Chapter 8

Ji-hu felt the anxiety grip him the minute he stepped out of his hotel, the streets of Paris bustling around him. He took a deep breath and set off towards her favorite café, knowing there was no place else she would be spending a sunny Sunday afternoon. His heart was pounding in his throat and he wondered if Seo-hyun would take pity on him if he was in the grips of a panic attack when he approached her. He buried his hands into his pockets, suddenly wishing he hadn't brushed Izzie off when she had offered to come with him.

You can't rely on her – she's leaving, he reminded himself, his heart dropping as he replayed the moment she had made the announcement. The week following had been miserable, but he had almost become used to it when she had appeared again, sauntering through his theatre with a voice like the rich, smoky/sweet drink she liked. He didn't know if she had seen his hands shake on the piano keys when she had sat next to him, or if she realized how desperately he had wanted to kiss her then and beg her not to leave.

That feeling only intensified when he had fought with her like a child, flinging paint despite the crowd that had formed to watch him. He couldn't remember feeling more joy than the moment he had held her, panting and covered with paint, refusing to give in out of pure stubbornness. He had thought in that moment he was going to lose all self-control - then he took her into his home. When she had come out of that bathroom, dressed only in his shirt with her hair wet and messy, he had frozen, paralyzed until she had bumped into him. He still felt his blood warm as he remembered the way she had pressed into him, her bare thigh brushing his as she had closed her eyes and lifted her head, obviously inviting him to do exactly what he had wanted. He had almost ignored the door, and there were moments over the past couple days he wishes he had done just that. However, as he hurried through Paris he silently thanked Jan-di for her timing. Had he kissed Izzie, he knew he would have been lost, and would never be able to let her go.

And he had to let her go.

Ji-hu took a deep breath as he stood across from the café, the misery he felt over Izzie subsiding slightly as his anxiety peaked. As expected, Seo-hyun sat alone at a table, sipping cappuccino and reading a novel. For a moment Ji-hu felt rooted to his spot, too terrified to move closer, for fear she would see him. Then he remembered the look of shame on Jan-di's face as she admitted she didn't have another bridesmaid and begged him to find any other girl but Seo-hyun to fill in. Despite her objections, however, Ji-hu knew how much it would mean to Jan-di to have her Seo-hyun-eonnie by her side. The thought was enough to mobilize Ji-hu, and with a sigh he crossed the street, walking purposefully up to her table.

"Good afternoon, Seo-hyun."

She froze at his voice, then slowly lowered her book and took off her sunglasses, turning to look up at him. Ji-hu shifted awkwardly as a thousand different emotions flittered across her flawless face until, finally, she stood before him and slapped him hard across his cheek. Ji-hu cringed, but silently accepted his punishment, turning back to her just in time to see tears shining in her eyes before she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"How dare you. Do you know how you worried me? How scared I was that something had happened to you until I got Yi-jeong's text that you were safe back in Seoul?"

"I'm sorry, Seo-hyun."

"I am too," she said pulling away so that she could look at him. "After you had gone, I suddenly realized how you must have felt when I said I was leaving, without any other warning. How you all must have felt. I was so selfish. I couldn't even appreciate you when I had you here with me."

Standing next to her again, Ji-hu expected to feel something of his old desires and admiration stir again, but he merely felt the old ache of a precious friend one had gone too long without seeing. He smiled then, brushing a tear from her cheek as she chuckled.

"Oh, aren't we causing a scene? Have a seat, please."

Ji-hu waited until she had sat before he pulled out a chair for himself, a waiter instantly appearing to take his order. Ji-hu requested another cappuccino and smiled when he realized Seo-hyun was staring at him.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry, it's just...look at you. Smiling and laughing. That Jan-di has been good for you."

"Mm. She has," Ji-hu agreed, his smile dimming slightly.

"I knew she would. The first time I saw you look at her, I just knew you were meant to be. It broke my heart, but I knew you would realize it eventually as well. I cried when you left, but at the same time I felt such joy for you, knowing you had found your soulmate."

The server arrived with his drink and Ji-hu wondered for a moment how to approach the reason for his trip. He took a sip of his coffee and decided a direct approach would be best.

"Jan-di is the reason I came. She would be very honored if her Seo-hyun-eonnie would be a bridesmaid in her wedding."

Seo-hyun gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth as tears once again filled her eyes. She dropped her hands to grab his arm, her smile beatific.

"Oh, Ji-hu! Of course I'd be honored to be in your wedding! I can't imagine what took you so many years, but I would be delighted!"

"Seo-hyun, that's not exactly...I'm not marrying Jan-di."

