Disclaimer: We don't own Boys over flowers.
A/N: Thank you to all those who are still reading this story. We really appreciate the support. Special thanks to khairunisaahadiyah and glorialopezgl534.03. We are so glad you enjoyed the last chapter. Woo Bin's jealousy towards Ji Hoo and Yi Jeong's rant against Chef Lee was one of my favorite parts to write too. We hope you all enjoy this chapter. It may seem like a filler but it's not. Many of the things mentioned here tie into the main plot. Enjoy!
Jae Kyung was not having a good day. It was one of those days. The ones that make you question all your life choices. It started innocently enough. She was in the shower, singing her favorite song while washing her hair with cheap convenience store shampoo. It was strange how familiar it felt now. Many moons ago, when she had first used the budget version of her usual preferred brand, she had immediately felt the difference. Now she hardly noticed.
Busy in her musings, she missed the water flow slowing down. Within a few minutes, she was standing in the shower, her hair fully lathered with shampoo and no water. That was how she ended up in this here—an hour later, underneath the bathroom sink at her university, attempting to rinse the shampoo off.
The day did not improve from there. Her first class of the new semester started with a quiz to test what they already knew. In Jae Kyung's case, that was nothing. While she was no Jan Di, she had never failed a test before. She could practically hear her parents' voices reprimanding her for her failures and reminding her of all the ways she could have done things differently— If she actually had some sense of responsibility and didn't spend all her time lollygagging.
Given the day she was having, by the time Jae Kyung reached Professor Chung's office, her expectations were below ground zero. But perhaps she still needed to dig deeper.
"You would need to have all these books annotated by Wednesday," he said while pointing to the five books on his desk. "I plan to have the first tests by Monday. So, I will need to see the questions paper by Thursday."
"You want me to prepare the quizzes? But I haven't taken any of these classes?"
He gave her a look. "Your generation has absolutely no work ethics. You came here begging me for a job. Made promises of working harder than any other student. Guess that was all talk then?" He pointed to the door. "You are free to go if actual work is too much for your delicate sensibilities, Missy."
She picked up the five books from his desk. There was no other choice. She needed the money.
"Where do you think you are going with these?" He snatched the books from her. "Get your own copy."
_oOo_
Jae Kyung sat at the lunch table, spinning her spoon inside the can of soup.
"Is that from Professor Chung's class," said her seatmate while pointing to her detailed to-do lists on bright yellow paper. "I feel you girl. One of my friends worked for him last year. He was brutal. She quit midway." The girl introduced herself as Hana.
"He gave me a list of five books to study by Wednesday. Only two of them are available in our library."
"There is actually a second-hand bookshop where you can find them. It's crowded, but you can get books for practically nothing. I could show you sometime."
They were still discussing Prof Chung and his unreasonable expectations when they were interrupted by Woo Bin's bodyguard.
"Hello, young Miss. I hope I haven't missed your lunchtime," he handed her a lunchbox.
She generally resisted Woo Bin's offers to buy her lunch, but after the day she had had, she could use some cheering up. She dug into it to find Bibimbap, rice cakes, and a note. She opened it up: Hey Jae, sorry I couldn't have lunch with you. Something came up. All the best with your new job. I know you're going to kill it!
A small smile flickered across her face—he was sweet. The day just got a whole lot better, like when the sun goes from scorching hot to a pleasant brush against the skin. She carefully folded the note and kept it in the front pocket of her purse.
"Did the man say Woo Bin? As in Song, Woo Bin? One of the F4 guys?"
Jae Kyung nodded.
Hana frowned. She clung her chopsticks against the lunchbox. She looked at Jae Kyung as if to say something but ultimately said nothing.
_oOo_
"The reason nobody ever takes you seriously, Sunbae, is that all your ideas are dumb," said Jan Di.
Woo Bin snickered. "Only you, the great Guem Jan Di, can make the word 'Sunbae' sound like an insult."
Jan Di fixed him with a murderous glare.
"There is nothing dumb about having a kick-ass birthday party with top-notch entertainment."
Jae Kyung's birthday was in a week, and Woo Bin had enlisted Yi Jeong, Ga Eul, and Jan Di to help plan it. A decision he regretted almost immediately. Since Jan Di disagreed with him on every aspect of the plan, ranging from the timing to the guest lists to the entertainment.
"After a week of actual work—work, a concept I'm sure you are completely unfamiliar with. The last thing Jae Kyung would want would be to spend an evening surrounded by a bunch of drunk, sweaty college students grinding against each other."
