~*~*~*~...~*~*~*~

The house was filled with the sound of happy conversation and the pleasing aromas of food cooking.

"Jan Di, you don't have to cook every meal." Ji Hoo pointed out as he leaned against the counter, watching as Jan Di prepared the breakfast meal for the group. Cooking was a chore she had taken over since she permanently moved in to the house.

"I don't mind. I liked cooking. Actually it feels good to be doing something productive. I feel like I'm going to go crazy with all the inactivity," she confessed with a rueful grin. "I'm really not used to not having anything to do."

Ji Hoo nodded, "Alright, but promise me that you won't continue cooking if you don't feel up to it. I don't want you to feel obligated."

"I promise. That reminds me Ji Hoo su-," she cut herself off and focused on the egg she was rolling. "Ji Hoo, I would like to give you money if I am going to be living her."

"No."

"But-"

"Jan Di, I inherited this house outright. I don't pay any mortgage or rent to live here. I am not going to take your money."

She stopped what she is doing and focused on him. "You pay for electricity and utilities don't you? And the guards… they are here because of me. They are using up resources."

"No."

"Yoon Ji Hoo," Jan Di said seriously. "I don't care if you have more money than God, I have to play some part in supporting myself don't I? What use am I as a person, as a mother, if I rely… if I leech… off of you."

Ji Hoo silenced his automatic no and thought about it from her perspective, and nodded reluctantly. "I am not going to take your money, but if you want to buy the groceries or something similar… I could agree to that." Now that his grandfather was paying her, he knew she was making a decent salary at the clinic and buying groceries wouldn't take too much of her income.

Satisfied, Jan Di turned her attention back to the meal she was preparing. She shot him a happy look over her shoulder and told him, "That is a start, at least!"

Jun Pyo looked uneasily out the window of the car. It was like a dark omen was hanging over him and he couldn't get rid of the feeling. He had only been in the car for a few minutes, he was headed to the airport to leave for America. The witch was going to meet him there with Secretary Jung.

Glancing down he saw the folder he received last night in the side pocket of his carry-on bag, with only a tiny fraction of the corner visible. The small amount that he was able to see was a temptation to him… He had managed to hold out so far, but it was close. If these pictures were from the last few months he wondered what he would see if he looked at them.

A random glance out the window told him that they were nearing Ji Hoo's house. Coming to a decision he lowered the partition separating him from the driver, "I want to make a stop before we got to the airport. Go to Yoon Ji Hoo's house."

"I'm sorry Young Master; I'm under orders from President Kang to take you straight to the airport."

Jun Pyo started to feel the first stirrings of anger. "Hey, is she here? Do what I say."

The driver kept his eyes forward and repeated, "I'm sorry Young Master."

"Turn the car around now," Jun Pyo demanded icily as they passed the turn onto Ji Hoo's road. "I have someone to see, right now!"

"I'm sorry Young Master." With that, the driver raised the partition and engaged the locks on all the doors.

Jun Pyo sat back in disbelief and cursed the driver, his mother, and anyone else who popped into mind; this is unbelievable.

"Why did you want to pick me up?" Ga Eul asked curiously.

Yi Jung navigated the car easily as he answered her, "I have to tell you something. Last night, when I was taking you home it hit me that half the F4 would be gone soon, and that you would be alone. I thought it would be nice for you to go to school with Jan Di so I called Goo Jun Pyo and he arranged it so you would be able to attended Shin Hwa university."

"What?"

Yi Jung smiled, pleased at her surprise. "It was nothing; Jun Pyo does own the school. Secretary Jung just called me to confirm placement. You are ready to go on March 2."

Ga Eul looked at him as if he lost his mind and shook her head. "Yi Jung, it's not that I'm not grateful that you are… concerned for me but you can't just decide where I'm going to school and make the arrangements without consulting me first."

Yi Jung to a stop in front of the porridge shop and asked her, "Are you saying you don't want to go to the best school our country has to offer?"

