Author's notes: Okay, I have to admit - I started this new document on a spur of a moment. I'm not even sure if I would persevere to the end with this new idea. Either way, I was reading English Fics on the SoEul couple from the TV show Boys Over Flowers [Korean Version] and thought, perhaps I should try my hands in writing something on the couple. I had my fair share of dabbling in the ship with the Chinese language but I have never tried writing it in English before.
Summary: [AU] Chu Ga Eul has always been a country bumpkin in the eyes of the F4. Especially so, in the case of So Yi Jeong, the renowned Korean Casanova. But what if… Chu Ga Eul wasn't really a country bumpkin, nor was she the ordinary commoner friend of Geum Jan Di that everyone thought her out to be? And this secret side of hers was revealed unintentionally to the Korean Casanova of F4, how would that affect the entire story flow in the Boys over Flowers universe?
Title: Secret of the Autumn
Chapter 6 - The Friendship Crisis of F4, Part 2
"Kazuki, I'm here. Where on earth are you and the boys?" Chu Ga Eul calls out as she stepped over the threshold of the villa house belonging to the Miyazawa family in Seoul.
"We are in the den." Miyazawa Kazuki calls out from the room located at the back of the house.
"...Why are you guys playing video games here in the den? I thought, you guys usually do that in the living room?" Chu Ga Eul raised her eyebrows up in a questioning manner when she finally arrived at the den situated at the back of the villa house, to find her half-brother and his two friends playing video games on the game station hooked up to the smaller size TV unit.
"I would prefer the use of the living room's TV unit because its' screen is bigger and better. But dear Chichiue wanted to use the living room for his video conference just now, so, we were being asked to take our games elsewhere. Seeing as there are only two TV units in this place, it's either the living room or the den back here. But since the living room is not possible, the only other option is here." Kazuki responded, putting a halt on the game in session to address his half-sister who finally decided to visit him for a change.
"I see… but when I came in, the living room is already empty." Ga Eul sounded bemused as she thought back to the sight that met her eyes when she passes by the living room area of the villa house.
"Oh… then I assumed Chichiue is done with his video conference." Miyazawa Kazuki shrugged nonchalantly in response.
"Right… anyway, here are the souvenirs I got you guys from New Caledonia. It's nothing special, just some artisan chocolates. I gathered neither of you guys would appreciate getting tribal masks as souvenirs, so I decided to opt for something more typical rather than exotic." Ga Eul commented, as she handed out the two boxes of chocolates, she had on her person to Sakuraba Shuichi and Saionji Shunsuke.
Turning towards her half-brother, Ga Eul spoke. "As for your souvenir gift, well - I left it out on the kitchen table together with the gift I got for Chichiue. Both are vintage wines but of different years… I'm not sure which would be more to your preference, so kindly discuss with Chichiue what to do with them."
"Oh… you got me vintage red wines? How generous of you to do so… they usually cost a bomb, based on my understanding." Kazuki responded, directing a look of surprise at Ga Eul.
"Yes… well, they certainly don't come cheap. But seeing as the person who pays for them is the Korean Casanova… I think the price isn't much of an issue to him." Ga Eul smirked as she informed her half-brother smugly about the reason behind her generosity.
"Wait… hold up a sec, why on earth is the Korean Casanova paying for your purchases?" Miyazawa Kazuki had a look of incomprehension on his person, as he voiced his words across to Ga Eul.
"... Well, two reasons. One - I do not have the correct currencies at hand. Two - I can't use the credit card given to me by Chichiue without raising the suspicion of Jan Di over the issue. Seeing as at the point of arrival in New Caledonia, my status as Chichiue's illegitimate daughter is still a secret." Ga Eul shrugged her response, as she explained away the reason why the Casanova of F4 has been the person to pay for her purchases made while vacationing in New Caledonia.
"I see…" Nodding in acceptance of Ga Eul's explanation, Kazuki decided to change the topic of conversation to something else. "So, have you filled up the form yet?"
"Form? What form?" Sakuraba Shuichi look confused as he glanced over to his cousin and friend for clarification.
"The course selection forms included in Ga Eul's transfer documents which I dropped off at her place, two days ago." Miyazawa Kazuki deadpans at his cousin who had seemed confused, a minute ago.
"Oh… that form. For a while, I had thought…." Shuichi started, only to stop a moment later drawing several sets of curious eyes on him.
"Please enlightened me, Shuichi-Kun… just exactly what kind of form do you think it was?" Chu Ga Eul deadpans as she zeroed in her gaze upon the figure of Sakuraba Shuichi.
"Alright… stop looking at me like this! I admit my logical sense of mind took a leave of absence earlier. Because for a while, I had actually thought that you're signing up for the national figure skating competition this year. But then, I suddenly recalled that you haven't been doing figure-skating on a competition level for years. The last time you did participate in such competition was at the age of 10, under the Intermediate level for novices." Sakuraba Shuichi eventually said, a sheepish look visibly displayed on his features.
"... Yes, indeed, I haven't been doing figure skating on a competition level for quite some time… and I had no intention of picking it up, again. I wouldn't mind visiting the rink for recreation skating… but doing it on a competition level, is a big No-No for me. While on the subject of figure-skating, isn't it a tad wasted to give up your regular spot on the Hyotei figure-skating club? I know how hard you've worked on getting onto the team, but to give it all up for the sake of accompanying Kazuki on his exile period to Seoul…" There was a moment of silence following Sakuraba Shuichi's words before Chu Ga Eul finally spoke up on the subject.
"Hey! I resent that! Is the idea of Shuichi accompanying me on my exile period to Seoul - a regrettable event in your eyes?!" Miyazawa Kazuki protested vehemently upon comprehending the hidden meaning behind the words of his half-sister, directed towards their cousin.
"Hmm… you know, that's a very good question. I haven't actually thought much of it until you brought it up today." Sakuraba Shuichi responded musingly while eyeing the way Kazuki was spluttering at his words, with blatant amusement shining in his eyes.
"Alright, that's quite enough. As fun as it is to witness Kazuki being teased relentlessly by the two of you, it wouldn't be a good picture if the teasing went too far and end up annoying him instead." Saionji Shunsuke spoke up then, effectively putting a stop to the ongoing conversation between Sakuraba Shuichi and Chu Ga Eul.
"Thank you, Shunsuke." Kazuki shot a grateful look in the direction of his other childhood friend while giving Shuichi a stink eye look once that guy look in his direction. And then, glancing towards Chu Ga Eul - the heir to the Miyazawa F&B Group started. "Speaking of going too far… did anything happen between Yoon Ji Hoo and Gu Jun Pyo while you guys are vacationing in New Caledonia?"
"... Why do you ask?" Slightly wary but also curious, Chu Ga Eul shifted her eyes upon the figure of Miyazawa Kazuki as she inquires her half-brother back in return.
"You haven't heard of it yet?" Now, Kazuki was surprised. In his mind, Geum Jan Di and his half-sister are so close that they seldom keep things away from each other's knowledge. Okay, more so for Geum Jan Di… seeing as his sister didn't mention anything about her relations to the Miyazawa family to Geum Jan Di until the truth is about to come out on local news. Still, with the school session has ended for the day since hours ago… Kazuki was expecting that Ga Eul would have heard about what happened this afternoon in the cafeteria of Shinhwa High from that commoner friend of hers, at least.
"Heard about what exactly? Kazuki, quit stalling time and just tell me already!" Chu Ga Eul snapped, not in the mood for jesting. Having known exactly what had happened between her friend and the two guys from F4 in New Caledonia, Ga Eul's heart was about to leap out from her throat when Kazuki inquires of her - the possibility of anything happening between Gu Jun Pyo and Yoon Ji Hoo of F4.
Taking pity on Ga Eul's anxiety, it was Saionji Shunsuke that stepped in to provide her with the answer that she seeks. "This afternoon, in the cafeteria of Shinhwa High - Gu Jun Pyo had ousted Yoon Ji Hoo from F4 with immediate effect. At the same time, he had also threatened both your friend - Geum Jan Di alongside Yoon Ji Hoo with expulsion from Shinhwa Academy in one week."
The response provided by Saionji Shunsuke was straightforward and blunt, he did not sugar-coat his words and opted to deliver the information to Chu Ga Eul in a reporting tone of voice.
Upon hearing the response given by Saionji Shunsuke, Chu Ga Eul closed her eyes briefly to calm her erratic mind. Ga Eul had sort of anticipated that the enraged Shinhwa heir would have something plan in mind to take revenge on her friend for the act of betrayal her friend had done with Yoon Ji Hoo of F4 during their time in New Caledonia. Honestly, her friend getting expelled from Shinhwa might bring on a set of inconveniences but it's definitely not an earth-shattering issue. What Chu Ga Eul was more concerned about - was how her friend is coping with the fact that Yoon Ji Hoo is also subjected to the same expulsion threat.
