Hey Guys! Sorry for the late update, my work schedule got in the way. I am so glad you are enjoying Hotel Lock In! Here is chapter two and I believe it will wrap up with chapter 3 but we will see. Let me know what you all think as always!

The awkward silence was almost stifling Yi Jeong reflected as Ga Eul huddled in the corner, trying not to meet his gaze. She was anxiously wringing her fingers and kept checking the watch on her wrist. He cleared his throat, "Are you okay?"

"I left my other job to come here and I promised I would be back in twenty minutes. They are probably going to fire me," Ga Eul whispered fearfully.

"And that would be a bad thing?" Yi Jeong questioned and Ga Eul eyes flared, "It's not funny Yi Jeong."

"Am I laughing?" Yi Jeong replied and Ga Eul shifted her body away from his view, "You wouldn't understand."

"Then explain it to me." At the silence, he shook his head and mumbled something about her being stubborn but she only clenched her arms tighter around her body. Ga Eul was trying not to look at Yi Jeong directly and for some reason, her coldness bothered him even more. Needing to move before he exploded, he pushed himself off the wall and went into the corner of the open bathroom. "Well," Yi Jeong said sarcastically, "I think we can officially say this whole encounter was planned."

"Why?" Ga Eul asked hesitantly and her eyes widened as he pulled out a room service tray with two platters. He held up a note which read Bon Appetite. "That's Woo Bin's handwriting," Yi Jeong told her, "along with P.S. This was all Ji Hoo's idea, so hit him."

"I don't understand," Ga Eul wondered, "This seems like a lot of work for a prank."

Yi Jeong didn't bother to reply but he was pretty sure this was not just a prank. He had a feeling his friends were trying to tell them something but he was too irritated to care what it was. "I am going to spray paint Woo Bin's car."

Ga Eul tried not to feel insulted that he was so upset to be locked into a hotel room with her but still his obvious annoyance did not boost a girl's confidence. "I'm sorry," Ga Eul said quietly, "Ji Hoo has been worried about me working so many jobs. This is probably his way of guaranteeing I at least sleep one full night…. I don't know why he dragged you along though."

Yi Jeong looked at her from the corner of his eye but decided not to comment. She was horribly pale and her hands were shaking from exhaustion. "When is the last time you ate?"

Ga Eul jumped slightly at the harsh tone, "I don't know," she admitted weakly and Yi Jeong had to stop himself from cursing at her. "You are really driving me insane today," He grabbed her arm and dragged her over to the chair, "Eat. Now."

She looked at the tray but she didn't feel very hungry. She wondered if her stomach had shrunk these pasts few weeks. Yi Jeong watched her intensely, "Eat Ga Eul or I will force feed it down your throat."

"So gracious of you," Ga Eul gave him a deep glare. "Stop biting my head off. This isn't my fault."

"Did I say it was?" Yi Jeong demanded, "However, it doesn't change the fact that you are being stupid."

"I am not stupid!"

Yi Jeong leaned over the small table and Ga Eul drew back with a cringe. The anger was coming off him in waves and his eyes were practically black. "I think slowly killing yourself is pretty damn stupid Ga Eul."

"I don't have a choice," she said desperately, "Do you think I like doing this So Yi Jeong? Working all night and all day. Having to give up meals, spare time, and my phone? Dropping out of school- "Ga Eul clapped a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes. "Yah!" Yi Jeong yelled, "you dropped out of school?"

She sat frozen, afraid of making it worse with her answer. "Ga Eul," Yi Jeong growled and she shook her head, "Don't ask me about it. I just," Ga Eul picked up her chopsticks, "want to eat. Okay?"

He pulled back in acceptance but his anger was still visible, "We are not done talking about this though."

Ga Eul focused on her tray and slowly picked at the food in front of her. It was delicious and warm, the most filling thing she had in weeks but she couldn't enjoy it. She had eaten such small portions lately that anything more than three or four bites and she was automatically full.

