A/N: Thank you to everyone who is reading this story. I appreciate the support!
glorialopezgl534.03: Thank you for your review. Glad you enjoyed the chapter.
Phantomstimeturner: Thank you for your review. I'm glad you like Woo Bin. I think Woo Bin-Yi Jeong scenes are my favorite to write because of the pure sibling energy. Hope you like this chapter!
Kola93: Hey! Thanks so much for your review. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Best of lucks with the finals! And a happy weekend to you as well. Hope you like this chapter too.
Special thanks to my beta Vnillachamomile for helping out with this chapter. Enjoy, guys!
"I knew you could do it." Yi Jeong plopped himself on his living room couch. "And third place too! That's impressive."
"Thanks," said Ga Eul. "For not letting me quit."
"You know, while you're there, you should definitely check out the Louvre."
"Sure, any other pointers?"
They chatted about the various other attractions in Paris for a while before Ga Eul had to leave for class.
"OK, I'll let you go then. We're on for tomorrow, right? Because this win calls for a huge celebration," said Yi Jeong.
"I don't know about huge. Maybe we'll go out for lunch or something."
"See you then. Bye."
The grin on Yi Jeong's face vanished in an instant. His father stood in front of him with his arms crossed.
"This is what you canceled on An Na for? An uncouth, uppity commoner?"
"Ga Eul is neither uncouth nor uppity."
"An Na comes from generations of successful businessmen. You want to let that go? And for what? Gallivanting around town, doing god knows what, with a gold-digging nobody?"
Yi Jeong clenched his jaw. "This conversation is over. And you can show An Na around yourself tomorrow. I'm done playing her tour guide."
_oOo_
An Na sat cross-legged on the park bench near Lake Seokchon. "I'd forgotten how beautiful it looks during summertime."
"You always did love cherry blossoms," said Il Hyun.
After the blow-up fight with their father, Yi Jeong refused to spend any more time with her. But the Parks were old clients of the studio: Yi Jeong's life's work. Il Hyun couldn't let his brother's efforts go to waste. Once he calms down, he'd regret snubbing them.
So, here he was, fulfilling his brotherly duties. Showing An Na around. He handed her a packet of shrimp chips. "I remember how much you loved these."
She popped one in her mouth. "Still good."
He flashed her a smile. He liked her. It wasn't her fault that she was an unwilling pawn in his father's schemes. She was a sweet child who grew into a generous and kind adult.
"Oppa."
He nodded.
"Yi Jeong didn't come today."
He adjusted his collar. "He had some meetings in the morning. You want to visit Namsan Park?"
"Sure. After a minute. Let me soak in the view for a bit."
They spent the next few hours covering Naman Park, N Seoul Tower, and Jogyesa Temple.
"So, where to next?" she asked.
He checked his watch. Nearly 4 o'clock. Show time. "You want to stop by Yi Jeong's studio? Pay him a visit?"
"Sure."
A half hour later, when they entered the studio, Yi Jeong was busy teaching Ga Eul pottery.
It didn't look like he had registered their presence yet.
"You've gotten so good. A bit more practice, and you won't need me anymore."
"I'll still show up. Pottery is more fun when you've someone to do it with you."
"In that case." With his hand on top of hers, they spun the wheel.
An Na's expression changed from bewildered, to disappointed, and then finally, to understanding.
Il Hyun suppressed a smile. Soon enough, a prospective engagement would no longer be in the cards.
Nothing about An Na pointed to the kind of woman who desired a business arrangement for a relationship. Showing her a glimpse of the future seemed like the most painless way to ensure she backed off.
Yi Jeong retracted his hand. "Hyung. An Na. Sorry. Didn't see you there."
_oOo_
Yi Jeong lugged An Na's luggage onto the trolley. "Well, An Na-ssi, it's been a pleasure."
She shook his outstretched hand. "See you around, Yi Jeong."
"Thank you. For calling off the arrangement."
"You know that an engagement was never my intention, right? I wasn't against starting a relationship. But marriage? Far too young for that."
"Still. Thanks for nipping it in the bud."
She took a second to answer. "I didn't do it for you."
A look of surprise flickered across his face.
"Don't look at me like that. Just because I'm expected to date certain types of men, doesn't mean I'd settle for just any guy with connections. I want love, Yi Jeong."
