Chapter 3

Yi Jeong was going to be late. He had originally planned to pick Ga Eul up from her work, have dinner with her and convince her to come to the event but a stupid administrative issue had cropped up and he was held back. He had called her to let her know but the phone went unanswered and he had had to drop a text message informing her that he would visit her at her home instead. If his parents knew that he had visited her place for two consecutive days, they would probably whirl up a storm in a teacup but he couldn't care less. He had debated on inviting her yesterday after the whole date fiasco but then decided against it. Had he done it then, the invitation would have seemed like an afterthought and he wasn't willing to do so. This was a big deal and he wanted to do it right.

As his subordinates exited his chamber, Yi Jeong sighed and leaned back on his chair, staring at the ceiling. This had become his life – these ridiculous administrative issues, this constant need to try and find a balance between his filial duties and his responsibility as a parent. However, despite his rather stifling circumstances, he had never, not even for a second regretted Sang Mi's birth. She was decidedly the best thing that had happened to him. But sometimes he did wonder how different his life would have been had he not stopped his car on that fateful day.

FLASHBACK

It was drizzling and the air had a chill to it. Yi Jeong was trying to focus on the road but the wind was directionless, blowing the droplets everywhere and thereby making it very difficult to concentrate. He had been having a terrible day to begin with and now, with the rain Yi Jeong was getting even more irritated. He was crawling along in a bi-lane, which he had taken to bypass the traffic, only to realize that about a hundred other people had the same bright idea. It was by pure stroke of luck that he spotted her. The woman he had known for over a year now and the one he harbored a small schoolboy crush on. She was sitting on the steps of a shop, crying. He didn't know what made him veer out of the street and park his car; all he knew was moments later he was standing in front of her with his most charming smile firmly in its place.

"Aren't you past the age of sitting in the middle of the street and crying?"

She looked up, blinking as drops of rain hit her face. She was dressed in a bright yellow, sleeveless top and a worn out pair of denims, certainly not the right clothing for the weather. She was already soaked to the skin and he could see faint goose bumps on her arms. She decided to ignore him and his practiced charm and turned her head to look away. Over the course of their acquaintance, Ga Eul had made it abundantly clear that she disapproved of his hedonistic lifestyle, although she had never said anything to that effect. But he had spotted frigid condemnation every time his debonair Casanova-self showed up.

Completely unflustered by her subtle dismissal, he ploughed on, "You know, girls sometimes mistakenly think that they look pretty when they cry. But that's not the case."

"Go away So Yi Jeong," she breathed. "I'm not in the mood for your cavalier jokes."

For some inexplicable reason, she had always been immune to the charm that had always worked on other women. Deciding to abandon the pointless pursuit, he unbuttoned his blazer and sat down on the stair next to her.

"What're you doing?" she looked scandalized.

"Sitting next to you," he stated the obvious.

"Why?"

"Seems like you've had a bad day and frankly, so have I. Now I give you three options. Option one, you sit here, cry for as long as you want while getting drenched and end up with a medium to severe case of Pneumonia. Option two, we both sit here and cry and basically create a scene. As an added bonus, we get to fall sick together. Option three is we go to my place, dry ourselves up. Then we can curl up with some drinks and bitch about how unfair the world has been to us. Take your pick."

Despite herself Ga Eul chuckled. She wiped her tears and said, "Let's go."

A fire burned in the hearth, enveloping the surroundings in comforting warmth. Yi Jeong and Ga Eul sat next to each other, basking in its warmth, each draped in a thick blanket with a plethora of alcohols in front of them. Underneath the blanket, she was dressed in one of his pinstripe shirt that was ridiculously big on her petite frame. Yi Jeong thanked providence that she was under the blanket because her body in that shirt, coupled with her wet, messy hair was a serious turn-on. The shirt ended somewhere mid-thigh, showing off mile-long, creamy and absolutely knock-out sexy legs and he couldn't help but wonder how they'd feel wrapped around him. He instantly chided himself for having such thought but he couldn't help it. She was dressed in HIS shirt for heaven's sake! That image was going to be imprinted in his memory forever and worse was he would probably never be able to wear that shirt again without getting an instant, raging boner.

Get a grip you horny bastard!

Unaware of his errant thoughts, Ga Eul drank the glass of brandy in front of her and grimaced.

"Drink up princess," Yi Jeong said chuckling. "It'll warm you up. Unless you want your nerves to be frozen that is."

"Can I get something else please? This tastes disgusting!" she complained.

Yi Jeong nodded sympathetically, "I know. Brandy tastes horrible but it'll help you. I swear after this I'll give you something better."

"That sounds so wrong," Ga Eul giggled.

