Disclaimer: I don't own You're Beautiful.
Warnings: Possible OOCness, slight AU, cross-dressing, etc.
Author's Note
With this chapter, we're halfway through Alternate Episode 16; so I'd say this story is progressing.
I don't mean to bore you with my rambling or sound too naggy, but I can't help but wonder why even now in the later chapters, bookfreak1 is still the only one reviewing...
I don't want to force my readers to review my story; I don't want people to review because they feel obliged- I want them to review because they themselves want to review and tell me what they think. And it doesn't have to be a long review at all; I will still feel grateful for the effort the reviewer put in and the trouble they took to tell me what they think about my story so far.
So, yeah. Just something for you to think about...
Shin Woo stared at He Yi, too shocked to speak. The actress panted heavily, glowering at who she had thought was her love rival.
Seeing Shin Woo in front of her wasn't the same as seeing his picture on the driving license in Joo Eun's black leather wallet. Although He Yi had come in with the assumption that Joo Eun was Shin Woo, seeing the man himself and her belief confirmed in front of her sent a gamut of emotions flooding her mind; emotions which made her lose her cold control.
"So it really is you…!" She whispered, unable to suppress the disbelief she felt.
The furious actress turned to Tae Kyung once she had recovered from her surprise. "I can't believe you picked a man over me to be your girlfriend!"
Tae Kyung stared, before it hit him. He Yi was losing her grip on her emotions; the shock of seeing her pretty love rival Joo Eun practically transform into Shin Woo, a man, was too much for her.
The vocalist smirked, raising a mocking eyebrow. "So?"
"So? SO?" He Yi bellowed, shaking in fury. She tried to calm herself down, but was for once unable to. She turned her gaze to Shin Woo, feeling anger boil up in her at the sight of his shocked eyes. "HE'S A MAN!"
"And yet he's prettier than you as a girl." Tae Kyung retorted scathingly.
"Y-You!" He Yi stuttered. Realizing she wasn't helping herself, she took a deep, shaky breath.
"So you didn't really have a girlfriend; you just got Kang Shin Woo to act as her," He Yi began, trembling. Her eyes widened in realization which came along with the revelation she herself had uncovered. "You were trying to get me to forget Go Mi Nam, weren't you!?"
Tae Kyung looked at her. He raised an eyebrow. "Your puny brain is surprisingly fast today."
He Yi stared at him in disbelief, before directing her gaze to the side in silent anger for a moment. She gritted her teeth. Her head then whipped up so fast Tae Kyung was surprised and disappointed it didn't come off her shoulders. "YOU BASTARD!"
She pushed herself off the bed, marching her way to the door and banging it open before stomping out of the room. Tae Kyung's eyes widened and he shot after her, grabbing her arm.
"LET ME GO!" He Yi screamed at him. She roughly tore her arm away from his grip, continuing her furious stomp down the empty corridor.
Tae Kyung growled. He grabbed her arm again, dragging her roughly back to Shin Woo's isolated ward despite her furious protests.
He slammed the door closed behind him, before flinging her arm roughly away. She glared at him with fury in her teary eyes.
"Do you think you can stop me?" He Yi hissed angrily. "I'm going to tell everyone Go Mi Nam is a girl, no matter what you say or do!"
"Even if I agree to become your boyfriend again?" Tae Kyung hissed back.
"Even then!" She screamed. "What, didn't you say you didn't care about Go Mi Nam anymore?!"
Tae Kyung was silent. Shin Woo moved to get out of bed, but the vocalist stopped him. "Don't move. You're still hurt."
"Mi Nam-"
"Call Go Mi Nam and tell her the situation."
Shin Woo nodded. He took Joo Eun's phone from the plastic bag He Yi had thrown onto the bed, quickly dialing Mi Nam's number.
There were a few rings, before a voice informed him that Mi Nam was not available. Shin Woo frowned, dialing again only to get the same response.
"She's not picking up her phone."
Tae Kyung scowled. "That idiot! Where the hell is she!?"
Just as he said that, the door opened, and in stepped a familiar figure. Tae Kyung's eyes widened at the sight.
"Go Mi Nam!"
He Yi took the opportunity to grab the new arrival. She sent the surprised Tae Kyung a glare before dragging the brunette out towards the empty corridor with her, only to realize with a start that she was rooted firmly to the ground.
"What are you doing?" A deeper, annoyed voice asked.
He Yi stared, before shaking out of her daze. "Come with me, you bitch! I'm going to tell everyone you're a girl!"
"Girl?"
"Don't try to pretend now!"
To her surprise, Mi Nam raised an eyebrow, something she had never seen her do before. She smirked, before lifting up her shirt without warning, causing the occupants of the room's eyes to widen in surprise.
"Y-You…" He Yi couldn't believe her eyes at the sight of her love rival's flat and muscular chest.
Mi Nam let his white singlet fall back into place under his black jacket. He smirked, drawling. "Still believe I'm a girl?"