"I get that." He escorted her to the security gate. "I hope you find what you're looking for. You really are one hell of a girl."
For a split second, she hesitated. "You might want to start betting on the right card. As long as you're single, they'll keep coming." She held his gaze. "And the next one might not be as nice as me."
She headed for the security check, leaving a startled Yi Jeong behind.
There was wisdom in her words. As long as the position was open, his father would find candidates to fill it. Hell, even getting a girlfriend might not be enough to stop him. But at least it'll reduce the number of women willing to try. After all, most heiresses weren't dying to be with an attached man.
_oOo_
The minute Yi Jeong left the airport, Woo Bin accosted him.
"Were you here the whole time?" asked Yi Jeong. He should be used to Woo Bin's weird antics by now, but somehow the idiot kept coming up with innovative ways to surprise him.
"Someone had to ensure you did the right thing."
"You know what? I'm not even gonna bother. Lunch?"
Twenty minutes later, Yi Jeong sat across from Woo Bin at a small diner near the airport, his mind replaying An Na's words in a loop.
"The sushi offended you in some way, bro. You've hardly touched it," said Woo Bin.
Yi Jeong drummed his fingertips against the table. He could use a distraction. Besides, sometimes the best way to tackle your problem is to help out someone with similar circumstances.
"You know when I was in Sweden, and we had that fight about Ji Ah? I wasn't against your relationship because you'd be too busy to chauffeur Ga Eul around."
"I Know. I didn't mean any of that. I was just—angry."
"I meant what I said, though."
Woo Bin put down his chopsticks. "This again?"
"Ji Ah, does she give you butterflies?"
"Butterflies? What are you, Jun Pyo? That shit doesn't exist after high school."
"It does." He picked at his food. "I felt it before. With Ga Eul."
"Well, you always were the sappy type." He dangled a piece of sushi from his chopstick. "What's next? You're gonna ask if her touch generates a jolt of electricity?"
"Fine. You want something less 'Jun Pyo?' Does she make every day better, no matter how shitty the situation?"
Woo Bin choked on the sushi. "Water. Thanks." He gulped down the entire glass in one swift motion.
The silence stretched on.
Yeah.
Yi Jeong definitely hit a chord.
"That doesn't mean anything," said Woo Bin. "Friends can do that too."
"Choke you?"
"No, idiot. Your question. It doesn't have to be romantic. Friends can do that too." He leaned closer. "Like, look at us. I'm your one beacon of light in your otherwise dark, sad, mundane life."
"Nah. You're more like a hernia."
"Yet, you keep inviting me everywhere." He snatched an eggroll right from Yi Jeong's chopstick. "Deny it all you want. I'm your sunshine, baby."
"Whatever." Yi Jeong stole his food back. "But I'll grant you this: yes, friends can do that too. Friends don't, however, give you butterflies."
The statement didn't land like Yi Jeong hoped. Instead of getting nervous, Woo Bin started singing You are My Sunshine, with the lyrics changed to 'I'm Your sunshine', in an exaggerated tone.
The torture didn't stop until it was time to leave.
With the door held open, Woo Bin turned to him and said, "Stop wussing out and tell her then. If she makes you feel that much."
Yi Jeong stuffed his hands in his pocket. "Maybe I will. Only a fool would let a girl who means that much to him slip away."
_oOo_
Jae Kyung marched to Ji Na and Na Bi's lockers.
The moment they noticed her, they stuffed their bags at jet speed.
"I understand that you're both angry." Jae Kyung held open one of her torn textbooks. "But this needs to stop. Now."
"We don't know what you're talking about," said Na Bi.
"I saw you both."
It took a second for them to recover.
"You got those books from the shops we recommended. You made those notes in our study sessions," said Na Bi, snapping her locker shut.
"As far as we're concerned, we righted a karmic wrong," said Ji Na.
She took a deep breath. "Again, I totally get that you're angry. But vandalism? Come on. That is not you."
"Too bad you can't wave some money around and make the problem disappear."
"When have I ever—"
"This conversation is over," said Na Bi as she shoved past her.
This week just kept crushing her hopes. She fiddled with her keychain. Hopefully, this was just them blowing off some steam. Despite her growing disappointment at their behavior, she wanted a peaceful resolution.
