A/N: apologies for the lateness once again. I've been working hard over the last couple days to put the ending there...let's just say that i'm not really proud of how i worded this chapter.

"Jeong," Ga Eul heard from behind her. The voice was soft and steady, as if it had been longing to say its name.

Ga Eul tilted her head back, glimpsing into the hall. There was no one there…..she was sure she heard someone. Her heart started to beat faster as she started to panic. No there should have been no one else in the house now; she clearly heard the front door open then lock from the outside. The nurse must have left; there shouldn't be anyone else here. Ga Eul slowly got up from the couch, she was nervous but Yi Jeong was lying on the other couch with his eyes closed, she didn't make to wake him so she took her uneasy heart and went to check it out. Her hand shook as she slowly pulled it up to the doorknob of the room she had thought she had heard the sound come from and she glanced over her shoulder, looking back into the long corridor where the light was, where she was minutes ago, where Yi Jeong slept, and she looked back at where she was now, where the answer stood just meters away from her. She left alone, isolated, like once again, she was by herself to face her fears. She hated the dark, she hated ghosts and mysteries but most of all, she feared of being remote. Ga Eul tried to calm herself down, this was something that she had to do on her own, although she knew that if she woke Yi Jeong up, he would help her, she had to overcome just this one fear with her own strength.

Her sweaty palms twisted the doorknob and the stranger behind it was no surprise. Ga Eul was so stupid, how could she have forgotten about the mysterious women lying in bed. She slowly tilted up her head and brought her hand out to Ga Eul. "

"Jeong….," she called once again.

Ga Eul moved herself closer to the women as she took the stranger's cool fingers into hers. "I'm Ga Eul," she introduced herself. Ga Eul felt the women's fingers tighten in her palms; she was gripping onto Ga Eul's hand holding them for support as she raised herself up.

"So you must know huh?" she asked.

Ga Eul looked at her confusingly. What was she suppose to know? "I don't understand what you mean."

"About me, about this family, about Jeong."

"Uh…..no," she replied. "I'm only here because I kind of forced Sunbae to bring me along with him."

"Well, you must be a special one then," the women spoke as she patted gently onto Ga Eul's hand. For some reason, her touch was giving Ga Eul some sort of reassurance, like full-hearted appreciation for that matter.

Ga Eul stared blankly. She couldn't comprehend what she was trying to say.

Seeing as Ga Eul didn't respond to her, she immediately understood. She was different from the kinds that she used to see Yi Jeong bring around, but maybe this was a good thing. "I'm So Shi Eul, I'm Yi Jeong's mother," she introduced herself.

"Mother?" Ga Eul whispered astonishingly.

Mrs. So nodded. "What is your name my dear?"

"Uh….my name is Chu Ga Eul."

"Chu Ga Eul huh? That's a really special name. Did you meet Yi Jeong at a bar too?"

"No, no, no," Ga Eul interjected. "I mean, no. I'm currently attending the same school as Sunbae."

"Oh I see. So you must be almost graduating then?"

"No, actually, I'm just a few months younger than Sunbae."

"How long have you two been together?"

"Together? Auntie, this must be a joke right? Me and Yi Jeong, Sunbae isn't into girls like me," she commented disappointingly. Ga Eul looked onto the floor. It took her this long to realize the truth, hearing it aloud from herself seemed to make reality less painful. Stupid her, how could she be so dumb to even have thoughts like that? A playboy like Yi Jeong would only go for those fun, flirty girls and not ones like herself.

"Oh," Mrs. So reacted disappointingly. "Well then, you must be one special girl. Jeong has never allowed any girl come in here." She looked down at her neatly bandaged arm, covering all the cuts that she had carved and as she shut her eyes, a tear rolled down her face.

Ga Eul lunged forward, grasping onto Mrs. So's arm. "Is it too tight?" she panicked.

Mrs. So gave out a little giggle as she raised her uninjured arm up to Ga Eul's face. "No, it's not too tight. In fact, it's perfect. Ga Eul, you're a special girl. I hope that….."

"Ma?" Yi Jeong called as he entered the room. For some reason, his eyes widen as he saw his mother's hand on Ga Eul's face and how Ga Eul clutched onto her injured one with care. "Ga Eul," he cried in astonishment.

Ga Eul looked over at Yi Jeong and then back at her hand; the one on Mrs. So's bandages. She quickly stood up and ran out the room. She knew that Yi Jeong didn't want her in the house the moment she insisted to come with him to Korea, nonetheless would he want to see her alone with his mother.

..:.

"Jeong, go after her," Mrs. So ordered.

Yi Jeong gazed over at the door but turned back to his mother. He patted on her hands delicately as if he was saying that Ga Eul would be fine on her own.

"Jeong, please, chase after her. She's a great girl, you'll regret this."

