Chapter Three

Double Guesses In Mind

-Second Act of Anger-

Even under the smothering aura of my usually mellow temper, I ended up riding home with Ji Hoo again. He knew that I was about to explode with fury, even going so far as to claim he couldn't miss the moment when I would just blow off at Jun Pyo. Ji Hoo didn't even try to hide his widening grin as I stiffly got off his motorcycle and tossed back the helmet I borrowed from him. I calmed a little from the time that took to reach the Goo mansion, but that didn't matter; I was still furious.

"What's with that look?" I more or less demanded crossly. He merely shrugged - not affronted with my agitation, but the smirk that threatened to twitch on his lips didn't fade away. "Don't look so smug. . . . You're at fault too."

"Perhaps, but I can't help thinking that fate just loves to tease." Ji Hoo nodded to his left and I followed his gaze to the pair of very familiar sports cars parked to the side, two boys beginning to polish the hoods with what appeared to be shining wax. "It looks like they're here with your brother." When he watched a grimace settle on my face, he questioned bluntly, "Does that bother you?"

I forced my voice to stay steady, but my heart was pounding furiously against my chest. "Actually, it's better this way. They'll need to hear what I have to say too, and I'd rather not repeat myself." My eyes narrowed in suspicion at his daunting ease. "What about you? This has been going on since you guys began middle school . . . and aren't you the one who dislikes change the most?"

"If that's your way of asking me if I'm irritated with you - no, I'm not." He sighed, as if tired. "Whatever you're planning, finding some sort of peace concerning this is already too far-fetched an idea."

"Even if it's against your friends?"

"To be honest, all of it is quite childish, especially with Jun Pyo forcing his game on her. It doesn't matter if it seems like opposition." When he caught my flustered look, Ji Hoo cautioned, "Though I should warn you, I don't think Jun Pyo will back off so freely." Nevertheless, I took his somewhat vague response as approval.

"Sir, Miss Eun Chae," Mr. Hyeong dutifully addressed when we entered my house in silence, though he seemed a bit wary of the frown on my face. The grandeur of the extravagant foyer didn't faze Ji Hoo when his eyes barely studied the antechamber. Mother would be displeased with his lack of awe if she ever saw his bored expression - which I doubted would ever happen, seeing that she was presently on business in Hong Kong, China. "Is something of the matter?" When I stayed silent, struggling with the buttons of my beige overcoat and no doubt adding to Ji Hoo's amusement, he inquired, "Do you require any assistance with that?"

It was too late. I literally ripped open my coat, tearing the buttons off their stitchings; they clattered across the marble floor. If I strained my ears hard enough, I could hear the low snickers that escaped the light-haired boy beside me. "Miss!" A maid gasped uneasily, kneeling on the ground to collect them. "Are you alright?"

"Fine. J-Just throw them away." With lips pursed in my embarrassment, I grumbled, "Er . . . where's Oppa?"

The elder man replied, "In the game room with his friends, Miss. He just arrived-"

I hastily interrupted Mr. Hyeong with a request for a bucket of ice before rushing past the complicated hallways of the Goo mansion, Ji Hoo calmly trailing after my footsteps. He mercifully stayed silent at my humiliating blunders, but whenever I glanced at him, he coincidentally met my gaze each time, his dark eyes full of mirth. My only reaction was to blush, obviously not wanting to discredit myself in front of him with the lingering tendencies of my elapsed clumsiness. Figure skating and modelling, with a hint of ballet here and there, fixed the earlier imperfections from my childhood - the ones that Mother always badgered me about; my slouches had decisively straightened and my inept movements were now full of grace. I had grown up . . . so why couldn't the rest of the F4?

"-got you trapped, man!"

"That's cheating!"