"It's not that I don't want to go, but you can't just spring this on me and expect me to accept it without thinking it through. And it's not like I don't have friends at school Yi Jung, Jan Di may be my closest friend, but she isn't the only one I have. What do you think I did while she went to Shin Hwa for two years?"

Yi Jung shrugged, "I never thought about it." Exasperated at her reaction to his surprised, he pushed her for a yes. "Ga Eul, I didn't mean to upset you. I thought the news would please you. Those who graduate from Shin Hwa have their pick of jobs."

"That is true," Ga Eul said, pushing back her annoyance at Yi Jung's actions and actually considered going to the school for the first time. "I will think about it, okay?"

Yi Jung nodded and exited the car. Walking around the back he reached the door to open it and help her out.

Ga Eul stepped out and adjusted her dress, making sure it fell properly. "What are you doing today?"

"I am going to stop by Woo Bin's house and then go to my studio."

"Tell Woo Bin sunbae I said goodbye." Ga Eul stretched to press her lips to his cheek. She was opening the door to the porridge shop when she turned around and asked. "Are you going to see Ji Hoo sunbae?"

Yi Jung shook his head.

Ga Eul opened her mouth, but instead of replying she merely shook her head, called out a goodbye and walked into the shop.

"Young Master," Seung Won said from the doorway of the dining room. "When you have a moment I would like to go over you schedule for the day."

Jan Di gestured to the warming plates at the buffet, "Please help yourself to some breakfast if you are hungry."

He nodded and went over to make a plate. Ji Hoo continued to eat while listening to his grandfather speak. By the time Seung Won had made it to the table, Yoon Seok Young had finished eating and was standing up.

"Are you sure you don't need me at the clinic today grandfather?" Jan Di said hopefully.

"I'm sure." He reached for his coat on the back of the chair. "Make sure she rests today, Ji Hoo."

"I will grandfather. Do you want me to pick you up today?"

Seok Young shook his head no. "I meant to tell you that I will be spending the night with a friend. Tomorrow morning we will be going fishing on his boat."

"Fishing?" Jan Di perked up. "Maybe I could-"

Before she could finish Seok Young and Ji Hoo chorused together a ringing, "No!"

Sharing a smile with his grandson, Seok Young left.

Jan Di noticed Soo Yeon standing in the doorway observing them. Once again she pointed out the meal being kept warm and offered Soo Yeon breakfast, but Soo Yeon declined. "I'm only here to go over the schedule."

Feeling slighted at being rebuffed she turned to Seung Won and shrugged, "I don't really have anything to do since I can't go into to work. Maybe I could tend to the garden?"

Ji Hoo shrugged, "If you feel up to it, but try not to overdo it. "

"What are you doing today Ji Hoo?"

He smiled at the ease at which she was already showing at saying his name. "I have to go into the office for awhile today and then I need to go by the campus to take care of some paperwork for the new semester. I should be back by dinnertime tonight."

Seung Won frowned into his food and pointed out, "You don't have guards to go with you."

"I don't need them, you are solely here for Jan Di's protection." Ji Hoo recognized the look on Seung Won's face. "Don't contact Woo Bin about this; I don't need any guards for myself."

Seung Won nodded, reluctantly, agreeing to the Young Maser's wishes.

Yi Jung sat at the potter's wheel at his studio. Once again, his muse had abandoned him, leaving him with not one ounce of creativity to design his next masterpiece.

Instead, his thoughts were focused on his goodbye to Woo Bin, who had insisted he go see Ji Hoo and listen to what he had to say. Woo Bin refused to answer any questions himself but instead told him to trust that his friend wouldn't betray Jun Pyo.

How very cryptic of him, Yi Jung thought. It was all well and good that Woo Bin has such absolute faith in Ji Hoo but doesn't he remember what happened last time? Ji Hoo knew about Jun Pyo's feelings, he even admitted as much to me, and he didn't care. Instead, he did what wanted and in the end suffered no negative repercussions.

