AN: I'm so very sorry for the mix up! The documents got shuffled and I didn't even bother to check if I posted the right chapter. Sorry! I do hope you enjoy this chapter. :)
Chu Ga Eul was a girl on a mission. She walked briskly through the hospital halls in frantic search of her best friend. The plan was to drag her to go spying with her no matter what. Jan Di may not be the sleuth that she deluded herself into thinking she was but she was the best Ga Eul could do. She passed the windows and managed to get a glimpse of herself. Her hair was everywhere and her eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep. She was up all night thinking whether or not she should go through with her plan. What were her reasons anyway? To prove that he was faithful? But why would he be faithful to her? They were just friends right? Why did she even tell him that in the first place?! These thoughts kept her up all night and her mood wasn't something the 3 cups of brewed coffee she downed this morning could fix. She kept looking until she found a room that smelled of food, a definite indication that Jan Di was inside.
--
"I'm sorry, Ga Eul, I can't."
"What?!" she asked in surprise. She was right when she entered the room. Sure enough, Jan Di was scuffing down 2 bowls of porridge. Ji Hu was asleep in a chair close by.
"I have practicals tomorrow and I need to take it if I ever want to be a licensed doctor in the future." She explained. Ga Eul felt selfish thinking Jan Di would have free time for this. She was engaged and going to Med school, petty things like Ga Eul's craziness shouldn't get in the way of her multiple activities.
"O-okay…" she said, unconvincingly. Jan Di was about to offer words of comfort when a voice butted in.
"I'll go with you." The two girls jumped in surprise as Ji Hu spoke.
"Sunbae, I thought you were asleep?" Jan Di asked him. he merely shrugged and turned his attention to Ga Eul.
"I'll go with you." He repeated. Ga Eul's eyes were wide with shock and her cheeks were red from embarrassment.
"D-did you hear everything I said, sunbae?" she asked nervously. She practically told Jan Di the whole story, including how paranoid she was. Ji Hu nodded nonchalantly.
"I'll pick you up at four in the afternoon tomorrow?" he asked. Ga Eul couldn't imagine spying on Yi Jeong with one of his best friends. Maybe this was a sign that she should just go home and forget all about investigating Yi Jeong's character. But she couldn't. She needed to know, for her heart's sake. She slowly nodded at Ji Hu. He smiled as he added,
"Besides, would you really want to go spying with someone as subtle as a marching band?"
"Yah!"
--
Ji Hu was probably the most punctual member of F4. Right on the dot, fouro'clock, he arrived at Ga Eul's house riding a beat up old car that looked like all the parts had been stolen. The sight of Ji Hu inside it startled Ga Eul.
"Uh, sunbae, what is that?" she asked him, as his windows came down. They were at least tinted.
"It's a car, Ga Eul. One not too ostentatious, it might attract attention from Yi Jeong." He explained. Ga Eul suddenly felt relieved that she went with Ji Hu and not Jan Di. The memory of Jan Di facing the wall, acting like it camouflaged her, wouldn't get out of her mind.
"I'm impressed, sunbae." She told him as he opened the door to get in. she was surprised to see him dressed in jeans and a shirt. He really was good at this. Probably the only thing that didn't make them look like average commoners was the casually dressed driver. Ga Eul knew about Ji Hu's issue with cars so she didn't dwell into the topic anymore.
"Won't Yi Jeong be at your place today?" Ji Hu asked. Ga Eul shook her head.
"No. I told him I'd be at a teacher's seminar for the whole day." She answered him. This would be the first day since they decided to become friends that they won't see each other. Well, Ga Eul would see him but he wouldn't know that.
"Okay, I have a hunch on where he would be." He instructed the driver on where to go. Ga Eul sat back and tried to think about the possible outcomes of this plan. What if she wounds up seeing with another girl? Would her heart really be strong enough to let him go again?
"Ga Eul, look out," she did as she was told. Outside, she saw Yi Jeong's orange car parked in front of a flower shop.
"How'd you know he'd be here?" she asked her companion. He smiled at her and put on his sunglasses.
"I heard him order flowers here yesterday." He answered. He gave Ga Eul a pair as well.
