Disclaimer: We don't own boys over flowers.
"What happened to you?" Woo Bin asked.
"Nothing, it's just a scratch. Tell me, how are you? It has been so long since I have seen you. Do you still like fishcakes? What about chocolate mousse, is that still your favorite dessert?"
"Dad! You have a bandage on your head, stop asking these ridiculous questions. How did this happen?"
"Nothing, a small fight. It's nothing. Tell me about college. How was freshmen year? My son, all grown up, a sophomore now," he said while caressing Woo Bin's face.
Under normal circumstances, Woo Bin would continue pressing his dad about this 'small fight.' But these circumstances were far from normal. It had been what, six months since he'd seen his father? Maybe longer? No point wasting their time together on a pointless interrogation. God only knew when they'd get such an opportunity again. If Gran had her way, his dad wouldn't be allowed to visit for another year.
"So, how long can you stay?" Woo Bin asked.
"An hour, after that the nurse might figure out I'm gone."
Woo Bin would have laughed, but he wasn't sure his dad was kidding.
_oOo_
"How about we move on to the sports activity planned? A regular game of basketball sounds good. It's been a while since we've played," said Jun Pyo.
Yi Jeong nodded. It would take Woo Bin's mind off his dad's injury. He loved Basketball.
Team 'Woo Bin is Awesome (WIA)' consisted of Woo Bin, Ga Eul, and Jan Di. Team 'Yi Jeong is a Loser (YIAL)' consisted of Yi Jeong, Ji Hoo, and Jun Pyo. If it were any other day, the team names would have started another classic Yi Jeong-Woo Bin war. But given the circumstances, Yi Jeong took the high road.
The teams huddled up to discuss their strategy.
"Okay, Jun Pyo, you go for Ga Eul. Yi Jeong can take Woo Bin. I am going to go after Jan Di," said Ji Hoo.
The game began. Yi Jeong made two successive baskets, but his team didn't maintain their lead for long. All the F4 members excelled at basketball. This kept the score close.
With three minutes left on the clock, Jan Di snatched the ball from Yi Jeong's grasp and dashed for the basket.
"Stop trying to take the ball from Jan Di," said Jun Pyo. "Let her score this time. You go Jan Di, score. I'll hold on to Yi Jeong."
"Jun Pyo, stop that. It's just a game. I'm pretty sure Jan Di will forgive both of us. Let go of me."
Jan Di was about to toss the ball in the basket until Ji Hoo snatched it from her, making the final basket.
"I guess Ji Hoo's team wins," said Woo Bin. "Good game, guys."
"So our team members get a wish," said Ji Hoo.
"What? Really? You people seriously need to explain the consequences of losing before we start playing," said Woo Bin.
Yi Jeong fetched a shirt from his car. "You have to wear this till the end of the day."
Woo Bin put on the shirt, which had I'm Yi Jeong's Bitch written across the front in a large font. On the back side, it said I love Clarrise, with a picture of Clarrise on it.
"I must ask," said Ga Eul. "You've been carrying that around?"
"You have no idea, how long I've had this T-shirt," replied Yi Jeong.
"That douche. He sure is crafty," said Woo Bin. "I've got an eye on you. Hold your breath for my revenge."
"Okay… Putting the creepy talk aside, Jun Pyo what's your wish?" asked Jan Di.
"Jan Di-ah, after this trip is over," he said while bending down on one knee, "will you go on a date of my choice with me?"
"Come on, Jan Di. He's been asking for this for the past three days," said Ga Eul.
"Fine."
"That leaves Ji Hoo Sunbae."
"So that there are no objections, I would like Mr. Young to review the rules. Mr. Young, does it state anywhere that my wish can't apply to everyone?"
"No, it doesn't."
"I don't like where this is going," said Jun Pyo.
_oOo_
"Jan Di, you take the red sleeping bag. Jun Pyo, you get to be the pink cushion. Yi Jeong can be dressed as this wonderful blanket, while Woo Bin can be this sheet." Ji Hoo smiled. He was rather proud of his handiwork.
