Happy new year, everyone! A big thanks to everyone who reviewed. Reviews make my day and give me the motivation to continue writing.

glorialopezgl534.03: Thank you for your review. Yeah, Jae Kyung is not having a good time. And you'll find out what the deal with Ga Eul is soon.

Sunny: That's so sweet! I'm so glad you liked the last chapter. It was intense. I hope you enjoy this one as well. Thanks for reviewing.

phantomstimeturner: Thanks for reviewing. Yi Jeong would be pleased Clarrise is your favorite :)

Guest: Glad you liked the last chapter. Hope you enjoy this one as well.

Guest: Thank you for such a sweet review! I'm so flattered that you read my story in a day. It's long. Hope you like the current chapter.

Miss Corday: Thanks for reviewing the earlier chapters. Hope you're enjoying the story.

Special thanks to my beta Vnillachamomile for helping out with this chapter. Enjoy, guys!

Jae Kyung sunk into the floor, her keychain still clenched in her fist. It had been an hour. Maybe more. But she hadn't moved. The cold, hard tiles comforted her, as odd as that maybe.

Ring, ring, ring.

Woo Bin's name flashed on her screen. She dismissed the call. As harsh as his girlfriend's words were, every single one rang true. And that stung far deeper than the bitterness in her tone, or the animosity in her eyes.

Ring, ring, ring, ring. She dismissed it once more.

Concern for her safety drove Woo Bin to pick her up from work. Every day. Religiously. But that wasn't her reason.

Ring, ring, ring, ring.

The truth was, when the porridge shop customers were extra abrasive, professor Chung unreasonably demanding, and her workload insurmountable, on those extra shitty days, meeting him afterwards was the only thing that kept her going. So, she accepted the rides. How damn selfish was that?

Ring, ring, ring, ring.

This was Woo Bin. He wouldn't stop calling.

"I'm fine. Don't—"

"Glad to hear that, Princess."

She dug her nails into the hula-hoop. "Yoo Jin-ssi?" After she ignored his texts on her birthday, and the several others he sent later, she hoped he'd stop contacting her. Clearly, she was wrong.

"Ssi, really? You're being this petty?"

"Sorry."

"And to think all this time, I've been worried sick about you."

"Listen—"

"After all, the customary reply to a birthday message is 'thank you.' Not prolonged silence. I thought something terrible must have happened."

"I'm really sorry." She picked at her earphone-wire. "But now is not a good time."

"What? You can't—"

She turned her phone off. She couldn't deal with this. Not today. Hugging her knees, she sat in complete silence.

Ding, dong. The sound of the doorbell pierced through the air.

Did Woo Bin decide to check on her? Or did Yoo Jin discover her new address somehow? And which one was worse?

Lady luck finally showed some mercy. It was Ga Eul. Only Ga Eul.

"Unnie, what happened?"

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"You were out with Sunbae and Ji Ah-ssi, right?" The question was evident on her face.

"It went great. She's lovely. They make a cute couple."

Ga Eul engulfed her in a hug.

"I'm fine. Really. Let's talk about you? What brings you here, at this hour?"

For a second, it looked as if Ga Eul would continue pressing, but she let the topic die. "I have some great news."

Jae Kyung smiled. After today's disaster, she could use some happy news.

"Chef Lee approved my accommodation change request."

"Great. You'll get to live next to all your friends." Jae Kyung never lived in a dorm before, but it sounded awesome.

"Not exactly. The building is fully booked. I'll get a separate apartment. Some place nearby."

"Your first home? It's the dawn of a new era. Oooh, could I help you decorate?"

"I hope so, since you'll be moving in with me."

She took a second to answer. "That sounds like cheating."

"No, it's not. You'll still pay rent. Just less than here. Since it's rent controlled."

It was skirting the line, but what the hell! She always wanted to share an apartment with friends. "I'd love to be your roomie."

"Great. Let's go out and celebrate."

"Maybe tomorrow. I've had a long day."

Ga Eul studied her face. "Okay. Mind if I hang out here for a bit? Watch some T.V?"

"Sure. I'm down for a sleepover."

