Undeniable
Four years is a long time to wait for someone. Four and a half years is even longer. Eventually your heart yearns to move on, just as much as it yearns to hold on.
Chapter One
The buzz of conversation was the first thing that Ga Eul noticed when she stepped into the decorated hall. Standing at the threshold, she gazed across the crowded room.
The large hall had been tastefully decorated in deep reds and golds. Hundreds of crystal chandeliers glittered from among bouquets of red tiger lilies and tulips with white Madagascar jasmine breaking the red*. Hundreds of people, all dressed in the latest designer creations meandered around the room, no doubt seeking advantageous business deals just as they sought out their seats.
If she had to give Jun Pyo's mother credit for one thing, it would be for throwing such a stunning reception for Jun Pyo and Jan Di's wedding. Of course, it had to match the breaktaking wedding ceremony that had been held earlier that morning, especially since nearly every influential businessman in all of East Asia and some parts of the US and Europe had been invited.
"I've handed our coats in." Seon Woong said as he came up next to her, his hand lightly brushing her elbow. Ga Eul had to repress a shudder that his touch sent through her. While Seon Woong was an attractive man, he seemed overly fixated on touching her elbows which was beginning to creep her out. "Do you have any idea where we are supposed to sit?" He asked.
"At the main table, with the rest of the bridesmaids and best men." Ga Eul replied, slipping her arm into the crook of his proffered arm.
Seon Woong chuckled nervously. "I still can't believe that you have such high rolling friends. The bride must have saved the Emperor's life in a past life to have ended up married to the heir of Shinwa Corp."
"Or it could just have been love." Ga Eul said, smiling faintly as they moved through the throng of people waiting for the bride and groom to appear.
Unsurprisingly, her stomach knotted with nervous tension as they headed towards their seats. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced up at Seon Woong, trying to determine if he had noticed her nervousness. Although his dark hair, shadowed his eyes ever so slightly, it was clear that he was more curious about his surroundings than her anxiety.
Her eyes darted ahead to the main table which they were heading towards. The head table had only just begun to fill, as guests continued to arrive. She recognised one of the other bridesmaids, a young woman, Jan Di had befriended during her university years.
The F4, she noted, was conspicuously absent.
Before she knew it, they were at the main table and Seon Woong was pulling out a chair for her. With a smile of thanks, Ga Eul sat down.
"Have you seen the silverware on the table?" Seon Woong whispered in her ear as he pushed in her chair. "They must have paid a small fortune for this." He laughed nervously, as though suddenly remembering just who they were.
Ga Eul had to force herself not to roll her eyes at his awe. Instead she concentrated on remembering that the Gu's wealth could be and was often intimidating to people who had not been exposed to it. She was sure that there had been times when she had gawked awkwardly when she had joined the F4 on their excursions.
"I missed you during the ceremony," Seon Woong announced suddenly, picking up that her attention was elsewhere. "When I saw you come down the aisle before Jan Di ssi, I just wanted to reach out and hold you." He reached for her hand, under the table. "You looked very pretty."
She blushed brightly and looked down at their joined hands. When she had walked down the aisle she had completely forgotten about Seon Woong. Her thoughts had focused almost entirely on the young man that had stood next to the groom.
Ga Eul was spared having to reply, when Woo Bin appeared at the table, grinning brightly.
"Ga Eul ssi." He said, bounding towards her.
Grinning broadly in response to his excitement, Ga Eul pushed back and stood up, just in time to receive a hug from Woo Bin. She blinked, surprised by the hug.
Taking in her expression, Woo Bin smiled and said, "I had to steal a hug while I still had the chance." Stepping back, he gave her a quick once over. "I don't know if anyone has told you this today, but you look absolutely ravishing in that dress."
Ga Eul was convinced that her face was as red as her dress at this point. "Thank you." She murmured, coyly covering her cheek with her hand.
"Have you seen Yi Jeong?" Woo Bin asked meaningfully.
She nodded. "Only at the wedding."