Yi Jeong glanced at the door once more, no, he couldn't. As much as he wanted to chase after Ga Eul, he knew that he couldn't leave his mother; she was at the stage where she was going to do stupid things again. "Ma….."

"Jeong, look at me," Mrs. So said as she cupped Yi Jeong's face in her hands. "Look into my eyes and tell me you don't love her."

"Ma I….."

"Jeong, although I may be been unconscious when I got this," she said raising up her arm. The neatly tied bandage held tightly at her arm yet, somehow, it looked like it was tied with care and warmth. "This dressing tells me something. Something that I never knew about my son, do you know what that is? Its that he's in love, for the first time Jeong, the first time, you let a girl in here and see me in these conditions and not only that but you allow her to touch me and help wrap me up. Jeong, do you know what that means? It means that you're not afraid to let her see your suicidal mother, it means that she's like family, it means, that you love her."

"….Ma…."

"Listen to me, I promise you that I won't do anything else stupid. I want to see you walking down the aisle. I want to be there for you Jeong, when you two exchange your vows, I want to be there when I have my first official dinner with my daughter-in-law, I want to be there, to see my son love again."

Yi Jeong looked at her. Not sure of what to say but this was the first time that his mother had made him a promise a promise that sounded like she wanted to be like him forever. "You promise?" he finally asked.

"I promise."

..:.

"Ga Eul," Yi Jeong called out as he sprinted out of the guest room. The corridor he was running down seemed to be endless, his legs were heavy but he could see the shimmering light at the end and with hope at his side, he hurried to it with all he had.

..:.

Yi Jeong started to slow down as he reached the light; the living room and there she was, seating on the sofa, looking oddly uncomfortable.

Ga Eul's heart raced as she saw a shadow enter into the room. She didn't dare look up because she already knew who that would be. She was afraid, terrified of whom Yi Jeong would turn it, frightened that he might lash out at her the way he did with the man at the club. Her body trembled as he drew himself closer and closer towards her.

"Ga Eul," he called her name gently. Still, Ga Eul didn't dare look up. "Ga Eul, are you okay?"

There was something odd with Ga Eul, the way she pulled her hands back as Yi Jeong's neared him, the way she moved a seat over when he tried to sit down next to her on the couch, there was definitely something wrong. "Is something wrong Ga Eul?" he asked.

Ga Eul's hands quickly went up to her face as her legs went up onto the couch, protecting her body. "No please don't," she pleaded. "Please, don't, please, don't."

Right then, Yi Jeong realized what had happened. Ga Eul was traumatized. The incident at the club had shocked her. How could this be? There was no way. "Ga Eul, Ga Eul," Yi Jeong called to her.

"No, no, please, stop, don't, no, please, please," she begged once more.

"Ga Eul," he called. He watched as Ga Eul pleaded him again, instead of letting her have her way, he pulled her in and embraced her. He stroked her luscious strawberry hair and whispered his name in her ear. Slowly, Ga Eul's body stopped quivering as she began to breathe again.

"Yi Jeong," she finally said. She held him securely, not willing to let him go; he was the only one that could make her feel safe.

"Ga Eul, it's okay. I am here. It's okay Ga Eul, Yi Jeong is here."

Ga Eul nodded in response and she knew, Yi Jeong didn't belong to her but for just a second, a moment, this one opportunity, she wanted to be greedy and think of only herself and for just this time, she did believe that he was going to be there to protect her, to hold her safely.

..:.

Ga Eul didn't leave as she had planned instead; she had fallen asleep that night in Yi Jeong's arms and she had felt better since that night so she decided to stay and tend for a person that Yi Jeong had cared about as a way to repay him. Sure, now that she had thought about it, she wished that she didn't have to remember that incident that night, but she had, and although it may have been just a night with him, his rhythmic heartbeat and his minty freshening clothes would never leave her mind.

..:.

"The scars are gone Mrs. So," Ga Eul exclaimed happily.

"Yeah," Mrs. So said as she smiled at her new bare arm. "That's because you put so much effort it helping me with it Ga Eul, thank you."

"No," Ga Eul replied as she shook her head. "It was my honor to help."

"You know Ga Eul; this is the first time that I've seen my skin so smooth. No scars, no gashes, no bruises."

"Well, how about I go out and buy you a treat? What would you like?"

"Right now? I'm craving for a mango cheesecake. How about we both go out together?"

"No," Ga Eul obliged as she sat Mrs. So back down. "Yi Jeong doesn't want you out of the house yet, your blood circulation is still a bit slow. Please, I'll go buy it for you and then we can eat it in yard, it'll be the same okay?"

Mrs. So nodded in response. "Thank you Ga Eul," she whispered once again.

..:.