"Is this why it took you so long to make your costumes? You were making all these extra ones as well?" asked Woo Bin.
"You put no thought into my costume at all, did you? A blanket with a hole for my head," said Yi Jeong.
"Ji Hoo Sunbae, you got to admit. Going through all this is a cry for help. It's borderline insanity," said Jan Di.
"I don't want to be a pink cushion," said Jun Pyo. "How come Ga Eul doesn't have to dress up in these weird bedding costumes."
"She never made fun of sleep or tried to separate me from my precious beauty sleep. Besides, I don't know her that well. Now silence!" He threw them each a pillow. "From the top."
The entire gang, excluding Ga Eul, performed a dance routine, swaying to the music of a song that was chosen and personally recorded by Ji Hoo.
"Sleep is good, Ji Hoo is our king," they all chorused.
_oOo_
After an hour of rest, the gang assembled for their next activity: a scavenger hunt. Jan Di couldn't wait to get started. She loved puzzles.
"After you figure out your last clue, please come fetch a shovel," said Mr. Young.
"A shovel?" asked Woo Bin Sunbae. "You buried our treasures?"
Before the game, everyone offered up an item to be hidden as the prize. Of course, no one knew which item was chosen as the treasure. That was up to Mr. Young.
"Young Master, the cardboard box you presented hardly counts as a treasure."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but whatever."
Yi Jeong Sunbae cleared his throat. "Moving on. Jan Di, Jun Pyo, and Ji Hoo will be on one team." He shot Jun Pyo a look. "I don't want to separate the Gu-Geum couple again. The Gu can be such a pain in the ass. The other team will be Woo Bin, Ga Eul, and I."
"I guess Yi Jeong and I can be the captains," said Jun Pyo.
Woo Bin Sunbae nodded in agreement. That was a surprise. Jan Di expected more push back. But she soon put it out of her mind and focused on the game. Both the teams were given their first clue. Opening up the chit, she read the clue to her team members.
"IN THERE LAY SOMETHING, SHE COULDN'T PUT TO HER LIPS.
WHEN PRESENTED THE CHANCE, THE PROTECTOR HAD FLIPPED."
_oOo_
Ga Eul read out their first clue.
"THE CLUE LIES WITH SOMEONE WHO STANDS TALL AND STRONG.
HE WON'T HESITATE TO PUNCH THOSE WHO MESS WITH THE SONG."
"Mess with the song? Do we know anyone who is this passionate about a song?" asked Woo Bin Sunbae. "Maybe it's about Ji Hoo. He's pretty crazy about his music. He loves Beethoven."
"But I think he likes Mozart more," said Yi Jeong.
"What is his favorite? Coldplay? Greenday? Black Sabbath? I know, Beyoncé!"
_oOo_
"Who is this protector person?" said Jan Di. That was a weird word choice. It must be important.
"Do you think it has something to do with a movie character?" asked Jun Pyo.
"It says 'she' so it's a girl. There is something, she couldn't put to her lips." Ji Hoo Sunbae tapped his fingers. "Why not?"
The protector flipped when this so-called girl put something to her lips. That's it!
"I know where our next clue is," said Jan Di.
Without wasting another beat, she sprinted towards the location.
_oOo_
"Baby, I like it , the way you move on the floor. BABY, I LIKE IT. Come on and give me some more. OH, YES, I LIKE IT. Screaming like never before," sang Woo Bin Sunbae.
"He is getting louder with every verse," yelled Yi Jeong, trying to talk over Woo Bin's loud voice.
"BABY, I LIKE IT. I, I , I, LIKE IT. I love that song!"
"Let's focus on the other line. This person is tall and strong," Ga Eul said. Maybe shifting focus to some other line would distract Woo Bin Sunbae, before he dismantled their eardrums.
"Well, I'm the strongest amongst all of us, and I don't have it," said Woo Bin Sunbae.
