Chapter 20

Ga Eul was tackling a particularly stubborn stain on her apron in the kitchen of the porridge store while Jan Di was busy preparing a porridge bowl.

"So did you two have fun on your little getaway?" Jan Di asked, sarcastically.

"Come on, don't be a spoilsport." Ga Eul whined.

"What? I'm just asking since you left us out. I have no way of knowing if it was fun or not." Jan Di replied.

"Look, it was a sudden trip, and I told you Yi Jung kind of needed some alone time to unwind."

"So, you weren't there with him." Jan Di mocked.

"Don't go there. Jealousy is an ugly color on you." Ga Eul said,

"Well, when my friend starts including me in her life, I'll start becoming less jealous."

"It's not like you're available for me all the time also. You basically spend every waking minute with your boyfriend." Ga Eul argued.

"Okay, so maybe I'm in the wrong, too. But I feel like I'm spending time with you less and less, and that's scary. I don't want to lose you." Jan Di admitted.

"Like I could ever live without you, stupid. Who else would I literally talk to every day, huh?"

"Texting doesn't count, and you only do it because I force you to." Jan Di said. Ga Eul only sighed in response, knowing that it was true. She did update Jan Di daily. But that was to make sure she was okay. Ga Eul normally altered the truth to however she felt right. To whatever won't make Jan Di worried, and now Ga Eul had realized that there were mountains of secrets she kept from Jan Di. Things that only Yi Jung knew.

"You know what? We need a girls' night out. Without any of the F4. No Yi Jung and definitely no Jun Pyo." Ga Eul offered, hoping it would put her in Jan Di's good graces again.

"Alright." Jan Di said, her eyes excited but she tried to play it down.

"See, no one could come between us." Ga Eul said, hugging her Jan Di, trying to forget all the shame she felt towards her.

"It's going to be next week, but don't worry it won't take too long. I can even drive you home early. It's going to be a huge milestone for our company. Can you spare me that evening, Ga Eul? Hmm?'" Hong Joon asked her over the phone.

"I'll try to make it." Ga Eul replied, dejectedly. She had felt guilt over that trip. She abandoned her life for a few days of fun, and now it was time to return to her real life.

"Thank you. You won't regret it. I promise. And don't worry, I'll make sure to prepare everything for you. You just have to come." He said.

"Sure." Ga Eul replied, before hanging up.

"That was definitely Hong Joon." Ga Eul heard Yi Jung's voice. She looked up to the garage's upper floor. Yi Jung had come to see her in the garage. A curve of a smile appeared on her face.

"How did you know?" Ga Eul asked him when he joined her down, sitting on his usual chair.

"You look worried whenever he calls. Like you've been caught red-handed."

"That's not funny." Ga Eul said.

"And neither are you still taking to that piece of trash, yet here we are."

"He's not all that bad."

"Spare me your excuses for him. Nothing could make that dust bag of yours redeemable." Yi Jung continued. "Now, what did he want this time? He wants to help your help to revive the dead."

That caught Ga Eul's attention, and she shot her head up from the box of tools she was skimming through. "Leave. Come back when you're not drunk off your face, and acting like a dick." Ga Eul said after she caught a whiff of alcohol coming off of him other than the smell of chemicals in the garage.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that. I didn't mean it, okay?" Yi Jung pleaded.

"It's okay. But, you have to stop drinking so much. You haven't stopped drinking ever since we came back. Is everything alright?" Ga Eul asked.

"Dear old mother tried taking her life again. She was almost successful this time. But other than that, same old." Yi Jung blurted out.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ga Eul said, her eyes growing softer. She despised seeing Yi Jung like that—anything but seeing him so down.

"Don't be. It's not like you made her take those pills. But, do tell me. What did the fucker want?"

"You have a potty mouth when you're drunk."

"And you're diverting." Yi Jung retaliated.

"He wants me as his plus one to a company event. Says it's a huge milestone."

"And of course, you're going." He said.

"I am."

"For god's sake, Ga Eul. That guy is a psycho. At least let me come with you. I need to make sure you'll be okay." Yi Jung said.

"Hey, I managed just fine before we became friends. Now, stop worrying, and tell me which colour would you like Carolina to be?"

"Carolina? You named the car?" Yi raised his brows.

"Of course I named her. She's been with me for months now, and she's almost finished. Naming her would mean that a part of me is always with her. Despite a hundred litres worth of sweat." Ga Eul chuckled, and Yi Jung cracked a smile at her.

