Chapter 7

It had been almost a week since Izzie had confessed her feelings then told Jun-pyo she was leaving and her mind still felt as turbulent as it had that night. She avoided people as much as possible, burying herself in work and communicating with Jun-pyo only when absolutely necessary by short texts or emails. If she was completely honest, once her anger had subsided, she didn't miss Jun-pyo as much as she had imagined. She did, however, miss Ji-hu sorely. Every day she contemplated going to see him at the hospital, or even finding out where he lived so that she could visit him at home, but then she would convince herself she was doing the best thing possible by avoiding him. She was resolved that, after the wedding, she would return to the US and close the chapter in her life that had centered around Jun-pyo, but she knew that resolve would crumble if she spent time with Ji-hu.

Unbidden images of him flooded her mind, her heart aching as she pictured his smile, her skin tingling when she remembered the feel of his fingers lightly caressing her back as he had helped her out of her dress and the unexpected sight of his lean torso. She drained her coffee and motioned for the waiter to bring her another as she desperately pushed those images from her mind, returning her attention to the notebook sitting in front of her. She had just two weeks until the wedding, and though everything was falling into place neatly, she had to be sure she hadn't missed a single detail. Her foot bounced and her pen tapped the wire café table lightly as a cool breeze lifted her hair, though she paid no heed. The blue sky and bright sun over head were completely lost to her as she became focused in her plans; so focused she also didn't notice the young woman in braided pigtails that approached her table.

"Hey, Izzie-ssi. How are you?" Izzie jumped at the sound of Jan-di's voice, and the woman cringed in apology. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, Jan-di-ssi! No, you're fine! I think may have had too much coffee, that's all."

"It's very good here. Do you...mind if I have a seat?" Izzie desperately wanted to refuse, but felt herself smile and gesture to the chair across from her.

"Of course not, join me!"

"Thank you." Jan-di sat, the waiter quickly coming over to bring Izzie's refill and to take Jan-di's order. Izzie shifted uncomfortably, not sure how to begin a conversation, wondering what Jun-pyo might have shared with her.

"So...Jun-pyo told me you are returning to the US after the wedding. Is that true?"

Well, that answers that question, she thought as she almost choked on her coffee.

"Um, yes, it is."

"Why? Do you not like it here?"

"No. I really – I think Seoul's great. The food is amazing, the land is beautiful – I really like it."

"Then why are you running away?" Izzie froze, the understanding smile Jan-di gave her slipping between the cracks in her defenses and making her suddenly feel vulnerable. Before she realized what she was doing, she felt her façade fall and began to speak.

"It's...complicated. I think it's probably best that I go home."

"But, Jun-pyo needs you."

Izzie gave a bitter laugh as the waiter set down Jan-di's coffee and the girl set about sweetening it.

"Jun-pyo has made it clear he does not need me and I am not so low that I will allow myself to work for someone who disrespects me."

"Jun-pyo admires you more than anyone I've ever known. He constantly praises you, talks about how brilliant you are and how he couldn't run the company without you."

"Please, he – "

"He has been so upset this last week, like he has lost something precious to him. I finally got him to tell me what was wrong and...he would be furious that I said this, but he started to cry."

Izzie's eyes widened as she set down her cup, worried she might spill it in her shock. Jun-pyo, the Great GuJun-pyo, cried? That was something she had never witnessed, and could hardly imagine. She understood the fierce sincerity on Jan-di's face, however, and sat back to listen to the woman continue.

"Jun-pyo doesn't let many people near him. The F4, me, his sister: it's a very small group of people he is willing to be truly honest with. You are one of those people, Izzie, and it is devastating him that you are going to leave."

"Jan-di, I – "

"I'm sure you have your reasons for leaving, and I'm also sure that Jun-pyo is to blame. Believe me, I know how cruel he can be, and I know how difficult he is to deal with. But...he needs you Izzie. He needs someone at work he can trust and who will keep him grounded. He has worked so hard to become a good man, and he is going to struggle sometimes. He needs you to help him make the right decisions so he doesn't let his mother influence him. Please, please don't go."