"You're supposed to be a girl!"
Mi Nam gave a careless shrug. "I'm a man." He said simply. He raised his other eyebrow, smirking deviously as he reached his hands towards the hem of his black pants. His narrow brown eyes regarded her mischievously from behind long brown locks of hair. "Perhaps you need more proof?"
He Yi's eyes widened and she shook her head furiously. Mi Nam sighed. "Pity."
Mi Nam turned to Tae Kyung. He was about to speak when a shrill voice interrupted him.
"T-Then…I'll tell everyone Hwang Tae Kyung's girlfriend Joo Eun is actually his bandmate, Kang Shin Woo!"
Tae Kyung merely looked at her with his stony black eyes. "Are you sure you want to do that?"
He Yi glared at him tearfully. "You can't stop me!"
Tae Kyung raised his left eyebrow, his voice taking on a condescending tone. "Who will believe you on such an absurd declaration?"
He Yi glared daggers at him. She tossed her head, staring up at Tae Kyung superiorly. "Everyone; I'm Korea's Fairy!"
Tae Kyung narrowed his eyes in a dark glare. ""Not anymore. Now, you're just a jealous girl who hired a gang to beat up my girlfriend." he said dryly. "Do you really want to go against me?"
He Yi's eyes widened. She could not resist taking a step back at the almost dangerous look in Tae Kyung's dark eyes. "W-What are you trying to say?"
"I'll protect him."
He Yi stared. "What?"
Tae Kyung met her eyes seriously. "I said I will protect Kang Shin Woo."
"Y-You can't do anything to protect him!" He Yi protested, trying to ignore the painful clenching of her heart at Tae Kyung's words.
"Do you really believe that?"
"Well, he doesn't need your protection!" He Yi pointed out scathingly. She shifted her enraged gaze towards Shin Woo, who was lying silently in the hospital bed. "What is he, a girl? He's a man!"
Tae Kyung scoffed. He raised his other eyebrow. "He may not need my protection, but I will protect him all the same."
"From now onwards, Kang Shin Woo is under my protection; whether he likes it or not."
He Yi's eyes filled with tears, as she felt her heart squeeze painfully in her chest. "B-But…"
Tae Kyung resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her pathetic form. He looked at her, but there was no pity in his cold black eyes. "Don't make me hate you more than I already do."
"Give it up, Devil Fairy. You'll never win."
He Yi howled. She collapsed onto the floor, sobbing for real and burying her face in her arms. "What does he have that I don't!?"
Tae Kyung looked down at her. "A conscience, for one."
"Maybe it's because he doesn't have breasts?" Mi Nam suggested with a wicked grin.
He Yi only sobbed harder.
Mi Nam sighed; he hated seeing girls cry. He bent down, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Hey it's alright lady, you shouldn't go for such an uncaring guy."
He Yi looked up, surprised, and he grinned. "A pretty girl like you should be with a more charming guy; like me!
He Yi stared. Mi Nam smirked; proud that he had managed to make a girl stop crying. However, his moment of personal pride didn't last long.
"GET AWAY FROM ME, PERVERT!"
"OWWWW!" Mi Nam yelped in pain, falling back onto the floor, clutching his burning cheek. "What was that for?!"
But He Yi was already flinging open the door and running out of the room, and he watched, blinking, until she disappeared out of sight.
"Violent woman…" Mi Nam muttered crossly, rubbing his stinging cheek.
"Who are you?"
Mi Nam got to his feet, dusting himself off. He turned his gaze to Tae Kyung, smirking confidently. "I'm Go Mi Nam, of course."
Tae Kyung stared. "The Go Mi Nam I knew wasn't like this."
"You're probably talking about my sister, Mi Nyu," Mi Nam informed him. "She's way different from me."
"You're her twin brother?"
Mi Nam turned his attention to Shin Woo. He smiled cheekily. "Why yes, Miss-"
"My name is Kang Shin Woo, and I'm a man." Shin Woo said stiffly.
Mi Nam grinned. He made a show of scrutinizing Shin Woo's female attire closely. "Are you sure…?"
There was a growl, and Mi Nam smiled. He turned to face Tae Kyung, who was glaring at him.
The brown haired man put up his hands in a peace gesture, an amused smile on his face. "Alright, sorry, I won't stare at your boyfriend."
Tae Kyung's glare increased in intensity. "He's not my boyfriend."
"Really?" Mi Nam let his hands fall, staring at Tae Kyung with amusement in his eyes. "Is he your girlfriend then?"
"How did you know?" Tae Kyung asked dryly.
"What are you saying, Hwang Tae Kyung?"
Tae Kyung turned his attention to the annoyed Shin Woo, smirking. "What? Aren't you my girlfriend, Joo Eun?"
Shin Woo scowled. "Now that Yoo He Yi knows and Mi Nam seems to have…disappeared, I no longer hold that position."
Mi Nam smirked. He leaned close to Tae Kyung, whispering. "You should ask him to be your boyfriend then."