While Ga Eul put on a movie, Jae Kyung used the opportunity to paint. Her last painting was a meticulous, pre-planned effort. This time, she let her imagination run rampant. The paper in front of her, she sketched away, not stopping to consider what she drew.

_oOo_

Lady luck continued her merciful streak. The next morning, Jae Kyung awoke to an empty room. No Ga Eul in sight.

Excellent news.

The task at hand required privacy. She spun around in her desk chair. There was no point putting it off. Scrolling through her call list, she hit dial.

"Jae. What happened yesterday?" asked Woo Bin.

"Yeah. Sorry about that. Just saw your missed calls . My battery died. Then I fell asleep."

"Don't worry about it. So, what did you think of Ji Ah?"

"She's lovely." Time to rip the bandaid off. "Listen, about tomorrow—" She took a deep breath. The last thing Woo Bin needed was two more people he loved fighting over him. She had to do this. "I'll be going back with Hana."

"But—"

"We're working on something. It'll just be easier."

"Jae, listen—"

"I gotta go. Ga Eul's here."

Cowards way out, but at least she went through with it. She shuffled over to the living room, searching for Ga Eul. The girl had a calming presence. It would help.

Jae Kyung found Ga Eul in front of the dining table, holding the painting from last night.

"Lake Seokchon?"

"Yeah. The aerial view."

"From the hot-air balloon?"

"Yeah." She snatched the painting back. "I'm starving. Come, let's have breakfast.

_oOo_

Jae dumped more clothes into the suitcase. She was moving in with Ga Eul tomorrow. That didn't leave much time for packing.

"Should I throw this?" asked Ji Na, holding last year's calendar.

"Yeah. I meant to trash that. But things kept sprouting up."

"Don't fret," said Yu Ri. "Ji Na's the biggest hoarder of them all. You're in good company."

Ignoring the comment, Ji Na continued sorting through Jae Kyung's cupboard.

"How about this? It's mostly papers?" asked Na Bi.

Jae Kyung snatched the box of letters. "I'll sift through ."

Her friends exchanged worried looks.

Yu Ri shifted closer. "Is that what I think it is?"

Jae Kyung feigned interest in her suitcase, hoping she looked busy. There was no use pulling at that particular thread. Some things were better left alone.

"We saw her yesterday, you know. At Joon's part," said Ji Na.

Jae Kyung met her gaze. "Ji Ah?"

Na Bi put an arm around Jae Kyung. "She isn't even all that pretty."

"Yeah. Just exotic."

"Come on. That's not true. She looks like a goddess."

"Sure. If you're into giraffes." Na Bi squeezed Jae Kyung's shoulder. "Trust me. You're much prettier."

"That's not—I appreciate what you're both trying to do. But I'm fine. Really."

No one said anything for a few seconds. Although, the worry lines on their foreheads remained.

Yu Ri broke the silence. "You've been riding home with us for a week now. Not that we mind. You're great company. But…"

"Thanks for doing that. You guys are the best."

"Stop dodging. What happened that night?"

"Nothing. It went great. Ji Ah's lovely," Jae Kyung said, her tone flat. She shuffled through the pile, refolding all the packed clothes. "They make a cute couple."

This wasn't the first time they had this conversation. But despite her several attempts at misdirection, they kept bringing it up.

"It's for the best. If you ask me." Busy stacking books into cartons, Hana didn't meet her eyes. "He isn't really your type."

"That's not true. He's sweet and fun. Has a wicked sense of humor. An unmatchable zest for life." Jae Kyung looped a strand of hair around her fingers. "And if you're his friend, he'll go to hell and back for you. That's everyone's type."

"He's also smoking hot."

"Stop that. He's my best friend. It's weird."

"Best friend? Is that what the kids—"

Hana snapped the book shut. "Yu Ri. Can you think before you speak? For once."

"Can you not be such a meddlesome, Granny? For once?" said Yu Ri.

They continued arguing among themselves for a bit. Jae Kyung, pleased that their attention was diverted, joined Ji Na and Na Bi in sorting through the desk drawer.

"We went to Shinwa for two years, you know," said Ji Na.

"Right."