"You're not that tall. And I don't think that when someone looks at you, the first thing that comes to mind is look, that's Woo Bin—he's tall and strong. If the clue said whacked up and crazy, then we'd have to search you," said Yi Jeong.
"Rude."
Yi Jeong's eyes lit up. "I got it! It's one of Woo Bin's men. His bodyguards are tall and strong. They will hurt you if you mess with the Song. By 'SONG', they mean Song Woo Bin."
"But which one is it?" asked Ga Eul.
The trio set out searching for Woo Bin's men. They searched for the next clue and made a couple of them feel uncomfortable until Woo Bin Sunbae spotted the strongest and the most heavy-built bodyguard and retrieved their next clue.
"HE CARRIES HER AROUND, EVERYWHERE HE GOES
WITHOUT HER HIS DAY, IS LIKE A WILTED ROSE
SHE FRESHENS THE BREEZE THAT'S WRAPPED AROUND HER.
SHE STANDS ON DIRT WHILE CLAY SURROUNDS HER."
_oOo_
Jan Di entered the kitchen. She held up the container with Jun Pyo's cookies and as promised, laying there was their next clue.
"For the record, I had not flipped when Ga Eul was about to eat that cookie."
"Seriously, Jan Di? You came rushing like a tornado. We thought you spotted a bear," replied Ji Hoo Sunbae.
That was a gross exaggeration. But before she could retort, Jun Pyo spoke.
"Why does everyone keep insulting my cookies? Were they that bad?"
"Of course not," said Jan Di. "They were nice. That's why I took it from Ga Eul."
Retrieving the chit, Ji Hoo Sunbae read out their next clue.
"STAY AWAY FROM HER, THE LOVER DECLARED
LAY A FINGER, AND I'LL CHOP OFF YOUR HAIR.
THE CLUE LIES ON THE LAP OF SOMETHING HE TREASURES.
A WARNING, THIS LOVER IS CRAZY BEYOND MEASURE."
"What is this supposed to mean? It sounds like something that's taken out of one of Jun Pyo's movie collections," said Jan Di.
"Now, now, let's insult each other later," said Ji Hoo Sunbae.
"Clue lies on the lap of something he treasures. Is it a person? Or is that supposed to be figurative?" asked Jan Di.
"Okay." Ji Hoo Sunbae tapped the counter. "We know this person is possessive and kind of crazy."
That narrowed it down to the entire F4.
_oOo_
"While clay surrounds her! I can't believe they would use one of my pots. A pottery piece is art, not a prop to be tossed in a game!" said Yi Jeong.
Things did not improve from there. He restlessly paced the floor, all the while mumbling something about the sanctity of art.
"I'm a little worried," Ga Eul whispered.
"Don't worry, he was born crazy. Ignore him and focus."
"Is it Clarrise? No, I have her heavily guarded. Is it Patricia? Did you touch Patricia? Did You? Answer me, Song Woo Bin."
"It says 'freshens the breeze around her.' It can't be a pot," said Ga Eul.
"Carries her everywhere he goes," Woo Bin Sunbae mumbled. His face broke into a grin. "I know where our clue is."
_oOo_
"Maybe it's Clarisse," said Jun Pyo. "Yi Jeong is crazy weird about her."
"No, he didn't bring her on this trip," said Jan Di.
"Chopping off someone's hair? That's a weird expression," said Ji Hoo Sunbae.
"You're right," said Jan Di. That must be the clue. "When have we heard someone threaten to chop anyone's hair?"
"Woo Bin." Jun Pyo whipped his head up.
Several questions passed through her mind. What were they talking about? And why did Jun Pyo look so disturbed?
"Right. He said this to Yi Jeong. Back when he asked to borrow his car," said Ji Hoo Sunbae.
Jan Di shot them a quizzical look.
"Woo Bin is obsessed with his yellow car," said Jun Pyo. "There was this huge fight. For a split second we thought they were both fighting over some girl."
"Until Woo Bin made it very clear that they weren't," said Ji Hoo Sunbae.
He looked just as disturbed by the memory as Jun Pyo.
"A car?"
