Chapter 38

Yi Jung's POV

It was hard for Yi Jung to see Ga Eul struggle to do the most mundane things. Yet, he was more than relieved to see her get better. Not that he had left any room for the doctor to be complacent about her condition. He knew well that his entire career rested on Ga Eul's well-being. He almost felt bad for the man after all the hard times he had given him, still, he couldn't allow any errors to happen. Ga Eul had to get better. He would hear nothing otherwise.

While the rest of the F4 and Jan Di left back to Seoul, having responsibilities to tend to, Yi Jung eagerly stayed by Ga Eul's side. He would entertain her and talk to her all day. And sometimes against his better judgment, he would sneak her a bit of chocolate here and there. He couldn't refuse her no matter how he tried. And she was getting thinner because of the hospital food. Seeing her eyes shine before a simple chocolate bar made him give in to her demands more and more. However, he had the heart to deny her favourite bag of chips.

He was plastered to her side until the day of the discharge. He had made sure that everything would be under control for when she returned to Seoul. He wanted to be sure they would be undisturbed and in peace.

Yi Jung carefully put his arms around Ga Eul, buckling her in his car. He had waited for this day for so long. Where he could take care of her in the comfort of their own home. Where she was finally free from the shackles of the ghastly presence of the hospital. Now, sooner than ever, they would be back to normal.

He could tell there lay a lot heavy on her mind. Yi Jung wondered if Ga Eul knew how much of a planner he truly was. That he had strategized the million possible ways he could be sure she was safe even from the grips of her guilt. He didn't doubt for a second that Ga Eul would be scared of facing the world back in Seoul and that's why he did everything in his power to save her from any turmoil. Still, Ga Eul sat next to him on the passenger seat with slumped shoulders.

"Yi Jung." She said.

He hummed his response, his eyes on the road.

"Did you get the matter of them done?"

"Your parents. Not him, yet." He replied, remembering them.

"What happened to them?"

"Let's just say they have a lot on the line if they ever contact you again. This time, it's not a meek threat like Hong Joon's was."

"And Hong Joon?"

"You asked me not to tell you."

"Is it going to be that bad?"

"Let me handle it. Stop thinking about it."

"Okay." She replied softly.

"Try to get some sleep. I'll turn the heater on." He suggested.

"Thank you." She smiled, laying her head back against her seat.

He sneaked glances every once in a while to make sure she was sleeping peacefully. The intensity of her nightmares scared him. He was no stranger himself to the grave depths his mind could wander to on its own, but Ga Eul's screams at night petrified him. The terror on her face and desperation made his seem like cotton candy dreams. It was one of the things he had to live with, knowing he had no way to make it better. That didn't mean that it didn't frustrate him to no end.

What he could control, however, he did so with much pleasure and earnestness. It was rather easy for him to deal with her parents. The matter was done in a few days. Everyone had something precious to them. Ga Eul's parents were no exception. Their weakness, their law firm, was so easily destructible to him that he might've found it comical. They were honest lawyers who made themselves from the ground up, he had to give them that much to his dismay. He had decided if he couldn't find dirt on them, he could easily forge something.

It may seem cruel considering their hard work, but in retrospect, it all played out fairly. They don't get to torment their daughter for her entire life and expect nothing in consequence. They weren't invincible and they needed to be reminded of that quickly, so they would know well what it would be like if they ever approached Ga Eul out of her own will again.

If they were more respectable in-laws, Yi Jung would've worked hard to gain their approval on their first meeting. Instead, he ended up tossing them out of the hospital as soon as he got acquainted with them. They had tried to plead their case the next day, but unfortunately for them, Ga Eul had already permitted him to do whatever he wanted, so he acted upon it accordingly. Once threatened by their firm, they retreated quickly, making him even more sure of his decision. They would never deserve Ga Eul nor her forgiveness.

Yi Jung gripped her waist, leading her into the penthouse. A faint blush tainted her cheek at his closeness. After the accident, Yi Jung didn't shy away from touching her, and neither did she. He always had his hands on her one way or the other. He wanted to be sure she was alright. That she was real and safe in his arms.

He laid her gently on the couch, making himself comfortable beside her and holding her hand.

"I missed this." He kissed her hair.

"Me, too." She sighed.

He laid another kiss on her cheek, lingering near her neck.

"You smell so sweet."

"I smell like a hospital."

"You never smell anything but sweet."

He nuzzled his head into her, laying his head on her chest and listening to her erratic heartbeats.

Her fingers automatically intertwined with his hair. She leaned her head down, pressing a kiss on his forehead. His eyes looked up at hers. He was watching her intensely.

