Hey guys! So first of all, WOW! I was not expecting such a response to this story and I can't say enough how much all your love for it means to me. This is a 3-shot so there will be one more chapter. Then I will finish the Playful Kiss fic and focus on more SoEul.

So, thank you again! Enjoy and let me know what you all think!

"Yi-Yi Jeong?"

He raised his eyebrow at her questionably. His smirk still firmly in place as she stood frozen. "Surprised to see me?"

"What are you doing here?" Ga Eul whispered but this only made his grin deepen and she was again struck by the effect those damn dimples had on her.

"Would you like to take a guess?"

He wanted her to guess? While her brain was currently swimming with both elation at finally seeing him again after almost a year of no contact and heartbreak for the exact same reason.

"No?" Yi Jeong continued, seeming to enjoy her silent struggle. "Well, let me give you a hint then. It has a little something to do with this." He held up her plane ticket and twirled it mockingly in his fingers before giving her a dark smile. "Now, do you want to try again?"

"Woo Bin called you," Ga Eul whispered and he dipped his head in congratulations. "Ten points."

She closed her eyes before straightening with a deep breath. "How much did he tell you?"

"Enough." Yi Jeong placed the ticket on the table beside him before turning back to her, his eyes dark with the anger that she could see bubbling underneath the surface of his cool façade. "Shall we keep playing?"

She swallowed hard before bending down to pick up her purse, turning to place it on the hook and to gather her composure. "I have to go with them, Yi Jeong."

"Wrong answer." He spread his hands sarcastically. "Care to try again?"

"No, because you can't stop me." Ga Eul turned and was shocked to find him suddenly standing right in front of her. Especially since she had never even heard him move. He rose his arms to rest his hands against the wall behind her officially blocking her in. His eyes burning hotly as he pressed in with his body until she was completely pinned.

"I'm not as nice as Woo Bin," Yi Jeong reminded her with a predatory growl. "Remember?"

She did remember, Ga Eul thought with an inward shudder. Not of fear though but rather with desire. It would have been so much easier if she could have fallen for the gentle members of the F4 but there was no-one who got to her like So Yi Jeong.

He could make her entire body feel like she was on fire with just a look. But she couldn't give into it this time. She had to resist not just because of her mother but the pain of being ignored for a whole year was not something she could just get over.

"Yi Jeong," Ga Eul began but he simply spoke over with a shake of his head. "I don't negotiate like Gu Jun Pyo either."

"Then what do you do?"

"Guess?" Yi Jeong whispered dangerously which made her blood thicken with heat but she only rolled her eyes. "I'm a little tired of guessing, Yi Jeong."

"Hmm, but you were getting so good at it."

His voice was practically a purr but Ga Eul knew him too well for that. The more Yi Jeong pretended to be calm the more he was about to unleash on you.

"I know you're mad." She began but he only chuckled darkly. "Mad? No." He tilted his head to breathe against her mouth. The muscles in his arms bunching from the tension radiating out of him. "I surpassed merely mad a long time ago, Ga Eul."

"Is he dead?"

There was no mistaking who she meant and his eyes darkened violently at the question. "He will be."

"I don't want you to kill him."

"Well, you are going to be disappointed a lot tonight then."

"You," Jun Pyo said slowly, his tone obvious that he thought his two best friends had officially lost their minds. "You called Yi Jeong."

"I had too," Woo Bin moaned, not any happier about this than Gu Jun Pyo. "We didn't have a choice."

"Woo Bin—"

"Jun Pyo," Woo Bin sighed impatiently. "When Yi Jeong was destroying himself, we couldn't stop it. We couldn't reach him. Ga Eul did though. She was the only one able to get through to him. Now, she is the one on the ledge."

"It has to be him." Ji Hoo finished softly. "The same way it could only be you if this were Geum Jan Di."

Jun Pyo went silent for a minute before asking nonchalantly. "And who is going to save Yi Jeong afterward? Because he won't stop this time. The minute he learns everything none of us will be able to prevent him from killing Chu Dong Soon. Even if I am able to get there in time, I won't be able to stop him. Not regarding this."

