Chapter 8: Dae-Hyun and Eun-Kyung – Part II

Disclaimer: I don't own these BOF characters, other than the new ones.

The main characters and F4 children:

So Yi Jeong and Chu Ga Eul's children: So Dae-Hyun, So Jae Hwa, So Dae-Jung, So Dae-Hwan, So Jae Eun and So Jae Ji. Deceased/Miscarried: So Dae-Ho.

Endearment: Dae-Hyun – Baby (until 7 years old), Jae Hwa – Darling, Dae-Jung – Baby (until Middle School), Dae-Hwan – Hwannie/Sweetheart, Jae Eun – Eunnie/Sweetheart, Jae Ji – Precious, Dae-Ho - Precious.

Song Woo Bin and Ha Jae Kyung's children: Song Eun-Kyung and Song Won-Bin.

Gu Jun Pyo and Geum Jan Di's children: Gu Jung-Hee, Gu Jung-Hwa and Gu Jee Ha.

Yoon Ji Hoo and Yoong Ha Eun's son: Yoon Joo-Won

Published: July 17, 2017

"Who's the girl, Dae-Hyun? Is she your sister? She's cute," asked the brunette with a slight jealousy in her voice. She and the other two looked at Eun-Kyung up and down and eyed her bodyguard.

"Carmel, Mark, Samantha, go in first. I'll be there soon." Dae-Hyun let go of the girl's hand and the girl kissed his cheek.

Eun-Kyung wanted to scream.

The girl walked past Eun-Kyung and slightly brushed her shoulder. Eun-Kyung tried to suppress her tears. The girl, Carmel, then unlocked the door and entered the apartment, followed by the two.

Dae-Hyun then approached the shaking Eun-Kyung.

"Eun-Kyung, what are you doing here?"

"I… to surprise you… Oppa." Her eyes darted from him to door behind, and back to him.

No, Eun-Kyung, don't cry.

She was not going to cry. The girl might just be his close friend who he mentioned about in his emails and calls. She must not jump to conclusions. She must not act like a crazy jealous girlfriend.

But she kissed his cheek.

"Why?" asked Dae-Hyun.

"Wha..? What? Oppa?" Her eyes widened at his word.

"Why the surprise?" He further asked.

She did not answer but stared into his eyes, disbelief of his question.

Aren't you happy to see me, Oppa? She wanted to say.

"Where are you staying?" He glanced at the bodyguard a few feet away with two luggage next to him.

She did not answer for her voice had fled away.

"Here? Are you going to stay here? I'm sorry but you can't. Carmel doesn't like strangers staying over."

"Oppa?"

Carmel? That girl? Is she his housemate? Why? Are they…. No! No! No! They can't be.

Eun-Kyung gasped. But I'm not a… stranger…

"There's a hotel a block away. I'll take you there and help you check-in. Come on."

"Oppa…"

Dae-Hyun took out his hand phone and texted someone. Not long after, the door opened and Carmel, Eun-Kyung assumed, peeked out her head.

"Don't be long, Dae-Hyun. There's still much to do."

"I won't be long," he answered and smiled at her.

Carmel frowned at Eun-Kyung, smiled at Dae-Hyun and said "Bye, Baby," and closed the door.

Eun-Kyung's heart stopped before it pounded heavily.

Dae-Hyun then motioned her and the bodyguard to follow him to the elevator.

Dae-Hyun registered two adjacent rooms, one for Eun-Kyung and another for the bodyguard. After the bodyguard had placed her luggage inside, Eun-Kyung said thank you and told him that he could go to his room and rest. She would see him tomorrow morning.

When the bodyguard left, Eun-Kyung faced Dae-Hyun who was looking outside the window. The view was breath-taking but he was already used to it.

"Oppa…"

He turned around and faced her. Eun-Kyung held her tears. There was no smile on his face as he looked at her. Her heart shattered. Who was this person?