They put the windows down and sat back. A few minutes passed and Yi Jeong came out with a bouquet of purple flowers.
"Purple, huh? I'm surprised he didn't go for classic red roses. I would have thought you'd like that." Ji Hu commented. Ga Eul beamed.
"I told him I didn't like red roses." She said, thinking back tot hat night he came to see her. That night she told him of every hurt that she felt. She cringed as she remembers his broken face.
"Let's go follow him." Ji Hu told the driver to stay at least two cars behind Yi Jeong so as to avoid all suspicions.
"You're really good at this, sunbae." She complimented him. Ji Hu crossed his arms and turned to her.
"So, how are things with you two?" he asked. Ga Eul seemed surprised at the question. She wasn't use to Ji Hu being interested in much things.
"Well, we're friends….but, uh…" she wasn't sure how to describe the relationship they had. they hung out everyday, they had fun, they get jealous over each other, they were so interested in each other's lives that one has to resort to the idea of spying…she couldn't say but she was quite sure that wasn't something normal friends do.
"But what?" he asked. His tone made Ga Eul want to tell him everything. What was that, like his special gift?
"We act like we're more that that." she told him. JI Hu smiled.
"Maybe you are." Ga Eul's retort came quickly.
"We're not! I told him I just wanted friendship for now."
"Why did you tell him that?" he sounded really curious. It was hard not to give in to that tone.
"Because I needed to be sure first before getting into anything. You saw me after he left sunbae. You knew how it was for me." She explained. She was pretty sure Ji Hu was about to vomit from all the mushiness. He didn't, though, instead he nodded understandingly.
"Is that why you're doing this too?" he asked, referring to the spying.
"Yes. I guess you can say I'm scared." Before Ji Hu could ask why, they saw Yi Jeong's car park in front of a bakery. They stopped on the other side of the street. Before getting in, Yi Jeong took a look at his surroundings and almost spotted Ga Eul and Ji Hu. Itw as a good thing the violinist had quick reflex and immediately pulled down Ga Eul with him.
"That was close." She said. They waited in silence for Yi Jeong to come out. A few minutes later, he appeared with two boxes of what appeared to be cake.
"You're that much of a cake lover, huh, Ga Eul?" instead of denying it, Ga Eul smiled. It wasn't because she loved cakes, which she did, but because she remembers something about the cake. That was the exact same box that contained the cake he gave her when he thought it was her birthday Four years ago. They never got to eat that cake together. After her minute of happiness, worry dawned upon her as she sighted a woman about her age come up to Yi Jeong.
"Sunbae, look!" she pointed out. Ji Hu and looked and watched the two. The girl seemed to be asking Yi Jeong whose cake were those. Yi Jeong smiled at her and answered, though they couldn't hear what he said. The girl looked quite disappointed at his reply and Yi Jeong placed the two boxes on top of his car and fished something out of his pocket. It was his cell phone. He showed it to the girl beside him and she smiled. Ga Eul watched this with apprehension etched on her face. Why did they seem so happy? Was he flirting with her?
"I'll bet you my medical degree that he just showed her your picture." Ji Hu suddenly said. Ga Eul as suddenly snapped out of her thoughts.
"What? Why would he do that?" Ji Hu shrugged.
"It won't be the first time." she knew by his tone that he wasn't saying it to make her feel better. Ga Eul looked back outside and watched Yi Jeong wave to the girl and get on his car.
"Are you satisfied now?" Ji Hu asked with a tone of teasing.
"Just one more." Ga Eul said. Ji Hu nodded and asked the driver to follow Yi Jeong again. Yi Jeong's stop was at the gate of a small village. He parked his car outside the gate and walked into the line of houses.
"Who lives here?" Ga Eul asked.
"Beats me. Let's go find out."
"You mean were getting out of the car?" Ga Eul didn't think she liked that idea. It was so easy to get caught without the protection of tinted windows.