"I know." Woo Bin whispered with a bitter smile. "That's where Ga Eul comes in… And maybe, just maybe they can save each other for good this time."

"I'm not doing this with you, Yi Jeong" Ga Eul told him firmly and tried to push past him but he simply leaned further into her with a strange gleam in his eye. "Really? You think so?"

"Yes." She snapped and yanked his arm down, desperately needing to put space between them. "Now, stop being a bully."

"Fine." Yi Jeong barked watching her buzz nervously in front of him. "I will make you a deal. I will stop being a bullying asshole if you stop being a fucking liar."

This made her stop and she slowly turned back to face him, her voice low with obvious hurt. "I've never lied to you, Yi Jeong."

He furiously grabbed the plane ticket and held it up again. "Then what the fuck is this?"

"Why do you care where I live?"

"Don't act stupid." He whispered vehemently. "I am not talking about that and you know it."

"Yi Jeong—"

"How long, Ga Eul?" Yi Jeong bellowed over her and her heart slammed into her throat at the look in his eyes. She had never seen him like before... He looked almost feral he was so angry.

"On and off since I was a kid." She whispered painfully. "But it's not what you think."

'Tell me what I think." Yi Jeong demanded hoarsely and she flinched at the cold blast of fury. "When my dad is sober, he's fine. He's normal. It's almost like he's two different people."

Yi Jeong did not look pacified by this. In fact, he looked even more upset by her attempts to explain her father's behavior. "How could you not tell me?"

"I didn't tell anyone—"

"No." He pointed at her thunderously. "Don't act like this is the same thing as hiding it from Woo Bin or Ji Hoo!"

"It is!"

"No, it's not," Yi Jeong snapped, "and you know it."

"Stop telling me what I know!" Ga Eul finally shouted back causing him to momentarily pause in his furious swell.

"You left." She cried hotly. "You just got on a plane and left me without another word." Ga Eul could feel the last year of resentment which had built up more and more every day suddenly exploding within her. "A year, Yi Jeong! A year without a word. The only reason I knew you weren't dead in a hole was because of Song Woo Bin."

She glared at him through a sheen of angry tears. "Woo Bin, Yi Jeong! I had to find out if were okay from a third party!"

"I guess that makes us even then," Yi Jeong said huskily. "Doesn't it?"

She gasped, the pain so deep it felt like a knife in her chest and she pointed shakily to the door. "Get out."

He didn't make any attempt to move. His face so cold it was like glass. "Do you know what it was like for me, Ga Eul?" Yi Jeong's voice whipped out like a whip. "To not only hear that you were being beaten for years but also having to hear it from Woo Bin instead of from you! That you never came to me with this!"

"Because I can't!" Ga Eul screamed in frustration. "If I say the words then it means it really happens."

"It does happen!" Yi Jeong shouted unapologetically right back at her. "It happens, Ga Eul. And if you think I am going to let you board a fucking plane so he can finally kill you, then you have lost your mind."

"He would never—"

"Why do you think he's going to San Francisco?" He pointed to the window and she was shocked to see his hand trembling but not out of anger but rather out of fear. "Because he knows we can't reach him there! He can drink all he wants and there will be no-one to stop him!"

Ga Eul froze as they stared at each other. His chest was heaving with exertion as he held her gaze. "Well fuck him. Because he doesn't get to touch a single hair on your head ever again and there is no place he can run to where I won't find him."

"Yi Jeong, please." Ga Eul took a tentative step forward. "My mother is not strong enough to survive if he turns his anger on her. I have to go—"

"No." Yi Jeong moved so quickly it was almost a blur. His hands roughly gripping her face as he stared furiously down at her. "We will figure out what to do about your mother, Ga Eul. But no matter what happens... You. Are. Not. Going. With. Him."

He emphasized each word so vehemently that she had no choice but to believe him. She could fight all she wanted but he was never going to let her get on that plane tomorrow.

"Tell me you understand." Yi Jeong barked quietly and she nodded. "I understand."

He scanned her carefully before nodding slowly, his hands still tightly holding her face. "Good."

Jan Di rubbed her lotion into her hands, watching Jun Pyo who was sitting on the edge of the bed. His shoulders heavy with tension and she sighed. "I'm sorry. I know how hard it is to see to her like that."

