Chapter 4

Drowned.

Chu Ga Eul had a new philosophy in life wherein after a day, she would think of one word that would summarize the day for her. That day, the day wasn't even ending yet when the word popped right into her head.

Drowned.

That was what she was doing the whole day. From the moment she woke up, she drowned herself in the news forecast of useless bits of lives of actors and actresses and anyone famous who she did not care about, until she got to school where she drowned herself in gossip of who were together and who just broke up in the long list of couples in the school. Then at that moment, she was drowning herself in the laughter of the kids, in their smiles, in their screaming agreements and their wild playfulness. She was drowning herself in their presence because if not her thoughts would drown her.

Drowned.

She shut her eyes a little too quickly as the word kept popping into her mind and fear continued to grip her hear like death's cold hands. Then she opened them again, and tried her best to smile as she continued drowning herself in the presence of her students.

"Miss Chu look!"

"Oh, that's wonderful, Hyo Jin!"

"Miss Chu, Miss Chu! How about mine?"

"Just as wonderful, Nam Gi."

"Miss Chu, Mi Sook is being awful!"

"Am not! Chang Sun is lying!"

"You are!"

"Am not!

"Are to!"

"Kids, come on now, behave."

"Miss Chu! Miss Chu! Can you see this thing I made?"

"Can you wait for a moment, Soon Ei-ah?"

"Miss Chu!"

"Miss Chu..."

"Miss Chu..."

Drowned.

The bell rang to signal recess and all kids went screaming out of the classroom leaving their dumbfounded teacher behind.

Ga Eul hugged herself as she watched her students scramble into the hallway, and sighed as she gave up the thought of yelling at them that there should be no running in the hallway.

With her kids away, she couldn't distract herself anymore with the thoughts going around her head.

After all, it's been all over the news. Some people even whispered it around in between gossips. And the kids where drawing boats and playing pretend superheroes to save those who have been lost.

A Swedish aircraft crash-landed into the ocean the night before. There weren't many reports about the incident, and there was still no tally of casualties, if there are any. It was a bit confusing, too, how the reports were a bit too small for something that concerned two different countries at once, but Ga Eul guessed that it was that of a large scale and they're doing their best not to frighten the people, after everything else that happened in the past. Maybe small-scale news would help diffuse the tension, too.

Either way, it didn't change the fact that a crash had happened. And that someone important to Ga Eul may or may not be in that plane that had crashed.

It shouldn't have mattered. It's been a long time ago.

It's been four years. Four years since So Yi Jeong left South Korea without a trace. The fans' club hasn't disbanded yet, but there were only a few loyal fans who stayed and waited. There were no updates. No reasons. No news as to where he went or why he left. The media had nothing to tell the public because even the F4 wouldn't speak about it. The So mansion was abandoned, but not so much. Every once in a while a group of maids will come by to clean the place but there was still no one to tell anyone what happened to So Yi Jeong four years ago.

Chu Ga Eul knew. That's why she started the rumor that he went to the army quietly and was to serve there for an indefinite time. He needed to ground himself and find his center, and find out who he truly was.

The fans' club immediately bought the act without question and although there was nothing that can prove the rumor, it was better than nothing to hold on to at all.

After some time, the number of the fans began to dwindle, with a lot of them going instead of coming and staying, and even though Ga Eul was officially out of the list, she still supported the cause.

But last night changed everything.

When the news headline appeared, there was a message on Ga Eul's phone. It was Song Woo Bin.

"He's safe," the text read, as if he knew immediately what she thought. As if he knew she cared about it.

It didn't matter whatever reason Woo Bin texted Ga Eul. What mattered was he did, and she felt better because of it. Because a single word appeared behind her eyes when she saw the news, and she didn't want to think it pertained to anyone she knew.

Drowned.

So Yi Jeong was alive, so she didn't have to worry about anything.

It was funny.

