Chapter 8

As soon as Ga Eul was out of sight, Yi Jung turned around and walked towards the lounge. The girl who was with him slung her arm around his and whispered, "What did she do to you Jungi that she needs to apologize?"

Yi Jung jerked his hand away from her and coldly said, "Go. Your work is done."

"But Jungi…," she started.

"Go," Yi Jung ordered icily.

The girl looked like she was about to protest but the look from Yi Jung quelled her. She bowed her head and left. Yi Jung closed his eyes to control the pain in his chest. He had spotted her as soon as he got off the car. Standing there, holding those beautiful white lilies, his Ga Eul looked like an angel. Almost instantly he knew that she was there to apologize. He wanted to run to her, hold her tightly and tell her that she didn't need to apologize, she hadn't hurt him, and that she could never hurt him. But instead he had to act like he barely knew her.

It hadn't escaped his notice how she had bravely blinked back her tears. Once again he was taken over by the urge to hold her to his chest and kiss away those unshed tears. And then she had boldly declared that those flowers and cookies were not for him. He had felt so proud of her at that point. That's who she was, her dignity was unshakable. She had walked away from the situation, her head held high.

Yi Jung sighed deeply. He knew he had hurt her and it took every ounce of his control to not run after her. There truly was no one like his Ga Eul.


The F4 were in their classroom, while the teacher lectured. Ji Hoo's eyes were fixed on Yi Jung. While he was physically in the class, he definitely wasn't there in spirit. He had a haunted look that Ji Hoo hadn't seen in years. He had seen it once before, right after Eun Jae. Ji Hoo knew the look and knew it didn't bode well. He caught Woo Bin's eyes and nodded towards Yi Jung. Woo Bin nodded. So apparently he wasn't the only one who'd noticed the dark cloud hanging over his friend.

They waited till the lecture finished. Yi Jung's eyes still had the faraway look and he wasn't even aware of his surroundings till Jun Pyo placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Yi Jung," Ji Hoo looked at him, concern writ large on his face, "What's wrong?"

He lifted his black eyes to meet Ji Hoo's brown ones, "Nothing."

"Something happened with Ga Eul," Woo Bin wasn't asking.

The reaction was instant. His eyes darkened and he said through gritted teeth, "Don't even go there!"

He pushed Jun Pyo's hand and walked out of the room, leaving his three friends staring after him.


Jan Di couldn't help but feel angry. Although Ga Eul wouldn't acknowledge it, Jan Di knew that something had happened between her and Yi Jung. Her friend was smiling like usual, working hard and being her usual self but Jan Di had known her for years. She knew that there was something amiss about her smile. Often Jan Di would catch her looking away in the distance wistfully, but when asked, Ga Eul would smile and brush it off. She had spent eight days watching her friend struggle with a pain that she had hidden deep within her and thus, Jan Di's patience was at its limits.

The two of them were in their porridge shop that Friday evening when suddenly the door opened and Woo Bin and Ji Hoo walked in.

"Yo Ladies!"

"Woo Bin? Ji Hoo?" Jan Di was puzzled, "What brings you here?"

"Pick-up service," Ji Hoo said with a grin.

"Pick up service?" Ga Eul asked.

"Yes," Woo Bin answered, "Come on."

Without further explanation they each grabbed the hand of one of the girls and started to drag them.

"Eh?" was the only intelligent response Ga Eul could manage.

Jan Di, by now a little more used to Jun Pyo and being dragged at random times had her wits to herself, "Where to?"

"A trip," was all that Ji Hoo said.

"Trip? Where? Our parents…," Ga Eul couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Have been informed," Woo Bin answered as he led her to his car. She could see Jae Kyung waving enthusiastically at them.

"Our things?" this was from Jan Di.

"Are with us," Ji Hoo answered opening his car's door for her.

"I don't suppose there is any point in asking where we're going?" Ga EUl asked Woo Bin as the two cars started to move.