A tiny voice from deep within him told him he was being unfair and that Ji Hoo had suffered but Yi Jung ignored that. At least he tried to.

Annoyed, Yi Jung came to a quiet decision and drove the short distance to Ji Hoo's house. Coming through the back, he stopped when he heard a voice singing softly. Glancing in the direction of where the voice was coming from he saw Jan Di kneeling next to the flowerbed, doing something he didn't recognize. "What are you doing?"

"I'm weeding the garden," Jan Di replied automatically, before glancing up in surprise. "Sunbae! I didn't expect to see you today."

Yi Jung shrugged uncomfortable. "It was a spur of the moment decision. Why are you doing this? Doesn't Ji Hoo have gardeners to do this sort of thing?"

"I was getting cabin fever," Jan Di explained. "I thought it would be a good day to spend outdoors." Jan Di sat back on her heels and looked up at him.

"Jan Di, you look terrible!" He said after getting a good look at her.

"Gee, thanks." Jan Di replied without any heat to sting the words. "If you are looking for Ji Hoo, he isn't here. He went into the office, but he'll be back for dinner if you want to stay."

At Jan Di's easy tone and invitation Yi Jung realized that Ji Hoo hadn't told her of their conflict. "I can't wait, but thanks for the invitation." He replied, not wanting to upset her.

"Oh… well do you want me to give him a message for you then?"

"No." Curious, he asked her. "How are you doing, knowing that Jun Pyo left for New York this morning?"

Jan Di dropped the spade she was holding with a clang, "Goo Jun Pyo left the country too?"

"Yes, this morning. He told everyone yesterday. He didn't say goodbye to you?"

Jan Di shook her head, deep in thought.

Yi Jung felt agitation rising, why did Goo Jun Pyo leave without seeing Jan Di? Why didn't Ji Hoo tell her that he was leaving? After thinking it over, he once again began to suspect that Jun Pyo left because he found out Ji Hoo had married Jan Di.

Not wanting to show his anger in front of Jan Di he quickly said his goodbyes and left.

Kim Seung Won stayed where he was standing in the shadows. He had taken a step out when he heard the footsteps approaching, but recognizing Young Master Woo Bin's friend had moved back to give them some privacy.

Jun Pyo sat in his seat in the plane, still angry that his wishes had been ignored. His mother eventually left to go to another section of the plane because his attitude about it made her irritation with him grow. That left him alone with Secretary Jung.

His fingers tapped on the folder continuing the photos with increasing speed as he thought about his options. Maybe it was for the best that I wasn't able to speak to Jan Di before I left for New York. Would anything I could have said really make any difference?

"Secretary Jung," Jun Pyo called out to him in a low voice, trying to avoid catching his mother's attention. "These photos… continue with the surveillance, but do not show them to me unless I request them."

"Yes, Young Master, I understand. What should I do about your mother's surveillance? Should I continue to feed her filtered information?"

Jun Pyo smirked, pleased that to know that he had been working to thwart the witch. Even if he couldn't remember it was good to hear that he hadn't allowed her to push him under his thumb. "Do that, but don't get caught."

"Of course, Young Master. Do you want to go over the information for our meeting? It will take place the morning after we arrive, it isn't likely that we will have time after we arrive in New York."

Ga Eul waved goodbye to The Boss and exited the shop. She glanced at her watch as she hurried to the porridge shop. If she hurried, she could make the bus and go see Jan Di before it got too late. She has a lot to explain, Ga Eul thought grimly.

She just arrived at the bus stop when the desired bus arrived. Getting on quickly she found a seat and tiredly closed her eyes.

…maybe if they had remained open she would have the seen a somewhat familiar man following her onto the bus.

"That's correct, I would like to study to be a doctor. It shouldn't be too hard to change, should it?" Ji Hoo asked the school official, Kim Dan Jong, he was speaking to.

