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 glorialopezgl534.03. We are so glad you enjoyed the last chapter. The contents of each letter would be revealed in future chapters when Jae Kyung would re-read them. We hope you all enjoy this chapter. Some important people are introduced.
Woo Bin flipped through the hardbound ring binder with multiple color-coded tabs.
"I have grouped it by vibe. I thought of doing it alphabetically, but this seems more natural," said Jae.
He examined the various sections. It was impressively thorough. Complete with Jae's commentary on the perceived pros and cons of each career path. Between two jobs and a full-time college education, this must have used up all her free time.
"It is not much. There is still a lot left to cover. But we could add more careers as we think of them." She took the binder from him and flipped to the entry on the circus. "I did some digging, and Rambo Circus is in town. Want to start there?"
"Jae"—he held her gaze—"thanks."
"Nonsense." She smiled. "This was the most fun I had all week."
_oOo_
Woo Bin took off from the trapeze and attempted an upside-down mid-air flip. Unfortunately, the trapeze girl made it look way easier than it was. He landed directly on his head, narrowly avoiding a concussion. He got off the offending instrument. The circus tricks were proving much more challenging than he had anticipated.
Perhaps Jae was having better luck. She was far more nimble. He found her next to the lion tamer, patting the lion to sleep while singing him a lullaby.
"He is so much like Leo," she said. "Majestic. Misunderstood."
The lion tamer nodded. "Our Rambo is the most empathetic creature. You should see how he curls up next to me whenever I have had a rough day."
She scratched the underside of Rambo's ear. He purred. "Leo loved that too."
Woo Bin smiled. It was delightful—seeing Jae so relaxed—seeing her smile without any inhibition or worry. Even if he didn't find any role in the circus to be a suitable career, this alone would make the trip worthwhile.
Woo Bin judged her parents for giving Leo away. Sure, a lion as a pet was a little unconventional. But no child should ever be forcefully separated from their beloved fur baby.
"Master Song," said the Circus coordinator, "we can't let the elephant sit on you. That takes extensive training. Besides, you're far too muscular for the act to be impressive."
"Are you fat-shaming me?"
The coordinator massaged his temple. "For the tenth time, Master Song, nobody is body-shaming you. Trying the trapeze tricks you saw on YouTube, having the elephant sit on you, wrestling with the lion, and whatever other insane ideas you have, are all safety violations."
"Fine. How about you let me cross that on a unicycle." Woo Bin pointed to the tightrope. "Only, set the net on fire. Once I get more experienced, of course."
The man handed him a unicycle. "How about you practice riding this on the ground first."
_oOo_
Yi Jeong loved watching Ga Eul on the wheel. She always had an intense look of determination on her whenever she worked. Since Ga Eul had signed up for chef class, their pottery lessons had become less frequent. He understood, obviously. Ga Eul had a lot on her plate. That just made these little moments more precious.
"Am I not doing it right? Is it the hand angle?"
He adjusted her hand. "Did you tell your parents about switching majors?"
She nodded. "It could have gone better. I think they blame Woo Bin. They didn't mention him specifically"—she added more clay to the wheel—"but they did say something about how my rich boyfriend was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and can't possibly understand the importance of having a safety net."
Yi Jeong was unsure how to feel about the situation between Woo Bin and Ga Eul's parents. On the one hand, having her parents believe she was dating his best friend was odd. On the other hand, it was nice to have someone else take the blame for all the shenanigans he and Ga Eul got into.
_oOo_
Woo Bin took another glance at the question paper. It was a ridiculous idea—that staring at the blasted thing would make the answers magically appear. But he didn't have any other choices at the moment. The time for making choices was yesterday when he had decided to watch a movie rather than study.
He scratched his head. They wouldn't expel him. He was an F4 member. He was the only grandchild of one of the most formidable women in Korea. No matter how many classes he failed, they wouldn't expel him. The only thing he was risking then was Gran's disappointment. He shivered. Gran was a sweet old lady most of the time, except when she was angry. Then she transformed into a Kraken.