Yi Jeong grinned, "Get your mind off the gutter miss. I meant alcohol."

"I know what you meant," Ga Eul clarified. She took another generous sip from her drink, making a face at the bitter taste. She stared keenly into the fire for a while before speaking, "I've been fired."

"What? Why?"

She took a deep, steadying breath and said, "The owner of our club died and his family decided to sell the club to someone else. The new owner wants to change everything about the club and so, he fired the entire staff."

"What the hell?" Yi Jeong asked incensed. "How can he do that?"

Ga Eul shrugged, "His club, he's free to do anything."

"Was that why you were crying?"

She shook her head, "That was only part of the reason. The main problem is I'm screwed."

"How so?"

Ga Eul elaborated, "I don't make enough money with the freelancing to make ends meet. How am I going to pay rent, what am I going to eat? Plus I have to pay off my student loan. I'm seriously at my wits end."

Yi Jeong frowned, "Shit. This is serious. What're you planning to do?"

Finishing her glass in a gulp, Ga Eul drew her legs up to her chest and hugged herself, "Honestly, I don't know. I have no idea what to do."

"I have a solution for you."

"What?"

He pointed at himself and Ga Eul's eyes flew wide, "No! I can't do that!"

Yi Jeong reached for his glass and emptied it in one swig, "Ga Eul, I'm more than capable of helping you. After all that's what friends are for, right?"

She smiled wistfully, poured herself a new drink and took a large sip from the glass, "I'm honored that you think of me as a friend, but I can't take your help. Life has not been easy for me Yi Jeong, but I've battled it. I'm not going to let this break me."

Yi Jeong poured his drink and continued, "All that is a fantastic sentiment and I applaud your strength, but I'd like to point out that taking a friend's help isn't a sign of weakness."

Ga Eul picked up her drink and drained it in one go making Yi Jeong sound out a warning, "Whoa there! Slow down. You'll get drunk."

"That's exactly what I want, to get so drunk that I don't have to think about everything."

He grinned, "Really? Then so be it!"

He leaned forward and poured another round for both of them. "To forgetting."

"To forgetting," Ga Eul echoed the toast and they drained the glass. "So why are you drinking your brains off?"

The smile left Yi Jeong's face as he poured the next round. He took a deep breath and said, "I had a big argument with my parents. They want me to get married."

Ga Eul raised her brows, "Let me guess, you're not the marrying type?"

He smiled ruefully and adjusted his blanket, "Contrary to my image and popular opinion, I actually have nothing against marriage."

Ga Eul sputtered in her drink, "What?"

"I'm open to settling down with one woman," Yi Jeong clarified, surprising Ga Eul. "But the woman should be worth it."

She cocked her head to the side, "Really? And what is your ideal woman like?"

"All I want is a person who understands me, sees me for who I am. I don't care about her looks or her social status."

Ga Eul smiled softly, feeling slightly dizzy as the alcohol began to take effect. "I didn't know someone like you had a sensitive side to you."

"Not many people do," Yi Jeong said in a whisper.

"So why did you fight with your parents?"

He downed his drink and said, "I objected to their decision, that's more than enough to trigger a miniature waterloo in my house. I'm the So heir. I'm expected to follow a very strict code of conduct. I don't have the liberty to stray, even an inch."

"So your Casanova image, that's basically rebellion?" Ga Eul didn't notice that her words were beginning to get slurred.

Yi Jeong shook his head trying to clear the buzz in his mind. He was starting to get drunk, "Yeah. Can I confess something?"

Ga Eul abandoned the glass and reached for the bottle, "Sure. Feel free."

"I'm tired," he whispered. "There was a time when I genuinely thought that there was nothing to life beyond material and physical desires. But now, I'm beginning to feel a little … what's the word I'm looking for?"

Ga Eul giggled, "I think you're drunk."

Yi Jeong laughed, "Yes, I guess I am."

In their intoxication they found it inordinately funny and burst out into peals of laughter. The two moved on to more mundane topics and kept drinking. It was past midnight when, Ga Eul stood up unsteadily, "I should go… I'm zleepy."

"No stay."

Ga Eul took an unsteady step, Yi Jeong grasped her arm and tugged and her foot caught the blanket, all at the same time resulting in her collapsing on top of him. Unable to manage her sudden weight, Yi Jeong lost his balance as well. The two ended up on the floor with her on top of him and that set the two laughing all over again.

"I think you're drunk," Yi Jeong said chortling.

That prompted a fresh wave of giggles from Ga Eul. She was still chuckling when she felt his arms wrap around her. Her laughter died as she looked at him questioningly, her face merely inches away from his. He trailed his hand slowly up her back, up to her nape and pulled her closer. As if in a trance, Ga Eul complied. She had always secretly fantasized being kissed by those sensuous lips and now that her clandestine desire was coming true, she wasn't going to ruin it in any way.

