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Disclaimer & Rights
I don't own Boys Before Flowers, Boys Over Flowers, Hana Yori Dango or Meteor Garden. I am not even associated with the mangaka, actors, editor, director, publisher, producer or any immediate or far off people related to the movies, anime and/or the original Manga. All canon characters are borrowed from the original creators and portrayal of actors of each role. The original characters and storyline, however, is mine and I'd appreciate it if it would not be duplicated, plagiarized, re-translated without my consent anywhere on and off the web or any printed copy – yes that includes your school newspaper. The story is purely fictional and has nothing to do with anyone dead or alive – none that I know of at least.
A little story for the season, hopefully to make someone smile and not cry. A story of two lovers and their eventful and every boring set of friends, jumpers, arm-warmers and of course, kisses along the way.
It had been over half a year since he had returned, and transitioning back into his life in Seoul had been quiet a trying one. He had to adapt to a number of change, most importantly, taking over the family business. Four years, after all, is a long time. He can't have very well expected people to stay exactly the same, even when they are friends. Everyone had grown up, even Jun Pyo. Though, it wasn't hard to see him converting back to his old self whenever he is around Jan Di. The pair was as childish as a couple of five year olds nitpicking on each other. First it was the 'you should marry me because no one else would', now, it's 'listen to me or you can forget about marriage, mister.' The back and forth banter between the couple had been immensely entertaining, but had been a source of frustration as well.
Lately, as the year was coming to a close, the argument had gotten worse due to the fact neither could agree on a wedding date (Jun Pyo wanted to hold a wedding as soon as possible, Jan Di wanted to wait until she graduated from medical school) which pretty much got on everyone's nerve, especially Yi Jeong's because every time Jan Di and Jun Pyo got into one of their long disagreement, the woman would hog all of the love of his life; Ga Eul's time.
"Sorry Sunbae, but Jan Di needs me," Ga Eul had told him with an apologetic half-smile.
How does she expect him not to at least pretend that he understood when she was pulling one of those look? He relented; of course he would, even if it had been on their hundred day anniversary. A hundred days! He should have made a big deal out of it. He, So Yi Jeong, was with a girl for more than one night. He was in a real relationship. The first one and he were serious about it. He was having a hard time believing he was capable of a monogamous relationship at first, but, turns out, he was a natural at it. He actually enjoyed not having to juggle more than he thought he would. But, maybe because it was the right person, maybe it was Ga Eul.
"It's okay," It was all he said as he dropped her off in front of Jan Di's house.
He tried to smile, but he felt stiff. He wanted to throw tantrums over it. But, he couldn't. So, he watched her open the door and step out the vehicle. Not even a kiss! Still, she did turn back to wave at him. He sighed.Guess that would do for now, he thought as he drove away. He can do it, be the understanding boyfriend. He wasn't going to turn into an ape of a boyfriend like his friend. No, he was So Yi Jeong. He could handle it. Until…
xxxxx
"YOU GUYS ARE WHAT?!" He bellowed; his voice rang through the F4 lounge where the four would still hang out when they could get together. It wasn't actually the same place it had been previously – a club. Ji Hoo had taken the liberty to move it to a high end restaurant a couple of years back in view of his friends' future relationships. Woo Bin was not pleased, but he knew he would be out-voted anyway. Still, the place was decorated well for their use.
"We're coming with you and Ga Eul on your vacation," Ji Hoo replied indifferently. He was reading a medical journal and had not bothered to look up to Yi Jeong as his friend was losing his temper.
"Hell no!" Yi Jeong shouted. "Why the hell are you lot coming with us in the first place?" He added, fumed that his planned Christmas vacation with Ga Eul will soon be invaded. He was really looking forward to spending their holidays together. Between work and Jan Di's nervous breakdowns and fights with Jun Pyo, Yi Jeong had hardly spent any time with his own girlfriend. He wasn't too pleased with the idea.
"Jan Di said she couldn't trust you to go off with Ga Eul," Woo Bin said pointedly.
Of course, thank you, Captain Obvious! Yi Jeong groaned inwardly.
"Why the hell not, she's my girlfriend, even her parents are alright with it," Yi Jeong argued, though he sounded more like a whiny boy at the moment.
He wasn't lying though, he thought it would be hard to convince Ga Eul's parents, but they had practically jumped at the idea. Parents are definitely difficult to understand. Yi Jeong wasn't going to stay to decipher the complicated depths of minds of Mr and Mrs Chu when they just allowed him to take their daughter away.
"Well, you, Ga Eul, alone," Woo Bin try to formulate his sentence well for fear of Yi Jeong tearing him apart seeing that Yi Jeong was really at the verge of committing homicide from the way he looked.