In a last-ditch attempt to cheat, he turned to the adjacent table. Where he found himself locking gaze with a gorgeous woman. He pointed to her paper. She tilted it towards him, making it easier for him to see her answers. He mumbled a quick thank you and jolted down what he saw.
He caught up with her after class. She had saved him from another one of his father's disappointing looks and Gran's scathing lectures. He owed her one.
"Thanks. You're a lifesaver." He stretched out his hand. "Song Woo Bin. I'm now in your debt."
"Ji Ah." She flashed him a brilliant smile. "I can think of a way for you to make it up to me. I'm new in town. " She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Maybe you can show me around."
Free from the stress of the exam, he took a second to study her. With striking green eyes, dirty blonde hair, and doll-like features, she was the complete package. He handed her his phone. "I would like that."
She entered her number and then stepped towards him, close enough that he could smell her perfume. She then placed the phone lightly against his chest. "I look forward to it."
She was rather forward. But then again, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
_oOo_
"Your mediocrity never ceases to amaze me," Chef Lee addressed the class. "This might very well be the worst batch I have ever had the misfortune of teaching. Nevertheless, I must honor the time-ordered tradition. For the next four months, you will all participate in a contest. A contest that'll demonstrate which one of you miserable idiots is the least hopeless." He took a turn about the room. "At the beginning of each class, I'll score you on a particular task. The task will change every time and will test a different vital skill. By the end of these four months, the top five scorers will accompany me on an all-expense paid trip to Paris. Where you'll get a chance to observe the inner workings of my restaurant."
Ga Eul perked up. Despite her dwindling opinion of Chef Lee, his restaurant in Paris was one of the finest establishments in the world. The chance to watch his team up close would be an honor.
France lifted his hand in the air. "Perhaps I should pass this up? It will indeed be a great sacrifice, but Paris is my homeland. I could not possibly deprive anyone of its beauty."
Chef Lee rolled his eyes. "Those of you who have not already accepted defeat can turn to the board. These are the rules for today's challenge. I trust you all have basic reading comprehension?"
Ga Eul scanned the instructions. They had to dice as many vegetables as possible within ten minutes. She rushed to the pantry and fetched an assortment of vegetables— capsicum, carrots, tomatoes, and potatoes. These seem easy enough to do. She cut them into large pieces, attempting to keep them as even as possible. She was done with the capsicum. It wasn't as neat as she would have liked. Considering it was Chef Lee, he would deduct points for sloppiness. But it was too late now. A quick glance at the wall clock told her she only had eight minutes left. She brought forward the carrots, chopping them as fast as possible.
Ga Eul dropped the knife. In her haste, the blade came inches away from slicing her index finger. In an attempt to steady her nerves, she looked around the room.
Vietnam was in mid-argument with Chef Lee. He had cut thirteen vegetables, the highest in his group, quite possibly the whole class. He had, however, achieved this by using a food processor.
"You never said we had to use a knife. You said dice vegetables. As you can see, I have done just that."
Chef Lee glared at him but opted to move on.
France was grating most of his vegetables. He was also doing well. Although, not as well as Vietnam. Nigeria had gone for Julian. While that had put her behind the others, her bunch did look the most elegant. Japan was having some trouble. She had opted for cutting onions which were getting her a little teary-eyed. Ga Eul supposed that she had made it last to the pantry. So, all the easier vegetables were taken. Vietnam offered Japan his handkerchief and the use of his food processor.
Ga Eul smiled at him and then returned to her plate. She still had five minutes left. Maybe she could salvage this.
_oOo_
Hana was a godsend. Jae Kyung always had incredible luck when it came to people. Thanks to Hana, Jae Kyung got all the books she needed for her class for under 7000 Won. It was a relief not having to choose between eating three meals or keeping her job.
"Next time, I will show you where to buy good quality clothes for practically nothing."
