Ga Eul had decided to keep Eun Jae her secret until after Yi Jung's birthday. She didn't want to ruin his day. She didn't want to imagine his pain when he discovered that Eun Jae was with his older brother now. She wanted to harbour his happiness a little bit more. She also wanted to keep Yi Jung all to herself on his birthday. She didn't want him to think about Eun Jae. She didn't want to be Eun Jae's stand-in. Like she was to Hong Joon. She knew it wasn't fair to compare Yi Jung to Hong Joon. But she couldn't handle her insecurities eating away at her heart. She was being cruel and selfish but she couldn't help herself.

She had kept all this in a compact deep in her heart. She wished she could speak up. She wanted to tell everything to Jan Di, but the words fell flat out of her mouth. She wanted to share her feelings and frustrations like a normal person but instead, she kept her mouth shut. She wanted to know how people spoke up so easily. It was the hardest task in the world. Like her mouth was made of heavy steel.

She was finishing the final touches of packaging her gift then she got ready with Jan Di. It had been a while since she visited Jan Di's house, and it felt like returning to a haven. For many years, Jan Di's home was where she found warmth. Jan Di's family always had a soft spot when it came to her. They were the blessing that kept her safe. She always viewed Jan Di's family with admiration. They were her saviours.

Jan Di had paid extra attention to Ga Eul's makeup and attire. Like she was dressing her favourite doll.

"You look lovely." She beamed.

"No wonder Yi Jung is so whipped." Jan Di added.

Ga Eul looked at herself in the mirror. She saw her ebony curls fall softly around her shoulders. Her makeup accentuated her features. Jan Di was talented, she thought to herself. Ga Eul was always comfortable with the way she looked, and doubts about her appearance rarely happened. But today she felt how truly she shined.

"I don't think Yi Jung would be able to keep his hands to himself tonight." Jan Di whispered. Ga Eul hit her arm lightly, heavily blushing.

"What? Am I not allowed to make remarks? It's Yi Jung we're talking about after all."

"There's nothing like that I assure you. He's very respectful of my boundaries."

"Of course he is. He does everything you need before you realise it. But the poor boy is suffering. You don't see the way he looks at you. It's too intense sometimes."

"It's not that bad." Ga Eul said. Jan Di cackled at her.

"You can't be serious. I'm surprised that you're keeping your composure well. If Yi Jung looked at any girl like that, she wouldn't be able to function. Even I was flustered by Yi Jung when I first met him. He's a force to be reckoned with."

"That he is."

"You're too precious, Ga Eul. He's lucky to have you." Jan Di said, holding Ga Eul's shoulders while looking at her in the mirror. Ga Eul put her hand over hers.

"Jun Pyo's lucky, too." Ga Eul replied.

"Since you opened the subject. I'm curious. Have you and Jun Pyo..?" Ga Eul asked.

"NO." Jan Di shouted.

"Who do you think I am? Of course not. Not yet anyway." Jan Di explained. Ga Eul laughed at Jan Di's flustered face.

"You're acting so shy when you're the one who started the topic."

"Yi Jung's different from Jun Pyo. Far different. Yi Jung's so experienced while Jun Pyo is not. We're both each other's first relationship, so our relationship is developing at a much slower pace than others. But if something did happen, I would've told you."

"I assumed you wouldn't since it's something private."

"Of course I would tell you, idiot."

"It makes me feel special to know I would be the first to know when you guys." Ga Eul couldn't complete her sentence as Jan Di muffled her voice with her hands. Ga Eul bit her palm, and Jan Di retracted her hand away quickly in pain. Ga Eul couldn't hold back her laughter as she struggled to take her breath.

"You've ruined your makeup. Now I have to start all over again." Jan Di whined as Ga Eul continued to laugh. It wasn't long before Jan Di followed her too.

Ga Eul held Jan Di's hand as they both entered the mansion. It was unlike anything Ga Eul had ever seen. That mansion was one of the real estate that his family-owned. It only existed for events such as this one. Her mouth went agape as she saw the hanging chandeliers above her head. Everywhere around her were murals that ran all over the wall up to the ceiling. They were telling a story in the Joseon era, but she couldn't follow as her steps were fast. Every corner was a piece of art whether the murals or the priceless pieces of pottery. She felt like she stepped into a gallery rather than a house.