So Yi Jeong didn't have any communication with the F4 for four years. So it was only natural that Ga Eul wouldn't be updated about the happenings in his life as well. She shouldn't be worried, she shouldn't even be affected. So Yi Jeong went to Sweden to look for his dream. It was only right that he looked for his happy ending alone.

But that's what really irked Ga Eul. There weren't many endings to that story but she knew it shouldn't have taken four years to write it.

She felt betrayed. She was part of the team who started the story, who tried to keep their story going even when it was almost at the end. To be withheld the most important part of it was treason. So Yi Jeong should have at least sent word that his flight was alright or that he came to Sweden safe or that the hotel staff were pleasant and the food was nice or that he found Eun Jae and they lived happily ever after...

She had been angry with So Yi Jeong.

She blamed that anger for her past relationships that failed. It was mostly her fault because she wasn't even trying to keep those relationships alive, but she blamed So Yi Jeong for keeping her worried. And for something else.

The anger melted last night, of course. The thought of him dying was so scary she almost cried last night if Woo Bin had not texted her. It had been nice of the rest of the F4 to keep in touch with her when he had not, and to keep her checked. But they shouldn't have. They were part of the reason Ga Eul still remembered him. And something else.

The kids were back in a moment's notice, and the classroom was again filled with laughter and smiles and thoughts of So Yi Jeong's almost death.

Ga Eul decided to ride on her students' waves of energy and took a handful of clay she tried to shape between her hands. The kids were soon following suite and after a while everyone was busy concentrating on their works.

"You're putting too much pressure on your wrist."

The thought came uninvited. The voice eerily sounded like So Yi Jeong although she couldn't be sure. She hasn't heard him for four years... and probably forever.

She frowned at the clay in her hands and shifted the weight of the pressure from her wrist, but then she realized she didn't know how to change the way she held the clay so she continued what she was doing a few moments before.

"Miss Chu, Chan Sung is teasing."

"Mi Sook started it, Miss Chu."

"You two have to seat apart from now on, okay?" Ga Eul said, taking her eyes off the clay on her hands for only a few moments to make sure those two were already apart and going back to her work like nothing happened.

"You're still putting too much pressure on your wrist."

"Miss Chu..."

This time, Ga Eul looked up to find the same curve of eyes she saw that day on the airport. She imagined herself taking a deep breath, but instead she just smiled.

So Yi Jeong had everything imagined from the moment he got to Korea. Skipping to the part where he was finally going to meet Ga Eul, the movie in his head was picture perfect he wasn't even sure whether or not it had happened already.

He would say something really witty like, "Hi, may I speak with the adviser of the class, please?" but since Ga Eul was playing with clay, the "You're putting too much pressure on your wrist" was already genius.

Then Ga Eul would have looked up in surprise and would stand up in disbelief and would say "Yi Jeong-sunbae," like she did four years ago.

Then one of her students would also stand up and ask him, "Mister, are you our teacher's boyfriend?"

"Miss Chu said her boyfriend left for overseas. Could it be you?" another student would ask and Ga Eul would immediately shush the student in embarrassment and would look sheepishly at him.

As of the moment, none of his daydreams had happened.

To be fair, the "You're putting too much pressure on your wrist" was genius, but it was not enough to gain Ga Eul's attention. Maybe it was because her class was too focused on doing their business and she was trying her best to keep them that way. He did notice that she tried wriggle the clay the other way, only to give up on it and go back to her original molding to which he repeated his very witty conversation starter "You're still putting too much pressure on your wrist."

It was one of the noisy kids who noticed him first, which made Ga Eul look up. He plastered on the widest smile he could give her which he hoped didn't make him look like an idiot, and he counted down to see how long she would respond and almost frowned when she beat him to the number 5 (the first number on his countdown).

"Yi Jeong-sunbae," she greeted with a smile, before standing up and bowing low. "Kids, what do we say to visitors?" she asked her tiny crowd.

All the kids immediately stood up from where they were sitting and faced him then bowed. "Good afternoon, and welcome, visitor!" the kids chorused with wide grins on their faces, obviously knowing who the visitor was.