The obnoxious yells that followed, growing louder at each step forward, alerted us that we were nearing the game room. When I also heard Yi Jung's voice, I thickly swallowed, trying to squash each butterfly that fluttered inside my stomach. I didn't want to feel this way towards someone who didn't want me around, but after admiring Yi Jung for such a long time, trying to get over him was kind of like an old habit I couldn't break - not that I wanted it to. "Arguing over a simple game - how mature," he murmured, his tone laced with faint sarcasm.

Ji Hoo and I exchanged glances, mine filled with apprehension and his showed nothing but placidity. Lounging on the comfy leather seats sat my brother, Woo Bin, and him - all three wearing matching grins - with their attention fixated on their virtual contest. There were several flat-screen TVs that were hung on the wall in front of them, the wooden shelves on the opposite side filled with the newest games. At the bottom of the silver stand, rows of game stations were lined up for use, none too expensive for Jun Pyo's taste in entertainment. Wrappers of junk food and chocolate were scattered on the low glass table and were left to be cleaned by the maids.

Their manners haven't changed, I observed.

"Oppa!" I called out sharply, interjecting any reply Jun Pyo planned as retaliation.

Three heads simultaneously turned to the sound of my voice in a mixture of pleasant surprise and . . . annoyance? The oddity of the trio, Yi Jung, was scowling at the sight of my presence, even beginning to glare when he noticed Ji Hoo closely behind me. "Princess . . ? Oi, Ji Hoo," Woo Bin greeted distractedly, inclining into the leather sofa. "You skippin' school again?"

Leaning against the marble wall, Ji Hoo let out an inaudible scoff and crossed his arms. "I'm not the only one."

"Touché, my bro."

Jun Pyo eyed the holes of my jacket. "What happened there?"

Answering before Ji Hoo could snicker again, I assured, "Nothing, but I have to talk to you . . . Oppa . . ."

When Jun Pyo didn't pause the game, I grabbed the remote from the table and turned the four conspicuous televisions off. "Ack, Eun Chae!" My older brother complained, his hold on his station console tightening. I successfully gained their undivided attention, and finally, was able to stand resolutely under their gazes, which was pretty impressive considering they were all a year older than I was. "Why did you do that? I was about to break my own highest score!"

"And kick Woo Bin's ass," Yi Jung added, attentively eyeing my reaction.

Never had I been a potty mouth in my life, and anyone who knew me was aware that I absolutely despised profanity. The coarse words practically burned my ears scarlet, just like how they were reddening now. With a reluctant blush at his pomposity, I pushed myself to focus on the situation at hand. "Oppa, did you order people to hurt Jan Di-sshi?"

He blinked, not picturing that from me at all. "What?"

"You heard me . . ." I inquired impatiently, my hands on my hips, "Did you pay off some guys to gang up on her?"

"What does Crabgrass have to do with you? She's F4 business," Jun Pyo told me, casting the controller aside.

"Crabgrass? Her name is Geum Jan Di," I heard myself snapping back. "And don't do that, Oppa. Don't place the boys only rule on me again - that's just an excuse to not talk about these things. It becomes my business when I have to be the one saving her for the second time in a row. Ji Hoo and I happened to be near when three guys were trying to drag her out of the locker rooms."

Woo Bin turned to his honey-haired friend again, interested. "You were there?"

Before Ji Hoo could respond, I noted aloud, "Why are you guys taking this so easily? They were hauling Jan Di-sshi away, kicking and screaming!"

"You make her sound pathetic," my brother replied coolly. "She's not that weak."

Yi Jung commented in a very dry tone, "Makes it all the more fun for you, Jun Pyo, doesn't it?"

Weak? I echoed in confusion. Why would my older brother care if she was strong, feeble, or just plain lamentable? Unless he was playing that game . . . but he wouldn't . . . He wouldn't do that. I corrected myself in disappointment, then again, he shouldn't have done a lot of things.

"You're trying to break her," I realized forebodingly. When he didn't look an ounce guilty with his dreadful intentions, my hands curled into fists once more, the edges of my French manicure digging into my sweaty palms. "That's deplorable!"