Tae Kyung turned to give Mi Nam a death glare. "I'm not gay. I'm not interested in him that way."
Mi Nam blinked. He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
"What do you think?"
"I think you're in denial," Mi Nam smirked evilly. "But since you said that…"
Tae Kyung blinked and Mi Nam was gone. He shifted his gaze to Shin Woo and his eyes widened at the sight that greeted him.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
Mi Nam smiled. He broke the kiss, ignoring Tae Kyung and focusing on the frozen Shin Woo.
"Hey, Kang Shin Woo, right? You're pretty hot; wanna be my boyfriend?"
"Get away from him!" Mi Nam blinked as he was pulled roughly aside. He raised his gaze to Tae Kyung's angry black eyes.
"He doesn't want to be your boyfriend. He's straight."
"Is he a girl then?"
"…What?"
"It's obvious you like Kang Shin Woo," Mi Nam pointed out bluntly. "So if he's straight and you're straight too; he must be a girl in order for you to like him."
"Or maybe you're a girl," Mi Nam pondered. He looked at Tae Kyung's stunned expression. "But then again, you don't look like a girl…"
He smirked, turning his gaze to Shin Woo. "Should I check? I was wondering why he was wearing a dress…"
"Don't touch him," Tae Kyung hissed, grabbing Mi Nam's wrist harshly, who merely smiled in return.
"Why? Afraid I'll discover something that isn't supposed to be there?" Mi Nam asked casually. "Or are you just jealous?"
"He's a man." Tae Kyung said shortly.
Mi Nam stared at Tae Kyung's serious expression for a while, before a smug smirk crossed his lips. "So you are jealous."
"I'm not-"
"Yeah, keep on saying that." Mi Nam waved off his protest nonchalantly. "You'll get tired of it soon."
He then turned to Shin Woo. "Hey Kang Shin Woo, if this stubborn guy here doesn't claim you soon, you're mine, okay?"
"You're hot and I'm hot, so we'll make a great couple!" He smirked proudly, jerking his thumb and glancing behind at the fuming Tae Kyung. "And don't worry, I'll make a much better boyfriend than him!"
Shin Woo stared, before finally getting his voice back. "I'm not gay."
Mi Nam blinked, before sighing in exasperation. "Oh. So you're also in denial!"
"Neither of us is in denial," Tae Kyung growled, unable to keep the frustration out of his voice. "We already like-"
"-the same girl," Shin Woo finished for Tae Kyung. He sent Tae Kyung a warning glance, before turning his attention back to Mi Nam. "We're already rivals for a girl's affections. We don't have any relationship with each other."
Mi Nam blinked, before he smirked. "Is that so?"
Shin Woo nodded shortly. "Yeah."
"What I'd like to know is," Tae Kyung began impatiently, causing Mi Nam to turn to him curiously. "How did you get here and where is Go Mi Nam?"
"You mean Go Mi Nyu," Mi Nam corrected him. He smiled. "She should be in the airplane right about now."
Tae Kyung's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean she has already left?!"
Mi Nam blinked. "Well, yeah," he replied lightly. "Didn't she tell you?"
"Manager Ma did tell me you were returning," Tae Kyung admitted, "And he did say Go Mi Nam- Nyu would have to return to where she came from."
"But, he didn't say anything about Go Mi Nyu leaving so soon."
"That's common sense, isn't it?" Mi Nam pointed out bluntly. "I'm coming back, so she has to leave. There can't be two of the same person; Go Mi Nam."
"Manager Ma was probably telling you that she has to leave – he just didn't know how to phrase it in the proper way," Mi Nam said, smirking. He shrugged lightly, eying Tae Kyung out of the corner of his eye. "He's a strange one. Or maybe he didn't dare to tell you she had to leave."
"Did Manager Ma bring you here then?" Shin Woo questioned.
Mi Nam was about to nod his head, but decided against it. "Yes and no," he replied. "President Ahn told him where you guys were, and he told me when I asked him why there wasn't anyone in the mansion."
"He said President Ahn told him Tae Kyung was with his girlfriend, and told me to go to Joo Eun's ward in this hospital if I wanted to meet you guys."
Mi Nam smirked in amusement, glancing at Shin Woo and Tae Kyung. "I'm guessing Manager Ma doesn't know who Joo Eun actually is?"
"No," Tae Kyung replied bluntly. He stared at Mi Nam. "You are already aware of the situation with my girlfriend, aren't you?"
Mi Nam shrugged. "I guess," he said in an offhand manner. His lips curved into a wry smirk. "I gathered as much from what Korea's Fairy had to say just now." He said sarcastically.
Tae Kyung nodded. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"HYUNG!"
The three occupants of the room stared at where Jeremy was standing at the doorway. He walked into the room, stopping in front of Tae Kyung and reaching out to clap his hands on his shoulders, speaking anxiously.
