DISCLAIMER: We do not own this fanfic. All rights go to its rightful owner.

Yi Jung woke up with an ear splitting headache. It didn’t help that his sleeping partner had decided to make an ungodly sound so early in the morning. The shriek was so loud; his headache had suddenly multiplied ten folds. Damn woman, why did he even bother invited her to his suite. His face was still buried on the pillow, where was he anyway?

‘Don’t look…. Just… don’t open your eyes.’ He noted a panic voice next to him. Did he really sleep with her last night? She didn’t sound to be the kind of girl he usually bed. Although a figment of his half functioned brain faintly remembered the mind blowing sex they had just hours earlier, before he passed out altogether. Just the thought of it made him felt his excitement grow against his will. No, he groaned in annoyance, he couldn’t do it with his head threatened to split in two. He pressed his head deeper into his pillow.

‘What is it?’ his mouth felt dry from what he perceived came as a result of large amount of alcohol the night before. God, he must have downed at least half a bottle of XO to have this kind of headache.

‘Just… cover your eyes a little bit longer,’ he felt her tugging the sheet that half covered his body. The woman must be crazy. Why would she bother covering herself now if she had let him touch her in the first place. Drunk or not drunk, he was a master of foreplay. He knew what he could have performed on her the night before.

He tugged the sheet back from her, turned his body at last to face her. He stretched out his arms lazily to see her face, amused at the look of mortification in her face before the realization sink in.

‘Ga Eul?’

She was standing next to the bed, all in her naked glory, frantically looking for her clothes that scattered across the room.

‘I said don’t look!’ she looked as if she were about to cry. In rage. Or shame. He couldn’t decide which one was closer to the answer. It took her another thirty seconds or so to locate and retrieve her underwear before she disappeared into the bathroom. Her long straight locks bounced as she stumbled along awkwardly through the thick carpet that adorned the room. He pushed himself into half sitting position. What had he done last night? Did he really sleep with Ga Eul? He looked down his bare chest to see a couple of bite marks just a few centimeters down his collarbones. He never knew she had it in her. He traced those marks softly, half imagining how they got there in the first place, then smirked a little, felt that excitement grew again.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom Ga Eul almost burned herself with the hot shower. Her skin felt clammy despite the cool air conditioner. She could hardly remembered the drinking episode, let alone the consecutive turn of events that lead to her waking up naked next to Yi Jung in this strange place. Where was she anyway? Did she really sleep with Yi Jung last night? Her face felt hot under the running water. She’d love to claim nothing had happened between the two of them, but somewhere, in the back of her head, she could faintly remember her giggles as Yi Jung slipped his fingers into… oh God, that can’t be right. Despite her fierce refusal to believe anything ever happened, she felt herself blushed at that possibility of him exploring her body. All her nooks and crannies, all the curves and straights of her shape.

She felt her insides began to crawl; her hangover grew rapidly in size. If only there was a hole in front of her, she would have gladly jumped, be there were crocodiles, spiders, or snakes inside. She covered her face and turned off the cold water, letting the scalding water washed his trace away.

It took her fifteen minutes to finish the shower. Her skin felt raw and tender, red after standing under the water that long. Her scalp screamed in protest from the needle like water, hitting her in such intensity as she scrubbed away the last remnants of his scent. It’s ironic how events turned out, she thought darkly. Wasn’t she the one who had spent the last four years thinking about him? Shouldn’t she be glad that she got what she wanted in the end?

But this was not what she had wanted to happen. She was hopeful when he left for Sweden, thinking that he would give her a call every now and then. Or even msn, she wouldn’t mind. There’re a lot of things you can do in front of a web cam. But he never did. Not once. It annoyed her since she knew he had been in constant contact with Woo Bin, or even Ji Hoo.

Of course, he had come to see her the day he arrived back in Seoul. And her heart had jumped erratically at the sound of his voice. But that was it, really. His coming to see her did not automatically mean that they were a couple. He was just fulfilling a promise. He came briefly to see her only to leave after mere fifteen minutes, too busy by the events that followed. She couldn’t believe when JanDi told her how the proposal was done on the beach. Jun Pyo on his knee, being watched by F3. Honestly, did they really have to do everything together? Couldn’t they act on their own?

Anyway, back to Mr. hot and cold Casanova. He had completely swept in the tide of so many F4 gatherings. He had not even had a decency of taking her on a date. Friendly date like, you know, go to see a movie together, sharing a bucket of too salty pop corn bathed in melted butter. All those low brow dates she had too often dreamt of the two together. That’s the least he could do for her, right? After four years of not seeing each other?

Not like this, she glanced down at her naked self. Depressing was an understatement of the century. How did she end up spending the night with him anyway? She wiped the steam off the bathroom mirror. Like every other things in the room, the mirror was huge, it took quite an effort to have it reasonably clear so she could have a good look on herself.

There was a red mark on her neck, as if someone had sucked the skin with all his might. She shivered at the thought. She then turned herself around, trying to see her back. The skin looked red with goose bumps all over, but there was nothing unusual, and for that she was thankful. That was until she casted a glance around her lower belly and thighs. Red marks could be seen in several places. She winced at the implication of those bites. Mortified at what might have taken place. She should never have touched those glasses of powerful cocktails in the first place.

She took a deep breath in defeat as she put on her white bra and panties, covered her remaining self and dignity with thick white bathrobe she found in the tucked in wardrobe and opened the door into the room.

***

Yi Jung was still lazily resting on the bed and smirking to himself when GaEul burst out of the bathroom. Her hair was only half dry from the towel, they hang heavily pass her shoulder. He had never seen her without make up before. He preferred not to see women without make up, to be honest. He liked to see his girls all pampered and done up to the nine. But he couldn’t deny there was something endearing and refreshing to see someone so… what was the word again? Uncontaminated? Unpolluted? Pure? Clean?

Ga Eul felt herself blushing as she quietly walked around the room to collect her dress from the floor, embarrassingly lay lifeless just next to the room entrance. Which meant the action had started… no, she refused to think about whatever had happened last night. She looked at her dress, disheartened. How was she going to wear the same dress from the night before without everyone noticing? And where was her room anyway?

‘You want coffee?’ She startled a bit at his voice, but quietly nodded as she noticed he was talking on the phone. Ordering some breakfast, most likely. Seconds later, he hung up the phone and got up from the bed. ‘Breakfast will be ready in about fifteen minutes. I’m going to have a shower.’

Ga Eul felt her face burned for the umpteenth time when he got up with only his boxer, seemingly unfazed by the look of embarrassment in her face.

He smiled kindly at her. ‘Let me have a shower first, we can talk after..’ he didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence as the entrance door swung opened without notice to reveal a very amused face at the door frame.

‘Yo, I can see you newlyweds are still enjoying your honeymoon.’

‘What?’ Yi Jung looked at Woo Bin like he was spurting non-understandable words from his mouth. While Ga Eul, well, she’d love to bury herself alive, throw herself into piranha infested water, or simply run back into the bathroom never to get out again.

‘What are you talking about,’ Yi Jung walked calmly to the bathroom, seemingly not minding the intrusion too much. ‘And why are you here anyway?’

Woo Bin didn’t answer but instead threw the newspaper in his hand.

‘What is this?’

‘Celebrity news, last page.’

He made himself comfortable, sitting on the couch. His eyes darted from Yi Jung to Ga Eul, who couldn’t even squeak in her position.

‘What is it this time?’ Yi Jung flipped the paper to the last page before his jaw dropped and a look of pure shock crossed his perfectly chiseled face.

‘Yeah, I thought so,’ Woo Bin scratched his chin.

‘What is it, Woo Bin sunbae?’ a note of hysteria crept in Ga Eul voice as she looked pleadingly at Woo Bin. Her fingers fiddling with the soft material of her bathrobe.

He stared at her for the longest time before he answered her question. In an almost too kindly tone. ‘Looks like you’ve become Mrs.So last night, Ga Eul.’

***‘It won’t change, you know.’ Woo Bin offered some unhelpful remarks while Yi Jung was busy taking a call from his parents. Ga Eul massaged her throbbing temples with her thumbs and index fingers. She had spent the last two hours staring at the newspaper piece. Somehow expecting that it was just a part of her nightmare. Any moment now she would wake up in her own bedroom in Seoul and nothing had ever happened.

‘And stop pinching your arms,’ again Woo Bin decided to share his wisdom without her asking. ‘I am not a product of your alcohol induced nightmare.’ Ga Eul sighed in defeat. True to his word, her arms had started sporting slight bruises from all the pinching she had done. They would look hellish by the time she had to go back home. Jan Di had retrieved some clothing from her own room, a pair of cream colored Capri with light blue sleeveless top, so that she could get out of Yi Jung’s room without feeling like an over slept slut. Although, if she had a choice, she would rather wear her pink Paul Frank pajamas and stay under the comforter for the next ten years.

‘Are you OK?’ Jan Di had asked her earlier. She nodded quietly; her headache had lessened after the hot showers and sipping two mugs of scalding black tea. ‘I have to go with Jun Pyo for a few hours, are you sure you’re OK?’ She numbly nodded her head again, feeling slightly relieved that her best friend was going to be away for a while. Jan Di was a good friend, she really was. But her over the top voice and loud shriek was hardly any help at all. After delivering a barrage of threats to Yi Jung, she had tried to land her spinning half round kick on Yi Jung’s head. She failed miserably of course, since Woo Bin’s hand had swiftly come between her foot and Yi Jung’s head, making her fall backward into Ji Hoo’s ready arms.

‘Calm down, Geum Jan Di,’ Ji Hoo quietly sat her down on the couch. ‘We can’t figure this out if you insist on sending him to the hospital.’

‘Oh I don’t intend on sending him to the hospital..’ she hissed under her breath, looking for a golf club in the room, sending a million imaginary flying daggers Yi Jung’s way. She went at last after Jun Pyo half dragged her out of the room, leaving Ga Eul in silence with the rest of F4.

Ji Hoo the ever studious medical student had given her a couple of tablets which she quickly swallowed. Not even bothered to ask what the substance was. They could be cold medicine or ecstasy tablets for all she cared. She then laid her back on the couch, closing her eyes while her mind raced back to the day Jan Di persuaded her to come with her to celebrate her birthday with the boys.

***

‘Please, Ga Eul…. I don’t want to go without you…’

‘But I have class to teach on Monday! I can’t just go like that.’

‘We’ll be back Sunday evening, I promise.’

It was Thursday afternoon and she had no energy to even cook dinner, let alone being dragged half the world away to attend Jan Di’s birthday bash.

‘Why can’t we just go to Marado Island?’ she muttered darkly in a quiet voice. Not wanting Jan Di to hear her bitter whine. What? Bitter? NO, she wasn’t bitter at all. She’s happy for her. But haven’t they heard about the word ‘jet lag’? And why was it that she always ended up being dragged around. They must have limited supply of friends.

The outcome was too predictable. By Thursday evening she had her suitcase and passport ready. She didn’t even bother to ask where precisely they were going to go this time. Not that Jan Di knew the answer anyway. This was supposed to be a surprised for her as well. (It’s America, Jan Di told her. Yeah, but America is a continent, not a city). There must be some kind of miraculous power that the F4 held in any given country, since they were never asked a VISA by immigration.

Yi Jung had come to collect her that evening in his beloved orange car. He was not dressed in suit, crisp dress shirt, and cravat as he tended to do, but instead he had worn a more casual approach, a light cream polo and black leather jacket over black pants and chocolate loafers. Although she was 110 percent sure that his so-called casual attire would still worth more than the whole furniture plus kitchen appliances in her modest single apartment altogether.

She didn’t have much energy to keep him entertained on the way from her house to the airport. God knows what Yi Jung sunbae thought of her when he finally shook her shoulder to wake her up from her slumber with an amused look on his face.

‘You must be tired,’ he said to her while handing their luggage to the person in charge.

Oh wow, no shit Sherlock, she thought darkly. Some of us do need to work to pay the bill. But she kept the words to herself. Instead she smiled at him shyly (like she always did) and tried to smooth the wrinkles on her skirt.

She didn’t remember much about the flight. She must have been too tired and slept the whole way. The next thing she knew, the plane had landed on the tarmac and a black limousine was already on standby, waiting for them next to the plane.

‘Vegas, huh?’ she mused to herself as the limo took them straight to the hotel. A gigantic building with a lion statue in the front.

***

There were moments of clear consciousness flashed her mind late Friday evening, drinking strong cocktails facing the bartender. But she mostly ignored those moments and enjoyed the concoctions in front of her.

She wasn’t planning to go to the bar and drink herself silly, but Jan Di and Jun Pyo claimed to be tired and retreated to their room early after the birthday dinner finished. Yeah, tired, she rolled her eyes to heaven. Those two should really start learning to make up more credible excuses. She could imagine how tired they would be once they were confined in the safety of a locked hotel room. Well, she could but she wouldn’t. Because picturing Jun Pyo without clothes was just plain wrong. And a bit scary, to be honest. She could sort of picture Ji Hoo without one though. She laughed at herself while motioning her hand to ask the bartender to refill her empty glass.

It was Woo Bin idea to roam the casino, playing cards and such. She was happy to comply at first but soon lost interest since she couldn’t figure out the game. Seeing the other three enjoying their game so much, she decided to leave the table without notifying anyone and walked around the hall. Her insanely high stiletto however did not give her many miles to cover. It’s stupid she knew, to wear such towering heels. But just imagine yourself walking next to Jun Pyo in a pair of Teva. She’d look like a midget in comparison. And that’s how she ended up sitting in the bar by herself, eager to try the exotic sounding cocktails from the most extensive list of drinks she had ever seen.

‘I can see you’re having fun all by yourself.’

‘Oh, sunbae…’

She looked up to see Yi Jung calmly took the seat next to her and asked the bartender to give him a glass of clear brown liquid.

‘What’s that?’ she inquired curiously.

‘My favorite drink. You wanna try?’ He brought his glass to her lips, for her to get a taste. It took her one sip to quickly push the glass back to him.

‘No thanks,’ she returned her attention back to her drink.

‘So tell me what happened in the past four years, Ga Eul. We haven’t had a chance to talk since I came back from Sweden.’

‘That’s because you missed Woo Bin sunbae more than you missed me,’ she heard herself speak. Really, she must have had a strong drink to say such a thing.

‘Don’t tell me you’re jealous over Woo Bin?’

‘I’m not jealous,’ Yes I am. ‘It’s just that you have a lot of things to catch up with them.’ You cold hearted bastard. Didn’t you know I spent the last four years being called frigid by my college friends?

It’s funny how alcohol could have such effects to human’s brain. Before she knew it, she had proposed a drinking game to him. A variation of their truth or dare game.

‘So if I don’t want to answer the question, I have to finish one shot?’ He smirked as she nodded enthusiastically. ‘How about you? You’re going to finish a glass for every question?’

She thought for a while. ‘Maybe half a glass for every unanswered question.’

‘Fine’ he called the bartender to give him the whole bottle and prepared at least six glass of whatever Ga Eul was drinking. Made sure that each glass was a double strength one.

‘Hmmm,’ he started. ‘Ever thinking of me when I was away?’

She smiled a little. ‘Yes,’ she said calmly. ‘I thought about a lot of people while you were away.’ No, she’s not going to blush from such a lame question. ‘How about you sunbae, ever thinking of me while you’re away?’

‘All the time,’ he said evenly. Smirking as her blush appeared on the cheek. ‘OK. How about this. Have you ever had a wet dream?’

No, why did he have to ask such question? Drink.

‘Sunbae, do you still think about Eun Jae?’

Drink.

‘Have you ever had sex before, Ga Eul?’

Drink.

‘How about this one sunbae, have you ever had a dream about sex with another man?’

Drink.

‘Do you ever picture Jun Pyo and Jan Di getting on with each other, Ga Eul?’

Drink.

‘How about you sunbae. Have you ever pictured Jun Pyo sunbae and Ji Hoo sunbae getting on with each other?’

Drink.

An hour later they staggered unsteadily out of the hotel hand in hand, looking for fresh air. She almost tripped over when her heel caught in a hole. She giggled herself silly as Yi Jung took off her shoes and threw them in the garbage.

‘Wanna go see a show?’ he asked her all of a sudden.

‘What show?’

‘Look, there’re three Elvis over there…’

‘I like Elvis..’ she giggled again.

They stumbled along the concrete together. Looking for Elvis in the distance.

***She was a good drunk. And so was Yi Jung. None of those crying-incoherently-drunk, or you-cross-me-I’ll-kill-you drunk, of that she was sure, since they were able to participate in the concert those three men performed. A strange kind of concert in a small private hall she had to admit, but a concert nonetheless. They even had their moment on the stage after one of the Elvises performed a couple of songs.

Those three Elvises dropped them in front of the hotel after gave them a tour around the city in a bright pink Cadillac. They seemed to like them a lot, especially after Yi Jung gave them a 500 dollars tip each.

‘They even gave us the ring, sunbae!’ she exclaimed excitedly as she waved her hand goodbye to the parting car. Miraculously, they arrived at Yi Jung’s room safe and sound. She stumbled inside the room while he closed the door behind.

‘No!’ she exclaimed loudly as the sharp part on the door caught the fabric of her dress. She was wearing a white chiffon dress, sleeveless and tight on top but loose and layered on the bottom half. She watched in horror as a rip appeared in the white soft material, gone half her monthly salary in a second. ‘I just bought this dress last week,’ she groaned and pulled her dress apart from the door. It only helped the rip lengthen, and still left a string attached to the door.

Yi Jung chuckled but instead of helping he ripped her dress altogether.

‘Sunbae!’ she said loudly in surprise, looking at the state of her dress, but then giggled uncontrollably and let him take off her dress altogether. Why was it that everything seemed so funny in a hazy alcohol induced world? Her giggles stopped abruptly as she realized her companion had stopped dead in his track. Staring at her with such intensity she felt her skin scorched from the heat.

‘What is it, sunbae?’ she asked him somewhat innocently.

He didn’t answer; instead he closed their gap in such incredible time lapse. His movement seemed slow and languid in execution, but it only took him seconds to complete. One hand flew to the back of her head, pulled her softly until her face rested on his chest, another one moved slowly on her back, drawing small circles on her spine, sending her body shivered in anticipation.

‘You feel so good,’ he buried his face on her hair before he lifted her chin and he did not wait another

second before his mouth landed on hers.

He was a good kisser. He didn’t force his tongue straight into her mouth. Instead, he nibbled her lips softly at first. His warm tongue probing slowly as she parted her mouth wider. He didn’t try to dominate when their tongues met, but instead he let her explore his, tasting the sweet mixture of her cocktails as she savored the lingering taste of strong liquor in his.

He rested her back on the wall; his hand had left her long velvety hair and traveled south slowly. She didn’t know when exactly he unlatched the hook of her bra, he must have done it in one swift stroke, but her breath stopped momentarily as she felt his right hand started touching the tip of her breast. It’s one of those moments where everything seemed so right, and she soon found her way to do the same to him as her fingers started to undo the buttons of his shirt. Feeling elated as she felt his skin was finally touching hers.

They must have moved their way to the center of the room because the next thing she remembered was her sitting on his laps on the soft couch. His hands were all over her body. Caressing one part before moving slowly to the next target, all the way sending the signal to her nerves and made her arousal seemed to go ever higher.

She unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants and said hello at last to the hard object in his boxer. She giggles as she carefully inspected the shape. It looked…. ugly, to be honest. But fascinating at the same time. She couldn’t stop herself from touching it.

‘Do you have special name for it?’ she carefully held it in her hands. It was warm and she could feel it throbbing on her palm. She let one finger draw a line on its surface gently, ‘Jan Di said she called Jun Pyo sunbae’s… mmppphhh……’

She bit her lower lip as his finger plunged deep into her.

No one had ever done things like this to her. Not because she’s a prude and never wanted to have someone to ever touch her like that, but because all the boys she knew paled in comparison against him.

‘Do you want me to continue?’ his warm dark chocolate eyes looked intensely into hers, his finger still worked wonder inside her. Made her squirm and shiver on his laps. She couldn’t do anything else besides nodding and said ‘Mmmmhhh…sunbae…..’

She winced as the recollection of their escapade last night started to flow back into her brain, hitting her repeatedly on the head with a baseball bat in a full force.

***

Yi Jung turned off his phone at last. He had talked on his cell phone for God knows how long, taking call after call after call. Woo Bin had called for another round of room service since no one felt like going out for lunch. Ga Eul told him she did not feel hungry at all, but Ji Hoo persuaded her to have at least a bowl of hot chicken soup and toast so as not to put much strain on her stomach. She followed the would-be-doctor half heartedly.

‘That was my dad,’ Yi Jung shared the news with them grimly.

‘And?’ Woo Bin looked at him with serious look.

‘And he said it’s already made the news in Korea. God, how do they find out so quickly?’ he rubbed his temple impatiently before settled down on one of the couches. ‘Come to think of it one of those Elv.. I meant those guys, looked Asian. He must have guessed..’ his voice trailed as he glanced at Ga Eul, shrinking on her seat.

‘You can get it annulled once you get back to Korea, can’t you?’ Ji Hoo tried to be the voice of reason, shared his opinion as he ate a small bowl of penne with a lot of parmesan on top.

‘I’ve talked about it with him, my dad, but since the news had already all over the media – can you believe they made it into feature story in one of the newspaper? Damn those gossip mongers - it would give the museum bad reputation. After all we have a lot of those so called highly respectable donors’ Yi Jung glanced at Ga Eul, ‘We might have to go through with this, Ga Eul.’

‘Whwwhaaat???’ She spluttered incoherently. No, this was not happening. ‘I can’t just get married to you like this. What about my parents? I know they really don’t care who I’m dating and they will actually be happy to see me getting married to any man at all. They’ve been thinking I was some kind of lesbian this past four years, but that’s not the point. What about my work, my students?’ She looked at him like he was proposing them to run through a brick wall, or run along the strip mall naked in winter. Only worse.

Yi Jung recovered quickly after coughing at the word lesbian. ‘Think about it, Ga Eul. If we have it annulled tomorrow, it will also hurt your career. And your life, come to think of it.’ He looked at her in honest regret. Ji Hoo and Woo Bin seemed to be lost in thought before they nodded almost collectively.

‘He’s right, Ga Eul.’ Woo Bin mused as he sipped his coffee, ‘You don’t know how bad it will affect you if the media get the full story. It will be twisted and turned like you won’t believe. And they won’t leave you alone no matter what. That’s the worst.’

‘Just think it over, Ga Eul.’ Ji Hoo offered his view. ‘We’ll have to be back this evening anyway. Try to calm down a bit, at least in front of the press.’ He turned his head to Yi Jung. ‘I get the feeling they will be outside the hotel right this very moment. We have to get ready for them.’

Why couldn’t things like this happen to Jan Di? Ga Eul covered her face in defeat. Oh she loved her friend dearly and she never wanted anything bad ever happened to her, but Jan Di had at least been dating Jun Pyo for the past four years. It’s high time for them to get hitched and make lots of babies anyway. Ga Eul felt once again the bile rising in her throat. She jumped off the couch to go to the bathroom in record speed. She barely closed the door before scrunched down and poured the content of her stomach into the toilet bowl. She would never touch alcohol ever again. Never. Ever. Not even in the afterlife.

***The studio was dark and quiet except for the light at the kitchenette. The owner of the studio was away somewhere in the main house doing god knows what, leaving the building as the perfect place to escape. Ga Eul was sitting alone on the hard wood bench with both her elbows propped on the wooden table in the middle of the room, facing a tub of just opened half pint double chocolate ice cream with a box of Oreo. An empty tub – another half pint but of chocolate chips and raisin – lay abandoned on the floor with cookie crumbs gracing its surface. She was never a fan of sweets in the evening, but she found herself shoveling spoonful after spoonful of the sinfully sweet mixture into her mouth. She knew she would feel bad after the binge eating episode, and she probably would have to fast for the next four days for all the calorie intakes, but she just couldn’t help herself.

The day had been interesting, to put it mildly. They had miraculously succeeded in avoiding the paparazzi in Las Vegas, having traded the limo to a couple of ubiquitous black SUVs. But they had no such luck upon arriving in Korea. A hoard of journalists had filled up half the hall at the arrival gate.

‘Take a deep breath,’ Ji Hoo said to her before they step off the plane. His come-hither eyes looked at her kindly behind his sexy bed hair (No, did she just think that? She apparently had transformed into a beast in no time at all).

She nodded her head slowly, feeling that tightness spreading in her chest and stomach. She was not usually that timid in front of strangers, but it was different when the said strangers were trying to eat you alive. She felt beads of sweat started to form on her forehead despite the cool air conditioned aircraft.

‘Just try not to look too nervous,’ she felt a hand slipped into hers from behind.

She turned her head to see Yi Jung’s hand held hers protectively. The gesture made the blood rushed into her cheek and she almost pulled her hand from his grip had she not seen his eyes glanced at the airport building. Of course, it’s all part of the action plan. She took a deep breath before she followed the others out. Jan Di and Jun Pyo walked at the lead, followed by Ji Hoo and Woo Bin who looked as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

‘Lesson number one,’ Yi Jung whispered into her ear, while their fingers tightly laced with each other’s. ‘Don’t show any emotion on your face. Don’t frown, don’t smile, just look to the front and don’t answer any question whatsoever.’ She could feel his breath hot on the side of her face and it made her heart beat increased higher than ever. She supposed the effect would look good on the camera. The blushing bride, in the hand of the immensely proud husband. What a joke, she followed his step quickly and lifted her chin as they walked through the crowd.

It seemed like hundreds of camera flashed almost immediately. She felt blinded by the lights and deaf by the hundreds of questions coming their way.

‘Can you confirm the wedding news?’

‘This way, this way, can you look this way, miss?’

‘Is this the reason why you came back from Sweden?’

‘Miss, Miss, smile to the camera!’

‘When is the wedding reception going to be?’

‘Any thoughts you’d like to share with us?’

She definitely didn’t want to share any of her thoughts with them.

It’s only after they were safe inside the car that she pulled her hand from Yi Jung’s grip and almost immediately slumped in her seat like a deflated hot air baloon.

