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Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XX

"It's about time you called."

Ga Eul's attention turned from the mortifying knowledge that now probably all her friends, family and countless strangers thought she was unmarried and pregnant to the fact that the culprit for her woes was now on the phone with Woo Bin. Oddly enough, she didn't want to scold him. She just wanted to hear his voice and listen to him tell her that everything would be alright.

Unfortunately, Woo Bin had gotten up and was walking away. Ga Eul moved to stand but Ji Hoo stopped her. "I should speak to him. Does he know what happened?" Try as she might, she couldn't quite keep her voice from rising. "Yi Jeong sunbae needs to tell them it isn't true."

"Calm down Ga Eul. Woo Bin will tell him what he needs to know." Ji Hoo patted her hand. And then he heard Woo Bin's next words.

"Well, apparently now you've gotten her pregnant."

Hmm, not exactly the best way of breaking sensitive news, especially with an overwrought Ga Eul within earshot. Ga Eul emitted a strange choking sound and looked so embarrassed that Ji Hoo's heart went out to her.

"I want to speak to him," Ga Eul said softly.

"Hey, he wants to speak to you," Woo Bin called out and coming over, held out the phone to her. "Ji Hoo ah, let's go plan the next stage of Operation RCW."

"I was just about to say that."

………….

"Hello?

He really needed to say something now but Yi Jeong found that apparently, the connection between his mouth and brain had been cut. His hands were suddenly clammy and his throat might be trying to close up of its own accord. What could he say? Hi, Ga Eul yang, I'm sorry that your reputation has been somewhat ruined. Don't worry though, I'm sure out there somewhere in this country of ours, some people don't have TV and they don't know what happened.

No, somehow he didn't think that would go down well.

"Yi Jeong sunbae? Are you there?"

Say something you pabo, his brain screamed at him and finally his mouth moved. "Ga Eul yang… I'm so sorry. I just meant to help…I mean, I did do it for myself too but I never meant for things to become like this… I'll fix it, I swear I will…"

A soft chuckle from her stopped the flow of his words. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked, wondering when was the last time that he had felt so uncertain, so anxious with a girl. Ga Eul yang always had the ability to turn his world on its head, she cut the ground from under his feet without trying but she always caught him when he fell.

She pressed the phone closer to her ear. "I'm not angry with you sunbae," she assured him quietly. "I wouldn't give those irises back even if it meant undoing all this." And to her amazement, she really meant it. "So what should we do now?"

Yi Jeong kept silent for a moment, feeling overwhelmed by the fact that he had single-handedly disrupted her life and thrust her into a world which she shouldn't be a part of. Worse of all, her reputation was at stake. And through it all, she still trusted him to make things right. It humbled him, to know that she believed he would be able to take care of her.

"I'm calling my publicist to issue a statement refuting everything that the reporters have been saying so far. I'm also going to get my lawyers to contact you. If the media goes too far, you may have grounds to sue and I want them to know you have the backing and advice of one of the best law firms in the country. Jun Pyo and Jun Hee noona have a lot of influence too; I'll see what they can do. That's all I can think of at the moment."

More than anything else though, he wanted to fly back to Korea to be with her. As grateful as he was to Ji Hoo and Woo Bin, he felt rather useless for being unable to help her directly.

"I suppose you can't come back?" Ga Eul knew it was just wishful thinking on her part. If Yi Jeong returned, the scrutiny would get worse. "It would look as if some part of what they are saying is true."

"Yes it would," he replied. "Trust me, if I could come back I would. Or if I could bring you to Sweden, somewhere away from the pa—" Yi Jeong shut his mouth the moment he realised what he had said. The fatigue and stress of the situation had gotten the better of him and that latter part had slipped out.

In spite of herself, Ga Eul blushed. It sounded like a wonderful option actually; to go away from it all with him. However, she was quite sure that her parents would say no and kill Yi Jeong if he tried to suggest as much. 'Halmoni would probably allow it if he offered to marry me on the spot though.' And it would appear to confirm the rumours, making matters even worse.

"You can bring me to Sweden next time sunbae," she said lightly. "But whatever you've suggested will help a lot. I'm going to call my mother and explain the situation. My father is coming home soon and I need to speak to him too. Don't worry about my grandmother, I'll tell her that she can't speak to those reporters no matter what."

"I guess that covers all the bases for now then. By the way, what is Operation RCW? I overheard Woo Bin mention that when he passed you the phone."

"Er, it's some silly joke Woo Bin sunbae and Ji Hoo sunbae made up. It's not important."

"Well, if it isn't important you should be able to tell me." She had piqued his curiosity now.

"Really, it's nothing."

"Okay, I'll ask them then."

"No!" she blurted out. Woo Bin would probably embellish the joke with all kinds of details and more jokes that she would invariably find embarrassing. "It stands for…for…"

"Yes?" He was beginning to enjoy this. It was too easy to imagine what she looked like now, those large doe eyes filled with a little uncertainty, her fair skin pink from the blush that touched her cheeks.