There were lights, like fireflies, leading from the hallway into the ballroom. She looked over at Jan Di's stricken face. This party was beyond anything she could've ever imagined. There were fountains of champagne, a live classical music band and food. It was so posh and over the top, that Ga Eul wondered if was edible not just for decor. Like the rest of the mansion, the murals were everywhere. But in here, there was the grand finale. Above her, was the last scene of the mural. The ending to the story.

A king was sitting over his throne, resting his head on his hand as he watched over his subjects. They were all bowing their heads in submission, tied up with ropes. They were crying, begging. But the king didn't care. He was bored. His eyes were dead, devoid of any emotion. It was such a horrific scene yet it was done so beautifully she could find herself beginning to forget the cruel meaning behind it.

Yi Jung was standing on a stage, wearing a suit that matched the colour of the king's traditional attire in the mural. She understood the underlying message.

"Welcome, everyone. Thank you for kindly celebrating my birthday. Here's to every one of my lovely guests. May we all celebrate each year together. To you." He said, raising his champagne glass, smirking. They all raised their glasses to his toast.

The rest of the F4 were at a table, also raising their glasses. They were looking over at each other, sharing mocking laughs. Jan Di rolled her eyes and whispered in Ga Eul's ear, "Men."

"Filthy rich men." Ga Eul corrected as she hooked her arms with Jan Di and went over to their table.

"Looking wonderful, ladies." Woo Bin said. Jan Di went by Jun Pyo's side as he hugged her.

"Thank you, Woo Bin." Ga Eul replied.

"Don't worry. Yi Jung will join us shortly."

"I wasn't worried."

"I'm sure you weren't." Woo Bin smiled.

"What did you get Yi Jung?" Ji Hoo asked, looking at the box in her hands.

"It's a surprise. Only Jan Di knows." Ga Eul said, winking at her friend.

"Ga Eul." She heard a voice speak over the masses. When she looked behind her, she saw Yi Jung coming towards her in hurried footsteps. He engulfed her in a hug before she realized.

"You look wonderful." He whispered.

"You don't look too bad yourself." She replied. He chuckled at her. He took her hand and excused them both from the table.

She followed him until they reached a balcony.

"I was waiting for you all day." He said, tugging a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Is that for me?" He looked at the gift box.

"Who else could it be for?"

He took the box from her hand and opened it. He took out the tea bowl from it and inspected it in admiration. It was small and it was not fancier than the bowls he already owned, but this one was special. She had engraved Forget-me-nots on the sides of the bowl. She was presenting him with her respect and faithfulness.

"You made this yourself?" He asked.

"I've been taking classes behind your back."

Yi Jung crushed her in a hug so quickly.

"That's the best gift ever given to me. You're the best thing to ever happen in my entire life. Thank you. I can't say thank you enough." He said, holding her in his embrace.

"It's nothing, Yi Jung."

"It's everything. You don't understand how much you mean to me and it drives me crazy."

"I know, Yi Jung."

"I'm in love with you." Yi Jung confessed. His eyes bore into hers.

"You don't have to say it back, but I'm in love with you so much. It hurts my soul that you don't know the depth of my love for you."

"I love you, too. So so much." She replied, hiding her face in his chest as she held him. She knew her confession didn't mean the same, but she didn't dare to say how in love she was. He wrapped her arms around her, understanding the silent message in her words.

"When the time comes, I'll know you'll say the words, too. So I'll be content with this because I know you love me." He sighed into her hair.

"I wish I could hold onto you in front of everyone. But I'll wait for you as long as it takes."

She raised her head and looked up at him with contentment.

The rest of the night she watched as Yi Jung socialized with everyone. Heads followed him everywhere he went. He did look extra good-looking today if that were even possible.

Ga Eul stood by the buffet, trying to take her pick of the edible art. She wondered if it would taste anything close to decent. She took a bite that she soon spit out on her plate. It was disgusting.

"Glad to see you enjoying the food." Woo Bin came up behind her.