‘Sorry,’ he said to her in a low voice, genuinely sound upset. Of course he’d be upset, she thought sadly. He woke up married to her! It must be one of his nightmares.

‘I’m fine,’ she managed a little smile. ‘I’ll be OK once you drop me at my place.’

‘But you’re coming with me,’ he glanced at his passenger. ‘To my house.’

‘I’m sorry, what?’

‘You’re coming with me.’

‘No, I’m not.’

He turned to see her gaping at him. Her mouth parted slightly, a look of pure shock written all over her face. He pushed back his instinct to grab her pretty little head and force a kiss on her luscious strawberry pink lips.

‘We’re married. Remember?’ He started the engine and slowly moved the car off the airport.

‘But we haven’t talked this through, Yi Jung sunbae!’

‘We can talk about it once we get home.’

‘Yi Jung sunbae!’

He set his jaw straight and drove his car at record speed.

‘Yi Jung sunbae!’

He must have developed a sudden hearing damage since he didn’t seem to hear her plea, instead he focused his eyes on the road, his hands busy with the steering wheel and the stereo.

***

‘Have you people ever heard about the term invasion of privacy?’ Ga Eul rubbed her temple tiredly.

They had barely arrived at the So mansion when the chief of the household came and told Yi Jung that madam had decided to spend some time at the summer retreat until the month was over, to which he nodded not all interested in the news, and she secretly rejoiced. The news however did not stop there. A ‘study room’ had been prepared and ready for her use. She looked at Yi Jung in confusion, but she followed him quietly into the main house, which she had not had a privilege of visiting yet. It was a sprawling estate, built in a mix of Korean and modern style, not unlike Ji Hoo’s house. A large collection of art works and antiques was gracing the walls and almost every corner of the building. She felt like she was inspecting an exhibition inside a private museum.

The room they were entering was a large hall, bigger than her apartment. Beautifully designed oak desk, shiny and rich in color, was the main feature of the room, along with several book shelves and cabinets. All were made from the same material with that of the big desk.

She widened her eyes in surprise as she looked closely at the stack of papers on the desk and the rows of books on the shelf. They were all her personal and work material.

‘How did you get all this…’ she shook her head and closed her eyes momentarily. ‘No, don’t answer that. I don’t want to hear. You’d probably tell me that you owned the whole apartment complex.’

‘Well not really,’ he didn’t miss a beat. ‘It’s actually owned by Woo Bin’s family.’

She groaned in frustration. Bastards.

‘So what happened with the rest of my belongings?’ She looked around the room searching for boxes of clothes and things.

‘Most probably in my room,’ he turned around and walked out of the room quickly, leaving her to digest his words.

What? What? Whose room?

‘Come,’ he didn’t stop his steps and he quickly disappeared out of her view.

Ga Eul never saw a room like his. For a start, it’s big enough for a rock band to hold a small concert. She shook her head in amazement. Why do rich people need this much space for a mere bedroom anyway. The whole house itself was probably the size of a baseball stadium. She shook her head again. It’s not like they housed a hundred people under their roof. No wonder there were so many housing problems present in the country. She felt like that villain in Superman, what’s his name again, yes Lex Luthor, who craved for a piece of land. She remembered how hard she laughed watching the movie and thinking, no shit, Lex Luthor was a real estate man after all.

But she’s rambling.

The room was minimalist in design. In the middle was a large bed, the whole basketball team could probably sleep comfortably in it if they choose to. The mood of the room was somber. All furniture was in earthy color including the thick rug on the floor and the soft couch in the corner of the room. She felt out of place in a place like this. And the bed, she glanced at Yi Jung who had sat himself on the couch, watching her with his dark eyes.

‘We have to talk about this, sunbae,’ her voice came off almost a whisper. She had given her parents a call (they were now living in her father’s hometown after the job transfer from his office). And it was exactly as she had predicted, her mother had almost weep in joy, relief that her daughter was ‘normal’ after all, after years and years of ignoring boys advances and attentions. Although what was normal anyway. She had been pining for a guy for the last five years without him giving any sign of liking her back. Surely that’s not normal. The fact that her partner was THE So Yi Jung, the famous potter and heir to the So museum was only icing on the cake for her over the moon parents.

‘Sure,’ he motioned her to sit next to him.

She took the furthest seat from him, unsure of where to start. She had been thinking non-stop, replaying Ji Hoo and Woo Bin’s words over and over in her head, to finally admit that they had been telling her the truth. It would be hell if she wanted to proceed with the annulment tomorrow. It’s probably better to go with the flow, if only for a period of time.

‘One year, sunbae,’ she finally spoke.

‘One year? What do you mean one year?’ Yi Jung furrowed his brow in confusion. Her words did not make sense at all.

‘We’ll go through with this for one year. We can call it off after that. I’m sure the heat would be much more bearable by then.’

He looked at her with unreadable expression. Amused? Offended?

“Is it that bad, Ga Eul? To have me as your partner?’

Be careful Ga Eul, that’s the playboy speaking. She refused to look into his eyes. Oh, if only he knew.

‘It’s not like that,’ she fidgeted with her nails. ‘But this is not how I picture my life should be like.’

‘In other word, you’d never want to be a part of my life?’

‘No, that’s not true, sunbae!’ she winced as the words came out of her lips. What was she doing, admitting that she actually did want to be a part of his life? Great, Ga Eul. Just great. Why don’t you give him some more ego boost and see if he didn’t start to purr. Or pounce.

‘OK, so one year,’ he did not press her much harder. But a small smile appeared on his face. ‘Then what will happen after that?’

‘We can separate after that. A lot of people do that,’ she said with a small voice. Family planning was definitely her thing. ‘Is that a bad idea?’

‘Hmmm… it’s actually quite reasonable.’ He mused for a while. ‘Sure, let’s do that.’

Did she hear a hint of smirk in his voice?

‘One more thing, sunbae.’

‘Yes?’ he looked at her intently.

‘No women… I mean, no other women… I mean, I don’t want my parents to read any gossips about you in the paper….. I mean I know this is only a fake marriage and all, but it’s only for one year…’ she rambled like an idiot, looking everywhere but his face.

‘Sure,’ he gave his answer in a heartbeat.

Ga Eul looked at his eyes for the first time since their arrival. They were smiling at her. Really? It would be a difficult year, if only to remind herself that she was after all only pretending to be his wife. She was one hundred percent sure about it, because right now all she wanted to do was for him to start kissing her like he did the night before. And that the one thing she ever wanted was for him to be hers forever. Not only for freaking one year. But, there. She still had some leftover dignity in her.

‘Do you have ice cream?’‘So, how’s the marriage life so far?’ Woo Bin lifted his head up for a second while his hand firmly gripped his cue stick ready to hit the ball into the pocket. They were playing eight ball at the special F4 lounge, and he’d been having a good game so far. His best friend was clearly distracted this whole evening and it affected his game tremendously. He turned his attention back to the table and with a quick shot he placed two balls in one go.

‘Did you see that?’ He pointed his cue and grinned widely before he took a swig out of his glass of scotch. It’s always fun to rile up Yi Jung when he’s in one of his moods.

Yi Jung yawned and placed his cue on the wall. ‘I don’t feel like playing anymore,’ he walked to the bar and ordered his usual brand of drink. He really was in no mood to play. Especially after Woo Bin asked him about his marriage life so far. It was frustrating, to say the least. But he wasn’t going to admit it in front of his smirking friend.

He could never understand this particular breed of women, apparently. Chu Ga Eul had joined the league of women he could never decipher and comprehend; much liked that of Eun Jae. He knew she liked him, she used to freakin love him for fuck sake. And he had grown to like her back in return. Sort of. He even kind of confessed his feeling before he moved to Sweden. It was not an easy thing for him to do. And he did fulfill his promise to see her once he came back to Korea. What was it that he did wrong, to earn the distant treatment from her?

They had been sharing his bed for, what, two weeks? That was longer than most women he had ever bed. But did she show any interest to actually do some bed time activity? Not in the least. She had kept to her side almost rigidly, just about gripping on to the edge of the wooden bed and would probably break into cold sweat if he ever crossed the invisible line in the middle. And to think that he was so excited with the prospect.

That first night, she almost fainted when it dawned upon her cute little head that she had to stay in the same bedroom with him, let alone to share the same bed. When it in itself was pretty amusing, he couldn’t help feeling insulted. He was So Yi Jung after all. He’s not used to that kind of attitude from women. Especially not from the one whom he had given the pleasure to sleep with. Admittedly, they were highly intoxicated and that their brains were not in their best functional mode at the time. But still..

She had argued that with the number of unused rooms in his house, she could at least been given a vacant guest room to set up all her belongings there. She said that with her eyes pleading at him, her fingers fiddling with white handkerchief she held tightly like a life support. He simply looked at her face and told her that it wasn’t at all possible, because it’s common knowledge that domestic helpers talk. A lot. And they could hardly let them spill rumors to the tabloids about their supposed marriage life. She looked at him half unbelieving, but he wouldn’t have been called a smooth talker Casanova if he couldn’t make her do what he said she should have done.

Maybe he should have asked Woo Bin for advice, he glanced at his friend who still immersed in his own game but immediately dropped the idea. Woo Bin as a marriage counselor, now that’s a headline for any respectable newspaper. But what had made Ga Eul change from that lovelorn girl he left years ago? OK, so he never called her from Sweden. Not even for her birthday or congratulated her on her graduation. But he had his own reason. He always had reason, no matter how self indulgent his reasons turned out to others.

Sweden was his battleground. It was his personal potter’s wheel, his turntable, his 1300 degree burner. He was the clay getting shaped and cut and burned. He missed her dearly almost every day. He missed her cute crying face, her pretty angry frown, her quiet but fierce determination. But most of all he missed her smile, the kind of smile she gave him when she thought no one was looking. He missed that a lot. That, and her perky little butt, her long flowing locks, and nicely shaped bust. His mind went back to the fateful morning when he caught her naked standing next to the bed. That image made him smile a little. How he wished he could see her like that every morning… but he digressed.

It’s funny how you could miss someone to that extent. He certainly never thought he was capable of such emotion. It’s an almost alien feeling for him because it was a complete opposite to those sentiments he associated with Eun Jae. There were warmth and –dare he say it- love, when he thought about her, instead of pain and lost. And it frightened him, those feelings for her.

It was an eye opener of how small he really was in front of her after all. He thought about it often –too often for his liking- to accept at last that she held a special place in him. But he’s the biggest commitment phobic in the world, who reeled and gagged at the mere mention of the word. It opened that rotten old wound he tried hard to bury, what with his bastard of a father and a meek woman for a mother. And that was exactly the reason why he cut any contact with her, thinking that if they could endure the last five years, then there might be hope for them after all. A stupid excuse, he knew. A self indulgent one at that. But he was always a self-centered asshole from the day he was born.

‘I have to confess,’ Woo Bin finally left the pool table and took a seat next to him. ‘It’s not that fun frequenting those clubs without you. I tried to drag Ji Hoo once for company, you know. But he fell asleep even before the clock strike midnight. He’s worse than fucking Cinderella.’

Yi Jung chuckled as the image of Ji Hoo sprawled on the dance floor flashed in his mind.

‘You should have asked Jun Pyo. God knows he could use some intensive training from you.’

Woo Bin smirked but shook his head mournfully. ‘I don’t want to risk my life being kicked –or hit by a baseball bat, who knows- by Geum Jan Di.’

‘Yeah,’ he laughed a little, his mind went back to that morning Geum Jan Di tried to land her foot on his head. ‘I still don’t see her attraction to be honest…’

‘That’s because your eyes never left Ga Eul’s cute little butt.’

‘Hey….’ He glared at Woo Bin who lifted his brow, his face feigned innocence. ‘Don’t talk shit about my wife…’ he continued. But this only made Woo Bin laughed.

‘Sure,’ he smirked at him before taking another mouthful of his drink. ‘Anyway, this reminds me. There’s a new club opening this Saturday. Care to join me?’

‘Naaah, I’ll pass.’

‘Really? Yo man, you need to loosen up a bit. We have to resume our adventure now that you’re back. Come to think of it, you haven’t been out and about since we came back from Vegas. Is it the missus?’

Yi Jung cringed at the mention.

‘It’s not it. It’s not her.’

‘So?’

’Well, it’s me. I gave her my promise.’ He turned to look his friend in the eye. ‘Yeah, nothing for me but her, my friend…’ he chuckled at the look of Woo Bin’s eyes.

Woo Bin whistled. He knew about the one year contract, as well as the rest of F4 and Geum Jan Di. But this is something new. ‘I’d like to see how you’re holding up my bro,’ he smirked and raised his glass before downing the liquid in one quick gulp.

‘I have to fix up something though,’ Yi Jung also raised his glass and finished his drink. ‘See you later; I’m going to pick up my dear wife. And don’t ever let me catch you looking at her little butt.’ He gave Woo Bin a little salute before walking to the front door.

‘Don’t worry, I’m more of a tits man,’ Woo Bin watched his friend disappeared behind the closing door, careful not to let him heard his crude remarks.

***

Ga Eul took a sip from her glass of water while shifting through the pile of papers in front of her, careful not to spill a drop onto the marked papers. She had been having two strange weeks at work. It was as if she were being watched constantly by people. Now, being a teacher, she knew how it was being watched by the whole class. But the feeling was too different to ignore. And it’s not coming from her students either. It’s more like they were coming from the fellow teachers and the parents. The strange looks she received before and after school when parents picked up their children from the class. Or the glance she received while she had to get some supplies from the teacher’s room. It was a bit unnerving. Not to mention the black shiny car parked outside the gate with her driver ready at her disposal every day.

‘I can take the bus, you know,’ she stated adamantly on her first day being driven to work. But Yi Jung wouldn’t take no for an answer. The concept was too alien for him. How could the mistress of So family take a public transport to work? It’s unheard of! Her having to work alone was a strange concept. But taking public transport? Never!

She drew a deep breath again. One of these days, she had to make an appointment with a psychiatrist to keep her sanity intact.

The classroom had been empty for some time. The students had since gone home. But she preferred to stay back a little, if only to avoid the curious stares from people she hardly knew. She glanced at her cute little candy watch. It’s three thirty in the afternoon. She should probably head home soon.

‘Ready to go?’ she lifted her head startled at the sudden intrusion.

‘Eh, sunbae?’ Yi Jung was standing at the door, looking tall and handsome in his black leather bomber jacket and dress pants. He cringed at the word sunbae, though.

‘I think you should stop calling me sunbae in public,’ he walked slowly toward her. Why was it that everything seemed so much sexier when they were worn by him, she looked at him in awe.

‘What do you want me to call you then?’ She pretended to look busy.

‘Hmmm… yobo?’ he laughed at her shocked face. ‘No?’ Even his chuckles sounded sexy. Damn this man. ‘How about oppa?’ No! Not that! She felt her face warmed. He had no idea how much she wanted to call him oppa, but she would definitely not going to do that. Well, maybe if they had an audience or something, but not when it was only the two of them together.

‘Yi Jung Oppa…’ she made a face and glanced at his face, looked highly amused at her expense. ‘It doesn’t sound right….’ she shook her head after two seconds pause.

‘Sounds OK to me,’ he took a glimpse at her pile of papers. ‘Shall we go?’

‘Uhm.. right. But I thought I had the car outside… is there anything wrong?’

‘Nothing,’ he looked at her for a good minute. ‘I think we need to go for a honeymoon.’

What did he say? A honeymoon? What? Why?

He looked at his alligator strapped Grand Carrera, ‘We’re leaving in a couple of hours. Come on.’

What? What?

***‘Sunbae! It’s so beautiful!’ she clapped her hands in wonder when she looked out of the window. In front of her was a wide expanse of deep blue ocean, dancing leaves on palm trees, and endless line of white sandy beach. They had arrived early in the morning with Yi Jung’s private jet in Bali (he did not seem to care about the carbon print and greenhouse emission, much like the rest of F4), still too dark to appreciate the scene. It was only after they arrived at the resort and their luggage was taken care of that she had a chance to look at her surroundings.

‘Bali?? We’re going to Bali?’ Ga Eul had shrieked loudly in her passenger seat on the way to the airport. It’s not that she had never heard the place, or that she didn’t want to be there. It’s the contrary, she always wanted to go there and had even planned an imaginary trip with Jan Di while they still worked for the porridge shop years ago. ‘But I still have class to teach next week! Isn’t it too far to go for a week end away?’

‘Oh right, I forgot to tell you, I’ve asked the principal to give you a week off. You know, she was very understanding, it’s our honeymoon anyway.’ He smirked as her face started sporting a pink blush. She could just imagine how Yi Jung would talk his way to win her heart. He probably didn’t even have to say a word. He only needed to walk into her office and smile that sinfully delicious smile of his and he’d have gotten whatever he wanted in a second.

‘Bbbutt…..’

‘Yes, I’ve arranged a substitute teacher. The best one. Don’t worry about it.’

Ga Eul mentally rolled her eyes. Rich people are so obnoxious. Good looking, smart, talented, attractive, sexy rich people are the worst. And he’s sitting next to her.

The resort was located on the hilly part of the beach, not quite at the centre of the busy tourist attraction. The room they were staying in looked more of an individual villa than mere hotel room. Its white structure was built in a traditional and modern fusion style with beautiful wooden furniture and antique decor that she loved so much. It was set in the ground amongst lush tropical plants with the outburst of red and pink hibiscus and sweet jasmine to please both her visual and sense of smell. She only had to open the second door to access the seamless private pool and tropical garden, set in a secluded area with smooth pebbles and thick green grass to tickle her bare feet. The view from the pool was breathtaking; it seemed as if the water dropped from the pool edge straight to the ocean as a result of the manipulated angle and the wonder of landscape architectures. She wanted to take her clothes off and dipped into the cool water right away. This is definitely one million times better than the backpacker hotel she and Jan Di planned to stay on their imaginary trip. And probably a hundred times more expensive.

‘Want to have a swim?’ She turned to see Yi Jung had started to take off his shirt and pants and quickly closed her eyes. It had been two weeks and she still couldn’t bring himself to look at him in an intimate setting. It was stupid of her, she realized, since they had obviously done the deed. She forced herself to open her eyes and looked at him without blushing. But he merely took off his clothes to change into something more casual. White t-shirt and a pair of faded jeans. She never even knew he had something like that in his wardrobe. Even working with clay in his studio he had put on crisp black shirt under that green rubber apron.

‘Mmm.. I don’t know if I had swimsuit in my luggage.’ It’s true. She had gone straight from work to the airport. Three Louis Vuitton luggages had been packed for them in the car trunk. She had no idea what was inside those luggages, and doubted that it’s Yi Jung himself who had done such menial job. He might have had a stylist who had unlimited access to his wardrobe whenever he wanted. Or worse, it might be all new clothes fresh from the boutique. She shuddered just to think about how much it would all cost.

‘There should be one inside,’ he sat down on the loveseat in the middle of the room and stretched his body. ‘I could do a swim myself, but I’m feeling rather hungry right now. Do you want me to order room service or would you rather go outside and explore the place?’

Why was he so calm and collected when her heart jumped all over her ribcage?

‘Maybe explore the place?’ she managed to answer in a small voice. ‘But I need to have a shower first.’

***

Yi Jung couldn’t help himself. The temptation was too great since he didn’t hear Ga Eul locked the bathroom door. A peek wouldn’t hurt, would it?

He opened the door and stepped inside the bathroom. The shower was full of steam. She must have turn the setting into ‘holly fuck it’s hot’. Not really his ideal way to take a shower, but hey, everyone has their own preference. He liked what he saw behind the glass panel. She did not seem to realize his presence and closed her eyes under the pouring water. She didn’t wear a plastic cap for her hair; they were drenched and stuck on her back. Her skin looked pink from the hot temperature, and he wanted nothing else but to run his fingers on her naked back and stomach, maybe even more.

He rested his back on the door panel and folded his arms on his chest. She was lovely. Her perky butt and small but firm breast looked utterly delicious and he had to swallow real hard to keep his heart rate from jumping up and down erratically. He was, after all, the one who had to keep cool if he wanted to win her by the end of this holiday. But it was so hard to resist ripping his clothes off and got himself into the shower with her. What with her starting to lather the strawberry smelling soap onto her body, watching her slowly caressing her breasts and flat stomach with the white foam. He thought he was going to have a heart attack when he saw her hand disappeared between her thighs. Was she? Did she? But to his great disappointment she merely scrubbed the area between her legs before once again caressing her body to clean up the soap.

Yi Jung felt himself getting harder by the second. There’s nothing he loved better than having sex after the shower, or bath. He could imagine the clean skin, the sweet smelling soap, the goose bumps. He shivered at the thought of licking her nipples, hard in the cold air conditioned room. He thought about all that, and cursed himself because he felt like he wanted to burst from all the excitement. This just wouldn’t do. He opened the door slowly and got out of the bathroom as quickly as he could without making a noise. If she wouldn’t let him do his way with her by tomorrow, he was sure he’s going to die from exhaustion.

It took another ten minutes before Ga Eul opened the bathroom door, dressed not unlike him herself in a pair of short blue jeans and retro print shirt. Her hair was half dried and tied up in a loose ponytail.

‘I’m ready sunbae,’ she looked at him, smiling at the sight of him lying down on the couch. Eyes focused on the ceiling. Those ten minutes of waiting had finally calmed him down. His pants had loosened up from their tight grip on his crotch earlier. ‘Can we go now? I’m so hungry I can eat a horse….’

He would rather eat her there on the bed, but he kept his thought to himself.

***

They spent the morning walking along the beach after a big breakfast in a small inconspicuous café near the resort. She had resisted his plan to go to a swanky place, opting for a much cheaper looking place. He made a face but followed her step inside nonetheless. ‘Don’t worry sunbae,’ she laughed at him, ‘I promise you won’t get sick. If you do, I’ll stay in the bed with you…’

‘Only if you promise to stay in bed with me.’

He laughed when she rolled her eyes.

It wasn’t bad at all. The food was delicious, and the banana smoothie was amazing. By the time they finished, the sun was up and she tugged him to follow her dipped her feet in the water.

‘I wish Jan Di were here with us, sunbae,’ she said as they walked on the sand, ‘she would have absolutely loved this place.’ He sure didn’t feel the same but wisely kept quiet. Jan Di being there with them would certainly ruin everything he had planned.

They walked for what seemed forever, at least for him it seemed forever before she turned and sheepishly asked him to go back to the resort for a swim, to which he silently rejoiced and it wasn’t long before they were back in the room.

He put on his swimming trunk and looked for a towel when Ga Eul showed up from the bathroom, body covered with thick bathrobe.

‘I thought you were going to wear your swimsuit,’ he watched her face blushing.

‘I.. I don’t think I can wear this outside.’

‘Why not?’ he lifted his brow in confusion. He had asked his stylist to include a pair of swimsuit for her. Surely they didn’t put something ridiculous.

‘It’s too revealing.’

‘Let me see…’

Her face reddened but she slowly unfastened the robe to reveal the white bikini inside. His breath stopped for a second as he took her breasts only slightly covered by the two tiny triangles that made up the bikini top. His eyes slowly travelled down south to see her smooth belly and hips almost bared except for the tiniest bikini bottom he had ever seen. He sure would kill anyone else seeing her in that piece of clothing. He felt his excitement grew uncontrollably. He needed to cool down in the pool before he came prematurely.

‘I think it’s fine,’ he managed to answer, his eyes didn’t move from her body. ‘At least for the pool,’ he added lamely.

‘I don’t even think they will stay in place.’

Yi Jung couldn’t take it anymore. With a long stride he closed the gap between them and pulled her waist with his left hand. His right one went to caress her cheek and slowly he dipped his head to kiss her luscious lips. He expected her to back down, but she only stiffened her body slightly before her body softened in his embrace and her arms went up and circling his neck. Her eyes closed and he could feel the bathrobe slipped down her shoulder. Her skin felt cool on his body.

***Ga Eul felt her self control vastly slipping. She wasn’t drunk this time, in fact she was acutely aware of the rhythm of her heart beat, drumming in quick regular pulse pumping the blood and warming her body. She loved that mixture of cologne and a hint of sweat on his body and felt her nerves tingled in anticipation of what he was going to do. This was a much different experience. Her mind was not clouded with alcohol; her brain was not hazy and dulled from the sweet concoction. But she felt as if she were severely under influence. She remembered somewhere in the back of her head that she shouldn’t be doing this. This was NOT a real marriage. She shouldn’t be doing this with him. She should only give herself to a man she loved, and that he loved her back in return. But she DID love the man, although she wasn’t sure about him. She mentally sighed, why was her love life so complicated?

‘Sunbae…’ she started to say something, thinking that she should at least have a grip of herself before she broke that barrier of no return. But he shook his head and caught her lips again before she had a chance to finish the sentence.

‘Sssshhh…’ his hand running through her hair and settled down on her nape, pulling her head closer to him. She shivered as she felt his tongue start licking, forgetting what she was going to say altogether. Her brain was obviously not built to be in sync with her body. It’s no wonder that she’s such a clumsy person in real life.

She felt her skin broke in goose bumps as he ran his hand along her side, from shoulder down to her hips. Slow, like the water flow on a flat bed, lingered on the bumps and curves along its way.

His lips were warm and moist, and she loves how they fit perfectly onto her own. He nibbled her lower lip gently; his tongue nudged her slightly parted mouth and slowly forced them open. She loved how his kiss was like a question mark for her permission to explore another part of her, because as their kiss deepened, his hands slowly left her waist and slipped under her bikini, massaging her butt and at the same time pulling her closer to him if that was even possible.

She could feel his need hard on her belly and wondered how it felt like for him. Was it the same warm feeling she could feel forming inside her? She moved her arms from circling his neck to touch him and she found herself inexplicably happy when he groaned as her hand explored his length. Cupping, touching, stroking, and she could feel it getting harder. And she wondered how could it fit inside her? She couldn’t remember much about the last time they did it. She wondered if it hurt.

‘Wait,’ he broke the kiss and pulled himself away slightly. She looked at him in confusion, but he only broke the kiss to carry her princess style into the bed. She felt naked under his scorching dark eyes but it seemed as if he were under the same pain and predicament she was feeling right now. He sat on the edge of the bed while his eyes took into account the slight tan of her skin against the soft white cotton.