Their lips met and Ga Eul could swear that time had stopped. He traced her lips with his own before repeating the same with his tongue. Instinctively she opened her mouth and Yi Jeong delved in. Her fingers found his hair while his arms tightened around her. His tongue was tracing a wicked pattern inside the wet crevice of her mouth and she moaned.

Slowly his hand moved from her waist, down to her ass and cupped it possessively, making her move her hips in response. She was nudging against his aroused member, driving him to the brink of insanity. In one fluid move he turned over, locking her securely within his arms, pinning her body under him. Still joined at the lips, Ga Eul took the opportunity to explore him, drawing an appreciative moan from him. Through the thin material of his polo-neck shirt, she could feel his taut back muscles and it fanned an unprecedented desire in her. She felt his hand move along her thigh, slowly into the shirt as he deepened the kiss. He kept moving higher and higher till he reached her panty line. He traced it with his fingers, slowly edging towards her core and she shuddered.

His expert fingers teased her, slowly travelling around, trailing lines on her panty, touching her everywhere except where she needed to be touched. The sweet torture was unbearable and Ga Eul's back arched. Her moan of protest was swallowed by Yi Jeong. He left her mouth and slowly travelled downwards to her neck while continuing to torment her with his left hand. His right hand undid the top two buttons of the shirt and slid inside. He deftly undid the bra, cupped her breast and flicked his thumb over her aroused nub.

"Yi Jeong," she gasped, her eyes closed in ecstasy.

"You want me?" he whispered next to her ear as his fingers gently brushed over her most sensitive spot.

She nodded vehemently, biting her lips to stop herself from groaning.

"Say it!" he commanded softly.

Ga Eul whimpered as he hooked a finger at the edge of her panty line.

"Say it Ga Eul," he urged, his fingers teasing her nipple.

"Yi Jeong," she rasped breathlessly. "I want you."

Nimbly his fingers pushed the panty to the side and touched her core. She was so aroused, so wet. He circled her couple of times before gently sliding a finger in. Dear God, she was so moist and soft. He captured her lips again and another finger slid in to join. Ga Eul shuddered beneath him, barely hanging on the edge of sanity as his fingers and tongue mimicked each other at two ends of her body. Her body arched into his, her walls clenched and she shuddered as she reached a mammoth climax.

Yi Jeong smiled proudly. He quickly undid the rest of the buttons to unveil the Goddess in his arms. A simple pair of white undergarments met his eyes but he was sure he hadn't seen anything sexier. Mere moments later the last of her garments were shed and she lay there, glorious in her nudity. She sat up to quickly get rid of his shirt. In her frenzy, the belt was a chore and with some help from Yi Jeong, it was discarded in a hurry. With the last of the clothing gone, they knelt on the floor and admired the perfection in front of them.

She looked at him with unsure eyes as if asking his permission before delicately grasping his aroused penis. Yi Jeong's eyes closed and he groaned. Uncertain of what she was doing, she slid her fingers along his length.

"Am I doing it right?" she asked, seemingly fascinated by the sight in front of her.

He held her hand in his and guided her. She was a quick learner and was soon moving up and down, pleasing him immensely.

"Stop!" he said suddenly.

"Did I do something wrong?"

He groaned and laid her down. "No babe. Anymore and I'd cum. I want to be inside you when I do that."

Ga Eul blushed but parted her legs, allowing him to settle there. Skin touched skin and whatever little sanity they had was lost. Yi Jeong closed his mouth over one of her nipples while he played with the other. Beneath him Ga Eul moaned and writhed in ecstasy. He shifted his attention to its twin, teasing it with his tongue.

"Yi Jeong," she moaned.

His penis gave an answering throb and he shuddered. He wanted to be inside her but he knew it was still not the time. There was one more thing that he wanted to do before he plunged in. His mouth traveled down, trailing slow, fluttering kisses as he went. Very slowly he reached where he wanted to and paused. She tensed visibly when she felt his breath over her core and he ran his hands along her thighs to calm her down.

"Relax. Trust me," He whispered.

She took a deep breath and loosened her muscles. Slowly he closed his mouth over her making her gasp. She didn't pull away or ask him to stop, so he slid his tongue inside her, teasing her bundle of nerves. The pleasure was intense and she didn't last ten seconds before she had an orgasm for the second time. Satisfied, he lifted his head and placed himself to enter her finally.

"Ready?" he asked and she nodded.