"Let's see," Dan Jong pulled up Ji Hoo's school records. "You were lucky that you took so many science and math classes last semester. You can still graduate on time with no trouble."

Ji Hoo nodded, pleased. "What if I want to graduate early?"

Dan Jong glanced up and nodded, "You can, of course, take accelerated courses. But if I may ask, why do you want to? Graduating a year early won't make much difference."

JI Hoo shrugged. "Now that I've decided I want to do I don't want to waste any time."

"With your grades I don't think you'll have any problem handling the heavy load. Now what about your business courses?"

"I would still like to take them; I will be overseeing various businesses that my family owns. The day to day operations won't be my responsibility but as owner I will still have to oversee a vast variety of corporations."

"Your business classes that you took in high school will help tremendously. Quite a few of those classes are considered transferable to university units. Let me show you how your schedule will look if you want to graduate in two years with both your medical and business degree."

Ji Hoo leaned forward and studied the chart that was being shown to him. He was outwardly calm, but he was growing more excited as he saw his plan was entirely doable.

Yi Jung strode up the walkway outside his studio briskly. Briskly opening the door his hand reached for the lights as his sense told him he wasn't alone. Recognizing the familiar sounds, his face went blank and he flipped the switched.

It wasn't a surprise when he saw his father there with a unfamiliar woman.

So Hyun Sub eyed his song with drunken amusement.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was just showing…" Hyun Sub trailed off, obviously trying to remember her name. "…showing… this lovely lady my gifted son's studio."

"Oh? What a devoted teacher you are." Yi Jun said with barely veiled sarcasm.

Not recognizing the obvious the woman hanging onto his father's arm cooed and agreed, "He really is. I'm learning so much from him." Pressing her breasts against Hyun Sub's arm, she giggled.

Dropping any pretense of congeniality, Yi Jung stared at the pair with disgust. "You are really something father, really." Yi Jun looked at the woman who had started looking at him with worry once his tone changed from affable to repulsion. Reminding himself that it wasn't her fault that So Hyun Sub was a second rate father and husband and he deliberately softened his tone when he told her. "You should go now."

She looked up at Hyun Sub for guidance who told her soothingly, "Why don't you go honey? I'll call you later."

Yi Jung waited until she left the studio before he started speaking. "It will hard to call her when you don't even remember her name, don't you think?" When Hyun Sub merely shrugged, Yi Jung felt the anger drain from him. Only to be replaced by baffled hurt, "how did you become like this? Using your students are you personal playthings, driving our family apart."

Hyun Sub shrugged and moved to pour himself another drink. "It is what it is."

"I don't want you coming back here again. It is my studio. I won't have you tainting it with your behavior."

"You just don't want to see me, because you don't want to see what your future will be."

"I will not end up like you," Yi Jun said, firm in that belief.

"That's what you think."

Yi Jung shook his head, "This is pointless. Don't come back, I will be changing the locks."

Hyun Sub smirked and started to leave when Yi Jung called out. "Father? One more thing before you leave. Try not to kill my mother while I'm in Sweden."

A smidgeon of hurt crossed Hyun Sub's face, almost too fast for Yi Jung to notice but he did and Yi Jung didn't know what to make of it. His father had never cared about his insults before. Hyun Sub dropped the smirk from his face and looked at his son intensely, as if he was trying to decipher a thoroughly complicated puzzle.

Ga Eul was walking to Ji Hoo's house from where the bus dropped her off, fiddling with her phone. She had been trying to call Yi Jung since she had gotten off work, but he wasn't picking up. Now the calls were going straight to voicemail. Confused and a bit concerned she sent him a text message.

Closing her phone she stuck it in her pocket and closed her coat tighter around, trying to ward off the night chill.

Arriving at Ji Hoo's house, she hesitated. Without Yi Jung with her, she didn't feel comfortable using the back way. She made her way to the front door and rang the bell. She nervously straightened her clothes as she waited for Jan Di or Ji Hoo to answer.