"It's worse than horse shit. I would know since I fell face-first in it before." She admitted. Woo Bin choked on his champagne, laughing. Ga Eul tapped on his back as he coughed.

"How did that happen?"

"I was at a stable with my family, and I got so distracted by the horses that I fell on the ground. "

"Ugh." He faked a gag.

"It's our secret." She said, putting her finger against her lips.

"I don't keep secrets. I tell them."

"What do I have to pay you to hush?"

"Accept apology?" He raised his eyebrows.

"For?"

"Intervening between you and him."

"It's okay. You were worried for your friend."

"I was worried for both of my friends." He said, giving her a gentle tap on her shoulder before he left.

"We could go home right now if you want. Jun Pyo's driving us home. You'll sleep over at mine's today."

"I don't know. I think I'll wait for Yi Jung." Ga Eul said. She didn't want to leave him early.

"Good luck with that, but Yi Jung isn't going home anytime soon. The after-party hasn't even started."

"What after party?"

"This party is just for formalities. The real shit happens after midnight." Jun Pyo clarified.

"I'll still wait." Ga Eul replied.

"Whatever suits you, but it's not your scene. There's a reason why only Woo Bin is staying behind."

"Thanks for the warning."

"Are you guys leaving?" Yi Jung asked Jan Di as he joined them. He put his arm around Ga Eul.

"Yes, we are. Ga Eul's staying, though."

"Of course she is. I wasn't going to let her go so early." He squeezed his arm around her.

"Something's telling me I'm not going to like it."

"Oh, you're going to despise it. I'm so excited." He said as he dragged her out of the ballroom. Ga Eup couldn't shake her confusion as the party behind her was still going on.

Ga Eul couldn't contain her shock anymore. Every time she thought she knew what she was getting into, she realized just how in over her head she was.

Ga Eul was taken aback by the sudden darkness surrounding her, but she soon got used to the lack of light. She immediately understood why this club wasn't meant for everyone. Rich people, the ones close to the F4's level, had to keep up appearances wherever they were. That included clubbing, too. However, here, it was no man's land. They were free to do anything they wanted. The unusual harsh darkness was an invitation for them to truly get wild.

She especially saw the freedom in the girls. It was a man's world after all, and expectations were always stricter under women. Their clothes were much more unconfined than what she was used to for higher-class women like themselves. They all could pass under normal people here except for the fact that here unwind true power.

Yi Jung tugged on her arm, leading her to the dance floor. Everyone around her was drunk, and she found it uncomfortable at first. The liquor in their veins was stronger than anything that could be served in usual clubs.

"Relax, I've got you. It's like the club we went to in Jeju, remember?" He whispered in her ear as he twirled her around, getting a giggle out of her.

"Yes." She said, looking into his eyes.

"It's like then. Just you and me." He said, pulling her closer to his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"It's my birthday, so can you indulge me in this? Dance with me. Like I'm yours." He pleaded.

Ga Eul's breath hitched. Her heart was pounding in her chest harder than the music. She couldn't refuse. She couldn't resist him. Never.

She wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him closer than before if that were even possible. He swayed her to the music.

"You can't act like you're the only one who's struggling. You know what I want, too."

"Not as bad as I do. If it were for me, everyone in this room would've known how I belong to you as much as you belong to me. But here I am. Waiting for as long as you want me to."

"I'm doing this for the good of both of us." She tried to convince herself more than she was convincing him.

"I know. But I'm also sure that at the end of this waiting, we'll be together. And I promise you there will no getting rid of me."

"I won't ever try to get rid of you." Ga Eul replied, pained that he didn't understand how much she could never do something as horrendous as that. She leaned her head on his chest as they swayed. The scent of his cologne made her surrender in his embrace. Her brain turned to mush while his grip on her tightened. She could feel the unspoken words hung in the air. The veins on his neck strained.

"Can you grant me one more favour?" He whispered.

"Anything." Her voice strained.

He leaned down his head mere inches away from her. He hung a few seconds closer to her, his breathing heavy, before he planted a long kiss on her cheek. His face was lost between her curls in the crook of her neck. He was everywhere around her and she forgot everything else. For a while, it felt like it was only them that existed in this room. Seconds felt like hours as they stayed in each other's embrace.