They used to be friends. At some point.
Adjusting her bag, she headed for class. Exams were in two weeks. She couldn't afford any more of this. Unless they backed off, Jae Kyung would've no choice but to go nuclear. Maybe she'd ask Jan Di for advice. She had dealt with this in Shinwa.
_oOo_
Jae Kyung sat on the study table, her notebooks sprawled across, jolting down notes from her phone. With only two weeks left before exams, she still had six more notebooks left to copy.
Focus on the positive.
Most of the pages survived the shaving cream massacre. For the ones that didn't, several classmates agreed to lend theirs, despite exams being so close.
Things weren't all bleak. Focus on the kindness, not on the part that leads to screaming.
Her cell phone rang, interrupting the prep-talk.
"Were you ever going to tell me? About moving to Seoul?"
"Yoo Jin-ssi." After the way their last phone call went, she thought they closed that chapter. But when had things between them ever been that simple?
"Could you cut it out with the 'ssi?' The formality stings."
"Look. We've been over this. I—"
"Do you remember the first time we met?"
She did. Chemistry lab. Junior year of high school.
"I nearly dropped my beaker when I first laid my eyes on you." He paused. "Did I ever tell you that Ju Won was your original lab partner?"
"You did. The day you asked me out."
"That blank 'I owe you' cost me dearly. But boy was it worth it."
"Yoo Jin, let's not. You know how I—"
"Feel about rehashing the past. Yeah. I remember that whenever I catch a glimpse of the gifts you sent back."
Jae Kyung shuffled her feet. "I just thought a clean break—"
"Even the pendant I got you for Valentine's Day. Do you know the number of shops—leave it. That's not why I called. I miss you. I really, really miss you."
She stiffened. Of all the possible days, he chose today for this.
"Relax. I'm not asking you out. But it still bothers me… how things ended between us. Can't we at least clear the air? Can you not grant me that much? For old time's sake?"
"I'll think about it. Okay?"
"Is this an actual 'I'll think about it' or…"
"I've exams in two weeks. I'll call you after."
"I'll hold you to that."
She clutched her phone. Maybe the warning voice-over in the middle of the 'Mummy roller coaster' was real. Maybe a dead pharaoh cursed her after all. That'd explain the last few weeks. She picked at her phone cover. At least she bought herself some time.
Picking her pen back up, she sat up straighter. This wasn't the time to mope. Not if she wanted to pass the semester. Fighting!
For an hour, the only sound was that of her pen scratching against paper. Jae Kyung finished notebook number two and put it aside. Four more to go. Almost there. Maybe she'll finally get some sleep tonight.
The buzz of the doorbell interrupted her celebration. Ga Eul was still in chef class. Was it the neighborhood welcoming committee?
"Hana. Yu Ri." Great. An encounter with two more people she didn't want to see. This day kept getting shittier and shittier. "What can I help you with?"
"Can we talk?"
Jae Kyung studied their faces, then stepped aside. She might as well get this over with.
Yu Ri cleared her throat. "Hana?"
"I may have overreacted. A little."
"A little?" asked Yu Ri.
"I am sorry, okay? I heard 'heiress,' and all I could think of was snotty Shinvavians lording their wealth over us Plebeians."
Jae Kyung's answer was delayed and subdued. "I don't blame you for the things you said. Or for banning me from the clubhouse. Or even for the ice out. I did sorta deceive you." She looked up at Hana. "Maybe I deserved that. But did you have to destroy my stuff? Weeks before the exams?"
That was a step too far—way too far to declare it water under the bridge. She lost half a semester's worth of notes.
Confused faces stared back at her.
"What stuff?" asked Hana.
Yu Ri clapped her on the shoulder. "Ji Na and Na Bi." She turned back to Jae Kyung. "We didn't know. I swear."
Jae Kyung pressed her lips. That was marginally better. At least the entire friend group didn't label her enemy number one.
"Whatever they ruined, we'll replace it," said Yu Ri.
Hana shot her a pleading look. "Trust me. We had no idea. They'll stop. Immediately. I'll talk to them. Get them to back off. Apologize. Whatever—"
"No use. I tried that already," said Jae Kyung. "At this point, I'm considering registering a formal complaint."