"Hyung…Tae Kyung hyung! I just returned to the mansion just now and no one was there!" Jeremy babbled worriedly. "I mean, I know you and Shin Woo hyung are here but I couldn't find Mi Nam anywhere!"
"I searched all over you know, I checked all the bedrooms, the rooftop, and of course the veranda," Jeremy frowned, crossing out the places one by one mentally. "I even asked Jolie if she saw her, but Jolie didn't know where she was!"
"Ahhh…what should we do, Tae Kyung?" Jeremy removed his hands from Tae Kyung's shoulders before his bandmate could do it for him, wringing them together nervously. "I think Mi Nam is missing! I mean, she doesn't usually go out on her own, right? And even if she did go out with Manager Ma or something she couldn't have gone out for that long! I waited there for about more than an hour! I even went to check places like the dance practice room, our recording studio-w-what if she was kidnapped?! Ahhhh, I should have gone home earlier-"
Tae Kyung held out his hand, resisting the urge to squeeze his eyes shut. Jeremy's rambling was starting to give his already stressed out mind a headache. "Jeremy."
The blond blinked at the emphasis on his name, and Tae Kyung grasped the chance to finally speak. He inhaled. "Go Mi Nam- or rather, Go Mi Nyu, has left. Because the real Go Mi Nam has come back."
Jeremy blinked a few times in confusion. "What? You're saying Mi Nam left?!" He asked in disbelief. "Since when?! Where did she go to!?" He questioned anxiously, hazel eyes wide. "And…and what do you mean by the real Go Mi Nam?"
"He means that the Go Mi Nam now is the real one." Mi Nam made his presence known, frowning at the blond not noticing him.
Jeremy turned to the slightly annoyed Mi Nam. His eyes widened at the sight of the familiar hairstyle and face. "G-Go Mi Nam?"
"The real one." Mi Nam added for the sake of Jeremy's denseness. He smirked at the shocked expression on his new bandmate's face, tossing out a hand in a casual greeting. "Nice to meet you."
Jeremy could only stare, stunned at Mi Nam'a presence. "I don't understand."
Shin Woo, who had slid over to the edge of the hospital bed, resisted the urge to sigh. "Jeremy, what Tae Kyung meant is that the Go Mi Nam we know, whose real name is Go Mi Nyu, has gone back to where she came from since her brother, whom she was disguised as, has just come back." Shin Woo spoke the long sentence slowly and concisely as he fixed his gaze on his confused bandmate.
"She can't stay here anymore- like Mi Nam said, there can't be two Go Mi Nams," Shin Woo continued smoothly. "So she has to go back. Apparently, she was just here to cover for her brother in the first place."
Jeremy stared at him. "Then you're saying…Go Mi Nam just left?"
"Go Mi Nyu," Tae Kyung corrected mildly. He scowled slightly, shifting his gaze to Mi Nam, who stared back. "According to her twin brother Go Mi Nam, she's in the airplane right now."
"B-But she didn't tell us she was leaving!" Jeremy sputtered, eyes wide. "She didn't say anything about having to leave when I took her out yesterday!"
"She probably didn't want to worry you," Mi Nam pointed out helpfully. Jeremy turned to him in surprise and he smiled. "You're Jeremy, right? Mi Nyu told me about you."
"She said you were always cheering her up when she was down," Mi Nam recalled, smiling fondly at the surprised blond. "She told me she always felt happy when she was with you; so maybe that's why she didn't tell you she was leaving. She didn't want to ruin your last happy moment together."
"Oh…" Jeremy said quietly. "She did ask me how would I feel if she had to leave…"
Mi Nam nodded. "Yeah," he said in a nonchalant voice. He then glanced between his three new bandmates.
"Mi Nyu also told me you guys treated her well," Mi Nam said. He smiled genuinely at the memory. "She told me she wasn't that sad about leaving because she truly enjoyed the time she spent with A.N. JELL, Manager Ma, her stylist whom she calls Noona, and even President Ahn."
The smile on the brown haired man's face curved into a smirk. He ran a hand through his messy brown hair, brushing his hair away from his eyes. "I know Mi Nyu can be dense and a bit too oblivious at times, but she's really a kind-hearted person."
He seemed to pause, before saying, "My sister is very important to me." Mi Nam confessed, a serious expression on his usually light features.
"So, for treating her well and making her feel happy during her time with A.N. JELL; thank you," Mi Nam's serious expression melted into a soft, grateful smile as he met the eyes of the starting members of A.N. JELL. "You might not believe this, but I really appreciate it."
"…I believe you," Shin Woo was the first to break the silence which lasted for a few seconds after Mi Nam's short speech. He smiled, meeting his new bandmate's eyes. "I can tell that your words are genuine. You seem to care for your sister a lot."
"Yeah!" Jeremy agreed, nodding eagerly. He seemed to have gotten over his disbelief and sadness at Mi Nyu's sudden departure, and gave Mi Nam a bright grin. "I mean, that was kind of deep, you know? And touching too- of course I believe you!"