Frowning she started to ring the doorbell again, wondering if no one was home. The door opened right after she pressed it and she looked up at an unfamiliar man holding the door open.

"Yes?"

"Oh… ummm. I'm here to see Jan Di. Is she home?"

"Name?"

Taken aback at the brusqueness of the man, she stumbled over her words. "Ga Eul, Chu Ga Eul."

He lifted his wrist to his mouth and spoke, "Takeo, there is a girl at the door. Chu Ga Eul, she wants to see Ms. Jan Di… understood." He moved back and allowed her to pass. "I'll take you to her."

Ga Eul noticed as she passed him that he had some kind of earpiece on. That is probably how was communicating with … whoever that person was. Ga Eul slowed to let the man take the lead and then followed him through the house. When she was walking in she looked around, impressed with the beauty of the house. Ji Hoo sunbae's house was really nice. She hadn't noticed when she stopped by the night before.

Jan Di was in the kitchen cooking when she heard footsteps behind her, "Oh Ji Hoo? You're home? Dinner should be ready soon."

Jan Di turned and saw Tae Sung standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry Tae Sung, I thought it was Ji Hoo, that he had came home. I made enough for you guys too if you hungry. Chop chae is on the menu tonight."

Jan Di's smile fading when Tae Sung didn't answer her or give her a smile in return as he had been all day.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes Ms. Jan Di, I was just showing your guest in." Tae Sung moved to the side and Ga Eul was visible behind him. "I will leave you two alone. I'll be close if you need me."

"Ga Eul!" Jan Di greeted her, she held up her gloved hands covered in the food she was mixing, "I would hug you but I'm a bit of a mess. I'm happy you came by, I feel like I haven't seen you in so long even though it's only been a few days."

"A lot has happened in those few days."

Jan Di looked her friend in confusion; Ga Eul's tone had been so cool it was downright chilly. "Ga Eul, is everything okay?"

Ga Eul saw the worried look cross Jan Di's face, and noticing the prominent bruise on her face, made a conscious effort to be more considerate to everything Jan Di had gone through. "Why wouldn't everything be okay?" Ga Eul paused, waiting to see what Jan Di would say. When Jan Di simply continued to look at her with confusion Ga Eul continued. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

"Umm…" Jan Di trailed of, not sure of what Ga Eul was hinting at. "Are you angry with me?"

Ga Eul nodded slowly.

Jan Di removed the gloves from her hands and laid them on the counter. Her hands fiddled with the bowls she had laid out on the trays, reorganizing them while she thought. Unable to come to a answer on her own she questioned Ga Eul. "But why are you angry?"

She couldn't seem to find the words to explain. Ga Eul lifted her eyes to meet the eyes piercing her from across the counter. "When did you start keeping secrets from me Jan Di? Why did you? Don't you know I'm always on your side?"

"I have been keeping something from you, but not because I don't trust you but because I haven't…. I can't seem to talk about it yet. I have been wanting to talk to you, but I…"

"But you can tell Ji Hoo sunbae?" Ga Eul shook her head when Jan Di looked at her with surprise. "I'm not stupid; I can see what is going on."

"I'm sorry Ga Eul, I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just going through a lot and-"

"And you didn't want to go through it with you best friend."

"No!" Jan Di cried out. "That wasn't it at all. I tried to tell you, but I couldn't… the words… they literally would not come from my mouth. I tried but everytime I started, I felt this great pit form in my stomach and I felt like I was going to cry and…"

Jan Di stopped rambling and inhaled deeply. "The truth is I was simply wasn't ready to discuss it." When Ga Eul didn't reply Jan Di forged ahead. "I can tell you now. The secret I've been keeping is that-"

Ga Eul held up a hand as if to ward off her words. "Stop. I don't want you to tell me because I forced you into it."

"But that's not what this is. I would have told you."

"But when?"