"No, it's not." My brother disagreed. "Crabgrass needs to learn a lesson."

"What lesson?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"Nobody messes with the great Goo Jun Pyo-nim and remains unscathed."

To my utter disbelief, even with Yi Jung's and Woo Bin's limpid amusement toward Jun Pyo's arrogance, they didn't say a thing to oppose their rumored leader. They simply shared a look that said here we go again before their attention returned to our conversation. I muttered, "I'm Goo Eun Chae and I don't even think of myself that highly. I mess with you all the time, Oppa."

Dismissively, he waved it off. "Siblings are anomalies. There are a few to every rule."

"So, then what you're saying is, there are exceptions . . ."

"What are you getting at?" Jun Pyo asked, his calculating orbs of dark brown narrowed at me.

Before I could reply, Mr. Hyeong entered the hall with what I requested and I decided he couldn't have arrived sooner enough. "Miss," he cautiously approached, handing me the small pail made of plastic and chrome. "Be careful Miss, Sirs." With last nervous glance, he left us to our things. I glanced back to meet Ji Hoo's impassive stare and triumphantly observed their hints of puzzlement the moment I began to scowl.

"Eun Chae . . . What are you doing-" Quickly, I gathered the anger that had built within me - using it to strengthen my audacity, and grabbed a handful of mushy ice cubes before chucking it at Jun Pyo. As if he had sensed my scheme, he instantly reacted and ducked to the floor with his hands up to cover his pulchritudinous face. "Eun Chae!"

If the bullying issue hadn't been so serious to me, I would've relished in the F4's expressions of shock, even Ji Hoo's. He had seemingly expected something drastic to occur since I was a naturally dramatic person, but he didn't imagine to see me retaliate in the physical sense. I was stereotypically seen as the girl who worked behind the scenes - the sly contriver - and wasn't exactly hands on with my dirty work; then again, it was time for change. When Ji Hoo was the first to realize this, a clipped chuckle escaped from him with Woo Bin hesitantly echoing, both receiving glares from a hiding Jun Pyo. I couldn't help but feel a little proud when Yi Jung fought back a grin at my ireful didoes.

"Do you know how scared she was?" I challenged in accusation and flung another large chunk to his direction, eventually missing. My accuracy wasn't the best, but it would've been better if my brother had the backbone to stand still. "If I didn't know any better, I would've thought she was getting abducted to the back alley and-"

"Oi! Wait, Eun Chae-"

"Don't Eun Chae me!" After pelting the back of the sofa - the fragile pieces breaking across the wooden floor and scratching it, I growled, "This isn't some game anymore, Oppa! Scarring someone emotionally like that - I refuse to allow it anymore!"

Possibly out of desperation, Jun Pyo shot out of his hiding spot and threw a plush pillow back, aiming for my head and frowning when I dodged it. "Stop it!"

"No!" I yelled grimly, taking a breath. We - more like I - had made a sodden mess of the game room, wetting the floor with melted frost and forcing the rest of the F4 members to edge away from our war zone in an attempt to stay dry. Nevertheless, they were all mirroring each other's smirks. Even Yi Jung didn't try to hide his pleasure of watching Jun Pyo get pummeled by his own little sister . . . with ice cubes of all things. "Shouldn't you understand how she feels?"

"Quit it!"

"Are you going to quit tormenting her?"

He snorted with a tinge of scorn. "No - wait!" His strangled plea was cut off when he was finally met with a fistful of ice. "Ick-! Eun Chae!"

I suppose my brother wasn't the only one who tasted humiliation this afternoon when his last endeavor - a thick leather bolster - smacked against my collarbone. If the smooth marble had been dry, I wouldn't have found myself tumbling down to the floor on my bottom. "Ouch!" Before I could even move, Jun Pyo jumped forward and grabbed the jar from my grasp. He must've gotten too caught up with the fun and dumped the remaining ice fractions all over me. Shivering, my mouth hung open in shock, gelid chills rushing throughout my body. ". . . Did you just . . ?"