"How long?" Jun Pyo looked at her worriedly. "How long has he been doing this?"

"I don't know." Jan Di confessed softly. "Ever since I've known her. So, at least since we were ten."

"Is she always this bad?"

Jan Di heard the pain in his voice and she was once again struck by how much he had also grown to love her best friend. She crawled over to him and hugged him from behind. Also needing the comforting touch after seeing Ga Eul so badly hurt. "This is the worst it's been in a while."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jun Pyo looked over his shoulder to her, his face drawn. "I would have gotten her out a long time ago, Jan Di. You know I would never let Ga Eul be—"

"I know." She pressed a kiss into his back with a trembly sigh. "I thought about telling you a hundred times but I couldn't. I made a promise to her."

Jan Di smiled tearfully. "Ga Eul is very protective of the people in her life. She doesn't want to cause anyone pain. Nor did she want to abuse her friendship with you all."

He tightened his jaw at this. "We weren't the ones needing protection."

"I know." Jan Di rubbed his arms. "She came to you, Jun Pyo. She has agreed to let you help. Do you how big of a step that was for her?"

He nodded after a minute and gestured for her to get into bed. Jan Di slipped under the covers as he wrapped himself tightly around her. His lips pressing into the base of her neck. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Jan Di muttered with a shrug. "Knowing she isn't going home is a relief. Normally, he just smacks her or pushes her around. This is the first time I've really seen her so bad."

Gu Jun Pyo cursed and ran a hand down her spine. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault." Jan Di rolled to face him and gave him a small smile. "Do you know what it means that Ga Eul called you tonight? That she let you see her like this? She trusts you, Jun Pyo."

He nodded with a sigh. "She asked me not to tell the others."

"Probably best." Jan Di said quietly. "Woo Bin wouldn't be able to stop himself if he saw her right now. And his family would not like him using their connections to kill some common drunk."

"Probably not."

Jan Di heard his worried tone and she quickly cupped his cheek. "It will be fine, Jun Pyo. Woo Bin will forgive you for not telling him if he ever finds out."

"It's not Woo Bin, I am worried about." Jun Pyo quietly told her and she moved to rest her head against his chest with a sigh. "I know."

Ga Eul watched him as he slowly cut into a box. He had not spoken in almost an hour. Not since she had agreed not to leave. She knew he was still horribly angry though and she struggled with what to say.

"Don't be mad at Jun Pyo," Ga Eul eventually whispered. "He gave me his word not to say anything."

Yi Jeong's jaw tightened as he ripped the tape off a little more aggressively than was warranted. "It was never his to give."

Except they both knew Gu Jun Pyo's word was his bond. Nor was it something he gave lightly. It was rare for the skilled businessman to promise things but once he did, nothing short of death would cause him to break it. Each F4 member lived by their own code of honor and that was Jun Pyo's.

"Yi Jeong—"

"Where do you want this?" He held up the small vase she and Woo Bin had fought over a few days ago, his tone telling her it would be better not to continue with this line of conversation.

She pointed to the shelf behind him and he got up to set it down. He rubbed his thumb over the soft petals. "Who made this one?"

"Me."

He gave her a surprised glance before returning his attention back to pottery. "It's good."

"Thank you."

Ga Eul moved to grab another box, watching him just study her vase. "How's the hand?"

He tightened at the quiet question and gave her a hard glare. "I'm not in the mood to play the 'let's simply catch-up on our lives,' game Ga Eul."

She closed her eyes briefly before shaking her head. "No. You just don't want to talk to me."

He chuckled darkly and folded his arms in angry amusement. "Are we ready for round two of this fight then?"

"I don't want to fight with you, Yi Jeong." Ga Eul tells him somberly. "It's just the truth."

"Really?" Yi Jeong snapped. "You're so confident that you know everything so clearly?"

"Is there another reason?" Ga Eul asked quietly, her heart pounding. "Why did you shut me out, Yi Jeong?"

"What do you want me to say, Ga Eul?" Yi Jeong leaned against the doorframe; his voice harsh with sarcasm. "That it's because I missed you too much. That I didn't realize how important you were to my life until it was too late. That I decided I wouldn't contact you again until I worthy of it." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Is that what you want to hear?"