"Yes. I'm sure she would rather spend it struggling to stay awake at your snooze-fest tea party. On second thought, Jae has been rather tired lately. Maybe she would enjoy the chance to nap."
Jan Di rolled her eyes. "I refuse to waste any more time arguing with someone completely unreasonable." She grabbed Ga Eul by the arm. "Come on, Ga Eul, we'll plan our own party."
"And I refuse to waste any more time talking to someone whose idea of fun is an intense study session with a bunch of nerds who call themselves Super Cardiacs," Woo Bin yelled after her.
As their two best friends pulled them away from each other, Yi Jeong and Ga Eul gave each other a last longing look.
"I feel for you, bro." Woo Bin patted Yi Jeong on the shoulder. "It was mighty selfish of Jan Di to take Ga Eul away from you."
Yi Jeong scowled at him.
_oOo_
Woo Bin had had a busy day. Between organizing the caterers and setting up a champagne fountain, a DJ, and water acrobats, he hadn't gotten the chance to speak to Jae. He hoped she was having a good day. Ever since school started back up, she was looking more and more exhausted. He glanced at the clock. It was 9 PM. He had promised Yi Jeong that he would pick up Ga Eul from her cooking class today. It would be too late to stop by to see Jae after that, but he could still call her. He dialed her number.
"Hey, Jae, got home okay?"
"No. Still at the university. I've a lot of work. It'll probably take another hour."
At this rate, she would get home by midnight or even later. Woo Bin didn't trust the bus on a sunny afternoon. Forget about trusting it near midnight.
"Wait for me. I'll pick you up. I have to pick up Ga Eul on my way anyway. You know how Yi Jeong is with these things," he said over her protests.
That is how Woo Bin found himself sitting with the girls in the porridge shop well past its closing time.
"It's nice of Master to let you guys use the porridge shop after hours," he said while he poured himself some porridge.
"Didn't you have dinner?" asked Jae Kyung.
He studied her. She had bags under her eyes. Her shoulders dropped slightly, and she kept stretching her neck from side to side.
He dug into his porridge and flashed her a smile, "I like the food here."
Ga Eul took the bowl from them and added some onions, garlic, and coriander. She then mixed a bunch of other things that went over his head. Once she was satisfied, she returned their food. It tasted better. Much better. Which shouldn't come as a surprise. Ga Eul was a genius with food.
The beeping of his phone ended Woo Bin's musings. It was a follow request.
"Ohhhh, a new girlfriend?" asked Jae while glimpsing at the girl's profile picture.
Woo Bin turned away from her. "Not exactly."
Ga Eul sat down next to him with her bowl of porridge. "An ex-girlfriend?"
"Something like that."
Jae stared down at her bowl without making any move to eat it, her expression pensive. "I have always wondered how people do that. Stay in touch with an old flame."
"You don't speak to any of your exes?" Woo Bin asked.
"I don't block them or anything. Just delete their number." She stifled a yawn. "Along with old messages, pictures, videos." Jae took another bite. "I prefer going no contact after a break up. If an ex reaches out, I mostly ignore them."
She moved her spoon around. "Unless, of course, it's for something important."
"What do you do with any gifts they've given you?" asked Ga Eul.
"I return what I can. What I can't I give away or throw in the trash."
Woo Bin flinched at her nonchalance. It was surprising to think that sweet bubbly Jae could be so cold.
"Don't you think that's a bit"—he searched for the least offensive word—"extreme."
She shrugged. "Why hold on to a failed relationship? You can't move forward if you are clinging to the past. I think it's best to cut the cord completely."
Ga Eul added some more pepper to her bowl. "Don't tell Jan Di that, or it'll give her ideas. She'll ask me to follow your footsteps and cut Ji Min off."
_oOo_
Woo Bin read the same page again for the third time that minute. He should be concentrating on his homework, but his attention kept drifting to Jae. She was strolling around the room on her phone, engrossed in a conversation with her parents.
When her phone rang, she had jumped up with excitement. "They remembered."
That statement confused the hell out of Woo Bin. But before he could ask for further clarification, she was already on the phone. With each passing second, the light from her eyes became dimmer and dimmer. It was unsettling.
Hanging up the call, she sat next to him on the sofa. "My current test score average is lower than usual. My father thinks I'm unable to cope with the responsibility." She fidgeted with her hands. "He wants to discuss this further once they return from Cabo."