"Trust me, Jan Di-ah. You don't want more details."
"Let's just head outside," she said.
A few seconds out the door, and she stopped in her tracks. "That's Yi Jeong's car. They are driving everywhere? That's totally cheating!"
"Jan Di-ah, which car freshener do you want, strawberry or pine?" asked Jun Pyo.
The group drove to Woo Bin Sunbae's car. Luckily, he wasn't around, so they managed to retrieve the clue by getting one of his men to open it.
"Here is the clue
I'LL PROTECT MY BELOVED, THE HERO PROCLAIMED.
IF SHE IS WOUNDED, YOU'LL BE IN PAIN.
SCAN YOUR SURROUNDINGS, FOCUS YOUR GAZE.
THE CLUE LIES WHEREVER, FAIR MAIDEN HAD STAYED," read Jan Di.
_oOo_
"I thought that was the gardener," Ga Eul whispered.
"No, I remember him. He was on the skiing trip with the exact same plant," said Yi Jeong.
Sure, the guy had a weird obsession with a plant, but he was also a master of event management and writing poetry. So, Woo Bin appointed him as the official F4 party planner. He told the group as much.
On seeing them approach, plant-dude clutched his plant closer.
"We just want the chit that is buried in her. We don't mean her any harm," said Ga Eul.
After what seemed like forever, he let her look inside his plant. Just like Woo Bin thought, their clue lay buried in the soil.
"OPPOSITES ATTRACT, TO WHAT EXTENT, YOU ASK?
SOME MIGHT SAY THAT THEIR ROMANCE WON'T LAST
BUT THESE STAR-CROSSED LOVERS WERE UP TO THE TASK.
THE BOND THAT BINDS THEM IS THE STRONGEST GLUE.
BEHIND THE HEART LIES YOUR NEXT CLUE," read Yi Jeong.
"Are these characters from some movie?" Woo Bin asked.
"On the top of my head I can think of Titanic, or maybe Romeo and Juliet," said Yi Jeong.
"I don't know. The previous clue was related to us. So I would assume this would be too," said Ga Eul.
Woo Bin snickered. "Would Yi Jeong and his pot would count as star-crossed?"
Yi Jeong didn't retaliate. That was a first.
"Star-crossed lovers, it's got to be Jan Di and Jun Pyo," said Yi Jeong.
Woo Bin raced towards Jun Pyo's parked car. "Hey, buddy." He flashed Jun Pyo a smile. Putting his hand on Jun Pyo's waist, he slowly lifted his shirt.
"What the hell!"
Thanks to the element of surprise, Woo Bin succeeded in lifting Jun Pyo's shirt to his shoulders.
"Tell me where our clue is. It's supposed to lie on your heart." Woo Bin examined Jun Pyo's chest but found nothing.
"Woo Bin Sunbae, let go of him!" said Ga Eul, getting between them.
Going by the murderous expression on Jun Pyo's face, Woo Bin understood why. He looked seconds away from strangling Woo Bin. Not that he'd succeed. Woo Bin could defend himself just fine. Thank you very much. Still, it was sweet of her to care.
"Okay. So that happened." Ga Eul fixed her shirt. "How about we look in Jun Pyo Sunbae's tent?"
_oOo_
"That was insane, even by Woo Bin's standard. I'm beginning to wonder if his post was right. Perhaps he's really coming out of the closet," said Jun Pyo.
"Maybe he found out about his car," said Ji Hoo Sunbae.
Jan Di mulled this over. That was one possibility. "You can never tell with Woo Bin Sunbae. He is kind of… nuts."
"Yeah, he is. Let's focus on the game. Who is this hero person?" said Ji Hoo Sunbae.
"For some reason, this reminds me of you, Jun Pyo," said Jan Di.
Ji Hoo Sunbae paced the floor. "He tried to protect you in all the games we played. In basketball, he held on to Yi Jeong so you could score."
"So, if I'm the fair maiden, the clue is wherever I have been. Let's check the basketball court."