"It's impossible to go to Shinwa and not know the F4. They practically ran the place."

"He's my best friend," said Jae Kyung.

"We aren't refuting that," said Na Bi. "But great friends don't always translate to great boyfriends."

"And dating an F4 member is intense."

"I'm sure the trade off is worth it. For Ji Ah," said Jae Kyung.

_oOo_

Yi Jeong joined the F3 on the sofa. It had been ages since they all hung out.

"So. Where's this circus I keep hearing about? I thought we'll all catch a show."

Jun Pyo frowned so deeply that Yi Jeong feared he'd burst into tears.

"Yeah," said Woo Bin. "We had to let them go."

"What? Why?"

"Because they had to eat, Yi Jeong. They had to eat," said Jun Pyo, latching on to Yi Jeong's sleeve.

"President Kang found out about the retainer," said Woo Bin. "And refused to keep paying. For a circus that was hardly performing."

Ji Hoo patted Jun Pyo's shoulder. "It was for the best. They were crowding the lounge backyard. I had to cancel my outdoor naps entirely."

"You guys are so heartless," Jun Pyo folded his arms. "Only Jan Di-ah feels my pain."

"Jan Di-ah here had become rather attached to the parrot," said Woo Bin.

"I wasn't attached. It was just a parrot. Even if he did repeat medical facts with amazing accuracy." She stood up. "Excuse me, there's something in my eye."

"Stop bringing it up," said Jun Pyo.

"Their goodbye was very tearful," said Ji Hoo. "Don't think she's recovered."

Yi Jeong leaned back against the backrest. "So ultimately, I was circus was a waste of money."

His cellphone rang, cutting off his gloating. The screen displayed Ga Eul's name. Ignoring Woo Bin's suggestive looks, he strolled into his bedroom before answering.

"Unnie and I are going to a bar with some of her friends," she said. "You wanna tag along?"

Yi Jeong didn't answer immediately. On one hand, no, he didn't want to crash girl's night. On the other hand, Jae Kyung wasn't going home with Woo Bin anymore. This would be the perfect opportunity to find out why.

He owed this to his friend.

"Sure. Text me the address."

_oOo_

Dear Jae,

Happy birthday! I suck at writing letters. Let's see. Congratulations on thriving another year in this hellscape? And I mean thriving. Some people merely exist; you live. No matter the situation, you always find a silver-lining. I have always loved that about you.

Is this sounding sappy? I think I've been spending way too much time around Jun Pyo. Not that Yi Jeong's any better. At least Jun Pyo is sappy about his own girlfriend.

I'm getting side-tracked again. The point is, I know it's been a hectic year for you. You got two new jobs, your own apartment, bills, housework and full-time university. And there have been many hiccups along the way. Like the death-ray girl who wants to end the planet. But I think you've handled it all with grace. Which was expected.

Remember: you once changed a tire at 3 a.m., by just using a YouTube tutorial. If that doesn't show courage, resourcefulness and level headedness, I don't know what does. Jae , you can do anything you set your mind to. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. Most people just can't handle people who think out of the box. And that's on them.

I feel like I've been rambling forever, so I am going to stop here.

Parting thoughts: I am so glad you're in my life. Every time I hear 'My Gym Partner is a Monkey', I smile. To be honest, a small part of me is happy you started this whole mission. We still texted and met often before, but ever since you moved here, I get to see you every day. That sounded really selfish, huh? Let me rephrase, I'm not happy you're struggling, just happy that you're close. Happy birthday! Glad we got to spend most of the day together. Despite Jan Di's unreasonable interference.

P.S. consider every birthday a giant middle finger to all the bozos who nominated you 'Most Likely to Die Young.' May you celebrate more birthdays than Gran.

Jae Kyung folded up the letter. She should get ready. It was late.

Ring, ring, ring, ring.

"Princess."

"Yoo Jin-ssi, listen—"

"No, you listen. For once. I have been calling for weeks. And nothing. Silence. What did I do to deserve such treatment?"

"I am sorry. But I think it's best to let the past stay in the past. You know this."

"I thought our time together meant something. Guess not. I mean, we were friends first. Or, so, I thought." He let out a bitter laugh. "But your use of 'ssi' cleared that right up."