Jae Kyung glanced at her phone. It was 7.30. She only had a few tests left to grade and submit to Professor Chung, and then she could go home. She might actually make it home before ten today. This was shaping out to be a wonderful day.
"You can finish your work in our clubhouse if you want. I'll introduce you to the rest of the gang. They're all gonna love you."
And this was how Jae Kyung found herself spending the evening with Hana's rag-tag group of broke scholarship students—Yu Ri, Na Bi, and Ji Na. They too were trying to get through college on a tight budget.
Yu Ri was currently the focus of Jae Kyung's attention. While Na Bi and Ji Na were busy with college work, Yu Ri was perched on a sewing machine with a bag of clothes next to her. She rummaged through the bag and took out a beautiful black vintage skirt with white lace embroidery. Noticing Jae Kyung's interest, Hana handed it to her. She felt the fabric. It was of remarkable quality for something that cheap.
"You have to know where to look. The thrift stores in rich neighborhoods always have the best stuff," said Hana.
"It would look even better if we cut the underskirt and stitch the hem up," said Jae Kyung.
Yu Ri took back the skirt and proceeded to do just that.
"Yu Ri here saves us a lot of money with her handy sewing skills," said Ji Na
Soon enough, Jae Kyung was practicing stitching on an old handkerchief. However, unlike Yu Ri, she was both woefully unprepared and completely useless. Her needle kept passing through the knot. Yu Ri took the thread from her and demonstrated the process once again. Jae Kyung always met the nicest people.
"Hana tells us you are working for Professor Chung. I had him last year. The guy is a real nightmare. I spent so many evenings stuck here, grading his dumb tests. Preparing his never-ending lessons," said Ji Na.
"Do you need help getting home?" asked Hana.
"We follow the buddy system. Whoever lives closest to you could stay back with you," said Na Bi.
"That's so sweet of you. But no need. My friend generally picks me up."
Hana put her bag of new clothes away and sat next to Jae Kyung. "That friend wouldn't be that F4 guy, would it? Song Woo Bin?"
Jae Kyung finally tied a knot big enough to block the thread from passing through. She was starting to get the hang of this. Maybe she wasn't so useless after all.
"Yeah. We carpool together most days."
Yu Ri put down the skirt and regarded Jae Kyung. "Let me get this straight. He picks you up in his car. Everyday. Mostly late in the evenings and then drives you home." She laughed. "Honey, come on? You sure have something, but a carpool ain't it."
Jae Kyung stopped mid-stitch. "It's not like that. He would be picking up Ga Eul anyway. The university is on the way. I tried to protest, but he has an irrational fear of buses." She paused. "Which is weird. We literally met on a bus. Long story. Anyway, he would be in the area. It's not too much of an imposition. Probably?" She stared at her lap. "Hopefully?"
Yu Ri put her hands up. "No judgment from me, sister. If a smoking hot guy offered to drive me home every day, I wouldn't turn him down."
Jae Kyung rested her needlework in her lap. Woo Bin, smoking hot? Well. She supposed he wasn't unattractive. He did have those charmingly broad shoulders and that chiseled jawline. She pursed her lips. Not that she saw him that way. He was her friend. It would be totally inappropriate.
"Really, Yu Ri?" said Ji Na. "Are you forgetting he's from Shinwa?"
"There are plenty of nice people in Shinwa," said Jae Kyung.
"Don't mind her. She's just joking around," said Yu Ri. "We're all fellow Shinwa High survivors. That's how we met."
"And we still have friends back there. Like my cousin," said Hana.
Jae Kyung figured they were scholarship recipients. According to Jan Di, although the general vibe was elitist, around twenty percent of Shinwa students were hard-working people from modest backgrounds, who were receiving financial aid.
"Listen," Na Bi came and sat on Jae Kyung's other side, "he chooses to drop you every day. Remember, it's his own choice. You don't owe him anything."
Jae Kyung met Na Bi's eyes. "I don't know about that. Sure, we shouldn't keep a scorecard. But I wouldn't go as far as to say that we don't owe our friends anything. Friendship should be a back-and-forth, trade favors kind of thing. Don't you think?"