Slowly he ran a finger from her neck to the valley between her breasts, tugging the little string of her bikini tops. His eyes never left hers as he slipped a hand between the tiny white material and her skin. Slowly, very slowly he started to stroke the tip of her breast, making her breath hitched and she had to force herself to stifle the moan, for feeling too much like a contented kitten stroked by her master.

‘Sunbae…’ she gritted her teeth when he lowered his head and start sucking her nipples, while his hand disappeared inside her bikini bottom. Her hands lost amongst his soft hair and she couldn’t help but arched her back when she felt his finger started to explore her inside, by this time was moist and ready, teasing and caressing its way in.

‘You are so beautiful,’ he whispered in a throaty voice before he took off his swimming trunks and climbed into bed and position himself between her legs. He put on a condom, slid off her bikini bottom and undid the clasp of her top, and then stopped to silently ask her if it’s OK to continue.

She pulled herself up slightly to give him a kiss, and as he kissed her back she could feel him entering her. He was so big and hard and she felt her wall tightened in response. He stopped and spoke in the softest voice, asking her to relax. It felt like the first time all over again. It was probably her first time for all she knew. He started slow, unhurried in his movement, waiting for her to get used to him. She wrapped her legs onto his as he thrust faster. She wondered if people born with this instinct, this rhythm as they moved together in tune with each other. It wasn’t long before she felt something inside her stirred and she wanted nothing from him than to move faster until the feeling exploded. And she clung to him like he was her life support which in turn made him burst inside her.

They stayed still for a long time in silence, him on top of her, before he pulled himself out and lay next to her. His strong arm held her close.

‘We’ve got to find another swimsuit for you,’ he said in a soft voice.

‘Why?’

‘I’m afraid I have to kill people if they ever laid their eyes on you in that bikini.’

‘Was it that bad?’ she smiled to herself.

‘Very bad, Ga Eul. Very, very bad…’ he tickled her waist softly, making her giggled and reached down on him.

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

‘Fancy second round?’ he started kissing her face again but didn’t continue his action at the sound of loud knocking on the door.

‘I should have put up the ‘don’t disturb’ sign outside’ he groaned. ‘Don’t go anywhere,’ he winked at her before sat up and looked around for pants.

She giggled at his face but froze in an instant as the knocking got louder, accompanied by the equally loud voice.

‘Ga Eul! Ga Eul! Are you in there?’

Yi Jung groaned again in frustration. ‘You have a stupid friend,’ he shook his head in dismay.

‘She’s not my friend anymore,’ she quickly jumped from the bed and headed into the shower. ‘Tell her that! And oh, if I recall correctly, her fiancée is equally stupid. And he’s your friend.’

‘Well he’s not my friend anymore either,’ he mumbled and walked to the door.

***

So much for the steamy week long honeymoon he had planned in mind. Ji Hoo and Woo Bin had tagged along with the psychopath couple. Of course Yi Jung valued his friends dearly, after all they were practically brothers who grew up together, but did they ever think of themselves as an individual? He never heard about group honeymoon, not unless it was some kind of charity event. But it’s obvious that his friends had thought about their so called honeymoon as mere weeklong holiday.

He glared as they lounged around the pool together. This was not what he had in mind. He had imagined he and Ga Eul frolicking in the cool water naked all day, not sharing chips and talking about some stupid movie they were going to watch for the day. He cursed under his breath when Ga Eul enthusiastically agreed to go for day long dive trips with Ji Hoo and Woo Bin (she had purchased a new pair of bikini by then). Jun Pyo had opted out with Jan Di because of his water phobia. It annoyed him to no end how Ga Eul had welcomed their intrusion and went with the flow.

At least he had her for himself during the nights. They would retreat to their room right after dinner, ignoring the smirks and wolf whistles from Woo Bin and knowing smiles from Ji Hoo. He loved the feel of her body next to him, her skin warm under the sheet, naked because he wouldn’t let her put anything on after they had sex. And a few times, he would wake up in the dead of the night hard with arousal because her hand had accidently brushed it in her sleep, once she caressed it even when her eyes shut and her breathing slow. He would wake her up, of course, first with kisses on the lips. And if that didn’t work then he would suck on her nipples until she moaned softly and opened her eyes. And if that still didn’t work, he would go down on her, licking and sucking until she arched her back and her fingers would grab his shoulder as if willing him to never ever stop. Then he would plunge into her, his hardness fit tightly inside her. Then he would move.

Outside. Inside. Outside. Inside. Outside.

Faster. Slower. Pacing himself so he didn’t get too excited. Faster. Slower. Faster.

Until they both found their release and they sometimes would fall back asleep with him still inside her. And he wished that it would never end.

But it did.

She sat next to him on the flight back to Korea. Woo Bin and Ji Hoo sat on the seat in front of them, making themselves comfortable and started to flip open the crisp newspapers and various magazines while sipping wine (Woo Bin) and orange juice (Ji Hoo).

‘Oh fuck it,’ His ear perked up at Woo Bin’s cursing.

‘What is it?’ Ji Hoo turned to face Woo Bin before muttered under his breath. ‘Fucking journalist.’ He widened his eyes. Ji Hoo the white prince rarely cursed unless something annoyed him greatly.

‘What is it?’ he sat up and leaned forward to see what bothering both his friends. But his movement cut short as he heard Ga Eul drew her breath sharply. He looked quickly at the magazine on her lap. Her smiling face was staring at him from the page of the magazine. And it shouldn’t be so bad if he didn’t see several more pictures featured in the article. Some were girls he recognized as ones he once bed. Another one was a picture of that bastard of a boyfriend she had years ago. He closed his eyes and slumped in his seat. He just knew whatever was written inside, that couldn’t be anything good.

***Ga Eul had had bad weeks before, oh yes she had. She knew perfectly how it looked like. She recalled the particularly bad period in high school, when her grade dove down below class average and her father then decided that it must have been a product of too much television and mooning over her latest boy band obsession. That was bad. She remembered perfectly how hard she cried when her biggest prized possession- a life sized poster of Yun Ho smiling and baring his abs – was stripped down her bedroom wall, and her cute little television set and DVD player were taken out of her room until her grade improved. She wailed for two days straight since she couldn’t watch her oppas (yes, she referred to DBSK as her oppas) performed their magnificent hip thrust (and then some) as she danced along their songs.

And she remembered the time where the course of Jan Di and Jun Pyo’s love/live drama overshadowed their life. It wasn’t affecting only Jan Di, but her life as well. She worried constantly over what would have happened to her best friend had the evil witch Goo Mama decided to be done completely with her, to kill her altogether and threw her remains in the body bag in Han River. Well, she could see that her father had a point, she watched too much television, but it still was a valid worry.

And how could she forget her heart break when that ass Gong Soo Pyo trash talked her in front of his new girl friend. Granted that her heartbreak did not last long since Yi Jung took it to himself that he gave the ass a payback he deserved. But that only lead to even bigger heart break when teacher Cha and Yi Jung drama had spawned a life on its own. Her life basically was a series of depressing stories. Especially since it got mixed up, tangled, thrown into the whirlwind of what the F4 perceived as a normal occurrence in their life.

But it had never gotten this bad before.

***

‘How are you holding up?’ she was sitting in a café with Ji Hoo.

‘Me? Brilliant. Never been better,’ she mumbled as she put a big chunk of carrot cake into her mouth after removing the white frosting and started chewing the sweet pastry with so much force her gum felt a bit hurt. She might need to make an appointment with the dentist. It was not necessary, really, for her childish retort. But it was such a stupid question for Ji Hoo sunbae to even ask anyway.

Why Ji Hoo? She wasn’t sure. They were never close to begin with. But she couldn’t say no when Jan Di’s number one sunbae picked her up from her work today, looking extremely pretty in silver frame glasses, messily styled hair (that would need half an hour for his stylist to work with) and casual wear. Maybe Jan Di thought he could help cheered her up the way he always cheered her years before. Although to be 100% honest, she would rather be left alone.

Woo Bin had told her repeatedly (over the phone and dinners) that he would have shot the journalist himself if she wanted him to. To which she just laughed bitterly because what was done could never be undone. What was already printed and read could not simply be ripped, trashed and erased, both from papers and from the wonder of human brain.

What was that saying again? Elephants always remember? But who cares about elephants. She believed human mind can remember things they want to remember. Selective memory. That what it was. Even when the papers were burned, the journalist were shot and diced and ground and freeze and shipped and feed to a pack of lions in African desert, what was already etched in the mind couldn’t be forgotten that easily. And her poor parents, she mentally sighed whenever she recalled her mother’s loud shriek and ear piercing wails over the phone. It almost made her ear drums ripped. It’s a happy thought that they lived far away from Seoul now, or else she would’ve never heard the end of her rants and cries (and her father, obviously) every day.

‘But Ga Eul,’ Ji Hoo didn’t seem too perturb with her snappy remark, instead he calmly sipped his cappuccino from the bowl-like mug he held in his hand. ‘What is most important to you? The fact that what was written in the paper is not at all true, or a statement from the court to tell you what we’ve known all along, that it was all false accusation? One is easier than the other and we have lived with it our whole life, but it might not suit your preference.’ He looked at her kindly with that absurdly sexy dead fish eyes, ‘You know we can always bring them to the court if you want.’

She wished Ji Hoo could be more sympathetic with her plight and not just laying the facts with that blank emotion. It made her a bit…. lonely. But she knew he meant well. The scary thing was, she wasn’t so sure if what was written on the paper was all false. After all, there wouldn’t be smoke without fire.

Ji Hoo looked at her intently and asked, ‘You do realize it was all bullshit, right?’ What is he really, a mind reader? She shuffled her feet uncomfortably under her chair, not unlike her students caught doing something bad in the class. Would it be better if she lied to him about her feeling?

‘I don’t know,’ she finally answered quietly. It’s the best she could manage without telling a lie now. ‘I honestly don’t know what to think right now,’ she looked outside the café wistfully, wishing for a million times she could be just a normal girl living a normal life. She preferred to have a hot boyfriend or two with regular mind blowing sex rather than having a fake husband and magazine spread dedicated to her so called married life. And she didn’t care if it was normal for the F4 to have their life dissected, gossiped, and talked about every day. The point was that it wasn’t the kind of life she wanted.

***

The article had showcased four girls Yi Jung had slept with years ago, before he went away to Sweden. And she couldn’t care less about the fact that he used to sleep around. Heck, she had as much knowledge as the next person about his past and promiscuous life style. And despite all that, she still followed him around like a rabbit following the dangling carrot. But each of the girls had story about how they all went through abortion because Yi Jung wouldn’t recognize his babies they were carrying.

‘Bullshit,’ his eyes blazing fire as he read the article himself. ‘These are fucking lies. I’m not a heartless bastard’. But he knew that he was in fact, a heartless bastard. Before he met her. The thing was, he’s pretty sure none of those girls had come to him claimed to have been pregnant with his child. He would remember such unfortunate occurrences, of course.

But he knew, as well as she, there was no way he could prove them liars. They could say whatever they wanted to say about the father of their aborted fetuses, no one would be able to match the dna of long gone abortus cases. And the biggest question in Ga Eul’s mind was not about whether their stories were in fact lies or the truth. But what would Yi Jung have said to any of his girls had they come to him claiming to have been pregnant with his child. What would have been his reaction? Asked for abortion? Gave them $50,000, or $100,000, or even more, and told them not to have anything to do with him again? And even though she’s a proud supporter of pro choice cause, she didn’t think she’d ever go through with the process herself. What if she got pregnant with his child? What would he say to her? She shuddered at the thought.

And if that wasn’t enough to make her cringe, the article had another thing coming her way. That cheating ass of a boyfriend, Soo Pyo, had told the journalist a sappy story about her leaving him for Yi Jung’s wealth and social status! Did she really have that bad taste for a boyfriend? She squirmed to recall that she used to think the world of that bastard.

But again, did he have a point here? Would she love Yi Jung had he not been THE So Yi Jung himself? The famous potter, one of the wealthiest heirs in Korea, the charming, the handsome, the sex God So Yi Jung? Was she really blinded by those attributes herself? Why would she wait for four, almost five, long years for him even though she knew perfectly how shitty he had treated her by not keeping in contact with her. And that weeklong sexual escapade in Bali, she blushed slightly at the thought. Was she THAT easy to give herself away so quickly? She shook her head mournfully. And already she missed his hands on her skin, his mouth sucking her breast, his fingers….

‘What I’m saying is…’

Oh crap. She forgot that Ji Hoo sunbae was still talking. Did she miss a lot of what he was saying? Her mind was a jumble of thoughts. Each had its own voice and they were making her head hurt.

‘What I’m saying is, you can go through this. It’s not the first time someone made false accusation about one of us. Even Jan Di. Do you remember when those pictures of Jan Di with bunny ear leaked to the media?’ Ah yes, fun time. It was those pictures taken by the dubious production house, before Jae Ha rescued her from the bunch. Media had portrayed her as a dirty girl who tried to seduce the sole Shinwa heir. Jun Pyo, of course, had punched the journalist who first came up with the story on the face. Broken his nose and a few bones, if she’s not mistaken.

‘Just let it go, Ga Eul? We know it’s not true, all those accusations made both to you and Yi Jung. And that is the most important thing here.’

She looked up to see Ji Hoo smiling at her. She knew he meant well. And what he said probably was all true. But still, she wished she were someone else. She wished she were somewhere else.

***Yi Jung came home to find the house empty. Except for the butler and maids, that is. He sighed and instinctively rubbed his temple. The only thing good that happened to him lately was his mother’s decision to stay in the summer retreat indefinitely. That was a big help from her and for once he felt a rush of affection heading her way. His father had been spending time at his apartment lately, which he very much appreciated. He couldn’t care less how many women his father had with him. As long as there’s minimum contact with Ga Eul, he’s a happy man. He still cringed at himself every time he remembered that time in his psycho-emo period when he took Ga Eul to see his father for that accursed dinner. He must have been really drunk that one time.

The first time they all had dinner together, it was a few days after his supposed marriage to Ga Eul. He took her to see his parents at the summer retreat where his mom was staying. Ga Eul had been very quiet that evening, maybe she was thinking about the time she thrown the glass of water to him. But no one made any comment about what had happened in the past.

His mom, miraculously, had taken a liking to Ga Eul in a sense that she didn’t treat her like Goo Jun Pyo’s witch of a mother had treated Jan Di all those years ago. Although the meeting was short and formal, they all acted like adults, no frowning and screaming match. And for that he was thankful. His dysfunctional family must have been one or two notches up on the civilization ladder compared to that of Jun Pyo.

In fact his mom seemed somewhat relieved to have her burden as the lady of the So family lifted from her shoulder now that Yi Jung had taken his place as the director of the museum. There was no more entertaining duty for her now that Ga Eul had come into scene, which reminded him about the formal function for the museum they needed to attend in a couple of weeks time. He sighed again loudly and glanced at the antique clock on the wall. It’s almost seven in the evening. Where the hell could his wife be?

***

‘Don’t you have to go back home?’ Jan Di glanced at the small alarm clock she kept on her desk. Ga Eul lay on her bed, reading the latest book from the Vampire Knight Series. Seriously, Jan Di shouldn’t have wasted her mediocre porridge salary to buy manga. God knows she needed a lot of money to buy those uber thick text books, although come to think of it, Jun Pyo had been very generous with her school fee and living arrangement. She smiled a little. Having a friend with a chaebol boy friend definitely had its perks. She had a new personal library now.

‘Can I stay here for the night?’ she put down her book and pulled her best puppy dog eyes at her friend.

‘And have Yi Jung sunbae come here in the middle of the night to drag you out? No thanks.’

‘I thought you’re my friend,’ she sulked and pulled the thin blanket to cover her body.

‘Seriously Ga Eul, that wouldn’t work on me. Anyway, how are you going to go to work tomorrow if you stay overnight here. You don’t have your working clothes with you.’ She glanced at Ga Eul who pretended to shut her eyes under the blanket. ‘Yah! Chu Ga Eul! Are you listening to me?’

‘Yes, yes, I’m listening,’ she wearily sat up from her laying position and reached for the jar of Jun Pyo’s head chocolates from Jan Di’s desk. ‘You know what’s funny, Jan Di?’ She idly took a piece of chocolate from the jar and put it in her mouth. ‘I never thought being Yi Jung sunbae’s wife will be this exhausting. And it’s only been a month! I have another eleven to go.’ The chocolate was too sweet for her liking, but she chewed it nonetheless. ‘To think that I lost my privacy, my sanity, my job…’

‘What? Your job?’

‘Hmmm… my job’

‘How is marrying sunbae making you lost your job?’ Jan Di stopped reading her text book and turned her body to face her.

She popped another piece of chocolate into her mouth. She sincerely hoped Jan Di would stop making Jun Pyo sunbae chocolates, it just felt wrong to put his face and his perm into her mouth. And she was a hundred percent sure Jun Pyo sunbae tastes bitter in real life. Not that she’s going to actually say it to her.

‘Those stupid journalists. Ever since that article, they have been trying to take pictures of me, following me everywhere, they even set up a camp outside the school gate.’ She sighed loudly. ‘Do you know how many times I’ve moved the kids from the playground to the indoor gym? I mean it should be against the law, right, taking pictures of me playing with the kids? Today the principal called me to his office. Saying that I was too much of a distraction and it’s probably best for me to take a break for the rest of the semester.’ She punched the wall and groaned loudly. ‘How am I going to earn any money if I don’t even have a job?’

‘I’m sorry to hear that. That sucks!’

‘Yeah, tell me about it,’ she yawned. ‘That’s why I really don’t wanna go home now…. So, can I sleep here tonight?’

‘No.’

‘Yah! Jan Di! I can’t get a bus now, it’s raining outside!’

‘Is it?’

‘Just look outside!’ she lifted the curtain to show drops of water started to pour from the sky.

‘Oh OK then,’ Jan Di glanced at the alarm clock again. It’s almost nine o’clock. ‘But I bet Yi Jung sunbae will be here in less than half an hour. So don’t make yourself comfortable yet.’

‘You’re the worst best friend ever. I think Jun Pyo sunbae’s attitude brushes a lot on you.’

Jan Di smiled fondly at her but said nothing.

True to Jan Di’s prediction, ten minutes later there was a loud knocking on the door.

***

They walked to the car in silence. Part of her felt guilty about her childish behavior. Yi Jung was not the one to blame for her loosing the job. Another part felt strangely happy to see him worried about her and picked her up himself from Jan Di’s apartment. They didn’t have any umbrella, or raincoats, she could feel drops of water on her hair and face. Lucky that it was only a drizzle, she quietly thoughts, and they reached the car without getting too wet.

He opened the door for her and waited until she was all settled before he let himself in. Just before he turn the engine on, his mobile rang.

‘Hello?’ She glanced at him and wondered who would have called at this time of night. It must have been one of the F4. Honestly, they were all worse than giggly teenage girls sharing gossips about their boyfriends. She couldn’t even remember talking that much on the phone to Jan Di. But these boys, they were constantly in contact with each other. Email, phone calls, text messages, videophone, webcam. Was there anything they left out from each other’s life? Maybe not.

‘Ah, OK. Yeah, thanks for telling me. I didn’t know that, no. No, no, it’s fine,’ he glanced at her and softly stroked her knee. She felt a jolt of electricity shot through his fingers. Who was she kidding? She missed him. A lot. And it didn’t make sense since he’s there sitting next to her.

***

Yi Jung put the phone back into his shirt pocket once the call ended.

‘Ready?’ He turned to see Ga Eul watching him with that unreadable expression.

‘Is that Woo Bin sunbae?’

‘Nope.’

‘Ji Hoo sunbae? Jun Pyo sunbae?’

He laughed a little but shook his head before he turned his attention back to turning on the engine.

‘Is that a girl?’ No, why did she have to ask such degrading question? She mentally slapped her head with both hands and felt the burn slowly appeared on her cheek.

‘Yep, that’s a girl alright.’ He smirked as if he were enjoying a private joke. They left the car park and slowly made their way out in the rain.

She focused her stare outside the window. She would not cry. Never. She would never cry again because of him. That period of her life is over. But she felt her eyes hot and her jaw clenched so hard she could rival a squirrel breaking a walnut. How could he be so blunt with his answer?

Yi Jung reached his hand to stroke her knee again, but she moved her legs so quickly he couldn’t touch it while driving at the same time. He glanced at her, amused at her reaction. He reached his hand again. This time it was to touch her hair. She swatted his hand hastily and he could tell she was trying not to hit him with her bag.

‘Ga Eul?’

She didn’t answer.

‘Ga Eul?’

Still no answer.

The road was empty and the rain was getting harder.

‘OK I’m sorry, that was Geum Jan Di. I wasn’t lying though. She’s still a girl, right?’

Was it a relieved sigh? He let out a satisfied smile.

‘Ga Eul?’

He turned his head to look at her.

‘Ga Eul, are you crying?’

Why did he tease her again? He’s such an asshole.

‘It’s not funny!!!!!’ She hit his arm three times in rapid succession with hard punches. Ouch. But at least she’s talking; he caught her hand and brought it to his lips.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t do that again.’

‘I won’t’. He placed her hand on his thigh and kept it there, driving with only one hand.

‘Sunbae, drive properly!’ she yelped as the car drove over a hole on the road and veered to the edge of the pavement. He grinned and let her hand go. But she didn’t pull it back. She kept her hand where he had placed it. Stroking his thigh with soft pressure. He could feel his body getting warmed but he kept his eyes on the road. The rain had seriously poured from the sky.

‘Sunbae, where are we going?’

The bright neon light adorning the side of the road had disappeared. They were heading out of the city.

***‘Sunbae, where are we going?’ She looked worry. ‘Are we lost?’

That was a stupid question. Stupid questions deserved stupid answers. But she couldn’t help asking because darkness and the constant sound of water – make it buckets of water – falling on the car roof was the only thing she could see and hear.

‘Sunbae!’

‘No, we are not lost. Jeesh, Ga Eul. I’ve been driving around Seoul since I was in middle school.’

‘You couldn’t get a driver license in middle school.’

He smirked at her retort. ‘Like I ever need a driver license…’

Somebody should have taught these chaebol kids some serious ass kicking lessons. She would bet her life that maniac Jun Pyo must have weekly class of aggressive driving technique since he was twelve.

‘So where are we going now? It doesn’t look like we’re heading home.’

She glanced again outside the window. He better knew where he was heading, because she wouldn’t want to spend the night outdoor in the pouring rain like this.

‘Well that’s because we’re not.’

‘We’re not? Why?’

She looked at him sincerely. Her pretty face was frowning. He had to suppress the urge to smother her with kisses there and then. After a few more minutes of silence driving, he slowed down the car and hit the brake after finding a rather large space on the side of the road. Along the road were tall bushes and trees. The road itself was empty; she had yet to see a car passed. Was it an elaborate scheme from him to scare her? To recreate some sort of scene from a horror movie? Because it was, then he’s already succeeded.

He put the parking brake on then turned himself around so they were facing each other.

‘Jan Di said you were fired from work.’

She shuffled her feet uncomfortably and made a note not to tell Jan Di anything about her life ever again. Traitor, she mentally hit Jan Di’s head with a baseball bat.

‘Not really fired,’ she mumbled from her seat trying to deflect his attention from her. ‘It’s only a break until everything’s back to normal.’

He leaned forward and took her hand.

‘I’m really sorry,’ he said softly.

He sounded sorry. Truly sorry.

Ga EUl looked up to see his handsome feature in the dark. Every once in a while his face was illuminated by the lightning in the distance. She felt her cheek getting warmed and heart made that annoying thumping sound. So clearly that she was afraid he could hear what was going on.

‘Sunbae, you really don’t have to say sorry,’ she said rather uncomfortably. ‘You have nothing to do with ... with what happened.’

‘You should have told me about those paparazzi earlier.’

Yeah, like it’s going to help.

‘That’s not important.’

‘It is important, you know that.’

It’s hard to feign annoyance and indifference when he’s all nice and sweet and caring and at the same time sexy like this. All she wanted to do was hop on to his side and bury her face on his neck.

Ga Eul tried to pull her hand from his grip but he wouldn’t let it go. Instead he lean forward some more and ran a hand on her hair. His fingers were warm even though it was cold outside. The rain had made the temperature dropped a few degrees. She could hear the wind howling as more water poured from the dark night sky.

‘Sunbae..’

‘Ssshh…’ he pulled her head slightly as he moved closer. She closed her eyes. Knowing what was coming her way. Seconds later she felt his lips claimed hers. They were soft, just as she remembered them to be. But she shouldn’t be doing these things with him, right? She felt her resistance crumbling as the two voices inside her started the ever-present argument.

His kiss was different from before. It was hungrier. More passionate. They were exchanging saliva in no time at all. She felt herself getting warmer despite the cool surrounding.

‘Come here,’ he broke their kiss and pulled her to his side after moved his chair all the way back to give her more room to sit. She crawled over the gear shift and hand brake in the dark, careful not to hit her head on the low car roof.

‘I miss you,’ he kissed her again once she was safely sitting on his laps.

He missed her; she happily made a note in her brain. Just as she misses him. Does it mean that he cares as much for her as she does for him?

She felt his hands pulled her shirt up from where it tightly tucked under her skirt, gaining access to feel her skin under the white cotton. For a second she felt sorry she wasn’t wearing a sexier outfit with easier access for his hand to explore. But he probably liked the librarian outfit she wore to work today? Collared white blouse with grey patterned knee-length pencil skirt? Well it was knee length before. Now it was pooled up on her thigh.

He skillfully unclasped her bra with his right hand before it worked its way front to touch her breast. The other placed firmly on her thigh. She felt his mouth had left her lips and now was sucking the soft flesh on her neck. She was thinking about the bruise he might cause but then again she didn’t have to go to work the next day. Her brain might have already been knocked dead by now because her fingers have started to unbutton her white shirt, revealing her half covered breast. It took him another second to remove the shirt and bra altogether, chucked them in the back seat along with his jacket and tie.

He sighed happily as he buried his face on that valley between her breasts. He inhaled her soft smelling perfumed skin before he took her left nipple in his mouth. He knew she liked it because her hands had pulled his head closer; willing him to suck her nipple harder, bit it even, to elicit a gasp from her mouth. He felt his excitement grew uncontrollably as she started to move up and down his length. Her thin cotton panties on his now tight dress pants. The friction was starting to get him.