"You can't possibly be done," Yi Jeong said as she stopped and Ga Eul gave him a grimace, "my stomach can't handle much anymore."

He threw his own chopsticks down with a bang, "Start talking."

"I don't want to."

"Did I ask if you wanted too?" He barked but immediately felt guilty noticing she was holding back tears. "What is going on Ga Eul? I know it's been hard with your dad out of work but why are you pushing yourself to the extreme?"

Ga Eul looked away and Yi Jeong rolled his eyes. "You know what, I give up. Go ahead and starve yourself."

She wiped her cheeks as he ate his food, his movements jerky. Some inner part of her recognized he was frightened for her and she took a deep breath, gathering courage. She had never told anyone about her family except for Jan Di.

"I don't have any other option Sunbae." He glanced up at the low statement and his expression although thunderous encouraged her to continue. "This is the only way to keep my family afloat. Dad can't find another job, no one in Seoul will hire him. I don't want to tell Jan Di since she feels guilty enough but Jun Pyo's mother is still refusing to let other companies have anything to do with him."

"Why didn't you say something earlier," Yi Jeong demanded, "I will talk to Jun Pyo- "

"Did you not hear me say I don't want Jan Di to know?"

"I would rather she feel guilty then you fall over dead," Yi Jeong snapped and Ga Eul blinked at the protective tone in his voice. She met his eyes for the first time, "I am fine Sunbae."

"Like hell." Yi Jeong stormed from the table angrily, "You can barely stand Ga Eul. I noticed the tremors in your hands and you've lost weight. Plus, you love school." Yi Jeong pointed at her, "You have been working like crazy to graduate only to drop out now. So, tell me how are you fine?"

Ga Eul took in his harsh but truthful words and the dam she had been keeping at bay for weeks burst out of her into low painful sobs. Yi Jeong moved closer and at the touch of his hand on her arm, Ga Eul turned into him slightly. "She will kick me out," she stuttered and his body went hard, "Who?

"My mom." She buried her face into her knees, "I can't explain anymore but I-I don't have any other options. It will get better once my dad is able to get work again."

"Ga Eul," Yi Jeong said confused and she shook her head, "My mother is not always an easy woman… at least with me."

Yi Jeong felt a swell of protectiveness rise in him, "What do you mean?"

"Sunbae." Ga Eul tried to stand up but Yi Jeong put his hands on her legs holding her down, "Stop trying to run away."

"That's funny coming from you." Yi Jeong inwardly flinched but decided not to rise to her baiting. "That isn't going to work so quit acting like a brat and answer my question."

Ga Eul bite her lip knowing she was deliberately wanting to start an argument so she could avoid having to tell him all of this. "She doesn't like me," Ga Eul said painfully, "There. Are you satisfied?" Yi Jeong frowned wondering how anyone could dislike a sweet creature like Chu Ga Eul.

"She thinks I stole my father's affection," Ga Eul continued weakly, "My mother never wanted children but my dad insisted. She agreed but has always hated that I was not a boy. For some reason, she see me as competition for my dad's love. Plus, she blames me for their struggle since he had to work more after I came along. My mother likes her…comfort." Ga Eul shrugged, "shopping, weekend trips, days at the salon, that sort of thing. It wasn't so bad when he would give her weekly allowance except if he doted on me too much. She would find a way to punish me for it later."

Seeing the question in his eyes, she rushed on, "Never physically at least not overly. More like making my food portions less or accidentally using my paycheck, stuff like that. Planning a family vacation but somehow finding an excuse to not let me go or telling me I could do something with Jan Di but then at the last-minute changing her mind." Ga Eul looked at him pleadingly, "It was nothing too terrible. My dad tries to keep her happy but since he lost his job, we can barely afford our rent. She refused to work saying she needs to stay home and take care of the house."

Ga Eul sniffed and felt his fingers dig into her leg painfully, "Although that usually ends up being me as well. I couldn't go to school and work three jobs, I had to pick."

"You should have come to me, Ga Eul." Yi Jeong said his voice thick with rage, "I would have taken care of it."