"And he didn't have anything to say to you?" Woo Bin asked, his brows rising.
Ga Eul shook her head quickly. "We didn't get a chance to speak. I had to sort out a few things for Jan Di after the wedding. Besides he was busy reuniting with you and Ji Hoo sunbae."
She was surprised she had been able to get that lie out as easily as she had. She had seen the meaningful glance that he had sent her way, and she had all but fled at the first opportunity, using Jan Di's trousseau as an excuse.
Sensing a momentary lapse in the conversation, Seon Woong cleared his throat loudly, drawing Woo Bin's attention.
"Oh, Woo Bin sunbae, this is my date Kim Seon Woong. Seon Woong, this is one of my friends, Song Woo Bin."
The two men eyed each other momentarily before suddenly realising how rude they were being and bowed hastily. Seon Woong's bow was slightly lower than Woo Bin's and Ga Eul didn't miss the smug look of satisfaction that flitted across Woo Bin's face when he realised this.
"Song Woo Bin of Song Construction?" Seon Woong clarified as he straightened.
"One and the same."
"Oh." He blurted out, clearly out of his element.
Woo Bin shrugged, clearly unconcerned that his family's wealth had just been connected to his name. "So how did you our lovely Ga Eul?" Woo Bin asked.
Seon Woong straightened his shoulders, clearly aware of the possessive 'our'that Woo Bin had used. "My younger sister works at the same school as Ga Eul ssi, and I ended up giving her a lift home on a rainy day when I went to go pick up my sister."
Woo Bin nodded slowly before turning to Ga Eul. "Is he treating you right? 'Cause if he is not..." he flexed his fingers and clicked his neck, "I don't mind stepping in."
"No! I mean, you don't..." His grin was too feral by half. Taking a deep breath she forced herself to smile, hoping that Seon Woong wouldn't make another connection to Woo Bin's background. "Thank you for the offer Sunbae, but he had been the perfect gentleman and you don't need to step in."
Woo Bin's smile faded and a serious glint entered his eye. "What are you going to do about -"
She cut him off, knowing that he was about to ask about Yi Jeong. "I'll cross that bridge when we get it it. He is six months too late to have a say." Ga Eul blinked at the bitterness she heard in her voice. His reappearance must have been more disquieting than she had thought.
Woo Bin pulled a face. "That bridge may be closer than you think."
"It's been awhile, Ga Eul yang."
The voice was hauntingly familiar to Ga Eul's ears. It was as though she had heard it only yesterday instead of years ago. Almost immediately, her heartbeat quickened and it was an effort to breath deeply, despite knowing, all day, that this moment was inevitable.
Ga Eul had very nearly stumbled when she had seen him standing next to Jun Pyo at the wedding. Jan Di had mentioned that he had been asked to be one of Jun Pyo's best men - the entire F4 had been in fact - but since he had been in Sweden and showing no indication that he was going to be returning as per his promise, Ga Eul had written him off. There had been no one there who was more surprised at his presence than she.
The anxiety and guilt that had been gnawing at her all day, made a reappearance. So when she turned around to greet him, her voice was cold with suppressed emotions.
"Welcome back Yi Jeong."
If Yi Jeong noticed the coldness in her voice, he gave no indication of it when he replied. "Thank you. It's good to be home." His eyes swept over her before studying the man next to her, taking in the possessive hand that rested on her waist. "It would appear that I have missed a few things."
He stared at Seon Woong, clearly waiting for an introduction.
When Ga Eul hesitated, Woo Bin said, "This is Kim Seon Woong. He is Ga Eul's date. Seong Woong this is So Yi Jeong, my best friend. He's been studying in Sweden for the last four years."
"Four and a half years actually." Ga Eul muttered softly as they bowed to each other. Yi Jeong shot her a look mid bow. Clearly she hadn't been quiet enough in her correction. She shifted awkwardly. She hadn't meant for him to know just how foolishly she had counted down the months until his return.