"Are you done?" Jun Pyo inquired, somewhat immune to my tantrums.

To their astonishment, my only response was to glare at the eighteen year old who I greatly admired, perhaps before I could even take my first steps. This was commonly the point in time when I would give up - to side with my brother as always - and concede with Jun Pyo and his friends to continue what they wished; the red cards, the threats, and the intimidation. No, not anymore.

"You can't stay this angry at me for long . . . not me." He was immediately flustered when I stayed silent, bordering worried when my glower didn't waver. "Tsk. Why are you so insistent with fighting me on this? What makes Crabgrass-"

"Geum Jan Di-"

"Whatever. I don't care about her name. What I'm curious about is what makes her so special."

"She made me remember how this isn't right - any of it!" I cried out forlornly, instantly regretting my blurt out when an opaque glint crossed his eyes - full of remorse and buried hurt. "How is this any better than them-"

"Careful . . . You're picking a fight you're not going to win," he warned with his voice void of any overbearing pride; for once, he was just blank, and the image of it frightened me.

Why do you always evade the subject? Why can't you talk to me, Oppa?

Under the silence, any laughter that had resurfaced from before disappeared. Everyone in the game room knew what I was daring to mention in front of Jun Pyo. It was one of the sore topics of our combined childhoods, something that nobody would ever muster the courage to breathe aloud, except for me of course. No one but my brother and Ji Hoo would confront the intensity of my stare, Woo Bin awkward with offering comfort by nature and Yi Jung silently glaring at the spot on the wall inches above my head. It was clear they all blamed themselves with what had happened, their guilt smothering me like a fog.

But why does it feel like they're forgetting that I was there too? I'm the one who can completely understand Oppa's pain. Not having the will to submit, I staggered to my feet and swatted the slush off my body. "Jan Di-sshi . . . I met her only twice, but she managed to open my eyes." I declared, "Maybe you'll realize I'm just as stubborn as you are. I'm not going to bend over, not with this."

"Idiot." Jun Pyo uttered out before storming outside the hall. Almost concernedly, Yi Jung was the first to leave and trail behind his friend without saying a word. He seemed determined, but I hardly believed he was worried for my sake more than Jun Pyo's. I could picture my heart cracking at his ongoing coldness.

When will he finally forgive me?

Woo Bin, on the other hand, placed a hand on my soaked shoulder. The strong smell of his leather jacket filled my lungs in one inhale. "You okay, Princess?"

"I will be." With heated cheeks, I muttered, "Though I could've handled it better."

"You could've, yes . . ." Ji Hoo trailed off.

Rolling his eyes at the light-haired Korean, Woo Bin patted my forearm and mockingly saluted goodbye. "I'll talk to him for you. Don't worry so much."

"Thanks, Woo Bin-oppa." I plopped back on the dry edge of the sofa, my head low and my torso quivering under the current of the air conditioner. Stupid! I am so stupid! Why did I start a fight against my own brother? I had to admit, it wasn't one of my smartest ideas. Because of our tight relationship and relatively close ages, Jun Pyo and I rarely fought with subjects as serious as this. We may have pulled a few disobliging pranks once in a while, but it never reached such high tensions. "Why are you still here?" I questioned a moment later.

Ji Hoo stood a foot away, peering down at me. "Do you want me to leave?"

"You're not my knight in shining armor," I retorted tiredly. "That's supposed to be his job." Memories flooded my head of the days when Yi Jung would come to my rescue. No matter where I was or what discord I was caught in, he kept to his honor and came when I called. That too has changed, it appears.

To make it worse, he asked, "Didn't he retire from that role?"

I didn't appreciate his taunting humor and pointed out, "You're not my bodyguard either."

"No, she's with your charity case somewhere in the city." When he saw my irritation to Jan Di's alternative nickname for Crabgrass, he sighed, "I'm here because no one else is."