Ga Eul finally pushed past him, "When Yi Jeong? When should I have come to you? When you were drunk and trying to prove the point that I was nothing but a country bumpkin? When you were trying to save Jun Pyo and Jan Di from the witch? Or when you are destroying everything in your path because you found out your brother was about to marry the love of your life?" Ga Eul could feel herself beginning to crack but she forced herself to hold it in, "So forgive me but I don't think I could have come to you. This my problem. My responsibility. Not yours."

Each of her words felt like a slap but he refused to look away. Yi Jeong eyes burned into hers and the intensity between them rose higher and higher until Ga Eul could feel the heat on her cheeks. His eyes traveled over her slowly before he finally broke the moment in a hoarse voice, "I never said Cha Eun Jae was the love of my life."

Ga Eul didn't know how to respond. He said it so simple and straight forward that she had no choice but to believe him. "Then why- "

"My stupidity is not the point." Yi Jeong snarled before she could finish. "Right now we are talking about yours." He stalked over towards her causing Ga Eul to back up in self preservation not noticing she was running out of room until her back hit the wall.

Yi Jeong smirked darkly raising his arms before she could flee. "I don't give a single fuck about your pride or family but as of tomorrow, you are back in school and one job."

Ga Eul glared at him, too incensed to be shocked by his language, "Yah! Who do you think you are?"

"Someone who is not going to argue with you about this," Yi Jeong said, "I mean it, Ga Eul. Your mother can go to hell for all I care."

"My father- "

"Is a big boy who can take care of himself."

He is sick! He will die without me." Ga Eul shouted over him and Yi Jeong's arms fell down shock, "What?"

"My father," She told him, suddenly too exhausted to be angry, "He has a disease and if he doesn't take his medicine daily, he gets sick. It's expensive so I have work. I thought we were doing okay but the bank called yesterday saying we were overdrawn and I couldn't get my father's medicine."

"What is happening to the money?" Yi Jeong paused at the flush on her face with a horrible realization, "You are working yourself to death to keep him alive and your mother uses the money to go the shopping."

Ga Eul let out a shaky cry and buried her face into her hands, "I don't know what to do. My father thinks we are fine and if I tell him… it may-"

"Shhh, Ga Eul," Yi Jeong tried to draw her into his arms but she pulled away keeping a safe distance between them. "I am fine. Please don't worry about me or tell anyone," Ga Eul asked desperately. "You all have enough going on without me adding to it. I can handle this Sunbae, I always do."

Yi Jeong felt like putting his fist through the wall. "I will give you money for whatever you need… Hide it, use it for an apartment, whatever you want."

At the frantic shake of her head, Yi Jeong eyes narrowed but Ga Eul didn't care. "Even if I did, she would find out. It would be even worse because she would go through it all before the sun was even up. Then demand the same amount the next time. You would be poor in a month" Ga Eul explained frantically, "and if I just left, she would take it out on my dad. He is sick Sunbae and I won't leave him. Not until he back on his feet physically. So, please let me handle this my own way. Why do think I never took Jan Di's offer to move in with them?"

"Ga Eul, she couldn't make me poor in twenty years," Yi Jeong almost laughed, "I don't care about the money."

"I do," Ga Eul insisted fiercely, "I have never let my parents know about the F4 because they would take advantage. Especially you! With everything your parents have done, I will be damned if I let her manipulate you too."

Yi Jeong had no words. His blood ran cold and his heart was racing uncomfortably fast. He had never talked to anyone about his family except for his friends and the only reason they knew is that they were all raised together. How Ga Eul managed to figure his mother's twisted mind games against his father was beyond him. The ability for her to read him so well was more than a little alarming, he realized. Yi Jeong had spent his whole life building up his protective walls. No-one was allowed to see his pain but somehow Ga Eul did, she noticed what he had so successfully hidden from others.

However, the most alarming part was the deep warmth spreading through him realizing she was trying to protect him. Yi Jeong coughed trying to get rid of the sudden lump in his throat, "We are not getting anywhere like this. Why don't we try to figure it out more tomorrow?"