He guided her hands to find the button of his pants. It took her exactly thirty seconds to release his little friend from its cage. Now growing rapidly in her hand while she softly stroked him.

She read about people having sex in the car before, and always wondered how they accommodated themselves in such close confinement. She was beyond excited when she felt his hand slipped under her panties and his finger disappeared inside her, teasing her.

‘Wait, Ga Eul,’ he stopped her hands and pushed her to upright position.

She looked at him, not knowing what to do until he tugged her panties down. She never knew taking off one’s underwear could be this difficult, especially since she still had her heels on. But it was a successful operation. He pulled her back on his laps once the offending material had disappeared onto the backseat.

She never did it on top before. She didn’t know there were so many positions you could try. He rested his back on the seat and guided her to lower herself and take him inside her. It felt natural. Him inside her. She put her hands on his shoulder as he guided her how to move her hips up and down.

‘Like that, Ga Eul,’ his voice was hoarse as she moved faster; his hands were squeezing her butt. Her face was buried on his neck. She was biting that place where his shoulder meet his neck, and he liked to think she was licking, tasting his sweat, taking all of him as she rocked herself up and down on him.

Up. Down. Up. Down.

Faster. Faster. Faster.

The thing about her on top was the knowledge that, at that moment, he was the only thing she wanted, maybe more than anything else. That what she did right now was basically pleasured herself using him as a prop. It drove him crazy.

She screamed as she came and her scream was his cue to come as well. He felt her muscle tightened and released, tightened and released. And it was the first time in his life that he ever forgot to put on a condom before having sex. It felt so much better. It felt right. He never knew that.

‘I miss you too,’ she said softly in his ear.

***

The house he took her to was really small compared to his family home in the city. She took in the white wall and the modern architecture. It’s located near the beach. She couldn’t see the beach in the dark like this, but she could hear the waves crashing on the shore.

‘This is where I usually go whenever I want to flee from the world,’ he sat on the cream colored sofa, looking at her pressing her face on the glass window. ‘Sometimes even Woo Bin comes here with Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo when they feel like to escape from their family.’

She nodded, feeling rather overwhelmed. Just how many houses does he own?

‘And oh, no one stay here, really. Cleaning staff would come here twice a week. But that’s about it.’

‘So… why are we here?’ she still couldn’t quite get her head around his intention, although she wouldn’t mind spending a few weeks here.

He walked up to her and stood behind her, slowly circling his arms over her body.

‘You can stay here whenever you want,’ he said softly in her ear. ‘Take your time, until everything calmed down. It’s a private area, here. No one will come here without permission.’

‘I don’t have any spare clothes…’ she trailed as she looked at his face.

‘At least you don’t need it until tomorrow morning,’ he smiled as her face started sporting that unflattering red blush. ‘I can bring it over tomorrow afternoon,’ he pulled her into tight hug. ‘I suppose you can use my shirts and shorts at least until I come back.’

***Woo Bin paid Yi Jung an unannounced visit the next day in his office. The blond mob prince rarely came to see him at the museum unless there was something urgent they need to discuss.

He was still thinking about his (and Ga Eul’s) last night adventure when Woo Bin came and startled him. Ga Eul straddling him twice last night was obviously the best thing ever happened to him. Her palms on his bare chest, her knees made dents on the mattress; he shuddered just at the thought. He wanted her to do the same thing to him every night. He couldn’t have enough of the look of lust on her face.

And it’s not only sex. Waking up next to her (naked) the next morning and watching her make him a cup of coffee and oatmeal porridge for breakfast was also something he’d like to experience again and again. Well, maybe not oatmeal porridge, he preferred something savory rather than sweet (unless the sweet came from the dark chocolate body paint – or strawberry yogurt, or custard, or whipped cream, or whatever was on the fridge or within reach, preferably after dinner), but there wasn’t any fresh food in the beach house. That’s what you got with doing something on instinct rather than planned.

He made a note to drop by the grocery store before driving back to see her after work, then shook his head in amazement. What was happening to him? Had he changed that much? It was all so domestic and yet he was not one bit complaining. He used to hate those domestic stuffs with passion. Was it solely because of her? He would be in so much trouble if she had been an evil mastermind scheming on his downfall, because he would have jumped off an airplane had she asked him to.

And having sex without his trusted little rubber friend…. He smiled a little. Man, just what had he been missing all these years? Although a thought came into his brain like an extra bright party pooper flash light, what if she got pregnant tomorrow? Will he be ready for it? He frowned a little. Oh crap. He wasn’t even sure about Ga Eul’s feeling for him. Like? Yes, of course. Affection? He certainly hoped so. But love, he wasn’t so sure.

Maybe he should go to the chemist to buy some morning after pills? But he was a hundred percent sure she would have reacted badly if he had just done that. Maybe he’d just let Ga Eul decide for herself of what she wanted. He’s fine either way. He’s man enough to be responsible. Right?

‘Man, it’s creepy to see you smiling with no one around like that,’ Woo Bin had unknowingly entered his office without him noticed. ‘Let me guess, you fixed that stupid magazine business with Ga Eul, huh? Am I right or am I right? Did you get some last night?’ Woo Bin gave him a dirty wink. He never noticed it before, but it’s quite sickening, really. Or maybe it’s sickening now because he’s the butt of his friend’s joke.

He rolled his eyes but said nothing.

‘Oh, come on. I’m only asking for your best interest.’

‘Like what.’

Best interest, my ass.

‘Like maybe you need my help to get you into her good side.’

‘I’m already on her good side.’

They did it twice last night, for fuck sake. Although it could be just pure lust. Maybe it’s the hormones talking. Like angry sex.

He hated his traitor brain sometimes.

‘You think?’ Woo Bin smirked at his answer. ‘You’re pretty optimistic, aren’t you?’

‘Well why would she…’ he stopped himself in time, but his friend already bent over laughing.

‘So you did get some last night…’

‘Oh shut up,‘ he stretched his arms and legs before pushing his chair away from the desk, lead the way out. It’s lunch time. ‘Where are we going?’ he asked Woo Bin who still chuckled to himself. Honestly, his friend needs to grow up, and he’d personally punch anyone who ever said that Woo Bin’s the most mature person in the group. Mature? Yeah, and he’s Mother Theresa.

***

‘I heard from Ji Hoo that Ga Eul lost her job yesterday, is that true?’ Woo Bin sipped his wine after finishing his plate of carbonara.

Well, words obviously traveled fast amongst the F4 members.

‘Ji Hoo?’

‘Yeah, Jan Di told him this morning at the hospital.’

In the course of five years, Ji Hoo and his grandfather had decided to open a big hospital aimed for low to medium income citizen. Jan Di, naturally, decided to follow her beloved sunbae there, much to Jun Pyo’s ever present jealousy.

Not only words travelled fast amongst them, but they somehow interconnected with each other in every way possible. He just couldn’t understand it. Their life was basically tailor made for a television drama. He wondered if the rest of F4 felt the same way he did.

‘Jun Pyo said she can just go to Shinhwa academy if she wanted to continue teaching.’

‘He did?’

‘Yeah. It’s easy enough to make an arrangement. And Ji Hoo offered her to work in the hospital if she’s interested.’

‘In the hospital? Doing what?’ He frowned a little.

‘They have just opened this children ward and thought it would be beneficial to have someone like Ga Eul to come a few hours a day for long stay patients. You know, something like play centre in after school care program. Nothing too serious.’

‘That’s very nice of him.’

‘You don’t seem too excited about the idea.’

Yi Jung took a deep sigh.

‘I just don’t think she would want to get involved with us too much.’

Woo Bin lifted his brow in slight surprise.

‘Why is that? She’s your wife, and Jan Di’s best friend. She’s known us for the last… what, five years?’

‘Pretend wife. And it’s not like she doesn’t want to have anything to do with us,’ he furrowed his brows in thought. ‘What I meant was, I think, she accepts us as friends, close friends, even. But I just have the feeling she might want to lead another life completely different from us.’

Because why else would she ask for a break up after this one year finished? Why did she insist on continuing her job in the first place, it’s not like she needed to work to pay the bill. And why didn’t she come to him when she got fired from her work? Why? She was the only person ever to make his confidence wavered.

‘But why?’

Woo Bin looked at him closely, his right hand stroking his chin.

‘I don’t know… Like I said, it’s just my feeling.’

‘So where is she now, home?’

‘No. She’s staying at the beach house. We went there straight from Jan Di’s place last night.’

‘Nice. I haven’t been there for ages. Not since you went to Sweden. So you’re staying there as well?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t think so...’ he let out another deep sigh. ‘I think she wants to be left alone for now. I mean, I have to go there this afternoon to drop some of her clothes and stuffs. But I’m going to let her stay there by herself until she’s ready to go back home.’

‘You can just ask your driver to do that. It’s almost two hours drive.’

‘Nah, that’s OK with me,’ he sipped his coffee, ‘I don’t have anything to do anyway.’

‘You really fall for her don’t you?’ Woo Bin suddenly laughed while his eyes watched his friend amusedly.

‘What do you mean…’ he looked outside the window.

‘You love her.’

‘What? No… why..’

‘You do.’ Woo Bin rested his back on his chair, his hands on the back of his head. ‘You’re just too stubborn to admit it.’

***

Love.

Right, because obviously, Woo Bin was the relationship advocate. This was the same guy who would have no qualm of dating twins AND their mother at the same time. This was the guy, who thought that when the priest said you cannot lie in the confessional, it meant that you should do it standing up.

He rolled his eyes to show Woo Bin what he thought about his insight to his and Ga Eul’s relationship. But it didn’t seem to discourage his friend from sprouting any more theories he had about his supposed love life.

‘Just be honest and admit it, Yi Jung. It may save a lot of heartbreak. What’s so difficult about it.’

It’s fucking difficult. And Woo Bin knew it.

‘I can tell Jungie, it’s different this time.’

‘What is different?’

‘You. Your feeling for Ga Eul. It’s so much different even from one you harbor for Eun Jae.’

‘And how do you know that. I haven’t seen you have any serious relationship with anyone.’

‘That’s because Ga Eul never paid any attention to me…’

‘What?’ he glared at his friend.

Woo Bin laughed at his snarl.

‘See what I mean?’ He shook his head. ‘You get all jealous and lost all your sense of humor just because a mention of her name. Tsk. I have to go now. But don’t forget to tell Ga Eul about those offers from Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Crap. I’m late. See ya, man.’ He gave a little salute before he went off. ‘

And oh, we might drop by the beach house this weekend if you don’t mind. I’d love to try little Ga Eul’s home cooking…..’

‘Oh shut up.’ He threw the napkin onto his plate before pushed himself off the chair. ‘And don’t come anywhere near us this weekend. I do mind your visit.’

There’s no way in hell would he let Woo Bin come near his Ga Eul without him near.

***Ga Eul liked it at the beach house. The first couple of days she spent there alone without Yi Jung were actually the best days she had in a long time. It’s not that she did not enjoy his company, Because she did. Maybe more than she would like to admit. But it’s nice to have time alone for yourself, to think about the options she had in front of her.

She had been thinking about the possibility of finding a new job. She quite liked being a teacher, even though she could do without the constant nagging of a class full of six years old, but maybe it’s not the best option for her to pursue at the moment. Maybe she should have taken a skill course, like photography, or cooking class. Who knows she might even have some undiscovered talent inside her. But the thought about so many failed attempts on making simple dish like fried rice (it’s freaking fried rice, for heaven sake!) or chicken soup quickly put a damp on her spirit.

It was a surprise for her to learn that Yi Jung was not going to stay with her at the beach house. She had thought that he liked to be around from the way they spent that first night in the house. Sexual experiments, that’s what she liked to call it. Because it’s not making love, see? And saying that they were just having sex (or fucking around?) was a bit too crude for her liking. Well, maybe hot sex caused by one side unrequited love blinded by lust….

Yi Jung had come bringing her clothes and one week worth of groceries. He must have put a lot of thought when he packed her clothes. Inside her suitcase were the better ones of her collections of lingerie and casual wear. It made her blush to think he must have rummaged her whole wardrobe and inspected some of her not so prime collection (as in comfortable but oh so not sexy granny undies and flannel PJs).

They spent the evening cooking dinner together. Cooking, as in boiled up some pasta and poured pesto sauce from the jar, far from the fancy meal served at the So household. He looked like he actually enjoyed their simple meal together (she might actually try to see if he can survive with instant ramen one day). He brought along with him a bottle of vintage Bollinger, which she refused to think about the price but ended up thinking about it anyway, that it would be better to spend the money into buying her new shoes that would last years rather than a short evening drink, and they emptied the bottle at the veranda, talking and listening to the sound of waves crashing on the beach.

It baffled her when he didn’t make a move after they turned off the bedroom light and climbed into bed. He pulled her into his arms. Her back on his chest, spooned into each other. His breath was warm on her neck and she felt…. safe. What was he doing? Did he try to be a gentleman? But wasn’t it a bit late now that he knew she actually enjoyed the sexual intercourse? Or was he trying to show her that he appreciated her more than just a sex partner, that this was more than just lust. She drifted off to sleep trying to figure him out.

She woke up just after dawn the next day. Her arm draped over his hard chocolate abs. He looked young and peaceful in his sleep and it made her feel guilty to think dirty thoughts but she couldn’t help herself. Slowly her hand moved south, gliding along his tanned skin and over his silk boxer. The feel of his morning hard on made her smile as she cupped his erection with her hand.

What was wrong with her? He tried to show her it’s more than just sex, but look at her now. What was she really? What had she become?

He didn’t open his eyes at first, but he caught her hand and slipped it inside his boxer. She could feel the bulging vein, throbbing, responding to her touch. It took her another half minute of stroking him and listened to his moans before he opened his eyes and pulled her hand out. She almost screamed in frustration, but he merely changed his position.

With superhuman speed (well, almost superhuman, considering he had just woken up), he pulled off her short PJ bottom and tank top. He kissed her as his finger easily slipped inside her panties and he started to perform oh so familiar moves inside her. He didn’t stop to ask permission (after all, she’s the one who started it), he only paused to pull off her panties and put on a condom.

She bit her lips the moment he slipped inside her, thrusting and grunting, filling her up and hitting all the right spots.

‘Sunbae…’ she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth as she clung onto him, feeling the start of orgasm formed in her lower belly. But it didn’t last long and her eyes opened wide in frustration when he stopped moving.

‘Sunbae!’

He didn’t seem to hear her. His body on top of her and he was inside her, but he didn’t move an inch from his position.

‘Sunbae!’

‘Try again, Ga Eul,’ he said hoarsely into her ear.

‘Sunbae?’

‘Try again.’ His eyes were looking at hers.

‘Yi Jung?’

Her voice came in a soft whisper.

And just like that, he kissed her hard on the mouth, his body started to move again, thrusting and pumping into her with much fervor and lusty passion in the soft morning glow that escaped the blinds. And when she came she felt her nail dug into his skin while she half screamed his name again and again.

***

They stayed in bed for another half hour before Yi Jung got up and getting ready to go back to the city.

‘Just call if you need anything,’ he kissed her before he left and said good bye.

She spent the day walking on the beach, reading the book she found in the house, wrote some crap on her blog (yes, of course she had a blog, everyone in the planet had one) on Yi Jung’s computer, and thinking about her jobless situation. If only to avoid thinking about him.

Just as he said, he didn’t come back that evening, and she went to bed right after seven o’clock news finished.

The second night alone was not as happy sailing. First of all, the damned TV and DVD player turned on by itself in the middle of the night. And it might be her fault for pressing the wrong button on the remote control or something, but it did feel a bit creepy. Especially when she was all alone in the strange house and strange location. Lucky that the disc inside was not some kind of horror movie. She would have had heart attack had she put in the movie ‘Ring’ inside and saw Sadako’s face on the screen.

Second, the wind had picked up and rain started to fall in big drops. She thought about calling Yi Jung but quickly scowled at her own cowardice. Still, she couldn’t go back to sleep, instead she turned on all the lighting in the house and started a Friends marathon on DVD with a glass of warm milk and a big bag of potato crisps until she fell asleep on the couch.

She woke up feeling horrible, seriously thinking about going back to Seoul that very morning. But the world seemed different in the morning with clear blue sky. After much thought, she picked up her phone and called a number.

‘Yah! Ga Eul! Where have you been?’ Jan Di’s voice sounded a bit annoyed at her good morning.

She quickly told her friend her whereabouts.

‘Come here, please….’ she pleaded in the sweetest voice possible.

‘What? Why?’

She decided Jan Di must have had some crappy morning already. Well, who ever said working in the hospital was an easy job. Not her, that’s for sure.

‘Please….. You’re having the next two days off, right? That’s what you said last time we met. And Jun Pyo sunbae is still in Macau until next week anyway. Come on Jan Di, it will be like our sleep over. We haven’t done this in like, what… the last seven years?’

She could almost picture JanDi’s trade mark pout as she wait for her answer.

‘Hmmmpph, OK.’ She almost clapped her hand in delight but stopped herself in time. Appeared too eager never did anyone good. Plus she was certain Jan Di would laughed her head off if she had known the real reason of her insisting her to come.

‘I might bring a surprise, though,’ Jan Di said before she hung up the phone.

***

She never thought much about her friendship with Jan Di. They had been friends for ages, longer than she could ever remember. But it’s comforting to know that there was always someone who would listen to her and do things for her. Just as she would for Jan Di.

She could hear Jan Di’s voice even before she had a chance to open the door.

‘Ga Eul! Look who’s here….’ Jan Di waved her hand excitedly as she opened the front door. Following closely behind were two slim figures that were so familiar but she had not seen for ages.

‘Jae Kyung unnie!!!!!’ She laughed at the sight of the tall beaming girl behind Jan Di.

They had not seen each other since Jae Kyung left to New York after cancelling the wedding.

‘Ga Eul, long time no see,’ she pulled her into a hug before turning her attention to another girl in the group.

‘And I believe you know Ye Jin already.’

Ga Eul laughed. Of course, Ye Jin was one of her close classmate back in high school. They even went to the same university, even though they didn’t take the same course.

‘Of course I know Ye Jin,’ she gave her friend a hug. ‘But how do you know each other exactly?’

They followed her into the house.

‘Oooh, this is such a nice house, Ga Eul,’ Jae Kyung commented after making herself comfortable on the couch. ‘And oh, by the way, congratulation for your wedding. I feel bad not knowing about it until Jan Di told me yesterday. And I haven’t met Yi Jung for such a long time as well. Have you feed him chicken feet yet? You definitely have to try and see his face. It was so funny.’

Ga Eul shuffled her feet uncomfortably. She prayed Jan Di had not let out the whole fact to Jae Kyung, because, well, the truth was a little bit more than embarrassing.

‘Yeah, well, we didn’t want to make a fuss about it,’ she finally answered. ‘But unnie, you haven’t told me how you knew Ye Jin.’

Jae Kyung smiled that big smile of hers and clapped her hand excitedly. She had not changed one bit.

‘Oh, we met in New York last year. You were there for, what, six months, is that right Ye Jin?’

‘Hmmhh,’ the other girl nodded her head while sipping the iced water. ‘I was there for work. I’m working for a magazine and I was lucky that they sent me there in my second year on the job.’

Ga Eul lifted her brow impressed. But then again, Ye Jin was always the brightest one in the class.

‘This is so much fun, Ga Eul,’ Jae Kyung laughed again. ‘I missed the good old days.’

***‘What do you think, Ga Eul?’ Ye Jin looked at her excitedly. They were sitting at the balcony looking over the sandy beach while stuffing their faces with Doritos. Jae Kyung and Jan Di were away somewhere, having an afternoon walk to catch up about what happened in the last five years the older girl was away in New York. She wondered whether Jae Kyung would ask Jan Di anything about Jun Pyo. Maybe not. It would have hurt a lot if it had been her.

‘You haven’t been in contact for a long time, Unnie,’ she said to Je Kyung after they had all put their baggage into their rooms.

‘Yeah, well, a lot of things happened,’ Jae Kyung sighed.

‘Really?’ she smiled to the older girl. ‘I bet they were exciting.’

‘Not as exciting as your life,’ Jae Kyung laughed at her suddenly scrunched face. ‘I mean, come on Ga Eul, you’re married to the hottest playboy in town,’ she continued, not noticing how her expression changed slightly. ‘You must have had hard time chasing away at the very least ten thousand other girls. You should take up martial arts.’ She winked at her playfully. ‘I’m just saying.’

‘Yeah, kicking and screaming, spraying water, throwing shoes and wooden sticks, twenty at a time,’ she answered without humor. But it only made Jae Kyung laughed.

The three girls brought with them a plastic bag full of instant noodles which immediately drew a big smile on her face. Tried as hard as Yi Jung might, he was not someone who appreciated a bowl of steaming instant ramen on a daily basis. And truth be told, she preferred those 3 minutes jjajangmyeon or spicy noodles over spaghetti with pesto sauce and shaved parmesan. No offense to the Italian food, but her taste buds had been rigorously trained to appreciate the fat, salt, and msg content in a packet of ramen more.

Jan Di took it upon herself to cook four packets of the spicy ramen with some cut up mushroom and chopped up vegetables. It only took the four of them minutes to devour the saucy noodles as if they had been participating in two weeks hunger strikes. I guess you can take a girl off a bowl of ramen but you can’t take a bowl of ramen off a girl. That’s how the saying goes, right?

‘You know what, I ate a lot of instant noodles in New York,’ Jae Kyung looked up from her bowl in a sudden, her forehead damped from the sweat.

‘Really? Why is that? Was their noodles better than ours?’

That was Jan Di talking in between unladylike slurps and greedily chewing her food like a homeless. She should really start taking table etiquette lessons; Ga Eul shook her head in dismay. It’s a wonder Goo mama still invited her for dinner at the Goo family residence.

‘Nah…. ours are better, although I did like the teriyaki ones. But it reminded me a lot about that time we ate instant noodles in your house.’ Jae Kyung laughed. ‘I kind of missed the good old times.’

Ga Eul decided it’s probably wisest not to comment; instead she turned her undivided concentration to what was left on her bowl of noodles.

Ye Jin steered her into the balcony with a bag of chips once they had finished the food (because chips was obviously food for your soul, not for your body, and therefore you can eat it whenever you want, even after having a big lunch) and Jae Kyung forced Jan Di to accompany her for a walk.

‘I have an exciting proposal,’ she looked at Ga Eul eagerly.

‘Huh?’

‘Actually, this is the reason why I practically beg Jae Kyung unnie to take me here. You know she’s very protective of you two. I couldn’t extract any gossip from her at all!’

‘Well, we’re not exactly in contact….’ They had no idea about each other’s life.

‘Yeah well anyway, I was thinking…’

‘Yes???’

‘You know I work for a woman magazine right?’

‘Well, that’s what you said earlier…’

Ye Jin grinned at her in half nervous expectation.

‘How about writing a column for us?’

‘What?????’ She widened her eyes in surprise.

‘Here’s my thought. You remember the TV series, sex and the city, right? What I had in mind was something a bit like that, you know, a short column written in the first person point of view, but for different audiences and about different topic of course. Now, you’re married to one of the richest family in Korea. How juicy is that? So, what about a column about exactly that? The life of the rich and famous, you know, a little snippet here and there, about parties, about the overpriced fashion, about the ridiculously snobbish attitude. You get the picture. A little jab at the lifestyle. I bet people will like it.’

‘Haaa??’

‘Oh come on Ga Eul. I can just see it, you know. It can be anonymous if you wish to. Or you can use a pseudonym.’

‘I don’t know if I can write….’

‘You used to write for college newspaper..’

‘That was different’

‘No it wasn’t.’

‘How is that NOT different?’

‘Oh please. Have you read articles in Cosmopolitan or Elle or Vogue these days? Seriously Ga Eul, people read anything as long as it’s glossy these days…’

‘Hmmm…’ she chewed her bottom lips thoughtfully.

Ye Jin was right. It was an exciting proposal. She really loved writing. It’s liberating to let out what’s on your mind. Especially if someone was willing to pay. ‘But I’m very much an outsider.’ She tapped her chin in doubt.

‘That’s even better!’ Ye Jin grinned and winked at her. ‘We can call your column something like ‘outside looking in’, or maybe’ the odd one out’, something along the line. That way you can be as naïve as you want, or as snarky as you want.’

‘And you said I can use a pseudonym?’

‘Sure. A lot of writers do just that. It will just make the public wonder and make their speculations. That’s actually not a bad idea, the added air of mystery.’

Ga Eul looked at Ye Jin suspiciously.

‘Admit it, you offer me this job only because I’m married to Yi Jung.’

‘Well, considering the subject… yeah, you’re right,’ her friend didn’t seem too trouble with her allegation. ‘But you have to admit it’s interesting.’

‘I’ll think about it.’

‘Sure. Just give me a call when you have decided. Here, I’ll give you my number and email address.’ She reached her bag and pulled out a thick leather cover notebook. ‘Here’s my card.’ She took her business card from its pocket and gave it to Ga Eul. ‘How about you send me a two thousand words article and we’ll see if we can use that.’ She grinned at Ga Eul. ‘I’m so excited, how about you?’

***

Woo Bin sometimes wondered why he had idiots for friends.

Like Ji Hoo for instances. Prince Song couldn’t understand why someone could harbor such strong feeling towards girls, who obviously did not, could not, love him back. Poor bastard, working his tight ass off with double shift at the hospital in the busy days without having fun on the side. And to think that the hospital was full with cute nurses in white uniforms! He should know, he dropped by from time to time. He needed help, that Ji Hoo, spending his days off riding the horse and playing violin. He’d rather do another kind of riding, another kind of violin playing.

The biggest idiot of all was of course, Goo Jun Pyo who for his first love, had decided to fall head over heel in love with such a financially challenged commoner and caused commotion. Now, he did not believe in love himself, he believed in the symbiosis mutualism of an arranged marriage, and for a long time he thought he shared his idea with Yi Jung.

