Chapter seven
SIX MONTHS LATER...
All of the F4 was playing a game of pool at their lounge and some foreign music was playing in the background. It was Junpyo's turn when Woo Bin's phone rang. He took it out and stared at the number for a minute before letting out a sigh and rolling his eyes when hanging up the call.
"Who is it?" Yi Jeong asked with a smirk while taking his chance. Woo Bin let out another sigh before answering,
"Monkey." The answer was simple and short but it made Yi Jeong straighten after his shot and exchange a look with the other two.
"Boh? Are you series with her?" Yi Jeong questioned with another smirk.
"Serious? With her?"Junpyo scoffed. "Ae.. Woo Binah... you'd better date a tigress than her."
"boh?" Yi Jeong looked at Junpyo still with his smirk and Ji hoo smiled silently while taking his shot.
" Junpyo's right. This isn't called dating but being hostage for some kind of a dark lord..." he let out a sigh and stared blankly at the pool table.
"So you are really dating her?" Ji hoo asked still with his smile.
" Ah! Ani... we are just in a contract..."
"Contract?" Yi Jeong raised one of his eyebrows.
" ye... when I was back in America.." with a sigh he leaned to the table to take his turn, " she helped me get rid of a tiresome chick by pretending to be my girlfriend..." his frustration was obvious as the shot missed its target.
"Boh?" when you were back in America? Doesn't that mean you have been dating her for about three years?" Junpyo blinked for a moment , " how on earth are you still in one piece?"
"Agh! How many times do I have to tell you guys that I am not 'dating ' her?" Woo Bin complained and Yi Jeong and Ji hoo chuckled in amusement while Junpyo took his turn." I am just returning the favour..." he told in a low voice.
"The favour?" it was again Yi Jeong.
"By pretending to be her boyfriend to chase away her suitors.." Ji Hoo answered.
" How long it would take to end that ' contract' ?"
" About next week..." Woo Bin was still wearing the smug face.
" Anniyo!" The F4 almost flinched at the loud yell. They were quite amazed to see a Hae Jae kyung standing only a few feets away from them.
" Seven months... you've got another seven months to end the contract!" she uttered firmly.
" Yoh... monkey... have you being here for a long time?"
" Ye..." she smiled. " Enough to hear Junpyo calling me a tigress.." Junpyo went all silent and Yi Jeong and Ji Hoo were still enjoying the time.
" It hurts ... you know?.. when you guys hate me that much..." she let out a sigh. Junpyo was staring down at the ground and Woo Bin had gone stiff.
"Mi..Mian..." Junpyo apologised.
" Arasso... " she smiled again." Never mind..." and ran to Woo Bin before grabbing his arm to drag him out." Don't you see ?... I am busy right now..." he complained.
"Ah ..." she rolled her eyes , " still playing like five year olds!... of course.. you can play anytime later... this is an emergency!" she was jumping up and down pursuing him.
" Emergency?" Woo Bin was concerned for the first time and the other three except for Junpyo were hardly holding back their smirk and stared at them amused.
" chairman of the SJ group, twenty eight years old, studied and grew up in Germany, an only child with a vastly spoiled attitude.." she gave a brief description in one breath about her latest suitors.
" SJ group? Isn't it the main trader of drugs and medications in Korea?" Woo Bin looked at Ji hoo who nodded in answering.
" Ye...ye we haven't got much time...come on... "
" Help ..." Woo Bin mouthed the other three while helplessly being dragged away.
Yi Jeong let out a chuckle while shaking his head before leaning to take his turn, " I'll tell you from my personal experience.." he took the shot and straightened up to watch the trail which Woo Bin had been dragged out, " those pretend dates... most likely won't end the same way as they'd been planned. ..."
After the gathering was ended Yi Jeong drove off to the So manor. He now visited there more often than before. It was never called home, rather the workplace of his girlfriend. Though the visits were more frequent he rarely spend longer than few hours in the manor. He was used to call it more comfortable sleeping on that wooden bench in his studio than all the beds in that manor.