"Well, I'll see you when I see you. Enjoy your days here."

He then leaned a little and kissed her cheek, surprising her.

"Good night Eun-Kyung," and turned around to leave.

"Oppa, wait." She held her arm, making him stopped and turned back to her.

"Can you just at least spend some time with me during my stay here?"

She knew that she sounded desperate but she had to try. She wanted to understand what was happening with him.

"I'm sorry, Eun-Kyung. I really am busy."

"But it's your birthday tomorrow. I…"

"Oh? Yeah, my birthday. Skipped my mind, but I can't celebrate it or anything. I have a lot to do tomorrow."

Eun-Kyung closed her eyes.

"Can you wait for a second, then?" She let go of his arm and went to get something from her bag.

"Happy Birthday, Oppa." She handed a small, neatly wrapped box to him.

"You shouldn't trouble yourself, Eun-Kyung."

"It's no trouble at all, Oppa."

"Thanks, Eun-Kyung." He then took it from her.

"Right. Good night, Eun-Kyung."

"Oppa..." She held his wrist.

Frustrated, he turned to her again.

"Seriously, Eun-Kyung. Why are you here?" He pulled back his hand.

Eun-Kyung was taken aback.

"Oppa?"

He waited impatiently for her answer. He kept looking at his watch.

"You didn't answer any of my calls, emails and you stopped calling. I… I worry about you, Oppa and I… I miss you."

She bit her lower lip to stop it from trembling.

"I've been busy, Eun-Kyung. Other than ceramics, I'm taking another Master degree. Business Administration."

"Oh? I didn't know. Darling, Aunt Ga Eul and Uncle Yi Jeong didn't mention anything about it."

"They don't know. It's my own decision."

"Oppa? Why?"

"Eun-Kyung, how long are you going to be here?"

"Oppa…"

"I'm very busy with classes and projects. I can't take you for sightseeing or anything. If you want to go anywhere, your bodyguard can accompany you. I can recommend some good places to visit and eat."

"Oppa?" Her heart shattered for the n-th time tonight.

"Oppa, are you… not happy to see me?" She needed to know.

"Well, it's a surprise, alright." He smiled at her although she could tell that it was a forced smile.

Her already shattered heart shattered again.

"Oppa, who are they? The people back then?" She prepared herself for his answers.

"My housemates; Carmel, Mark and Samantha."

She kissed your cheek and called you Baby. Is she your girlfriend?

"But you never mentioned that you're staying with friends."

"Eun-Kyung, do I have to tell you everything that I do here? You're not my wife."

"Oppa?"

She could no longer hold her tears. Who was this man in front of her? Where had her loving, sweet, kind and caring Dae-Hyun Oppa gone to? How could a year in a distant place change him so much? Had his love for her gone, disappeared? So easily? Why? How? How could he have forgotten his promises? Was there not an ounce of love left for her? Years of his love for her, vanished into thin air within just a few months?

Eun-Kyung clutched her blouse over her aching crushed heart.

Dae-Hyun immediately turned around and headed to the door.

"Good night, Eun-Kyung. Have fun in New York."

As soon as the door shut closed, Eun-Kyung dropped to the floor for her knees gave her away. She cried and cried and cried.

"Oppa…" a palm over her heart.

Curled like a fetus in its mother's womb, she tried to ease the unbearable pain in her heart.

"Oppa… Oppa…." Tiny needles pricked her heart.

"Omma… Appa… Oppa doesn't love me anymore… Omma… Appa… help me…"

Three days later Eun-Kyung was back in Seoul. Her parents and the So family were surprised for she was supposed to be in New York for a week. When they asked her why, she said that she had caught Dae-Hyun at the wrong time. He was busy with his classes, projects and assignments but she did not tell them about his other degree. She said that she did not want to disturb and steal his time any much longer. They asked if she got to spend his birthday with him and she said yes, she had also given him the present.