"You'll know when we get there," the Don Juan of F4 said with a wink.


Meanwhile Jun Pyo was with Yi Jung, dragging the extremely unwilling potter with him.

"Why?" Yi Jung asked, knowing full well that what Jun Pyo wanted, he would get in one way or another so resistance was futile.

"You can't celebrate your birthday like this, can you?"

"I told you," Yi Jung said in a half-hearted protest, "I'm really not in a mood to celebrate."

"Dude!" Jun Pyo scowled, "You're turning twenty. Next year you leave the Shinwha University, don't you wanna celebrate the last birthday of your student life?"

Yi Jung sighed and let Jun Pyo drag him along. He did have a point; it was his last year at the Shinwha. Besides a holiday would lift his spirits and he could definitely use the distraction. He'd spent the past eight days going around in circles. His father's cold, cruel words still haunted him, keeping him awake till late in the night. It didn't help that his dreams were plagued by a long-haired, black-eyed lass who could effortlessly make him smile. But he knew what his father said was true. The So men didn't know how to take care of women and therefore, he had carefully avoided Ga Eul, going out of his way to make sure that he didn't run into her. His friends had tried to ask him why he was doing what he was doing but Yi Jung firmly told them to stay away from his business. If Yi Jung had been in proper frame of mind, he would have immediately thought that there was something fishy in the way his friends had complied to his wishes. But he wasn't and therefore he hadn't given it a second thought.

Jun Pyo drove them over to the private airport. Yi Jung wasn't surprised to see Ji Hoo's white Cadillac and Woo Bin's mustard yellow Lotus standing in the parking lot. As Jun Pyo parked his fire-engine red Porsche in the parking lot Yi Jung smiled.

"Without my baby, this sight looks incomplete."

Jun Pyo laughed, "Yeah it does. But you're the birthday boy, you get star treatment. You've been driven to the airport by the great Gu Jun Pyo, consider yourself honoured."

Yi Jung chuckled slightly. It had really been a good idea coming for this trip. He could already feel his mood lighten marginally. The two friends walked into the airstrip, happily chatting away. It wasn't until much later that Yi Jung saw her, standing by the plane, looking torn between awe and trepidation. Dressed simply in beige capris and a navy blue sleeveless top, she looked absolutely gorgeous. He stopped walking as he stood, staring at her. Try as he might, he couldn't recollect the reasons why he had to avoid her. All he could think of was that she was a sight for sore eyes.

"Ah, here comes the birthday boy," Woo Bin screamed, breaking Yi Jung's trance.

Suppressing the urge to run up to his Ga Eul and scoop her in his arms, Yi Jung turned to Jun Pyo with a scowl, "Why didn't you tell me about the extras?"

Jun Pyo had the grace to look momentarily sheepish, "Look, I want to spend time with Jan Di. Her parents wouldn't allow her to come alone. I had to get Ga Eul as well."

Yi Jung nodded, too sophisticated to throw a fit about it. Although a part of him was thrilled to bits. His Ga Eul was going to be with him. This was another thing, he didn't know since when or how, but in his mind he had begun to refer to her as HIS Ga Eul. The realization should have come as a surprise but it hadn't. It had simply felt … right. He didn't know why he thought of her as his, but he just did and he was unrepentant about it.


Ga Eul's heart was beating so wildly, she was worried that it would leap out of her chest. She had figured that he would be there, but she hadn't been prepared for the effect he would have on her. She hadn't seen him in eight days and had somehow managed to convince herself that he wasn't nearly as attractive as her imagination would like to believe. But seeing him now in flesh and blood, she realized that her memory hadn't done him justice. He was breathtakingly gorgeous. Dressed immaculately in grey trousers, black shirt and cream blazer; he was absolutely, phenomenally and sinfully attractive.

As he walked towards the plane along with Jun Pyo, their eyes met briefly. He merely gave her a curt nod in acknowledgement. Ga Eul nodded in return, but his eyes had already moved away. Behind her Jan Di and Jae Kyung exchanged glances.