"Good afternoon, children," Yi Jeong said, trying not to sound as disappointed as he felt. Chu Ga Eul looked light on her feet like she'd seen him a million times today.

Ga Eul made the kids sit down and continue what they were doing before she walked towards him.

"Long time no see," she said when she was within earshot.

"Yeah, it was a long time, wasn't it?" he said with a small smile, knowing that would annoy her.

But it didn't do anything that would have signified annoyance from Ga Eul.

"I'll be out by 3," she said after looking at her wristwatch. "Are you okay with waiting for that long?"

"It's only 2, Ga Eul," Yi Jeong said, and thought about saying that she had beeb waiting far longer than an hour but figured he shouldn't push his luck. "Do you mind me joining your class?"

"No, of course not," Ga Eul smiled and lead him to a tiny chair that could fit half his butt among the sea of little heads and large bright eyes. "Please make yourself comfortable," was the last thing she said before she turned her back on him and was drowned in the sea of little heads and cries in laughter.

She looked very comfortable in that place, like she was made to teach little children. He wondered when she found out that this was what she really wanted. Or is it really what she wanted?

Although the high pitch semi-squealing was a bit disturbing for him, he felt at ease with the constant happiness exuded by Ga Eul's tiny crowd. Even their teacher seemed to glow as well, with her easy smile and peaceful stance, and her once-in-a-while glances as if to make sure he's not having a hard time.

He's not.

For the first time in years, he's not.

"Mr. So, what do you think?" one of the kids asked him as he held a misshapen pot in his hands.

Yi Jeong opened his mouth just in time to catch Ga Eul's unmistakable glare headed his way. He shut his mouth, revising the critique he had in his head before saying, "It's very promising..."

"Chan Sung! Lee Chan Sung, sir," the little boy said proudly to complete Yi Jeong's sentence.

"It's very promising, Chan Sung," he repeated and checked to see Ga Eul giving him a familiar pleased smile, just like she did four years ago when he got an answer right during their tutoring sessions. "It needs a little work, but what do we now, right? You're still very young."

"Do you think I can be like you when I grow up?" Chan Sung asked, his eyes bright, and suddenly he knew what Ga Eul saw in the kids.

"You'll be better than me. You're going to be just like you," Yi Jeong said and patted the boy on his head.

The little boy squared his shoulders as he jogged back to his group. "Did you hear that Mi Sook? I'll be better than, Mr. So! Then, I will ask you to marry me!"

Yi Jeong chuckled.

"Miss Chu! You heard him! He's being weird!" Mi Sook, who sounded almost in tears, cried as she ran to Ga Eul. Ga Eul, the sweet angel, carried the little girl and soothed her in her arms.

"Too early to plan that kind of future, Lee Chan Sung," Ga Eul told the boy after calming down Mi Sook. "You have to be sure before you make such promises."

"But I am sure," Chan Sung said, sounding confused. "I can be dependable. You'll see. I'll grow up and be better than Mr. So and you can depend on me, Mi Sook. I promise."

Ga Eul smiled. "Of course, you do."

The bell rang signifying the end of the class, and all kids rushed to grab their things before stampeding out of the classroom without much of a good bye to their teacher or to their visitor. Their absence was heavily felt as the two adults looked at each other and found that they were farther apart from each other than they originally assumed.

"So," Ga Eul said, standing up and gathering her things. "You're back."

It was a statement.

"I am."

Ga Eul reached for her phone and typed in something before looking at Yi Jeong again.

"For good," he added as if to reassure her.

She placed her things in her bag before shouldering it. Then she said, "That Swedish plane crash. You made that up, didn't you?"

He blinked at her.

"Yi Jeong."

He pursed his lips. "Well, I didn't know I was that predictable."

Ga Eul rolled her eyes. "Too many people were concerned about it for such a small news with no definite count of survivors. And the kids were too behaved a while ago when you came. They're usually uncontrollable in front of a visitor. They were told beforehand."