"Jan Di's afraid you'll pounce on Ga Eul the moment you two are alone," Ji Hoo blurted out unperturbed by the idea.
Yi Jeong's eyes widened, almost popping out of their sockets. "What?!" He let out strangled sound. He was speechless. He looked at his friend one by one; Woo Bin, Ji Hoo, and Jun Pyo who seemed to want to stay out of the conversation as much as possible. Yi Jeong wondered what Jan Di had threatened the man with this time – perhaps a meat cleaver?
"That!" Words were failing Yi Jeong. Since when had his sex life been anyone's business but his? Not that he was doing anything that Jan Di was thinking in the first place. He'd like to think he had been on a good side and had given Ga Eul enough space. Besides, shouldn't Jan Di know her friend well enough to know the extent she would go? It wasn't as if they had been kissing in front of their friends either, Ga Eul was still cautious about public display of affection which in turn frustrates Yi Jeong.
"Just go with it or Jan Di will come up with a way to get Ga Eul to not go and we're all going to be miserable," Jun Pyo said. Sadly, he was making some sense.
In the end, Yi Jeong could only huff, "fine!"
xxxxx
It wasn't so bad. In consideration of Yi Jeong's mood, Woo Bin had basically gone out of his way to invite another crazy to the party; Ha Jae Kyung. How? Yi Jeong was not going to even ask. The idea of Woo Bin being in contact with the monkey had been a little disturbing; especially when he recalled the horror she had put the two of them through. In fact, he was surprised to know Woo Bin was actually on speaking terms with Jae Kyung. However, the fact didn't seem to phase Ji Hoo at all and Jun Pyo was too busy arguing with Jan Di (again) to notice.
Jae Kyung's appearance had been good and bad at the same time. Good since she could distract Jan Di long enough to forget about Ga Eul, leaving Yi Jeong some time to spend with his own girlfriend which he could appreciate and had not forgotten to thank Jae Kyung for. Bad because there are random moments where Jae Kyung crossed path with Woo Bin, the two would soon indulge on a drinking game which left them incapacitated and forced to rely on their friends. Worse, Jan Di was not pleased and she had made sure everyone knew that.
"Yah!" Jan Di's voice rang through the hotel.
It was good that even though it was Christmas Eve, they were the only ones there. It pays to be the F4 after all, they could get things to work in their favour and for once, Yi Jeong was extremely thankful that he had remembered to rent the whole hotel and set up a perimeter so that no reporters would be able to break through to get another photo of the group without consent. Jan Di's expression was like – if looks could kill, the two would have been a very cold corpse right about now.
Woo Bin and Jae Kyung who had the worse hang over of their life, was not pleased. Both groaned in harmony, covering their ears in the process.
"Could you not speak so loud?" Jae Kyung complained.
She and Woo Bin were sitting a little too comfortable leaning into each other, not that anyone cared to point out. Jun Pyo was conveniently absent to take a business call while Ji Hoo was reading yet another medical journal.
"Unnie, I told you not to drink too much, didn't I?" Jan Di retorted, Jae Kyung groaned as she cuddled closer to Woo Bin.
"Aish… Are you going to be sober for tonight's gifts exchange?" Jan Di inquired. She had gone the extra mile to set up the evening for the group. Not to say Yi Jeong was not being appreciative, but he would rather spend his Christmas Eve alone with Ga Eul exchanging gifts instead of surrounded by an energizer bunny, a perverted mafia, a couple of five year olds, and a fourth dimensional guy who seemed to not have been all too bothered to be the odd wheel out.
"That's tonight?" Jae Kyung asked absentmindedly. Yi Jeong had to fake a cough to cover his chuckle; Jae Kyung was definitely having an extremely bad hangover.
"Unnie!" Jan Di bellowed. She was clearly irritated. Her face was red, no doubt trying to hold it all in and be a little reasonable.
At his side, Yi Jeong could feel Ga Eul was shaking with soundless laughter, burying her face into his shoulder. At least that was comforting to know that Ga Eul found the situation as amusing as he did.
"We'll be there, don't worry," Jae Kyung flailed her hand around trying to shoo Jan Di away.
xxxxx
Yi Jeong stared at the mirror, contemplating on whether or not he could get away with it. She was definitely his weakness. The things Chu Ga Eul could make him do and she was getting better at utilizing that ability as well. Yi Jeong cringed at the memory.
"Oh, come on Sunbae, for me?" Ga Eul smiled the kind of smile that was reserved only for him. The kind of which could make him do just about anything. Of course, she had her way.