He stood in front of his omma's bedroom. As there wasn't any voice heard from inside, he hesitantly opened the door. He was afraid of stepping in though, as if it was a forbidden realm; a place where he prohibited himself to enter. From his previous experience his entrance had never done any good. It had always been the same repetition, her pleading followed by her wailing and then ultimately threatening him to kill herself. Yi Jeong was tired of it, so he had no choice but to cut all the connections with his omma; he had changed his phone number and denied to visit her. At least it had lessened the time she had been under sedate. He rarely sees her awake now but as for a certain girl he saw her in her slumber almost every day.
He slowly stepped in to the pocketed bedside where the thick carpet was capable of silencing any heel. Just like he had expected, his mother was in deep sleep maybe because she was tired or maybe because of sedate. Besides his mother sat the girl who had the most loving heart Yi Jeong had ever seen or heard before. Though when looking at his omma Yi Jeong was hardly holding his sobs , when he slightly shifted his eyes at her, his lips always twisted in to a smile. Her thick black hair reached a little lower than her shoulders while her eyes were sparkling in the yellowish light, Yi Jeong could notice that those eyes were as always filled with kindness, something he loved more than anything else. He kept staring at her , especially her face; her expression was relaxed her cheeks wore the slightest of makeup as she was now allowed to wear her normal clothes around Madam So, her eyes were bright and fixed at the lady in slumber while her puffy lips were sealed with concern. Yi Jeong was unable to switch his gaze out from her. His breath was losing its ease and he couldn't help but let out a sigh, seeing Ga Eul holding his omma's hand and stroking her hair with her other hand. The more he stared at her the more he fell deeply in love with her.
His sigh was loud enough to make Ga Eul aware of his presence. Though there wasn't any difference of Madam So's condition Ga Eul looked up and smiled seeing Yi Jeong who smiled in return. Ga Eul tried to stand up but the lady' s grip tightened when sensed that she was about to leave. Ga Eul planted a little kiss on that tightened hand and loosened it before placing it on her bed and adjusted her covers. She then stood up and along with Yi Jeong stepped out of the room without making any noise. It was after she smoothly closed the door that she awaked her voice to greet him.
" Sunbae... how was your gathering " Ga Eul asked in an excited tone.
" Nothing much interesting...except for Woo Bin been forcefully dragged away by monkey..." he let out a smirk " there wasn't anything special..." Yi Jeong forced a smile , " how about Ga Eulyang's?"
" The school was exciting as always but omma..." Ga Eul went silent for a moment. " sunbae... she was talking about you all day...sunbae don't you think that it would be better to reconsider_" They were heading for the parking lot and Yi Jeong froze at the spot, " Ga Eul .. haven't we agreed not to talk about that again..." he told in a low but very firm voice. Ga Eul went silent again and Yi Jeong recognizing his words might have been too harsh, smiled warmly at her,
"I got all the things packed!" he exclaimed pointing at the suitcase which stood near the car.
" Sunbae... so are you really going to come ? " Ga Eul asked with an excited tone with a slight disbelief.
" Ga Eulyang.. you weren't joking when asking for me to stay the weekend at your place.. have you?" he asked while stating back at her.
" Anniyo... I wasn't...of course omma and appa is away from Seoul and it's only me and huramoni who would be at my place..." she was smiling to herself, " I even asked permission from omma and appa ... but I never thought Sunbae would really..."
" stay the night guarding an eighty year old and her granddaughter.. ... ye" he let out a sigh while putting the suitcase to the car trunk with a grunt, " I can't believe it myself that I agreed for such kind of a tacky request!" he closed the trunk and got into the car.
" I don't see anything tacky about that!" Ga Eul got in and closed the door a little bit harder." There's that bar always surrounded by scary people, what if a thief would come?... I don't even know any martial art!"
Yi Jeong couldn't help but smirk at the idea of Ga Eul taking a Kung Fu stance in front of an intruder. " so you bring me ... to do that?" he asked
" anniyo... its ..just in any case..."