"Only if you mean it."

He stared at her without flinching, his face not revealing anything. "Fine. I will answer you if you answer me… And really answer me this time."

"All right," Ga Eul turned to face him directly. "What is it?"

"Why did you go to Gu Jun Pyo instead of me?" Yi Jeong demanded to know. "Why did you tell him and not me?"

She let out a shaky breath and tucked her hair back nervously. "Because I couldn't bear to see that look in your eye," Ga Eul finally whispered. "The one you are wearing right now. I could handle it from Jun Pyo, Ji Hoo, and Woo Bin." A tear flowed unexpectedly down her cheek. "But not from you."

He softened slightly. Not much but just enough for her to relax some. "What look?"

"The look that says you will never be able to look at me again and not see someone hurt." Ga Eul whispered painfully. "That you will never be able to look at me and not see a black eye or split lip. I wouldn't-" She wiped her cheeks with a hard sniffle. "I wouldn't be able to survive that from you."

Yi Jeong turned his head, his jaw tight as he muttered something to himself. With a long sigh, he turned his gaze back to her. "I couldn't just call you. To only hear your voice for a few minutes at a time. It wasn't enough."

"So, you decided nothing was better?" Ga Eul asked in confusion. "Do you know how much it hurt me, Yi Jeong? To think you had just disappeared because you didn't care anymore."

"You knew that wasn't true." Yi Jeong said quietly, his eyes never hers. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have kept waiting for me."

This made her go still. A hot flush sweeping up her neck and she bit her lip. Her heart beating with a sudden understanding of her past actions this year. Because he was right. She was still waiting for him. Men had asked her out. Nice, handsome men. Men who would no doubt treat her like a queen but she never took them up on their offer. At the time, she didn't know why but now she did. It was because it would feel like she was cheating on Yi Jeong. Despite his silence, Ga Eul knew he would eventually come for her. But that didn't mean she was ready to admit it to him yet.

"How do you know I have waited?" Ga Eul murmured. "That I haven't been trying to find my soulmate?"

"Just because I wasn't calling you doesn't mean I wasn't keeping an eye on things, Ga Eul." Yi Jeong told her seriously. "I may not be able to right now but I made sure others knew that nobody else was going to be touching you either."

She shook her head and brushed her hair back with a muffled laugh. "Arrogant pabo."

He grinned slightly and seeing it, she made her way cautiously over to him. "Yi Jeong," Ga Eul began softly. "I didn't tell Jun Pyo because I trust him more than you."

Yi Jeong's expression was still hesitant but at least he didn't appear homicidal anymore. "It's because of everyone in my life," she continued softly. "You are the one I most care about. And I couldn't bear for the first person to truly see me never being able to look at me again and not see someone damaged."

He studied her for a minute and reached out his thumb to brush against her cheek with a low whisper. "I still see you."

Ga Eul looked down at the ground, not able to look at him as she asked carefully. "Me or the black eye?"

He must have heard the fear in her voice because the next thing she knew his lips were pressing to her closed lid. "What black eye?"

She trembled and his hands slid to her jaw, tilting her face back up, his mouth brushing along hers. "What split lip?"

Ga Eul clung to him as he took a slow inventory. His hands holding her so gently now, she felt like priceless glass. As a tear escaped down her cheek, he caught it with his lips, and the intimacy of it made her breathless.

"You're not damaged, Ga Eul," Yi Jeong told her quietly. "And there is nothing he could ever do to you that would make me not see you."

Ga Eul met his heady gaze, her tears flowing heavily now. "Are you sure?"

"Trust me, Ga Eul." Yi Jeong said huskily. "No-one has that kind of power." He rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks steadily. "But you don't have to worry about any of this anymore. Because no-one is touching you like that ever again."

He moved in closer until they were completely pressed up against each other. "Tell me."

"I can't," Ga Eul whimpered. "I don't know how."

"Yes, you do." He muttered. "You just need to trust me."

She blinked sluggishly at him, her heart pounding with fear but also feeling so safe she could hardly believe it.