Since that day, she became quiet and spent most of her time either at the library or in her room. She informed her parents that she had to finish her year-end project. She even avoided going to the So's mansion whenever her parents went there. She was also avoiding Jae Hwa although it killed her not to talk to the younger lady. When the So came to their place for dinners, she did not talk much, answering only when asked, and smiling when teased.

Jae Hwa began to wonder.

Two weeks later, Eun-Kyung was surprised to see Jae Hwa outside of her classroom.

"Unnie, we have to talk."

Eun-Kyung led Jae Hwa to an empty room. They sat opposite each other.

"Where's Jung-Hee Oppa?" asked Eun-Kyung.

"Oppa's not here. Oppa's at work." Jung-Hee had just started work at his father's company even though he had a couple of months to graduate.

"Oh? Does he know that Darling is here?"

"No, Unnie."

"Darling, are you alright?"

"Are Unnie alright?"

"Darling?" She shifted uncomfortably on the chair.

"Yes, I'm alright."

"Are Unnie sure?"

"Yes, of course," though she avoided Jae Hwa's questioning eyes.

"Darling don't think so, Unnie."

"Darling?" Eun-Kyung was taken aback by the younger girl's words. She looked at the girl in front of her.

Jae Hwa locked their eyes. She could see dark circles around her Unnie's eyes. Also, Eun-Kyung did not have that bright glow that used to adorn her lovely face.

"It's Oppa, isn't it?"

Eun-Kyung stiffened.

"Unnie miss Oppa." It was rather a statement than a question.

Eun-Kyung swallowed hard and forced a smile.

"Of course. Everybody misses Oppa. Darling miss Oppa too, right?"

"Unnie…"

"Hmmm?"

"Oppa's been a bad Oppa to Unnie. Am Darling right?"

"Darling?" Tears started to gather.

Jae Hwa took Eun-Kyung's hands and squeezed them gently.

"Why didn't Unnie tell Darling?"

"About what?"

"New York."

Eun-Kyung froze before smiling at the girl in front of her.

"I've told you everything after I came back."

Jae Hwa shook her head.

"Something happened in New York."

"No, Darling. Nothing happened in New York."

Jae Hwa shook her head again and kept her eyes on Eun-Kyung whom she had declared as her sister.

"Really. Nothing happened in New York. Well, other than Oppa's birthday, and I…"

"And Oppa treated Unnie badly. Oppa is a jerk."

"Darling! No! Why did you say that? Don't say that about Oppa!"

"Because Oppa is a jerk. Unnie, Darling know what happened."

"Darling, believe me. Nothing happened."

"But Unnie came home early."

"Yes, Oppa was busy with his study. I went at a bad time. I've told you that."

Jae Hwa suddenly let go of Eun-Kyung's hands and stood up.

"Stop lying to Darling, Unnie!"

"Darling?" Eun-Kyung stood up too.

Tears started to fall staining Jae Hwa's lightly blushed cheeks.

"Darling can't believe that Oppa has changed. Unnie, how long are Unnie going to keep this from us? How long are Unnie going to suffer alone? Don't Unnie trust us? Trust Darling?"

"Darling…" Eun-Kyung could not hold her tears back, too.

"Oppa is Darling's Oppa but what Oppa did to Unnie is unforgivable. Darling am sorry, Unnie. Darling am sorry for what Oppa has done."

Eun-Kyung immediately went to Jae Hwa and embraced her tightly. Both cried on each other's shoulder. A few minutes later when their cries subsided, Eun-Kyung broke the hug.

"Darling, how did you know? Did Oppa tell you about it?" Her heart ached to say those words.

Jae Hwa shook her head.

"Darling felt something is not right. Oppa has changed. His calls became lesser and lesser. It's now once a month and each call became shorter. When Unnie came back earlier that day, Darling don't think it was because Oppa was busy and then Unnie changed. Unnie became quiet and had sad eyes, like now. Unnie, Unnie are thinner. Unnie seldom talked about Oppa. It's not just Darling but everybody noticed too."