"That's not true. You know it's not. I just—I want to let bygones be bygones."

"So you're gonna throw away everything we built? Over a silly little misunderstanding?"

"A misunderstanding?"

"Yes. A misunderstanding. If you stop the melodrama and look at it objectively, that's all it was." He took a deep breath. "Leave it. It doesn't matter now. I'm sorry for bothering you, Jae Kyung-ssi. It won't happen again."

He hung up. Jae Kyung swallowed the guilt. He was right. They used to be friends. Before... but she couldn't think about that. Not right now. She plastered on a smile. It was time for girl's night.

_oOo_

Yu Ri chose the new club that opened up as their meet-up point. Hana was a bit hesitant, but Jae Kyung liked the idea. It had been ages since she visited one. Besides, after the week she had, cutting loose would do her some good.

She joined Hana and Yu Ri in the back corner.

"Na Bi's on a date and Ji Na had an extra class. So it's just us," said Hana.

"Great. I've invited Ga Eul and Yi Jeong as well. They're on the dance floor somewhere." Jae Kyung had snuck away to give them some alone time. With the long distance and Ga Eul's cooking class obligations, they never spent quality time together any more. Besides, Ga Eul's worried looks and Yi Jeong's gentle prodding was making her uneasy. Since when did Yi Jeong start asking so many questions?

Hana made a face but didn't comment.

Jae Kyung linked their arms together. "Why are we just standing here? Let's dance."

"I've a better idea," said Yu Ri. "In my experience the best way to get over someone is to get—"

"Not trying to get over anyone, guys."

Hana glared at Yu Ri. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Get a conversation going with someone new. What did you think I was going to say? Get your mind out of the gutter, Hana."

"Leave it. Not worth my time." She turned to Jae Kyung. "I don't completely disagree with her. In fact, Sunbae has been asking about you. If you're interested…"

So, Woo Bin was right after all. Great. Now she'd have to cough up ten bucks the next time they met. She hugged herself. Whenever that would be…

It had been a week since they last spoke. Which was okay. She was fine. Just fine. It was for the best, really.

"Look. I know it's sudden but he's a great guy."

"I know. And that's very sweet of you. But I'm not looking for anything right now."

"You heard her. Back off, Hana, jeez." Yu Ri pulled her aside. "What you need is a palate cleanser."

"Thanks. But, I think I'm good," said Jae Kyung.

"Isn't that what I suggested?" said Hana.

"No. Of course not. Have you seen Song Woo Bin? A palate cleanser needs to be at least in the same ball-park of hotness." She pointed to a guy standing in the far-left corner. "Like that guy."

Hana shoved Yu Ri aside. "I don't think hooking up with randos at a bar is the answer here."

"Who said anything about hooking up? Mind. Gutter. Hana."

"Thanks for the suggestions, guys. But like I said, I'm fine. Don't need a palate-cleanser."

Hana and Yu Ri who were too engrossed in their little spat to pay her any attention. Maybe she should rejoin Yi Jeong and Ga Eul. Dancing always improved her mood.

_oOo_

Jae Kyung found Yi Jeong twirling a laughing Ga Eul around. Even though a whimsical ball dance looked out-of-place in a nightclub, they pulled it off. How adorable. She shouldn't disturb them.

"Unnie. There you are." Ga Eul pulled her into their dance circle.

Jae Kyung swayed to the music, hoping the upbeat tune would drown out her thoughts.

But I'm sure you bring something of equal value...

Or maybe just tire herself out until her brain shut off.

"You look a little pale. Maybe we should slow down," said Ga Eul.

"What are we, old people? Let's get our groove on." Jae Kyung jumped around to the music, waving her arms in the air.

It didn't work.

Her mind kept replaying the same few images.

Woo Bin's arms around Ji Ah.

Her feeding him popcorn.

Them walking hand-in hand.

She needed a drink. Badly. The skull-shaped bottle caught her eye. Absinthe. That should do it.

Jae Kyung gulped down a shot. It had been too long.

"Unnie. Wait up." Ga Eul slid in next to her.