Izzie sat silently for a moment, staring into the brown liquid in her cup as she processed everything Jan-di had said. She knew he hadn't put her up to finding her, and she knew he would be furious if he found out Jan-di had spoken so candidly to her behind his back. Still, Jan-di apparently didn't know some of the more important details of their argument, and Izzie wasn't sure she could continue working for him now that she had confessed her feelings. It would always hang over them, like the cloud that surrounded Ji-hu and Jan-di, and she didn't want to deal with that every day of her life.

"Thank you for telling me all of this, Jan-di. I will think about it."

"Thank you, Izzie." She smiled at her, and Izzie couldn't help but smile back. There was something about Jan-di that was irresistible. Izzie couldn't identify it, but something about the other woman's smile just made her feel a little more optimistic and light-hearted. She took another sip of her coffee, Jan-di watching her, mirroring her movements.

"You know, Jun-pyo...that's not the reason I wanted to talk to you."

Izzie raised an eyebrow, then nodded in understanding. "Oh, the wedding. I was actually just looking over my plans and debating a couple of things. Do you – "

"No, I didn't mean the wedding. The wedding will be perfect. I actually wanted to talk to you about Ji-hu-seonbae."

"Ji-hu?" Izzie's heart beat a little faster at the mention of his name, and she felt antsy, barely stopping herself from squirming in her seat.

"You know, Ji-hu lets even fewer people into his life than Jun-pyo. Not even the F4 have access to all of his thoughts and feelings."

"Ji-hu is a very private person," Izzie responded, not sure what else she should say.

"Yes, he is. And when he becomes upset about something, he retreats even further into himself. Like...like one of those Russian dolls."

"I'm sure you know him better than I do," Izzie said with an awkward chuckle, unsure where their conversation was going.

"He's been locked very tightly inside himself this week. He won't even let me in." She smiled sadly and Izzie felt a stab of pity for the other woman.

"Maybe Ji-hu just needs time?"

"Hm. Perhaps. I haven't seen him like this since Seo-hyun decided she was leaving Korea. Back then, we weren't really friends yet, so I didn't know how to comfort him. Now, we are and I still can't find the words to make him to tell me why he's suffering. But, when I spoke to Jun-pyo...it made sense." Jan-di looked her directly in the eye and Izzie again fought the urge to squirm.

"I know you want to leave. I hope you'll reconsider, but, more than that, I hope you don't shut out Ji-hu before you go. I don't want to see him hurt from losing another friend. I don't want to see him go back to smiling only when someone is looking. I like how he smiles now, so relaxed and happy."

Izzie swallowed hard, taking in Jan-di's words. She should have realized sooner that Jan-di would be just as devoted to Ji-hu as he was to her, even if she didn't love him the same way. She also realized that she had been awfully selfish the past week, closing him out to keep herself from hurting more. Ji-hu had been a wonderful friend to her, and while she didn't know if he had grown to care for her precisely the same way she had started to care for him, she owed it to him to at least apologize for her behavior that night.

"Do...do you know if Ji-hu is working today?" she asked, finally meeting Jan-di's eyes. She grinned and Izzie felt her mood lift a little bit more.

"He is off on Fridays. That's the day of the board meetings for the Foundation. He usually stays after to play his piano."

"Thank you, Jan-di. If you'll excuse me, I'll leave first."

"Sure. Take care, Izzie."

Izzie flagged down a waiter to pay for both of their drinks, despite Jan-di's objections, and flagged down a taxi to take her to the Foundation. She slid into the car, a strange feeling of anticipation filling her as they neared the large glass building. She paid the driver and exited quickly, sidestepping a group of workers painting outside as she made her way into the lobby. She gave the receptionist a bright smile, recognizing the woman from the day she had fainted and hoping she wouldn't expect Izzie to pass out again.

"Good afternoon, miss. Welcome back."