"I do trust you, Yi Jeong."

"Then tell me, Ga Eul."

She looked away for a second to gather her composure before nodding, stepping carefully out of his arms.

"I'm not really sure when it started." Ga Eul cleared her throat and tried to gather her thoughts. "He hurt himself or something when I was little. We couldn't afford for him to get pain medicine so he drank to numb it. But eventually, the injury healed and the pain stopped." She gave a tight smile. "The drinking didn't."

He didn't say anything but only continued to steadily watch her as she struggled to talk about any of this for the first time in her life. "He changes so dramatically. One drink leads to bottles and then he—" Ga Eul shook her head. "I don't know but apparently everything he hates in the world has to find an outlet." Her body began shaking. "And I'm the outlet."

He cursed under his breath and she frantically shook her head. "It's not so bad. Most of the time, he just yells and pushes me around. He rarely uses his fists but even when he does, I can usually get him to calm down before he-" she broke off with a long sob. "Before he-"

Noticing she was on the verge of collapse, he moved swiftly to her but she immediately scrambled out of reach. "No! Please don't—I'm fine." Ga Eul gasped with a wheeze. "I've always been fine. You don't have to worry. No-one ever has to worry."

Not able to handle anymore, Ga Eul tried to run past him but he quickly grabbed her, his arms coming around her front, and his chest curling over her back protectively even as she struggled to fight him off. "Stop, Ga Eul."

At the low plea, she fell apart. Deep racking sobs echoing out of her. "I'm so scared."

Yi Jeong closed his eyes and tightened his grip. "I know."

"Please don't let him take me away." Ga Eul begged, her fear practically choking her. "I don't want to go, Yi Jeong. P-p-please don't let—"

"Hush," Yi Jeong ran a hand down her hair. "You are not going anywhere."

He held her as she cried. His head tucked over her shoulder as he mumbled nonsensically in her ear just so she could hear the sound of his voice. His hold tightening with each gut-wrenching sob until there nothing left inside her.

"Thank you," Ga Eul finally whispered, the tears still falling steadily but no longer gushing out like a storm. "Thank you for stopping me."

She slowly turned around being careful not to break his hold. "The others tried but I wouldn't listen."

"I know." Yi Jeong muttered with a scowl. "It's why they finally called me. Because they knew I wouldn't take no for answer."

Ga Eul nodded with a whimper. "I'm glad they did."

He shook his head in frustration. "They should have called me a long time ago. They know better than to hide things from me about you."

Realizing how much it had hurt him that she had not told him before this, that his friends had also believed it better not to tell him right away despite knowing Ga Eul belonged to him. Even if it wasn't official and she felt her stomach swoop in shame.

"I'm sorry, Yi Jeong."

"I know," he pressed his lips to her hairline. "Me too."

Ga Eul clung to him as his lips lingered on her skin. Not realizing how exhausted she was until she was practically asleep against him. She felt him pick her up and gently carry her to the bedroom. He lowered her down and she briefly felt his mouth brush against hers one last time before darkness engulfed her.

"Yi Jeong got through," Woo Bin sank in relief as he read the message to Ji Hoo. "Ga Eul isn't leaving."

"Thank god." Ji Hoo buried his face in his hands, the tension of the past week expelling out of him. "How did he—"

"He didn't say." Woo Bin sighed and rubbed his head wearily. "Just that he got her to agree to stay. Apparently, he is still with her but she is at least resting now."

"It's been hours," Ji Hoo muttered in concern. "Is he all right? That must have been hard on him. Fighting with her like that…"

"I doubt it. He has plenty of his own anger right now about this " Woo Bin reminded him with an inward groan. He was really not looking forward to that inevitable blow-up. But he didn't have time to worry about that yet.

"When does Jun Pyo arrive?"

"In about an hour."

"Okay," Woo Bin grabbed his jacket with a nod. "Pick him up and then meet me afterward. I will text you where to go."

"Where are you going?"

Woo Bin flashed him a dark smile. "To do a little shopping."

"Shopping," Ji Hoo said suspiciously. "Shopping for what?"

"Yi Jeong asked me to grab a certain item for him tonight."