The whirlwind continued.

Ji Ah's head on Woo Bin's shoulders.

Him whispering something in Ji Ah's ear.

She took another shot. It burned.

"Woah. slow down," said Ga Eul.

You must be a great friend indeed for...

Jae Kyung snapped her eyes shut. Happy thoughts. Meadows. Sound of the ocean. Fishcakes. Yes. A juicy plate of fishcakes.

I thought our time together meant something. Guess not.

She drank another one. That was a door best left closed.

Ga Eul moved the drink away. "Remember what happened last time you drank absinthe?

If you stop with your melodrama and look at this objectively…

Come on, Princess. We both knew what this was?

Not that. Anything but Kyung snatched the glass back and swallowed the drink. She needed to re-enter her happy place.

Yi Jeong and Ga Eul dancing.

Leo nuzzling her.

Woo Bin smiling at her.

The animated look in his eyes when they worked on the SoEul binder.

Him tucking her into his jacket.

Him cupping Ji Ah's chin and kissing her.

She clutched the glass. What was she doing? This was a bar. With music and dancing. She should be out there having fun. And Yu Ri was right, that guy by the corner was cute. Sure, Jae Kyung didn't do casual. But harmless flirting hardly counted as doing anything?

Downing two more shots, she walked towards him.

_oOo_

"What do you mean you lost her?" asked Yi Jeong.

"I turned away for one second and she disappeared," said Ga Eul.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let's split up and search."

Yi Jeong tore through the dance floor. Ten minutes passed, but there was still no sign of Jae Kyung. This was it. This was how he died. There was no doubt in his mind: Woo Bin would pummel him to death and use Clarisse to do it.

He jostled his way past three snogging couples and one overenthusiastic friend group. He could hear Woo Bin, crystal-clear, in his head: 'I took excellent care of Ga Eul while you were gone. And how do you repay me? The one time I wasn't there, you let my girl get kidnapped.'

Two minutes away from a full-blown panic attack, he spotted Jae Kyung in a corner. At least he hoped it was her.

He'll live to see the sun rise. It was indeed Jae Kyung. She stood next to some guy who kept trying to flirt with her. But instead of paying him, or Yi Jeong for that matter, any attention, she was happily prattling away on her phone.

"You have sexy shoulders. Just like Min Jun,' she said to whoever she was on call with. "But yours are more comfy."

"You think I'm sexy," said Min Jun, licking his lips.

Yi Jeong shifted closer to Jae Kyung. He did not like this dude.

"I'm not drunk. I had... three? Four?"

Min Jun tapped her arm. "Let's dance."

She swung side-to-side. "That?That's Min Jun. He's—"

Someone snatched her phone. Ga Eul stepped into view, accompanied by two other, vaguely familiar looking, girls. They must be the friends Jae Kyung brought along.

"Ga Eul! Yu Ri! Hana! Let's dance."

Right. Yu Ri and Hana. Those were their names.

"I'll dance with you," said Min Jun.

"Listen up, Onion-breath," said Hana. "No one here's sleeping with you. So scram."

"Rude."

"I don't know. I might have considered it. Before he showed us the finger that is," said Yu Ri.

"Can you zip it? For once ."

"Chill. I was just trying to lighten the mood."

Ring, ring, ring, ring. Jae Kyung's phone went off.

For a split second, Ga Eul stared at Woo Bin's name, then switched the phone off.

"You gotta call him back. The last thing he heard was a very drunk Jae Kyung. In a loud bar. With a shady dude in the background," said Yi Jeong.

"So?"

"He'll be frantically searching every bar in the city."

"Good. It serves him right for leading her on. All this"—she pointed to a very drunk Jae Kyung—"is his fault."

"Look! Light bubbles."

"That's a little harsh. He was just being a good friend," said Yi Jeong.

"Harsh? He texts her throughout the day. Ate all his meals with her. Before his fling protested. And let's not forget, picks her up from work every single day."

"There's two of you. Yi Jeong's so lucky."

Ga Eul patted Jae Kyung on the back.

He fixed his tie. "None of that is couple-y behavior."