"Kazuki, does the course selection form has to be submitted in person at the admin office of Shinhwa High or can I entrust the task to someone else?" Chu Ga Eul inquires, out of the blue.
"I think it could be submitted through an appointed proxy. At least, I don't recall having to do the course selection form in person when we first transferred in from Japan." Miyazawa Kazuki eventually said in an uncertain tone of voice.
"Good. I'll go home and fill-up the form immediately. So, my mother could bring it into the office for Aunt Shinobu tomorrow morning. And then, Shuichi-Kun… you can assist me in the task of submitting the course selection form on my behalf at the admin office of Shinhwa High." Chu Ga Eul announced, first addressing her words to her half-brother, before shifting her gaze to the figure of Sakuraba Shuichi for the last part of her statement.
"Okay, and what are you going to do now?" Miyazawa Kazuki prompted, knowing full well that his sister had no intention to clue him in on the happenings in New Caledonia that resulted in the present situation of Yoon Ji Hoo being threatened with expulsion alongside Geum Jan Di from Shinhwa Academy in a week.
"Now…? Now, I'm heading home to give Jan Di a call and find out what she intends to do next." Chu Ga Eul told Kazuki in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.
The first thing Chu Ga Eul did upon returning back home was to pick up the cordless phone in the living room of her family home and bring it upstairs to her room so she could call up her best friend. Given the wonky condition of her own mobile phone, Ga Eul if she's going to call up Jan Di to speak on the subject of the impending expulsion of her friend… perhaps using the landline would work better than using her mobile, at present.
When Geum Jan Di first received the call from her childhood friend, she took a while to decide if she should pick up the call. Not because she wasn't keen on speaking with her best friend, but it was more of the issue of her not recognizing the phone number reflected on the caller-ID of her mobile device as the number to her friend's family home.
"Noona, why aren't you picking up the call?" Geum Kang San - the younger brother of Geum Jan Di finally spoke up as the incessant ringing of his sister's mobile is getting too distracting for him to focus on his class assignments.
"... I don't know whether I should answer the call, the number is not familiar to me." Geum Jan Di admitted reluctantly to her little brother.
Geum Kang San then shifted closer to where Geum Jan Di sat and took a good look at the number reflected on the Caller-ID of Jan Di's mobile, before rolling his eyes at his elder sister. "Unknown number? How is it possible that you do not recognize the phone number of your best friend's home? That's Ga Eul-unnie calling you on her family's landline."
"What?! Why isn't Ga Eul calling me from her mobile?" Geum Jan Di asks, sounding bewildered.
"Damn if I know… you should ask her yourself. Here, she's calling again." Geum Kang San roll his eyes openly at his sister's unbecoming reaction and promptly handed the vibrating mobile device into the hands of Geum Jan Di forcefully.
"... Hello, Ga Eul ah?" Geum Jan Di started questioningly when she finally answered the call, in an apprehensive manner.
"Yes. It's me, Ga Eul. Jan Di ah… why did you take so long to answer my call?" Chu Ga Eul sounded exasperated on the other end of the line, causing Geum Jan Di to laugh sheepishly in response.
"Sorry, I was hesitant to answer the call at first because it isn't a number that I recognized. It wasn't until Kang San recognized the number as your family's landline that I finally dared to pick up the call. While on the subject, why aren't you calling me on your mobile?" Geum Jan Di responded, while also bringing up the nagging doubt in her mind.
"... After our conversation got cut off abruptly on my end this morning before school, I thought it best to use my home's landline to call you up - this time around." Chu Ga Eul explained, before bringing up the subject about her friend's impending expulsion from Shinhwa. She made no mention about the wonky state of her mobile phone because that would just bring on further questions from her childhood friend about how her phone had ended up in a malfunctioning state which she had no intentions of explaining when something else more pressing is looming ahead. In comparison to her friend's impending expulsion from Shinhwa Academy, her malfunctioning phone seems to be a less priority.
"Jan Di ah, are you still listening? Is it true that you're facing expulsion from Shinhwa alongside Yoon Ji Hoo of F4?" Chu Ga Eul repeated on her end when the first time she asks the same question, her friend failed to provide her with a response.
"Yes, I'm still listening. I'm just surprised about how you came to know of this particular bit of information seeing as I have yet to say anything to you about it." Geum Jan Di took a few moments to regather her wits to form a coherent response to her friend on the other end of the line.
"Don't ask for the specifics. Just take note that I have my own information sources in Shinhwa High." Ga Eul was quick to come back with a response to her friend's inquiry, she didn't wish to inform her friend in advance about how she had a half-brother studying in Shinhwa High at present. Mostly because she wouldn't put it past Jan Di to start asking around the school trying to meet Kazuki in person, wanting to know how her half-brother looks like out of sheer curiosity. With how tensions are running high between the members of F4 now, ensuring that Kazuki remains under the radar of F4 is Ga Eul's first priority.
"Right… so, Ga Eul ah… I've heard from the boss that you've cut back on your working hours at the porridge shop this week? Is there a reason why you're cutting back on your working hours?" Geum Jan Di sensing the fact that her friend hasn't wanted to reveal her source of information didn't press on the subject, and instead brought up the topic of Ga Eul's shorter working hours at the porridge shop for discussion.
"First of all, Jan Di ah… I'm only cutting back the working hours at the porridge shop for this week… or the remaining period of this week would be the better saying. Mostly because I have some personal matters to attend to. I'll be back to my usual working hours at the porridge shop from next week onward." Ga Eul responded as she corrected her friend's understanding on the matter of her shorter working hours at her part-time job.
"Oh…" Geum Jan Di echoed from her end, though curious about what kind of personal matters had kept her friend occupied to the extent of cutting back the working hours at their workplace. The Wonder Woman of Korea decided not to pry into the matter for now, as it's apparent that her friend had no intention to speak further on the subject.
"So… have you told your parents about the possibility of being expelled from Shinhwa yet?" Chu Ga Eul asks, inwardly cheering at the fact that her usually nosy friend at least had the decency not to pry into her personal matters - this time around. Then again, Jan Di might still be reeling from the after-effects of her last confession about the hidden aspects of her family and thus would prefer not knowing anything more about her personal affairs at present. Whatever the reason behind Jan Di's lack of interest in prying more information out from her, Ga Eul was glad to leave the situation as it is.
"And why have you not said anything to them? You've mentioned how a bunch of girls from Shinhwa High brought their uniform in to be laundered at your family-operated laundry business, yesterday. So, you are fully well aware of the fact that even if you didn't mention anything about the current situation, you're facing in school to them… they are eventually going to hear about it from someone else." Ga Eul pointed out to her friend, objectively while she busied her free hand with the task of filling up the course selection form that is essential for her transfer into the Shinhwa High, or so - she had been told.
"I know… I guess I'm just taking a wait-and-see approach. I mean, Ji Hoo-sunbae did promise me that he would try to find a way to halt the expulsion from taking place." Geum Jan Di sighed as she responded to her friend's words over the phone, taking extra care to lower her tone upon the mention of the word 'expulsion' on her side to avoid drawing the attention of her little brother. It's a good thing that her parents are still busy at the laundry shop downstairs and thus would not be able to listen in on her conversation with her friend.
"Is that so? Well… let's hope your prince charming could come up with something in time to stop the expulsion from happening." Ga Eul let out an audible sigh on her end before the beeping sound from her family's cordless phone inform her that the phone is running low on battery and that it wouldn't be a surprise if the line got cut off in the next few minutes.
Deciding to stop that from happening again, Ga Eul promptly inform Geum Jan Di that the cordless phone is running low on the battery and therefore they had to end their conversation for now.
"Sure, we can continue the conversation when we see each other at work." Geum Jan Di smile in response over the phone, inwardly also relieved that the call is coming to an end. Otherwise, there might be a possibility of her parents eavesdropping on her conversation with Ga Eul and ending up chancing upon the bits of information that she wasn't ready for them to find out.
While Song Woo Bin and So Yi Jeong calls up Gu Jun Hee in the clubhouse of F4, and the phone conversation between Geum Jan Di and Chu Ga Eul is taking place. Gu Jun Pyo has just returned home received a text message from Yoon Ji Hoo requesting a meetup on his mobile device.
The message read:
Jun Pyo, let's meet up and talk. Ji Hoo.