But looking at his best friend nowadays, he wasn’t too certain anymore. Sure, the once F4 Casanova would never admit it to his face, but he was pretty sure Yi Jung had fallen irrevocably in love with his accidental bride. Come to think of it, his friend had had a real good deal considering it’s an accident. He could have woken up married to some trailer trash who spent all her money on the slot machine in Vegas. He chuckled softly. He liked that feisty, pretty little Ga Eul. He wondered what Yi Jung would do if he decided to pay the beach house a little visit.

He picked up the phone and called a number.

‘Yo, Ji Hoo, are you busy man? Wanna go some place this afternoon? I’ll pick you up at the hospital.’

***

It really was a good idea at first, thinking about how Yi Jung would frantically get his ass over to the beach house once he knew Ji Hoo and he were there visiting. But how was he to know that Jae Kyung and Jan Di were also there having a sleepover. So much for the lover paradise disturbance from his part.

Woo Bin sulked in annoyance in front of the big TV screen watching a Japanese horror movie by himself.

Now, the word girls and sleepover combined in one sentence usually enough to send his dirty mind over the edge, if only the girls mentioned in the sentence were not Jan Di and Jae Kyung. To add insult to the injury, Jae Kyung seemed to hit it off well with Ji Hoo. They disappeared somewhere between the arrival of flustered Yi Jung (having received a phone call from Ga Eul that they were here) and dinner. Leaving him alone with Geum Jan Di who looked flabbergasted that Ji Hoo did not smother her with attention for once.

The world was full with injustice, he pouted on the coach. Jan Di told him that Ga Eul’s friend from college had just gone back to Seoul five minutes before their arrival.

‘She’s cute, too,’ Jan Di told him with a smirk.

‘Yeah yeah yeah, I’m a man of high standard you know,’ he drank his glass of fizzy wine and rolled his eyes. People seemed to think that he would succumb to any woman he met.

‘I know,’ Jan Di snorted out loud.

Damn her and her insight into his weakness. Who was he kidding? He’d do anyone within the acceptable age range (meaning he wouldn’t get into jail) and having the right gender.

‘Hey Yi Jung,’ he called his friend who was busy chopping whatever it was in the kitchen (he realized now all his friends were real pussywhipped), ‘I heard from my secretary you’re doing a large party for the museum in a couple of weeks.’

Yi Jung looked up from the chopping board, ‘Yeah, it’s an annual fund raising event actually. Why, aren’t you coming?’

‘Do I have to?’

‘I’ll kick your ass if you don’t. Seeing now that I’m back in Korea, I have to start doing this kind of events as well.’

‘Is there a party?’ Ga Eul appeared from the back door. ‘Do I have to come?’

Yi Jung rolled his eyes.

‘I’d be toasted if you don’t.’

‘Cool!’ Ga Eul grinned at him. ‘That would be fun!’

Woo Bin shared a glance with Yi Jung. Cool? Fun? Since when did Ga Eul become a party enthusiast?

***‘I can’t try this,’ Ga Eul stood frozen in one of the swankiest boutique in town. Her mouth gaping, her eyes widened in shock as she read the price tag of the dress she supposed to try on.

‘Why not?’ Jae Kyung tapped her chin in confusion. ‘It’s absolutely gorgeous Ga Eul. The color goes well with your skin.’

‘But Unnie…’

‘What?’ Again Jae Kyung looked at herself in the mirror, her hand holding the offending dress in front of her. The short little number Grecian inspired dress was beautifully cut and layered. The color was off white, almost cream, with little glitters from the gold thread on the waist area. ‘It’s Valentino. You don’t like it? Hmmm.. do you think it’s too short? You’re probably right; it’s a night event after all. We should look for something longer, yeah?’ Jae Kyung put the dress back on the rack.

Ga Eul felt her mouth widened to hear her comment. It’s not the cut of the dress that shocked her. It’s the number written on the little paper on back of the dress.

‘Can’t we just go to the mall?’ she whispered to Jae Kyung.

‘Huh?’ The older girl looked at her as if she were from Mars. ‘Absolutely not. Come, I know another place.’ She half dragged Ga Eul outside and started a brisk walk to yet another swanky boutique.

‘What’s this one?’ she nervously looked around the store.

‘John Rocha! Don’t you love him? He’s one of my favorites.’ She pushed Ga Eul to the back room and said hello to the shop assistants. ‘Here, I bet you’ll love this piece.’ She took a sleeveless dress, pale brownish orange dress with silvery embroidered upper half. It was breathtakingly beautiful. But again she almost threw up her lunch when she caught the price of the dress.

‘You don’t like it? Hm, strange. I thought you might. It’s cute, like you.’

‘It’s not that! But unnie, it’s just too expensive!’ She said in exasperation.

‘What? It’s that what you worry about?’ Jae Kyung laughed and shook her head. ‘Ga Eul, you have no idea. This is their ready to wear line…’

Sometimes Ga Eul forgot her noodle loving friend had grown up as the sole heir of her family’s fortune. Of course she wouldn’t have any hesitation to buy such pricey item. Hell, she probably wouldn’t even blink had someone suggested her to buy the whole collection.

‘Can we just have a rest first? I think I need a strong cup of coffee.’ She headed out off the shop and pulled Jae Kyung’s arm to follow her.

She had asked Jae Kyung to accompany her shopping, thinking that the girl must have known a lot more about the right kind of dress for such function. Yi Jung had given her a credit card a week after they got married.

‘I don’t need your money.’

‘I didn’t say you do.’

‘I don’t want the card, then.’

‘I might need you to help me with things and it’s easier if you had one.’

She had never seen a black AMEX before and wondered how much money you have to have in the bank before you got invited for the card. She had yet to use it, though. It just felt too weird and awkward. Plus, who really needs black AMEX to purchase a bowl of pumpkin porridge?

‘Now, Ga Eul, tell me all about Ji Hoo.’

‘Eh?’ She looked at Jae Kyung’s grinning face. They were each facing a cup of cappuccino in a secluded, old fashion coffee house (because trendy cafés or over the top restaurants where paparazzi can easily spot you are only for nouveau riche, Ga Eul!)

‘Kidding Ga Eul, kidding.’ She laughed. But Ga Eul wasn’t too sure. Jae Kyung looked too happy ever since that day the boys intruded their girls only sleep over at the beach house. That, and the fact that the next day Ji Hoo was seen walking out of her bedroom door in the early morning looking half asleep, wearing only the bottom half of his clothes, oblivious to the gaping Woo Bin who spent the night on the couch after falling asleep watching TV in the living room.

‘Don’t worry too much Ga Eul, we’ll find you the perfect dress.’

‘They are all perfect, unnie. But they are just.. too much. I kept thinking I could have just spent the money to build a house in the third world countries or something rather than buying that kind of clothes.’

Jae Kyung laughed at her plea.

‘Thing is Ga Eul, you have to play a part. It’s a fund raising event. Do you know how many people will attend? And I can assure you they are all affluent people. Do you know how much money they usually gather in one night? The money will go to charity. No doubt about it. The thing is, they won’t come unless you give them a good show. I know it’s a stupid concept, why not give the money and be done with it, but that’s just the way it works.’ Jae Kyung smiled and sipped her coffee.

‘I wished things can be simpler,’ she sighed in defeat.

‘Well, I’d be married to Jun Pyo years ago if things were always simple. But I’m not. And it’s probably a good thing, I’m sure we’d be driving each other crazy and filing for divorce after a year or two if we did.’ She laughed at the look of Ga Eul’s face. ‘Don’t look at me like that. I’m OK!! Do I look like I’m wallowing in grief here?’ she grinned widely.

‘Come on.’ With a gulp she finished her cup and pushed her chair to let herself out from her seat. ‘I have a weakness when it comes to bags, and I saw a really cute one in the shop before. Come on Ga Eul. We’ll have to look around for shoes as well.’

She sighed again loudly. At least she had her first material for the column, she thought as she tottered behind Jae Kyung out of the café. Actually, it might not be such a bad idea, she smiled. A thought started forming in her head. Now if only she could access her computer right now…

***

“Oooohhh Ga Eul! That was such a nice article! I loved it!’ Ye Jin shrieked from her seat. They were sitting in a Starbuck shop next to the magazine office.

‘I showed it to my chief editor and she absolutely thought it’s a winner. I mean it’s funny without being snarky about the whole premise. Are you sure you want to stay anonymous?’ She put a piece of baked cheesecake into her mouth. ‘I’m telling you, you have a knack to be a good writer. You should write more.’

Ga Eul grinned widely. She finished her article a mere two days after the shopping trip. It’s really only a general essay about her first shopping experience, about the brands she just only realized exist in the world, about the first black card experience. Apparently people treated you differently if you have the right color on your card.

‘Do you think you will have enough material for your subject?’

‘Hmm,’ she thought for a while. ‘I would think so. I mean, it really feels like living in a parallel world, you know. I don’t know how to properly describe it, but it’s probably not too far off if I said it’s the same feeling of living in another country. Only the language is the same. Everything else, I have to learn from scratch.’

Ye Jin nodded in agreement.

‘But why do you not want to be known? It’s not like you write a gossip column or a tell-all kind of story. Don’t you think it’s going to prove to people that you’re not what the gossip magazines painted you to be?’

She blushed a little. It’s exactly why she didn’t want to be known. Just so no one would pay any more attention to her.

‘Nah, I’m fine like this.’

‘Okay then....’

‘I’m serious!’

‘Okay, Okay, I didn’t say anything did I?’ Ye Jin glanced at her watch, ‘Oh crap. I have to go, Ga Eul. It’s really nice to see you. Do you want to meet my editor? She’d love to meet you.’

‘Nah,’ she shook her head. ‘I have tons of things to do.’ Tonight was the fund raising event at the museum. She literally had a lot of things to do to get ready.

‘Okay then. I’ll talk to you later,’ Ye Jin waved at her and quickly ran out off the premise.

It was only one more hour of free time before she had to go home for her hair appointment. She reached her thick notebook in her bag and read again the scribbled notes on its pages. She had compiled and researched through the name of the guest lists Yi Jung’s secretary had given her a week before. She never knew it took such an effort to just throw a party. Lucky she didn’t have to do anything other than being a smiling host. She had mostly memorized what was written inside, but she wanted to make sure nothing would escape her brain. Jan Di and Jae Kyung would also be there. She sincerely hoped she could rely on both of them to make the night passed as painless as possible.

‘Ga Eul?’

She lifted her face from her scribbled notes and instantly furrowed her brow.

‘Hey, long time no see….’

Really. She mentally rolled her eyes. Gong Soo Pyo was standing in front of her. Grinning like an idiot, as if nothing uncomfortable had ever happened between them.

‘Sorry, I have to go,’ she retrieved her bag quickly and shoved her belongings inside.

‘Ahh, don’t be like that Ga Eul.’ Soo Pyo attempted to grab her wrist. She wanted to kick the shameless bastard and left immediately, but her common sense won over. Judging from the trashy article last time, Gong Soo Pyo wouldn’t hesitate to trash talk her again whenever it suited him. Her kicking him in the face would probably fall into the category of offense he would love to share the world.

She sat down again, facing Soo Pyo who had made himself comfortable in front of her.

‘So… Ga Eul, how have you been?’

‘Get to the point.’ She said stiffly. Nothing good would ever come from his mouth.

Soo Pyo smiled sweetly.

‘Say Ga Eul, can you lend me some money?’

‘Huh?’

‘Because you know, I just got an offer from another magazine,’ he winked his eye at her, ‘to tell them about our relationship before your marriage to that jerk.’

Her mouth gaped open.

‘Are you.. are you trying to extort money from me? You gotta be kidding me.’

‘Ah, Ga Eul… don’t be like that,’ Soo Pyo still gave her his sickly sweet smile. ‘But let’s say we won’t say anything if you decided to lend us the money.’

‘Who are we?’

‘Oh you know, those girls who got interviewed with me.’

Her eyes widened in shock.

‘So you’re saying it’s all a made up story?’

‘I didn’t say anything about the story being made up did I?’

She shook her head in disgust. How did she once ever find him attractive at all, she didn’t understand. She must have such a poor taste in men back then.

‘You talk to a wrong person,’ she took her bag and pushed herself up from her seat.

‘I might go ahead and give the interview then.’ Soo Pyo folded his arms on his chest; his back slouched on the chair.

‘You know what, go ahead. Be my guest. I don’t care.’ She walked off the premise quickly. There really was too much garbage lately in the city.

***Ga Eul looked at herself in the mirror. The wonder of makeup, she thought amusedly. She couldn’t find the trace of that innocent but common looking girl she was familiar with. The person looking back at her had sultry, smoky eyes, with glossy red lips and blush on to accentuate her cheekbones. Her nose had somehow looked straighter (how did they do that?) and higher if that was even possible. Her hair stylist had worked wonder to make her straight hair sleek and shiny but slightly curled on the bottom half. It reminded her of the time Yi Jung took her on that fake date for her revenge on Soo Pyo.

Soo Pyo, that bastard, she frowned her forehead in annoyance. She couldn’t fathom the fact that that man dare approached her for money. She must have moved a lot higher in the totem pole of social establishment than she first realized. What was it that she told him again? That she couldn’t care less about what he was going to do? was it a hundred percent true? Her mouth formed a bitter smile. She might have to deal with him more later, but at least she knew how those stories were all fabricated.

She came home to find Yi Jung had already gone. His personal assistant informed her that he had to rush to the museum for some final check and a little meeting with the board of directors. Such a life of a chaebol heir, she thought mournfully, feeling sorry for Yi Jung who had not touched his pottery wheel for what seemed ages. Wasn’t the purpose of his going to Sweden was to learn better pottery technique? So how come he had been neglecting his art and spent too much time in the business side?

‘Shall I help you with the dress, ma’am?’ one of the maids had taken the dress out and laid it on the bed. See, this was one of the many things she still couldn’t get used to. How hard was it to get your clothes from the wardrobe yourself? Granted, the wardrobe was bigger than her old apartment bedroom (plus the kitchen), but still….. It’s only a wardrobe. But apparently it’s quite hard for those uber rich people to stretch their legs and do the walk themselves. After spending the first twenty five years of her life learning how to get ready by herself, from doing the washing to ironing and cleaning the toilet, all of a sudden she had all the helpers she could get.

‘That’s OK, I can do it myself,’ she nodded to the young maid (thankfully no one wore those ridiculous French maid outfit here like they did in Jun Pyo’s house. She’d die laughing if they had done just that).

The dress was black on the upper half and silvery dark grey on the bottom. It was sleeveless, showing off her delicate upper arm and part of her shoulder. The front ended a few centimeters above her knees, but structured to open up and make a slight tail behind. It was absolutely beautiful, made by a Korean female designer she never even heard of (her fashion knowledge extended only to the gap t-shirt and jeans).

‘Oooh, Ga Eul, this one is definitely for you,’ Jae Kyung swooned as she tried the clothes in the small but amazingly pretty boutique they visited on their shopping trip.

She couldn’t say no even if she wanted to. The dress was calling her oh so persuasively to try on. And that was her first experience with the black card. The next one was the bag and shoes, although she drew a line when Jae Kyung asked her to try a fur stole.

‘No.’

‘No?’

‘Absolutely no.’

The thought of wearing animal fur made her shudder (although she had no qualm in eating a kilo of bulgogi or 500 grams rib eye steak with pepper sauce).

‘You know what, you’re really cute,’ Jae Kyung smiled at her but put the offending material back on the rack. ‘I believe leather shoes and alligator bag are fine?’

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help to laugh at the older girl.

She looked again carefully at her reflection in the mirror for the last time before decided it was time to go. She looked good, she sighed happily. Quickly she opened the door and asked for her driver. Tonight was going to be her first official event as Yi Jung’s wife. Funny how the word did not make her flinch as much as it used to. Maybe it had grown on her?

***

The museum was bathed in so much light when Yi Jung finally went down stair from his office.

‘Is everything fine?’ he asked his secretary who really was the one working his butt off over the whole thing. Yi Jung had too much on his plate lately to actually lend his perfectly manicured hands in the whole fund raising event.

‘Everything is under control,’ Mr.Kim nodded his head solemnly before proceeded to leave him as his boss’s wife appeared in the hallway.

‘You look amazing,’ Yi Jung took a long good look at Ga Eul.

‘No, you are.’ Ga Eul slipped her arm easily into his. She hesitated a little before she steered her husband to the nearest empty room, gave him a grin before closing the door behind them.

‘What.. hey.. hm..’

It’s not often the self proclaimed F4 Casanova (at least former Casanova) found himself unable to speak. This time was definitely one of the occasions. Ga Eul had latched her hand on the back of his neck as she softly kissed his mouth. And it wasn’t one of those peck she tended to do either, her lips was warm, sensual, her tongue tasted like strawberry cream lollipop. He pulled her closer, careful not to run his fingers in her carefully styled hair.

‘Umm, thank you?’ He took a deep breath and looked at Ga Eul curiously when she finally pulled out. ‘That was… unexpected.’

She smiled and ran a finger on his lips. ‘Sorry, you got a little bit of my lipstick here. Shall we go outside?’

‘Hey!’ he grabbed her wrist before she had a chance to open the door. ‘You don’t think you can just go like that, do you?’

‘Like what?’ Ga Eul laughed, ‘Oh, right. I have to fix my lipstick..’

‘No, no, don’t change the subject. You’re not going anywhere unless you explain.’

‘Why is it so strange? I was just showing my deep affection to my lovely husband.’

‘Yeah… right,’ he stepped aside to stand in front of the door and block her way. ‘You’re not going anywhere. Something happened. Hang on, are you pregnant?’ His eyes widened.

‘What!’ Ga Eul furrowed her brows and gave him a look of instant death.

‘Well that’s what usually happened in the movie.’

‘You obviously watched too much chick flicks.’

She smelled too good and her beautiful face was only inch away from his. Yi Jung thought he might explode any minute and wished he didn’t have to attend this party or any party for the next five years.

‘Naughty, naughty girl,’ he lifted her chin and planted another lingering kiss on her mouth, his hand slowly travelled down her neck, her shoulder, tracing her collar bone.

‘Hmm, Yi Jung,’ she closed her eyes but quickly blinked as Yi Jung’s mobile phone started to ring.

‘Tsk,’ he pulled out his phone from his pocket and checked the caller ID. ‘What???’ he barked to the mouth piece. To Ga Eul he mouthed silently ‘It’s Woo Bin.’

‘Bro, I agree that she looks absolutely amazing, and I know how you love to do your little minx there and then but turn off the light first, yeah?’

‘Huh?’

‘Turn your head to the right? Yes? Why hello there…’ Yi Jung looked at the damned glass windows on his right, the ones that were facing the lawn and scowled when he saw Woo Bin waving his hand happily. Behind him were Ji Hoo and Jae Kyung standing side by side with highly amused expressions.

‘Oh My God!’ Ga Eul shrieked and covered her face, mortified. Did they just watch their making out session? She wished there was a hole on the floor opened in front of her all the way to Timbuctoo so she could jump inside and hide from them.

Yi Jung rolled his eyes and turned off the phone while Woo Bin laughing his butt off outside.

‘That’s OK Ga Eul,’ he forced her to uncover her face, now was red down to her neck.

‘Oh God, I felt like an idiot,’ she shook her head mournfully.

‘Well he shouldn’t have been there in the first place if that makes you feel better,’ he took her arm and opened the door. ‘Anyway, what’s the story?’ He calmly changed the subject. ‘It’s just unlike you. Not that I’m complaining…’

Ga Eul felt her blood started to flow again, she could see how funny it must be for Woo Bin, Ji Hoo, and Jae Kyung to come upon such view.

‘Nothing,’ she followed Yi Jung outside, ‘I just found out that I’ve been stressed out over nothing these past few weeks.’

‘You mean..?’

‘I meant, I just realized today that there is a lot of garbage in this world and I that should never have believed them in the first place.’

‘I hate it every time you speak in a cryptic language.’

She laughed but said nothing.

***

‘What were you guys doing there anyway??’ Ga Eul asked Jae Kyung once they had all come inside.

‘Oh it’s totally Woo Bin’s fault. He decided to give me a tour of the museum exterior. ’ Jae Kyung winked at her. ‘Don’t worry Ga Eul, I didn’t quite catch what you two were doing back there.’

‘Unni!’

Jae Kyung laughed ‘Oh look there’s Jan Di and Jun Pyo. Let’s say hi to him.’ She quickly walked on their direction. ‘I kind of happy I didn’t marry him, Ga Eul. I can’t believe he still keeps that perm..’ she snorted almost too happily.

Ga Eul thought Ji Hoo must have been exceptionally good for Jae Kyung to be THAT giggly. She didn’t want to delve into thinking in what area and how good he was exactly, however.

The party was simple and elegant but you could see it really was an over the top event with no skimping in expenses. It’s a champagne and caviar kind of event. Ga Eul caught Jan Di’s eyes a few times during the night and they silently giggled and rolled their eyes whenever no one’s looking.

‘I’m surprised you didn’t blaze your way through the canapé and sushi buffet.’ She dryly commented Jan Di’s elegant way of sipping her champagne after biting a little bit of the finger food on her plate.

‘Five years in training already, Ga Eul.’ Jan Di didn’t miss a beat at her snarky comment. ‘But I’ll make sure Jun Pyo drives through a McD after this.’

They giggled and sipped more of the sweet bubbles.

‘By the way, Jun Pyo and I have decided on a wedding date.’

‘Good for him…’

‘Hey what’s that supposed to mean…’

She threw a mock glance at Jan Di before hugged her friend and giggled a little.

‘Anyway, I want you to be the maid of honor.’

‘What! I can’t do that can I? I’m already married.’

‘Oh. Then, whatever the title is then… but it has to be you.’

‘Why not Jae Kyung unni?’

Jan Di rolled her eyes to heaven. ‘Hello, I’m not that insensitive.’

‘I’m sure she’s fine now…’

‘Yeah, well, it just feels a bit icky, you know…’

‘If you put it that way…’

‘Is that a yes?’

‘I guess…’

‘Cool. I had a fight already with Jun Pyo’s mom this afternoon over this.’

‘Why am I not surprised to hear that?’

‘Which is why you have to talk to her a little.’

Ga Eul almost choked on her drink.

‘What?!?’

She’d rather face 100 other Soo Pyo than Goo Mama. This is just great…

***‘How do you talk to someone like Madam Kang?’ Ga Eul absentmindedly asked Yi Jung on the way home from the party while looking at the dark outside. She let out a long yawn before sheepishly glanced at her smirking husband (it’s a funny word, she thought, husband.)

‘It’s not even midnight yet Ga Eul,’ he said, slightly mocking her sleepy head.

‘Yeah, but I haven’t had a really good night sleep this past few days.’

‘Why?’

‘Oh, nothing serious.’

Truth was, she had been busy worrying about the party and preparing the article for the magazine. Come to think of it, she had to thank Jae Kyung for all the great stories she had been collecting for her little column, like the right clothes to wear, the shop to wander about, the restaurant where you can eat without being seen, those kinds of things. Not that she was going to start shunned the little porridge shop she had grown to love; she had even visited Master twice in the past month, careful not to let any people see her to avoid any kafuffle. But like Jae Kyung said to her, she had to play the part if she wanted to survive. She wondered if she should tell Jae Kyung about her magazine column. The girl had a great sense of humor. But again, she also belonged to that circle of people she was writing about. She wondered if they would label her of being a traitor once they found out what she was doing.

‘I just have a lot to think about,’ she said dismissively. ‘Anyway, you haven’t answered my question. Any tips at all on how to talk to Madam Kang?’

‘It’s like asking what’s the best way to avoid being eaten by sharks while surfing off South Australian beach with no shark nets. Or trying to dodge a bullet if you’re a duck flying over a hunting ground.’

‘Are you trying to be funny?’

‘Why on earth do you want to talk to Jun Pyo’s mom?’

‘Jan Di asked me to..’

‘Jan Di? Whatever for? You know what; you should really talk some sense to that friend of yours. She is trying to feed you to a dragon. And it’s a very scary dragon, I might add.’

‘Don’t scare me like that... She asked me to become her maid of honor, and she’s already fought with Jun Pyo’s mom over the date, the party, the guests list….’ She took a deep breath. ‘Is it me or she is just a difficult human being to get along with?’

‘Who? Jan Di or Madam Kang?’

She playfully hit Yi Jung’s arm. ‘You have a point, I guess,’ she grinned at his answer.

‘Have I mentioned that you looked absolutely ravishing tonight?’ He glanced at her and put his hand on her knee.

She rolled her eyes and swatted his wandering hand.

‘You’re not getting any if you don’t give me an answer.’

‘That makes me want to stop the car now. Shall I park by those bushes?’ He winked and gave her a lecherous grin.

‘Dream on.’

She let out a giggle when he started to tickle her.

‘There’s a playground with a swing over there..’

‘Pervert.’

‘There’s no street light..’

‘Home. Now.’

***

In the end, she had to admit her defeat. Yi Jung was right. She felt like a duck trying to dodge a bullet while flying over Dick Chenney’s mansion in Wyoming.

Madam Kang’s icy stare made her cup of steaming hot tea taste like a particularly bad liquid out off the medicine cabinet. Her neck felt stiff from sitting too straight on her seat, her back aching from holding the same position for the last fifteen minutes or so.

‘Ms. Chu.’

She shivered upon hearing her name spoken by the living iceberg.

‘I will pretend that our conversation never really happened. Because that will put you in an awkward position if you’re going to be the maid of honor, seeing you will have to come and see me a lot in the coming months. Geum Jan Di can entertain all sorts of ideas with her wedding, but she has to remember that she is marrying this family. And she will do what we have always done in the past. There is a list of protocol she has to follow, a list of people she has to associate, whether she likes it or not. I suggest you talk to her and remind her that she is not a victim she made herself to be. We both have made our own sacrifices. You, of all people, should understand that.’

She wondered how Jan Di managed to stay alive this past five years, because she felt like she was almost frozen to death. And it’s the middle of summer. Jan Di’s monthly dinners with Jun Pyo’s family were not something to be envied of. She should have probably sent thank you cards to both Yi Jung’s parents. Compared to Madam Kang, they were a pair of warm hearted, loving human being.