"On your birthday of all days? It's not like you're failing. This conversation could wait."
Jae folded her arms, "I don't think they remembered." She tapped the armrest. "I can't be sure. They didn't wish me, but maybe they were getting late for their trip?"
She turned away from him and leaned on the far arm of the couch.
"It doesn't matter," she whispered. "Birthdays don't matter once you reach adulthood. Running a company is stressful. It's natural that it slipped their mind." She looked at him with sunken eyes. "I'm sure they'll send something. Or have Chen send something once they remember. In a week or two."
For several minutes, there was complete silence. Jae stared absently at the wall while rocking back and forth.
Woo Bin reached for her hand. "Jae." His fingers gently brushed hers. "I'm sorry."
Her lips curled into a smile. A hollow, pained kind. Woo Bin wished he knew the words to make her feel better—the magical combination of words that would drive away the listlessness from her eyes. She had turned away from him again and was absentmindedly twirling her key chain.
The only thing he could do was focus on making this day special for her. He hated to admit defeat, especially against Jan Di. But she was right. A huge party was a bad idea. Woo Bin made his excuses and headed home. He had several changes to make, and fast.
_oOo_
While it had started out a bit rocky, Jae Kyung's day had improved significantly. The girls were seated in front of the large mirror in Ga Eul's bedroom while Ga Eul filed their nails.
Jan Di looked up from the manicure instruction manual. "I'm going to be a hit at the Super Cardiac Potluck. When I show up with manicured nails and freshly baked cupcakes." She turned to Ga Eul. "Thanks for helping with that. That will show Hyo-Ri for calling my cooking dry and uninspired."
Jan Di curled her hand into a fist and shook it in the air. "She will never rise from the ashes of her humiliating defeat."
Ga Eul and Jae Kyung exchanged concerned looks at the menacing look in her eyes.
In an attempt to change the topic, Jae Kyung turned to Ga Eul and asked, "How is chef class coming along?"
"Low-key. As low-key as can be expected." Ga Eul fixed her skirt with her free hand. "I'm considering switching majors to culinary arts. My parents think it's smarter to keep my options open. But it doesn't feel right."
"It feels kind of like having one foot out of the door. Like you're not all in," said Jae Kyung with a knowing smile.
The next few minutes passed in silence. The girls sat back, listening to soothing music, while waiting for their nail paint to dry.
Once her nails had dried, Ga Eul left to fetch Jan Di's potluck food.
"Unnie, are you enjoying your day so far? It must be different from what you're used to?" asked Jan Di.
Jae Kyung nodded. "I'm having a lot of fun, though. One of the best birthdays."
Jae Kyung launched into a story of a previous birthday.
"I was in Barcelona. My parents had a last-minute meeting to attend in Paris. So, Chen and I got a chance to explore the city by ourselves." She put the nail polishes back in the kit. "With my parents not there, we got to see the local street performers, try the street food places, and make friends with interesting people. Though one of them did try to rob us. But overall, a great day. My favorite birthday until this one"
For reasons Jae Kyung couldn't comprehend, the two girls were now giving her sympathetic looks.
Pointing to the Tupperware in Ga Eul's hand, she said, "Interesting ensemble, there."
Ga Eul had returned with an array of items. Six pieces of shrimp tempura, four Potstickers, and half a bagel. "Sorry, I think the bagel was Chef Lee's."
Jan Di took the box from her. "Oh, don't worry. I know exactly who to give the bagel to."
Before Jan Di could start her evil monologue again, Jae Kyung continued with her story. "The worst was my fifteenth. I had just moved to Japan and didn't know anyone. I ordered a small pastry for myself. Because I hadn't explored the area much, I trusted the reviews. It tasted like cement. Dried out cement."
She put her hands together. "But my next birthday was great. My friends surprised me with a road trip across Europe. We went to this bar in Italy—Beer Garden—and tried absinthe for the first time. It was much stronger than planned. We got completely wasted." She paused. "I think someone stole our passports, at some point?"
She put the manicure kit back inside Ga Eul's dresser. "Long story short, we ended up in immigration. And they called all our parents. My father was so angry, I thought his vein would pop out." She rested her face on her chin. "That part wasn't so fun. But the rest of it. A complete blast."
The other two girls stared at her in shock.
_oOo_
Scrapping his entire birthday idea, Woo Bin had instead decided to take Jae Kyung on a food tour across the city. For some bizarre reason, far beyond Yi Jeong's comprehension, the first place on his list was a small fishing place outside the city that required its customers to catch their own dinner.