"Don't forget who you're with, Ga Eul." she thought back on how smooth this day has been going. She agreed and slid out of the car. They waled several feet behind him, dawning hats and sunglasses. She had to admit, they looked like regular citizens with no hidden agendas. They saw that Yi Jeong was carrying one of the cakes he bought. This got Ga Eul suspicious. Yi Jeong stopped in front of a old fashioned brick house. He rang the doorbell. The two spies leaned back on one of the houses out of Yi Jeong's sight. They saw a woman dressed in kitchen clothes come out. He seemed to be introducing herself and not long after, a little girl with curly hair ran outside to greet him.
"Joo Eun?"
"You know her?" Ji Hu asked.
"She's a student of mine. She got to meet Yi Jeong a couple of days ago when he visited." She answered, still surprised by Yi Jeong's gesture.
"They seem really close." JI Hu commented.
"Yi Jeong got really fond of her, she's bright and peppy. They didn't get to spend much time with each other, though 'cause she got sent home because of fever." She explained, a huge smile on her face.
"So that's why he brought her cake?"
"I remember hearing them talk about Joo Eun's sweet tooth." She thought back on that day again and she had to admit how amazed she was at Yi Jeong for getting along so quickly with her students.
"Yi Jeong's coming back." they immediately turned around so Yi Jeong could pass by them without him noticing. Ga Eul leaned on the house, her back facing Yi Jeong, while Ji Hu sat down on the ground, his head on his knees. Yi Jeong was clueless. They mad eit to their car without Yi Jeong noticing.
"We make a pretty good team, sunbae."she told him once they were safe inside the car.
"I can't say I disagree, Ga Eul."
--
They have been following Yi Jeong around for almost an hour and a half now and he still hasn't stopped. Ga Eul won't be surprised if they were just going around in circles.
"Where is he going?" she demanded. Ji Hu fished out his phone.
"Let's ask." Yi Jeong answered after one ring.
"Yi Jeong, where are you?" Ji Hu asked. Pause.
"Oh, why?" Pause.
"I see. You miss her, huh?" he looked at Ga Eul and grinned. Pause.
"Okay, I'll see you there." Ji Hu hung up and turned to Ga Eul.
"Looks like he was just driving around, trying to pass the time."
"He didn't have anywhere to be?" Ga Eul asked.
"He said he cancelled everything because he was supposed to take you out for the whole day to make up for two nights ago." Ga Eul suddenly felt guilty. Why did he have to be so perfect today?
"Oh. Where did you say you were going to meet him?" she asked him.
"At the lounge. How 'bout I text him and tell him I'll pick you up? I'm sure you missed him today." Ga Eul nodded happily. It was so easy to let out emotions with Ji Hu.
They arrived at the lounge twenty minutes later. Yi Jeong was already there.
"Ga Eul yang, are you still mad?" he immediately said as he came up to her. She gave him a small smile.
"Not even a bit, sunbae." He smiled genuinely and they sat down and talked for a while before Jun Pyo, Woo Bin and Jan Di arrived. Woo Bin dragged him to play pool with him. Jun Pyo and Jan Di were teasing each other by the video sat there, watching them. She felt Ji Hu seat beside her.
"Do you ever regret it, sunbae?" she asked him, needing not to say what 'it' was as they both looked at the engaged couple fighting like a couple of teenagers.
"Everyday." He answered honestly. Ga Eul was silent. She thought about Jan Di and Ji Hu's relationship. If Ji Hu had realized his feelings for Jan Di before she gave up on him. what would have happened? It was classic case of a love too late. She didn't want to think about what would happen if she and Yi Jeong should be in the same case.
"I don't think much would have changed, though. Jan Di would still end up Jun Pyo." He said, surely.
"Why would you say that?"
"Ga Eul, in this life, we don't choose who were going to be with. It's just something that's bound to happen, one way or another." He explained to her. she was at awe with his words.
"Destiny?" he nodded.
"So if I were you, I wouldn't worry about Yi Jeong giving up." Ga Eul looked at him with a surprised expression. She was about to ask him how he knew but then she remembered who she was talking to. Yoon Ji Hu probably knew there was something between them before they both did.
"Even if he did, you shouldn't worry still."
"Why's that?" she asked, curiously. He always seemed so sure about everything.
"People who are destined to be with each other will find their way back no matter what." Ji Hu smiled as he felt reality dawn upon Ga Eul.