She nodded and silence fell over the room. Unsure what to say or do now, Ga Eul discreetly tried to fan herself. She felt hot and sticky from working all day, her hair was hanging in limp strands around her face and her whole body ached.

Yi Jeong felt a pull of sympathy course through at him at her disheveled state. "You should clean up. Maybe take a bath, you will probably feel better afterwards."

Ga Eul looked over at the big tub and even the idea just sitting in such a luxurious bath with hot water soothing her sore muscles was enough to make her cry. "I would but I don't think Woo Bin or Ji Hoo Sunbae brought a change of clothes for me."

Yi Jeong pondered this for a moment before sighing deeply. He quickly yanked off his jacket and started unbuttoning his long white shirt leaving him in nothing but a blue sleeveless tank. "Here," Yi Jeong said gruffly throwing it to her. "It should be long enough to cover you."

Ga Eul caught the shirt and was about to protest but stopped herself. He looked on edge and she realized they had done nothing but argue since this morning. She really did not want to start another one with him. "Thank you," She said softly and turned into the restroom shutting the door quietly behind her.

At the sound of the running water, Yi Jeong forced his mind away from the fact that a wet, naked, and probably slippery Ga Eul was mere inches away. He sank on the bed and wondered what to do about her situation. She was adamant about not accepting his help although Yi Jeong was not above doing it even without her permission. If he had his phone he would have already texted Woo Bin to handle her mother with some not so subtle threats. Recognizing he couldn't do anything while locked in a hotel room, Yi Jeong decided to deal with it tomorrow right after after he clocked Woo Bin and Ji Hoo.

With nothing else left to distract him, he could hear the noise of light splashing and Yi Jeong's thoughts quickly crept back Ga Eul all alone in the tub. Images of joining her flashed in front of his eyes and he could feel his body responding dangerously.

Yi Jeong groaned as he discovered another problem. He would either have to sleep on the floor or share the bed all night with a half-dressed Ga Eul, which did nothing to stop the hot lust pumping through him.

His relationship with Ga Eul had always been complicated. Yi Jeong admitted his feelings for her went beyond anything he had ever experienced before. Ga Eul had been hard to resist even from the beginning. Partially because she was one of the few women who didn't automatically do his bidding when he flirted with her. Their first meeting was evidence of that when Ga Eul had chewed him out for thinking she would do whatever he asked because he had smiled at her. Then drinking his tea to be polite before storming off.

It had intrigued him but it was during the trip to Caledonia when their relationship had shifted. Yi Jeong had found himself sneaking away from Woo Bin and the girls to banter and tease the country bumpkin. Not to mention the pit of jealousy in his stomach when Jun Pyo had casually mentioned his double date with Ga Eul proving how deep his attraction to her actually ran.

Yi Jeong rubbed his face with his hands knowing this little trip down memory lane was not helping when he heard the door click open.

For some reason, it hadn't occurred to him the physical reaction he would have to see her standing there in his clothes. The pure male animalistic part of his brain awakened and he had to force himself to sit still, so he wouldn't go charging over to snatch her like a caveman.

Ga Eul was tugging at the hem which barely came down mid-thigh and her skin was pink and glistening from the heat of the water. Her long hair was pulled into a wet messy bun at the top of her head and water droplets rolled down her neck. Yi Jeong made no attempt to hide his appreciation for the sight, taking in the display of long muscular legs which seemed to go on forever despite her short stature. The shirt clearly outlined the dips of her hips that revealed her recent weightless but still showed off supple curves. Yi Jeong noticed her flushing at his deep stare but he couldn't move his eyes away.

"I do feel better," Ga Eul said bashfully, "Thank you."

Yi Jeong only nodded, not trusting himself to speak. She gestured to the bed, "Are you all-right if I…" Ga Eul trailed off and Yi Jeong blinked before understanding he was taking up most of the space.