_oOo_
"There is nothing in Jun Pyo's titanic costume. Let me check his romance movie collections. Perhaps it's in his CD cases," said Woo Bin.
"But the clue said behind the heart. What could that mean?" asked Yi Jeong.
As if hit by a sudden revelation, Ga Eul took off.
"Maybe she had to pee," said Woo Bin while holding on to one of Jun Pyo's favorite movies: Love has no boundaries.
Instead of dignifying his words with a response, Yi Jeong followed after her. He found her in Jan Di's tent, holding on to a heart-shaped picture frame of the Gu-Guem couple.
"Behind the heart referred to the heart-shaped frame. Very good Ga Eul."
She smiled and handed him the chit that had their final clue.
"OVER HERE, IS WHERE STORIES HAVE BEEN RECITED
AFTER A LONG TIME, PEOPLE HAVE UNITED.
MEMORIES HAVE BEEN CHERISHED, NEW BONDS HAVE BEEN MADE.
HERE'S THE PLACE, WHERE MANY DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE.
BOTH YOU TEAMS, GRAB YOUR SHOVELS AND HURRY
CUZ THIS IS THE SPOT WHERE THE HIDDEN TREASURE IS BURIED," he read.
"Where is Woo Bin Sunbae?" she asked.
_oOo_
"There is nothing in the basket," said Jan Di.
"Ji Hoo, did you check the ball?" asked Jun Pyo.
Ji Hoo nodded. That was the first place he'd checked. "Maybe it's in one of the places we hid for laser tag."
They drove to the laser tag place. After a quick search, they discovered the chit glued to a tree trunk.
"OVER HERE, IS WHERE STORIES HAVE BEEN RECITED
AFTER A LONG TIME, PEOPLE HAVE UNITED.
MEMORIES HAVE BEEN CHERISHED, NEW BONDS HAVE BEEN MADE.
HERE'S THE PLACE, WHERE MANY DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE.
BOTH YOU TEAMS, GRAB YOUR SHOVELS AND HURRY
CUZ THIS IS THE SPOT WHERE THE HIDDEN TREASURE IS BURIED," read Jun Pyo.
_oOo_
After a ten-minute search, Yi Jeong and Ga Eul finally located Woo Bin.
"So what's the next clue?" he asked. Snatching the chit from Yi Jeong, he said, "It talks about reciting stories, so I assume it's talking about the stories that were told around the fire we built."
"That's not far from here," said Yi Jeong.
"Great. Let's get our shovels from Mr. Young," said Ga Eul.
_oOo_
A shovel in hand, Jan Di raced towards their final destination. But she was too late. Team Yi Jeong beat them to it. Ga Eul held the treasure in her hand, but she looked rather unhappy. In fact, she and Yi Jeong Sunbae appeared to be in the midst of some argument.
Hoping to hear them better, Jan Di shifted closer.
"I can't believe you would hide this." Yi Jeong Sunbae snatched the treasure, which turned out to be a distorted pot, from Ga Eul. "It might not be pretty, but it's a memory of your early work."
"I'm sorry," she said, stretching her hand, presumably to take the piece back.
"No way, young lady. I'm keeping this."
_oOo_
Woo Bin enjoyed tennis just fine. It wasn't his favorite sport, but he made do. He was more interested in Ji Hoo's uncharacteristic excitement.
"Now, the time we've all been waiting for. The tennis game. Jan Di plays against Jun Pyo while Yi Jeong plays Woo Bin. Hold it in, guys. That leaves Ga Eul and I."
"I didn't know you liked tennis," said Jan Di.
"Actually, it's one of the things I do not excel in," said Ji Hoo.
"I would ask why, but it might take a while and honestly, I'm a little scared," said Yi Jeong.
"Yi Jeong. Just stop talking. Oh my God, you're embarrassing yourself," whispered Woo Bin.
He and Jae were trying so hard to make Yi Jeong seem like an appealing mate. But Yi Jeong kept sabotaging their plan.
"I've known you for years. Yet you keep finding new and interesting ways to exasperate me," said Yi Jeong.