" Besides... didn't sunbae wonder about how our household works?...I remember Sunbae telling something like that at the last date we went...".
"Arasso" Yi Jeong let out another smirk. " I accept defeat... " and he pursed his lips. Ga Eul smiled and playfully hit him on the shoulder while the car drove in to the night.
" Um... sunbae..."
"Hmm?"
"Can we buy dinner from somewhere out... before going home?"
" Wae? " Yi Jeong slightly glanced at Ga Eul with surprise before shifting back his attention to the road.
" I won't mind..." Ga Eul looked aside switching her sight to the passing pedestrians." If Sunbae could eat huramoni' s spinach porridge... believe me... the intestines would look better than that!"
"Boh?" Yi Jeong scoffed in disgust. " Don't tell me this is going to be like that 'double date' again..." he lowered his voice with suspicion.
" Anniyo...have I ever put Sunbae in such kind of a situation again?... ani... it was just one time and don't whine about it over and over again..." Ga Eul complained.
Yi Jeong smiled," still calling me a whiner?"
" you are still a whiner. "
Yi Jeong let out a sigh and smiled again " anniyo...I have changed... at least I am not a coward anymore..."
" Anniyo! Sunbae is still a coward!"
Yi Jeong was growing tired of this bickering, so he simply uttered without any thought, " ye..." Yi Jeong let out a sigh, " maybe that's why I am accepting this 'request' of yours despite hurabeujji's every warning!"
Ga Eul went all silent for a while and her fingers entangled with each other as her mind drifted into hesitation and fear. At last she uttered in a low voice, " then... maybe Sunbae... doesn't have to_" she was cut off in mid sentence by another loud sigh, " Haven't I told you before?" you are not to worry about those... there's nothing hurabeujji could do, other than those warnings..." he smiled again. It was the damage control he was doing though. " his policies are keeping us safe..." He glanced at Ga Eul who still denied to lift up her head. He gave a quick kiss on her cheek which made her look up back at him.
" Sunbae..." Ga Eul whispered. Yi Jeong smirked again though his sight was fixed on the road he could imagine her flushing cheeks. " Didn't we promise... that.. we will try our best...so..."
" So we won't have any regrets..." Ga Eul smiled and completed. " Ye." She sighed in relief.
After a while Yi Jeong turned in to parking lot of one of the most famous restaurants in Seoul, " here we are..." He stopped the engine and Ga Eul looked around in wide eyes. She stopped him by his arm when he tried to get out of the car.
" Sunbae...why here? We could buy from somewhere else ... I've heard its pretty much expensive in here.."
" Agh!" Yi Jeong rolled his eyes, " just stop whining and come along.."
" Whining?"
Ga Eul obeyed but not before they exchanged a glare. She got out from the car and went in, arm in arm with him yet Ga Eul was hardly keeping up with his fast walk. When they entered the restaurant Ga Eul found herself odd as for when comparing with the finely dressed people in there she wore nothing more than a skirt and a blouse under a cream coloured coat. When the menu was offered she first instinctively looked at the price column and gasped when seeing even the cheapest was twice as her monthly salary.
" Sunbae..."
" Just say what you want..." Yi Jeong uttered in a careless tone.
" but_"
"_ boh? Do you want to dine in now?" He smirked. " I thought Ga Eulyang dislike it when people are staring at you..."
" ani...anniyo.. we are taking them away...besides... huramoni must be starving by now.. ."
And there followed an awkward silence in which Ga Eul was staring at every corner of that restaurant while Yi Jeong spent time rubbing his forehead as a sign of annoyance. Though by then, he had taken her to few high class restaurants different ones each time, as frequently as Ga Eul allowed him to choose the date, she was still used to stare at every corner with an awe expression signifying everyone that she was a childish commoner. That was what annoyed Yi Jeong the most, the rumours spreading that he was dating a 'childish commoner'. It was another reason for him to change his mobile number to prevent his previous dates interrupting him all day and night crying and asking him what was wrong with them.