"Thank you. I was actually looking for Yun Ji-hu; a friend had said she thought he would be here?"

"Of course, miss. In concert hall c, just up the stairs and down the hall to your right. You'll go through a set of double doors and will find it on your left."

"Thank you so much!" She waved and gave the woman a small bow before she followed her directions. Her heels tapped noisily on the stairs and echoed in the empty halls. She passed a cluster of middle-aged men in business suits that bowed to her as she hurried along, stifling a grin as she heard them exchange some crude remarks about exactly how women were 'made in America' once she was beyond them.

She reached the door marked 'concert hall c' and took a breath before she tentatively opened the door a crack. She peeked inside, discovering all lights were off except the tall, single-bulb 'ghost' lamp that stood in the middle of the stage. Its light was enough to illuminate a stunning white grand piano that stood just off to the side on the black stage. Izzie held her breath as she watched Ji-hu play for a moment. His jacket was laying over the bench beside him, leaving him in a grey vest and light blue dress shirt with small white stripes and a white collar. His sleeves were rolled to the elbow, and Izzie leaned in the doorframe, smiling as she listened to him play. He paused for a moment at the end of the piece, and Izzie held her breath, wondering if she had been caught. She relaxed when he started playing again, her heart thrumming when she recognized the melody. She had given him a playlist of Cole Porter classics and she closed her eyes, unsurprised he had chosen 'Begin the Beguine'. She walked into the small theatre, humming along with his intro until she started to sing along with the verse as she walked toward the stage. He froze when he heard her voice, turning to watch her walk down the aisle. She stopped, giving him a shy smile.

"Don't stop now," she whispered, clasping her hands in front of her to keep them from shaking. His scrutinizing gaze made her nervous, but she fought to keep her face even. He looked at her a moment longer before he turned back to the piano and resumed his playing.

Izzie ascended the stairs to the stage, running her hand across the smooth lid of the Steinway, nestling herself in its curve as she continued to sing with him, closing her eyes and feeling her passion swell with the music. It had been ages since she had really sung, having given up her gigs in coffee shops, bars and nightclubs when she had begun to work for Jun-pyo. Though she knew her voice was slightly rusty, the edge blended with her style, and she recalled the frequent comparisons she had received to Norah Jones, Etta James and other female blues vocalists she admired.

Soon the song ended, the melody hanging in the air for a moment like a specter, and Izzie felt goosebumps raise on her arms before she turned to find Ji-hu staring at her. She smiled softly, feeling slightly self-conscious as she traced patterns on the piano lid, waiting for him to speak.

"You sing," he said finally, and the simplicity of his statement made her laugh.

"I do. Or, I guess I did. I don't really anymore."

"Why did you ever stop?" His look of confusion was so sincere that Izzie laughed again.

"I started working for Shinhwa Group and didn't really have time for gigs."

"Why didn't you tell me you sang? You said your ex-boyfriend was the musician."

"He was. Why didn't you tell me you were the one playing on the playlist you made me?" she asked, turning the tables to focus on him. He bowed his head before he looked at her again, a hint of a grin on his lips.

"Touché," he said before motioning for her to sit with him. She crossed to the bench, picking up his jacket and laying it across his lap as he started to play again, choosing another song from the Cole Porter collection.

She swayed with the music, at a loss for why she had ever stopped singing. For the first time in ages she remembered a part of herself that she had imprisoned, and letting that part free was powerfully therapeutic. She relaxed into the music, and she noticed Ji-hu's hands loosening as they moved across the keyboard. When he began to play 'True Love', a simple duet from High Society, she gave him a curious look, and was surprised when he began to sing. He paused, waiting for her to join him in the duet. She bit her lower lip, her stomach becoming tense as she began to sing the sweet, romantic ballad. Tremors ran through her as his smooth voice sailed over her rougher, lower one and she felt tears burn in her eyes as the lyrics began to feel a little too close to truth.