"Well, you can leave."

"Do you really want me to go?"

So persistent. Gritting my teeth at his raised eyebrow, I found myself shaking my head in defeat. "No . . . I . . . don't want to be alone." I don't want to fight.

He accepted my answer rather quickly and nudged me forward, leading me to the doorway and gradually, into my room on the opposite end of the mansion. "Here we are." I shouldn't have been alarmed that Ji Hoo knew his way around my house, but I was nonetheless startled. It was easy to forget that he was very perceptive of things that I wouldn't even realize, and it was kind of confounding.

"Er, I haven't really adjusted things since I was thirteen years old."

It mortifyingly screamed wannabe Barbie doll.

The walls were painted in shades of bright peach and baby pink, my silk princess bed placed in the middle of the private chamber to the left with an extended bathroom on the right. My rows and rows of dolls and girlish trinkets adorned my shelves, proudly shining under the light of the small yet attracting chandelier that hung on the arched ceiling. Further inside, my walk-in closet was at least twice the size of my room altogether, filled to the max with velvet and satin clothes generously gifted by renowned designers. My personal things had been taken cared of by the maids, who cleaned away the growing layers of dust.

I turned to Ji Hoo, strangely composed. Even with his factor of testosterone, I was somewhat okay with having a guy inside my bedroom. "What now?"

"You should get a new coat and a pair of sunglasses," he advised, eyeing the pottery laid out beside my vanity desk. They were marvelous pieces of hardened clay that were specifically made for me by Yi Jung. Aside from the four rings that hung around my neck, those probably held second importance to me compared to the rest of my belongings. They effortlessly reminded me of what I longed for, the days when we had been close . . .

"Why?"

"It's stuffy in here. You need to get some air."

I froze and glanced out the window. "It's getting dark, Oppa."

"Trust me, Eun Chae." He added when I hesitated, "Where we're going, the dark won't matter."

Ji Hoo was anything but a liar in the end, and my faith in him was not wasted into disappointment. When I stood in front of the crowded ice rink - my ears ringing with strangers' laughter - half an hour later, it was inevitable that a grin would grow on my lips. My spirits were lifted with just one feel of the chilled breeze and I itched to slip my feet into my ice skates once again - not for training, but for fun. Unwittingly, it made me second guess the path I was pursuing. I was content with my accomplishments and the good I was able to contribute, but when was the last time I skated to appease myself and not my coach or my parents? Was my passion still mine alone?

What I didn't notice as I watched the revelries below, delving through the deepest edges of my mind, was Ji Hoo's warm eyes on me. If I had turned to look at him, then I would've recognized the nostalgia that was so clear on his expression. "Thank you," I murmured as we walked down the well lit streets of our city. The darkness didn't bother me, holding up to Ji Hoo's promise much to my delight. As extra precautions, I had tied my hair into a casual bun and boldly clung onto Ji Hoo's arm, using him as a shield when I had to. I didn't want a repeat of last week's incident; Jun Pyo had lectured me with that too. "This was refreshing."

"You were just too serious."

Puzzled, I questioned, "What do you mean?"

"When you confronted Jun Pyo," Ji Hoo began matter-of-factly, "you weren't you when you talked to him."

"But I was angry," I reasoned with a shrug. "I had every right not to be the happy-go-lucky me when I was angry."

"I suppose, but it's a bit foolish to act aimlessly when it's something as personal as that. Being angry . . . It didn't help at all, did it?" When I stayed silent, he pressed, "Aren't you upset with him because Jan Di makes you recall things . . . things that you don't want to remember?"

Shaking my head, I grumbled, "It's more than that. I-It may have started with Jan Di and the similarities to our situations, but what about the others? Oppa's temper is wild, and it's inevitable that someone will unintentionally agitate him into retaliating. To be honest, I don't want him to be a bully anymore, with Jan Di or with anyone else." I groaned at how bleak the odds were in my favor. "How am I going to do any of this against my oppa? He won't listen to me."