Hana's head shot up. "That'll be a suspension. It'll go on their record. You can't—"
"Maybe those are the consequences of their actions," said Yu Ri.
"But—"
Jae Kyung plastered on a smile. "Thanks for stopping by. I'll take what you said into consideration. Now if you'll excuse me, I really need—"
"Wait, please. This is not a justification. Okay? But they've been through some real shit in Shinwa. Done by girls who look just like you."
That statement left Jae Kyung far too confused to form a coherent response.
"Fashionable. Beautiful. Rich," said Yu Ri. After looking at Jae Kyung's expression, she added, "I'm explaining the statement. Not agreeing."
"That doesn't make any of this okay."
"I'm not saying it does. I am only providing some context." Hana put one hand on each shoulder. "They made a mistake. And I'll make them fix it. I promise. But just consider the gravity of what a possible suspension can do to people with no safety net."
"Fine. If you can get them to back off, I'll let it go." She took a step back. "Now I really have work to finish."
"Let us help, please. As an apology."
"I think I got it."
Yu Ri glanced at the pile of notebooks on the desk. "You sure about that?"
"Yeah. I can manage."
_oOo_
Ji Ah looped her arm through Woo Bin's. "Man, that's a nice entertainment system. Why even bother going to movie theaters?"
He shrugged. "A real theater just feels different for some reason."
"I personally prefer this. An empty room. No one else in sight." She grazed her fingertips over his arm. "Total privacy."
Most days, he found her flirting cute. But today, it was making him uneasy. Something about it felt… off. "Ji Ah—"
His cell phone came to his rescue. "One sec." He freed his arm and checked the caller ID. That was strange. She never called him. "Geum Jan Di. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"It's about Jae Kyung Unnie." Jan Di filled him in on the events of Jae's life in the previous week.
A few sentences in, and the joviality disappeared. He forced the anger down. Right now, he needed to remain rational. "You sure it's them?"
"Unnie didn't give me any names. But yes, I'm sure," said Jan Di. "Sunbae, you know how quickly these things can escalate."
"I do." He dug his fingers into his hair. "Don't worry. I'll sort it all out." He hesitated. "Thanks. For telling me."
He looked up from his phone to Ji Ah's puzzled expression. "Everything all right?"
"It would be." He stumbled around, looking for his car keys.
"You're leaving?"
"Sorry. I'll make it up to you. I promise."
"It's about her, isn't it?"
Did she have to do this every damn time? "I'm really not in the mood. Okay? You can yell as much as you want. Later. Once I fix this."
She followed him out of the lounge. "That girl sure seems to have many urgent problems that only you can solve. Can't you see, she's manip—"
"I would choose my next words very carefully if I were you."
"Of course. How dare I say anything against your precious princess! My apologies."
All of Jae's actions in the past few weeks flashed past him. Her unusual silence on the drive back from the movie. Not answering his calls. Canceling their carpool.
He kept his voice steady and even, but his eyes betrayed his anger. "It was you. Wasn't it? You said something to her."
"I don't know what—"
"Don't you dare lie to me. Jae Kyung wouldn't start dodging my calls for no reason."
"What other choice did I have? Our relationship was never going to work with her lurking about."
He let out a bitter laugh. "That's it. You and I are done."
Her face crumpled up.
"And Ji Ah, unless you wish to see a really unpleasant side of me, I suggest you get out of my sight. Immediately."
If her only crime was requesting Jae to stop their carpool, he might have looked past it. He would've considered it a little pathetic but salvageable. But that's not what she did. Whatever she said, it was vile enough to push Jae to withdraw. And there was no looking past that.
Hurting Jae was unforgivable.
She touched his arm. "Woo Bin. Listen. I only—"
He swatted her hand away. "You know what really gets me? She's the reason we were exclusive."
Her eyes widened, but it only lasted a second.
"That's right. You have nothing but vitriol for her. Yet, every time I've brought you up, she's done nothing but advocate on your behalf."
She stared in the opposite direction. "That was mighty magnanimous of her. Offering me her crumbs."
He scoffed. "Have a nice life, Ji Ah."
_oOo_
Still a fluctuating mess of emotions, Woo Bin rang Jae's doorbell.