"Help yourself." He was happy to hear his voice didn't give away his thoughts and he hurried to get up so she wouldn't have to crawl over him. Yi Jeong knew his self-control was only hanging on by a thread. Any contact or brush of skin and he wouldn't be able to stop himself from kissing her senseless.

Ga Eul walked over awkwardly, shy by the amount of skin she was displaying. Not to mention the rush of longing she had felt when slipping on Yi Jeong's shirt. His scent of subtle male combined with his cologne made her lightheaded with desire.

She quickly pulled the blankets over her, feeling better once she had more coverage. As she sank back into the lush pillows, she gave a soft moan of gratitude and Yi Jeong had to clench his teeth to stop himself from pouncing on her. He moved to make a pallet on the floor but Ga Eul spoke up hastily, "It's okay. The bed is big enough for both of us."

YI Jeong seriously doubted there was a big enough bed in the world for him to lay next to Chu Ga Eul right now and somehow let her keep her virtue. "Probably better not."

Ga Eul didn't argue but couldn't stop the flash of disappointment running through her. He laid down and she flicked the light off, hoping to fall asleep quickly but her skin was tingling too much for her to relax.

"I wouldn't have let him touch you." Yi Jeong's voice cut through the darkness after several long seconds and Ga Eul rolled over, "What?"

"My father. I would have stopped him if he had tried to touch you. I was drunk and saying stupid things but I would never have let him go through with it."

"I know Yi Jeong," Ga Eul said sadly, "I was never worried about that. I just didn't appreciate being used as a tool to prove a point." She paused, "I am sorry too."

Yi Jeong frowned and tilted his head up to the bed. "For what?"

"For yelling at you today. I know you are worried about me."

Yi Jeong didn't say anything but Ga Eul knew he was still upset. "I will be fine, I promise. Besides, the most important thing right now is getting Jan Di and Jun Pyo in a good place before he leaves. They deserve it."

Yi Jeong felt his blood pressure rise at her words. Everyone had been consumed with Jan Di these past few months and what the witch was putting her through. First with Jun Pyo's engagement and then vicious attacks on her family. Ga Eul had been affected too but she had never left Jan Di's side or stop trying to help her.

Now, Ga Eul was in a bad place and he felt a rush of irritation that Jan Di had basically left her to fend for herself. Remembering Ji Hoo's earlier words about them leaving for Caledonia because they deserved a break and he wondered when the last time Ga Eul had a break. "I'm going to talk to Jun Pyo," Yi Jeong told her harshly, "He can find your father a job and you can at least go back to school."

Ga Eul knew it was pointless to try and change his mind. "All-right Sunbae."

"Good," Yi Jeong said and tried to close his eyes but the floor dug into his back and he moved uncomfortably.

"Really, Yi Jeong" Ga Eul begged, "get on the bed. You won't be able to sleep down there and I will be awake all night worrying about it."

Yi Jeong debated with himself but noticing her sincere expression, he gave up. He rose slowly and made his way over to the bed. Ga Eul moved over to the far edge of the mattress as Yi Jeong settled in beside her. He was barely breathing as he tried to control the urge to draw her body in closer. Just when he was about to say screw it and give into temptation, he noticed she was shaking like a leaf. "Ga Eul?"

"I'm all right," Ga Eul said her voice heavy with unshed tears, "It's just- I am so tired but I can't seem to sleep. I keep thinking of everything I need to do over and over again in my mind." Yi Jeong's hatred grew for the people who had been abusing her and for all of them being blind to it.

Unable to stop himself any longer, Yi Jeong wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled until her back was pressed fully against his chest. Ga Eul stiffened but didn't move away which he took as a sign to continue. He tucked his head down until his chin rested over her shoulder, relieved to feel the trembling subsiding.

Ga Eul slowly relaxed in his arms and her dark thoughts stopped swirling around incessantly. The sense of safety coming over her for the first time in a long time and Ga Eul laid her hands over his interlacing their fingers. "Don't let go yet... Please."

Yi Jeong nodded and he tightened his hold as the night rolled on around them.