Ji Hoo responded simply, "You're more suited to handle great obstacles just by being you."

"T-That's what Nunnie says," I replied in surprise, glimpsing up to see him staring ahead. Curious, I trailed his gaze to a glass poster of Min Seo Hyun - beautiful and confident - as she posed with an easygoing smile for an international cosmetics company. "Nunnie . . ." It only took one look of his conflicted face for me to hang my arm limply at my side, letting him mull over his emotions. I wasn't clueless to disregard that he missed her desperately.

"She'll be here in a few days."

"That's a good thing, Oppa." I hid the jealousy that coursed in my veins with my own version of an angelic smile. How would things prevail if my reconciliation with Yi Jung corresponded to how theirs would be in the future? "You two will reunite, get married, and live happily ever after. How romantic."

He shook his head at me, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. "Always the dreamer, Eun Chae."

I wasn't certain with how long we lingered near the bus stop, but my patience remarkably prolonged for Ji Hoo's benefit; I owed him that much with all he had given me recently - support, advice, a shoulder to lean on. "Ah, so you like her too?" A familiar light voice asked, making me jump.

Turning at the soles of my heels, my eyes landed on the flushed face of Geum Jan Di. She wore a red jacket vest and long black sleeves to protect herself from the harshness of the winter wind, straddling a rusty bicycle between her legs. "Jan Di-sshi?"

"P-Please, Eun Chae-sshi, call me Jan Di. It really is too formal for me."

Scanning the streets, I saw Chun Hei fulfilling her duty from afar. At her stoic posture, she attracted a lot of intrigued glances since not a lot of women preferred to wear suits on Tuesday nights. "Oh, she stayed with you then."

"Uh, it made my co-workers a little wary. Chun Hei-sshi is very . . . dedicated."

"Sorry," I offered as an apology when she grimaced, a bit self-conscious now that I recalled how brusque I behaved. "She'll come back home with me."

Accepting it readily, her attention switched to Ji Hoo and a fleeting tinge of rouge colored her cheeks. Was she blushing? "Er, Seonbae, your hands - they'll get dirty if you put them there."

He didn't seem to care what the poor girl thought, but that didn't stop him from rubbing his fingers together, scowling at the dirt that smudged his light tan skin. Eager to help, she probed through her cheap messenger bag and pulled out her own handkerchief made of cotton, not silk. "Here," she mumbled. Picking on our interest, Jan Di ignored Ji Hoo's outstretched hand and proceeded to wipe the glass clean of dust. "She's so beautiful, isn't she? The prettiest there is . . . an angel."

I cleared my throat pointedly. "The prettiest, hmm? I'm not that bad looking, you know."

Her face heated up as if she was guilty of forgetting that I was still there. "O-Oh, er, y-you too, Eun Chae-sshi. I-I-"

"Joking," I reassured, noting Ji Hoo's amused hint of a grin. "I'm only joking. Nunnie is gorgeous in this photo."

"Nunnie?" Jan Di echoed with wonder. "D-Do you know her?"

"Yes, I spent some time with her in Paris."

"Amazing! That's incredible!" When I nodded in reply, she turned back to marvel at the picture, her short hair swaying in the breeze. "I'd like to meet her someday. Now that I think about it, Seo Hyun-sshi is kind of like you, Eun Chae-sshi. She's not just a pretty face, but actually has a brain-"

"Why thank you,"

"Y-You're welcome." With reddened cheeks, Jan Di unmistakably held Seo Hyun in high regard. "From what I read, she's intelligent and very charitable, donating her earnings to charity partnerships. Oh, and I heard she's studying to become a licensed lawyer like her parents."

Ji Hoo asked, finally participating in the conversation, "Are you a fan?"

"She's my idol, erm, just someone I greatly admire."

". . . Idol? Why?"