After the song finished they sat in silence, Ji-hu mercifully saying nothing as she wiped away the few tears that had escaped. Instead of speaking, he began to play again, this time an upbeat, double-entendre filled solo that made her laugh away her tears. For the next hour they played and sang, moving from Cole Porter to jazz standards, and even a couple Édith Piaf classics. By the end they were both laughing and making mistakes in their music. When Izzie began making up her own lyrics to talk about her lover's smelly feet and terrible body hair Ji-hu began laughing so hard he had to abandon the piano completely.

"Stop...please...no more," he choked out, though Izzie was laughing too hard herself to even think of continuing.

After a few moments their laughter subsided and they looked at each other, their smiles fading as the tension of the past week came creeping in between them.

"Ji-hu...I'm sorry. That night, I – "

"You have no reason to apologize. I apologize for invading your privacy."

"What? No, you didn't. I'm just...I'm a mess," she confessed, hanging her head and feeling tears welling again in her eyes.

"You're the best looking mess I've ever seen," he said, but when she looked at him she noticed a slight blush and he wouldn't meet her eyes. She bit her thumb, trying to hide her pleasure.

"I'm sure you say that to all the messy, 'plain American' girls," she said with a grin, nudging him with her elbow, causing him to smile again then tilt his head slightly.

"You're not wearing your glasses."

"Oh, no, I'm not. I spent most of the morning outside, so, I needed my sunglasses."

"Mm," was all he said and Izzie quietly pondered how she should take his observation. They sat together silently for a moment, before he spoke again.

"I have been thinking about the wedding. I'm wondering if perhaps a string quartet isn't the right choice."

"Oh? Um, okay, did I pick the wrong musicians, or – "

"No, not at all. But neither Jan-di or Jun-pyo really care for classical music."

"Okay. What would you suggest, then?" Izzie was curious about the sudden shift in conversation, but went along with the turn, now seriously considering his concern.

"Why not a jazz quartet?"

"Really?"

"Piano, drums, bass and saxophone?"

"Mm, trumpet, I think. Suits Jun-pyo more." She spoke automatically, her mind already creating a song list that would suit the wedding.

"We may even convince Yi-jeong to play a song for them on his saxophone, then."

"You could play piano as well. It would suit the atmosphere we're trying to create."

"That was my thought."

"I suppose you already have some musicians in mind?" she asked, giving him a sideways look.

"They've cleared their schedules, just in case."

"Oh, Ji-hu, what would I have done without you, hm?" She wrapped her arm around his without thinking, but stopped herself from resting her head on his shoulder. He seemed a little surprised by the sudden physical contact, but after a moment he relaxed.

"I'm sure you would have managed."

"Hardly." She beamed at him, and after a moment he matched her smile. Satisfied, Izzie turned away and immediately feigned a serious expression. "I would have had to worry less about my weight though. You should have never introduced me to Chef Oh's noodles. I can't go two days without them now without severe withdrawal symptoms. It's been half a week now, and I think I'm getting the shakes and it is all your fault."

"Is that a hint?" he asked with a grin and she smiled brightly.

"You're catching on. Let me buy you lunch?"

"No, I can't do that." Her face fell as he pulled his arm away, closing the cover of the keyboard, but throwing her a sly smile. "I wouldn't want Chef Oh to get the wrong idea of what kind of man I am. Letting a lady buy my lunch."

"Fair enough," she agreed with a grin, her heart stuttering as he held out his hand to help her stand. She gave him his jacket, brushing imaginary lint off the lapel after he slipped it on, unable to resist touching him. He motioned for her to lead the way out, his hand resting on the small of her back as they walked up the aisle and out into the sunlit lobby. Izzie caught the receptionist staring at them, an excited smile on her face too bright to stifle as they walked past.

"So, I'll admit, I'm not exactly dressed to go for a ride," she said over the sound of someone shouting once they stepped outside. She glanced back at him in time to catch him staring at backside, his cheeks growing red as he immediately averted his gaze.

"Enjoying the vie – aish!" she yelped as she bumped into someone and felt a thick, wet substance dump down her front.