"I guess Jun Pyo and I can start," said Jan Di.
As the game progressed, one thing became crystal clear— no matter how dissimilar the Gu-Geum couple were individually, they wanted the same thing out of life: Jan Di's victory. This match was no different. Jan Di effortlessly creamed Jun Pyo while he happily gave up his manhood.
After Jan Di's quick and painless victory, Woo Bin played Yi Jeong. After a long, drawn-out match they tied. Technically, Yi Jeong won by one point, but Woo Bin made several successful shots aiming at Yi Jeong's head. So, they were both winners, in a way.
The final match of the first round was a short one. Ji Hoo wasn't being modest when he said that he didn't know how to play. It became apparent when Ga Eul beat him fifteen to zero.
"Toss for who has to play only one more game?" asked Jan Di.
Yi Jeong won the toss. Next match: Ga Eul VS. Jan Di.
This match was the most interesting yet. Was this how all their tennis matches went? Ga Eul brought out the ferocious, crazy competitive side of Jan Di that Woo Bin knew too well.
Twenty minutes later, after scaring everyone to the core, Jan Di lost the match.
The final match was between Yi Jeong and Ga Eul. No one dreaded this moment more than Woo Bin. The Gods of fate could be so cruel at times. He tapped his arm. Something had to be done. And fast.
With every minute, things grew more intense. Ga Eul was losing her initial lead. This called for some drastic action. Woo Bin marched into his tent and fetched his weapon. Not wasting another precious second, he put his plan into motion. He helped Ga Eul make several shots by shooting spitballs at Yi Jeong. When those ran out, he settled for throwing Jun Pyo's cookies. But it all proved useless. Yi Jeong's scores kept adding up.
He threw another cookie.
"Woo Bin Sunbae. Stop that." Jan Di snatched the container. "You know how heavy those cookies are. Someone could get hurt."
The match took a different twist. The last five balls were tossed that could end up being the tiebreaker.
"Oh my God, I know it's just for fun, but I'm dying here," said Jan Di.
The final ball was missed and the game ended.
"Good game, Ga Eul yang. Congratulations, you're quite an opponent."
_oOo_
The next game on the list was a complicated one. It had three levels. For the first, they searched for their partner while blindfolded. Whoever found their partner first, chose their challenge from among three choices: walking to the finish line with one foot tied to their partner's, wheelbarrow, or one partner in a trolley while the other pushes it to the finish line. The person in the trolley recited a tongue twister continuously. If they messed up, they returned to the starting line for a do-over.
In the second round, they raced to the finish line while holding a balloon between them and their partner. In the third round, they held a balloon between them and their partner while dancing to the finish line.
"Listen up," said Jun Pyo. "The teams are me and Jan Di. Yi Jeong-Ga Eul. Ji Hoo-Woo Bin."
Woo Bin didn't begrudge this complicated game, though. It provided ample opportunity for Mission SoEul.
His heart did little somersaults when Yi Jeong located Ga Eul first. He touched her hair, and by the texture, guessed it was her. Did Ga Eul's long hair touch Yi Jeong's arm during pottery lessons?
If only Jae was here to see this. The simmering romance would bring her so much joy.
Woo Bin refocused on the game. The other people weren't doing so well. Jun Pyo walked with his arms spread wide. This wasn't a bad technique, per se. He'll know when he reached near a person, but he knocked over Ji Hoo in the process. With some difficulty, he helped Ji Hoo up.
Since Ga Eul and Yi Jeong were the first to find each other, they got to pick their task first. In typical Yi Jeong fashion, he chose the easiest: the trolley. Ga Eul got in. But for some reason, instead of pushing her forward, Yi Jeong was standing there talking.
Would they speak up? Their constant murmuring made eavesdropping difficult.
_oOo_
Yi Jeong picked the easiest task. They could easily win this round, and get a head start on others. Their chances of winning would have been high if it wasn't for one thing: Ga Eul's ankle had swollen up a little. She was having trouble walking.