"You wouldn't be saying this if it weren't the truth," Tae Kyung said observantly. He hesitated, before confessing, "Go Mi Nyu wasn't that big of a burden. It was a pleasure to have her here with us."
Jeremy grinned. "What Tae Kyung here means that Mi Nyu wasn't the only one who was happy- he, Shin Woo hyung and I were happy to have her in A.N. JELL with us too!"
"She was a fast learner," Shin Woo added, smiling. "And a great help to us. We couldn't have gotten to where we are now without her."
Mi Nam's smile widened as he listened to each member of A.N. JELL speak. "Thanks guys." He said simply, but he was already grinning as brightly as Jeremy.
"No problem!" Jeremy directed an equally bright grin at Mi Nam. His grin turned sheepish as Mi Nam turned to face him. "Sorry! I was so busy freaking out that I forgot to introduce myself just now."
"You can call me Jeremy," the blond said casually, a friendly smile on his features. He held out his hand. "It's great to meet you, Mi Nam!"
"I could see that." Mi Nam smirked, reaching out to take hold of Jeremy's hand in a firm clasp. "Likewise, Jeremy."
Jeremy blinked. He grinned, leaning forward and staring at Mi Nam's face in wonder, marveling at the resemblance. "It's really exactly the same." He then retracted his hand from Mi Nam's, turning his gaze to Shin Woo. "Right, Shin Woo hyung?"
Shin Woo glanced at Jeremy. He looked at Mi Nam with a neutral faced expression as the other brunette turned to him, speaking nonchalantly. "The character seems a little different though."
Tae Kyung shifted his gaze to meet Shin Woo's. "Very different." He corrected dryly.
"Ah, that's Tae Kyung. He's the leader of A.N. JELL." Jeremy introduced as Mi Nam regarded Tae Kyung in vague amusement.
He then turned to Shin Woo. "And the one over there in the bed is Shin Woo. He's the guitarist of A.N. JELL." The blond smiled at Mi Nam. "I'm the drummer, by the way. And you're supposed to be-"
"-the second vocalist and keyboardist of A.N. JELL," Mi Nam finished for him, causing Jeremy to blink in surprise. He gave his new bandmate a wry smirk. "I already know that."
"I met Tae Kyung just now, and Kang Shin Woo of course," Mi Nam's eyes sparkled with a mischievous light. "I introduced myself to him quite nicely."
Jeremy blinked. "Ah…okay." He said with some hesitance. Seeing Mi Nam eying Shin Woo who looked annoyed, he quickly continued. "Oh and about Shin Woo hyung's attire…"
"I know that too. He's cross-dressing as the girlfriend of the leader of A.N. JELL, right?" Mi Nam's lips quirked into a wry smile. "How amusing."
Shin Woo glared at Mi Nam, who smirked. He raised his hands in a peace gesture. "Ah sorry, I was just saying." He said innocently. "I didn't mean anything by it."
Tae Kyung stared at Mi Nam, his eyebrows furrowed in a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. He shook his head inwardly, recovering. "Go Mi Nam."
Mi Nam turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Tae Kyung felt a twinge of annoyance at Mi Nam copying what was supposed to be his trademark. But he brushed it off, focusing on the more important matter at hand. "You said Go Mi Nyu is on an airplane right now. Where is she going?"
Mi Nam smirked as Shin Woo and Jeremy turned their attention to him. "Somewhere far away." He replied leisurely.
"Where?" Jeremy asked, leaning forward eagerly. "Is she going to America? Or maybe England?"
Mi Nam's smirk seemed to widen at his words. He shifted his gaze to Jeremy, while glancing at the annoyed Tae Kyung out of the corner of his eye.
"Japan."
He Yi ran clumsily along the hospital corridors, tears trailing down her face. She ignored the surprised hospital staff, raising her gaze to the metal doors which were looming up in front of her.
At the sight of the lift, He Yi increased her pace. She stopped in front of the lift, jabbing the button angrily with her index finger, causing it to light up.
He Yi tried to calm herself down as she was waiting for the lift. She wiped the tears from her face with her hand, taking deep breaths to regain her composure.
Korea's Fairy could feel people's gazes on her. He Yi couldn't help but feel embarrassed- people whom she didn't even know had seen her crying. She tried her best to ignore them, hoping they would stop staring at her and just go away.
Fortunately for He Yi, the lift didn't take long to arrive at the topmost floor of the hospital. The doors opened and she quickly stepped into her salvation in relief, turning to the panel of buttons and picking the 1st floor before closing the lift doors.
It didn't take long for the lift to start moving, and He Yi immersed herself in her thoughts. She was the only one in the lift, and she couldn't help but feel a dose of gladness for that- that there was no longer anyone around to see her at her worst.
She soon turned her attention back to the situation at hand. The actress remembered the scene that had played out before her just now- how she had discovered that Tae Kyung's girlfriend Joo Eun was actually the guitarist of A.N. JELL, Kang Shin Woo, and how, to her utmost surprise, Go Mi Nam turned out to be a man.