Everything moved in slow motion for a moment. She turned to see a man in coveralls holding a paint roller and a now mostly empty tray of white paint. His face became deathly pale and his eyes wider than saucers as he looked at her, following her eyes down from her paint soaked silk blouse to her newly striped skirt. Their eyes met again, then the man noticed her companion and time flew forward. Before Izzie could breathe the man was on his knees in front of her, his forehead pressed to the sidewalk and his arms extended as he begged for mercy.

"I'm so sorry Madam! Please, I beg your forgiveness, Master! I should have never been so careless! Stupid, stupid!" Izzie panicked as the man began to bang his head on the sidewalk.

"No, sir, there's no – "

"I will go without pay! I will work to pay for what I have cost you, Madam! Here!" He sat up and lifted the tray over his head, letting the little paint that remained in the tray to fall on his balding head.

"Oh, now that's really unnecessary! Please! It was an accident. I'm fine!" Izzie tried to reassure the man as she heard a strange sound behind her. Turning as she continued her attempt to consol the now-hysterical man, Izzie found Ji-hu laughing.

Seriously laughing.

He almost doubled over when she finally fully turned to him, setting her hand on the shoulder of the man who looked at Ji-hu as if he had lost his mind. Izzie felt a twinge of indignation mix with her shock.

"Are you...laughing at me?"

"No...I'm just...enjoying the view," he choked out, his eyes wet with his mirth.

Izzie's eyes narrowed and she popped her hip, crossing her arms over her sticky chest as she puckered her lips in displeasure. The painter was still on his knees, astonished by the sight of Ji-hu in a giggle fit. Izzie looked down at the man and gave him a smirk as she gestured to the roller he still held in his hand.

"Excuse me, can I borrow that?" He pulled his eyes away from Ji-hu long enough to process what she asked and nod emphatically. "Thank you," she said as she took the roller, ran it through what was left in the discarded tray and walked quickly to roll it up Ji-hu's chest and face.

His eyes widened in shock and his laughter stopped as he stared at her, white paint covering his left cheek and clinging to his vest and hair. Izzie held the roller loosely in her hand, her other arm still crossed over her middle as she grinned smugly at him.

"You...you just – "

"That's what you get for laughing, mister," she pronounced as she watched him brush his hand over his cheek, smudging more paint than he removed. She wasn't prepared for how quickly he reached out and smeared his hand across her own cheek.

By now a crowd had begun to gather, collectively gasping with Izzie as Ji-hu marked her face. One of the other workers had pulled the painter to his feet and out of the way as they all watched the interaction of the paint-covered couple.

"Oh, you are so dead!" Izzie cried as she lunged with the roller like a sword. Ji-hu laughed and easily dodged her attack, managing to smear more paint on her opposite cheek before he armed himself with the tray.

Izzie recovered from failed lunged quickly, surprising Ji-hu as she slashed the roller through the air so that paint splattered through the air, landing in a dotted line across his face and chest. Before she could slash again, however, he grabbed her wrist and in a second she was pinned with her back to his chest, his arm around her like an iron band. The roller fell to the ground and she realized her futile wiggling to get free was very likely just transferring more paint from his chest onto the back of her blouse.

"Give up?" he asked quietly, his lips brushing her ear, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

"Like hell," she growled back, but couldn't stop herself from joining his laughter when she felt it rumble through his chest and tickle her neck.

"Then I suppose I can't let you go. Not until you surrender."

"Looks like you're going to be holding me a long time then," she purred, giving him a sultry look as she shifted against him. She felt more than heard his sharp breath and found her window of opportunity. Though she held back slightly, she drove her elbow into his solar plexus and jumped out of his reach as he deflated, doubling over as the wind rushed out of his lungs.

The crowd around them had grown to include the receptionist and several other employees from the Foundation, and all were watching with a mixture of amusement and horror on their faces. Once Ji-hu straightened they immediately scattered, some almost dashing back into the center as he leveled her with an icy glare. Izzie, however, didn't budge. Instead, she blinked innocently at him as he stalked over to her.