It was possible that Na Bi was implying something far viler than the normal gratitude and reciprocity between friends. But Jae Kyung believed in giving people the benefit of the doubt, especially people like Na Bi, who had been nothing but warm and welcoming towards her.
"I only meant," Na Bi said, "that be careful."
Yu Ri patted Jae Kyung on the shoulder. "Ignore her. She is prejudiced against beautiful people. She hated me on sight." She scooted closer. "Now tell me, do you know all the F4? Does Yoon Ji Hoo really sleep through the exam and still somehow ace it?"
Woo Bin would agree with that theory. Jan Di, however, was adamant that Ji Hoo studied regularly and diligently.
Jae Kyung spent another half hour with them until Woo Bin came to pick her up.
"Did you know Hana, Na Bi, Yu Ri, or Ji Na from your high school by any chance? They went to Shinwa."
"Not really. Wait, that's why they were staring at me? And here I thought it was due to my dashing good looks and irresistible charm."
To be fair, that was probably why Yu Ri was staring. "Don't forget your awe-inspiring humility."
_oOo_
Woo Bin took another bite of the Rosetto. The food was divine. That was to be expected, considering it was the leftovers from Ga Eul's chef class. What was unexpected was Jae's disinterest. She had hardly touched the dish and had, in fact, spent the past fifteen minutes glued to her phone. Noticing his attention, she tilted her phone towards him. Pages and Pages of her feed featured pictures of people, presumably friends, gallivanting across the globe.
"I miss it sometimes. Spontaneously traveling to a different country, on a different day of the week." She took a bite of Rosetto. "Flying off to Italy to blow off some steam after finals."
"Flying to France on your sixteenth birthday to be able to drink legally," said Woo Bin.
"Skating down the Alps to channel the ever-present pain of missing your beloved pet into something positive and thrilling."
"Waving to the space station from the Great Wall of China."
Ga Eul grinned. "Yep. Can totally relate."
Jae gave her an apologetic look.
Ga Eul dismissed her with a wave of her hand. "Although, I might get a chance to go to Paris. If everything goes well."
Ga Eul spent the next few minutes filling them in on the details of her new chef class contest. "The competition is steep, though. I'll have to be in the top five."
Woo Bin didn't think she had anything to worry about. If the Rosetto was anything to go by, Ga Eul was the best in her class.
The next few minutes went by in relative silence. Broken only by the occasional scraping of cutlery against plates as they ate their food. Woo Bin finished his food and was busy browsing through his phone when he first noticed Ga Eul watching him. She would look at him, look back at the floor, and then repeat the cycle. She had been at this for the past ten minutes.
"Ga Eul," he said. "You can tell me anything. I'm the older brother you never wanted but would nevertheless always cherish, remember?"
She fixed her skirt. "Could you find someone for me? His name is Cho Joshua."
"Joshua?" said Jae. "That cute guy you liked in middle school. Is this about the next item on your list?"
She moved her food around in circles. "Yes."
He tapped his fingers. There was no way he could find him. He would never stab Yi Jeong in the back like that. He racked his brain for a believable excuse, or any excuse, but came up short.
"Sure. I'll try." He lied.
_oOo_
Woo Bin waited outside the arcade for his guest to arrive. While it would've been more gentlemanly to pick her up, he wasn't sure how comfortable she would be handing out her address to a guy she barely knew. Besides, it might give the impression that they were on a date.
"Woo Bin, over here!" she called out.
Dressed in a green mid-length dress that made her eyes pop, and her hair tied up in a loose bun, she looked stunning.
"Hope I didn't make you wait too long." She took his arm and led him inside.
When Ji Ah had first suggested going to the arcade, Woo Bin was surprised. He thought she would've preferred something fancier. He was soon dissuaded of this notion when a few minutes into their air hockey match, she blocked his shot midway and redirected it right into his goal.
"If I beat you zero to nine, do I get a prize?" she grinned.