A guy could pick his friend from class everyday. And texting throughout the day meant nothing. It was a normal way to stay in touch. Especially when people were busy with their careers or were doing long-distance.

"Most of their hang-outs are dates."

"Two people of opposite gender sharing a meal does not mean a date. Even if they're alone."

"The hot-air balloon definitely sounded like a date to me."

"I'm floating. Maybe I can fly."

"He took her on a hot-air balloon?" asked Yu Ri. She grabbed Jae Kyung's other arm, routing her to the ground. "How romantic."

"It was a sweet thing he did for a friend. One could do sweet things for their friends." He looked at his shoes. Like pottery or paintball. Perfectly innocent things.

"Doubt he'll take you on one," said Ga Eul.

"Or leave you little love-notes inside lunch boxes," said Yu Ri.

"Excuse me, what?" asked Ga Eul.

"You haven't read any of them. How do you know they're love notes?" asked Hana.

"An educated guess," said Yu Ri. "Her face lights up when she reads them. Her grin is wider than the time she found free fish cakes samples. What do you think he wrote? The Quadratic formula?"

Ga Eul turned to Yi Jeong. "See what I mean?"

"Okay. Fine. But maybe he has a good reason for not asking her out. Like he's afraid he'll ruin her life or something."

"That's—"

"Sounds about right," someone mumbled, drowning out Ga Eul's words.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I said that's absolutely ridiculous," said Ga Eul.

"Such a funny word. Re-di-cu-lous."

"That's nice, Unnie," said Ga Eul. "Even if that's true, which it isn't, that's still something he should've considered before acting like her boyfriend. He's set her up for heartbreak, Yi Jeong."

"Well. Hindsight is twenty-twenty." He paused. "Did Jae Kyung tell you any of this?"

"Please. Like Unnie would ever blame Woo Bin Sunbae for anything. He could show up to her doorstep with a dead body. And the only thing she'll say is 'I'm sure you had your reasons.' Then she'll fetch a shovel and help him bury it."

"Can you guys have this argument later?" said Hana while trying to support Jae Kyung's weight.

Yi Jeong helped her lay Jae Kyung in the back seat of his car. She was right. The argument was pointless. He already informed Woo Bin ten minutes ago, when Ga Eul was distracted with Jae Kyung.

Yu Ri slid in next to him. "I was wondering. What is with you F4 members and commoners? Is it like a fetish or something?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Jan Di, Ga Eul, Jae Kyung. All poor."

It took a few seconds for him to regain his ability to speak. "I'm not with Ga Eul."

"And Woo Bin's not with Jae Kyung. The point still stands."

_oOo_

Yi Jeong cupped Ga Eul's hand. "Loosen your grip." His hand on hers, they molded clay. He'd missed this.

"Is the pressure better now?"

He nodded but didn't retract his hand. Instead, he let it provide him strength for the difficult conversation up ahead.

"Ga Eul."

"Yes, Yi Jeong."

He spent all of last night mulling over her speech. Were her words about Woo Bin a hint? He needed to know. "About last night—"

The door burst open. And the last person Yi Jeong wished to see barged right into his haven.

"So this was the emergency you abandoned Sweden for," said his father.

His voice was as grating as ever. Yi Jeong stopped spinning the clay. "What part of 'stop storming into my place of work' do you fail to grasp?"

"Flirting with your fling is work now?"

Ga Eul balled her hand into a fist.

"Leave. Now."

His father stepped closer. "The Sweden project wasn't a side-hustle for your studio. I heavily invested in it."

Making his way to the door, he held it open. "We'll talk at home. There's no need to make a scene here." Yi Jeong didn't break eye-contact. This was a battle of wills.

A split second later, Ga Eul stood beside him, her fingers curled around his. He squeezed her hand back in response. Yes, there was no avoiding the unpleasant confrontation, but she shouldn't have to bear witness.

"Very well. But you can't skirt your responsibilities forever."

Hi guys! Did you enjoy the chapter? What was your favorite part? Do you think Jan Di and the parrot will ever reunite? What did you think happened between Jae Kyung and Yoo Jin? What trouble will Yi Jeong's father cause next? Tell me in the reviews. Happy new year!