For a while, the Shinhwa heir thought of ignoring the meet-up request from Yoon Ji Hoo but ultimately, he decided to go for the meet-up session and see for himself what Ji Hoo had in mind to speak to him about. So, he ended up typing a response on his mobile and sending it over without delay. Granted, his response only comprises of two single words - 'Fine' and 'Where?'
It didn't take long for him to receive yet another message from Yoon Ji Hoo. This time, the message read 'The theatre in Su Am Arts Center'.
Gu Jun Pyo wasn't in a rush to head out for his meeting with Yoon Ji Hoo. After all, it's Ji Hoo who wishes to talk to him, not the other way around. As such, the Shinhwa heir makes sure to take his own sweet time - going to the extent of taking a bath before finally leaving home to meet up with his long-time friend.
Yoon Ji Hoo was already midway into an old movie when Gu Jun Pyo finally arrived at the theatre cinema situated on the top floor of the Su Am Arts Center. As the movie playing on the screen in the theatre is an old movie that he had watched multiple times throughout the years, Yoon Ji Hoo had no issues splitting his attention between the movie and the newly-arrived Shinhwa heir. Still, the auburn-haired member of F4 didn't make any attention to speak up. It wasn't until the Shinhwa heir joined him in the audience seat, an aisle away from where Yoon Ji Hoo was seated that the auburn-haired member of F4 finally begin to speak.
"How many times have we watched this film together; do you still remember?" Yoon Ji Hoo started, not in the least surprise when he fails to receive any response from the Shinhwa heir. But Yoon Ji Hoo didn't let the lack of response from Jun Pyo faze him, and so, he continues on deliberately in a nonchalance tone of voice. "Hmm… I think we had watched the film together at least 10 times."
"Ya, Yoon Ji Hoo! Get to the point, will you? You didn't ask me to meet you here to reminisce about our childhood days, I'm sure." Gu Jun Pyo finally had it with the way Yoon Ji Hoo is beating around the bush and decided to cut straight to the point.
"Jun Pyo… I'm sorry." Yoon Ji Hoo closed his eyes briefly as he swallowed his pride to apologize to his long-time friend.
"Do you think saying sorry now would return everything to a clean slate like it was before?!" Gu Jun Pyo responded, his tone sounding both incredulous and demanding at the same time.
"I know it wouldn't change anything, but just…let Geum Jan Di go." Yoon Ji Hoo responded as he addressed his long-time friend with an underlying tone of plea.
The mention of Geum Jan Di's name causes the Shinhwa heir to start getting angry, again. No longer in the mood for further conversation, Gu Jun Pyo made a move to leave the theatre. Upon reaching the doorway, the Shinhwa heir paused in his steps and commented. "11 times - that was the total number of times we had watched the film together. And if you had remembered that, you shouldn't have done what you did in New Caledonia."
With that said, Gu Jun Pyo stepped out of the theatre and leave without a backward glance. Upon the departure of Jun Pyo, Yoon Ji Hoo knows there's nothing else he could do to help the situation at this point. But still, he's going to try harder for the sake of Geum Jan Di if nothing else.
The following day happens to be a Saturday, and though it's a national education policy for schools to hold classes on a half-day schedule. The rules don't apply to the F4 members in Shinhwa High. As such, there are no strict rules in place that members of the F4 need to show up in school on a Saturday as opposed to the general student population. Still, that didn't stop Geum Jan Di from being on the lookout in school for a certain Shinhwa heir.
The first thing Geum Jan Di did upon her arrival in school was to check out the private classroom of F4 for any sign of the Shinhwa heir. When she intrusion into the private classroom of F4 to find the room empty, Geum Jan Di went on to check out the private lounge of F4 situated above the students' cafeteria. But the Shinhwa heir wasn't in the lounge as well… with an audible sigh, Geum Jan Di thought perhaps the Shinhwa heir had chosen not to turn up in school today.
Geum Jan Di's hope of catching the Shinhwa heir in school was reignited when she overheard a couple of girls from another class whispering in the hallway about how lucky it was for them to chance upon Gu Jun Pyo of F4 in the corridor leading to the principal's room moments ago. Not wanting to miss out on an opportunity to speak with the Shinhwa heir, Geum Jan Di made the decision to stake out on the bench outside of the academic building of Shinhwa High so, she wouldn't miss her chance in approaching the Shinhwa heir.
While Geum Jan Di is staking out on the bench outside the high school academic building in Shinhwa Academy waiting to catch hold of Gu Jun Pyo, in another part of Seoul… her best friend, Chu Ga Eul had just confirmed the details of her trial date with Gong Soo Pyo after a series of text message correspondence on her wonky mobile phone.
Regular Text Messages Correspondence between Chu Ga Eul and Gong Soo Pyo
Gong Soo Pyo: So, Ga Eul-Ssi… have you thought about what to do for our first date? Oh, and why aren't you not on the Kakao Messenger App? I tried searching for you on Kakao using your contact details but I wasn't able to find you on the KakaoTalk app.
Ga Eul: Actually, I haven't been thinking about what to do for the trial date. Perhaps, you would like to suggest an activity for the date? I'm not picky about the type of activities… well, maybe except for clubbing. Then again, I'm not of the legal age to enter a nightclub yet… so I don't think that would be an issue at present. And in response to your inquiry about the Kakao App, I am indeed not using KakaoTalk.
Gong Soo Pyo: I see… what about other social media platforms? Do you use them at all?
Ga Eul: I use Facebook occasionally, but I'm not very active on it.
Gong Soo Pyo: Right… what do you think of getting a meal alongside a movie for our date?
Ga Eul: That's fine.
Gong Soo Pyo: Great! How about tomorrow then? It's a Sunday, so you shouldn't have classes in school.
Ga Eul: As long as the date ends by 3pm, it'll be fine.
Gong Soo Pyo: What kind of plans do you have on your schedule after 3pm? It's Sunday, you know?
Ga Eul: I'm scheduled to go in for my part-time job at 4pm.
Gong Soo Pyo: You are working part-time? Any possibility of changing shift with someone else?
Ga Eul: I'm afraid not, my co-worker is on leave tomorrow.
Gong Soo Pyo: I guess, getting dinner together is not possible tomorrow then…
Ga Eul: Well… we can always meet up earlier and grab lunch before the movie session instead.
Gong Soo Pyo: Alright, I supposed it can't be helped. How about we meet up at 11am in Myeong-Dong then? It will give us ample time to decide on where to get lunch, before heading to the nearby cinema for the movie. Speaking of, in terms of movie choices… do you have any specific preferences?
Ga Eul: As long as it isn't anything too boring, I'm fine with any films.
Gong Soo Pyo: Define your criteria for a film to be considered boring.
Ga Eul: Something along the line of Cleopatra (1963 film) - too much historical information in it, it's like sitting through a history lesson on Egypt. Not sure if you catch my drift but well…
Gong Soo Pyo: Ah… got it. No worries, I don't think there are many films in that particular genre these days. If you have no objections, then I'll just book the tickets to whichever film that's showing at a timing that would fit your schedule for tomorrow?
Ga Eul: Go ahead.
Gong Soo Pyo: Fantastic. See you tomorrow at 11am… in front of the Myeong-Dong train station?
Ga Eul: Sure.
Location: Kookmin University, Seoul, South Korea
"Soo Pyo, bro~ what brought on your sudden good mood?" A young man with bleached hair calls out, as he dropped himself casually onto the empty seat opposite Gong Soo Pyo in the cafeteria of the Kookmin University of Seoul.
"I see that the lecturer finally decided to let you out of his sight…" Gong Soo Pyo deadpans at the young man with bleached hair, one of his college friends and fellow classmate, in response.
"... Why didn't you remind me that the deadline for the submission of the project is today? To think I'd treated you as my best mate all this time. I'm hurt that you didn't even stop to consider our friendship when you threw me under the bus to face the wrath of the lecturer regarding the incomplete status of our project work." The young man with bleached hair said as he threw a look of accusation in the direction of Gong Soo Pyo.
"Hey! I wasn't the one who skive off when it's time to work on the project, that was all you." Gong Soo Pyo pointed out in a matter-of-fact tone of voice to his fellow classmate and friend.
"Fine, whatever… so, coming back to my original inquiry. Care to share with me just what exactly it was that brought a change in your mood today? I distinctively recall you being in a bad mood earlier this morning when we met up in the classroom." The young man with bleached hair started, eyeing his friend with unbidden curiosity.
"Ah… do you remember that girl who shoot me down when I attempted to chat her up during that speed-dating event we attended three weeks ago?" Gong Soo Pyo asks, glancing over to his friend to see if the guy had any recollections on that particular speed-dating event still.
