CHAPTER 3 – ENTER THE LOTUS FLOWER

The sharp morning light pierced Woo Bin's eyes as he woke to a heaviness in his head he could not quite account for and an incessant tapping that seemed to be right in his ear. Momentarily blinded by the light, he lifted his head only to feel the protest of stiff, cramped muscles. Where was he?

"Sunbae? Sunbae! Woo Bin Sunbae!" He heard his name and turned toward the sound. Apparently he was still in his car and knocking on his window was…Jan Di? Quickly, he opened the door and stepped out, a little unsteadily.

"Jan Di-yah? What are you doing here?" he asked in surprise, rubbing the stiffness from his neck.

"What am I doing here? I live here Woo Bin! What are you doing sleeping in your car?" she demanded in return.

"Aahh…I don't really remember." Jan Di raised an eyebrow at this. "I mean…I had kind of a rough night. I guess I just kept driving until I couldn't drive anymore."

"Strange place for you end up! I suppose you were looking for Ji Hoo but he's living at his house during his residency. Why on earth didn't you just go home?" Jan Di asked.

Seeing his countenance darken at the mention of his home, she quickly told him, "Never mind. You'd better come inside and have some tea. You look like you could use it." Still getting his bearings, Woo Bin looked back at his car, surveyed the street and then shrugging as if to tell himself, "why not?" turned to follow Jan Di into the building ahead of them.

The large, white, modern building didn't look much like a home to him until he remembered that this was the dormitory for the female medical students. "Is it all right if I come in?" he asked. He didn't want to get her in trouble for bringing a man into the dorms.

"Of course, Sunbae! We're only going into the common rooms. And besides, it's you."

He wasn't quite sure what she meant by that but followed her into the eating area and sat down. Jan Di brought him a cup of tea and sat down across from him. "So. Woo Bin. Do I need to be worried about where my Jun Pyo is this morning? I know you boys have been having a reunion of sorts. What exactly were you all doing that led to this 'rough night' of yours? Or…did you guys fight?" she asked with alarm creeping into her voice.

She had meant only to tease him but this new possibility was now starting to worry her. Woo Bin reached out and touched her hand. "Aniyo! Nothing like that! No need to worry, Jan Di-yah! I wasn't even with Jun Pyo last night so I'm sure he's fine."

Jan Di seemed to relax, then narrowed her eyes at him. "That would imply that if he had been with you he wouldn't be fine? Tell me what's going on Woo Bin!"

Woo Bin dropped his head into his hands, pressing his palms into his eyes and sighed. "Nothing! Nothing happened last night and I'm perfectly all right!" he declared.

"Hmmmph," she responded with a tone of suspicion. "Drink your tea, it'll get cold."

Obediently, Woo Bin complied, glancing quickly at her and then around the room. "This was one of my father's buildings, I think," he said distractedly. Seeing Jan Di's blank look he reminded her, "We're in construction, you know." Among other things, he thought darkly.

Jan Di thought for the first time how little she knew about her friend and his family. Of the four "flowers" that made up the F4 he was certainly not the quietest but probably the least dramatic. He was always in the background, ready with a smile or a strong hand, whatever had been needed to keep the peace and make things right.

Between Jun Pyo's temper and his mother, her complicated relationship with Ji Hoo and Yi Jung's drinking and on-again/off-again relationship with Ga Eul, their lives had boasted more drama than the best of soap operas, so it was no wonder none of them had gone looking for further trouble that didn't clamor for attention. One of the side effects, she realized sadly, was that few of them ever really knew what was going on behind the jaunty attitude and hip hop slang of Woo Bin's. Well, she thought, she'd just have to see what she could do about that.

Woo Bin finished his tea and brought his attention back to her as she asked smilingly, "Sunbae, what are you doing today?"

"Hmmm? I…don't really know. I hadn't planned anything," he responded.

"Well, I don't have to go to the Hospital until six. Will you spend the day with me?"

"Me?" Woo Bin asked surprised. "Won't you want to spend the day with Jun Pyo?"

"Aniyo, he's got meetings all day today. Come on! In the spirit of reunions?"

Still feeling slightly raw and exposed from last night's exercise in honesty, Woo Bin wasn't sure he felt up to plastering his usual smile on again for a whole day, but since it was for Jan Di he knew he'd agree; he'd always had a soft spot for her.

At first it had just been because it was so amusing to see how riled up Jun Pyo got over her defiance, later, well, he supposed he felt obligated to her after seeing first hand all the heartache that Jun Pyo's mother had put her and her family through. He knew he was not to blame and that his father was not involved (although a few of his thugs may have been "rented out" to certain parties) but he also knew in the back of his mind that his father had employed similar tactics and worse against other families, innocent people who had been in his way.

He had wondered how many others had suffered like Jan Di's family because of his father and even though he could do nothing to stop it, at least he had been there to help Jan Di. In a way, those small acts of help he'd been able to offer had given him some dignity to cling to.

"A Yo!" he said, his grin returning, "What fool would say no?"

"Great!" Jan Di exclaimed, rising from the table. "Let me run upstairs and get my purse."

Woo Bin stood as well and looked around the room again while he waited for her, hoping that he would encounter no other reminders of his father that morning.