"Yo, Yi Jeong, are you ever going to come out?" Woo Bin's voice boomed through the door.
Yi Jeong flinched, turning away from the mirror, walking towards the door only to yank it open, revealing Woo Bin. The man was not without witty comments, but he stopped dead the moment he saw what Yi Jeong was wearing. "What…?" His eyes widened as his head swirls trying to process the information.
And then…
Woo Bin burst into a fit of laughter. Holding his stomach and grabbing onto the door for support.
"That…" Woo Bin began but stopped as another fit of laughter filled the air.
"Shut up!" Yi Jeong groaned, pushing Woo Bin aside as he stepped out the room, the door closed behind him.
Jun Pyo's expression was pure awe mixed with shock; Jan Di's looked as if she was lost while Jae Kyung looked as if she was torn between wanting to laugh or feeling sorry for him or admiring him. Ji Hoo, as per his usual self – was indifferent. The only person who looked pleased was Ga Eul who was by his side as soon as he entered the room. She was beaming with joy.
"Matching jumpers, Yi Jeong?" Ji Hoo asked the obvious question that no one else would.
Yi Jeong could only shrug.
"I thought it looked cute on him, didn't it, Ji Hoo-sunbae?" Ga Eul chirped happily.
All their friends started to exchange looks. Those who had known Yi Jeong all their lives were trying to digest the new look. Never in their life had they ever seen Yi Jeong wearing a couple's jumper. That was new, definitely new. Plus, there was a red-nose reindeer on the front of the shirt, glaring.
None of them spoke a word about it further. Jan Di was quick on her feet. "Dinner, we need dinner before we open up the presents!"
Dinner was quicker than Yi Jeong thought it would be. Soon, they were sitting in front of the fireplace, present exchange had commenced. A lot of 'Awwwws' and 'Thank yous' filled the air as one present after another is ripped open.
"You may kiss the bride!" Jae Kyung's voice boomed. Both Yi Jeong and Ga Eul turned to find Jae Kyung was hovering over them. Somehow, in the middle of the gift exchange, the monkey heiress had found her way over the couple.
"What?" Yi Jeong asked, confused and then his eyes caught it; the sights of the dangling object over his head and Ga Eul's. He jumped aside slightly.
"Aww… You're no fun," Jae Kyung whined.
But Ga Eul was quicker, a soft chaste kiss landed on Yi Jeong's cheek.
"It is mistletoe," She mumbled shyly when Yi Jeong stared at her, surprised.
Yi Jeong could only clear his throat. "Right," He turned to rip open another present. He needed the distraction, definitely seeing that all he wanted to do right about then was… "Arm-warmers?" Yi Jeong asked as he pulled out the gift.
"Oh, I thought you might need it, it's getting too cold," It was Ga Eul who spoke.
Yi Jeong managed a smile. Of course, he should have guessed. No one else would have given him such a gift. Memory of the first arm-warmer she had given him came flooding. She never knew how the gift became one of his treasured possessions. He even brought it to Sweden with him. It reminded him of her.
Right then, before Yi Jeong knew it, he was leaning towards Ga Eul claiming her lips carefully.
xxxxx
"Oh look!" Ga Eul yelped, pointing at the hanging decorations – Jan Di, no doubt with the help of Jae Kyung had gone all out with the decorations. Yi Jeong and Ga Eul were walking around along the corridors of the hotel. They were officially kicked out of the room for a very public display of affection. Woo Bin and Jae Kyung practically (and jokingly) told them to get a room. Yi Jeong was initially annoyed, but, having some quiet time alone with Ga Eul was actually good for him. Everything seemed to amaze her. That was it, the thing that made Ga Eul different. She was honest, she was sincere. She was… Ga Eul.
Mistletoes.
Yi Jeong could only smile when he noticed one of the hanging decorations that hung directly over Ga Eul's head. He thought privately how he would have to thank his friends later for hanging the decorations everywhere. He turned, looking at Ga Eul who caught his eyes dancing mischievously, before Ga Eul could utter another word, and Yi Jeong swooped down, claiming her lips. Ga Eul was taken aback at first, but quickly responded to the kiss. Behind them, their friends who had finally made their re-appearance had started to cheer. But neither of the two was paying attention.
"I think I am starting to like mistletoes more," Ga Eul murmured slowly as she pulled away so that only Yi Jeong could hear her.
A triumphant smile sneaked on his face. "I bet you do," He teased easily.
Her face burned with embarrassment as she tried to escape his embrace. But Yi Jeong was quicker, stealing yet another kiss from Ga Eul in front of their friends who had started cheering and wolf-whistling yet again.