Jae Hwa wiped her tears.

"And Jung-Hee Oppa. He… he contacted Oppa… and Oppa… Oppa said…"

Jae Hwa embraced Eun-Kyung and cried again.

"Oppa told Jung-Hee Oppa about it… Oppa has a new girlfriend."

Eun-Kyung's heart stopped and her knees weakened. Tears fell uncontrollably. It was confirmed. Her curiosity and worry were now confirmed. Yes, she had thought and wondered about it every day but she forced herself to chase the thought away. She did not want to believe it.

When she was in New York, Dae-Hyun did come to her hotel room the next day despite saying that he was busy. But it was only to tell not to wait for him. He also gave her pamphlets on interesting places to visit. He did apologize for his harsh words the night before and also for not being able to spend time with her. He again, thanked her for her present.

Eun-Kyung, feeling somewhat happy that he came to see her, tried to invite him for dinner but he declined. He was going away later in the afternoon after his classes. In fact, the whole class was going. They would be gone for three days. He then hugged her briefly and left. Eun-Kyung could only watch him walked away with teary eyes.

That afternoon, she exited the hotel with the bodyguard. She wanted to clear her mind and went somewhere, anywhere. Then, she stopped. Across the street, Dae-Hyun and the brunette were laughing away, arm-in-arm. They looked happy.

Didn't he say that he has classes?

Eun-Kyung wanted to go to them but before she could motion her bodyguard to follow her, Dae-Hyun kissed the girl before they entered a cab. In an instant, tears came down flowing freely. That was the moment she decided that she could not be there any day longer.

Every day she looked at his photo in her handphone. "Why don't you love me anymore, Oppa? What happened to your promises, Oppa? What have I done wrong?"

"Unnie, how could Oppa do this to Unnie? How could Oppa be so cruel to Unnie?"

Eun-Kyung kept quiet.

"Jung-Hee Oppa doesn't want to talk to Oppa anymore. They had a big fight, Unnie."

"Who else knows?"

"No one. Just the two of us. Darling don't have the heart to tell Omma, Appa, Aunt Jae Kyung and Uncle Woo Bin. Darling wanted to talk to Unnie first. Oh, Unnie. Why did Oppa change?"

"Darling, please don't tell anyone else. I… I don't want Omma, Appa, Aunt Ga Eul and Uncle Yi Jeong to scold Oppa. I…"

"Unnie?"

"I can't hate Oppa. I can't forget Oppa no matter how hard I tried. Every day I ask God to make Oppa go away from my heart and to let go of Oppa but I can't, Darling. I love Oppa. I still love Oppa even if he… I don't want the elders to hate Oppa."

"Unnie… but Oppa hurts Unnie."

"I… I just can't… I know you'd think that I'm hurting myself but I just can't hate Oppa."

Jae Hwa embraced Eun-Kyung tightly as they cried their hearts out.

"Unnie, Darling hope that Oppa will realize that he has wronged and hurt Unnie. Darling pray that Oppa will come and apologize to Unnie. Darling want Unnie to be happy."

Eun-Kyung nodded as she cried and cried.

"Honey, the school holidays are near. I think a week or a week and a half is good. Can you check your schedule?"

Ga Eul was helping Jae Ji with her activity book. The other So children were in their mini theater watching the latest action movie. Jae Ji did not like that kind of movie. She preferred fairy tales, cartoons and animations.

"Precious, what do you think?" Yi Jeong looked at his youngest child.

"Where are we going, Appa, Omma?"

"New York. We're going to visit Oppa."

The little girl's eyes widened and brightened. She clasped her hands and a wide smile curved up her pretty face.

"Yes. Yes. Oppa. When are we going, Appa, Omma? Can we stay there forever? Precious miss Oppa."