"Let's go then!" Jun Pyo said excitedly.

When the seven walked into the plane, Jan Di and Ga Eul gasped.

"Y- Y- You own this?" Ga Eul asked Jun Pyo.

"No," Jun Pyo answered and Jan Di and Ga Eul sighed in relief, but it was short-lived.

"This is my plane," Ji Hoo answered, "Jun Pyo's is bigger. Since it's just the seven of us, we didn't think it'd be wise or economical to use the bigger plane."

"That isn't exactly how normal people define 'economical'," Jan Di said weakly.

Jun Pyo grabbed Jan Di's hand and dragged her with himself. Ji Hoo stalked over to the back and took the single seat there. Woo Bin dragged Jae Kyung with him to sit at the front. There were only two seats left, that just happened to be next to each other. Ever the gentleman, Yi Jung offered her the first seat. Ga Eul was about to take the aisle seat when Yi Jung sighed.

"Move over," he ordered gruffly.

"Why?"

"Can you for once just listen to me without asking a question?" he snapped.

Ga Eul made a face but scooted over nevertheless. Yi Jung settled in the seat next to her and within minutes, was off to sleep.


Yi Jung wasn't sleeping, merely playing to be so. He was an expert at pretending to be asleep; he had years of practice after all. He couldn't recollect the number of times he had lay on his bed, pretending to be asleep, just to avoid ugly situations at his home. He knew he was being cowardly but he needed to desensitize himself to Chu Ga Eul. So he closed his eyes and let his other senses take over.

He inhaled the fragrance of her soft strawberry shampoo, a smell he associated with her. Today she also had a faint citrusy scent about her. Her hand was merely inches away from his and the warmth was tingling his skin. He could hear her rhythmic breathing. He could visualize her simple and absolutely divine beauty in his mind's eyes. The only sensory organ that was left wanting was his tongue. He frantically wanted to know how she would taste. He wondered if she tasted as sweet as she looked.

Yi Jung breathed deeply, forcing himself to banish those thoughts. He was here, letting his Ga Eul envelop his entire being into her magic. Slowly his taut nerves relaxed and he let her smell and sound wash over him. He must have fallen asleep, however briefly, because the next thing he became aware of was a weight on his shoulder. Looking to his side, he discovered that she had fallen asleep and her head was resting on him. From what Yi Jung could gather, he was the only one in the flight who was awake. His heart thudded as he realized that he probably had an opportunity he would never have again. Very gently, so as to not wake her up, Yi Jung raised his hand. With two fingers he moved the strand of hair that had fallen across her face. Tucking it behind her ear he ghosted his fingers gently on her face. He touched her lashes, trailed down her cheek and then went to her lips. As surreptitiously as he could, he started to outline her lips. But then she twitched, bringing him to his senses and he immediately dropped his hand.

Minutes later, the captain announced that they would be reaching their destination. Ga Eul woke up and moved her head to get the muscles working. That's when she suddenly realized that she had been sleeping on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she said not meeting his eyes. The colour on her cheeks made her look so delicious that Yi Jung wanted nothing more than to kiss her.

"It's alright," he answered keeping his eyes firmly on the 'seatbelts on' sign.


Ga Eul didn't know what paradise was supposed to look like but if someone asked her to describe it, her picture wouldn't be too far from New Caledonia. The island was surrounded with beautiful white sandy beaches. The water around it was a sparkling azure. Lush green palm trees lined the beaches, giving the whole place an ethereal quality.

"The birthday party celebrations begin at eight," Jun Pyo declared.

"There are five first class cabins," Woo Bin said, "So Ji Hoo, you can pick one. The rest of us will let the girls pick them up."

"Excuse me?" All the three girls said as Ji Hoo and Yi Jung chuckled.

"You want to share a room, you can just say so Woo Bin," Yi Jung said grinning.