"Make her burnt orange. Just like my Lotus." Yi Jung said.

Ga Eul was staring at the gold dress on her. It was sequined from head to toe. She had done her head up and was getting the last steps of her makeup done. Hong Joon gave her that dress specifically to wear. He wasn't lying when he said he would take care of everything for her.

There was something about that dress that made her squeamish and uncomfortable. She felt like an imposter in that dress. Something about it didn't fit quite right.

Hong Joon had prepared a car for her slightly far from her parents' house. Enough not to gain any suspicions. Soon enough she found herself there. On Hong Joon's arms. The hall was wide. His family had gone out this time. This event was on such a wider scale than she remembered. And Hong Joon sauntered around the hall showing her off while talking to other important guests Ga Eul barely acknowledged. She knew how to stand by one's side and act pretty.

She made it her mission to memorize the designs on the carpet, or the glow of the chandelier in the light. Her mind wandered over the countless words that were being spilt in this very room. Maybe by the end of the night, it would've been a billion words spoken about absolutely nothing. However, one thing Ga Eul made sure to do was to ignore the gazes set upon her wherever her next move was. She had blamed it on the dress. It shockingly fits into the theme of the hall. Like it was planned, which Ga Eul could only assume it was once she stepped foot into the place. She had tried her hardest not to roll her eyes.

Once counting words could no longer divert her attention, she decided to drop an ear into the conversation being held at her table, and coincidentally the star of the conversation seemed to be her.

"And what does the young lady next to you plan to do for her future?" A middle-aged man asked. Ga Eul gave him one of her practised smiles, and before she had the chance to answer, Hong Joon did it for her.

"Right now, Ga Eul is heading into her senior year, but after that, she's going to university in Germany. That way we could be together once I take head over our Germany branch." Hong Joon said, smugly.

"Oh, how wonderful! That is such a healthy young couple." A lady in her mid-forties exclaimed.

Ga Eul at that very moment felt her hands shaking over her lap, and she tried to wipe away the shaking and sweat on her lap, calming herself down before answering. "We're still not sure about that plan. I mean anything could happen, right, Hong Joon?" Ga Eul looked beside her, directly into his eyes. Threatening him with all her might while being calm.

"Yeah, yeah. Of course. That's just wishful thinking on my part." Hong Joon added.

How long has he been spouting that rubbish since they came? Ga Eul found her mind racing in anger. While she was busy being stupid and counting sheep in her head, he must've been at work spreading that nonsense. Suddenly her chest felt tight, and she excused herself to the ladies' room. Her steps were shaky in her ridiculously long heels. That was a sticky situation, but she could get herself out of there at any moment, she kept reminding herself. It wasn't like anyone would hold her accountable for Hong Joon's nonsense in the future. She would be long gone by then. She just had to get through the evening, she chanted in her head over and over again.

She had been hiding in one of the bathroom stalls for a long time, hoping to gain the motivation to go back out there when she heard the conversation between the two girls who had just entered the bathroom.

"Could you believe her? Oh my god, I have not such brazen shame in my entire life." One of the girls said.

"I know. When I saw her there on his arm, I couldn't hold my gasp." The other one replied.

"And the dress. The audacity to wear her dead sister's dress and meander around with her fiancee. Who does she think she is?"

"Everyone knew she was a jealous bitch, but to go so far? Good god." The second girl exclaimed.

"Uncle Kang told me that they're both going to Germany together to continue her studies."

"Which is code for I'm going to live with my dead sister's fiancee." The second girl said, and they both broke into laughter before they went outside.

Ga Eul's vision doubled. She could hear her veins screaming in rage in her ear. Her hands shook while she held to the walls for life. Her breaths grew heavier and quicker. And the dress. It kept tightening on her as if punishing her, and trying to get out of her back to its rightful owner.

She kept repeating to herself that she was fine. She heard such words before. She was going to be okay. That made her calm down enough to open the stall and look at herself in the mirror in the bathroom. Her makeup was already smudged by silent tears, and the heat she felt rose out of her skin.

The dress. She had to get the dress off, and she would be fine. Everything would be fine. Her shaking arms searched for the zipper on her back, but it was stuck. She tried again but to no avail. Why was that happening to her? She asked herself. She took one final look in the mirror with the dress still choking her, and she fell down on the ceramic floor, with a single screaming breath falling out of her lips.