"Oh… you mean the girl that scoffed at you when you start using your standard pick-up lines while chatting her up? Isn't that your junior from Seoul High School?" It didn't take long for the young man with bleached hair to recall that particular event from the back of his mind, after all, it's not very common for Gong Soo Pyo to fail at the mere task of chatting up a girl. So, the fact that it did happen left quite an impressionable image for the group of them who had attended the speed-dating event alongside Soo Pyo, on that very day.
"Yes, she's my junior from Seoul High School… but that wasn't the main point." Gong Soo Pyo commented dryly in response.
"Oh, really? Then what exactly is your point, if you don't mind me asking?" The young man with bleached hair responded, raising an eyebrow up in a questioning manner as he voiced his words across to Gong Soo Pyo.
"The point is - I'd finally secure myself a date with that girl who finds my pick-up lines too cheesy for her liking." Gong Soo Pyo finally said, sounding extremely smug at his successful attempt at securing a date with Chu Ga Eul.
"... Dare I ask how you'd gotten her to give you a chance after shooting you down without a bat of the eyelid during the speed-dating event?" The young man with bleached hair finally inquires, as curiosity got the best in him.
"Through the means of having my fellow juniors promoting my plus points repetitively in her earshot, showing up on consecutive days outside the gates of my alma mater to look for her, and managing to persuade her friend into sharing with me her contact details on an eventuality. And then, finally dropping her an email with a simple request for her to give me another chance without the cheesy pick-up lines that turn her off from the idea of interacting with me." Gong Soo Pyo responded, trying his best to tame down the urge to preen his achievement in front of his college friend.
"..." For a while, silence reigned. And then, Gong Soo Pyo received an odd look from his college friend followed by a question in regards to his enthusiastic wooing attempt when it comes down to Chu Ga Eul.
"Soo Pyo ah… why are you working so hard in wooing that girl? Based on my understanding, she's not exactly your type." The young man with bleached hair turns towards Gong Soo Pyo with a questioning look in his eyes, as he voiced his query across to his friend hesitantly.
"I agree that she isn't exactly my type, so, I guess I simply can't overlook the fact that my charms fail to work on a docile girl like her." Gong Soo Pyo admitted to his friend on an eventuality.
"Okay… and what? Are you going to dump her after going on a date with her?" His friend continues to prompt, sounding rather curious with his next course of action after getting the much-desired date with Chu Ga Eul which he seeks.
"No idea, I haven't quite decided. Is there a point to these questions of yours? Don't tell me you had your eyes set on her as well and are just waiting for the right moment to sweep her off the ground?" Gong Soo Pyo couldn't help but ask his friend, after having found, himself being subjected to a series of questions concerning Chu Ga Eul and the motives he had for the girl.
"No, definitely not! I'm just trying to caution you off is all. Girls like her don't do casual dating, and considering her family background… you'd best be careful when bringing her out on dates. And if you aren't all that serious with her, I suggest that you break things off nicely after going out for 1-2 dates. Don't string her along and dump her only the moment you realized she started to fall for you. Things wouldn't be pretty if you decided to do something like that." The young man with bleached hair commented as he clapped Gong Soo Pyo lightly on the shoulder before heading out of the cafeteria intending to visit the school library so he could finally finish up his incomplete project for his architecture design course.
Back at the Shinhwa Academy, after staking out for two hours in the cold outside of the academic building of Shinhwa High… the Wonder Woman of Korea finally get to see the figure of Gu Jun Pyo leaving the building to approach the immobile black Mercedes Benz parked in front of the building.
"Ya! Gu Jun Pyo!" Geum Jan Di calls out for the attention of the Shinhwa heir.
Gu Jun Pyo didn't notice the presence of Geum Jan Di at first, but upon the first sound of the girl's voice - he was surprised. Still, thinking about how angry he was with the entire event that took place in New Caledonia between the girl and his long-time friend… Gu Jun Pyo decided to ignore Geum Jan Di as he climbed into the car without giving another glance in the direction of the Wonder Woman of Korea.
"Young master…?" The driver behind the steering wheel of the Black Mercedes Benz inquires, as Geum Jan Di started knocking against the window screen of the back passenger seat of the vehicle where Gu Jun Pyo was seated consistently and repetitively.
"What are you waiting for? Ignore her and get the car moving already. I would appreciate the notion of getting home before noon today." Gu Jun Pyo instructed, as he purposely shifted his gaze to the other side so he needn't concern himself with what Geum Jan Di is doing to the door of the back passenger seat where he's seated.
"Ya! Gu Jun Pyo, could you please wait for a second?! I just wanted to speak to you for a while!" Geum Jan Di was heard calling out after the departing Black Mercedes Benz that belongs to the Gu family, that owns the Shinhwa Group. When the car shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, Geum Jan Di went on to mount her bike and proceed to chase after the Black Mercedes Benz while pedaling hard on her new bicycle which was gifted to her some time ago by the Shinhwa heir after her own bike got damaged by her fellow schoolmates in Shinhwa High following the scandal set-up instigated by Oh Min Ji, a girl she had befriended shortly after she transferred into Shinhwa High.
Miyazawa Kazuki and his two friends were just stepping out from the ice-rink in Shinhwa Academy when Kazuki's attention was drawn by a nudge from his friend - Saionji Shunsuke.
"What?" The heir of the Miyazawa F&B Group turns towards his friend with a questioning look.
"Look over there… correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that Geum Jan Di?" Saionji Shunsuke started, beckoning for his childhood friend to look over at the route reserved for vehicle use on campus grounds.
The Shinhwa Academy is big, but considering how it housed a kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, and a university - all under the same roof on a large plot of land. It is no wonder that the academy comes with several numbers of parking lots for vehicles, and actually has roads for moving cars on the school grounds. How else are the students going to make their way from one area to another area within the school? Sure, one could always travel on foot but that's going to take a very long time… and with how rich the students attending the Shinhwa Academy are, none of them would commute to school through the means of taking public transport.
Shifting his focus to the direction where Shunsuke had pointed him, Miyazawa Kazuki felt the corners of his lips twitching as he nodded to his friend in response. "Yes, that's Geum Jan Di - alright. What on earth is she doing?"
"...Chasing after Gu Jun Pyo, it would seem." Choi Hyo Rin who has just reached the members of the group - E3 responded, having heard how Geum Jan Di was yelling for the Shinhwa heir to wait up while on her way over to meet up with the trio who transferred into Shinhwa from the Hyotei Academy in Japan.
"I see…" Kazuki fell silent at the words of Choi Hyo Rin, knowing that it concerns the leader of F4. The heir of the Miyazawa F&B Group decided to turn a blind eye on the acts of the commoner friend of his half-sister. At the thought of Chu Ga Eul, however, he turns his eyes to his cousin and inquires.
"Shuichi, have you dropped off the course selection form at the admin office for Ga Eul yet?"
"Yes, Kazuki. I dropped it off at the admin office first thing, this morning." Sakuraba Shuichi who seem to have his head up in the cloud blinked twice, before bestowing his cousin and friend with a response.
"Excellent." Miyazawa Kazuki beams in response before he recalled the presence of Choi Hyo Rin among them. Turning towards the girl, Kazuki inquires. "Hyo Rin-chan, not that I'm not happy to see you… but what brought you over?"
Choi Hyo Rin blinked, snapping her focus back to the present before speaking up in response to Kazuki's inquiry. "Oh… right, I almost forgot. The date for our project presentation was decided, we are the first to present the findings of our research topic next Wednesday."
"I see… don't mind me asking but how was the presentation sequence decided?" Kazuki asks, his curiosity piqued.
"The teacher-in-charge makes us draw lots to decide on the sequence." Choi Hyo Rin responded, satisfying the curiosity of Miyazawa Kazuki - the leader for their group project. The trio had been absent for the majority part of their class today, citing the need to attend a briefing session by the skating coach for their after-school club activity.
Unlike the time in Hyotei, neither Miyazawa Kazuki nor Saionji Shunsuke had joined the tennis club of Shinhwa High. Instead, they decided to join the Skating Club of the Shinhwa Academy alongside their friend - Sakuraba Shuichi, who was previously a member of the Hyotei Academy Figure-Skating Club. The main difference between the tennis club and the skating club in Shinhwa Academy lies in the fact that the tennis club was a separate club activity for each department that exists on academy grounds, whereas the skating club due to its' niche market among the student's population… was a joint club activity across the elementary, middle-school, high-school and university department of the Shinhwa Academy.