"I mean it when I say I'll keep you safe. I'm not risking the slightest chance of losing you again."

"I know." She whispered, holding his face in her hands.

How he wanted nothing more than to kiss her. It was taking every ounce of self-control he had to remain still in her hands. He had to remind himself that Ga Eul would be leaving soon. That it was her dream, and how much she deserved to live it. If he got any closer than this now, he wouldn't be able to let her go.

He wanted for them to become official, that was for sure. He didn't see the point in waiting, but being official and more intimate were two rather different subjects. If he let himself have any stronger feelings than he already does, he would only be hindering her happiness and his own. They both had to take on different roads for now. They needed to get better. So he did what pained him most to do. He pulled himself from her touch.

"What are you thinking of?" Ga Eul asked, sensing his hesitation.

"That we're both leaving soon after you get better."

"Does that make you sad?"

"Of course it does. But it also makes me relieved. It's what should be done." He sighed.

"The thought of us being apart makes me sad, too. But then I remembered that you would be going to Sweden to get better. You can learn more about pottery and get a fresh perspective. I'm excited for myself as well. It's going to be wonderful. For once in my life I feel optimistic. I feel relieved. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, you know." She smiled.

"I don't need distance to make me fonder. I have a near-death experience to count on for that." He chuckled.

"That's not funny." She hit his arm, laughing as well.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"You don't need to ask for my permission. You'll ask anyway."

"But it's nice to make you think you have a choice. Either way, remember when I got sick back in Greece? I vaguely recall holding out to your arm, but you pulled back. The same thing happened when I first woke up in the hospital. You seemed angry. I don't understand."

"It's not exactly anger. I guess I was more in denial. I don't like the sight of you holding onto me as if it's your last breath. I refuse to acknowledge that. When my mother pulled her shenanigans when I was a child, she used to hold onto my hand, bidding me goodbye as if these were her last breaths. Of course, her attempts were many, so I had to relive losing my mother over and over again. It got boring when I grew up, but it was..intense then. I don't want to relive these moments. Nor could I ever handle them being from you. That's why I'll always make sure you'll be okay. I'm not going through that again." He said, remembering those horrid times.

"I'm sorry." Ga Eul softened almost guilty.

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

"I know but still. I understand your feelings and I wish I could take these memories from you. But you can't protect me all the time. That's ridiculous."

"I can try."

"Oh, I know you will. You have to know that I won't leave you. I'll always be by your side. Even when I'm not physically there. You don't have to bid me goodbye. Think about it, when you're alone don't you ever think about me?"

"All the time."

"Exactly. I think about you all the time as well. That means we're still together. What your mother did was cruel, but that wasn't real love. So don't think too much about it. We deserve to enjoy life without worrying as much as anyone else does. Let's not give them the satisfaction of ruling our minds with the fear they engraved in us. It's not real. What's real is me telling you how much I love you. That we'll be okay just like everything will be."

"Oh, Ga Eul." He pulled her into a hug. He crushed her into his own, forgetting she was injured.

"Ouch." Ga Eul protested, pulling back.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" His worried eyes scanned her.

"You could never."

"Enough with the sapping. Tell me, do you have any plans for Sweden?"

"A lot actually." He admitted. Ga Eul was right. He was harbouring excitement. By god, did he want to get better. He missed his studio. He missed his clay.

"Which are?"

He opened his laptop showing her the penthouse he would be staying in.

"It's gorgeous. You've decided to rent it?"

"Rent it?" Yi Jung laughed. He was surprised that she was taken with it. Sure, it was a nice place, but that's all it was. He wouldn't call it gorgeous.

"I hate you. I'm glad that my peasant way of thinking amuses you."

"You should know better by now."

"If you're still going to be insufferable, I'll leave and never come looking for you."

"You couldn't. You're madly in love with me."

"I can't take this anymore." Ga Eul stood up, leaning on her walking stick.

"I'll go take a shower before I lose my mind."

"Do you want me to help you?" He smirked at her flustered face.

"You're infuriating." She replied, hurrying quickly into the bathroom.

He cackled, his head falling against the back of the couch.

Ga Eul's POV

"To Ga Eul's health." Woo Bin toasted, his champagne glass in the air.

They all raised glasses of their own except Ga Eul who was forbidden from alcohol until she got better.

"I'm so happy you're back with us." Jan Di gleefully hugged her. They were all gathered in their penthouse, celebrating Ga Eul's discharge a week ago. Jan Di had visited her every day since then but still celebrated with the vigour of seeing her better for the first time.

"Me, too. I owe you all my life. Thank you." Ga Eul said, her voice faltering.

"Nonsense. It's our job." Woo Bin said.