"Nice one, Sherlock," Yi Jeong said and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You were told beforehand as well. You were too calm for someone who just saw their friend..."

"Who said you're my friend?!"

"For the first time in four years," Yi Jeong said, ignoring her comment. "Let me guess. Woo Bin told you."

"He didn't tell me anything."

Yi Jeong raised a brow.

"Alright, he may have hinted something..."

"I knew that guy's loyalty was questionable!"

"He has his reasons," Ga Eul muttered. "I mean, if someone hadn't contacted me for four years I wouldn't be loyal to him, either."

Yi Jeong looked like he wanted to say something more but stopped. "I forgot why I hated you so much. Now I remember," was what he said after a moment of silence.

"Glad to know your memory didn't fail you," Ga Eul smiled too sweetly before leading him out of the classroom.

"Ga Eul."

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"For?"

"For not contacting you the past four years."

"Okay?"

"Okay?" Yi Jeong hurried to block her way out of the school. "What do you mean 'Okay?'?"

Ga Eul sighed. "Can we at least get out of the building first? The walls have ears."

Yi Jeong looked around and noticed just then that the school became eerily quiet, as if holding its breath for the next words the two will say. He had to smile before turning back to Ga Eul. "Lead the way."

They did not walk far. Ga Eul must have thought that the ears of the children were far better than the ears of the wall, because she sat down the first bench they passed by when they reached the playground. They were back in the noisy-squealing environment, but none of them seemed to notice. If anything, it seemed even quieter than the halls of the building a while ago.

"So, a teacher, huh?"

"It took you how long to come up with that conversation starter?"

Yi Jeong frowned. "Don't laugh at me. I'm still trying to get back to my Korean, okay?"

"What? You hired a tutor, too?"

"I might have."

"Was she as brilliant as I was?"

"She didn't talk back at me so I guess she was amazing."

Ga Eul stuck her tongue out at Yi Jeong. "Bet she wasn't as pretty though."

Yi Jeong shrugged. "She might."

Ga Eul rolled her eyes. "What's really the point of this conversation again?"

"You were the one steering us away!"

"You and your awful conversation starters!"

"You and your big mouth!"

"You and... ah!" Ga Eul ran her hand through her hair, easing it on her shoulders, before taking deep breaths to calm herself. "Gosh, I can't believe we sound worse than those kids a while ago."

"They remind you of yourself, don't they? Those loud voices and immature antics-"

"HEY!"

"And those big bright eyes that you can't say no to they annoy you so much," Yi Jeong gave Ga Eul the look of pure hatred he gave her four years ago that was so familiar it made Ga Eul laugh and Yi Jeong following her.

"They remind me of you, actually," Ga Eul said, after catching her breath. "Those stubborn little brats who always manage to stretch my patience but they just have that look that would always never make you give up on them."

"So I was irresistible to you, then!"

"I never said that!"

"I read between the lines, Ga Eul."

Ga Eul puffed up her cheeks and chose not to respond.

"Hey, we really are like those two kids a while ago. What were their names? That kid, that Lee kid."

"Chan Sungie, you mean? And Mi Sook."

"Yeah. He made a promise, too, didn't he? But Mi Sook wasn't pleased when he made the promised."

"Well, maybe she's wiser than I was. Who knew waiting was this hard?"

"So," Yi Jeong said quietly. "You were waiting."

Ga Eul laughed. "Was I not supposed to? You were the one who promised to come back. Woo Bin didn't tell me anything. He only told me you were safe. That's all."

Yi Jeong blinked. "Say that again."

"That's all?" Ga Eul said slowly.

"No, no, before that."

"Woo Bin told me you were safe?" Ga Eul thought, rethinking to her words.