‘I give up,’ she called Jan Di the moment she arrived back at the So residence. ‘You will have a big ceremony with more protocol than a cabinet meeting. You will have at least five hundred guests, most of which you have never met and probably despised. You will not have a barefoot wedding by the beach in New Caledonia. The ceremony will take place in that hoity-toity reception hall you hate so much. But most of all, you will NOT send me to talk to Jun Pyo sunbae’s mother ever again. Never ever ever ever ever. Bye. I love you and you’re welcome.’

She pushed the off button on her phone immediately, ignoring her friend’s indignant shriek on the other line.

***

‘She’s one scary lady,’ she said to Yi Jung later that night in his studio. He was busy working on a new piece in front of his pottery wheel, his hands gracefully molding the lump of clay to a shape he deemed decent to work with.

‘Who?’

‘Madam Kang, who else?’

‘So you’ve talked to her.’

‘I did,’ she cringed at the unpleasant experience.

‘And?’

‘She won hands down. She killed me with her glares every time I tried to let out a sound. I bet she can singlehandedly slaughter a room full of people once she set her mind to it. She’s Uma Thurman in Kill Bill, only scarier.’

Yi Jung snorted at her reply.

‘She is not that bad now compared to how she was before.’

It’s her turn to snort at his answer.

‘What?? It’s true’. He looked up to face her and patted the wooden bench next to him. ‘And anyway, I think she has all the rights to demand those from Jan Di.’

‘You’re kidding, right? It’s Jan Di and Jun Pyo sunbae’s wedding, not hers.’

‘I’m perfectly serious. You have to remember, she gave up a lot by accepting Jan Di to the family.’

‘What…’

‘Don’t get defensive. I’m only stating the fact. My point is, it’s a take and give relationship, between Jan Di and Jun Pyo’s mother. Jan Di should also cooperate if she really wanted to become a part of the family. SHINHWA is a really powerful group, surely you understand that?’

‘Yeah. But that has nothing to do with the wedding..’

‘It has everything to do with the wedding.’ He smiled at the confusion written on her face. ‘Jun Pyo is the heir of the company. You can’t expect him to have a secret wedding. In fact, I bet the wedding will be covered by all important media in the country. And it’s normal for us.’

‘Us?’

‘What’s not normal is if they come out as husband and wife without any notice beforehand. People will start talking.’

She bit her lower lip.

‘Then ours…?’

‘Well you saw for yourself the amount of trash made into the headline the last few months…’ He glanced up from his clay. ‘Don’t worry, as long as we know they were all trash, right?’ He brushed his hands on his rubber apron briefly and took her wrist gently. ‘Don’t tell me you’re still thinking about those rumors they made in the media?’

‘No.’

‘Good.’ He sat her down on his laps and started kissing her neck.

‘Hmm Yi Jung, your hands are dirty.’ She protested half heartedly when his hand disappeared under her shirt.

‘Not as dirty as my mind right now.’ He ignored her protest and buried his face on the valley of her breast, his fingers had successfully unhooked her bra. ‘It’s dirtier than the gutter’, his voice husky and low.

‘Pervert.’

‘I need punishment.’

‘You do.’

‘With rope and cuffs.’

‘I agree.’

‘And lots of spanking.’

‘I can manage.’

‘And a whip, you’re gonna be playing horsie.’ He smiled at her blush.

‘Stop it.’

She let out a sigh when he lifted her from his laps and dragged her to the bedroom at the back of his studio. The clay lay forgotten.

***‘I don’t understand men.’

Ga Eul looked up from her lap top to see Jae Kyung lay sprawled on the bed. She had insisted on coming to visit after whining for almost an hour earlier in the day, claiming she needed to take a break from the gazillion bundle of paper works they made her read and study at her family’s corporate office. Being the only daughter of rich family apparently had their fair share of hard work, especially when the said daughter insisted she wanted to take over the company within ten years after she finished her study, with or without the help of a husband.

‘Well, I’m not gonna claim to be an expert of the field, apparently they come from Mars, you know. But enlightened me please, what do you mean, you don’t understand? You’ve had had lots of boyfriends before, haven’t you? Compared to me, you’re like the relationship expert. You’re like Dr. Phil only with more money, more hair, much nicer face and sexier body. Not to mention an owner of a very nice pair of boobs. The last one is the big plus.’

Jae Kyung snorted a little too loud.

‘Yet you’re married to the most desirable man in Korea, huh, Ga Eul honey? How do you explain that? There must be some secret you can share??’ Her large curious eyes conveying the most of her puppy dog expression, she couldn’t help but laugh. Of course, Jae Kyung didn’t know the real reason behind her marriage to Yi Jung. She wondered what she would have to say once she knew the whole truth.

‘You’re so silly,’ she said lightly. ‘But honestly, it’s unlike you to act all depressed. Come on, spill the beans.’

‘I just don’t get them.’

‘Huh.’

‘Except probably when it’s their other heads do the talking. That one I can understand perfectly, from gentle probe to explosive outburst.’

Ga Eul rolled her eyes and threw a piece of chocolate she was eating to the other girl’s head. It landed unfortunately on the white linen next to her feet. Jae Kyung picked it up absentmindedly and put it into her mouth. ‘Mm, yummy.’ She licked her long fingers with a loud pop. ‘Remind me to pick some from the supermarket this evening.’

‘You go to supermarket?’

‘Of course I do.’

‘I thought there were about ten thousand domestic helpers in your house.’

‘Hey!’ she rolled her eyes. ‘I’m not Jun Pyo, you know. I did my own groceries and cooking while I was living alone in America. I cleaned my own apartment, did the laundry, and I can bake! I’m a perfect girlfriend material. Sadly with no boy friend to speak of. I think they kind of scared of me.’ She motioned Ga Eul to throw another piece of chocolate before gingerly caught the piece with both hands and threw it into her mouth.

‘Speaking of Jun Pyo, Ga Eul, I used to think he’s the most difficult man to understand. But I realized now that he’s actually one of the simplest minds.’

‘You’re kidding me. Are you talking about the same Jun Pyo sunbae? Simple?’

‘Yes he is. He is as simple as grade one math. As simple as The Beatles songs. As simple as Japanese flower arrangements, crocs sandals, toasted bagel and cream cheese ….’ She looked at Ga Eul’s face and stopped herself, grinning. ‘His life revolves around Jan Di. It’s as simple as that. It’s like, she’s his only constant in a world of variables, you know. Unlike some of his friends..’

‘If you’re going to whine about Ji Hoo sunbae, just spit it out. You don’t need to beat around the bush with me, you know..’

‘Ah, am I that easy to read?’

Ga Eul rolled her eyes to heaven. ‘Loud and clear.’

Jae Kyung actually had the nerves to look embarrassed.

‘Do you think Ji Hoo still loves Jan Di, Ga Eul?’ she asked sheepishly, teeth grazing her finger nails.

‘How in the world would I know about something like that? He’s a strange cat. I don’t know him that well, you know. Didn’t he sleep with you at the beach house?’

‘Yeah, yeah, and a good one at that too,’ she said absentmindedly, without qualm, ‘But who wouldn’t have sex with someone as delicious as him??’ She looked at Ga Eul’s expression, ‘Ah, you meant him sleeping with me??? I don’t know… maybe because Jan Di is out of reach?’ Her chest heaved as she took an exaggeratedly deep sigh.

‘But didn’t you come together for that museum function?’ Ga Eul rested her chin on the back of her hand, elbow supporting the weight on the table. This was getting more and more interesting. ‘And you left with him as well. I know for a fact, that you both left Woo Bin sunbae at the museum that night. He insisted on us taking him to his house, just to annoy Yi Jung sunbae, I guess.’

‘True, but lots of people sleep together without really mean it, you know. I mean, he left the next morning before breakfast..’ It was actually before she even woke up, but then again, she was never a morning person. The only thing left was a piece of paper saying he had an urgent call from the hospital.

‘Ji Hoo sunbae is not like that at all. He doesn’t really talk to people, let alone sleep around with them. Maybe it’s because he had early shift at the hospital?’

‘Plus he hasn’t called for the last couple of weeks.’

‘Maybe he’s been busy.’

‘Hmmpphh.. I don’t want to be the first one to call, you know,’ Jae Kyung sighed heavily. ‘I mean, that business with Jun Pyo, I was the one chasing him around. It was kind of embarrassing now that I think about the whole thing. I swear I’d never chase another man ever again. They have to chase me like the way that Casanova Yi Jung chased you.’

‘He never chased me.’

‘That’s not true. He always looked at you like a lost puppy looking at his favorite toy.’

‘Oh like he ever looked like a puppy. He’s more like a grumpy wolf.’

‘That’s Woo bin, you silly. He’s a happy wandering wolf, though.’

‘Are we going to start comparing the rest of F4 with the canine species? Can I pick Chihuahua for Ji Hoo sunbae? ‘

‘Oh shut up Ga Eul. It’s so clear for everyone but you – and Yi Jung, I suppose - that you both were crazy for each other. You were just too stupid to realize it then. Both of you. But hey, glad to see things settled in nicely, huh?’ she grinned widely. ‘And oh, Ga Eul, stop calling him sunbae. Please.’

She wondered if she should just tell Jae Kyung the truth.

‘Anyway unnie, I want you to help me with Jan Di’s wedding preparation.’

‘Jan Di’s wedding? And why haven’t I been told about it? Am I the ugly step sister of Cinderella? I feel tragically and sadly abandoned.’

‘You ARE such a drama queen. It’s because you were once Jun Pyo sunbae’s fiancé, hello? And you were actually going to have a wedding with him if you had not called it off at the last minute.’

‘One of my best decisions in life, I can tell. You’re saying?’

‘Jeez, unnie. She feels bad about the whole thing and thought it would be a pretty bad taste to actually ask you to help her out.’

‘But that’s stupid. I’m not in love with Jun Pyo anymore…’

‘Yeah, well. Anyway, Ji Hoo sunbae’s going to be the best man.’

‘But he used to be in love with Jan Di.. well, still probably loves her for all I know.’

‘Yeah, but Jun Pyo sunbae is as sensitive as an African rhino after three whole weeks of mud bath… we all know that.’ She snorted at the thought.

‘True.’

‘So you better start help me with things. You can be the slutty bride maid that gets to sleep with the best man.’

‘Oh God, I already slept with him.’ she covered her face with the soft pillow and let out an exaggerated sigh.

‘All the more reasons why you should help if you want some more,’ she giggled when the pillow landed on her head.

***

‘Do I really have to try ten gazillion wedding dresses, Ga Eul?’ Jan Di pleaded when Jae Kyung and Ga Eul dragged her to yet another boutique in town.

‘It’s your own fault. How come you didn’t like any of the dresses they showed you back there?’ Ga Eul rolled her eyes to heaven. Honestly, she wanted to throw her shoes on Jan Di’s head when she rejected the last wedding dress after three days of futile research.

‘But it was blue! And the one before that was yellow. I looked more like a wedding cake then a blushing bride.’

‘Then you just have to design your own, Jan Di, that’s easy.’ Jae Kyung followed them eagerly.

‘But I don’t know what I want..’

‘Maybe you should go with Jun Pyo’s mom. I bet she’d know what she wants….’ Ga Eul smirked at the look on her friend’s face once she mentioned the evil witch. ‘Kidding…’ she giggled half heartedly.

‘Hang on, how about I’ll be the one to try the dress and see how you like it.’ Jae Kyung snapped her long fingers and pushed herself from the comfortable couch. The assistant followed her promptly to the dressing room.

‘Honestly Jan Di,’ Ga Eul stretched her stiff neck and pat her aching feet while waiting for Jae Kyung to appear from behind the curtain. Next time she’s on another wedding mission, she’d wear comfortable flats or even sandals. The heels were killing her. ‘You can just call any designer you want. They‘d be willing to offer you the highest service.’

‘As if I’m gonna do something like that. I’m Jan Di from the block, you silly.’

‘Oh God, you should start listening to new songs.’

‘Shut up.’

The curtain opened suddenly to reveal the smiling Jae Kyung. She was wearing the ugliest dress they had ever seen. It was made of satin, with sleeves like an overblown balloon.

‘What the hell are you wearing????’

‘I thought you might find this amusing,’ she laughed at their reaction. I think this one is actually for eighties cosplay. It was hanged separately; they say it’s almost antique.’

‘I bet. I can see it framed in the museum.’

‘Yeah, yeah, I’ll get another one.’ She disappeared again behind the curtain.

‘She must think this whole affair rather funny.’ Jan Di narrowed her eyes warily.

‘Relax, Jan Di. She’s just very excited…’

Her sentence cut out as two men walked in.

‘Ji Hoo sunbae? Woo Bin sunbae?’ Ga Eul lifted her eyebrow in surprise.

‘Hello Ga Eul,’ Woo Bin grinned at them. ‘We were just hanging out in that café across the road. We saw you girls come here, so we decided to drop by. What are you guys doing?’

‘Well, we’re waiting for..’ Jan Di’s voice trailed as Jae Kyung entered the room. She could almost hear jaws dropped as Jae Kyung started making model like poses in front of them.

It was definitely the best dress they had seen so far. The long, flowing dress was cut as if it was made for Jae Kyung, the off-white fabric clung onto her slim figure like a second skin. The front of the dress was low enough to reveal the good part of her chest, but not too low to make it look cheap. Her shoulder was bare except for thin strings, made into bows. She looked down, happy to see the minimalist approach was kept throughout. There were few details on the waist and hips area, beautiful but not distracting. She turned around to show off her back. It was generously exposed, showing her smooth creamy skin.

‘What do you think?’ She smiled brightly, hands on her waist. ‘Do you think it’s too revealing?’ She looked down on her chest thoughtfully, ‘They can alter a few things if you want…’

‘Absolutely beautiful…’

The answer came almost too quickly. Woo Bin stepped forward and took her hand. ‘Absolutely beautiful.’ Ji Hoo looked at him like he wanted to punch his friend cold.

Ga Eul felt her eyes widened. This might be interesting.

***.

.

.

What was wrong with him??? Ji Hoo found himself fuming as Woo Bin took Jae Kyung’s hand and kissed it softly. He knew perfectly well how the Don Juan operates. Ninety-nine percent of the time, he would have nothing more in his mind rather than being his charming self. He had known him for, what, twenty years? Yes, twenty years, give or take. He didn’t know why such an act from his friend annoyed him this much. He had seen Woo Bin did exactly that to hundreds of girls before. He crossed his arms stiffly while Jae Kyung giggled and flirted with the mafia.

‘Let me change first,’ she said when Woo Bin mentioned something about dinner (he’d punch his friend if the dinner turned out to be a romantic dinner for two). He turned his attention to the other two females in the room.

‘I don’t think I can walk anymore,’ Ga Eul massaged her feet ruefully.

‘It’s not far from here, only around the block. I’m going to meet Yi Jung there for dinner. He said you’re having a girl’s night tonight.’ Woo Bin looked at Ga Eul thoughtfully. ‘I can, of course, give you a piggyback all the way there, but then Yi Jung will beat me up and how am I going to prevent him scratching my beautiful face…’

Ga Eul rolled her eyes, and lifted her heels.

‘I blame Jae Kyung unnie and Jan Di for this,’ she said. ‘I don’t want to be the shortest one, ergo, five inches of heels.’

Jan Di snorted into her glass of water. ‘Don’t say that in front of Yi Jung sunbae,’ she said. ‘He’d kill me for ruining his wife’s feet.’

‘Pretend wife, Jan Di, pretend wife,’ she whispered in her ear.

‘Yeah? What do you do every night then? Pretending to be husband and wife?’ She snickered back in her ear.

Ga Eul felt her face blushing uncontrollably and glared at her smirking friend. Fine. She must have still been annoyed at her for the disastrous meeting with Madam Kang.

‘I really can’t walk anymore with these shoes,’ she grimaced. ‘I think I have a cramp.’

‘Here, let me help you,’ Ji Hoo kneeled in front of her and took her right foot in his hands. Slowly he massaged the cramped muscles, helped her stretched the muscles in her feet and calf. Once he finished with the right leg, he started with the left one, oblivious to Ga Eul’s blushing face or Jan Di’s gaping mouth.

‘There, you should feel a lot better now,’ he put her feet back to the floor after he finished with them and lifted his face to see all eyes on him. ‘What? I was just helping her.’ He looked around and asked the shop assistants if they had a pair of flat shoes, to which they happily answered yes, of course. Anything for prince charming.

‘I can see why Jan Di fell in love with him all those years ago,’ she said to Jae Kyung later as they walked to the restaurant, the flats felt comfortable on her feet. ‘I think I would, too.’

Ji Hoo, Jan Di, and Woo Bin walked a few steps in front.

‘I know, right?’ Jae Kyung tapped a finger on her lips. ‘Too bad he never did that to me back then. Life would have been so much easier,’ she let out an exaggerated sigh and laughed silently as Ga Eul looked at her suspiciously.

‘Why did you flirt with Woo Bin sunbae then? I thought you set your sight on him?’

‘I wasn’t flirting with Woo Bin, Ga Eul.. Oh OK, I was. A little. I can’t help it. He’s cute.’ She looked at her face and giggled a little. ‘It was a harmless flirting, Ga Eul. I’m not interested in him.’

‘He might be interested in you, and you might just give him a false notion.’

‘He is most certainly not. He couldn’t stand me then; did you know he almost threw up when I feed him a bowl of chicken feet? I don’t see why he would now.’

‘So tell me again why you’re such a flirt with him tonight?’

‘For obvious reason, Ga Eul, for obvious reason.’ She winked at her but refused to continue the conversation, since Woo Bin turned around and told them to walk faster.

‘He is as much a bully as everyone else in F4.’ Ga Eul made an observation.

‘Of course he is, lest no one take him seriously.’

Yi Jung had already sat at the table when they arrived.

He looked at Ga Eul in surprise.

‘I thought it’s a girl’s night out.’ He kissed her and led her to sit next to him.

‘Woo Bin sunbae and Ji Hoo sunbae crashed our party,’ she felt her cheek blush a little. So they were already a couple. But she still embarrassed with his intimate gestures in front of other people.

Jae Kyung sat herself next to Woo Bin, while Jan Di put her purse on the chair next to Ji Hoo.

She started reading the menu. Now and then she would ask Woo Bin for his recommendation, her head tilted a little to Woo Bin side, almost touching his shoulder. Giggled a little when Woo Bin made a silly comment about the menu.

Ji Hoo felt his stomach clenched a little at their obvious flirt. Even Yi Jung lifted his eyebrow and turned his head to Ga Eul, who pretended to be busy with her own menu.

***

Great, great, great.

Ji Hoo found himself more and more irritated as the night went on.

They (well, Woo Bin and Jae Kyung as the main perpetrators) had decided to visit one of the clubs to have a few more rounds of drinks after dinner finished. That is, them sans Jan Di since she had to go to the hospital early in the morning for her shift. He would love to go home as well and have an early night, but seeing Jae Kyung openly flirted with Woo Bin throughout dinner was enough to make him forget his plan and stayed put.

‘What are you doing?!’ he frowned and hissed as Jae Kyung pulled his hand to the dance floor. He didn’t like house music. He preferred a jazzy or classical number almost any time.

‘You’re such a party pooper,’ she frowned back at him and rolled her eyes before walked away and went to dance on her own.

‘What’s with her?’ Yi Jung watched her and raised his eyebrows. He had been watching the mini drama unfolded with growing interest.

‘Nothing is wrong with her,’ Ga Eul chuckled a little.

‘What do you mean with nothing? Seems to me like she is trying to make Ji Hoo angry on purpose.’ He turned his head to see his pretty wife smirked at his sentence. ‘Is there something I need to know?’

‘Nothing at all,’ Ga Eul smiled at him. ‘It’s interesting, isn’t it?’

‘As long as no one gets hurt..’ he looked at Woo Bin joining Jae Kyung at the dance floor with worry. He didn’t want to go through another lengthy love triangle drama concerning his friends. Jun Pyo and Jan Di gave enough worries to make him grew a few lines on his otherwise smooth face. Didn’t they know he worked so hard to preserve his beautiful face from premature aging?

‘Well, we’ll just have to see how it’s going to play out,’ Ga Eul calmly sipped her drink.

‘You seem to know a lot about what’s going on here,’ he looked at her suspiciously. These past few weeks, he had been really busy with the amount of works he needed to do at the museum. He didn’t have much time to spend with his F4 friends. And even if he did have some spare time in hand, he would’ve rather spent it with his beautiful wife alone. How long had they stayed married? Five months? Six months? Did he really want them to go their own way once the one year period was over?

It was unthinkable the first time, but he had spent these past six (five? seven?) months without once spending a night with other girls than Ga Eul. Imagine that. Six months! More importantly, they had spent this period just like a regular married couple. Wouldn’t it be strange if they woke up one day, six months from now, and decided to part ways? Should he talk to her about this tonight? Tomorrow? This weekend?

He looked at her pretty face and fought the urge to smother her with kisses. This, this newfound feeling, was also weird. Every day he seemed to be more and more captivated by her. Was it how love supposed to feel? He wanted to remove all barriers between them.

Only last night, he had finally succeeded in persuading her to say good bye to their trusted rubber friend.

‘But I don’t want to go on pills..’

‘You don’t have to..’

She rolled her eyes but didn’t swat his wandering hands.

‘Fine, I’ll go to the pharmacist tomorrow,’ she finally gave up after a slew of attacks.

‘Pharmacist is not on my vocabulary of sexy talk,’ he shook his head mournfully and stopped his action momentarily. His hands rested on her knees, refused to go on higher (or lower, since he was sitting up and she was lying down).

‘It can be very sexy….’ She playfully smiled at him and tugged his collar until he lost his balance and fell face first, his mouth landed on hers.

That feeling of closeness. He didn’t want to think that he might lose it one day.

‘What are you thinking?’ her voice brought him back from his daydream.

‘Hmm? What?’

‘You’re thinking about something.’ She drew her face closer and whispered in his ear, ‘It’s something naughty isn’t it?’

‘Yes it is, how do you know? I bet you think the same thing,’ he whispered back at her and laughed when her face started to sport the pink color.

***

The music was getting louder. Ji Hoo narrowed his eyes at the sight of Jae Kyung gulping her fifth glass of whatever she had been drinking the whole night. One thing for sure, they ain’t no ice tea or pepsi cola.

With a loud cheer, she took her heels off and threw them to the corner of the room.

‘What the…’

He almost yelled at her when she decided to climb her chair and start a table dance. Granted, it’s a private area and all, but still.

With annoyed look, he pulled her wrist and forced her to jump off the chair, ignoring her indignant shrieks.

He glanced at Woo Bin’s laughing face.

‘I’m taking her home.’

‘Sure,’ his friend stopped laughing and looked at him as if he were witnessing a strange scene.

‘What’s with him?’ Woo Bin asked Yi Jung and Ga Eul a moment later. Puzzle was written all over his face. ‘He even left her shoes here.’ He nodded to the corner of the room where a pair of shoes lay forgotten. ‘Did I do something?’

‘You certainly did,’ Ga Eul laughed at his question. ‘And I’m sure she’d appreciate it..’ She sipped her wine and chuckled at herself again. ‘She might even buy you dinner! Can we go home now?’ She caught his eyes and said, ‘Don’t worry Woo Bin sunbae, it’s all in good hand.’

***.

.

‘So how is it going?’

Ga Eul almost jumped out off her chair. She was sitting in front of her computer wearing her teddy bear pajamas, revising her latest column for Ye Jin when Yi Jung came in. This wedding preparation gave her a lot of stuff to share with her reader. Who knew people would willingly fork out tens of thousands of dollars just for a dress that would only be worn once (well, maybe a lot of people, but she’s definitely not one of them, or Jan Di, for that matter). Jae Kyung had forced them to go and have a look at a few of her many designer friends’ fashion houses (that girl sure had a lot of connections). It gave her and Jan Di a scare just touching the mere fabrics.

Not only that, on her visit to the florist (one on Madam Kang’s recommendation), she almost dropped her jaw on the floor upon realizing that you could order tulips, jasmine, roses, all flowers under the sun, almost all year round, even in winter - providing you had bottomless pocket, or bank account. She felt like a total noob. This was a crazy world she lived in. She was so sure she would have never fit in, not in another hundred years or so.

‘What?’

‘Preparation for Jun Pyo’s wedding. You’re still busy with it?’ He loosened his tie and threw his jacket onto the bed. As usual, his clothes were color coordinated. Blue and red tie with silver pin, sky blue shirt, and dark grey suit over dark blue and grey socks and semi casual black loafers. One would think he spent hours in the morning just to pick his outfit.

‘Uh, yeah, of course.’

She closed the document on the screen and opened another one just in time before he took a position behind her, peered over her shoulder to read whatever notes she wrote for Jan Di’s wedding.

‘What is this? You had to sample the wedding cake as well???’ He looked at the series of pictures of humongous wedding cakes, along with pictures of Ga Eul and Jae Kyung share a plate. ‘How many pieces of cakes did you have to eat? You should have brought Woo Bin with you. That guy loves his cakes almost as much as he loves his…. err, never mind.’

She giggled a little.

‘Hmm, yeah, technically we didn’t have to sample. But Jae Kyung made a fuss about how the taste would be like. Which one is better, vanilla or chocolate? And whether black cherry taste is the right undertone for the occasion.’ She shook her head. ‘Uh, was it the right term she used? Undertone? A subtle layer of taste, whatever that means. Why would there be an undertone on cakes? If it’s vanilla, then it’s vanilla. If it’s chocolate, then it’s chocolate. So much fancy term and work for a cake. Anyway, she basically wanted to eat free cakes because she said the price is ridiculous and we should have made the most of it. I think we ended up eating about ten pieces of cakes each. Did you notice I haven’t had any dessert these past couple of weeks? I still can’t get rid of the taste. After five pieces it became an eating battle. She’s crazy.’

‘Why am I not surprised to hear that?’ he pulled her up from the chair and sat himself comfortably before pulled her down again to sit on his lap.

‘You’re not bored, are you?’ He said to her softly, almost half blew her neck, his breath warmed and tickled her skin.

‘Why do you ask?’

‘Just curious. You haven’t been working since that fiasco happened. I would have thought that you might be bored by now. Is that why you do this bridesmaid thingy for Jan Di? You know, you only need to tell me if you want to start working again.’

She shifted a little uncomfortably.

