Chapter nineteen.

"Omma, I am leaving.." Ga Eul announced, tossing her slippers to the shoe rack and slipping into her heels.

"Arasso arasso, what's the big hurry?" Mrs. Chu came running after her.

"Omma, it's already too late!"

"here's your lunch"

"Gumao"

"Don't be late! Aro?"

"Ah arasso.." Ga Eul answered while stepping out, not bothering to turn back.

Mrs. Chu let out a loud sigh, staring at her daughter turning around a corner of the street, and waved her back when she did, just before disappearing. And with another sigh she let herself back in.

It bothered her mind- the conversation she had with her the previous night. Ga Eul said that she was staying at Jandi's but when she met Mrs. Geum at the market, with few bodyguards-another thing for her to be bragging about, Jandi had been with her parents that day when Gu Junpyo the CEO of Shinhwa had been away from Korea. Mrs. Chu was curios after the meeting with Jandi's omma. But she wasn't blunt, so she did ask it but not straightaway.

"She must have felt lonely... " she remarked pretending to be busy washing the dishes.

"W-who?" Ga Eul was already nervous.

"Geum Jandi."

"Ah.. Ye."

"She could have stayed with her parents... wonder why did she ask for you to come..."

Ga Eul bit her lower lip and fell silent. Mrs. Chu glanced at her expression and confirmed her doubts.

She recalled the conversation as she sat across the low table in front of her husband.

"Is everything alright?" Mr. Chu glanced above the news paper at his wife's pale expression.

She remained silent, consumed in her thoughts.

"Yeobae?" he asked again.

"E-Eh?" she looked up giving him a quizzical look.

"Anniyo." And he returned back to his newspaper with a sigh.

The couple had a mutual way of understanding each other. It was as if they could say what the other thought by simply looking at their face. Now that the atmosphere became more tense in every passing moment with silence, Mrs. Chu was relieved to hear the door bell ringing loud.

She immediately stood up and volunteered to look who it was.

"Anyeongsaeyo. " it was a girl about Ga Eul's age who smiled benevolently and bowed.

"Anyeongsaeyo. " Mrs. Chu bowed but kept staring at her confused.

The girl chuckled. " is this, Ga Eulyang's ommanim? "

"Ye..?..."

Her smile became even wider. "My name is Lee Ji Ah, and I am a very good friend of Ga Eul. "

"Oh" she stared at her for a bit as for the girls formal addressing and obviously expensive attire. And then returning the smile, she ushered her in.

Ga Eul had no idea about the unexpected visit, and when she returned home it was only the usual tensed atmosphere that she sensed. She sat for dinner after changing her cloths and it all went calm for a few minutes there.

"omma, one more pancake ? "

"Tsk take it yourself !"

"Omma.. pass it to me.. its nearer to omma.."

"Aish ." she leaned and placed it near her.

"Gumao.. " Ga Eul smiled.

"Aish these kids these days..." she smirked. " They can drag a grown man inside a house in heavy rain but can't lean and take a pancake from a dish !"

Ga Eul froze. "M-Mwo?" she looked up at her parents. Her omma was avoiding her eyes but her appa looked right into them.

"Ga Eul, isn't it you who is supposed to explain?"

"Appa.. w-what's wrong?" Ga Eul asked in a squeak.

"Is it actually at Geum Jandi's you've been that day or was it somewhere else?"

"Appa.. why are you asking_"

The man slapped the table hard.

"_Don't you dare to lie us again ! ... did you go see him or not?"

Ga Eul placed her food bowl on the table and swallowed the rest of whatever thing she had in her mouth.

"Ye.. I did." She answered firmly. " Sunbae was sick and there was no one to take care of him.. that's why _"

"_and what if there was no one to take care of him? It doesn't matter to us?"

"Appa!"

"Lower your voice young lady! It's for your appa that you are speaking!" her omma reminded her.

"Prepare your resignation and give the letter tomorrow. . "

"Mwo? Appa, I can't resign this soon? What about my class and the children ? I should at least wait till_"

"_it doesn't matter.. just pack your things and get ready.." Mr. Chu stood up with a grunt. " we are leaving Seoul from two days.."

"Mwo?" Ga Eul scoffed. " unbelievable! Appa, how can you? Why won't anyone of you ever listen to me?"

But her questions were left unanswered as always as her appa left the room ignoring her.

"Omma..?"

She turned to her mother with tearing eyes.

"This is all because of your stubbornness and stupidity!" and she too left the room leaving only Ga Eul and her huramoni.

