Thank you for the reviews. This was a harder chapter to get out due to negativity and overall busyness with work and school. Plus I have been dealing with not feeling 100% after my vaccination shots (I am fine, just general tiredness from the side effects). Thank you for continuing to stick around as I make my way through this story and my two others.

"I feel like I should apologize."

Ga Eul blinked and slowly turned to look at Min Seo Hyun as the older woman approached her after speaking. Ga Eul tilted her head, confusion slipping over her features. "Why would you apologize?" she asked.

"Because I am well aware that my presence and explaining my relationship with Pierre to the other members of the F4 and Geum Jan Di forced you to admit that you are a Mono when you probably were not ready to do so, especially in light of only discovering Ji Hu earlier today and that he is your Probe," Seo Hyun said as she rested a hip against the wooden railing along the beach walkway where Ga Eul had retreated for fresh air between dinner and dessert.

Ga Eul took a shaky breath, looking out over the dark waters of the night ocean. She tucked a wayward lock of hair that the breeze had loosened behind her ear. "Honestly? For a long time, I never wanted to find my Probe, because it meant I never had to reveal I was a Mono to anyone. Even if I met my Probe, I had hoped I could simply ignore them or live quietly with them and never reveal I was a Mono," she admitted. "But the moment I met Ji Hu's eyes, I knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Not just because he's F4, but because of Geum Jan Di's feelings for him. How could my Probe be the man my best friend has feelings for?"

"But he doesn't have feelings for her," Seo Hyun pointed out. "I learned that when I thought maybe she was his Mono, but he knew immediately she wasn't and that because of his own affliction that the only person for him was going to be his Mono. Meaning you."

"It doesn't change the emotions I feel," Ga Eul admitted. "The feeling of guilt that I currently feel that Ji Hu doesn't look at Jan Di the way she wants him to because he only sees me now." She groaned softly, burying her face into her hands. "That sounded so conceited!"

Seo Hyun could not help but smile at the groan. She walked closer and rested both of her hands on Ga Eul's shoulders. "But it's not inaccurate," she said. "Because that's exactly how it is for you now. Ji Hu only sees you just as I am sure you only see him now."

Ga Eul lifted her head, her face filled with sadness and uncertainty. "This all feels so fast," she said. "My heart is telling me to embrace it, as this, whatever it is, that calls to my Probe, but my head is telling me this is all too fast. We just met and I feel like if he were to suddenly be gone I would go crazy."

Seo Hyun immediately moved even closer and pulled Ga Eul into a gentle hug, feeling the younger woman cling to her as her body trembled. Ga Eul knew that Seo Hyun knew the emotions she was feeling right now. "I won't lie and say it's easy," Seo Hyun said. "But listen to your heart and your instincts for once. This is one of those moments where they will not lead you astray."

"Everything feels so jumbled right now," Ga Eul admitted. "I want nothing more than to be wrapped in Ji Hu's arms, but I'm terrified I am going to end up hurting him or he's going to realize that he doesn't need me as much as he says he does and that he was wrong about me. I'm scared he's going to realize that it's really Jan Di he wants to be with after all-."

"That won't happen," Ji Hu said from behind her. Ga Eul pulled back from Seo Hyun, immediately wiping at her cheeks, her back to Ji Hu, not wanting him to see her tear-stained face. Seo Hyun cupped her face and helped wipe the tears away before she looked at Ji Hu.

"Listen to what she has to say, Ji Hu," Seo Hyun said. "You can't negate her fears."

"I don't want to negate them," Ji Hu said. "But I do want to reassure her that I am not going anywhere, nor do I want her to negate my own feelings."

Ga Eul spun, her eyes wide as she looked at him. "I didn't mean-," she started.

Ji Hu shook his head and pressed his finger to her lips. "Shh," he said quietly. "I know. This is so new for both of us, we both have a lot to adjust to. I think we are both going to be doing a lot of reassuring to the other."

"I think the best course of action for you both is to take this weekend away together to get to know one another," Seo Hyun said. "You both, particularly Ga Eul, have had a lot thrown at you at once in a day."

Ji Hu reached for Ga Eul's hands, running his thumbs across the back of her knuckles. "Seo Hyun is right," he said. "We have had a lot thrown at us, especially since it was revealed to the others sooner than you wanted to about your status as a Mono."

Ga Eul sighed, looking down at their hands. "It was inevitable," she said quietly. "We would have been questioned why you wanted to spend so much time with me instead of Jan Di or someone better."

Seo Hyun's eyebrow arched as she glanced at Ji Hu. A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth when she saw Ji Hu's eyes narrow at Ga Eul's words. "What do you mean someone better?" Ji Hu asked.

"Come on, Ji Hu," Ga Eul said. "Why would anyone believe someone like you would ever be interested in someone like me?"

Ji Hu pulled his hands away from hers, crossing his arms over his chest as he tilted his head. "Someone like you? And what exactly are you?" he asked. "I mean if I supposedly would never be interested?"

"Come on, I am so far from who you would ever meet, let alone someone you'd notice," Ga Eul pointed out. "You only met me because of Geum Jan Di and that's only because she got the scholarship to Shinhwa. And I am nothing like Jan Di or Seo Hyun. I am just... me."