"Wow, Sweden." Seon Woong stated straightening and placing a hand on Ga Eul's lower back. "That must have been something. It must be good to be back in Korea though. How long have you been back for?"
"I got back last yesterday afternoon." Yi Jeong answered, staring meaningfully at Ga Eul. "Just in time for the wedding."
"I hope Jan Di and Jun Pyo realise just how lucky they are." Ga Eul said.
Yi Jeong frowned. "What's that supposed to mean exactly?"
"That you came for the wedding. We were starting to think that you were never coming back." She said dryly.
"Well you clearly thought wrong. 'Cause I am back and here to stay."
"How nice for you." She bit out.
Yi Jeong stared at her. For a long moment it looked as though he was about to say something to her. Instead he turned to Woo Bin. "I need a drink. You want one?"
Wide eyed at the tension between Yi Jeong and Ga Eul, Woo Bin was quick to reply. "Actually, I think I'll come with you. My tastes have changed while you were gone." He explained as he nodded a good bye to Seon Woong. He paused long enough to whisper in Ga Eul's ear, "Go easy on him. He wanted to come back earlier, but something came up. Just remember we are at a wedding, so no fighting."
Ga Eul flushed in embarrassment and sat down quickly. Jan Di would kill her if she caused a scene at her wedding. She was ashamed at how quickly Yi Jeong had riled her up and if Woo Bin's words were to believed, then she may have gotten upset for nothing.
"Wow, you two must have had a steamy relationship." Seon Woong said, flopping down into the chair next to her.
She glanced over at him, surprised that he had noticed. Generally he wasn't that observant of what happened around him and completely missed subtleties of conversations around him.
"You two really don't seem to get along." He continued. "You must have been relieved when he left."
All Ga Eul could do was smile faintly in relief. He had missed the subtleties as usual.
Yi Jeong placed the empty glass on the bar counter. "I'll have another one of the same." He said to the bar tender. Sighing slightly, he stated out across the full hall , his eyes focused on the main table.
Jan Di and Jun Pyo had arrived a short while ago grinning stupidly, clear in love with being married. By this time, most, if not all of the guests had arrived and seats were quickly filling up. He was pleased to see that Woo Bin had saved him a seat a few seats from Ga Eul.
A frown flashed across his face, before he smoothed it away. Ga Eul was laughing at something someone had said at the table, while her date, he noted, had flung his arm across the back of her chair and was idly playing with a tendril of her hair that hung just in front of her ear. He was pleased to see her bat his hand away in mild annoyance. At least until she turned and grinned at the fool.
Yi Jeong was surprised at how quickly she had moved on. He knew, as she rightly pointed out, that he was six months late, but he had not expected to return home to find her with a boyfriend. It wasn't that she wasn't capable of finding a boyfriend, he had just thought that she would have waited for him. If nothing else, she was loyal as they came.
Unless, he had misjudged her and she hadn't waited for him at all. Four years, he knew was a long time to wait.
He shook his head slightly as he collected his drink, clearing his thoughts. Woo Bin would have told him if Ga Eul had started dating. He made his way towards the main table, studying Ga Eul and her date.
Their relationship, at the very least, must be a new one if the distance and awkwardness he noticed between them was anything to go by. A faint satisfied smirk appeared on his face. Woo Soong, or whatever Ga Eul's date's name was, wasn't that much of a threat to him.
All that he had to do so point out that her date wasn't the soulmate she was looking for.
Then the field would be cleared and he could step in as promised.
*Meanings behind the flowers: Tiger lilies are a symbol of wealth and pride. Red tulips mean perfect love. Madagascar jasmine or Stephanotis means marital happiness.
Author's Note: This story was never meant to happen now. I came up with the plot about a month ago while my students were writing exams and it was supposed to be nothing more than a time waster. Yesterday I sat down to work on Something New and hit a mental block and when I tried a free writing activity to shake out the mental cobwebs, I produced this instead.
I would love to know what you think of this story so please review, even if it's in another language I will find a way to read your review (Thank you multi-lingual friends)
I am anxiously awaiting your responses.