"ItstandsforOperationRescueCasanova'sWife. Oh look, Woo Bin sunbae is here. I'll pass the phone back to him now."

"Wait, Ga Eul yang—"

"Yo bro, sorry to disappoint you. What did you say to her? She practically knocked over Ji Hoo to return the phone to me."

Yi Jeong laughed when he heard Ga Eul exclaiming in the background that Woo Bin shouldn't have told him that. "I asked her to explain what Operation RCW stands for."

"Ah, no wonder. Anyhow, you decided what your next move is going to be?"

"Yes. I'm calling my publicist and lawyers after this. She can't go home tonight though."

"For sure. Ji Hoo and I have worked out a plan. I've given instructions for my guys to tail her and make sure the reporters keep their distance. She'll stay at Ji Hoo's house until everything cools down. Given the fact that his grandfather is here, I doubt the paparazzi would want to linger around the house of an ex-President. Geum Jan Di's coming over and Jun Pyo called earlier. He said he'll pull some strings for you. At least that's what I think he said. He couldn't quite stop laughing."

"Bastard," Yi Jeong muttered. Still, he made a mental note to call Jun Pyo afterwards and thank him.

"Yeah, but it is funny."

"I'll remind you of this moment if a similar thing should ever befall you. Where's Ga Eul yang?"

"She's on the phone now. I think she just called her grandmother."

So much for getting to say good-bye. It would have to wait until next time. "Thanks Woo Bin ah. I don't know what would have happened to her without you guys. Can I speak to Ji Hoo?"

"He's gone to pick up Jan Di and then they're going to Ga Eul's house to pack some stuff for her. It was our pleasure to help. We might work this into our best men's speech at your wedding."

"You—"

"Talk to you again Yi Jeong ah. Bye!"

Yi Jeong stared at the phone in his hand, quite unable to believe that Woo Bin had hung up on him. In spite of himself, a small grin touched his lips. Woo Bin was sadly mistaken if he thought Yi Jeong was going to let him embarrass him on his big day. He would sit Woo Bin next to a certain Monkey Girl; that would solve the problem.

Before he proceeded to make the first of many calls, there was one last thing he had to do.

You didn't say good-bye.

Less than a minute later, he received her reply.

Well, that's your fault. But if it makes you happy, here it is: Goodbye sunbae.

Hmm, it doesn't sound sincere.

That's not my problem!

Tsk, temper Ga Eul yang.

Sunbae, don't you have calls to make?

Yes I do. But I thought this was just as important. Don't worry okay? Everything will be fine.

Sunbae… You don't worry too. We'll be alright.

Goodbye Ga Eul yang.

Goodbye Yi Jeong sunbae.

……………

Ga Eul had experienced the power the Gu family wielded before; her father had lost his job because of Jun Pyo's mother after all. But this time, she was grateful for the kind of influence they had. Sometimes it felt a little magical to her, the way things moved behind the scenes when the Gu family wanted something done.

Between Jun Pyo's calls and Yi Jeong's high powered attorneys (she had expected one lawyer; he had sent her a senior partner with a team of lawyers under him), the media glare had all but melted away in less than two weeks. Sure, people still talked, especially about how the other F4 members closed ranks to protect her but the official statement issued by Yi Jeong's publicist was now more or less accepted. He and Miss Chu Ga Eul were no more than good friends. They were not engaged or married. She was not pregnant and anyone who persisted in spreading such news would be sued until they were bankrupt. That last part had been worked in as a subtle implication but apparently, the message had gotten through.

Things at home had been a little more complicated. Ga Eul propped her head up on the soft pillows and switched off the lights. It had been a long and exhausting day and she had had to explain herself all over again to her father who had been understandably irritated and upset by the entire debacle. And he didn't seem to be quite happy about Yi Jeong being in the picture as a possible suitor for Ga Eul. Yi Jeong's reputation as a Casanova had been bandied about by the press and it had only been a matter of time before the news reached her parents. And now her mother was worried about Ga Eul being cheated on and dumped by him. The only person who was relatively chirpy was her grandmother who was firmly convinced that Yi Jeong was serious about Ga Eul. All in all, to say that it was a less than ideal way for her family to find out about Yi Jeong would have been an understatement.

From under her pillow, she pulled out the unopened blue envelope. He had written; the letter had just arrived that morning and there was something else inside too. Holding it close, she pressed it against her cheek. When Yi Jeong returned he would meet her parents eventually, if everything between them worked out well. They would like him, she was sure he would be able to win them over. Whatever difficulties they faced, it would be worth it in the end. She would show Yi Jeong that he could have a happy ending.

Ga Eul fell asleep that night, holding his letter in her hand, and dreaming of irises.