"I've told you I am not interested in Geum Jan Di," Ji Hu said.

"I can't compare with her enthusiasm and her determination," Ga Eul said. "And I certainly can't compete with Min Seo Hyun when it comes to beauty." Ga Eul lowered her head, staring at her toes as she felt her cheeks flush.

Ji Hu glanced behind her at Seo Hyun, whose eyes were wide in surprise. She shook her head slightly at Ji Hu before tilting it down the docks they were standing on. Ji Hu gave her a nod of understanding and watched her turn and walk away from the couple, giving them privacy. Seo Hyun had seen the insecurity initially when Ga Eul had first met her. Even though Ga Eul, herself, was beautiful, Seo Hyun also knew that there was insecurity for Ga Eul when she had met Seo Hyun. She was now starting to wonder if the isolation of keeping her secret of being a Mono had led to a significant amount of insecurities for Ga Eul. She hoped she would get a chance to know the young woman better so she could understand her, but she had a sneaking suspicion that it was going to be Ji Hu's gentle strength and reassurances that would make the most difference.

"Ga Eul, I am not interested in Jan Di," Ji Hu said. "And yes, I will always have some sort of feelings for Seo Hyun because I did love her for so long, but she's not you. Jan Di is not you. To me, you are perfect and you are the person who completes me." He moved closer and cupped Ga Eul's face, lifting her head so she would look at him.

"You are beautiful, Ga Eul," he said. "Never think otherwise and I'll destroy anyone that tries to say you aren't."

"Even me?" she asked quietly.

Ji Hu felt his heart drop. "What?" he asked.

"Would you destroy me for saying I'm not beautiful?" she asked.

"I would never destroy you," he whispered as he drew her closer, lowering his head to press his forehead to hers. "But if you think that, I will spend every waking moment proving to you that you are the most beautiful creature in my world. Not just physically but your soul as well."

Ga Eul's hands came up and cupped the sides of his neck, stepping a bit closer. She felt tears slip from her eyes and run along her skin and his where his hands cupped her cheeks. She hid her insecurities more often than not and tried to show her strength, something she had done when So Yi Jeong had encouraged her to keep Jan Di away from Gu Jun Pyo. However, there was something about Ji Hu that made her feel comfortable enough to let herself feel vulnerable. It was a disconcerting feeling at times since they had just met, but it was as if she needed him to see that side of her to understand why this was all so overwhelming to her. She did not feel she was worthy enough to have him as her Probe and the other half of her.

She was not strong like Jan Di, which is why she had been bullied often when they were younger and Jan Di had come to her defense so often. She could never be as beautiful as Min Seo Hyun and she would be lying if it did not hurt her to know that a part of Ji Hu would always love the former model. It did not matter that she had met Pierre and could see how Seo Hyun felt about the Frenchman. How could she ever compete with the memory of what Seo Hyun and Ji Hu had shared when he had been in Paris, no matter how brief it had been? If she ever gave herself to him, and she felt if she was not careful she would while they were in Caledonia, how could she possibly expect him to want to be with her after being with Seo Hyun?

"You are overthinking," Ji Hu whispered. "Ga Eul. You have no one to compare yourself to. Not to me. I know you see your best friend as strong, and perhaps she truly is, but so are you. You have kept this part of yourself hidden so long because you had to. A person who is not strong would have broken by now. I can tell by looking that you look at Seo Hyun and see the model she was and compare yourself. But in my eyes, you have a beauty that outshines hers."

"Ji Hu..." Ga Eul said, her voice catching with emotion. He lifted his head and tilted hers up a bit more before he was lowering his mouth to capture hers. He felt as if his words were not having the impact he wanted and he needed to physically show her he meant what he said.

For a moment, he thought perhaps he had made the wrong choice when he felt her stiffen when his mouth found hers, but soon she was melting beneath his touch and he drew her closer as he caressed her lips with his own. He felt her lips press to his more as he felt her lift herself onto her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, her body pressing against his. A soft moan slipped past his lips before he lifted her off her feet and turned to set her on the railing of the boardwalk. He pressed against her knees, feeling her thighs part before he stepped between them, his lips slowing against hers as he took his time to taste her mouth as they kissed. He rested one hand against her hip to keep her steady as the other moved up cup her jawline before his fingers slid into her hair.

Ga Eul could not help a soft moan that slipped from her throat when she felt Ji Hu's tongue slip into her mouth to stroke hers before she felt him lifting her and setting her on the railing after she had wrapped her arms around him. When he pressed against her knees, she immediately parted her thighs so that he could step between them and move closer to her. When his fingers slid into her hair, she felt tingles along her spine from the feel of him against her and knew they were heading into dangerous territory, but her body refused to listen to her brain to slow down. Instinctively her own fingers moved into his hair and her legs shifted to wrap around his hips. The movement resulted in the kiss deepening and filling with more passion. She was not sure which of them moved to press themselves closer to each other, but she knew that eventually, she would need to pull away simply to draw air into her lungs. However, she also did not want to break that contact with him because she had to admit she was afraid she would insist they retreat to her room or his and it would lead to something more than just them kissing.