Jan Di answered enthusiastically, "That's easy! I can imagine her doing something for the greater good, seeing as she went to Africa, even Afghanistan and Tibet! Though people think Seo Hyun-sshi's going to claim her inheritance and take control of her parents' law firm when she graduates college, I'd like to believe otherwise. She's . . . deserving of something more."

Grudgingly impressed, I just blinked. "You sound more than just a fan, Jan Di. I'm a little nervous with what you think of me."

She giggled, timid. "You have your praiseworthy reviews too-"

"Her head doesn't need to be filled with more air," Ji Hoo commented.

"Oppa!" I pouted before asking the girl curiously, "What else do you think of Nunnie?"

Something flashed through Jan Di's face while she let out a floundering laugh. "Erm, well, if she were to end up with someone, I think a prince or someone in politics would be the perfect match for her - a man who leads and is full of kindness."

"Jan Di . . ." I couldn't even finish my sentence, tense.

"She's a model," he reminded her in an unfathomable tone.

"Huh? I don't think that matters if it considers Seo Hyun-sshi." Jan Di cluelessly continued, "The French President divorced his wife to marry a model so anything can happen. Maybe the next Prime Minister will propose to her. Why, don't you?"

Wanting to scream in his defense, I settled with mumbling out, "Erm, no. Jan Di-"

"You really are a nuisance," Ji Hoo interjected.

Jan Di gaped for a moment. "Eh? Um, I didn't mean, uh, any offense. I meant-" Wordlessly, he leisurely started his way back to the ice rink and she turned to me for the answers. "E-Eun Chae-sshi, I don't understand . . ."

"It's complicated." I bit my lip, secretly determined. I'll make things right, Jan Di. Don't worry. "The next time I see you, don't need my help, alright?"

She smiled tinily. "R-Right. Good night, then."

I signalled Chun Hei to leave Jan Di to herself and waved goodbye to the shy scholar. Jan Di waved back, getting on her bicycle before wheeling further down the street. What an odd girl. Catching up to Ji Hoo and expertly matching his pace, I remained silent until he asked me, "She . . . Jan Di . . . What does she know?"

"Perspective," was my bold answer, but I couldn't comprehend the strange emotion that fogged my mind when he said her name. Thankfully, the rest of the walk was spent in reticence, both dainty yet disconcerting.

Later on, if I had anything to be rueful of, it was the building doubt that grew in the pit of my stomach. I stood in front of Jun Pyo's bedroom door, trying to collect every ounce of pride I had to either step through the doors or to scamper toward the comforters of my bed. Will I live up to my word and stand my ground, or will I run away like a coward? Swallowing, I knocked on the oak wood and twisted the brass knob, slipping past the crack. The designs of his large private chambers were built as the exact twin to mine, though instead of painted pink walls, he left them bare as they were before - hues of various brown - and polished.

Weakly, I studied the telescope perched at the corner of his mini antechamber and felt my heart clench at its representation. Appa . . .

Walking deeper inside Jun Pyo's territory, I heard the shower turn off and let out a sigh, jumping backwards onto the sofa. Then a rather nasty idea came to my mind, inspiring me to plan. As expected, my brother exited his bathroom a few minutes later with steam escaping the opening, his hair soggy with fragrant water and his muscled upper body completely naked. When he randomly spotted me kneeling on the floor - my dark curls covering my face with my voice box rumbling huskily and my arms pushing my flexibility to its limit, he screamed bloody murder and accidentally slammed the back of his head against the door.

He only realized it was me when I laughed uncontrollably at his unadulterated fear before he pressed his palm over his racing heart. "E-Eun Chae!" Jun Pyo growled out, his cheeks burning in humiliation; he strongly smelled of musky clean shampoo.

"Sorry!" I blurted out, sobering quickly and standing up.

He ran his hand through his wavy locks, gradually calming down. "What were you planning, huh? T-To give me a heart attack and have me die early? The nerve of younger siblings . . ."

