Chapter 9: The Choices

"Trying to forget someone you loved is like trying to remember someone you never knew"

Yi Jung's P.O.V

The moment I heard she'd been discharged I wasn't sure whether to cry or to jump for joy. She was safe, but I couldn't see her. I shouldn't see her. If I did, all my willpower would crumble and I'd never be able to forgive myself. People like me only end up hurting her. She's a commoner. That's what I tell myself. She's just a silly little country bumpkin, no one of consequence. She was just a passing interest, a quirky girl who was just a rarity in your line of work. Nothing important; she couldn't be important.

My decision at the hospital had been simple, yet harder than I thought it would be. I'd vowed to stay away from Chu Ga Eul. I would erase her out of my life, brush away every bit of memory that I'd shared with her. I would forget her. Unfortunately, forgetting her was like trying to forget what my favorite pot looked like. It was practically impossible. But I would have to learn to, and quickly. If I knew Ga Eul, she'd come and visit, at the very least to thank me for visiting and staying with her in the hospital. I'd have to be ice cold and hard, show no emotion what so ever if I wanted this to work.

Ga Eul's P.O.V

When I was finally discharged from the hospital, I was ecstatic. Even though the F4 (minus Yi Jung-sunbae) were all there to see me home, I couldn't help being happy to be home. Well, not exactly home. I was staying at Jan Di's until my parents came home from their trip. For some reason no one knew where they were, or how to contact them. Last I'd heard, was that they were going to go on a cruise to see the Canary Islands. They had yet to return. I didn't worry though. After all, my parents tend to be absent minded. They'd saved up money and I'd slipped some of my tip money into the savings (not that they knew) into a fund to go on a second honeymoon to celebrate their anniversary. I was happy for them.

"Welcome home Ga Eul!" Woo bin-sunbae said cheerfully. When I squinted out the window of Ji hoo's car, I gasped.

"Jan Di-ah!" I pulled in air quickly, causing my ribcage to burn as the tape around my torso contracted. "This isn't your house!" Jan Di looked uncomfortable and wary.

"Well, actually Ga Eul-ah, it's Woobin-sunbae's." As I teetered on my crutches, now that I was out of the car, I could only gape in astonishment, my gaze switching from Woo bin-sunbae's to the house, then back again.

"Jan Di, I thought I was staying at your house!" I whispered reproachfully.

"The doctor said that you should get lots of sleep, and not get too excited. My house is crazy, my parents work at odd times and I'm studying at insane hours to work for my medical degree. Ji-hoo sunbae is going to be out of the country for a while, and we couldn't have you living at a hotel. So…Woo bin sunbae offered his home." My best friend avoided my eyes sheepishly. "I made him promise to not do anything to you." I blushed at this slightly.

As if that settled everything, my friends lifted my meager belongings into the mansion that sunbae called a house. I stood on the stoop, tentative to walk into the foyer.

"Come on in Ga Eul!" Woo bin called from somewhere above me. Seeing him trotting by a railing, I called up to him.

"Sunbae, not that I don't appreciate this, but I could stay somewhere else, I could stay at a hotel or something." He shook his head at me.

"It's not a problem!" He then gave me a slightly embarrassed look. "Unfortunately, our best spare room is upstairs. But, there is a ramp or elevator by the bottom of the stairs behind the curtain. That way you can move easily, even on those crutches of yours." Sighing inwardly, I swung toward the elevator, knowing that there was no use arguing with the F4.

Yi Jung's P.O.V

I was sitting in the lounge for us F4 members when I heard the others coming in. They seemed to be arguing over colors.

"I still say it should be pink." Jun Pyo called out. "All girls love pink. It's all girly and frilly." Ji-hoo shook his head.

"You don't know her favorite color Jun Pyo. For all you know, her favorite color's white."

"White isn't a color!"

"Yes it is."

"It's not."

"It is."

"Alright!" Woo bin shouted above the din. "We'll just ask her tomorrow!" As they all plopped down in their respective seats, they seemed to notice me for the first time. Jun Pyo was the first to address me.

"Ya! Yi Jung, you know her best, what's Ga Eul's favorite color?" I blinked at him confused.

"Ga Eul-ishii?" I queried.

"Yeah, Jan Di's friend, you know her best, what's her favorite color?"

I remembered her blue dress and her red coat. Then, closing my eyes I tried to picture her in different shades. "Light purple and pale pink probably." I murmured softly.

"See? I told you we should go with pink." Jun Pyo thrust a fist in the air triumphantly.

"We'll just double check with her tomorrow, but make it sneaky. If she finds out, she'll just go all defensive and say we're going to much trouble." Ji-hoo spoke quietly, ignoring Jun Pyo's jubilant yell completely.

Woo bin's P.O.V

I saw Yi Jung's I close for a second, a slight smile on his face as he thought about Ga Eul's favorite color.

"Light purple and pale pink probably." He'd murmured so quietly I'd strained to hear him. When his eyes opened, seeds of confusion seemed to be taking root. "Why do you want to know?"

I was hesitant. I didn't really want to tell Yi Jung where Ga Eul would be staying until her folks came home. I knew how he felt about her, even if he pretended he didn't like her at all. He would not be happy to hear she was staying at my house. My intentions are totally honorable. I don't like Ga Eul the way Yi Jung does (even if I did, it's SO off-limits 'cause of Yi Jung) I think of her as more of sister, someone to take care of and protect. She may not think so, but she does need protecting. Ruffling my red-ish brown hair nervously, I glanced nervously at my best friend. His dark black hair seemed slick and normal as always. His tie was crooked, the only sign he was affected at all by the issues at hand.

"Isn't it obvious why we want to know?" Jun Pyo snorted. Ji-hoo shot him a warning look. Clearly he didn't see it though. He kept right on going. "We want to change her room of course!" If Yi Jung was confused before, he was downright baffled now.

"Huh?" He turned toward Ji-hoo waiting for an answer. I coughed slightly, returning his gaze toward me. Clearing my throat nervously, I took the plunge.

"The thing is…Ga Eul's staying at my place."

"WHAT?!"

A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't updated in like, FOREVER. I've been insanely busy. Seriously, like crazy busy. The fencing season began a few weeks ago, and it's been completely insane. Practices go for two hours after school, I have to do homework, clean my room, and by the time I get home from fencing I'm usually zonked. So imagine doing all that when you're tired. I hope you aren't too angry with me. I hope you like this chapter, I put some thought into it, and I hope to be updating more quickly now that I've got the ball rolling. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

~Ri