"Are you sure you want to do this? We could stop the game?" asked Yi Jeong.
"No, it's just a little sprain. I can walk. It would just freak everyone, and Jan Di would go into her doctor mode."
He shuddered at that thought.
"In this round, you can carry me in the trolley. We'll walk slowly in the other rounds," she said.
After, some coaxing, Yi Jeong gave in. Ga Eul could be stubborn when she wanted to.
"This is going to be harder than I thought. This tongue twister is hard.
If you must cross a course cross cow across a crowded cow crossing, cross the cross course cow across the crowded cow crossing carefully," she read.
_oOo_
Jan Di and Jun Pyo were the second couple to find each other. They chose the leg tying.
Jan Di, hell-bent on winning, practically dragged Jun Pyo along.
"Slow down. We are going to fall," Jun Pyo said.
"Slowing down is for losers. If we lose this, I'm leaving you."
Jun Pyo picked up the pace. Jan Di had her game face on. It was best not to poke the bear.
_oOo_
Ji Hoo found Woo Bin last. Not that Woo Bin cared about that. As long as the game advanced the SoEul relationship, he didn't care who won.
"Guess we'll have to do wheelbarrow," said Ji Hoo.
Woo Bin wasn't a fan of wheelbarrow. It required a lot arm strength. He had plenty, but Ji Hoo had none. The amount of trouble he was having in holding on to Woo Bin was unreal. A minute into the game, he accidentally removed Woo Bin's shoe. This led to Woo Bin falling flat on his face.
"Yoon Ji Hoo! How hard can it be? I'm not that heavy. Put some strength into it, chicken arms," said Woo Bin.
Ji Hoo responded by throwing the shoe at him.
"How rude!" With a sock on one foot and a shoe on the other, Woo Bin continued to walk on his hands.
_oOo_
Ga Eul and Yi Jeong were having a little trouble. Ga Eul had messed up the tongue twister three times already.
"Calm down. The others are still a few steps behind us. We can do this," said Yi Jeong.
His words proved true. They were the first to finish.
_oOo_
Jan Di and Jun Pyo were a few steps from the finish line, but Woo Bin and Ji Hoo were catching up. Not wanting to lose, Jan Di sprinted ahead.
"Jan Di-ah, slow down. I'm losing balance."
Right at the finish line, Jun Pyo fell. "Ahhhhhhh! What's the matter with you!"
"We are here, quick, get up." She inspected him for injuries. Dusting the grass from his clothes, she handed him the balloon. "You're fine? Does it hurt?"
"No, I'm okay."
"Good, come on, Yi Jeong Sunbae and Ga Eul have started already."
_oOo_
The head start didn't come in handy. Because of Ga Eul's injury, they were moving at a snail's pace. They had already dropped the balloon and were forced to start over.
"You really shouldn't walk. Let's call it quits," Yi Jeong said.
"No, it would disturb the whole game, and I hate quitting."
He sighed. "You're as unreasonable as Woo Bin, you know that?"
She chuckled in response.
"Alright, if you insist on continuing." He kneeled down and said, "Hop on and place the balloon between you and my back."
She felt a little weird but gave in after some coaxing. Normally, having a guy give her a piggyback ride would be unthinkable, but somehow, it didn't feel this weird with Yi Jeong. Perhaps, it was because of his concern for her. Or maybe, it was his pure intentions.
When she first met Yi Jeong, she pegged him for a player. But the more she got to know him, the more she realized that Woo Bin Sunbae was right: he was a sweetheart.
_oOo_
Woo Bin observed the piggy ride. Things were going remarkably well. He moved closer, to get a better look.
"Woo Bin, focus. Stop going in that direction! What's up with you?" asked Ji Hoo.
Why must Ji Hoo be like this? Who cared about a stupid game when romance was blooming nearby? Boy, he wished he could talk to Jae now. She had her priorities straight.
_oOo_
The second round was going well for Jan Di and Jun Pyo. They were in the lead. She was so determined to win, that even Ga Eul's piggyback ride didn't distract her much. 'Much' was the keyword.