"You fight dirty."

"Damn straight," she replied, refusing to look away. Finally, the bright smile returned to his face as he shook his head.

"I think we'd better clean up before we get noodles. Come on."

He started walking toward his parking space, Izzie keeping step right beside him. She was slightly surprised to see a white mini cooper convertible parked in his spot.

"You have a car? Jun-pyo said – "

"I got over it. Mostly. I still don't like to drive, but I force myself to do it every now and then so the fear doesn't build up again."

"Mm," Izzie nodded, sobering as she recalled the story Jun-pyo had told her. Losing her parents had been unbearable. When she thought of a five year-old boy escaping the accident that took his parents, surviving because they had shielded him with their bodies, her heart broke. The image was clear in her mind of the tiny Ji-hu she had seen in pictures at his grandfather's clinic, but as she pictured that boy covered in his parents blood, sobbing next to the mangled wreckage of a car as he waited for someone to come help him her stomach began to turn.

"Are you all right?" She jumped when she heard his voice and felt his hand on her arm. She shook the nightmarish images away and offered him a bright smile, hoping to assuage the concern in his eyes.

"Fine! Just lost in thought for a moment!"

"Good." He turned and started to open her door for her, then hesitated. "Wait for just a moment," he said as he turned back to her, moving to his trunk. He popped it open and pulled out an old wool blanket. He shook it a few times after shutting the trunk lid, then went back to open her door, laying the blanket over the leather passenger's seat.

"Really? You don't want a white interior as well?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm as he moved to let her sit. She was pleased that his full smile had returned when he shut her door and moved to get in the driver's seat.

She paid little attention to where he was taking her as she occupied herself with the music he had available in his car. She made him chuckle as she finally decided on a K-pop/R&B group and he laughed out loud with her failed attempts to rap along with one of the songs. Izzie gave up when she noticed they were pulling up through a gate into a driveway that led to a massive home with classic Korean architecture. Her breath caught and she wondered for a moment where he was taking her, until she saw one of his bikes parked in front.

"Is...is this your home?"

He nodded and for a moment Izzie was stunned. She was used to lavish surroundings, and had spent enough time in the enormous compound Jun-pyo called home that she expected the other F4s to have similarly spectacular residences. Still, she hadn't been prepared for the ancient beauty and pure art of the Yun family's estate. She exited the car as soon as Ji-hu parked, taking in the beautiful wood columns and smooth white walls, glancing at the courtyards and gardens that surrounded the main house.

"Ji-hu...it's so beautiful," she breathed as he unlocked the front door. Again, he merely nodded as he led the way inside. She followed closely behind him, anxious to see the interior, but was shocked by the cold aura of the house. It had the same empty feeling that she hated in museums, giving her the impression that she was stepping into a mausoleum rather than a home. Indeed there were few personal effects anywhere she could see: only priceless antiques or modern decorations that looked ripped from the page of an elite home décor magazine.

"Don't you get lonely, living alone in this huge house?" she couldn't help but ask as he guided her into the kitchen. She carefully checked the back of her skirt before she felt sat on one of the barstools by the island counter.

"I'm used to it. When I was younger I used to feel uncomfortable having other people in the house. It was nice when my grandfather lived here. And Jan-di stayed with us for a little while, too."

Izzie saw the distant smile on his face and felt a twinge of jealousy. She pushed it away as she watched him move around the room, opening cabinets and retrieving ceramic dishes. She watched him, amazed by his grace, fascinated by his long, delicate fingers as they completed their tasks and prepared a steaming pot of tea. He finally placed a small cup before her, and she stared for a moment into the yellowish-green liquid.

"You know, I could never get used to the loneliness of an empty house. I loved our home growing up. We had all this land in the Ohio Valley that was just gorgeous. We had a few horses, of course, and we used to ride up some of the hills and just look over the river. But after dad died it was just too big for mom and me. We found a smaller house, but once she died I couldn't even stay there."