Yi Jeong and Ga Eul laughed seeing her so excited. Among her three Oppas, Dae-Hyun Oppa teased her the least and would always cater to her requests. Nevertheless, she loved her Dae-Jung Oppa and Dae-Hwan Oppa too.

"We can't stay forever, Precious. A week and a half?"

"Yes. Yes. Appa, Omma. YAAAYYY!"

She then stood up and wanted to leave.

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?" asked Appa.

"To tell everybody."

Yi Jeong and Ga Eul laughed again. "Let them finish the movie, OK?"

Jae Ji pouted but soon smiled brightly.

"OK, Omma, Appa. Precious is so excited. Oppa, here we come."

"When are we going, Omma?"

"Who else is going? Only our family?"

"Do we tell Hyung or are we going to surprise Hyung, Appa?"

"How long are we staying there, Appa?"

"Precious can't wait to see Oppa."

All the So children bombarded their parents with questions when Omma and Appa told them about the plan during dinner, except for Jae Hwa. She stopped eating and jabbed the food with the fork.

She did not feel like going. She was angry at Dae-Hyun. To respect Eun-Kyung Unnie's request, she had not told her family about him although she was dying inside. She also told Jung-Hee not to tell anyone. If the truth was to be told, she decided that it should be coming from Dae-Hyun himself. Dae-Hyun should be man enough to stand in front of them all, including Uncle Woo Bin, Aunt Jae Kyung and most importantly, Eun-Kyung Unnie.

"Darling, are you alright?" asked the ever observant Omma.

All the other So turned their attention to her.

"Emmm. Yes, Omma. Darling just suddenly thought about Darling's project report. Forgot that it needed to be printed in color." She offered a small nervous smile.

"Omma, Appa, are we really going to surprise Oppa?" She then queried.

"Yes, Darling. What do you think?" asked Yi Jeong.

"Yes, Noona. Hyung will be very surprised to see us all there. It'll be fun to see Hyung's shocked face," added Dae-Hwan and the two youngest girls nodded in agreement.

"Darling think we should inform Oppa beforehand. Remember when Unnie went there and Oppa was too busy to spend time with Unnie? What if when we get there Oppa is not there? Maybe Oppa has to go out of town? Then it's us who got the surprise." She tried to reason with her family.

"Darling think we should ask Oppa when the best time to visit Oppa is. We don't want to have fun there without Oppa, right? The main reason for this trip is to see Oppa because we miss Oppa, right?"

The children looked at each other, and so did the parents. Ga Eul frowned and thought about Jae Hwa's reasons. The possibility did not come to her mind. All she thought about was how much she missed her son and was equally excited to see him.

"It's Oppa's semester break too, right? Did he often go out of town during his break?" Ga Eul asked the girl. She did not recall Dae-Hyun telling them about the trips. Then again, it was a month since his last call.

"Darling don't know, Omma. Darling am just saying. Just because we wanted to surprise Oppa, Darling don't want us to go and then, Oppa is not there."

"Jagiya, let's call Dae-Hyun later."

Ga Eul nodded.

"Well children, looks like we'll have to wait until we get Oppa," stated Yi Jeong, earning frustrated sighs from them.

"Hopefully, soon," he added.

"YAAAAYYYY!"

"Sweetheart, may Omma come in?" Jae Kyung softly knocked on her daughter's bedroom door.

"Come in, Omma." The girl lifted up her head from a book.

"What are you doing? Assignment?" Jae Kyung approached the young lady.

"No, Omma. Just reading a book." Eun-Kyung the marked the page, closed the book and pushed it away a little to the middle of the table.

"What is it, Omma?"

"Aunt Ga Eul just called."

Eun-Kyung's heart beat faster.

"They are going to New York the week after. Aunt Ga Eul asked if we'd like to join them."

The young lady's heart skipped a beat.

"What does Appa say? Do Omma want to go? Won-Won, I'm sure would want to because of Jae Ji and Jae Eun."