Angry tears fell from He Yi's brown eyes at the memory. She released a loud, ear-piercing scream, clenching her first angrily.
Things weren't supposed to turn out like this. She was supposed to prove to Tae Kyung she knew his girlfriend's real identity, and threaten him with the knowledge so that he would break up with 'her' and become her boyfriend again.
He Yi hated to admit it, but she had lost her cool. She had lost her cool at the startling fact that Joo Eun was really Kang Shin Woo in disguise, and that Tae Kyung had picked a man to be his girlfriend over her, even if it was probably just for Mi Nam's sake. She had lost her cool like she had when Tae Kyung had glared at her hatefully for sabotaging his press conference with his girlfriend and revealing her love for Go Mi Nam, taunting her with the couple ring he had refused to wear with her on his ring finger- which had led to her deciding on her cruel revenge plot against the girl who was Tae Kyung's consensual girlfriend.
She had lost her cool, and her emotions had just burst out of her like a raging torrent- causing her to inadvertently ruin her own plan.
He Yi gritted her teeth. She couldn't believe that she had been tricked all along. From the moment Tae Kyung had claimed the then unknown black haired girl in front of her as his girlfriend in that shopping mall, he had already hatched a plan to trick her and get rid of her presence from his life.
She had been fooled; she, a famous actress, had been fooled- by Tae Kyung and Kang Shin Woo's act. He Yi had considered the possibility of Tae Kyung's girlfriend not being real once, but she had never thought that Joo Eun didn't exist; that she was actually someone in disguise: a man in disguise. She had never imagined that Tae Kyung was daring enough to get another man, who was his bandmate no less, to act as his public girlfriend.
He Yi inhaled. She allowed herself a moment to be honest to herself. She had not only been jealous of Joo Eun, but she had also been envious of her. From the beginning, she had been envious that she was Tae Kyung's girlfriend, then envious that she looked so beautiful and perfect beside Tae Kyung at the press conference.
Then she had gotten Joo Eun to go out with her, and her envy for the other girl had begun to increase in magnitude. She had been envious of her being liked by not only Tae Kyung but the other members of A.N. JELL as well when she wasn't, envious that she was so nice, kind and patient.
Although it had been obvious that Joo Eun was tired of He Yi's shopping trip, she never showed it openly; she had even complimented and praised He Yi's various clothing with her patient, accepting smile, saying such flattering but genuine sounding words that He Yi had been truly pleased and even a little embarrassed; an emotion she didn't feel often. Had she not been Tae Kyung's girlfriend, He Yi might have considered Joo Eun being her friend for real.
But the truth was, Joo Eun wasn't real. She didn't exist as an actual person, a real girl- she existed as a man, a man who was famous as the guitarist of A.N. JELL, a man known for his gentle personality, sincere words and gentlemanly nature.
It hadn't been Joo Eun speaking at the clothing stores they had visited- it had been her true identity, Kang Shin Woo. It had been Shin Woo whom she had dragged shopping with her and used the credit card of, Shin Woo whom had held her clothes for her and waited patiently for her as she changed, Shin Woo whom always had a compliment for her no matter how many dresses she tried on.
He Yi squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the great embarrassment she felt from her mind at having gone shopping with a man who wasn't her boyfriend.
"So what if Joo Eun is actually Kang Shin Woo? He should have felt pleased at going on what was practically a date with me, Korea's Fairy!" He Yi spoke angrily to herself. "Countless other men would die for a chance to go out on a date with me!"
He Yi nodded to herself. She scowled. And because of Joo Eun's real identity, her revenge ploy had failed. She cursed herself for not noticing the signs- the black leather wallet, the affection for Go Mi Nam who was actually a girl, the little signs that told her something was up with Joo Eun- that she was not who she seemed to be.
She should have felt suspicious when Tae Kyung expressed confidence at his girlfriend being able to beat up the men she sent to get rid of her. Her senses should have been on high alert when Tae Kyung had claimed that Joo Eun had fought and won against seventeen men before.
That was right; Shin Woo had probably beaten up those men, though not without injuries, as he had had to go to the hospital. But he had fought and won against them, and had gotten away safe.
Because Joo Eun was Kang Shin Woo, He Yi's plan for Tae Kyung to abandon or at least break up with her after seeing that she had been taken advantage of because of her position as his girlfriend had failed.
He Yi scowled deeply. Hearing the lift reaching the first floor, her eyes snapped open. She inhaled as the doors opened for her, stepping out of the enclosed space which had been her temporary sanctuary.
As she advanced towards the exit of the hospital, He Yi realized that the reporters were still crowding at the entrance. She resisted the urge to groan, wanting to be left alone right then.
But of course Lady Luck wasn't smiling down on her that day like she had most of her life. The reporters caught sight of her as she advanced towards the entrance. They released gasps and shouts of excitement, rushing towards her like a small stampede.
"Yoo He Yi! It's Yoo He Yi!"