"This is simply so exciting, I cannot – I...I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"Jan-di is marrying Gu Jun-pyo."

"J...Jun-pyo?" her smile disappeared as she sank back in her seat. "I don't understand. She's your soulmate."

"Mm. She is. She always will be. But she is not in love with me. She loves Gu Jun-pyo."

They sat in silence for a moment, Ji-hu sipping his coffee for want of anything better to do. The color had drained from her face and Seo-hyun seemed to struggle with his news.

"How could this happen?" she finally asked. "When I was leaving, that girl begged me to consider your feelings. It was so obvious she loved you."

"That may have been true. But I went off to Paris and by the time I returned, she had let me go. No matter what happened after that, nothing could displace the love she felt for him. And now they're finally getting married."

He smiled as he thought back through all of the trials and challenges his two best friends had faced, and the way they had stubbornly refused to give in, both even risking their lives in order for them to live happily ever after. Now that he looked back, he was proud of them for the way they kept fighting, and thankful that they would soon make their vows to love each other always and forever.

"Well, this is not what I expected. All this time I took comfort knowing that my Ji-hu was happy – that he had found his partner. What am I to do now?"

Ji-hu looked back to Seo-hyun, surprised to find her looking desolately into her drink. He reached out his hand, covering hers and forcing her to meet her eyes.

"I am happy, Seo-hyun. My best friend is marrying the only girl he could ever love. And the Jan-di is marrying the man that she loves so fiercely she is willing to die for him just to remember who she is."

"What?"

"It's a long story," he responded with a chuckle, knowing he would need until the wedding to explain all the circumstances surrounding Jan-di and Jun-pyo's romance. "No matter the groom, though, please, say you'll stand by Jan-di? Remember, Jun-pyo is your friend, too."

She looked like she wanted to refuse, her eyes sad and her mouth set in a firm line, but he shoulders collapsed and she finally nodded.

"I'll do it. I am not sure I can support it, but I will do it for you, Yun Ji-hu."

"Thank you, Seo-hyun." Ji-hu sat back in his seat, releasing her hand and picking up his cappuccino.

"Then tell me, Ji-hu, if your soulmate is marrying another man, how is it that you are smiling?"

"My friends happiness and your company is not reason enough to smile?" he evaded, though he knew Seo-hyun would never let the matter go.

"Not for you. It was once a Herculean feat to make you smirk, and now your happiness shows so easily. There's something behind that."

"Perhaps."

"Ah, there's someone behind it then!" Her eyes brightened and Ji-hu regretted piquing her curiosity. "Ji-hu! You should have said something earlier! I would have saved me the trouble of worrying for you!"

"I don't exactly...it's complicated," he finally admitted, his smile faltering. Despite the years that had passed, he couldn't be anything but honest with Seo-hyun, and in truth, he yearned to talk to someone about the emotional turbulence he'd been suffering.

"Tell your nuna, who is she?"

"Her name is Izzie Wagner."

"Izzie Wagner? She's American?"

"Yes. She's Jun-pyo's personal assistant." The title seemed unreasonable simple to explain who Izzie was. She was a musical connoisseur with an unbelievable voice. She was a daredevil that had an incredible sense of style. She was brilliant, ambitious and so complex he knew he could spend his lifetime studying her and she would still find ways to surprise him.

"You don't have to tell me more. Your face says it all," Seo-hyun said with a soft smile as she sipped her coffee. "She must be very special."

"She is. Very special," he agreed as his smile failed.

"Then...why are you frowning?"

"After the wedding...Izzie is going back to the US."

"Why? Does she not have a proper visa?" Seo-hyun's tone sharpened and Ji-hu recognized her switching into her attorney mode.

"No, no her paperwork is fine. She...she started to work for Jun-pyo because she was in love with him. Though he didn't realize it, Jun-pyo took advantage of her devotion and mistreated her severely. So...she's leaving."

"I see. So, is she still in love with Jun-pyo?"

Ji-hu remembered their almost kiss, the way she had smiled at him and taken his arm when they sat at his piano, and the way her eyes had lit up when she had first seen him at the Woo Song Museum. He also remembered the look of disgust on her face when she had so coldly told Jun-pyo that she had loved him and regretted following him for years.

"No, I don't believe she is."

"Good. Then convince her to stay."

"I'm...I'm not sure I can," he confessed. "She seems determined to go."

"Then you need to be more determined for her not to."

"Seo-hyun – "

"Listen, Ji-hu. You already know that running off after your love doesn't work. By that point, it's too late. She's made up her mind. You need to convince her now, before she's made all of her plans, that she belongs with you."