"Huramoni..." Ga Eul turned to the old lady breaking into tears. " huramoni.. please convince appa... I can't leave..."

But the old lady only grabbed her hand and patted it in answering.

It wasn't enough-that simple soothing.

She was about to lose everything she loved.

They were about to leave everything she had ever called as home.

Her best friend,

Their house,

Her children- Ye those kindergartener were hers, Ga Eul had always cherished and treasured their company. That's why no matter what, how tired she was, she continued going to work at the kindergarten, because it was not work for her, it was her place of sanity -among the children is where she found happiness every time she was alone.

Every time that he had been away from her.

And she was about to leave him as well.

That day back at the kiln she understood it alright. That he was still the same-the child who was lost without love... And most of all, she was afraid to leave him, as she knew he would end up harming himself if she'd do.

Ga Eul jerked her hand and ran to her room to make a call for that one best friend she was allowed to talk to, and moreover the one she thought who would be able to give the message for him. And maybe when he came to the kindergarten during recess the day after, that was why she was not that surprised.

The bell had just rang when he appeared at the door to her class. Not only her, but her children were also staring back at him. But unlike the previous times he did not bother to greet those googly eyes with a gradient smile. Instead he simply walked in grabbed her wrist and dragged their saseongnim out.

And when he released her hand and awaked his voice to speak, they were once again standing in front of the kiln.

A kiln that was blazing even brighter.

He let go of her wrist and looked into her eyes.

"You... " he swallowed. "Ga Eulyang... are you really going to leave?"

She looked away.

Of course, she had nothing to say.

She sighed and let herself drop onto their usual seat.

"I-its better..." she began holding her tears, " ... it's better that it ended this way..."

"Does it really should end like this?" Yi Jeong asked, still standing.

"What else can we do?" Ga Eul chuckled wearily, " Sunbae... haven't we gone through everything? I once thought... that the dishes could be happy in the kiln... because once they come out enduring the heat they surely be loved..." she smiled and wiped a tear strolled down her cheek. " but it was so hard to bear the heat..."

"This is what best for us.." she forced another smile. "me, omma and appa, ... we'll be able to settle down in our village.. and Sunbae.." she forced another chuckle, " Sunbae... will probably get married soon..."

Yi Jeong swallowed and took the seat beside her letting a silence fill for the unspoken words.

" There's the kiln god living in there... " he made a gesture at the flames. "guarding the dishes from the heat..." Ga Eul turned to face him. Confused, of what he was trying to tell.

"It was hurabeujji who told us that story.." and he was left to continue. "Ga Eulyang... if I would stay with you there's a vast probability for me to lose everything..." he looked into her eyes, " the museum, the studio...and everything .." and let out a sigh. "and I... I don't know how to handle a commander's life..."

Ga Eul smirked. "I understand. "

"And most of all... I may end up hurting Ga Eulyang at the end..."

"How?" Ga Eul gave him another confused look.

"What if I would turn out to be like abeoujji? Would Ga Eulyang be able to manage that?" and chuckled when he was returned the expression. "I am already like him..."

"Sunbae has got the F4.. and abeujjinim_ani _that person did not have that!"

"Ga Eulyang has got a point ..." Yi Jeong smirked again.

"Ga Eul, if I would marry you...I ..may lose everything and could even end up hurting you.."

Ga Eul let out a sigh as the true point was revealed at last, but then again she forced a smile.

"Then... like I have said.. it is better that it ended this way..." she stood up, again forcing a smile.

"Sunbae... then, I shall leave now..." she bowed. "Gumao.. for everything..." and with a trapped so, turned to leave.

But only few steps taken she was pulled into a hug. One hand grabbed her from the waist while the other went around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. She felt his breath in her ear.

"But children..." Yi Jeong whispered in a husky voice. " ... they never hesitate in front of what they really want... because they know, that if they would lose it, they would break into tears..."

Ga Eul froze, hearing her own words reflecting back to her.

"Ga Eulyang, please... please take care of this child..." the embrace tightened.

" Ga Eul, ..."

"Marry me..."

Stunned, was not enough to describe how Ga Eul was.

And as for head Master So, who returned back from resolving some matters regarding his future in-laws , 'stunned' was surely an understatement to describe how he stood there, dumbfounded staring at the man who brought him the message,

Head Master So, young Master Yi Jeong... the man was hesitant knowing the gravity of that news.

Young Master Yi Jeong,

... The lawyer was asked to deliver this message, that they have visited the courthouse this morning and.. have got married...