Jan Di stayed silent, unable to answer. She wanted to share the news with Ga Eul but she didn't know when she would have told her if Ga Eul hadn't confronted her.

"I thought you said that Ji Hoo would never take advantage of you." Ga Eul changed the subject.

"He wouldn't," Jan Di answered automatically.

"Then why did he marry you after you went through a traumatic experience?"

"It's not like that."

"You were feeling fragile and you should not have made any life altering decisions at a time like that," Ga Eul pointed out reasonably.

Jan Di wanted to point out that there were things that Ga Eul didn't know, but she was afraid that doing that would double the anger she already felt.

"What about Goo Jun Pyo sunbae? He left for American, and you can't tell me it wasn't because of you."

"But I don't know why he left," Jan Di said softly, trying to tamp down rising anxiety as she started to feel lightheaded. She moved slowly to the table and sat down heavily. "I haven't spoken to him since the day I moved into the apartment above the clinic."

"Don't you care?"

"Of course I care! I love him," Jan Di spoke passionately, "but we don't have a future Ga Eul. I have had to accept that."

Ga Eul walked to her and sat down next to her. "You could Jan Di, we could get your marriage annulled and you can try with Jun Pyo sunbae. "

"Ga Eul… I can't."

Looking at her friend with disappointment, she commented softly, "You surprise me Jan Di, I wouldn't have expected you to be a quitter."

Jan Di looked at her friend with hurt and tears swimming in her eyes. "I know."

"I'm sorry Jan Di, I don't mean to cause you pain. I just don't understand what has been going on with you. I want to be there for you, but you have to want me there."

She tried to speak but her throat seemed to be closing in on her and nothing came out.

"I'm leaving," Ga Eul said as she stood. "The Boss told me he gave you a week off. I'll see you at the shop when you come back, okay?" Ga Eul said, trying to show Jan Di that while her words may have been harsh nothing was broken between them.

"Wait!" Jan Di managed to get out. "Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?"

"No, I do- can't tonight."

Jan Di nodded with disappointment. It wouldn't have fixed everything, but it would have been a step in the right direction to end the night on a more pleasant note. "Did you take the bus here?" When Ga Eul nodded, she called out to the guard. "Tae Sung? Can you have the driver take my friend home?"

Tae Sung appeared in the doorway and nodded, "I'll take care of it Ms. Jan Di."

"That's not necessary," Ga Eul tried to decline.

Jan Di shook her head and said with some defeat, "Please just take the ride."

Ga Eul agreed, sensing that Jan Di wanted to do something for her but was at a loss.

Ji Hoo walked into his house, looking around for Jan Di or one of the guards. He had arrived later than he expected, he should have called but by the time he thought of it he had already started home.

Takeo moved emerged from the shadows and walked to him.

"Where is Jan Di?" Ji Hoo immediately asked.

"She went to bed early."

Ji Hoo glanced in the direction of his suite and wanted to clarify, asking, "Her own room?"

Takeo nodded.

Ji Hoo looked worried but didn't say anything in response.

"Young Master, Ms. Jan Di had a guest."

"Who was it?"

"I didn't meet her but Tae Sung said it was a Chu Ga Eul. I was on guard and heard them fighting in the kitchen."

"Jan Di fought with Ga Eul." He repeated with surprise.

Takeo nodded and without inflection continued. "Would you like to know what the fight was about?"

"Yes," Ji Hoo answered without hesitation. He listened in awe as Takeo repeated the conversation, as it seemed to him, verbatim.

After Takeo finished, Ji Hoo took a moment to process what he learned. "So it seems the main two points they were arguing were the fact that Jan Di married me and that Ga Eul realized Jan Di had a secret she didn't share."

"Yes."

"I understand. Thank you Takeo."

"Jan Di made dinner. She left some warming for you before she went to bed. She asked me to let you know," Takeo said as he bowed. He seemed to melt back into the shadows.