Ji-hu watched the people passing them, weighing Seo-hyun's words. He agreed that it would be foolish to run after Izzie, knowing how disastrous his first attempt had been. His mind squabbled with the advice, trying to find all of the faults with any plan he started to form, but for the first time in a week, his heart felt hopeful.

"What of your happiness? How are you?" he finally asked, wanting to change the subject, even though his mind and heart continued to war about what his next step should be with Izzie.

"My life has been...fulfilling." A private smile turned her lips and Ji-hu instantly focused on her.

"Tell me everything."

"Ji-hu...it's been what? Six years? Seven? You would need to be here all day to hear everything." She laughed and Ji-hu sat back in his seat, holding his mug.

"So be it then."

They sat chatting and laughing for hours, quickly falling back into a comfortable rapport that is never lost to such old, close friends. Finally, Seo-hyun had to excuse herself to get ready for a dinner and Ji-hu felt a stab of disappointment that she was leaving. He paid for their drinks and hailed her a taxi, smiling brightly, even though his mind was once again churning with indecision on what to do about Izzie.

"I am so happy you came, Ji-hu. And knowing that I'll see you again in a week brings me more joy than you know."

"I'm happy to see you too, nuna." Tears filled her eyes at the old endearment, and she pressed her palm to his cheek, smiling at him very much like an older sister.

"Hm. Remember what I said, Ji-hu. Convince her to stay now."

He opened the door and helped her to sit, but paused before he shut the door.

"Will you answer something honestly?"

"Of course," she said immediately, her look showing she was almost offended he would ask.

"If I had come to you and truly begged you to stay, before your birthday party or after...would it have mattered? Would you still have left?"

She considered what he said, a sad smile on her lips, as if she was anticipating the question.

"Probably. But I always knew your happiness was not linked to mine, Ji-hu. I had hoped it was...I had wanted it to be so badly. The night at that party I was almost convinced...but deep in my heart I just knew." Ji-hu hang his head for a moment until he heard her continue. "She is different, Ji-hu. Perhaps I was wrong about Geum Jan-di. Maybe this Izzie Wagner is the woman who will depend on your happiness. Regardless of if she is or isn't, you must do your best to find out, hm?"

"Thank you," was all he could think to say as she gave him a smile and he closed her door. She immediately rolled down her window and Ji-hu waited for her to speak.

"Ji-hu? Good luck." She waved and the taxi roared off, barely missing several pedestrians as it slid into the stream of traffic.

Ji-hu walked slowly back to his hotel, his calm expression a mask concealing a brutal battle raging inside him. Could Izzie possibly care about him enough after just a couple of months that she would be willing to stay just for him? When she knew of his vow of devotion to Jan-di, how could she possibly believe that he loved her as truly as he did? How did he convince her that she had carved out a space in his heart and relegated Jan-di to a place that was reserved for the deepest, closest friends? He barely understood his feelings himself, how could he possibly hope to communicate them to Izzie in such a way that she would want to stay with him?

"Ji-hu!" He startled, looking up at the sound of his name. There, standing in front of his hotel, suitcase in hand, stood Izzie. She smiled at him, and instantly Ji-hu's mind cleared and feelings calmed. It only took three steps to reach her, pull her into his arms and press his lips to hers. The moment he held her he knew that he could never find words that would convey all of his feelings for her, but hoped she could understand the way she made his heart soar and blood burn. When she gasped he seized the opportunity, deepening the kiss as he memorized her taste. After only a moment's hesitation he felt her hands clutch the front of his shirt, one of her hands eventually slipping around his middle to hold him tighter. When he thought his lungs would burst Ji-hu pulled away, cupping her face and searching her eyes. After a moment of haziness she seemed to focus on him, then a bright smile spread over her swollen lips and reddened her already flushed cheeks.

"Mm...bonjour," she whispered, causing him to chuckle as he rested his forehead against hers, caressing her cheek with his thumb. He cleared his throat and started to pull away, but she grabbed his jacket and pulled him closer.

"Oh, don't stop there," she murmured before pulling him into another kiss. This time she took the initiative to immediately deepen the kiss, her hands sliding down his abdomen as she began kissing a trail to his ear, nibbling on the lobe as she whispered: "I think you should take me inside now."

Ji-hu nodded and quickly scooped to pick up her bag, gathered her under his arm and guided her into the hotel.

A/N: ...and we all know what happens next! If you want the nitty gritty, you can skip to the very last "chapter" title Salle 501. Honestly, I preferred keeping it separate from the story because I didn't feel it was necessary to the story and would hinder my pacing. I still had to write it though ^_~. Of course, I would love to know your thoughts on the matter, dear readers (*cough* review *cough*).