Instead of answering, he swung the puck across the board, scoring a point.
She was good. The score was tied at 8-8 with five minutes left on the clock. Her defense was excellent. Getting anything past her reflexes was a real challenge. But luckily, her offense wasn't as aggressive as his. Which put the puck in his court, more often than not.
"I was wondering," she said while blocking another one of his shots. "Do you practice air hockey with your secret love child?"
"That rumor is still alive?" he slammed the puck against the board. It traveled to her side and crashed against the wall, narrowly missing its mark.
He spent the next five minutes explaining how the story of him being a new dad came to be. "In hindsight, I shouldn't have bought all those baby clothes for Chin Sun. But the little onesies are so damn cute!"
She laughed. "I think it's kind of sweet. Spending your free time babysitting for a friend."
She threw the puck back at him. In an attempt to block the shot, he accidentally hit the puck right into his own goal.
"Good game," she chuckled. "Want to try our luck at archery? Maybe I'll win you something."
It turned out, that as good as she was at air hockey, Ji Ah couldn't shoot an arrow to save her life. Not that that stopped her from trying. She made several shots. None of which landed anywhere near the board.
"Try loosening your grip."
"Like this?" she turned to him. "I'm still doing it wrong, aren't I? Maybe you can help me out?" She put the bow down and smiled at him. "By adjusting my stance."
He took the bow from her and demonstrated.
She pursed her lips. "Why don't you have a go? I'm bored anyway. I'll just watch."
Woo Bin thought he caught a hint of frustration on her face, but on a second glance, she was smiling. Deciding that he must have imagined it, he slung the bow back and aimed directly at the bullseye. The arrow landed dead center.
Woo Bin shifted through the ensemble of available plush toys to select his prize. He was admiring the baby penguin when he spotted it. Right at the very end of the line, next to the pink teddy bear, the most adorable little lion cub. He smiled. It looked exactly like Leo. Jae would love it.
"Thanks," said Ji Ah while pointing at the toy. "I guess you ended up winning me something, huh?"
"That's not"—he rubbed his neck—"I'll win you one. How about that penguin?"
"No, it's alright. Let's try another game."
During the next hour, out of the nine games they played, Ji Ah beat him at four. Not that he minded. He enjoyed the challenge.
"It's getting late. Want to walk me home? It's only a few blocks from here."
Woo Bin nodded. It was well past sunset. It was only right to drop her off.
"So, the lion?" she examined her shoes. "Is it for a girlfriend? Or are the rumors about you being in a serious relationship for the past year unfounded?"
He stopped walking. Serious girlfriend? Where did that come from? Sure, he hadn't been on many dates for the past year, but that didn't mean he had a girlfriend. The Shinwa rumor mill was insane.
"Where did you hear that from? I haven't had an official girlfriend since I was sixteen."
She studied his face but didn't comment.
They walked the remainder of the way in relative silence. Woo Bin was attempting to count the number of yellow cars driving by but kept getting distracted by Ji Ah's fingers occasionally brushing against his own. He didn't want to be presumptuous, but it was happening far too often for it to be accidental. Not that he would ever point that out. That would be crass.
Ji Ah stopped in front of a yellow gate. "This is me." She rested her fingers on his arm. "Do you want to come inside?" she leaned in closer until her face was a few inches from his. "Maybe, have a drink?"
He regarded her for a minute. "No. It's late. Gran would be waiting up for me."
"Oh"—her shoulder dropped—"okay."
He flashed her a smile. "Thanks for coming. I had a lot of fun. You really kicked my butt."
She flipped her hair back. "Maybe you'll like a rematch sometime?"
"Maybe I will."
A/N: Hi Guys! Did you like the chapter? What was your favorite part? Please let us know in the reviews. For anyone who has forgotten, the secret love child mentioned in this chapter refers to the rumor that started back in chapter 17 when Woo Bin was babysitting for Ga Eul and was caught buying baby stuff by some people from Shinwa.