Ji Hoo stayed where he was while he thought about what he should do first. He was hungry and he also wanted a shower, but most of all he wanted to check on Jan Di.

Yi Jung was lying on the bench in his studio, this time stone cold sober. When he had reached for a drink tonight, he had pulled back, remembering the way his father had looked earlier.

His phone beeped, indicated that he had a voice message. It was probably Ga Eul. I should have answered her calls earlier. He had been tempted, but when it came down to it he couldn't. He didn't want the foulness of his family to touch her. Tomorrow, he promised himself. I'll make it up to her tomorrow.

Pressing a button he listened as her voice echoed throughout the room.

"Yi Jung? Are you okay? I've been trying to get a hold of you all night… I wish you were here… I went to see Jan Di tonight and I'm afraid I handled it all wrong. I didn't even really give her a chance to talk and instead spent the whole time accusing her….. I didn't mean to really, but when I saw her in Ji Hoo sunbae's home it just hit me how much changed so quickly. How did it oppa? I just don't know….."

Yi Jung heard her sniffling, the only indication that she hadn't hung up. The silence stretched until Ga Eul continued speaking.

"Why doesn't she trust me? It hurts to know that I'm not the person she goes to anymore. She became a wife and she hasn't even talked to me about it directly, she acts like it has no importance to her life and I shouldn't be upset…. I really wish you were here with me Yi Jung."

Yi Jung sat up and raised his hand to grab the phone. Instead of picking it up his hand hovered over it and he fought back the instinct to call her, to go to Ga Eul.

Sighing with disappointment, Yi Jung lowered his arm and laid his head back down. Tomorrow, he promised himself again.

Ji Hoo exited the bathroom, with a towel slug low on his hips and another wrapped around his neck. He had knocked softly on Jan Di's door, but there was no answer. Instead of trying again and risking waking an already sleeping Jan Di he had headed to his room to take a shower .

He used lifted his arms and removed the towel from around his neck, briskly drying his hair. Tossing it aside, he went to grab some clothes and quickly got dressed.

He was coming back from eating in the kitchen when he saw a dark shadow by the doorway of the living room. Recognizing Takeo, he glanced around the room and he saw Jan Di's silhouette brightened by the moonlight coming through the window she was standing at.

"Jan Di?" he called out to her. "I thought you were already sleeping."

She shot him a sheepish glance over her shoulder, though her eyes were slightly wide with what he thought was fear. "I had a bad dream and couldn't fall back asleep."

He put a hand on her elbow and steered her to his private sitting room. "Why don't you come sit with me for awhile. "

Once they got settled, he told her. "I know about Ga Eul's visit and the fight. Do you want to talk about it?"

Jan Di shrugged, "What's to talk about? I pretty much made her feel horrible, and she doesn't want me fixing it right now."

"I know you think you did something wrong, " he said carefully, "but you didn't Jan Di. You had a right to your privacy."

"That's not the point sunbae. In the past… well I don't think I would have been in this situation in the past, but I was I probably would have told her. So why didn't I this time? Is she right? Is it because I have you and I've ignored her friendship."

"What do you want to do," Ji Hoo asked, getting to the heart of the matter.

"I want to talk to Ga Eul, and hopefully make her understand that it wasn't anything she did. It was me, I am the reason why I kept the secret."

"Okay, go see her in the morning."

Jan Di shook her head, "She indicated that she didn't want to see me until I go back to the porridge shop for work. I don't want to push her… I'll talk to her then." Jan Di looked at Ji Hoo curiously when she suddenly realized something. "Everyone knows the truth except Yi Jung and Ga Eul, that doesn't seem right."

At Jan Di observation Ji Hoo stiffened slightly, wondering if she should tell Jan DI about Yi Jung's anger with him. He had just decided against it when Jan Di mentioned, "Yi Jung came to see you."

"Did he?" Ji Hoo said in a deceptively calm voice, while his mind raced with possibilities.

"Mmm… when I told him you weren't here, he said he couldn't wait."