"That's why you don't mind living in the hotel?"

"Yeah," she said with a nod, finally taking a sip of her tea. "The space feels full, and there's always activity and people around. I even like hearing people stumble down the halls, trying to shush each other on the way back from the bar." She smiled at him then and immediately felt self-conscious as he studied her over the rim of his teacup.

"What?" she asked, trying not to show her discomfort.

"Nothing. You're just...I've never met anyone quite like you, Izzie-ah."

"My momma always said I was special," Izzie joked, letting her natural dialect color her English. He seemed taken aback for a moment before he gave her an amused grin.

"Is that what you really sound like?"

"Yep. Spent a good year tryin' to completely eradicate it. Still comes back, though, if I spend time back home. Or if you get me drunk enough," she teased, toasting polishing off her tea and setting the cup down like a shot glass.

There was a warmth in his dark brown eyes that suddenly made Izzie uncomfortable and she scratched her cheek to at least alleviate the way the dried paint pulled at her skin. Small white flakes fell and more was trapped under her fingernails as she pulled them away from her face.

"We should probably get cleaned up," he said as he set down his own cup. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to follow him as he walked out of the kitchen and she felt herself blush when he turned back to give her a perplexed look. "Coming?" he asked and Izzie immediately nodded, hopping from her seat and trotting along behind him.

"Give me a moment and I'll grab you something to wear, then you can take a shower," he said, motioning for her to wait as he ducked into a room, returning after a moment with a white button-down shirt and a pair of faded blue pajama pants.

"They won't fit well, but they're the smallest I have," he explained as he then ushered her into a bathroom with a large shower cubicle. Several showerheads hung from the ceiling, all pointed in different directions and Izzie waited while Ji-hu turned the various nozzles so that the water began to spray and the room filled with steam.

"Please use anything you need. I'll be just down the hall."

"Thank you," she smiled, feeling slightly awkward as the air became thick with humidity and her mind flashed insistently back to the image of him taking off his shirt in her hotel's bathroom.

"Then..." he trailed off, staring at her for a long moment before he nodded and quickly left the room, shutting the door securely behind him. She stood for a moment, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before she set about taking off her soiled clothing, sighing when she realized the paint had soaked through her blouse to stain her bra as well. She tossed the now cracking silk shirt and the ruined skirt into the trash with a small stab of regret before she laid her undergarments on the pile of fresh clothes and stepped into the shower.

She gasped as the jets of hot water hit her body from every angle, blasting the tension from her neck and shoulders while cooler water poured from the large shower head directly above her, refreshing and soothing the steady pounding of the other nozzles. She stood for a moment, just soaking in the steam and water until she found a soft cloth and a body wash that made the bathroom suddenly smell of vanilla and oranges. Instantly her skin felt smoother, and Izzie made a mental note to order some for herself the next time she was out.

She took her time cleaning her hair and scrubbing the makeup from her face. The other bath products were all French imports she noticed, and she allowed herself to relish the luxurious scents and moisturizers. With a bit of reluctance she eventually turned off the water, wrapping herself in a large, fluffy towel as she exited the shower. She dried her skin, pink from the water's heat, and squeezed as much wetness from her hair as possible before she slipped back into her underwear.

The shirt he had given her was long enough that it reached half way to her knees so she settled on wearing it alone, abandoning the pajama pants that she knew would be far too long for her frame. Izzie rubbed the sleeve of the shirt against her cheek, then hugged herself, delighting in the soft feel of the fabric against her skin. She popped the collar and held it to her nose, closing her eyes to imagine for a moment that she could smell his scent on the shirt, instead of just the scent of his detergent. Her heart tripped and skin tingled as she imagined wearing his shirt under different circumstances, her breathing becoming slightly ragged as she imagined the events leading up to her being naked and in need of his clothing so that she could fix him breakfast before his shift at the hospital. Shaking her head, Izzie pushed the familiar fantasy away, turning her attention instead to hair.