"Hey Ga Eul, Ji H- oh shit, sorry," Woo Bin said. Ga Eul was barely aware of hearing his steps on the dock pause before shuffling but not retreating. She felt Ji Hu's lips slow on her own before parting from her. He did not move far, his forehead pressed to hers as his breath came in labored pants against her lips.

"What is it?" Ji Hu asked, his voice slightly deeper than normal.

"Uh... Jun Pyo wanted me to come and find you both after he saw Seo Hyun-noona come back. He said he has a surprise for all of us," Woo Bin said. "I didn't realize..."

"We'll be there in a moment," Ji Hu said. "Just give us a minute."

"Sure, of course," Woo Bin said. Normally the self-proclaimed Don Juan would not be so flustered. He had interrupted his friends before, especially Yi Jeong, but he could never remember a time he felt almost like a voyeur as he did when walking up on Ji Hu and Ga Eul embracing. If he had any doubts before about Ji Hu's feelings for the young woman, they were quickly put to rest seeing them locked together that way. He did not want any longer the pair before heading off back in the direction of where they had dinner.

Ji Hu closed his eyes, willing his tortured body to calm down when he realized just how close he was to going further than he or Ga Eul was ready for and certainly far further than they should be going in such a public place. He was both grateful for and cursing Woo Bin's interruption at that moment, but if his friend had not done so, he may have not been able to stop and he knew that Ga Eul was too innocent for what he would have wanted to do with her. Drawing in a few deep breaths, Ji Hu lifted his head to look at Ga Eul, almost instantly regretting it as he saw how swollen her lips were from his kisses, her cheeks flushed, and her dark eyes almost black with need as her pupils were dilated as she stared at him.

"We..." Ga Eul started to say, her voice husky with desire.

"Too soon," Ji Hu said, stroking a long finger against her cheek. "I don't regret kissing you, but the things I almost did and still want to do are too soon for us." Ga Eul swallowed hard but nodded her understanding. He was not wrong and she knew that.

Ji Hu pressed a kiss to Ga Eul's forehead, letting his lips linger against her skin before he pulled away enough to make her legs untangle from his waist. His hands gripped her waist before he lifted her down from the railing, holding her steady when her legs almost gave out beneath her and she leaned into his chest. He said nothing as they both regained themselves after their kiss. It took a few moments before Ga Eul was steady enough to step away from him.

"We should join the others," Ga Eul said quietly.

"In a moment," Ji Hu said. He reached over and lifted her chin with his finger until their eyes met. "I do not and will never regret that kiss. We will have more like that and a time will come when we'll be in a place where I won't stop and I will show you just how much I want you." He could not help but smirk slightly when her cheeks flushed red. "But one thing I overheard Seo Hyun say. Listen to your heart. Even if we have to spend time while here just you and I away from the others, we should both listen to our hearts."

"We can't abandon our friends," Ga Eul pointed out.

"I don't want you to deny what you feel to make Geum Jan Di feel better," Ji Hu said. "I don't want to have to put our own emotions aside to coddle hers."

Ga Eul did not think she could even begin to set aside her emotions that were steadily growing for Ji Hu, not after the kiss they shared. But it did also embolden her to realize that Seo Hyun was right, she needed to listen to her heart and instincts and every single part of her heart and every single one of her instincts was telling her that the only thing that mattered right now was this connection she had with Ji Hu. She always knew that she allowed herself to take a back seat to others all the time without considering her own emotions or what she wanted. For the first time, she was going to finally put herself first. She wanted to know Ji Hu and she wanted to explore the depth of emotion she was starting to feel.

"I'm not saying I will," Ga Eul said. "As much as I want to lock myself away with you, I'm not ready to go that deep yet. I want to spend time with you and get to know you, but that also means getting to know the rest of the F4 because they are your family. Knowing you means knowing them and I can't do that if we lock ourselves away in our rooms together for the weekend. I'm not in a place where I would see you or them every day the way Jan Di does, so this weekend is the best time for us to spend time together and for me to get to know them too."

"We'll figure out how we'll see each other as often as possible once back home," Ji Hu said. "But... thank you."

Ga Eul arched a brow, tilting her head. "Why are you thanking me?"

"For not pulling away from me," Ji Hu admitted. "For wanting to get to know me, but also for knowing that the other members of the F4 are important to me and I would want you to know them as much as you would know me."

Ga Eul reached a hand up and stroked his cheek. "Let's rejoin everyone," she said softly. "Hopefully Woo Bin won't tease us after what he saw."

Ji Hu chuckled, slipping his hand into hers before tugging her gently along the boardwalk as they made their way back to where the rest of their friends were laughing and talking. "He probably won't tonight," he admitted. "But starting tomorrow? All bets will probably be off and I'm sure he'll say something to the other two idiots I consider brothers and all three of them will be in on it." Ga Eul groaned lightly.

"Oh look, you two are untangled from each other enough to rejoin us, huh?" Yi Jeong said with a cheeky grin when he saw the pair returning.

Ga Eul lifted her head to arch a brow at Ji Hu. "I thought you said starting tomorrow?" was all she said.