, and tried to take back the kisses Ga Eul took from him. "Besides, I love you, too, so that Kiss is mine already."
Ga Eul stopped struggling with him and let him get the piece of chocolate, glowing brighter red by the second.
He looked at her, a bit concerned and asked, "Ga Eul-yang?"
"Hmm?" she asked, and tried her best to meet his eyes which were playful at the moment.
"Want a kiss? It will make you feel better."
Ga Eul pouted and looked at the single Kiss on his hand. "But that Kiss was mine," she said.
He nodded, and said, "And it will forever be," and leaned over again. This time Ga Eul didn't stop him, and instead slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. His own caressed her cheek. When both pulled back just a moment later, not long enough for them to grope for air, Yi Jeong leaned her forehead on hers and whispered, "I love you."
She closed her eyes and smiled. "I love you, too." And then opened them and laughed, "Finally."
Yi Jeong smiled and thought, I will never break her heart, Mom, I promise.
.
.
.
(A/N: Happy Mother's Day!
The story given to me in the form of an idea by my best friend TheTrueAwesomeness which she said she got from another fanfiction from SasuSaku. I know, this means this is not an original story, and I apologize for not crediting the original writer, but due to recent events I really don't care. Well, if you're actually following my best friend I mentioned above, one of her stories got deleted because of "violating" FF rules. I've read the story and the rules myself, and I could say that SHE DID NOT. Can I also point out that it is written in the rules that there should be no explicit sex content in any story posted in this site... but we all know a lot have deviated from that rule. I just can't believe her story got deleted. Anyway, enough rants for now. That's it for me. Reset updates will be soon... I hope.)