"Yoo He Yi's back!"
He Yi wasn't in the mood to deal with nosy paparazzi, and had to resist the urge to scowl and tell them to leave her alone. She forced a weak smile, raising her gaze demurely to the familiar bright flashes.
"How was your visit, Yoo He Yi?!"
"Was Joo Eun badly injured!?"
"How do you feel about Hwang Tae Kyung's girlfriend being hurt because of you?!"
He Yi looked at the press. They were pushing against each other frantically to get to her. She wanted badly to tell them to go pay a visit to Hwang Tae Kyung and his so called girlfriend themselves, but Tae Kyung's words came to mind:
"Do you really want to go against me?"
He Yi shook her head, feeling tears spring to her eyes. She didn't want to be against Tae Kyung. He wasn't her target. She didn't want him to hate her more than he already did.
A tear slipped from He Yi's left eye, causing the reporters' eyes to widen.
"Y-Yoo He Yi…are you crying?!"
"Why are you crying?"
"Please don't cry, Yoo He Yi!"
He Yi looked at them. Most of them were men, and they looked concerned and worried for her emotional state, despite their invasive occupation.
As Korea's Fairy, she had even the press worried for her. He Yi remembered the scene she had filmed at the hospital and how she had pretended to be crying so she could get away. She remembered one of the reporters stopping his colleague from taking a photo of her crying, and telling her kindly to take her time to calm down.
He Yi knew that with her beauty and act as Korea's Fairy, she could get any man she wanted. But she also knew that even her beauty and status as the national fairy hadn't managed to charm the man she loved, Hwang Tae Kyung, to her.
The actress shed another tear at the thought. Why was it that she couldn't get Tae Kyung to love her, no matter how hard she tried? Why was it that her every action seemed to displease him, her very presence an annoyance?
Why was it he would even prefer to have another man than her as his girlfriend?
"Y-Yoo He Yi?"
He Yi managed a smile. She raised her gaze to the concerned reporters, a tear slipping from her other eye.
"I-I'm so sorry…" she sniffed. She wiped a tear away from her right eye. "It's just that I am very worried for Joo Eun. She was really badly hurt."
"How badly hurt was she?!"
He Yi covered her mouth, letting out a sob, and the reporter grimaced, looking like he was regretting asking the question.
"A-Ah, I'm sorry…" he apologized meekly. "W-Will she be alright?"
He Yi removed her hand from her mouth, sniffing. "I hope so…" she said softly.
"I think Joo Eun will need some time to recover." He Yi started hesitantly. She turned her gaze to the side. "I-I have a request…"
"What is it, Yoo He Yi?" She heard a reporter ask kindly.
He Yi returned her gaze to the media. "Please do not disturb Joo Eun and Tae Kyung Oppa." She said quietly. "They need time alone together."
There was near silence for a moment, as the reporters glanced at each other, murmuring. But it seemed they had reached a solid agreement, for one of them said firmly, "Alright, Yoo He Yi. We will accept your request."
He Yi looked back up. "Thank you…"
"You're welcome," a journalist replied. He smiled. "Our national fairy's heart is so kind! I can't believe Hwang Tae Kyung said you were the one who hired a gang to beat up his girlfriend."
He Yi smiled inwardly. She avoided the man's gaze, saying, "Please do not blame Tae Kyung Oppa…he is just very worried and angry; I don't think he is aware of what he is saying."
"I see…"
He Yi released a choked sob. She put her delicate hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry…I can't control my feelings." She sniffed. "Please excuse me."
The reporters nodded. They parted to make way for her the second time that day and Korea's Fairy slipped through the space made specially for her, her hand still covering her mouth.
It was only when she was sure no one was staring at her that she let her hand drop. He Yi smirked proudly at her accomplishment.
"I'm no longer 'a pathetic, jealous woman who hired a gang to beat up your girlfriend', Hwang Tae Kyung," she spoke to herself, raising a mocking eyebrow. "You'll have to find someone else to blame."
He Yi smiled. With her superb acting, she had cleared her name and restored her reputation as Korea's Fairy without going against Tae Kyung. He wouldn't have any reason to blame her!
That was right. Her target wasn't Tae Kyung; she didn't want to invoke his wrath more than she already had.
He Yi narrowed her eyes. Her target now wasn't Tae Kyung, nor Go Mi Nam. It was Kang Shin Woo.
He Yi had never paid much attention to Shin Woo. To her, he had just been another man who didn't hold her interest for long. She didn't see what was so good about the guitarist of A.N. JELL that had countless girls raving about him.
He Yi wished she could tell everyone Kang Shin Woo had actually abandoned his pride as a man and cross-dressed as Hwang Tae Kyung's girlfriend. She would love to see the reactions on girls' faces everywhere when they heard that their handsome idol was actually the leader of A.N. JELL's girlfriend.
Revealing Joo Eun's real identity would hurt and embarrass Shin Woo and make him feel ashamed of himself, which she wanted. Unfortunately, it would also embarrass and anger Tae Kyung, and he would take He Yi's action as her going against and challenging him.