He kept oscillating between anger and worry. Anger at Ji Ah for hurting Jae, anger at Jae for lying about it, anger at himself for letting it get this far, and a stress ball of worry about everything Jan Di told him.
The minute the door opened, worry won out. "Jae." Dark circles. Pale skin. Bloodshot eyes. When was the last time she slept? "I'll fix it. I promise."
Realization dawned on her face. "Jan Di told you."
"Of course she did." He stepped in through the door. "But what I wanna know: why didn't you?"
Her back against the wall, she sat on the ground. "I didn't wanna bother you. Besides, it wasn't that big of a deal."
He didn't know whether to be angry or baffled. "They wrecked all your stuff."
"It's not as bad as it sounds."
"Like hell it isn't," he said, joining her on the floor.
"I talked to Yu Ri and Hana. Everything's under control. I've got it covered."
"You talked to—are you out of your mind? These girls have been making your life hell for days, and your solution is talking?"
She was his favorite person in the whole wide world, but sometimes her stubbornness was goddam frustrating.
"The only person we should be talking to, Jae, is the dean. I think a friend of Gran knows him. She'll get us a meeting."
"They used to be my friends."
"Don't give me that look. I am being lenient. Letting the dean take care of it was not the first solution I thought of. Trust me."
"He'll expel them."
"Maybe that's something they should've considered before they hurt you."
"Look, they've had a hard life. Especially at Shinwa. And finding out I'm one of you—I am not saying it's right, but..."
"None of that justifies what they did."
"I know. But anger drives people to make shitty choices sometimes." She hugged her knees. "Whatever else they may have done, they once welcomed me into their group. Took care of me. Were there for me when..."
"So your solution is to let them off the hook?"
"No. Just to give them one last chance to back off. Peacefully."
"You're asking for the impossible."
"No, I am asking you to trust me." She held his gaze. "I'm not saying I forgive them. But—life downright sucks when you have no money, Woo Bin."
There was a pained look in her eyes. As much as he loved having her around, the past year and a half must have been rather unpleasant for her.
"And they don't even have a safety net to fall back on. Even if my parents disown me"—she faced him, a small smile on her lips—"I doubt you or Ga Eul would ever let anything bad happen to me."
"Of course not." He rubbed his neck. "Wait a minute. I see what you're doing. Stop trying to change the topic."
"There's nothing left to discuss. Like I said, the matter's sorted."
"What if they don't stop? How many other chances—"
"Then I will drag them to the dean myself."
"Fine. You win. I'll drop it."
Her face broke into a smile.
"As long as we can carpool again. I need to know you're safe."
The smile disappeared. "I don't wanna impose." In a much softer voice, she said, "You shouldn't have to give up your social life for me."
"What gave you that idea? I played pool with Yi Jeong and Ji Hoo earlier today." He clapped his hands. "And I spent six hours yesterday with Jun Pyo. Being forced to watch reruns of this k-drama—Heirs."
She burst into laughter.
"Stop laughing. It was not a fun time. Well, except for one brief scene."
"The one where the dad had a brain aneurysm? Loooooved that part."
"Yep. As much as I detested the melodramatic storyline. That one scene—epic."
"I spent the whole season going 'Uncle calm down. Or your head will explode.' And then, plop. It did. Glorious." She paused. "Wait a minute. Now who is trying to change the topic?"
He fixed his shirt.
"You know full well I wasn't talking about the F4."
"Then what exactly were you talking about? Because from where I'm standing, I'm not giving up squat." His eyes softened. "I loved spending my evenings with you. Okay? I really missed it."
"I did too." She fiddled with her sleeves. "But what about your girlfriend?"
"That's no longer an issue."
"So you and Ji Ah…"
"I don't wanna talk about it. Not today."
She leaned closer. "You want some cookies? Ga Eul and I baked some last night."
"Finally, a good idea."
"Be nice to the person handling your food, Woo Bin," she said while poking her head out of the fridge.
_oOo_
When Woo Bin promised he'd stay out of it, he meant it. But when he went to pick Jae up the next day, she was still with Prof. Chung. Convenience led him to her locker, not the desire for a fight.
"You guys have some nerve showing back up here," he said.
"Chill, dude," said Yu Ri. "No one's trying anything."
"Right. Nothing about this looks like an ambush. You all just gathered near her locker for no reason."