He nudged against her a few times before penetrating her in one swift move. She scrunched her face, feeling a jolt of pain, but it was only momentary. He waited, letting her get adjusted to him. She bucked her hips to indicate that she was ready. Needing no further encouragement, he moved, setting a steady pace. Her legs wrapped around him of their own accord and she moved with him.

"Harder Yi Jeong, harder," she pleaded and he obliged.

Skins, breaths, heartbeats and sweat mingled in the carnal dance as the two reached their climax within moments of each other before collapsing in a heap.

It was the thirst that woke her up. She cranked open her eyes only to close them again. The light hurt. Keeping her eyes firmly shut she tried to sit up but something was obstructing her. With a lot of effort and trepidation, she opened one eye to check what was weighing her down. She found an arm draped across her waist. That was odd. She lived alone. How could an arm be draped on her? She tried to think back to last night but the effort involved was too much, as such her head was pounding mercilessly. Gingerly she lifted the arm, set it aside and sat up. The blast of cold air was unexpected and it made her look down. Headache was forgotten as she stared down her naked body.

No. No. No. No.

Scared and fearing the worst, she slowly turned her head to find herself staring at the sleeping form of So Yi Jeong. SO YI JEONG!?

"AAAAARRRGGGHHHH!"

"WHAT THE HELL?" he sat up screaming which instantly turned to a groan as he clutched his head.

Ga Eul tugged on the blanket and covered herself up, leaving Yi Jeong completely naked and exposed. Still busy trying to get rid of his headache he didn't seem to notice that the blanket was gone. That or he was extremely comfortable in his skin.

"What a rude way to wake someone up," he complained, his face buried in his hands.

Irritation overtook horror and Ga Eul responded sarcastically, "Oh I'm sorry your highness, I was merely horrified, certainly not something to ruin your beauty sleep over."

Perhaps it was the familiar voice or the tone, but something made him look up. He blinked and then recognition dawned on him and his eyes widened, "Ga Eul?"

"Yes, me," she shot back.

"What are you doing here?"

Never before had she been so tempted to slap someone. "I'll give you three guesses!"

He looked at the tightly clutched blanket and at his own nude body and comprehension set in. "Oh."

"OH?" Ga Eul screamed. "Is that all you have to say? OH?"

"What do you want me to say?" he snapped. "We were drunk and it happened. These things happen."

"To you maybe, not to me."

Yi Jeong got off the bed and started to look for his clothes, "Oh really? Who's standing clutching a sheet then? Lee Hyori?"

Ga Eul opened her mouth to say something but then closed it shut. She strode over to the bathroom where she had discarded her wet clothes last night. Her undergarments however were missing. She was about to step out to find them when Yi Jeong knocked on the door. She cracked it open an inch and he thrust his arm, handing the undergarments to her. Embarrassed, mortified, horrified and annoyed, she snatched them from him.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, he sat on the bed, dressed in boxer shorts and nothing else. Wordlessly he handed her a glass of water and two aspirins. He waited till she was done and then spoke, "Ga Eul, look …"

She overrode him with a shake of her head, "This never happened. Am I clear?"

He nodded in understanding.

"Good. I'm leaving."

"Wait. My driver will drop you wherever you need to go."

She wanted to protest, but given her hangover, she decided not to risk the Seoul Public Transport System and for once take advantage of being the friend of Seoul's royalty.

Ga Eul opened the door of her house to find an envelope thrust under her door. Curious she opened it and sighed. It was a reminder for the rent. She was already ten days late and the apartment office was notifying her that she needed to pay it in seven days or she'd receive an eviction notice. Ga Eul had been expecting her salary three days ago and would have paid off the rent with that, but now that she was fired, she didn't have enough money to pay the bills. How many more ways could her life get screwed?

She gave herself a mental shake and decided to go to the club. She'd ask for severance pay or for a job. She was determined not to let this break her.

"Woo Bin ah, I need some help."

The red-haired man looked up in confusion. Yi Jeong seemed eager, which was strange. He was hardly one to show an emotion. "Sure. What do you need?"

"I need you to find a job for someone."

The rest of the F4 were giving him a strange look.

"You need a job?" Jun Pyo asked in confusion.

Yi Jeong rolled his eyes, "I don't need a job you moron, I need Woo Bin to find one for someone else."

"Who?" all the three asked in unison.

"Ga Eul," Yi Jeong answered in a low voice.

"Huh?" Woo Bin was surprised. "I thought you were the closest to her among us. Why don't you help her? Surely you're more than capable of that."

Yi Jeong took a deep breath, "I can. But she won't take my help. That's why I'm asking you to help her."

"Why not?" Ji Hoo asked.

"She won't, isn't that enough?" Yi Jeong snapped. "Just find a job for her alright? And it would be preferable if she didn't trace it back to me."