More like following bad advice, I corrected, remembering Ji Hoo's parting words when he dropped me off. Just be yourself. That's what Seo Hyun provided as counsel, no? I don't think this is any different from a mere obstacle in your path. "Oppa . . . I wanted to apologize-"

"Eh? So soon?" Jun Pyo muttered reluctantly when I began to glare, "Actually, someone talked to me this afternoon and I-"

"No, it's my fault for bringing it up." I interrupted sternly, pondering over the chance that Woo Bin had been the one to speak with him. "It wasn't fair of me too and I guess I overreacted . . . kind of. Especially with the ice. I don't really want to fight with you."

"I agree with you. . . . The ice was a bit extreme-"

"Oppa!"

Jun Pyo wearily nodded before blushing again, clearing his throat awkwardly. I didn't forget that he was wearing nothing but a towel that loosely hung around his waist, but if he was worried about the rumors of my supposed brother-complex that ran within the F4, he had nothing to be anxious for. My adoration only went so far that it hardly reached the borderline of obsessive and ridiculously envious; then again, I was partly the reason why Jun Pyo never dated. Why would he need some other girl when he had me for girly companionship - without the kissing parts, of course?

"Erm, can you . . ?"

Closing my eyes with a smirk, I faced the wall and listened to the rushed echoes of his padded footsteps that faded into the ruffling of his clothes. Even with his arrogance and horrible temper, there was an innocent side to him that I already lost regarding partial nudity and personal space, particularly when it was an everyday deal for me to be half-naked with at least twenty people in a ten foot radius. There was no such thing as privacy in the photography studio or during ice skating. My figure skating coach was aware of my daily intake of food and water, perhaps even my outake as well. If that wasn't a little disturbing, then I didn't know what would be.

"I'm done," he announced as he returned in a pair of designer pajama slacks.

I threw his damp towel over his head, gesturing for him to dry his hair. "You'll get a cold if you leave it like that."

"Pssh. I know," Jun Pyo lied. He took the seat next to me, doing as I said and eyeing me with a hint of suspicion. "I would ask if we were cool and all, but I know you, Eun Chae. You're not the type to quit so easily. . . . So what is it?"

This is me being me. Hopefully he can handle it. "You're right. This isn't me quitting - in fact, this is me more determined than before. As much as I love you, Oppa, I absolutely hate the way you play with people's lives."

He defended, "I'm not them. I have the power to do what I wish."

"There's something significant called responsibility that you gotta learn first. If you were taught that . . ." I made a face. "I just despise that you ignore the fact it pushed someone to suicide!"

"And? Do you imagine me crying for someone's forgiveness? Is that what you want from me?"

"That's too boring for my taste. I'd rather watch you beg than cry since I've already seen you cry, and we both know you're not one to give out apologies." Jun Pyo scowled at my claim, straightening up to appear bigger and stronger, but I wasn't fooled. With a playful sparkle in my eyes, I questioned deviously, "But how would you like to make a bet?"

He scrutinized me for some time before biting into the bait. "What bet?"

The thoughts of Miss Shiri: Hello to you all again:) I'm giving this story some considerable amount of attention since surprisingly a lot of people seem to be reading this without reviewing - out of shyness maybe?

I've only watched Boys Over Flowers once, but it's very interesting and captivating that I just HAD to write this . . . though I couldn't help but notice how the F4 didn't really UNDERSTAND that the things they did were wrong - and only stopped because they knew Jan Di didn't approve. Jun Pyo, Woo Bin, Yi Jung - even Ji Hoo - didn't really learn their lesson or get punished for their bullying, if you get what I mean, so in this fanfiction, karma will finally get to kick them in the ass with Eun Chae being karma's medium! Go justice - lol!

A few hurt/comfort scenes . . . Soh Yi Jung and Goo Eun Chae moments will be coming up at the next chapter - ooh! Can't wait, eh? Any mistakes, I apologize ahead of time, and I'll check them later if I see any. I'm half-awake . . . Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can!