So Yi Jeong sat on the plane, awaiting their landing. He looked out the window and can vaguely see his hometown already. Seoul had a population of more or less 10 million making it South Korea's largest city. Thinking about that, the Casanova had to smile. 10 million people and his thoughts contained only one. He was excited to see only one. He longed for only one. 10 million people and all he could think about is Chu Ga Eul, his country bumpkin.
Four years is a long time to stay gone, he knew that. But he wasn't like Jun Pyo who went home every chance he got. He didn't call Ga Eul almost every week like he knows Jun Pyo did with Jan Di. He was So Yi Jeong who believed that calling a girl first meant weakness and that nice girls were bad news. Yeah, that's why he didn't call her. Keep trying to convince yourself, Yi Jeong.
"Young Master, we have arrived." He looked up at the messenger and gave a small nod. He was here, he was home. He knew the hell his friends have got in store for him when they saw him. Yeah, he just 'pretended' not to have received Woo Bin's e-mails about how he should man up and call Ga Eul and he just 'pretended' not to understand Ji Hu everytime he subtlety gave out hints about Ga Eul during their phonecalls. But what was he supposed to do? Ga Eul made him feel things he has never experienced in his life. She was sweet, innocent and pure. And he was a Casanova. In what universe did he deserve her?
But, yes, four years is a long time to stay gone. Four years of thinking about no one but Ga Eul has been nothing but torture for Yi Jeong knowing that thinking about her was all he could do. But the four years was up and he was home. He was ready. A lot of thinking finally paid up and made him realize that he was scared all along. He didn't call because he knew Ga Eul's voice would weaken his knees (Her 'sunbae' has been proven to do such thing). He didn't come home at all because seeing Ga Eul's face was even worse than hearing her voice. He was positive that he wouldn't have gone back to Sweden if he did come home and he would hate himself for that because he knew he'd disappoint Ga Eul. Finally, he didn't send anything or even e-mail her on special occasions not because he wasn't sure about what he felt for her, because in the back of his mind, the part that wasn't as thick as the others, he knew that he has found his soulmate in her, but because he didn't want to hold Ga Eul back from finding her soulmate. But now he knew better, they were each other's soulmates. Four years ago, he was too dumb to even acknowledge that thought but not anymore. He knew that Ga Eul was-is-in his life for a reason and he wasn't going to let some guy (if she has met one) get in the way of that. He was ready to be that man for Ga Eul.
"Annyeong." Yi Jeong tried to keep his cool. He couldn't lose it right in front of Ga Eul and all these kids. He saw her cover the mouth of the little girl who called him her boyfriend. So that's what he was? He smirked.
She walked up to him, giving him a slight smile.
"Sunbae, when did you arrive?" she asked, he looked at her weirdly. Didn't she remember his promise?
"I just came in, Ga Eul-yang. Surely you didn't think I'd forget?" Did she? Now, he was just confused.
"Oh. Right." Was all she said.
Krrriiingg
Crap, seriously? It's time already? Now she didn't have an excuse to leave Yi Jeong anymore. What was he doing here anyway? After four years of no communication, what was he doing here? Did he really look for her first? I am not ready for this!
"Okay, kids. Go wash your hands and get your bags after. We'll all go out together." The children scrambled on to the other side of the room where the sink was, leaving Ga Eul and Yi Jeong alone on one side of the room.
"Ga Eul-yang," he started. Damn, that voice! "let's eat out once your done here." He said it as if he was sure that she would go. That, for some reason, irked Ga Eul. He's always been like this but today was just different for her. Of course it is, she thought, four years can make a galaxy of differences.
"I can't, sunbae. I have a…" Crap, what was she supposed to say? She was free as a bird today! Think, Ga Eul, think… "a date." She said the word even before she thought about it. Date?! She hasn't had a date since Jan Di planned her disaster of a blind date 2 years ago! How was she going to get away with this?
The look on Yi Jeong's face as she said that word was, if anything, priceless. Date? She goes on dates? But- his train of thought was disturbed by his phone ringing.
"Hello?!" he answered.
"My bro! You're back right? Come meet us for Jun Pyo's proposal!" It was Woo Bin. Damn, he forgot about that! He needed to go. How was he going to figure out what was up with Ga Eul. He hung up and turned back to her.
"Do you need to go, sunbae?" she said, with that smile again. Stop doing that!
"Ah, yes. Jun Pyo's proposal to Jan Di…" he answered, looking at her curiously. This was not how he thought his homecoming would be.
"Oh, that's wonderful!" her eyes lit up. He missed that.
"Send my congratulations to them." She said, turning to her students to see if they were ready to go. They were. She turned back to him.
"I have to go now, sunbae. You should too. I'll see you soon." She waved and led her class out the door.
What the hell just happened?
Ga Eul breathed a sigh of relief once she was out the door. That was hard! Trying to keep her cool while really wanting to hug him so tight that he wouldn't be able to go anymore was an exasperating thing to do. But she did pretty good, she thinks. The look on Yi Jeong's face when she said she had a date was…not a look you often see on the Casanova's face.
Aside from relief, she was also overwhelmed. He came for her! He really did. What did that mean? Was he really back for her? No, Ga Eul was a different person now. She wasn't going to let this small act of…what was even the word for this? Care? Certainly not love, get in the way of the progress she's made. She was gonna make him regret not calling her on her stupid birthday. Her birthday! Yeah, she needed to get over that.