"Well, good job." She smiled at the faces that represented home to her.

"Who would've thought that life would turn out like this for all of us?" Yi Jung mused.

"It's all thanks to Jan Di." Jun Pyo chimed in.

"Yes! If you really think about it, it's all because Jan Di saved that guy." Ga Eul said.

"Right. It's because of him. What did he do anyway?" Jan Di questioned.

"He was so self-righteous. These people are always a headache." Ji Hoo remarked.

"His suicide attempt was a final resort to catch our attention. He claimed himself to be a hero trying to fight for injustice in our school when he just wanted sympathy from the media. It wasn't a coincidence that he started a commotion only when his father's business was under threat of going bankrupt. We had all refused to help his father. That was until he put on that stunt and he had to be compensated. His father's business is doing well. For now." Jun Pyo added the last part with determination.

"For now?" Ga Eul asked.

"We'll wait until people forget about him before he gets punished. If he gets away with it, imagine what other people would do." Woo Bin replied.

"Shinhwa was scary, yet I'll miss it." Jan Di said.

"Technically, you're still in its clutches." Yi Jung commented.

"School is different than university. Me and Ji Hoo would be too busy trying to study." She replied.

"There isn't that much of a difference. You're too optimistic." Jun Pyo said.

"Oh, shut up. What do you know?"

"A lot. I am older."

"Yeah, and you act like it." Jan Di scoffed.

"Oh God, I won't be able to handle this. Things were starting to get quiet when you two were in different schools. I won't relive my senior year headache again." Woo Bin complained.

Jan Di laughed, hitting Ga Eul's arm as she did. A snort came out of her mouth causing both to go into hysterics, falling on the ground.

Yi Jung came to their help, but Jan Di snagged his arm making him fall, too.

Jan Di and Jun Pyo were washing the dishes after their mess. Ga Eul had lurked around them, waiting for Jun Pyo to leave, so she could be alone with Jan Di. She had been sending her signals the entire evening. Once he excused himself to the bathroom, Ga Eul joined her by the sink while the others played a game of cards in the living area.

"I have news about Hong Joon. Do you want to hear?" Jan Di whispered, the sound of the water running masking her voice.

"Yes." Ga Eul replied, her curiosity got the best of her.

"Police miraculously found him in some street, beaten and bruised. He's in the hospital now, but he'll be sentenced for life after his discharge for attempted murder. It doesn't matter whether he'll be in prison or not. The guy is now completely paralyzed."

Ga Eul put her hand over her mouth, stopping the loud gasp from escaping her mouth.

"I don't need to tell you who did it, or who tipped off the police. They were all in it, but Yi Jung was the mastermind. I know everything from Jun Pyo."

"I-I don't know what to feel." Ga Eul said. She let Yi Jung do this. She didn't get to act surprised now. But the severity shocked her.

"I swear Ga Eul, if you start to feel guilty about him, I'll throw this glass on your head. You wouldn't have been his only victim if he ended up in jail without being unharmed. That guy was a psychopath. He lured you in, to murder you."

"I know. I don't feel guilty. Just a bit shaken. I'm fine, don't worry." Ga Eul put her hand on her shoulder.

"Why are you guys taking so long? Come play with us." Woo Bin shouted from his place.

"Coming." Jan Di replied.

"Don't make me regret telling you."

"You won't." Ga Eul replied, shaking off the feeling from her mind.

That's what was supposed to happen. She paid the price heavily when she braved this alone.

Soon, much to her surprise, all matters related to Hong Joon or her parents were erased so easily from her brain. All it took was a simple game of cards with the people that she loved. She wondered if that had been her purpose all along. To merely exist with the people she cared about. The monsters from her past weren't overtaken by running away instead they were made insignificant by her friends who listened to her. Because this is life, she didn't have a great battle with her monsters. There wasn't an epic finale nor was there a secret recipe to overcome her fear of the past. It ended when she started to live her life. When she took in a breath of fresh air and felt it in her bones. It ended when she felt the love of all that surrounded her. So there she was laughing over a losing round of a game, doing the most mundane thing a human could do—exist.

THE END

A/N: Thank you for being with me on this wonderful journey. It meant so much to me.

Gratitude for each one of you fills my heart.

Special thanks to myrslayer, glorialopezgl534.03 and Lucecita2786.

Thank you for your consistent support.

This is, my readers, the end to our main story. I have a few ideas of bonus chapters that'll give you a glimpse into the future of our characters and their lives. However, these chapters won't add much to the main story, they'll be just for the fun of you and I.

I can't promise when I'll update next as I'll be going on a break.

Much love to all of you