‘I’m fine,’ she focused her attention to the computer screen and typed in a few more notes.

‘Really?’ his hands had started their exploration. She squirmed a little when the right hand disappeared under her pajama bottom, while the other one busy unclasping her bra. She never told him just how much she loved his hands. They were big, compared to hers. They were rough, from years of working with clay. They were beautiful, so finely sculpted with long fingers. They gave her goose bumps from the friction they made with her skin. They never failed to turn her on.

‘You do realize I’m doing something here?’

Her voice had turned one octave higher.

‘Uhmm..’ he didn’t even bother to answer. His mouth was busy kissing the skin on the back of her neck.

‘I can’t…’ Damn him and his fingers. Her breath hitched as they made their way inside her panties. It felt so good. ‘I can’t do anything when you’re like this,’ she finished her sentence half gasping as she jerked her hip forward. She couldn’t even trust her own body, her nipples hard as he continued pinching and stroking them, while her pelvis moved on its own accord, meeting the movement of his hand with embarrassing eagerness.

‘That’s the idea,’ he lifted her head a little and whispered in her ear. ‘Now, where were we…’

***

The next time Ga Eul met Jae Kyung, she was talking to Ye Jin just outside her friend’s office. She had just finished a meeting with Ye Jin and her chief editor. The chief liked her writing style and had offered her a permanent job with the magazine as one of the assistants to the copy editor, especially since one of the personnel had left the magazine to pursue a career in another publication. Of course, she would still have her own column, if she wished to.

‘I think it’s a good opportunity,’ Ye Jin said as Jae Kyung walked by.

‘What opportunity?’ she whispered in conspiratorial tone to Ga Eul from behind, almost gave Ga Eul a heart attack in the process.

‘Unnie!’ she jumped and put her hand on her chest, trying to calm her increased heart rate.

‘What…’

‘Don’t scare me like that!’

‘I didn’t try to scare you. But it seemed that you two have a secret from me. Hmmm… come on Ye Jin, tell me what is it?’

Ga Eul watched her friend in horror, but Ye Jin made a signal of zipping her mouth shut and ran away before Jae Kyung could further interrogate her.

‘Bye!’ she mouthed as she was safely back inside her office.

Traitor.

‘What are you doing here?’ she said later while sitting in a secluded little café not too far from the building.

They were having subway style lunch with half foot loaf and lots of cheese and turkey slices. Her meeting earlier had run a little longer than she predicted. She didn’t even realize how hungry she had been until her stomach gave away and made loud grumbling sounds. Cue enough for Jae Kyung to drag her for a bite.

‘Me? I’m having lunch…’

‘Not here, here,’ she rolled her eyes. ‘Back there.’

‘Oh,’ she wiped her mouth with paper napkins and set down her sandwich before answered her question. ‘Only an interview, nothing much, really. Originally they wanted to come to my office and have me interviewed there, but since I wanted to have a little walk, I called them and said I’d prefer to meet them here. I think they thought I was a little bit strange. Not sure why…’

‘Don’t tell me you started singing Wonder Girl and danced on the table over there..’

‘Hey I’m a respected business woman back there… Beautiful, charming, elegant, sexy, confident, and, wait for it, wait for it, classy…’ she snorted happily. ‘Yep, that’s me, Ga Eul.’

‘You should have invited them to drink soju with you. I’d love to see their face changed.’

‘Tsk, you under estimate me.’ She bit another mouthful of her sandwich. ‘Now, tell me what were you doing back there?’

She bit her bottom lip nervously. Tell her. Not tell her. Tell her. Not tell her. Tell her.

Quickly before she could change her mind again she pulled the latest edition inside her bag and shoved it under Jae Kyung’s nose.

‘Page 120. Read it.’

‘Ehhh??? What is it? You look so serious.’ She flipped the magazine open and started to find the page. It was the article where Ga Eul had written her initial awkwardness around the domestic helper in the household. Quietly Jae Kyung read the column before she broke into series of giggles.

‘This is funny,’ she said after a while. ‘I love it. This part, where she described the maids in French maid costume, it reminds me of Jun Pyo’s house. Why? Do you know who wrote it?’ She glanced at Ga Eul face. ‘Wait. Don’t tell me. You wrote this????’ Her eyes widen before she collapsed on her chair and laughed some more. ‘Oh Ga Eul. It’s perfect!’ she wiped the side of her eyes in glee. ‘This is just perfect. Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?’

‘You mean you’re not angry I wrote something like that?’

‘Angry? At you? Why should I be? Why? Do the boys get angry at you?’

‘Well not really…’ she sheepishly looked at the table.

‘See.’

‘Yeah, well, because technically they don’t know about this… yet.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I’m afraid they’d feel I had insulted them somehow.’

‘Insulted? How?’ Jae Kyung read the column again. ‘I don’t see anything insulting here.’

‘Maybe not insulting, but you know, I’m writing about your world from my point of view. And I’m afraid you’d somehow feel violated because I’m kind of a part of the circle. Like an insider or a mole.’

‘Well as long as you don’t write about something personal or undisclosed materials, I don’t see why not. Plus, you’re writing about yourself. About how to fit in. I see nothing wrong with that.’

‘Do you think they will have the same opinion as you?’

‘They?’

‘All the sunbaes.’

‘Well I certainly hope they will. I’ll kick Ji Hoo’s pretty behind if he doesn’t share the same opinion with me.’ She looked at Ga Eul and smiled. ‘Don’t worry Ga Eul. This is nothing, really.’

‘Thanks.’

She reached for her coffee and sipped it happily.

‘By the way, what made you start writing this column?’

‘Well, Ye Jin offered me the column, and I needed the job.’

‘Need a job?’

‘Uhuh. I caused too much distraction at my old workplace so I needed to get out.’ She paused for a while. ‘And all sunbaes were really great and offered me a place in their companies, but I didn’t want them to get involved. I mean, after 1 year, I don’t know how we’re going to handle the situation..’

‘After one year? What’s going to happen after one year?’

Ga Eul felt her hand flew to cover her mouth. Stupid her and her big mouth.

‘Well…..’ her face felt rather warm as she launched into the story.

‘So that’s how it is.’ She finished her tale. ‘I mean, we’ll get divorced after one year…’

She looked up to see Jae Kyung’s incredulous face.

‘You’re so stupid, aren’t you Ga Eul,’ she said in mock sad tone.

‘I know I was so stupid. That’s why we got into this situation in the first place…’

‘Not that! Gosh, you people. It’s so obvious you guys love each other. Why would you get divorce?’

‘What?’

‘I’m not repeating myself. God, you make me crazy.’ She shook her head and finished her lunch. ‘I have to go back to the office now. I’ll see you this weekend?’

‘Huh? Yeah, of course.’ She took her handbag and followed Jae Kyung outside.

Are they really in love? She and Yi Jung? Really? Not in lust?

***

.

.

.

‘I need a holiday.’ Yi Jung yawned and stretched his body.

Ga Eul looked up from her book. They were sitting in the living room. Him, watching one of so many soccer game reruns on ESPN. Her, reading her latest book purchase.

‘What do you think, Ga Eul. Where do you want to go?’

‘You just came back from London yesterday. Before that, you spent a whole week in New York. Why can’t we just stay here and go to the cinema or something.’

‘That’s not fun.’

‘That IS fun. Come to think of it, you never take me out for a date. Why is that?’

‘I … urm… I never take you for a date? Really?’

‘Yes, really. Except for that pretend date we did five years ago.’

‘Hmm.. but we went to Bali a few months ago.’

‘That’s not a date.’

‘Of course it was. Come to think of it, we had plenty of opportunities whenever I had to go overseas, but you never came with me.’ He glanced at her pretending to be mad. ‘See, your fault.’

She rolled her eyes.

‘Why can’t we have a simple date? Like a movie and dinner afterwards.’ She paused and shook her head. ‘No, no, no, don’t say it’s a commoners’ way of dating.’

‘I wasn’t going to say that.’

‘What was it then?’

‘Oh I don’t know... maybe because I never really had one.’

‘Uh huh? Really? You’re THE Casanova and never date? Don’t make me laugh, Yi Jung sunbae. You used to take two girls out at the same time. I’ve seen you before, you know.’

‘Well, first, don’t call me sunbae. Second, none of them were ever serious, so they didn’t count. Whereas you. Well.. I.. erm..’ He momentarily turned speechless. ‘Whereas you… You are not them.’ He sipped his tea thickly. He seemed to be embarrassed by the whole conversation. ‘Plus, you’re my wife now, there’s no need to go on that kind of dates. Yes that’s it. I’d rather us spend our time alone together.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes really. Anyway, don’t you hate to see other people acting lovey dovey in front of you? They should just get a room and be done with it.’

‘Hey.’

‘It’s true. Any man will think the same as me.’ He moved his head back slightly to avoid the small pillow thrown his way. ‘What? I’m being honest.’

She shook her head in disgust. Men. Always let their other head do the thinking.

‘So shall I arrange the plane for this weekend?’

‘Can’t we use mainstream airlines?’

‘Why?’

‘It’s arguably environmentally friendlier, duh.’

He snorted at her sentence.

‘No,’ he mouthed at her silently, but resolutely.

Stupid mega rich heir, she narrowed her eyes at him and sulked before went back to her book. See how he liked it when there are more polar bears drowned in the Arctic trying to find floating ice to rest.

On the other hand, she turned her head slightly from her book and glanced at him, he said she was different from the other girls. With her, he was… serious?

‘It’s so obvious you guys love each other’. That’s what Jae Kyung said. Could it be true? Could she be right? Could he really…. Love her? She stole another glance at him, her heart started pounding loudly.

***

‘I’m going for a week vacation,’ she called Jan Di the next day.

She had come clean about her new job with Jan Di after that conversation with Jae Kyung, and her friend had been supportive even though she shared her worries as well.

‘What? Ga Eul, don’t do that to me. My wedding is only three weeks away.’ She could hear her friend’s voice broke into panic.

‘Don’t worry, you silly. Everything is already in place. I met Ha Ra unnie two days ago, and she said everything is perfect. The invitation had all been mailed, or personally delivered. The catering, the wedding cake, and the reception hall are ready to go. The chamber orchestra has been practicing the musical score. Just so you know, they are taking request and you haven’t replied their emails. May I remind you that this is your wedding and not mine?’

‘Sorry, I’ve been really busy with the hospital. And that stupid Jun Pyo always manages to escape whenever I want to talk about the wedding. Plus, I have to think about the vow!’

‘Yes. OK, I know. Continue, the florist works extra hard to source those green orchids and black tulips Jun Pyo sunbae wants. Which reminds me, why black in the wedding? Why does he always want something difficult? Why? Honestly. The priest….’

‘Okay, okay I get it.’

She laughed a little.

‘Plus Jae Kyung unnie is available 24/7, except when she’s missing in action with Ji Hoo sunbae. Do not try to call her on these occasions, or your beloved sunbae will be sporting some ghastly marks all over his body, not that I have witnessed any, but just in case. Your wedding dress will be ready for the last fitting in five days. Unless you gain five kilos in the last two weeks, it should be okay. Relax Jan Di. Ask Ji Hoo sunbae for some stress relieves medicine if you really needed to.’

‘I feel like a train wreck.’

‘From the wedding or the hospital shifts?’

She heard Jan Di laughed.

‘Maybe both. Sorry, you’re right. Everything will be fine.’

‘Yup. Everything will be fine.’

‘But don’t go longer than a week.’

‘And miss the hen party? Never! Jae Kyung unnie works really hard for that.’

‘Oh God. I’m not looking forward for it.’

‘Well you have to. You wouldn’t want to miss the number of strip clubs she’s planning for us to visit.’

‘Goodness me…’

‘And if you’re really good, we might even invite Jun Pyo sunbae’s mom to come along…’

‘Ga Eul!!!!’

‘Kidding.’

‘Don’t give me unnecessary nightmare.’

‘Sorry. I can’t help it’

She couldn’t see Jan Di’s face, but she could imagine the scowl.

‘So when are you going?’

‘The day after tomorrow

‘Where to?’

‘I don’t know. He said it’s going to be a surprise.’

‘Well, how are you going to pack then? What if he takes you to Antarctica or something, and all you had in your bag is a pair of bikinis?’

‘Ahhh, he definitely said it’s going to be somewhere tropical. I think he only wanted to make sure that none of you, and especially Woo Bin sunbae, would find out and ruin our holiday.’

‘Hey!’

‘I mean, join our holiday..’

‘Ha. As if.’

‘Admit it, you’d rather come with me than stay here in Seoul.’

‘Please take me with you…’

They laughed and made ladylike snorts at the same time.

‘Okay, I’ll see you when I come back.’

‘Be good.’

‘Uh huh. Go easy on Jun Pyo sunbae.’

‘Whatever that means..’

‘Exactly.’

She heard Jan Di laughed before hang up the phone. She had packing up to do.

***

The plane had been ready for them when they arrived at the private airport.

She didn’t really pack much for the holiday. Yi Jung still kept mum about where they are going. He had her passport, so she couldn’t even see which country they were going to.

Yesterday, when she was busy picking the clothes from her wardrobe, his comments were that it was going to be pretty warm, so no need for coats or sweater. Bring lots of sunscreen, because you’re going to need it. And please, pack the skimpiest swimsuit in her collection. And you might want short pants and sandal instead of shoes because there’s going to be sand.

‘Okay, so we’re going to the beach. Why don’t you just tell me the place?’ she mumbled and grumbled at him.

‘Then it’s not gonna be fun for me,’ he grinned but stop short at explaining further.

She took her seat and sat herself comfortably. Not knowing whether it’s going to be a long or short flight, she had her book and iPod ready under her chair.

‘Remember the time we all went to New Caledonia?’ he asked her after the plane had take off the ground.

‘I guess.’

‘That’s the first time you mentioned about your soul mate.’

‘I was very naïve at that time.’

‘I think you were right.’

‘Really?’

‘Don’t tell me you don’t believe in soul-mate anymore.’

‘I…..’ she stopped and stared at him. He looked so serious all of the sudden.

‘I guess what I’m trying to say is, I can see now that you might not realize that you have met the right person the first time you see him, or her. But if he or she is right for you, then no matter how hard you try to resist or deny that feeling, you’ll always come back to her. Or him. Somehow.’

He smiled and brought his face closer to her. ‘Isn’t that right, Ga Eul yang?’

She felt her face blushed uncontrollably as he took her chin and kiss her on the mouth. His lips parted hers easily, his tongue warm and soft. She swallowed hard when he released her a full minute later.

‘Right?’ he said softly.

Right. She nodded shakily. Her heart beating fast. The overwhelming feeling, it’s not lust, she thought. It’s warm, and new. He took her hand and brought it to his lap.

‘I’m sleepy. It’s going to be quite a long flight,’ he said, adjusting his seat. ‘You might want to have a nap.’

‘Hmm..’ she nodded, her voice still missing somehow. She followed his action and rested her back and head trying to relax. His hand still held hers warmly. She closed her eyes. Relishing his warmth. It felt nice.

***.

The first thing he noticed upon opening his eyes was the vast silence amidst the sound of waves and seagulls. He shook his head and turned to look at Ga Eul who sat next to him. Her posture was alarming; her body slumped forward, her head rested onto her lap as if she were sleeping.

‘Ga Eul?’ He started to feel a little panic when she didn’t answer. But a moment later she stirred and turned her head a little.

‘Where are we?’ She grimaced and touched her slightly bruised head. A trickle of blood looked like drops of paint on her forehead.

‘I’m not sure,’ he answered. ‘Don’t move. I’ll go and ask the captain.’ He took off his seat belt, stood up from his seat, looked outside the window, and started to walk to the cockpit. But the little door to the cockpit was opened to reveal the pilot before he walked more than five steps.

He took a quick glance at Yi Jung before proceeded to walk over to see Ga Eul.

‘Where are we?’ he asked his pilot anxiously.

‘We’re not sure yet, sir, but the radio is fine and we have reported our geographic latitude to the nearest air traffic control. We’re just off the beach of one of the uninhabited islands just north of Australian mainland. We are not sure about the name of the island, though, but I don’t think we’re too far from Horn island.’

‘That far north, huh?’

‘Yes, I’m afraid it’s correct, sir.’

Great.

They had had a long day.

First, they left Seoul to the Philippines. They landed in one of the islands there to refuel before took off South again. The destination was Port Douglas in North Queensland for a couple of days before hopped on the helicopter to one of the resort islands on Great Barrier Reef. It should have been a perfect romantic holiday he had painfully planned, just the two of them.

Hours had passed without so much a sign of any trouble ahead when the co pilot walked to the passenger area and reported engine fail and they were going to try landing the plane on the water.

No moment for utter panic, since everything happened too quickly. And as the captain explained to him later, he supposed it could have been worse. At least there’s land nearby.

He was lucky to have a very capable pilot and co pilot. Not only the landing went smoothly, the captain had somehow managed to land it just off the beach, on the shallow part of the water.

Apparently, Woo Bin was not the only one who can ruin his holiday, he mused quietly.

‘Can you stand up?’ he asked Ga Eul who still slumped on her seat.

‘I’m not sure,’ she frowned and gritted her teeth as she attempted to stand. ‘I think I had my ankle and knee smashed on the chair or something. It’s probably only sprained ankle.’

Yi Jung kneeled down to inspect the damage. Her leg looked okay from outside if only a little bit swollen, but he had no way of knowing the damage inside.

‘My fault,’ Ga Eul rubbed her leg in pain. ‘I think I took off my seat belt in panic on landing and my legs and head knocked the wall and chair.’

‘Here, let me help you,’ He put his arm around her back, placed his hand on her waist, and lifted her body from her seat.

‘Is this OK?’ he glanced at her face. ‘Tell me if you feel any pain on your leg’.

‘It’s OK.’ She grimaced when she tried to stand up on her feet. ‘It’s OK as long as I don’t put pressure on my right leg. The left one is not so bad.’

‘We should go out off the plane. Come, I’ll carry you.’

***

The sea temperature was cool on his skin, even if the air felt thick and heavy with moisture. There was little to no waves when he made his little jump from the plane into the water. He carried Ga Eul on his arms as he waded slowly from the plane to the beach. She insisted on walking by herself, saying the water pressure would help to ease the pain on her feet and leg, but he wouldn’t hear any of her excuses. He sat her on the white sandy beach once they were out off the water.

‘Captain Kim says they are sending rescue boat from Horn Island. It will probably take about two to three hours to arrive. From there, they will fly us to Port Douglas to access the big hospital there. Your leg might need serious attention.’

‘How about my head? Does it look OK?’ She touched her forehead softly.

‘It looked OK, but they will check if you have concussion or not in the hospital.’

‘I look horrible, don’t I?’

‘You look beautiful.’

‘Liar.’

She looked around quietly for a minute before lay herself down on the sand.

‘Hey, how about we move under the bushes over there, you’ll get sunburn lying here in the sun.’

He lifted her up and carried her until they were safe from the harsh sunlight.

‘What are they doing there?’

‘Who?’

‘The captain and his co pilot?’

‘They are keeping in contact with the rescue team, I think.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Are you hungry?’

‘No.’

‘Thirsty? I’ll go back to the plane and get some food and water. Don’t try to move yourself, OK?’

He knew they have water and wine on the plane. Although wine might be off the list for now.

Ten minutes later he came back with the food supply. Peanuts, crackers, apples and chocolates, with bottles of cold water.

‘Here, drink some water. You might get dehydrated’.

‘Thanks.’

He sat next to her, opening the cap before gave the bottle to her.

‘Do you think we can use our cell phone?’ she asked after taking a big gulp of water.

‘Unlikely. There’s no signal here, I wouldn't think.’

‘Have you checked?’

‘Well, no. I left my blackberry in my bag. But I’m pretty sure we can’t get any signal from here. Who are you going to call?’

‘First, my mom. Second, Jan Di. She will totally freak out, I can tell.’

‘They have reported the accident to the base in Seoul. You don’t have to worry about it. I believe they have informed your mom, or Jan Di about us.’

‘The more chance she’ll be freaking out.’

‘Who, your mom or Jan Di?’

She giggled at his question.

‘Jan Di is more likely.’

He looked at his watch. It was early morning.

‘Shall I get our bag to check?’

He lifted himself up from the ground to go and get their handbags from the plane, but Ga Eul caught his arms before he went on further, pulled him back to sit next to her on the cool sand.

‘Nah, that’s fine. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll give her a call once we’re out of here.’

‘Are you sure? It’s not that far.’

‘I’d rather have you here then go there again, and find out there’s no signal anyway.’

She laced her fingers with his and closed her eyes. She felt his tensed body relaxed slightly

‘I can’t believe this is happening,’ he sighed. ‘Of all things to happen on your holiday..’

‘It’s the polar bear curse.’ She closed her eyes and rested her back on the tree.

‘Huh?’

‘Polar bear curse.’

‘Polar bear?’

‘Polar bear and icebergs.’

‘OK, OK, I get it.’ He took a good look at Ga Eul face and softly caressed the bruised area. ‘I’m so sorry this had to happen,’ he kissed her face lightly. A butterfly kiss on damaged surface.

‘It’s not your fault. You shouldn’t feel guilty.’

‘Of course I do. What if you.. What if something worse happened to you? It’s unthinkable.’ He let out a sigh. ‘I won’t forgive myself if something like that happened to you, you know.’

‘I know,’ she took his hand and brought it to her lips. ‘Now shush and have a rest. This is traumatic for everyone, and that’s including you.’ She picked a handful of white sand, felt the loose grain on her skin. ‘I know you said there’s going to be sand and water. I didn’t know it was going be this much sand and water….’

‘Neither did I.’

‘Do you think there’s a cave with monster in this island? With evil tower and underground prison?’

‘You watch too much TV.’

‘Do you watch Lost?’

‘No. Now shush.’

‘How about monkey people. They wear clothes and have army with scary looking general…’

‘Ga Eul…’

‘I’m just saying. It would be great. Imagine if we had dinosaurs on the island, or pirates, cursed pirates..’

‘That’s too many movie references in one sentence.’

‘That’s to ease the pain in my leg. Do you think they will let us take our baggage when they come to collect us?’

‘Who?’

‘The rescue people.’

‘I suppose. At least our travel packs and notebooks. Why?’

‘I just bought a new pair of shoes and sandals last week… They are in the big luggage…’

‘Oh God…’

***

.

They were on the plane again.

She was sitting next to him. Silent. Rigid. Frozen in fear.

The co pilot had just gone back to the cockpit after informing they were going to have an emergency landing because one of the engine had failed and they didn’t have time to change direction to find the nearest airport.

‘We’ll be OK,’ he said to her and took her hand in his. He kissed her on her forehead, on her hair, on her lips, to calm her down. ‘We’ll be safe,’ he repeated himself.

She nodded but her lips were pale, her face had turned almost green. Part in fear, part because all of a sudden she had somehow felt nauseated. Her right hand gripped the arm rest of her seat, while her left gripped his hand so tight he could feel her nail dug into his skin.

He could feel the plane started losing height. The early morning sky was clear and blue outside. It should have been a perfect day for swimming and frolicking in the water. Maybe walking around town, dip your feet in the sand, eating seafood in the finest restaurant, or simply lounging around the hotel room, making sweet love to her. But no. It was just not meant to be.

He had a hundred percent confidence in his pilot’s ability, but it didn’t mean that he had no fear.

‘Put your arms on your knees, then rest your head on your arms’ he said to her. His voice low and assured, trying so hard to appear calm and relax even if his stomach clenched so painfully hard it made his throat dry, and he had to stop himself one stop short from biting his nail. It didn’t take long before they hit the body of water, although it might have been a lifetime, with his heart pounding and his brain stopped functioning.

He could feel the vibration and shock before the plane stood still.

‘Ga Eul? Ga Eul?’

She lay lifeless on the floor.

Blood trickled down her face, slowly moving, following the contour of her fine feature until they reached the hard surface of the metal floor.

Her long hair fanned on the floor, glossy and luscious, if a bit matted upon close inspection. He took off his seat belt, got down quickly and started shaking her body.

‘Ga Eul! Ga Eul!’

She still didn’t stir. She still didn’t open her eyes. The pool of blood underneath her head was getting larger.

‘Ga Eul! Ga Eul!!’

He woke up clutching the blanket. His heart pounding heavily and his breath short and rapid as he took in his surroundings. It was a big room and he’s alone on the big bed. The morning light had crept inside, making a thin straight line on the floor despite the thick curtain. He was sweating; he could feel his face damp, beads of moisture clung onto his skin. And it’s not because the air conditioner in the room had not been working properly. He glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was only six o’clock in the morning but he didn’t think he could go back to sleep.

He rubbed his temple. His stomach grumbled but he didn’t have any appetite for breakfast.

***

The first thing she noticed when she opened her eyes was the uncomfortable heaviness on her right leg. She yawned, stretched, and rubbed her eyes as she looked around. She was sitting on a simple single bed in a big, bare room with big window overlooking the ocean. She looked down and lifted the blanket. White plaster covered her right leg from just above her ankle all the way up to her lower thigh. The hospital, she sighed. Her memories came rushing back. She was at the hospital.

Yesterday, hours after the accident, they finally arrived at the hospital. The rescue helicopter took them to the biggest hospital in the region, which located just sixty kilometers south of their holiday destination. She looked outside, at the vast blue ocean and a long stretch of white sandy beach. This was so not fair, she looked sadly at her plastered leg. The x-ray result she had had right after they arrived at the hospital had shown fractured bones on her right leg. She had to have it plastered for six to eight weeks. So much for those pairs of bikinis and sandals she packed in her luggage.

She had insisted on leaving the hospital right after they finished with the leg treatment, but the doctor had been adamant for her to stay the night. To treat her exhaustion, and just in case she had concussion as the result of her knocking the chair and wall with her head. Perfect.

‘I’ll stay,’ Yi Jung said after the doctor left. But she said no and instead told him to have a rest at the hotel. A nice big bed would be much better than a couch.

‘Beside,’ she added, ‘I won’t be able to sleep if you stay here all night.’

‘Why?’ his dark brown eyes glittery and full of suggestion.

She rolled her eyes. ‘Because I will throw a big tantrum the whole night. Duh.’