Yi Jeong found himself alone with Jae Kyung while Woo Bin went to arrange for their gear. He adjusted the collar of his shirt. "Jae Kyung, did you girls really vote Ji Hoo as the hottest F4 member?"
She chuckled. "It was after a long debate. Jan Di was convinced it was Jun Pyo."
He loosened his tie. "That makes sense, I guess. You guys didn't agree?"
"Ga Eul didn't."
He perked up. It wasn't their collective verdict.
"She thought Woo Bin had a better physique. I put in a good word on your behalf, though." She flashed him a mischievous smile and then strolled towards Woo Bin.
The fishing trip was going as well as expected. To demonstrate his superior skill, Woo Bin launched his rod into the water. The only thing he demonstrated was his idiocy and clumsiness. The rod slipped from his grasp and was now floating a little distance from the boat.
"Don't worry. I'll get it." Jae Kyung tried to drag Woo Bin's rod towards them by using her own.
Yi Jeong ignored them. He sat in the furthest corner and tried to catch something. His stomach was rumbling.
"Yi Jeong." Woo Bin sat beside him. "You are scaring the fishes away with the stench of your disbelief."
Jae Kyung passed Woo Bin his fishing rod. "Yes. Close your eyes. Believe in the power of mighty Poseidon."
Yi Jeong rolled his eyes at the pair.
_oOo_
Yi Jeong sat in a cozy booth across from Woo Bin and Jae Kyung. After two hours of trying to catch something, the group had given up and left. Although, the old man at the shore had taken pity on them and given them a small fish. Still hungry, the trio had made it to their next destination ahead of schedule.
Yi Jeong rested his food on his chopsticks. He had to hand it to Woo Bin. The guy knew where to find good food. The man in question was completely engrossed with Jae Kyung. She had launched into some insane story about the true origin story of Dak Gangjeong, which Woo Bin found hilarious. Yi Jeong shook his head. His bro claimed it was platonic, completely oblivious to the constant goofy grin he had around her.
"Hey, Yi Jeong," asked Jae Kyung. "You think fishcakes would go well with pineapple custard, right?"
Yi Jeong smiled at her. This was one woman Woo Bin would never get bored of. If only he would get his head out of the sand and face reality.
_oOo_
Yi Jeong left to complete some work in his studio. Which left Woo Bin alone with Jae in her apartment, eating a bowl of ice cream sundae.
Jae's phone buzzed next to her. She tapped the screen to see the message. Happy birthday, princess ;)
Woo Bin wasn't trying to peak. The screen was visible from where he sat. She stared at her phone for half a second, her face contemplative, and then hit delete. Woo Bin shot her a look, but she returned to eating her ice cream, unwilling to meet his questioning gaze. It was best not to pry.
Woo Bin rummaged through his backpack. He took out four envelopes and handed them to her. "Each of these contains a letter—one from Gran, one from Ga Eul, one from Jan Di, and one from me."
She ran her fingers over the envelopes. "Thank You." She smiled at him. Her signature Jae Kyung smile. One that started with her eyes and then spread out across her entire face, bathing her features in its light. "It means a lot."
"You had mentioned that you find handwritten letters personal." He put both hands in his pocket and stared at the ground. "It was nothing. Low-key really."
_oOo_
My darling baby Jae Kyung,
The house feels so empty without you. In the few wonderful days you had spent with me, you bathed my home in light. So much laughter. So much love. It was almost like I had my daughter Mei Ling back. You have come so far since you first landed on my doorstep. You are now holding down two jobs all the while juggling college full time. It is not easy what you are doing—surviving in Seoul alone, at your age. I have seen how quickly you have picked up how to do chores. How to pay bills. How to budget. You work so hard, my child. You should be proud of yourself. Please know that you are always welcome here, whenever you have had a bad day and are craving a good meal and some company. You always have a place here. Happy birthday, my love. You are growing up to be such a wonderful young woman and I'm so lucky to be able to witness it.
Love,
Gran
Jae Kyung smiled. Gran's invitation was genuine. The room where Jae Kyung had stayed when she was living with her was exactly how she had left it. She was so wonderful. Jae Kyung carefully folded the letter back into the envelope and placed it in a box. This really was the best birthday ever.
A/N: Hi Guys! Did you like the chapter? What was your favorite part? Please let us know in the reviews.