In this skating club, anyone with an interest in ice-skating is welcome. Members of the club are welcome to simply hang out and learn to skate recreationally or to pick up the various techniques required for competitive skating if they found themselves interested to pursue a profession in the fields at the later part of their life. Anyway, coming back to the reason behind Kazuki's decision to join the skating club of Shinhwa… well, he mostly did it to compensate his cousin who left behind everything to join him in his exile period in Seoul, South Korea. Likewise, Shunsuke's reason for joining the skating club was similar to Kazuki's. Only, instead of figure-skating, his interest lies more in the areas of speed-skating.
"Thank you, Hyo Rin-chan. If that's all, you may leave our presence." Saionji Shunsuke then commented, wasting no time in dismissing the girl from their presence. He may not have minded the way Choi Hyo Rin tends to check him out with her eyes whenever she's in their presence, but he just wasn't quite in the mood to allow the girl such incentive today.
"..." Wordlessly, Choi Hyo Rin bowed at the trio politely before turning to leave the site, without a backward glance at the trio's direction.
Unlike the rest of the female population in Shinhwa who tends to fawn over the members of F4, not knowing when to leave them alone. Choi Hyo Rin was pretty much an oddball in the eyes of her fellow female friends, because instead of being interested in the F4… she's more focused on the Japan trio, a nickname given to Kazuki and his two friends by the members of their class. But even then, Choi Hyo Rin wasn't one to fawn her interest towards the Japan trio openly in public… mostly because she had learned from her observations while being on the exchange program in Hyotei Academy a few years ago, that the Japan trio or the Elite 3 doesn't enjoy such behaviors from the female population. Thus, Choi Hyo Rin had always made it a point to behave sensibly in front of Kazuki and his two friends. In particular, when Saionji Shunsuke was around.
"Alright, Shunsuke… now that Hyo Rin-chan isn't around. Care to tell me what was the cause for your dark mood, today?" Miyazawa Kazuki started, zeroing his concerned gaze upon the figure of Saionji Shunsuke.
"It's nothing." Saionji Shunsuke attempted to wave off the concern of his friend, only to find himself forcibly dragged off to the emergency stairway where Geum Jan Di often use to isolate herself from the rest of the school population for peace and quiet. Likewise, it is also one of the places where Yoon Ji Hoo tends to use when he needs to get away from his friends from F4.
"It's hardly nothing of importance when you got that closed-off look on your face. So, forgive us if neither of us believes you at this moment. Come on, I'll let you have a go at that bottle of wine brought back by Ga Eul from New Caledonia if you tell us just what exactly is bothering you today." Miyazawa Kazuki responded, dragging Shunsuke along towards the direction of the parking lot where he had utilized for his Black Lexus.
Unlike the F4 who seem to have an interest in owning a lotus sports car, Kazuki and his two friends prefer the brand of Lexus when it comes down to the choice of their personal vehicle. In hindsight, perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Lexus is the luxury brand owned by the Toyota Corporation, an auto-maker from their home country, Japan.
Either way, like the members of F4 - all three of them own vehicles of their own of the same model, differing only in the color choice. For instance, Kazuki's car is black; whereas the Lexus car belonging to Sakuraba Shuichi and Saionji Shunsuke are white and blue, respectively.
"Damn you, Kazuki… you don't have to force me into your car like this. I can drive over to your place on my own, it's not as though I didn't drive to school - this morning." Saionji Shunsuke cursed when he found himself being dragged away from the front steps that leads to the indoor-skating rink on the academy grounds all the way to the parking lot where they have parked their respective Lexus when they reported to school earlier in the morning.
"And risk you giving us the slip? I think not." Miyazawa Kazuki deadpans at his protesting friend seated at the side passenger seat of his black Lexus, at present.
"... "
Following his black Lexus from behind was the white Lexus belonging to his cousin and friend - Sakuraba Shuichi. As for the missing blue Lexus, well… it's still in the parking lot near the ice-rink in Shinhwa Academy. If Shunsuke cooperates with them well enough, they might drive him back to school later to collect his precious blue Lexus from the parking lot. Otherwise, that car could stay overnight on academy grounds. Kazuki thought inwardly as he swerved his car onto the route that would take him back towards his place of residence.
Location: Gu Family Residence
"Ya! Gu Jun Pyo… why are you ignoring me?" Geum Jan Di calls out as she dismounted from her bike when the Black Mercedes Benz which the Shinhwa heir is traveling in came to a stop in front of the mansion that belongs to the Gu family that owns the Shinhwa Group.
The expression on the Shinhwa heir's face was comical when he realized that Geum Jan Di had literally chased him from behind on her bicycle all the way from Shinhwa High to his family home. Upon coming back to his senses when Geum Jan Di started to march up to him, the Shinhwa heir promptly started to run around the grounds of his home's front garden while trying to avoid being latched on by Geum Jan Di. For a while, he was so amused that he allows a grin of amusement to form on his face. However, as soon as he recalled what Geum Jan Di had done with Yoon Ji Hoo… the grinning look disappeared completely from his face.
Heading back towards the Black Mercedes Benz, this time, the Shinhwa heir climbed behind the steering wheel personally. And then, he started up the engine of the car and drove off using the window of opportunity he spotted when Geum Jan Di was trying to catch her breath. As he drove out of the front gates of his family home, Gu Jun Pyo could still hear the sound of Geum Jan Di yelling after him while trying to catch her breath.
That, apparently, was how Geum Jan Di met Gu Jun Hee, the elder sister of Gu Jun Pyo for the first time in her life. The Wonder Woman of Korea was still yelling after the Black Mercedes Benz for the Shinhwa heir to come back when a white car came to a stop in front of Geum Jan Di.
"Get in the car." Gu Jun Hee barked out at Geum Jan Di, and when the Wonder Woman of Korea simply stared at her with a bewildered look. The heiress of the Shinhwa Group couldn't help but roll her eyes at the response she had garnered from the Wonder Woman of Korea, who she assumed by this point is the girl, her little brother, and spoilt brat of the family is interested in.
"Do you still want to catch up to him? If you want, hurry up and get in the car already." Gu Jun Hee rolls her eyes momentarily as she addressed her words at Geum Jan Di.
Despite finding the entire turn of event incomprehensible on her part, her desire to catch hold of the Shinhwa heir won out and thus Geum Jan Di found herself climbing into the white car driven by a pretty looking lady. Swallowing visibly at the high speed the lady drove at, Geum Jan Di felt her jaws slackening upon the sight of how the lady didn't even bat an eyelid while challenging Gu Jun Pyo to an impromptu car race on the highway with a passenger in tow.
Geum Jan Di found her eyes widening further in shock when they finally overtook the Black Mercedes Benz which was under the control of the Shinhwa heir with an attempt of a dangerous move. As though the shock of narrowing avoiding an incident on the road wasn't enough, Geum Jan Di found herself witnessing the act of the lady driver alighting from the car with a bamboo sword placed at the back of the car and started engaging the Shinhwa heir in a martial art challenge on the side of the highway.
Gu Jun Pyo, on the other hand, couldn't believe his bad luck. The Shinhwa heir had originally alighted from the Black Mercedes Benz intending to yell at the person who dare engage him in a car-racing act on the roads and to overtake him fully in the knows that the vehicle was one that belongs to the Shinhwa Group. Imagine his surprise when he recognized the person behind the wheels of that unknown white vehicle which had been chasing him down several miles on the highway as his elder sister - Gu Jun Hee.
"Ya, that's enough already! Oi, stop hitting me with that bamboo sword of yours. No, wait… don't. Noona, stop hitting me already. You don't know the entire story!" Gu Jun Pyo protested, shielding his head from further hits delivered by his elder sister who decided to pop back into town without sending word ahead to him.
"Whatever the reasons, I do not recall to have raised you up to be a man that behaves like a bully towards a woman." Gu Jun Hee started, hitting the Shinhwa heir another few more times before withdrawing her weapon of choice.
Turning back to the figure of the stunned-looking Geum Jan Di, the heiress of the Shinhwa Group smiles as she invited the girl back to the Gu family mansion citing that she would listen to the entire story back home.
So Yi Jeong and Song Woo Bin were just about to hit the club for a night of partying when they received a text message from the Shinhwa heir asking for them to gather at the Gu family mansion. After checking with one another that they were both summoned to Jun Pyo's family home, the two playboys of F4 shrugged and change the direction and turn their lotus sports car around - heading towards the direction of their friend's family home instead of the night-clubs in the district of Hongdae.
Upon arriving at the Gu family mansion, the F2 was met by the sight of an awkward-looking Geum Jan Di, a sullen-looking Gu Jun Pyo, and a curious but smiling Gu Jun Hee.