"Anything else?" Ji Hoo worry slowed to almost a standstill, realizing that if Yi Jung had said anything Jan Di would have mentioned it.

"No, we talked for a little while and then he left. It was this afternoon when I was gardening."

"How did that go?" He asked, genuinely curious.

"It went fine. It was actually really nice. I've never really had a garden or the time to tend to one. It was surprisingly soothing. "

They both fell silently and sat together in a companionable silence. Jan Di wondered if she should bring up Jun Pyo leaving, but decided against it.

Finally, Ji Hoo asked, "Are you ready for bed?"

"No… not yet."

"Do you want to watch a movie?" He asked impulsively.

"Uh… sure."

They walked into his room, Ji Hoo walked to the TV stand to grab the controller, handing it to her, he said. "You can pick the movie."

Jan Di scrolled the listings while Ji Hoo grabbed blankets and pillows and arranged them on the floor between the bed and TV so they could watch comfortably.

Jan Di settled down next to him and the credits started rolling.

"You picked a horror movie?"

Woo Bin sat across from his father in the comfort of their private plane. They were just finishing the meal that had been prepared for them. They were surrounded by their guards, but the closed off aspect of the seats gave them an illusion of privacy.

"Father are you going to tell me where we are going yet? From the documents I can tell we are dealing with a problem with the Park Family, but I don't know why you are keeping so much a secret."

"Woo Bin can you tell me what the documents tell you?"

"The Park and Song families have been feuding for dock space in Korea, China, and America that is essential for shipments. The disputed territory can be legitimately claimed by both families in a variety of ways."

"What is the solution?"

"We should work out a treaty with the Parks so both families can use it or there will be a war to decide who ends up with ownership."

"What do you choose? Treaty or War?"

"Treaty, at first. The loss of life could be tremendous if we go to war and should be avoided if at all possible. If we can't work out a deal then we have no choice but to go to war."

Song Dong Gun watched his son with a good amount of pride and thought, the boy is good. "That is what we are going to do; we are meeting with some representatives of the Park family."

"The head of the family isn't going to be present?" Woo Bin wanted to clarify, feeling insulted that the head of the Park family, Park Il Woo, thought to snub his father.

"Park Il Woo will be present. There is a good chance this will end peacefully."

"You've already been in contact?" Woo Bin asked, surprised that he hadn't heard of this before.

"Yes, we worked out some of the preliminaries."

"Why didn't you want to make me aware of this before now?" Woo Bin asked, now completely baffled at the unusual behavior from his father.

"I didn't want you to try and skip the trip."

Woo Bin eyed his father warily, "Why would I have wanted to do that."

Dong Gun took a sip of wine prior to answering, "Because part of the agreement is that you marry Park Il Woo's daughter."

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Thank you for taking the time to read and review!

AN 01) since no one indicated that they had an issue with the length of the chapters, I'll continue to post them as they are when I write them. I won't split it unless it gets crazy long.

AN 02)veeegeee-there will be more insight into the actions's of Jan Di's mom in later chapters. I've already written some of it and have planned for more.

Areej.A.A-Soo Yeon, the female guards motivations should be revealed in a chapter fairly soon.

Parmasone-awww, I shouldn't be happy you cried (but I kinda am :P ) I'm glad you are enjoying the Ga Eul/Yi Jung story, the more I write for them the more sure I am that keeping them in the background would have been a disservice to their characters since we didn't seem much of their relationship after their 'romance' started on the show.

I think it's sad too, that is why I wanted to write about Ga Eul's point of view. She isn't wrong for her feelings, but at the same time I don't think Jan Di is wrong for not being ready to talk. It's all about what perspective you are looking at it from.

Guest-hope you enjoyed the Yi Jung and Ga Eul in this chapter.

Jenny Lie-I'm glad you are enjoying the story and it's getting more exciting for you!

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Disclaimer: I do not own Boys Before Flowers or Hana Yori Dango

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