They waited till their order was prepared and as soon as it was, Yi Jeong took the bags and dragged Ga Eul out from the staring eyes.
It was a bit late night when Ga Eul slided opening the door to the small dining room to lead her and Yi Jeong in. Yi Jeong had met her parents several times before, but it was mostly at their grocery store or at Ga Eul 's kindergarten. So it was the first time he visited her home. There at the dinner table was Ga Eul's huramoni who had dosed out while waiting for Ga Eul. The TV was on and a comedy show was playing. Ga Eul switched off the TV and went to her huramoni, and shook her to wake her up. The old lady woke up with a flinch and stared at Ga Eul for a moment before waking her voice.
" Is this a time a young girl should return home?" she blinked while asking, and glared at Yi Jeong for a moment before gesturing him and asking who he was. Yi Jeong plastered his best grin while Ga Eul introduced him. His charms were barely working on Ga Eul' a omma and it was only pity he got from Ga Eul's appa. Ga Eul was careful enough not to mention a word about his previous play boy life and her parents ; her omma too busy in the household chores and her appa with absolutely no interest about celebrity gossips , were never aware of that either. It was the mere fact of him being a chabeol that made them keep him at bay and he was singing inwardly when Ga Eul asked him to stay the weekend with her as it was an indication that her parents had accepted him. But this ' huramoni' was a whole different case. It was as if Ga Eul had inherited all of her childish cruelties from her and the only thing Yi Jeong was regretting about accepting her request was that old ' huramoni '.
Without wasting another moment after introducing him and guiding him to her room to change his cloths, Ga Eul went to the kitchen to get all the bowls and dishes to prepare the dinner table. And after Yi Jeong came out having a wash and changing in to his pyjamas, Ga Eul asked him to lay down the dishes and the meals while she herself had a wash and changed her clothes.
They sat around the table and Yi Jeong found out that her huramoni was used to watch the television while having dinner. Yi Jeong and Ga Eul exchanged a few friendly glances and smiles while the old lady was highly concerned with her comedy show. After the dinner Yi Jeong volunteered helping Ga Eul to clean up the dishes while her huramoni arranged the bedding. Ga Eul deliberately took much longer than it required to clean the dishes so she could watch the horror movie she recently bought, with Yi Jeong.
After they made sure that huramoni was fast asleep Ga Eu grabbed some blankets and any snack she could possibly find on their small kitchen. They sat on the floor leaning their backs on the small table and covering themselves with their blankets.
" Haven't you heard that watching TV this close could make one's s eyes sore?" Yi Jeong was a bit annoyed as he was forced to watch this horror movie despite his suggestion to watch a romance. It was all going the way Ga Eul had wanted.
" Two hours won't make Sunbae blind of course..." she snapped back and Yi Jeong let out a sigh while Ga Eul giggled excited when the movie started. Her giggle didn't last long as it drained off when the film introduced a creepy farm house.
" Sunbae!" she grabbed Yi Jeong 's hand and squeezed it when ever a door was slammed with a loud thud. She was stuffing her mouth with biscuits one after another and offered one or two to Yi Jeong while her eyes widened in horror looking at the often dark screen.
" Ga Eulyang, wont it be better if you would keep it in the middle?"
" Boh?" Ga Eul spared a moment to blankly stare at Yi Jeong.
" The biscuits. " Yi Jeong gestured at the half emptied packet with a careless tone and a sigh. Ga Eul obeyed though she was fully in to the movie, she gasped at every little shadow yelled at every little ghostly thing and squeezed Yi Jeong ' s arm or hand or whatever she caught in her hand even it was a mere biscuit. Yi Jeong on the other hand was bored as much as he could be. He wasn't scared not even interested as he barely believed anything supernatural. He did let out a scream or two not for a ghost but for Ga Eul's fingernails scratching his smooth skin. The only thing he really enjoyed was obviously her presence, cuddling to him sharing their blanket.