"Jun Hee-Noona... you're back!" Song Woo Bin and So Yi Jeong started in unison, a look of surprise crossing their features briefly. Even though, it has been them who had lured the Shinhwa heiress back to town... they weren't expecting for the heiress to fly back on an overnight flight following the end of the phone call conversation last night.
"Of course, after that interesting phone conversation, we had last night. How could I resist the idea of coming back home for a visit?" Gu Jun Hee declared jovially in response, drawing the attention of her sullen brother in the process.
"What?!" Gu Jun Pyo took a moment to comprehend the reason behind his sister's sudden return to Korea, and the moment he realized his friends had called up his sister behind his back and summon her back into the country... the Shinhwa heir proceed to throw a dark look in the direction of the two playboys of F4. But compared to what Ji Hoo had done, what Yi Jeong and Woo Bin did only serve to annoy him rather than piss him off.
Still, thinking that he should make the two of them sweat for a little. Gu Jun Pyo zeroes in his sharp gaze on his two friends and practically demanded. "Speak up. Whose idea was it to call Noona back into the country?"
"Don't look at me, the idea was proposed by Woo Bin." The Korean Casanova was quick to throw his Don Juan friend under the bus.
"Hey! It might have been my idea, but need I remind you that you agree with it – too?" The Don Juan of F4 was quick to retort.
"I don't care whose idea is it to bring my sister back into the country. Her presence wouldn't deter me from doing what I intend to do, either way. But since it's the phone call from last night that lures her back to town, the two of you can take up the responsibility of reiterating the entire story to her." Gu Jun Pyo told his two friends sullenly before stomping childishly out of the living room of his family home.
"... That's all?" Song Woo Bin was baffled, to be honest, he had expected the Shinhwa heir's reaction to being a little bit more aggressive.
"Well... that just goes to show what we did behind his back is minuscule and inconsequential as compared to what Ji Hoo had done." So Yi Jeong then shrugged nonchalantly in response, as he moved to take a seat on the sofa couch in the living room of the Gu family mansion. He figured if he's going to retell the entire story to the Shinhwa heiress as tasked by Jun Pyo, he might as well make himself comfortable while at it.
"So, are the two of you going to tell me the whole story now?" Gu Jun Hee asks, smiling at the two playboys of F4.
"Erm… before getting around to the task of relaying the entire story to you, can we just check how much information about the story have you figured out by now, Jun Hee-noona?" Song Woo Bin begins, sounding slightly apprehensive seeing as he hasn't been completely honest to the lady during their phone call conversation that took place, last evening.
"Not much, but still enough to know that you aren't completely honest with me during the phone conversation we had before my return to Korea." Gu Jun Hee responded in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, the smile never vanishing from her lips.
And so, the F2 started retelling the story about how Geum Jan Di - a mere commoner managed to worm her way into the group of F4 and ended up catching the attention of the Shinhwa heir in the process. This part of the story was reiterated by Song Woo Bin, the Don Juan of F4. So Yi Jeong waited until his friend was done with the reiteration of that part of the story before he took over to speak on the events of their New Caledonia vacation trip. Finally, the two of them informed the Shinhwa heiress about the decision Jun Pyo has made in regards to Ji Hoo and Geum Jan Di's act of betrayal that fateful night in New Caledonia.
Nodding as she soaked up the new pieces of information, she had gotten off from the F2, Gu Jun Hee ended up summarizing the entire story into the following words. "So, in short, Ji Hoo and that idiot brother of mine are currently caught in a dispute against one another because the idiot sulking upstairs has caught Ji Hoo kissing Jan Di while you guys are vacationing in New Caledonia. And because the incident took place shortly after the report of Seo Hyun getting hitched to a Frenchman was announced over the news, he thought Ji Hoo is simply using Geum Jan Di to get over his love for Seo Hyun. Is that right?"
"...In a nutshell, that's the essence of it." Song Woo Bin nodded in response to the words of the elder sister of Jun Pyo.
"And I supposed this young lady over here is the female lead in this entire story?" The Shinhwa heiress then turns towards the direction where Jan Di was seated and inquires.
Three silent nods, that's the only response Gu Jun Hee receives from the group currently gathered in the living room of her childhood home. The F2 was silent because they don't see the need for a verbal response to this particular question from the Shinhwa heiress, whereas Geum Jan Di was simply too embarrassed to admit that she's the direct cause behind the crisis of the friendship bonds between the members of F4, at present.
Keeping her eyes on the uneasy girl seated in the living room of her childhood home, the Shinhwa heiress started to speak while sending a reassurance look at Geum Jan Di. "Jan Di, don't look so worried. I'm not going to scold you. Unlike that idiot upstairs, I know that things can be rather complicated where matters of the heart are concerned. Especially when the relationship between you and my brother began before you could really get over your crush on Ji Hoo. Naturally, you would have difficulty rejecting Ji Hoo's advances when it happens."
Turning towards the F2, Gu Jun Hee had a pondering look on her face as she inquires about the opinions of the Don Juan and the Casanova of F4, over the questionable actions taken by Yoon Ji Hoo in New Caledonia. "In your opinion though, do you think Ji Hoo is truly trying to make use of Geum Jan Di in an attempt to get over Seo Hyun?"
[Talk about awkward… this is truly awkwardness at its finest.] Geum Jan Di thought as she kept to herself while listening to the F2 and the heiress of Shinhwa speculating on Yoon Ji Hoo's motive for kissing her in New Caledonia.
"... I think that's something only Ji Hoo would know for certain, but judging from the way he has always behaved in the past - it isn't that much of a ridiculous notion that he's using Geum Jan Di to get over his feelings for Seo Hyun-noona." There was a brief moment of silence before Song Woo Bin took it upon himself to respond to the question put forth by the Shinhwa heiress.
The Korean Casanova, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be in a mood for many conversations – today. Other than the time whereby it was his turn to reiterate the events that took place in New Caledonia, So Yi Jeong, had for the most part of the day, kept to himself. Therefore, unless he was being spoken to, the Korean Casanova had preferred to keep his comment to himself. In particular, on the matter of dispute between Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo.
Yes, like Woo Bin – Yi Jeong didn't like the fact that their friendship is breaking apart over a mere girl, too. It wasn't just any random girl either, but Geum Jan Di. Knowing how much Jun Pyo is invested romantically in Geum Jan Di makes it very hard for him to forgive Ji Hoo, especially, Ji Hoo had kissed Geum Jan Di knowing full well about Jun Pyo's feelings for the girl. Just that knowledge alone was enough to irritate him, so, pardon him if he wasn't willing to spend his time dwelling into the intricacy of Ji Hoo's actions.
"Alright, let's set that topic aside for the moment and talk about what Jun Pyo had decided to do to Ji Hoo and Jan Di. Why did the two of you agree with that idiot brother of mine?" Gu Jun Hee prompted, looking at the two playboys of F4 with a disapproving look in her eyes.
"Actually, I didn't agree to it. I was against the idea, right from the beginning. Yes, I agree that Jun Pyo has a right to be angry with Ji Hoo… but I don't think what Ji Hoo did was bad enough to warrant an expulsion decree from Shinhwa." Song Woo Bin, the Don Juan of F4 responded when he feels the eyes of Gu Jun Hee on his person.
"And you, Yi Jeong? What are your thoughts on the matter?" The heiress of Shinhwa Group then shifted her focus to the silent Casanova of F4, as she waited patiently for the young man to respond to her query.
"Personally, I don't really care…" So Yi Jeong didn't manage to get more than a few words from his lips before he found himself being cut off by the heiress of Shinhwa Group, mid-speech. Which is just as well, the Korean Casanova thought seeing as he wasn't really keen on sharing his thoughts on the matter either. In his opinion, Jun Pyo who's the wronged party has the right to decide what to do with Ji Hoo... and if expelling Ji Hoo from F4 and Shinhwa is what Jun Pyo had in mind to do, he didn't think he had a right to interfere even though, it might seem a tad extreme from a bystander point of view.
"Alright, that's enough. I got it… come on, let us move on to the dining room. It's about time for dinner, either way." Gu Jun Hee announced, before sending a look to the butler of the family instructing for the man to go and fetch her idiot brother down for dinner.