"Why is that necessary? What a player. I have to talk to him after this."
Jun Pyo feared for his friend, but anything he said at this point would worsen the situation. Instead, he did his best to win. A victorious Jan Di was a happy Jan Di. Fortunately for Jun Pyo and Yi Jeong, Jan Di won this round.
"We get to pick the first technique. I know, lift me so that my legs are wrapped around your waist, then do normal ball dancing."
Jun Pyo did as he was told.
_oOo_
After the Gu-Guem couple, Ji Hoo and Woo Bin reached the finish line.
"I know," said Woo Bin. "Let's disco."
They shared a telepathic look, and then put the ball between them and lifted their arms into the air in a half-disco.
_oOo_
The last couple to finish the second round was Yi Jeong and Ga Eul.
"Yi Jeong, are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm more worried about how to get through this round without hurting your leg."
He thought for a minute, and then said, "Put your feet on mine. We'll do regular ball dancing."
He took it slow. Winning wasn't important, ensuring he didn't hurt her was. To her credit, Ga Eul tried to ease his burden. Not putting all her weight on his feet. Trying to be as less of a burden as possible.
_oOo_
Woo Bin Sunbae's team was the first to finish, followed by Jan Di, and then Ga Eul.
"Technically, Young Master Song and Young Master Yoon won, but, what they did can in no way be called dancing."
"True," said Jan Di. "It looked more like poking an invisible someone in the eye."
"I thought they were firing bullets in the air," said Jun Pyo.
"I thought Woo Bin just had to pee," said Yi Jeong.
Mr. Young cleared his throat. "As I was saying, since Young Master Song's little display doesn't qualify as dancing, the winners are Ms. Geum and Young Master Jun Pyo."
"You so did that on purpose," said Woo Bin Sunbae.
"I did no such thing." Mr. Young smirked.
Jan Di hugged Jun Pyo. "We won." On remembering her behavior, the happiness drained from her face. "I'm sorry, honey. I'll make it up to you."
With that said, Jan Di took Jun Pyo's face in her hands and kissed him.
His face lit up. "You kissed me. In front of everyone. How romantic."
Yi Jeong Sunbae's face dampened her good mood. She ran towards him, all the while fuming.
Ga Eul got between them. "My ankle had gotten sprained during the tennis match. It's nothing major, don't panic."
"Why did you still play?"
"It isn't that bad."
Jan Di heaved a sigh. Ga Eul's determination was annoying at times. After thanking him, she strolled towards her tent, but was stopped midway by Woo Bin Sunbae.
"Now do you see what I mean?" he said
"Fine. Yi Jeong Sunbae is sweet and definitely cares for her. I won't foil your plans. But I won't help you and I most definitely won't give you Ga Eul's blood sample."
"Jan Di, wait."
"What?"
"How about a urine sample?"
This earned him a death glare.
_oOo_
Ga Eul finished her packing. It was time to say goodbye to this place. This had been the most amazing weekend. Before she left, she had one more thing to do. Running to the kitchen, she grabbed a box from the freezer, and made her way to Yi Jeong's tent. She found him in the midst of packing. It took him a while to notice her.
"Hi. Packed?"
"Yeah, listen, I wanted to thank you for saving me on the ski trip and for letting me win the tennis game… and for the balloon game."
"I didn't let you win."
Flashing him a smile, she handed him a box. "It's cupcakes. I made them myself."
Yi Jeong opened the box and tried one.
"These are really good."
He was about to take another one but was interrupted by Woo Bin Sunbae. "Cupcakes, bro, how did you know?" He stuffed three more in his mouth. "These are delicious," he said, talking with a mouth full of cupcakes.
A/N: Sorry for the long delay. We had no internet connection. Thanks to Cari- Bum, Tristan Thompson and SAP for your reviews. We really appreciate the effort. Did you miss us?
So,
What did you think of Ji Hoo's special dance?
What was your favorite part?
Please review. We love the support.
P.S stay awesome!