"We'll go if you go, Sweetheart." Jae Kyung held her daughter's shoulder but was shocked when she felt the latter shaking a little.

"Sweetheart? What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing Omma. It suddenly felt cold."

Jae Kyung, however, did not really buy the reason.

"Sweetheart, are you alright?"

"Yes, Omma."

"So, do you want to go? This time it's confirmed. Dae-Hyun will fetch the family at the airport."

"Will he be coming alone to the airport?" Her eyes showed hurt.

"Sweetheart? What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing Omma. I mean, surely his car won't fit everybody, right? He'll surely ask his friend to come along. How silly of me to ask." Eun-Kyung let out a nervous laugh.

"Sweetheart, has he contacted you?"

Slowly, Eun-Kyung shook her head. "Oppa is busy, Omma."

"Dae-Hyun puzzles me. Is he that busy that he can't find time to contact his family and Sweetheart? I mean, my cousin took a Master degree and was busy too but she was still able to fly home during her breaks."

"Maybe because her degree was different than Oppa's. Oppa has to make a lot of pots or things. Those consume a lot of time, Omma."

"Still, it just takes less than a minute to write a message. During his lunch break, after dinner, before sleep, during potty?"

"Omma..."

"Why not?"

"Because he can't. He is too busy."

"Ooh, I can never win when it comes to Dae-Hyun, can I?"

Eun-Kyung smiled a little.

"So, do you want to go?"

"I can't say it now, Omma. I have to check with my professor. The part-time job at his friend's publication company? I may have to start on the first day of break, Omma."

"Oh, why do you accept that job? Can't you postpone it?"

"I don't know Omma. I'll have to ask."

"Alright then. Dae-Hyun will be very happy if you go, Sweetheart."

Eun-Kyung swallowed hard and slowly nodded.

"Well, don't stay up late, arasso?"

"Deh, Omma. Good night, Omma." She hugged Omma and kissed the mother's cheeks.

"Good night, Sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you too, Omma."

But before Jae Kyung closed the door, "Sweetheart, you do know that you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Eun-Kyung tried to act calm. "Yes, Omma."

"Good night."

"Good night, Omma."

Eun-Kyung could not sleep that night. Her mind could not stop thinking about Dae-Hyun. Should she go this time? Omma and Aunt Ga Eul seemed hopeful. She understood their good intentions for her and Dae-Hyun but what happened before and the news that Jae Hwa told her were the sole reasons why she did not want to go. She would not know how to face Dae-Hyun and that girl. Would he finally tell his family and her family about that girl? Would he tell them that he no longer love her? How would the families react? What would the families think about her? Would his family accept that girl? What about her then?

But she should go. She needed to hear it from the man himself. She needed a closure though it would be painful on her part. She needed to hear him so that she would then try to move on. But was she strong enough to hear it?

It was nearing 5 in the morning when sleep finally came.

"Appa, Precious can't see Oppa."

"Eunnie can't see Oppa too Omma. Where is Oppa? Has Oppa arrived yet?"

"Omma, what did Hyung say? Hyung knows we're arriving today, right, Omma?" asked Dae-Hwan.

"Yes, Sweetheart Omma reminded him. Maybe he's stuck in a traffic jam? Just be patient."

"Omma, no Sweetheart here in New York please," said Dae-Hwan, earning laughs from the family.

"Oh, alright. Just be patient, Hwannie," rephrased Ga Eul and Dae-Hwan grinned.

"Your Oppa will arrive soon, Eunnie, Precious. Don't worry," added Yi Jeong.

They waited at the arrival hall. Jae Hwa attended to her sisters' questions about New York while the boys discussed about places to go once they see Hyung.

A minute after, "OMMA! APPA! EUNNIE! PRECIOUS!"

"OPPAAAA!" The two girls screamed in excitement. They frantically waved at their Oppa. They missed him very much.

Dae-Jung tugged Omma's sleeve.

"Omma… who's the girl with Hyung?"