She kept going back and forth in her place soothing herself down when panic subsided to a more ferocious feeling. She felt the anger. That burning in her chest grew wild with each passing moment. Hot white anger. She couldn't feel anything. She couldn't see. She only abided by her body getting her up. Towards the one who set her up.

"HONG JOON." Ga Eul cried while slamming the doors open to the hall. Shocked eyes were all plastered on her at once, but she didn't care. She only cared in that instant about one person. When she recognized the pair of eyes, she went rushing down to him. Her dress flew over her massive steps across the hall. He looked at her in shock. But she relished in the fear that was also present in his eyes.

Once in sight, she grabbed him by the collar, using all her energy, and fighting the tremor in her shaky hands. His eyes searched hers for an answer. For a plea. But he could see none as the one before him wasn't the Ga Eul he knew.

"You sick twisted bastard." She seethed in rage, before she slammed him across the face, making him fall to the ground. She heard the collective gasps of everybody in the room.

"You will never be anything but a fucking parasite who feeds on others. Do you want to know why Chun Ja chose you over everyone? Because she saw the fucking insect you are. She knew she could bend you to her whim and will, and you would crawl on your knees for her. She didn't love you. Do you think anyone in their fucking mind would love you? I just pitied an insect like you, and you pay me like this, huh? People like you have special places in hell, just like her. I hope you both rot in hell together. You sick fuck." She kneeled next to him and spat in his ear. Ga Eul got up and stepped over him. She gave him one look back over her shoulder, and said "Disgusting."

She made her way over the crowded spectators in shock, but a group of five halted her steps for a few seconds before she made her way out of the door.

Ga Eul was stumbling over the wooden path outside. She had no idea how to get her dress off. Her hands always found the zipper, but her fingers weren't helping her. She screamed at herself. At the night sky. She just wanted the dress off. Why was that so hard?

She heard urgent footsteps behind her on the wooden floor, but she didn't care.

"Ga Eul, please wait." She heard Jan Di begging her. But Ga Eul marched on anyway. She didn't know why Jan Di was there, or any of the guys for that matter, but she walked on.

"Ga Eul, please." Jan Di cried, and ran over to her, hugging her.

"Get off of me. Please. Just leave." Ga Eul begged, her voice raspy. "LEAVE. ME. ALONE. God damn it." Ga Eul shouted, pushing Jan Di's arms away from her. Jun Pyo held his girlfriend while she cried.

Everyone was staring at her like she was crazy. Couldn't they see she just wanted to go home and take the dress off? Ji Hoo and Woo Bin were sharing worried looks. Their steps were hesitant between wanting to help her and being scared to bug her off. It was only Yi Jung who had the courage to grab her by the arm. Ga Eul felt crazy.

Insane.

Over the edge.

"I just want to take my dress off. Please, let me go, Yi Jung. I'll do anything you want just let me go." Ga Eul asked, her eyesight getting hazy with tears.

"Come on, I'll drive us home, okay? I'll find you other clothes, and we'll be alright. Let's go. Take my hand." Yi Jung said, his eyes burning hers. He promised her she'll be okay. He promised her new clothes.

Before she had time to realize what happened, he knelt wrapping an arm around her legs, and carried her back to the car.

She was in the shower screaming, crying. Yi Jung was in another room cursing at himself while trying to find a pair of scissors to cut the bloody dress damn open. Ever since they had arrived at one of his penthouses, Ga Eul had been trembling and quaking while he tried to force the zipper open, but it was stuck. He got her in the shower to distract her while he searched for scissors.

He found one in one of his drawers and rushed back to her.

"Get it off. Get it off. Please. I didn't do anything wrong." She kept crying on the floor while the water fell down on her.

"I have scissors here, Ga Eul. Show me your back. Don't worry, I won't look." Yi Jung said, turning her around, getting wet himself. He cut it open enough to give her room to wiggle out of it, then he immediately left her alone with a stack of his pyjamas to wear.

Yi Jung sat in a chair by the bed. Waiting for her to get out of the shower. When she did come out, she didn't utter a single word to him, or even look him in the face. She went right to bed and slept almost instantly.

All night he watched over her. Worried, his eyes getting tired. He held her calloused hand whenever squirmed because of a nightmare. He played with her hair whenever her screams got too loud while she was asleep.

All night he watched as Ga Eul curled upon herself in fear and shame.