He Yi wanted to hurt Shin Woo. She wanted to make him pay for tricking her and pretending to be a girl and going out with her without her being aware Joo Eun was him. But hurting Shin Woo would be hurting Tae Kyung as well, and she didn't want that.
"From now onwards, Kang Shin Woo is under my protection; whether he likes it or not."
He Yi gritted her teeth. First it was Go Mi Nam, now it was Kang Shin Woo. And he wasn't even a girl! Just what was it about those people that made Tae Kyung choose them over her?!
"I have to do something else." He Yi said to herself as she stomped along the roadway, "I can't tell everyone who Joo Eun really is; Hwang Tae Kyung would take it as a challenge against him!"
"He said he would protect Kang Shin Woo!" He Yi muttered angrily to herself. She shook her head. "I can't go against him that way."
He Yi scowled. "I'll have to do something which will hurt only Kang Shin Woo, won't I?" She asked herself.
"How can I take my revenge against him?"
"I can help."
He Yi blinked at the unfamiliar deep voice. She raised her gaze to meet dark eyes.
"W-What?"
The owner of dark eyes smiled. The tall man clad in black pushed himself off the wall. Black bangs swept across his forehead, spiking up slightly at the back. He strode casually to the surprised He Yi.
"You're Yoo He Yi, right?" The unknown stranger smiled. "Korea's Fairy."
"Y-Yeah…" He Yi replied once she had recovered from her surprise. She placed her hand on her mouth, sniffing. "I'm sorry…but I can't talk right now…"
She tried to brush past him, but the stranger held a hand out, blocking her way. He Yi looked up at him and he gave her a wry smile. "You don't have to pretend. I heard you talking just now."
He Yi stared. Another person besides Tae Kyung who had caught her red-handed? She really was getting careless!
The actress removed her hand from her mouth. She smirked at the black haired stranger. "Really? That's good. I don't have to pretend anymore then. It's so tiring!"
"But what are you going to do?" He Yi questioned, gazing up at the man with taunting eyes. "Even if you tell, no one will believe you. I am Korea's Fairy after all. They'll believe me."
To her surprise, the stranger chuckled. He smirked at her in amusement. "Your words are amusing."
"But you should relax, I'm not going to tell anyone. It isn't my business." The man said nonchalantly. He looked at He Yi with a smile. "In fact, I want to help you."
"Help…?"
The dark haired man smiled. "My name is Jae Jin." He said simply. "It was interesting to see the real you, Yoo He Yi."
"What do you want?" He Yi asked cautiously.
"Kang Shin Woo."
He Yi stared at the tall stranger. "What…?"
Jae Jin smirked. "I said I want Kang Shin Woo," he repeated, staring at her with darkly amused eyes. "And I know you want revenge against him."
He Yi took a step back. Something about the stranger's dark eyes unnerved her. "Who are you?"
Jae Jin smiled. "I'm simply someone who will help you take your revenge against Kang Shin Woo," he said casually. "If you will help me with my own goal."
He Yi narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "How do I know I can trust you? I don't even know you."
Jae Jin merely laughed. "You don't know that." He smirked. He fixed his dark gaze on her. "But you do know you won't give up a chance for revenge against Kang Shin Woo whom you seem to hate."
He Yi was silent. The stranger smiled, waiting patiently as his potential ally contemplated over her options. True to his prediction, she eventually looked up to meet his dark gaze.
"Fine." He Yi said. Her lips curved into a wry smirk. "You want Kang Shin Woo, right? You can take him. I just want Hwang Tae Kyung."
Jae Jin smiled, his dark eyes reflecting his amusement. "I can't promise you Hwang Tae Kyung will be yours, but I can promise you that if you work with me, you will succeed in your revenge against Kang Shin Woo."
He Yi smiled. She met the stranger's dark eyes. She knew she should be wary of him, but she didn't care. Even if she were signing a contract with the Devil, she wouldn't have cared, as long as she would be able to make Kang Shin Woo suffer.
"That's fine." He Yi held out her hand, smiling sweetly. "I'm Yoo He Yi, Korea's Fairy." She brushed her long brown hair back, her smile turning sly. "Though Hwang Tae Kyung calls me the Devil Fairy."
"It's nice to meet you!"
Jae Jin smiled. He reached out to take her hand, and He Yi had to resist a grimace at the coldness of his hand.
"I'm Jae Jin. Like I said before, it was interesting to see the real side of you, Korea's Fairy," Jae Jin smirked. "Or as you said, Devil Fairy."
"It's a deal. I'll help you with your revenge against Kang Shin Woo and you'll help me with my plans for him."
He Yi returned the stranger's smirk. She took back her hand, giving her new accomplice a mock bow.
"Then, I look forward to working with you, Jae Jin!"
Jae Jin smiled, amusement entering his dark eyes.
"Likewise, Yoo He Yi."