"Woo Bin?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Yi Jeong blinked again. It was funny, how fate played with all of them. Looking at the scenario they were in, it seemed that Yi Jeong and Ga Eul knew too much of each they might as well be best of friends... or something even more. But maybe that wasn't really to happen. Maybe there was something else. Maybe it was the four years. Maybe there was no need to have four years. Maybe it was his fault.

There are too many maybes to think about at the moment.

"Speak of the devil," Ga Eul muttered as Woo Bin walked towards them with a grace that one could associate only with Song Woo Bin. "Hey. You're late," she said by way of greeting.

"I heard he came back," he said, tilting his head to Yi Jeong without looking at him. "Thought you two needed some time together."

"Ha-ha."

Woo Bin reached down to grab Ga Eul as if to make a point as he turned to Yi Jeong. "Glad your flight's safe, bro," he said, the only time he looked at Yi Jeong, before turning to Ga Eul again. "Let's get out of here?"

Ga Eul laughed and turned to Yi Jeong. "Sorry. We had prior engagements. If you told us sooner you were coming, we would have given you time."

"No," Yi Jeong said. "No, it's okay. Go ahead."

Woo Bin placed an arm around Ga Eul before the two of them walked away without even looking back. Woo Bin looked animated for a Song Woo Bin, but Yi Jeong knew how relationships change people. Woo Bin whispered something in Ga Eul's ear and she threw her head back as she laughed and then slapped Woo Bin's shoulder.

Why did that scene look familiar? Or maybe it was only familiar in the movie theatre in his mind where he was always drowning himself the past few years.

Yi Jeong stayed there for a while contemplating about Woo Bin. That name. And Yi Jeong. She never called them sunbae anymore. What else changed?

"Hey."

It's that bright eyed boy who promised the girl in Ga Eul's class they'd get married one day.

"Chan Sung. Hey."

Chan Sung bent down to reach something below the bench before handing Yi Jeong a familiar-looking phone and taking a few steps back. "It's Miss Chu's phone. She must have dropped it a while ago."

"Oh," Yi Jeong said, staring at the phone for a few moments. "Thank you."

"Who was that guy Miss Chu was with?"

"He's a friend," Yi Jeong said. "Or was. Depending on who you're asking."

The little boy placed his arms behind his back and snuck a glance on the silhouette of the retreating couple. "I've never seen him before."

Yi Jeong raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Someone behind the boy called his name and he immediately turned to run, but he had time to wave to Yi Jeong say, "My mom! I have to go."

Yi Jeong waved as well and checked the phone in his hands. Fortunately it wasn't locked, and it was already in the messages, so he technically wasn't guilty of messing with anyone's privacy. It was even already on Woo Bin's and Ga Eul's thread of conversation, but there wasn't really much. Ga Eul must have been deleting her messages.

The conversation only started today, with Woo Bin saying Code E03 at 1 that afternoon, and Ga Eul replying, I have Code E03, too, dang it at 3. I'll pick you up, then, was Woo Bin ending that conversation.

Yi Jeong laughed with a certain dread in his heart.

That was useless, he thought.

-chapter end-

A/N: Alright, confession. This chapter has been targeted to be posted yesterday as an April Fools prank to all of you, but I fell asleep even before getting to the middle of the story. And then I watched Romeo x Juliet as I wrote the rest, and you might have noticed that the writing style changed. GAAAASH. Romeo x Juliet is the definition of cheese. And idiotic acts because of love. Seriously. I read the manga 4 years ago and decided just now to watch the anime and now I am broken beyond repair so let me rant AAAAAH.

end rant.

I'm sorry for the late update. Honestly, it feels like only a week has past between now and my last update. That's how uuggggh my life is. But considering what Romeo and Juliet had been through, I'm just happy with my life. Haha. (ALSO! I almost surprised to remember that Romeo and Juliet was one of the first fics I wrote. DON'T READ IT THOUGH. IT'S TOO EMBARRASSING.)

Anyway, thank you for passing by! And I hope you enjoyed. Update will be soon. (I hope. No promises because only idiots give empty promises.)