A few minutes later, butler Lee returns to the dining room without the Shinhwa heir. Gu Jun Hee took one look at the butler and promptly inquire about the whereabouts of her brother. To which, the butler hesitated for a second before answering the heiress while directing a discreet glance in the direction of Geum Jan Di. "The young master says he didn't want to eat…"
"Is that so? Well then, in that case…he can survive without dinner for a day." Gu Jun Hee declared, judging from the discreet glance directed towards Geum Jan Di by the butler - the heiress gathered enough to know that her brother likely said something along the line of not wanting to eat in the presence of Geum Jan Di, banking on the hope that she would send the girl away before dinner is being served. Unfortunately, that is something that Gu Jun Hee has no intention of doing… and therefore, her little brother could live with the fact of not being served dinner for the day.
"Come on, let's ignore that idiot upstairs who's sulking like a kid." Lifting up her glass of wine, Gu Jun Hee commented as she proposed a toast to the F2 and Geum Jan Di who had accepted her dinner invitation to dine with her in the comfort of her family's dining room.
Location: Miyazawa Villa House
"... You guys don't have to look so guarded. I promised I won't run out the moment your back is turned the other way." Saionji Shunsuke sighed aloud when he found himself being backed into a corner in the den of the Miyazawa Villa House with no way to leave without drawing his friends' attention on his person.
"Sorry, I know I promised to let you try the bottle of wine brought over by Ga Eul. But it would appear that my dear Chichiue decided to bring both bottles with him back to Japan. So, you would have to live with the idea of enjoying mocktails while telling us all about the cause behind your dark mood instead." Miyazawa Hideaki commented, returning to the den with the ingredients needed to create mocktails with, along with a book of recipes on how to go about preparing mocktails that he found in the stash of recipe books in the kitchen of the villa house.
"It's just as well, that way, I wouldn't have to trouble Takeda-San later. I can simply drive home on my own when this gathering of ours came to an end." Sakuraba Shuichi commented as he continues to keep an eye out on the figure of Saionji Shunsuke while making his way over to join Kazuki in the preparation of creating mocktails with their own consumption through the use of a recipe book.
"Oh… your father left Korea for Japan, already?" Saionji Shunsuke commented, in an attempt to divert his friend's attention from her mood issues.
"Yes. To avoid the risk of arousing my mother's suspicion about his motive for being in Korea, his stay in Seoul was always kept within 3 days to a week. If he needs to stay in Seoul for more than 7 days, my mother would definitely be accompanying him on the trip." Miyazawa Kazuki told his friend in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.
"..." Falling silent at the response of his friend, Saionji Shunsuke resorted to kicking at the rug under his feet out of frustration.
"Shunsuke, why on earth are you kicking on my rug?" Miyazawa Kazuki just so happens to glance up from the recipe book to reach for an ingredient needed in the creation of the mocktail he wishes to prepare when he noticed how Saionji Shunsuke was kicking repetitively at the Persian rug lay down on the floor of his family's den.
"You want to know why I'm in a bad mood today?" Saionji Shunsuke turns towards the direction of his two friends and asks in a humorless way.
"Well… that's the whole reason we brought you here today. So, are you ready to enlighten us on the reason behind your bad mood now?" Miyazawa Kazuki raised an eyebrow up questioningly in Shunsuke's direction, before commenting dryly in response.
"It's nothing new, just my mother getting embroiled in another scandal that makes its way to Japan's local press." Saionji Shunsuke muttered aloud, still kicking away at the rug like a petulant child.
"... Since you already know that it's nothing new, why are you acting so upset by the scandalous news?" Miyazawa Kazuki and Sakuraba Shuichi shared a look among themselves before Kazuki took it upon himself to inquire of his other childhood friend.
"I'm upset because my dad is going to have to come up with something to clean up after my mother's scandalous behavior, again! Why couldn't my mother behave more sensibly?! I get that she doesn't love dad, but is there a need for her to flaunt her extra-marital affairs in dad's face all the time?! And then, there's also dad… I don't understand why he couldn't have taken a firmer hand with mother? Better yet, with the kind of toxic relationship that they have - why can't they simply divorce and set each other free?" Shunsuke lamented as he vented his frustration through the means of ranting to his two friends, for the umpteen times since their acquaintance.
"..."
Sharing a look of sympathy for their friend while Shunsuke wasn't watching, Kazuki and Shuichi could only sigh inwardly as they watched their buddy go into a lashing out mode through the means of cursing, kicking, swearing, and finally ends with yelling. Unlike the two of them, their friend didn't grow up in a loving environment.
For Shuichi, his parents' relationship was a loving one, to begin with - since they had married one another out of true love, despite the difference in their social status. In the case of Kazuki, although his parents were married under the arrangements made between his grandparents initially… his parents had grown to develop the feeling of love between them. It might not be the kind of passionate love like it was for Shuichi's parents, but it is still loved at the end of the day. Shunsuke though wasn't as lucky as them when it comes down to the relationship between his parents.
First of all, it should be noted that it was Saionji Mitsuru (Shunsuke's father) that marries into the family and changed his own name to the name of his wife's family instead of the typical situation whereby it involved the female heir who marries out of the family to take on the family name belonging to the husband. So, from day 1 - the balance in the Saionji family is lopsided.
As for the reason why… well, here's where things got a tad complicated. Long story short, the essence is that Shunsuke's dad fell in love with his mother somewhere along the line when they were still high-school students. Only Shunsuke's mother was in love with another, and the man whom the mother of his friend loves… just so happens to be the half-brother of his friend's father.
Shunsuke's father - Saionji Mitsuru is an illegitimate bastard born to a housemaid serving the Fuyusawa family and Fuyusawa Raido, the previous CEO of the largest hotel chain in Japan before the Shinhwa Group ventured into Japan's market. It was said that the conception of Saionji Mitsuru was a drunken incident, though how much of the story was real - neither Kazuki nor Shuichi knows for certain. It's nothing that concerns them, after all.
Either way, based on the stories they have heard from their parents about Saionji Mitsuru. It was rumored that their friend's father has been treated like a servant by the members of the Fuyusawa family since a very young age. From a young age, Mitsuru would have to earn his own keep to get a roof over his head and to serve the legitimate heir to the Fuyusawa family as a retainer to get an allowance of pocket money for his own use.
Fuyusawa Satoru, the legitimate heir born to Fuyusawa Raido, is a handsome young man with a charming charisma that would make girls swoon at the sight of him. Now, this would usually indicate a possibility for the young man to become a renowned playboy… only it wasn't quite the case for Fuyusawa Satoru. If anything, he was the exact opposite of a playboy. Fuyusawa Satoru, Saionji Mitsuki, and Saionji Mitsuru - their family were long-time friends to each other, as such, it could be said that the three of them practically grew up together.
Now, Saionji Mitsuki is the epitome of a spoilt princess. She's willful, stubborn, and proud. Above it all, she's also self-centered. From day 1 of her acquaintance with the Fuyusawa siblings, she was infatuated with the heir for the Fuyusawa family. Despite knowing full well that Fuyusawa Satoru was not in the least interested in her romantically, her wilfulness had brought her in front of her parents demanding for them to arrange a marriage union between the two families. Only, Fuyusawa Satoru was unwilling to bend to her whims as her personality was something that he couldn't tolerate.
Refusing to believe that Fuyusawa Satoru would turn down the marriage union arrangement, Saionji Mitsuki arrived at the horrible idea of attempting to drug Fuyusawa Satoru into sleeping with her to make her wish of marrying the man of her dream, a reality - on a night where a party involving a majority of their business associates were present. Unfortunately for her, Fuyusawa Satoru saw through her ploy ahead of time and ended up drugging her in return. While the Fuyusawa heir isn't interested in Saionji Mitsuki in the least, he knew his half-brother who was serving as his personal retainer is in love with the heiress of the Saionji family. As such, he decided to kill two birds with one stone by setting them up, so he could rid himself from them both at the same time. Therefore, after successfully getting Saionji Mitsuki drugged… Fuyusawa Satoru arranged for someone to put her into the same bed as the bastard child of his father - the result of his father's drunken night escapade.
And while nothing substantial really happens between the two that night, it was still quite a disgraceful act and since reporters are lurking around during the progress of the party event… the Fuyusawa and Saionji family were quick to announce an upcoming marriage union between the two families. Only instead of the Saionji heiress marrying into the Fuyusawa family, it would be Fuyusawa Mitsuru that would be marrying into the Saionji family instead.
That was apparently how the marriage union between Saionji Mitsuki and Saionji Mitsuru came to exist, through the means of force. While Saionji Mitsuru chooses to accept his fate and took things in stride, it was the complete opposite for Saionji Mitsuki. The fact that the two of them were willing to copulate and bring forth two kids between them with the nature of their marriage union was pretty much a miracle.