" Sunbae... you think she'll kill her daughter?" Ga Eul asked her eyes tearing and widened with fear while both of her hands clutched Yi Jeong ' s holding it closer to her face prepared to cover her eyes when ever needed.
" Maybe.. who knows?" he said while silently dosing himself on her shoulder.
" both?" Ga Eul shot a glare at him," Sunbae... how could you_"
" _Ga Eulyang it's just a movie... don't over think it..." he said with a yawn and Ga Eul switched her attention back to the darken screen.
Even after the movie had ended Ga Eul was still staring at it gasping at its unthinkable ending. It was after the screen went all dark she shifted her head to see an Yi Jeong fallen asleep on her shoulder. Ga Eul stared at his face as she was hesitant to wake him up. His features were irresistibly handsome she didn't know nor couldn't help when her finger traced along his face. Starting from his eyebrows, his eyes his cheeks his straight nose and ultimately stopped on his lips.
" Ga Eulyang.. what are you imagining?" Yi Jeong smirked, waking up from his fake sleep. Ga Eul flushed in darker shades of red and immediately jerked back her hand . She struggled to stand up but he pulled her back to her position and without a warning placed his lips on hers. Ga Eul though shocked return back the kiss after a few moments. They went on and on kissing each other. Starting from feather light kisses it deepened in to more passionate ones. Ga Eul 's arms embraced around his neck while his traced down to her waist. They didn't know what they were leading themselves to and was drowning in passion. Surely there might had happen something unexpected if not for they'd heard a loud sound of someone clearing their throat.
They immediately broke their kiss and as two rats caught in a trap looked up at a surprised huramoni staring back at them. They were frozen in their positions for a moment before Ga Eul jumped out from the embrace and hurriedly stood up.
" huramoni... you were awake?" Ga Eul asked hesitantly asked.
" ye... I suppose what were you two doing?" she narrowed her eyes as if to make it another wrinkle on her face.
" ha..ani.. " Ga Eul let out an uncomfortable laugh, " sunbae and I were just watching a movie... and it's over now...we...we'll come to sleep now..." she let out another uncomfortable laugh before patting on Yi Jeong 'a shoulder." Come on.. let's go..."
Yi Jeong who was staring down at the ground with his elbow resting in his bended knee let out a sigh before standing up to go for bed.
Much for Yi Jeong 'a horror the bedding was not arranged as he was expected. Sleeping on the floor was not what he minded but Ga Eul's huramoni sleeping in the middle was that. The old woman began to snore in no time and despite that Ga Eul was cuddling to her sleeping soundly leaving Yi Jeong to stare at the ceiling and sigh in the dark.
As soon as he slightly dosed off he felt a finger peck on his shoulder. Assuming it's a mosquito maybe he tried chasing it away with a whispering curse.
" Sunbae... sunbae..." Ga Eul whispered loudly pecking him harder.
" Agh!..what is it now?" he woke up blinking his eyes to shake off the sleepiness.
" Sunbae.. I am thirsty.. can we go to the kitchen to have glass of water?" Ga Eul asked with a sweet tone.
" Agh! What?.. you.. " he turned around and covered himself completely from the blanket so Ga Eul could not peck him anymore.
" Sunbae... please..." Ga Eul pleaded.
Yi Jeong tossed aside his covers and stared blankly at the ceiling before letting out a sigh. "arasso.." he let out another sigh. There had happened too much things to annoy him for the rest of his lifetime.
Yi Jeong followed after Ga Eul rubbing his eyes unable to bare the sudden brightness as Ga Eul was switching on the every possible light she found on the way to the kitchen. He waited till Ga Eul had her glass of water and followed her back to the bedroom to fall in to his bed too tired even to say her good night.
A/N:
It turned out to be longer than I expected it to be, hope you'd enjoy .The weekend stay will be continued in the next chapter... and some thing about Jihoo (wink) ... :)