"We wanted to talk. To Jae Kyung," said Ji Na.
"Not that it's any of your business," said Na Bi.
"Spare me the BS. From Shinwa, remember? This isn't my first time dealing with bullies."
"That's rich coming from you," said Hana.
"Excuse me?"
Yu Ri put a hand on Hana's shoulder. "Nothing."
"Now this is bullying?" said Na Bi. "What about all the shit you lot pulled in high school?"
Yanking her back, Yu Ri whispered something in her ear.
"I think you're confusing me with your friends. I didn't spend my time shoving people or destroying their property."
Hana stepped forward. "A lot of your minions did, though."
Minions? What did these people take him for—a cartoon villain?
"That's your defense? Some Shinwavians mistreated you, so you took it out on Jae? Someone who never went to Shinwa. Solid reasoning."
"I didn't do anything to her. Other than be a bystander. Something you should be familiar with. With your years of practice and all." Hana met his gaze, her own unflinching. "Until, of course, it affected Jan Di. One of you."
"Stop goading him," said Yu Ri.
He crossed his arms. "Not true. Jan Di wasn't my friend back then. Only Jun Pyo's girl."
This declaration was met with a puzzled expression.
"Yet. I got all those idiots to lay off her. For good. All that effort for a girl I hardly knew." He stepped closer. "So what lengths do you think I'll go for my best friend?"
"Are you threatening me?"
"No, warning you. Jae wants a peaceful resolution. Wants to extend grace. Not ruin your life. She's a complete angel. I am not." His face hardened. "Hurt her again, and I'll give you some real, solid reasons for hating me."
"If you think—"
"That's enough, Hana," said Yu Ri. "Stop antagonizing him."
"If there's still some doubt in your mind, I invite you to consider—how exactly do you think I got Miranda to back off? Hint: not with gentle words? Chew on that, next time you're near Jae."
With that said, he stormed off.
Making his way to the library, he sat on an empty table. What did Jae see in that infuriating bunch of women? Did it occur to any of them that he had his own issues in high school?
And even then, he was never a silent bystander. Sure, he never tackled the problem systematically. Not until Jan Di got caught in the cross-hairs. But he always intervened when it happened in front of him.
"Can I have a minute?" asked Yu Ri.
"Are you guys itching for a fight?"
"No. I just wanted to hand you this." She placed a stack of books and notebooks on the table. "Replacement. For everything they ruined. I'd give them to her myself, but—she's not really talking to any of us. Not that I blame her." She tapped the table. "Anyway. Make sure she gets this."
"That's why you were there?"
"Yeah. I am sorry for how Hana reacted. Honestly. But neither of us knew. Okay? We'd have never let it happen if we did."
"Does she always have a stick up her but? I never bullied anyone." He turned side-ways to face her. "And what was with that 'minions' comment? Just because we travel in the same circles as those assholes, doesn't mean we liked them."
"I know. Hana's got a bit of a chip on her shoulder when it comes to the elite. I'm sorry."
"It's fine." He paused. "I suppose I may have overreacted a bit too."
She slid in next to him. "Nah. They threatened your girl. It's understandable. Besides, I rather enjoyed that little display of fierce protectiveness. You look really sexy when you're angry."
Among all the things he expected her to say, that wasn't even in the ballpark. "Are you hitting on me?"
"No. Don't get me wrong, I totally would. Under normal circumstances. But you're my friend's guy. Code of sisterhood and all. You get it."
"Ji Ah's your friend?"
"Come on, Woo Bin. You and I both know who I mean."
Not this again. "Jae and I are just friends."
"You're telling me you look at So Yi Jeong with that same intensity? Because if you do, boy do I have some news for you."
"What—no. I do no such thing. I mean, I do. I look at all my friends the same way. Normally. With zero intensity."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night." She picked up her bag. "See you later, Woo Bin."
Yu Ri was wrong. So was Yi Jeong. And so was Gran. He didn't have feelings for Jae. Woo Bin laid his head against the desk. She was his person. The one he could always count on. If he went to prison tomorrow, she'd bust him out. No questions asked. A friendship like that was a rare treasure. He couldn't afford to ruin it. Not for something as flimsy as physical attraction.