Woo Bin looked at him, "Are you saying you don't want a shared room?"

The smile from Yi Jung's face vanished instantly. He turned to Jan Di, "Pick up rooms and roommates."

"The three girls will stay together," Jae Kyung piped up, "That'll keep the rest of you in line."

"Agreed," Jan Di consented as Ga Eul nodded.

"So the four of us get one room each," Jun Pyo concluded.

Ji Hoo said seriously, "But the problem still remains."

"How?" Ga Eul asked perplexed.

"The four of us are going to be alone and defenceless," he explained earnestly, "How will we ensure that you girls won't pounce on us?"

"YOON JI HOO!" Jan Di screamed as Jae Kyung scowled and Ga Eul blushed furiously. The F4 were laughing uncontrollably.

"Let's go girls," Ga Eul said finally, "These guys are incorrigible."

"Remember, eight o' clock, at the beach," Woo Bin yelled after them.


The three girls lay on the bed, talking.

"Jan Di," Jae Kyung asked, "Has Jun Pyo asked you out yet?"

Jan Di couldn't stop the blush from spreading on her cheeks but she said, "Why should he? It's not like he likes me that way, neither do I."

"Then why are you blushing?" Ga Eul asked.

"Because it's embarrassing," Jan Di answered a little too quickly.

"Yah," Ga Eul nudged her in the ribs.

Jae Kyung scoffed, "Please! It's obvious that Jun Pyo likes you. I say be prepared, he's going to ask you out soon enough."

"That won't happen," Jan Di answered seriously.

Ga Eul frowned, "No, it will."

"It won't," Jan Di insisted, "Jun Pyo never asks. If he wants to start dating me, it'll be more like 'Yah! Geum Jan Di, from today we're dating. You show up at so and so place at such time. Don't be late or I'll kill you.'."

Jan Di's impersonation was so perfect that the three of them burst out laughing. Then Jan Di asked, "What's going on with you and Woo Bin?"

"You know what," Jae Kyung said wistfully, "I've actually begun to like him but he doesn't. He just thinks of me as a friend."

"Why would he get you here if you were just a friend?" Ga Eul asked.

"He didn't," she clarified, "It was Ji Hoo who got me here."

"We should find a good girl for Ji Hoo," Jan Di piped up, "I mean he's such a sweetheart."

"That he is," Ga Eul agreed.

Jae Kyung grinned, "And hot too."

Ga Eul rolled her eyes, "Come on, all of the F4 are mind blowing specimens of the male species."

The three of them laughed, "True," Jae Kyung said.

Once they stopped, Jae Kyung asked the uncomfortable question, "How are things with Yi Jung, Ga Eul?"

Ga Eul's smile faltered, "I don't know."

"What do you mean?" Jan Di asked, glad that Ga Eul was finally talking.

"I have a feeling he's bi-polar," Ga Eul said sitting up, her frustrations for the past eight days boiling over, "Hot one moment, cold the next. I don't even know which Yi Jung I'll meet when. At one moment he's one of the sweetest persons I've ever known. He comes home, takes care of my father and us at the time we needed help. And then the next moment, his jerk switch is flipped on and he completely ignores me for eight days straight for no apparent reason. I honestly don't know what is going on."

Jan Di and Jae Kyung exchanged yet another look, "So things are going to be awkward here huh?" Jan Di asked.

"You think?" Ga Eul answered acerbically.

"You like him?" Jae Kyung asked.

"Of course I like him," Ga Eul replied, "He's been a great friend. But I'm annoyed with him right now."

"That's not what she meant," Jan Di pressed, "She meant, do you like him? As in really like him?"

Ga Eul paused, wondering. She liked him, yes but she hadn't voiced the thought yet, as if somehow voicing it would make it more real. She looked around to avoid answering.

"Oh look," she said brightly, "it's time we started to get ready. One hour and three girls, it's going to be tough."

Although they knew she had avoided answering, the other two girls let things be.