Ga Eul took more time than she had wanted to at the bakery store. She couldn't decide which mango cheesecake to buy Mrs. So, there were just too many. Ones with a hard granola layer, ones with a mango fruit slice topping or even one with low fat. So in a state of confusion, she bought all of them. Ga Eul smiled as she got out of the taxi carrying the box of goods, she was proud that she could help those awful looking scars on Mrs. So's skin go away. Now there was not going to be memories of her dreaded past and whether it was intentional or accidental, she'll never have to remind herself of the incidents whenever she looks at her arm.

The doorknob to Yi Jeong's house twisted right open, that was odd, how would leave it unlocked like that? Or was this family just different? Whatever it was, it wasn't her business to care. As Ga Eul turned around to close the front door, she heard a slight cough behind her.

She instinctively turned around to see a man white collared shirt with a brown gold-like silk vest. His short hair was neatly made up into spikes. His face made Ga Eul think that he was fairly odd yet he dressed in short of a young way. The way, maybe someone like him would fit into F4, but no, his face gave it all away.

"So it's you today huh?" the stranger smirked.

"I uh…," Ga Eul wanted to ask why he was in here, but she was afraid. She didn't want to stick her nose into Yi Jeong's business. If this man was here, he probably knew the family or else the nurse would have done something by now right? Right? "I'm just going to check on Mrs. So," she answered as she rushed past him. She was there, halfway there but then…..he threw out his arm and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Mrs. So is fine," he responded. "I don't see what's so special about you, I mean," the man pulled Ga Eul back, observing her from afar. "I mean, what does he like in you anyways? Why would he choose someone, someone so…plain?"

"Excuse me?" She scolded. "I don't know who you are and why you're here but I don't think that Sunbae nor Mrs. So would like you here."

"Aww…..and that's where you're wrong. I'm ALWAYS welcomed here," he said sheepishly.

Ga Eul opened her mouth to object. She was at a loss of words…..

"Not by me you aren't!" A voice projected across the room.

As Ga Eul turned her head to look, the voice had already walked past her as he loosened the grip of the stranger's arms gripping onto the shoulders. Ga Eul felt herself falling, falling backwards as gravity would help defy all matters, but she didn't hit the ground hard head first. It felt like there was a pillow there supporting her frail head and their strong muscles kept her up. "Sunbae," she called out.

"Are you okay Ga Eul?" he asked worryingly as he helped her stand back up. "Are your shoulders okay?" he questioned once more as he rubbed it gently.

"Yeah Sunbae I'm okay," Ga Eul pretended as she placed her hand underneath Yi Jeong's so she could rub her own shoulder instead.

Yi Jeong's hand slowly let go of Ga Eul's shoulder. "Don't you EVER touch her again," he scolded as he turned around pointing to the man.

"Yi Jeong, why are you yelling? Don't you even have any manners? Didn't I bring you up right?"

"No, no you didn't bring me up right because if you did, my family wouldn't be like this. This is all your fault. If you would just go to work and come home for dinner like all fathers should and not make-out with your secretary on the job, I think I would have grown up to be someone better. I think I would have been somebody else if I didn't see my mother almost killing herself each time just to get your stupid attention, for you to just look at her for just a second more. Do you think that I would choose you as my father if I had a choice? And you will never treat Ga Eul as one of them, you got that. She is off limits."

'Did Yi Jeong just say father?' Ga Eul wondered. It was all coming into place now though, why the front door was open, why the man was in the house, why he wouldn't let her go. The facts were all there, she couldn't deny that he wasn't Yi Jeong's father, they were the same.

"What does this girl have anyways Yi Jeong? Have you lost your mind? What about this little commoner child possess? It sure wasn't her beauty that caught your attention. I know, I know, she's probably good in….," Mr. So paused as he eyed Ga Eul.

Ga Eul only widened her eyes when he did so, heading her head behind Yi Jeong thinking that a similar incident would reoccur.

"Get out of this house NOW!" Yi Jeong bellowed.

Mr. So's eyes stared angrily at Yi Jeong but he knew better, this wasn't the first time. He gets it almost every time Yi Jeong walked into the room to see that he had already mangled his date but this time it seemed different, it was as like Yi Jeong didn't want him to leave with his date for the first time, it was like he really cherished this girl that he wasn't willing to give her up without a fight. So Mr. So decided to not drag her hand with him as he left the house, and he only wished that this girl would change Yi Jeong and help shape him into someone who wasn't going to become someone like himself.

A/N: so do you agree that it's not my best piece yet? Yeah...it's what you think hahaha, Mr. So actually almost did that. School's almost out so I should be able to upload tons for you all when it's over but since it's nearing an end, finals and exams are here for me! ARGHHHHH! hahaha. thanks for all the support. keep in touch through ff messages. The following link here is a blog that I've recently started and it's made only for television dramas: .com/ I hope to soon upload one for english television shows too such as Vampire Diaries and Glee. Keep updated everyone and in the meantime, go watch some drama ^^