Once her hair was no longer dripping, she opened the bathroom door and took only a couple of steps before crashing into Ji-hu. He managed to catch her before she tripped over his feet, but pulled her to his chest as he turned his back to the wall for support. Izzie gasped as she grabbed his shirt, a cotton long-sleeved tee with a loose, low neckline and realized she was straddling his thigh, their faces only inches apart. His eyes were wide behind clumps of damp hair, and she felt one of his hands slide down to the small of her back, pulling her body even tighter to his. Her thigh shifted, brushing the outside of his as the hand that wasn't on her back moved up to her neck, his fingers weaving into her wet hair as his head lowered to hers. Izzie's heart was pounding and her mouth went dry as she closed her eyes and tilted her head. She felt his breath on her skin just before his lips brushed hers, igniting a fire deep in her center as she waited to taste him.

Suddenly a knock sounded from the door and they instantly moved apart, Izzie pressing her back to the wall opposite him. They stared at each other for a moment, their breaths coming in ragged gasps and Izzie was sure her cheeks were even more flushed than his.

"You...should probably get that," she finally choked out as the knock sounded again.

"Right. Right, yes." He started to cross to the door and Izzie turned, setting her palms on the wall and resting her forehead on the cool surface.

"Um, if you want to dry your hair, there should be a drier under the sink."

She jumped at his voice, then smiled and nodded before bee lining back into the bathroom. She shut the door firmly, pressing her back to it as she tried to wrangle her heart back into a normal rhythm.

He was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes and a groan escaped her lips as she remembered the feel of his hands on her body, the beating of his own heart under her hand. Judging from the way he had held her, they were going to do a lot more than kiss if that knock had never happened.

I don't know who the hell that was, but there is a special place in hell for you, she thought miserably as she searched under the sink for the promised blow drier. She quickly flipped it on and, using her fingers for a brush, dried her hair until it was just slightly damp. She practically tossed the drier under the sink again as she checked her appearance in the mirror, wished desperately for a tube of mascara, then darted out of the bathroom. She composed herself for a moment in the hall before slinking toward the door, content when she found Ji-hu alone, seated at the dining table.

"Hey," she said, her smile fading as she drew closer and saw the dark scowl on his face. "Who was it?" she asked, sinking into one of the chairs next to him, instantly concerned.

"Jan-di."

"Oh. What...what did she want?" Izzie's stomach dropped at the other woman's name and she shifted in her seat, self-consciously pulling down the hem of her shirt.

"For me to go to Paris."

"For...what?" she sputtered, unsure she understood what he had said.

"Apparently, Jan-di's only female cousin just broke her leg in a boating accident and won't be able to be in the wedding. She needs another bridesmaid."

"You don't mean..."

"I promised her I would ask Min Seo-hyun. I will keep my promise."

"Ji-hu, let me go. I can handle – "

"You need to be here. You have a lot of loose ends to tie up, I'm sure, since you'll be leaving in just a few weeks." He rose from the table, and Izzie had to fight the urge to scream in frustration.

Whatever moment had almost passed between them was clearly not going to happen again. Though his tone was perfectly polite, Izzie understood quite clearly that it was time for her to leave. She gathered her things while he went to retrieve his glasses, blushing slightly when he silently offered her a belt upon his return. She looped it around her waist and, when she slipped on her heels, the shirt suddenly looked less conspicuous. She followed him to his car and they road to her hotel in silence.

Maybe he's more like Jun-pyo than you thought, she mentally grumbled as she considered his sudden shift in mood towards her. He barely smiled when she exited the car, thanking him just before he drove off again.

She watched his car blend into traffic, determination steeling her back, making her raise her chin almost defiantly.

Mark my words, Ji-hu. Before I leave, I'm going to figure out how to read your mind.

She turned on her heel and marched into the hotel, her phone in hand as she began to rearrange her schedule.

A/N: In case you were wondering - yes, the album they were listening to in Ji-hu's car was SS501. I couldn't resist!