"Shunsuke… sometimes things aren't as easy as you think it is. Your mother might be the heiress to the Saionji's fortune, but she knows nothing about managing her own family business. That was all Mitsuru-jisan's credit, and in my opinion, he's doing a fairly good job at handling the family business for the Saionji family. As to the reason why he's always cleaning up your mother's mess… well, I suspect he's already used to doing it. They grew up together, after all. Just be glad that your father isn't the suicidal type, otherwise, he would have gone round the bend with the way your mother constantly behaves in public." Miyazawa Kazuki remarked, bringing a glass of the mocktail he had created from the recipe book with him as he approached his petulant friend.
"..."
Location: Incheon Airport, Seoul
Miyazawa Hideaki was at the departure hall of the Incheon International Airport of Seoul, South Korea waiting for his return flight to Japan, Tokyo when he noticed the latest scandal that revolves around Saionji Mitsuki, the heiress to the Saionji Group that owns and managed a chain of luxury spa and wellness businesses in Japan.
"..." Inwardly thankful that he hasn't been the one married to the Saionji heiress, Miyazawa Hideaki found himself sympathizing with his friend back in Japan.
Miyazawa Hideaki was a very good friend of Fuyusawa Satoru, and therefore also knew Saionji (formerly goes by Fuyusawa) Mitsuru pretty well. With his family involved in the F&B industry, and the Fuyusawa family running the largest hotel group businesses in Japan before the Shinhwa Group's successful venture into the Japan market causes the Fuyusawa's business scale to shrink in size… the Miyazawa F&B Group has a lot of business dealings going on with the Fuyusawa Group. As it wasn't rare for a spa to open up an outlet in the hotels, providing relaxation services to the hotel guests… the Fuyusawa and the Saionji family also had business dealings among them. Anyway, the business aspects of their dealings aside.
Hideaki used to be very close to Fuyusawa Satoru, but after having known what his friend had done to rid himself from the clutches of the Saionji heiress who has quite an undesirable personality to date… the director of the Miyazawa F&B Group found himself drifting away slowly from Satoru - his old friend, and gradually start to form a new friendship with Mitsuru, instead. Miyazawa Hideaki wasn't one that make friends easily, thus the friends he made in life - he valued them greatly. And even though he started drifting apart from his old friend - Fuyusawa Satoru, he didn't exactly cut ties with the man. To date, they remain friends still even if not as chummy as before.
Saionji Mitsuru could very well be considered as the best friend of Miyazawa Hideaki at this point in life. Although, Gu Bon Hyeong comes close to being another best friend of his, in recent years. In particular, after the unfortunate passing of Yoon Young-Jae in a fatal car accident along with his wife, leaving behind his only son - Yoon Ji Hoo.
The thought of Yoon Young-Jae brought on a look of nostalgia in Miyazawa Hideaki. Because while he had met Gu Bon Hyeong first, being classmates and all… Yoon Young-Jae was the first person to become his friend in Korea. That guy was the first to notice that he wasn't being anti-social on purpose but is simply not speaking up because of his bad grasp of the Korean tongue. Having a father who works as a politician, Yoon Young-Jae was pretty well-versed in several languages, including Hideaki's mother-tongue - Japanese.
Granted, originally Yoon Young-Jae probably took pity on him and decides to play translator for him whenever he needs to communicate with the other students. Gu Bon Hyeong, being the heir to a multimillion business then, was equally well versed in the language of Japanese. That was how they all ended up being friends, really - they were both playing the role of a translator for Hideaki.
Of course, Gu Bon Hyeong and Yoon Young-Jae already knew one another pretty well by that point. After all, before Yoon Seok Young became a politician and later went on to become the president of South Korea for a time… he was a doctor at the Shinhwa Hospital for at least a decade. Throw in the fact that both the Gu and the Yoon residences are located in the same community, it would simply be weird for Gu Bon Hyeong and Yoon Young-Jae to not know each other.
Miyazawa Hideaki was drawn out from his memories surrounding his own exile period in Korea when the announcement came over the airport broadcasting system calling for the first-class passengers of the flight bound for Tokyo, Haneda Airport to start boarding. Dropping a final text message to his wife, Midori about his homecoming in approximately 3 hours… the director of the Miyazawa F&B Group started heading towards the boarding gate for his return trip to Tokyo.
~TBC~
Chapter's notes: Chapter 6 is done. A lot in this chapter are original scenes. And I apologized for the lack of SoEul in this chapter. Then again, the original episode 7 didn't involve a lot of Ga Eul in the first half. Her screen-time came on after the competition between Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo begins… ^^; and so, she didn't get much interaction with Yi Jeong. I can't have her interacting with Yi Jeong much before she transferred into Shinhwa though… so, I have to follow the original scenes in the drama for now.
As for Yi Jeong taking the initiative to visit Ga Eul at her workplace, well… considering his denial of his attraction to Ga Eul at present, and the fact that the F4 are having a bit of a friendship crisis in the form of Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo… he likely has the bulk of his attention and focuses elsewhere at present. Therefore, rather impossible for me to create a SoEul moment out of nowhere to base it from ^^;
On a side note, I have an interlude scene featuring Gong Soo Pyo in this chapter and his intentions for Ga Eul with his nameless friend. I didn't create a name for Soo Pyo's friend because I don't see a need for it, since he's just a random character that could qualify for 'passer-by'. Now, as for Soo Pyo… I think we all know he exists for a reason. But the original drama didn't come to explain how Ga Eul ended up dating this jerk, so I decided to come up with my own version of events that led to them getting to know each other.
The rest of this chapter, outside of the scenes from the original drama that revolves around Jan Di, Jun Pyo, Jun Hee, and the F2… as well as that scene between Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo - are mostly original scenes featuring my OCs. While the scenes are the same, with a slight twist of my own and the sequence of the scenes might have been jumbled up… since I don't remember its exact order. ^^; Of course, dialogue between the characters might differ for a bit since I can't quote their original speech in a word-for-word manner.
In this chapter, I have also dedicated a portion to talk about the family situation/background of Saionji Shunsuke. I have introduced Shuichi and Kazuki's background in the previous chapter already, so, I think it's about time I provide some background information about Shunsuke now. After writing this part, I feel like Shunsuke and Yi Jeong could compare notes on who has the worst family life to date. ^^; Oh, do note that even though Shunsuke's family life is as bad as Yi Jeong (personally, I think Yi Jeong's situation is more stressful since on top of a womanizer father, he has a suicidal mother) Shunsuke's father isn't suicidal even though Saionji Mitsuki is being outright unfaithful to their marriage... so, yeah... *Shrugs*
The last portion of this chapter is basically told in Miyazawa Hideaki's POV, it touches on a little bit about the type of relationship/friendship the father generation has with one another. And yep, I named Ji Hoo's dad who's unnamed in the original drama, and made him a friend of Ga Eul's biological father, too. Although he likely won't get much screentime being dead in the present timeline and all... but who knows, he might appear in flashback scenes if the opportunities arise in the future.
Another thing to note is that in my story setting, the fathers of the F4 aren't of the same age… so they are not the F4 for their generation. The F4 are formed because they became friends after meeting in kindergarten. Back in their father's generation, I have the thought of making Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo's father belong to the same age group, while Yi Jeong and Woo Bin's fathers are 1-2 years behind them in school.
Anyway, coming back to the point I was making - I don't think Ji Hoo's dad would mind attending class with other students in school, and Gu Bon Hyeong probably wouldn't mind not having a private classroom of his own (attending class alone can be lonely) so… I make him a classmate of Miyazawa Hideaki when they are still attending the Shinhwa Academy.
What else? Oh... regarding the Fuyusawa family in this story, don't worry. There won't be any Starmyu character turning up, I was cracking my head thinking of a family name to use for Shunsuke's father's family background and that's the first name that came to mind. And the Fuyusawa family was originally the largest hotel group in Japan until the Shinhwa Group ventured into the Japanese market. But when it comes down to homegrown businesses of Japan in my story, Miyazawa F&B and Fuyusawa Hotel Group definitely hold the top few rankings.
Right, I think I've rambled enough in this lengthy chapter notes. Please let me know what you think of the chapter/story so far… I know, I'm dragging on the pace a little but well… world-building at its finest. In my Starmyu fanfic, it took me 40 over chapters to finish covering the scenes in the 12 episodes of anime ^^;
And then, there is the fact that I took 4 chapters to finish my version of the New Caledonia trip in my story while the original drama finishes it within 1 episode or so. ^^; So, bear with me for a while longer - okay? SoEul scenes are coming soon, in the next chapter for sure ^_^ Since that's when the second half of the episode 7 scenes would be covered :P That's all from me for today~ Ciao~