_oOo_
For today's restaurant duty, Ga Eul was working alongside France and Chef Lee. It wasn't all that unpleasant. Surprisingly. Chef Lee was far more tolerable on his home turf. So was France. Though, to be fair, France had toned down the passive aggressiveness significantly since her ranking improved.
"And that's the whole story," said France while chopping carrots.
"But Chef Lee is huge in Paris. You couldn't get a 'No objection Certificate?'" Ga Eul asked.
"Maybe I could, if I continued pushing. But backups are for losers."
She said nothing, only studied his face. A week ago, Vietnam informed the group that France wasn't here on an approved hiatus. He'd dropped out. None of them believed him. Turns out, he was right. Which raised the obvious question: which other of his nonsensical stories were true?
Putting that on the back burner, she added the coconut paste. "The use of coconut is phenomenal here. I thought it'd overpower the rest of the flavor. But it doesn't. Somehow."
"It's my mother's recipe," said Chef Lee.
For a split second, she was stunned beyond speech. She wasn't expecting him to hear, much less reply.
Vietnam saved her from the awkwardness. "Pierro," he said.
"Chef Lee, Vietnam. I'm not your dorm mate from college."
"Whatever you say, Chef."
He shoved his phone in his face. It displayed a picture of the winners of the Paris competition. Ga Eul smiled. Her name was number three.
"Could you read out who number one is for us?"
Pushing the phone away, Chef Lee continued cooking.
_oOo_
Restaurant duty ended two hours ahead of schedule. Ga Eul stood outside, staring at her contacts.
Yi Jeong had a client dinner, so he was out. Contacting Woo Bin Sunbae would just be awkward. Her anger towards him had died down, but they hadn't spoken in over two weeks. Calling him now, just to ask a favor? It seemed crass.
"Korea," Chef Lee called out from his car. "Need a lift?"
"The more the merrier," said Vietnam from the backseat.
What the hell? All things considered, it was the least painful option. She joined Chef Lee in the front.
"First we stop for a midnight study snack," he said.
"Study snack?" asked Ga Eul.
"Yes, finals are close. Why do you sound so surprised, Korea? Your university is on the same schedule, isn't it?"
"That's not what—you're in college?"
She'd heard the rumors, but she pegged it as a publicity stunt. Especially after meeting the man in person. His image didn't exactly scream: 'everyday relatable Joe.'
"My mother insisted I've a backup." He tapped the steering wheel. "In case I get fired. For my attitude."
"Geez," said Nigeria. "I wonder why she'd think that."
Ga Eul sank back in her seat and tried to digest this new piece of information. But Chef Lee didn't give her much of a chance. After ten minutes, she was certain he had no idea where he was driving.
"Sir? That leads to a residential complex. There are no restaurants nearby. At least no open ones."
"Welcome to driving with Pierro, mademoiselle," said Vietnam.
Chef Lee ignored him. "But this was the way to Momafoods. I've been there a million times!"
"That closed down three months ago, sir."
"Figures. People no longer appreciate good food."
"May I make a suggestion?"
_oOo_
Twenty minutes later, the group sat at Ga Eul's favorite diner.
Chef Lee bit into the burger, a smile on his face. "It's not complete garbage. Passable job, Korea." He wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"I think I died and went to heaven," said Vietnam while gobbling down the last of the patty.
"If only," murmured France.
"Hurry along. We don't have all day. Some of us have early morning classes to get to," said Chef Lee.
The gang headed for the car. Ga Eul found herself walking alongside Chef Lee.
"Against my better judgment, I've decided to green-light your request, Korea."
She cracked a smile. This was the week of good news.
"You can all bring one person to the trip," he told the group. "But only one, and I'll only cover the plane ticket."
"Thank you," said Ga Eul.
The accommodation won't be a problem. Ga Eul already checked with her aunt. She had a spare bedroom. She locked her fingers together. Now that Chef Lee granted her a plus one, this trip could prove rather—useful. For more than just Ga Eul. If everything panned out the way she planned.
A/N: The opinions expressed in this chapter regarding 'Heirs' are not my own. So blame Woo Bin. Did you guys enjoy the chapter? What was your favorite part? Do you think Yi Jeong is going to do something about his feelings? Who do you think Ga Eul plans to bring to Paris as her plus one?