She had not realized how hard it was to have a shower without making her leg all wet. A bath would be much easier, although she preferred shower in daily basis just for practicality.

She shuddered to think she had to live with it for at least another six weeks. Six long weeks. Her eyes widen and she groaned loudly while drying her body with the towel as the meaning of the words finally hit her muddled brain in full force. How was she going to be Jan Di’s bride maid with plaster and bruises on her face?

Yes, she had seen her face in the mirror and was not very pleased to see the yellow and green hues had started to appear on her cheek and forehead. Her friend would not be pleased to see her condition right now. She could only hope Jan Di would not kill her, or Yi Jung, for ruining her wedding.

Breakfast arrived not too long after she finished putting on her hospital gown. She craved for some spicy ramen with a lot of fresh chilies, or nice steamed rice and kimchi, but instead she had cereal, toast and eggs. Not very appetizing, but she had no choice. She was spreading the butter on her toast when the door opened and Yi Jung came with a cup of takeaway latte in his hand.

‘Morning,’ he kissed her softly on the lips. ‘Want some coffee?’

‘Do I??’ she snapped the cup happily. ‘You know, I’ll love you forever for this.’

***

‘Do I look horrible?’

‘Not at all,’ he took a seat at the end of the bed.

‘Liar.’

‘I’m not lying. Beside the horrible hospital clothes, the bruises, hair that need washing, and the band aids, you look fine.’ He paused a little. ‘The plaster only adds an extra charm.’

She giggled and settled herself comfortably on the bed, back rested on the pile of pillows that seemed to come with the VVIP room.

‘When can I get out of here?’ she sipped her coffee slowly, allowing the hot liquid to sit in her mouth for a second before it enter her throat.

‘After you get a clearance from the doctor.’

‘And when is that gonna happen?’

‘I don’t know. He’ll be here in about an hour, I think. You can go out immediately if you didn’t have concussion.’

‘Good.’ She looked at the vast blue ocean outside and sighed. ‘Too bad I don’t get to swim this time.’

‘There’s always going to be another time, you know,’ he took her hand and brought it to his lips. ‘Plus you can always wear your new bikinis at home. I won’t say no to that.’

‘Pervert. Is that all you think about?’

‘It’s all what every man thinks about. I can assure you.’

‘Pervs.’

It’s not fair, she thought crossly. Why was she the only one to suffer from the accident? He didn’t seem to have one strand of hair out of place. Then again, she was the only one who panicked and unbuckled her seatbelt just when you most needed it to be fasten. Stupid her and her panic attack.

‘I called Ji Hoo last night. He said that they managed to persuade Jan Di and Jae Kyung not to come here.’

‘Really?’

‘Unless you want them to.’

‘No. They have a lot of things to do for the wedding anyway. Did you tell him I’m scared to death that she’d kill me for ruining her wedding?’

‘Don’t be silly. That’s the least of her concerns. Her first concern though, was to skin me alive for putting your life in danger.’

‘That’s not true.’

‘I feel like I somehow did.’

‘Well, I’d be the judge for that, OK?’ she straightened her back and stretched out her arms. ‘Did you have a good sleep last night?’

‘Terrible.’

‘Why?’

‘Oh nothing. I just didn’t sleep that well.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘The doctor should be here shortly. Do you want another cup of coffee?’

‘No.’ she moved sideways a little bit. ‘Just sit here next to me.’

***

‘I have a confession to make,’ she sat on her chair, playing with her cup of steaming hot cappuccino.

They were sitting at an outside café by the beach. It’s a nice, cool morning, and if it wasn’t for the plaster on her leg, she would have run along the white sandy beach to enjoy the breeze on her face.

She had gotten her all clear from the hospital yesterday, and after much discussion, they had decided to stay for another couple of days before going back to Korea. Might as well enjoying the rest of the holiday even though there’s no way they could have gone snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. At least they could still sitting on the beach to enjoy the view.

‘Please don’t tell me you were actually born male before you had a sex change.’

‘What! You’re crazy!’

‘Well I’m glad it wasn’t that, then.’ He put another piece of bread into his mouth. ‘Because it will just kill me, you know.’

‘Oh shut up.’ She pouted before turned her attention back to him. ‘I’ve been thinking, since the accident, that I need to come clean if we were going to be together. No matter how long we’re going to be together. One week, one month, or one year.’ She paused a little. ‘Let me finish,’ she said quickly upon looking at his expression. ‘I’ve been working as a writer after I quit my job at the kindergarten. And I didn’t say anything to you because I thought you might not like it.’ She paused and took a deep breath.

‘ You see, I wrote a column in a magazine about my life in your circle. I thought you might get offended to read my point of view about things I found ridiculous, or excessive, or just funny to me. You see, I feel like a square peg that’s forcefully inserted into a round hole. It’s about me adjusting to your way of life.’ She looked at him looking seriously at her. ‘Erm, that’s it. That’s my confession.’

He let out a long sigh and ruffled his hair in mocked frustration. ‘And to think I feel so excited to hear about this so called confession,’ he shook his head mournfully.

‘You mean you’re not mad at me?’

‘I’m not mad at you.’

‘Really?’

‘I’m not mad at you. I’m mad about you.’

She almost dropped her cup of coffee on the table.

He reached out and took her hand into his. ‘I don’t say this often, Ga Eul. But I was so scared to think that I might have lost you when that accident happened. It’s been giving me nightmares and I couldn’t sleep at night thinking about the possibility that it could actually happen. This is new to me. It overwhelms me. And you might think it’s cheesy, but I finally realized that I love you. Maybe I’ve always loved you.’ He looked at her earnestly. ‘It took me six, seven years to finally say it. I guess I’m a slow learner.’

She felt her chest clenched and her throat dry. Where was her voice when she needed it?

She swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

‘Well, I guess, I love you too.’

***.

‘You’re a great dancer.’

‘Well thank you. But I think you’re only being nice.’

‘Now why would I do that? The dance fits you perfectly.’

She rolled her eyes but laughed nonetheless.

‘You know your flirting is not going to get you any brownie points from me, Woo Bin sunbae.’

‘Ha! Your being married doesn’t mean you have to stop flirting with me.’ He paused a little, seemingly thinking about what he just said. ‘Although on second thought, don’t mention that to Yi Jung. He can be such a jealous freak sometimes. And I deserve more brownie points by just standing here and do nothing than him for at least not giving you that big plaster on your leg. Although I have to say it looks cute on you.’

She shook her head, chuckled and swayed to the music.

They were at Jan Di and Jun Pyo’s wedding reception, dancing to a slow number. Actually, dancing might be an exaggerated description. It was more that they stayed in one spot, her hands held tightly onto him for support as she tried to stand with one leg wrapped in a thick cast and another on a low heel sandal, just one step up from a lowly slipper.

She had tried not to move too much and just sat herself nicely on her seat when Woo Bin came and asked her for a dance.

‘I can’t possibly do that,’ she shook her head and refused to stand up. But Woo Bin was not Woo Bin if he couldn’t have persuaded her to follow him.

‘You don’t have to move much,’ he said after she finally stood up from her seat. ‘Here,’ he put one hand on his shoulder and firmly grasped another. He then proceeded to put his hand on her waist and pulled her close. As promised, they didn’t have to move much. They only swayed to the music.

‘See, this kind of dance is nice, too,’ he commented after a while.

‘You should have asked your date to dance like this.’

‘Yeah, but as you can see I have no date for today. So, Yi Jung has no option but to share with me.’

She nudged her elbow on his waist playfully.

‘Shame on you, Mr. Don Juan. If I didn’t know any better, I would say you need my help to find yourself a girl.’

‘Ouch. That hurts.’

‘As it should be,’ she laughed at his reply.

***

The day had been hectic to say the least. And she was sorry to say that she couldn’t lend a hand to Jan Di and Jae Kyung for fear of slowing them down.

The church service was held in the morning, and she was there with Yi Jung, wearing her bridesmaid gown but was pushed on the wheelchair.

‘I can walk with crutches, you know,’ she said to Yi Jung that morning but he wouldn’t listen. Instead, he wheeled her around and not letting anyone helped her beside himself. She thought he took his guilt a little bit too far, considering this was not even remotely his fault.

She was correct when she said the one thing she feared most was Jan Di’s reaction when she went back to Korea pushed on a wheelchair. She watched with highly amused expression how the great Goo Jun Pyo had to restrained his fiancée not to kick Yi Jung on the face right there at the arrival lounge. She was sure it was not because he was afraid of her hurting one of his best friends, but more for fearing Jan Di could have flashed her underwear for the world to see and put on the internet, seeing that she wore a knee length skirt without legging underneath.

‘Ga Eul!!!’ she almost ran from her seat when they at last appeared from the gate. The rest of the group followed a few steps behind. Jae Kyung shook her head when she looked at the white cast, probably thinking it’s just her luck now that she had to be the sole bride maid to Jan Di.

‘What’s the prognosis?’ Ji Hoo, the ever serious hospital resident asked as Jan Di smothered Ga Eul with hugs and sent death glares at Yi Jung.

‘Fractured on the calf bone,’ Yi Jung answered. ‘The doctor said she has to wear her cast for a minimum six to eight weeks period.’

‘Suck to be you,’ Jae Kyung looked closely at the white cast and scratched her perfectly shaped nose. ‘It’s going to be so itchy, not to mention smelly, by the end of those eight weeks…’

‘Thank you…’ Yi Jung turned his head at her and sent his own death glare.

‘What, I’m just stating the obvious..’ she smirked at him but moved ever so subtly behind the resident doctor and pretended to look sorry.

‘Looks like I won’t be able to make it, Jan Di. Sorry,’ Ga Eul said to Jan Di when her friend finally let her go from her clasp.

‘Make what?’

‘Make it as the bridesmaid, duh?’ she frowned at her dense friend.

‘Oh my God, don’t worry about it. Do you know how worry I was when we heard about the accident? It was the scariest thing in my life! It’s even scarier than any dinner with Jun Pyo’s mom. And you know how terrifying that is!’

(‘Hey!’ Jun Pyo rolled his eyes. ‘In case you forget, I’m still here, you know!’)

‘And these… these people,’ she ignored her fiancée and prattled on and pointed at the rest of the group, ‘Can you believe they’ve been telling me to stay here and just wait and try to be calm. How was I supposed to be calm, knowing my best friend involved in an accident.’

She hugged her some more before calming down a little and finally released her.

‘Don’t worry about it, Ga Eul,’ Jae Kyung chimed in. ‘I’ll do the rest. You just have to relax.’

(Beside, she whispered a little bit later on her ear, have I told you I’ve been sleeping with the best man every day in this past month already.. She winked exaggeratedly at her and puckered her lips making soft kissing noise while Ga Eul pretended to gag).

***

Despite her worries and Jan Di’s annoyance for having such large wedding reception with a number of media reporters camped outside the building, the party went on smoothly. Lee Ha Ra, that’s the wedding planner, had worked hard to make sure everything was on its place. It’s not like she had a choice, in case Madame Kang put an embargo on her business had something gone wrong.

Still swaying to the music, Ga Eul looked around, admiring the set up with such vivid if a little uncommon colors. The room was strangely alive with the assortment of black and white tulips, green orchids, and deep red roses they were almost purple.

Jan Di looked stunning in her wedding dress, the combination of white silk and lace clung on her body like a second skin. Jun Pyo must have instructed his stylist to do Jan Di’s hair as well, seeing how her hair was done up with a number of curls artfully framed her long, thin face.

‘I feel like a Barbie doll,’ she complained to Jae Kyung and Ga Eul before the party.

Jae Kyung snorted and told her not to worry; she’s far from looking like a Barbie doll.

‘Is that supposed to be an insult or a compliment?’ Ji Hoo commented from outside the dressing room, making them giggled in fits of laughter.

‘Ah, this is nice,’ Woo Bin’s voice snapped her back to the present.

‘What is nice?’

‘You guys being married and all. I’m all alone now. Do you think I should start looking for a wife as well?’

‘Well Ji Hoo sunbae is not married yet. How can you say you’re all alone?’

‘Yes, but have you seen him taken a step away from Jae Kyung lately? I’m telling you it’s actually a bit disturbing. It’s like they’re almost a pair of Siamese twins, joined at the hips. If he’s not spending his spare time at her apartment, she’d be playing house at his. It must be exhausting for them to keep track on each other.’

‘You’re so cynical.’

‘I can’t help it. I think I’m a little bit jealous….’

‘Yi Jung sunbae said you have hundreds of ex girlfriends….’

‘Ex being the operative word, Ga Eul. I think you will have to introduce me to one of your friends.’

‘Why?’

‘Just following the trends, really…’

He chuckled as her elbow once again knocked the side of his waist.

‘Can I have my wife back?’

She turned around to see Yi Jung stood close behind, offering his hand.

‘The song is not even finished yet.’ Woo Bin protested. But Yi Jung had already took her hand and pulled her closer to him.

‘Sorry, I need to rescue her from your too obvious flirt. That just smells ratty even from across the room.’ He smoothly sat her down on the wheelchair and pushed her away from Woo Bin who walked back to their table with indignant look on his face.

‘Tell me guys,’ he said to Ji Hoo and Jae Kyung between sips of sparkling wine once he was comfortably seated on his chair, ‘Why is this thing always happen. The once unbreakable bond between brothers, it always seems to take a backseat once a girl is involved.’

‘I don’t know what you mean.’ Ji Hoo yawned and turned to see Jae Kyung. ‘What does he mean?’

‘No idea,’ she purse her lips and tickled Ji Hoo’s waist until he cupped her hand in his and brought it to his lips..

‘Oh come on, don’t act cute in front of me.’ Woo Bin rolled his eyes in annoyance. ‘Like now, for example, what if I asked you,’ he pointed at Jae Kyung, ‘for the next three dances? Seeing that I don’t bring a date to the party. And you,’ he turned to see Ji Hoo ’as a friend of course wouldn’t mind me asking her, right?’

‘I don’t understand what he’s saying,’ Ji Hoo suppressed his laughter as he loudly whispered to Jae Kyung. ‘Wanna dance with me?’ He swiftly pulled her to her feet. ‘Ah, I like this song…’ he took her hand and led her to the dance floor, leaving Woo Bin spluttering crossly at the table alone.

‘Really guys? Really? Very funny!’ He half shouted from his seat. ‘That is so childish! I’m telling you, it’s childish! You should be ashamed! Ashamed! Oh come on you people!!’

***

‘I can walk, you know,’ Ga Eul said as Yi Jung wheeled her out of the huge hall. ‘You can just give me the crutches. I need some exercise.’

‘I know, but I want to take you to the garden, and it’s quite a long walk.’

True to his word he pushed her wheelchair for what seemed like a long time before they arrived at the manicured back garden.

She looked at the clear evening sky. The sun had set for some time; in its place tens of artificial light illuminated the beautifully sculptured lawn.

He handed her her scarf when the cool evening breeze made contact with her bare shoulders, and pushed the wheelchair gently across the rough concrete path to the white pergola in the middle of the garden. There’s a couple of wooden benches and table there, and after positioned the wheelchair facing one of those benches, he took a seat on the bench in front of her.

She pulled her scarf closer and looked around.

Why did he take her to the outside garden when it’s obviously nicer and warmer inside, she thought. Sure, the garden looked beautiful, but there must have been a special purpose of him taking her there. She turned to see him, was going to ask him the question when she saw his face in front of her.

He looked seriously at her, and she wondered what was running through his mind. They stayed in silence for a long time, her hands securely held in his.

‘Yi Jung sunbae, you make me nervous.’

Somehow she still called him sunbae whenever she’s feeling all tensed.

‘Sorry,’ he took a deep breath and closed his eyes as if preparing himself for something monumental. What, she wondered, she wanted to know.

She thought he would never start, but he opened his eyes at last and looked at her deeply.

‘Ga Eul,’ he said in his lowest voice. ‘Will you marry me?’

***.

‘No!’

‘No?’

‘No!’

‘But Ga Eul…..’

‘No.’

She stretched her arms and neck and looked closely at Jan Di. ‘I’m not going to Caledonia with you. Yi Jung and I have already made plans of our own.’

‘But it’s my birthday….’

‘I know, I know, and I’m sorry. But it’s our wedding anniversary……’

‘Urgh, as if I would ever forget that..’

‘Exactly. And we kind of want to celebrate it just the two of us.’

She did a final stretch and pushed herself up from the floor. She was busy re-arranging her wardrobe when Jan Di came unannounced to disturb her.

‘But Ga Eul, think about it. It will be like the good old days again. The whole gang, go for holidays together. That will be nice, right?’

‘Hmmm.. have you talked to Jae Kyung?’

‘Well…’

‘Let me guess, she said no, unless you can persuade me to come. Is that right?’

‘How did you know? Did she call earlier?’

She rolled her eyes.

‘No, she didn’t call. I just happen to be very good at guessing.’

Jan Di groaned and closed her eyes.

‘Argh. I just want to have a nice little reunion Ga Eul. It’s been a very long time since we did things together. And I thought the timing is perfect, since everyone has come back to Seoul. But look what I get… rejection, rejection and rejection… you are all cruel.’

She threw herself on the pile of shirts on the floor and refused to budge, even when Ga Eul poked her with the coat hanger.

‘Oh don’t be such a drama queen,’ Ga Eul pulled the big plastic bag from one of the drawer and started to put in the already folded shirts inside. ‘Jae Kyung and Ji Hoo sunbae were just arrived in Korea a couple of days ago. She said she’s too tired even to go out shopping for dinner. Let alone being dragged into another plane trip.’

‘She’s not too tired to chase Ji Hoo sunbae half naked around his house..’

‘What?!’

‘Well, I can’t help it. I sort of caught them in a compromising position when I dropped by Ji Hoo sunbae’s house this morning…’

‘What? How do you even..’ Ga Eul turned her head in full surprise; hands momentarily paused from folding the various shirts and sweater lying on the floor.

‘It’s not my fault! They didn’t even lock the gate, let alone the front door. Crazy kids…’ Jan Di blushed as she recalled what happened this morning. ‘Imagine if Jun Pyo’s mom barged in on us doing things like that…’ she shuddered at the thought. ‘Remind me to install some kind of alarm system.’

‘Don’t give me nightmare. I really don’t wish to think about you and Jun Pyo sunbae doing whatever you like to do… yuck..’ she shook her head and turned back to her work. ‘Anyway, this will be our first time celebrating our wedding anniversary together. So you better not think about following us.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘As if I were going to tell you. Nope. It’s a secret.’ She smirked at her best friend. ‘Now, you better go. Go. I’m busy here.’

‘Fine,’ Jan Di sat herself up and took a pile of shirts from the floor and threw them to Ga Eul.

‘Oh, right, because it’s a very grown up thing to do,’ Ga Eul rolled her eyes but did not lift her butt from where she was sitting. ‘Bye.’

She waved as Jan Di made way out of her bedroom.

A lot of things happened in the past two years. She looked around and slid a little backward to rest her back on the wall, a small smile on her face as she recalled the night Yi Jung asked her to marry him.

***

‘Will you marry me?’ he had said to her that night.

She almost choked as he uttered the words. It’s lucky that she didn’t have wine with her or it would have splashed on her dress.

‘Marry you? But we’re married already,’ she answered a full couple of minutes later, after taking a deep breath and placed her hand on her chest to calm herself down.

‘Well technically,’ he reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a little black velvet box. ‘But I want it to be real this time.’ She stared at him, frozen on her wheelchair, afraid that a mere sound would ruin this moment forever.

Slowly he opened the box to reveal a brilliantly shining diamond ring inside. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It was simple in design and yet so elegant, its white diamond perfectly cut and shaped. She looked up to see him as he put down the box on the bench next to him. He then pulled her left hand from her lap and cupped them for a while. She felt his warmth spreading into her, and she shivered, but I wasn’t from the cold.

‘I can’t believe you still wear this ring,’ he sighed as he looked at the ring on her finger. It was a simple silver ring they got in Vegas. If her memory served her right (and she wouldn’t even vouch for herself), one of the Elvises at the chapel had given it to them. She laughed but said nothing as Yi Jung pulled the silver band from her finger and replaced it with the one from the box.

‘Don’t throw it away,’ she caught his wrist as he was going to put the silver band on the garbage bin.

‘What? Why?’

‘I like it.’ She said simply. ‘It holds a lot of memory, don’t you think?’

‘I suppose it is.’ He smiled and gave the ring back to her. ‘Does it mean your answer is yes?’

What was running on her mind that time, she wondered. She couldn’t recall. She remembered staring blankly at him for a while before her face broke into uncontrollable grin. So not ladylike, but she couldn’t care less. ‘Yes, of course.’ She watched his smile brightened at her answer, and he drew her closer. Not too close, because of the stupid plaster, and the awkward wheelchair. But close enough to make her forget about the cool evening breeze, the awkward heaviness on her leg, and even about where they were at that moment.

‘But we’re not going to have this kind of party, right?’ she said after he released her from his arms.

‘Only if you wanted to.’

‘I don’t want to.’

‘Then we won’t have one.’

He cupped her face and gave her the most satisfying open mouthed kisses she had ever had.

It’s a wonder no one walked in on them considering how long they spent kissing each other there.

***

The next surprise she got from him was his going to the Army only a few weeks after his proposal.

‘Why?’ she asked him as he showed her the letter.

‘I have to do this sooner or later. Might as well sooner than later, don’t you think?’

He walked up to sit next to her on the bed. They had just come back from the hospital to remove her cast. Her leg looked so pale and ugly after she scrubbed all the accumulated sweat and dirt from its surface. She needed some physiotherapy to strengthen her leg after not being used for some time.

‘I want to go now,’ he said, comfortably rested his back on the headboard and stretched his long legs. ‘I want to go, so when I come back, we can start a family.’ He smiled as she blushed profusely. ‘Why? Is it wrong?’

He laughed when she put her hand over her cheeks, trying to cover her embarrassment.

‘Two years is not that long Ga Eul,’ he pulled her to his embrace. ‘You will hardly notice.’

***

He was wrong, of course.

She hated living by herself in that big house. The days seemed longer without him and she hated herself for turning into such a needy person. She didn’t feel lonely living in her small apartment before he came back from Sweden, so why did it feel different now?

She got a call from him on their first wedding anniversary. She was at Jan Di’s at that time, since it was of course, her best friend’s birthday and Jun Pyo had thrown a party at the Goo mansion. Coincidentally, it was also a farewell party for Ji Hoo and Jae Kyung who decided to go to America for two years following the internship offer for Ji Hoo at one of the hospitals in New York City.

‘It won’t be fun without you here,’ she sulked at Jae Kyung when she broke the news to her. ‘Jan Di is already busy at the hospital. I have to find something to make myself busy.’

‘Come visit us a lot,’ Jae Kyung grinned at her. ‘I have a big apartment there, although I can’t promise there won’t be any naked shenanigans during the nights.’

Ji Hoo had his own apartment in New York, but Ga Eul doubted it if he had actually spent time away from his girl friend.

‘Spare me the details,’ she punched her friend lightly on her arm. ‘I don’t need a mental picture of you two running around the kitchen naked. Ergh.’

‘What are you girls talking about?’ Woo Bin had sneaked in from nowhere and joined their conversation.

‘Nothing,’ Jae Kyung dismissed him jokingly. ‘We’re talking about you need to find yourself a proper girlfriend. You can’t share Ga Eul with Yi Jung anymore, especially now that he’s not around. And no, you can’t share me with Ji Hoo either. He wouldn’t like it, even though I wouldn’t mind.’ she laughed at the look on his face. ‘Kidding.’

They left a couple of days later. That was when Ga EUl started to seriously considering going back to school and applied for post graduate study. Which she did, after much deliberation.

Two years, she mused to herself.

And so even though Yi Jung was wrong to say that she would hardly notice how the two years passed, it did pass eventually. He came back just a couple of weeks before their third wedding anniversary.

He looked ridiculously tanned and handsome. She had to suppress her squeal when he took off his Army uniform to reveal the toned muscle underneath.

She thought it was Christmas came early when she had her fifth orgasm in the span of two hours.

‘You don’t have anything planned, right?’ he said to her as they spooned against each other after their exhausting exercise.

‘No.’

‘Good.’

‘Why? Do you have something in mind?’

‘It’s a surprise,’ he said sleepily. ‘Come here,’ he pulled her even closer. ‘I miss you.’

And that’s why she had refused Jan DI’s invitation. She touched the silver band on her necklace and smiled giddily. She wondered where he would take her this time. Although she couldn’t care less if they didn’t go far or didn’t go at all. He was near. And that’s all that mattered.

***.

‘I don’t remember any of this,’ Ga Eul said amusedly watching the many men and women in t-shirts and light jackets handing out pictures of almost naked (and naked) girls and telephone numbers on cards the size of regular playing cards. ‘Is it a topless show?’ She picked one card from the ground. A brunette with big boobs and tiny waist was smiling at the camera; her butt was all but hidden from plain view. ‘It must be popular. Did they give one to us last time?’

She examined the card in fascination, almost tripped on the piece of a large wood plank on the sidewalk.

They were walking the main strip hand in hand, once in a while he would let go of her hand only to pull her shoulder close to him. She liked it whenever he’s being possessive like that. He would then kiss her lightly on the top of her head before let her shoulder go and grabbed her hand again.

‘No silly,’ he whispered on her ear. ‘They don’t give them to couples. Look, they only hand them to singles or groups of men. You know what those cards are for, right?’ He looked at the blank look on her face and chuckled. ‘In case you want me to invite someone to our room later, we don’t need any of those.’

‘Ah….’ She instantly dropped the card back to the ground and laughed at her stupidity. Judging by the amount of people handing out those cards, the city council must have a hard time keeping the road clean.

‘Wanna see the place where we went to last time?’ he asked jokingly. But she shook her head almost violently.

‘It’s embarrassing,’ she confessed a second later. There’s no way in the world would she go voluntarily to meet those Elvis impersonators ever again. Once was more than enough, thank you very much.

Instead, they walked along the famous boulevard like any couples on their honeymoon, side by side, hand in hand, stopped every few hundred meters to kiss each other lightly on the lips, starting from the hotel down to the Bellagio to see the famous fountain.

‘Remember you once said people on dates shouldn’t even be allowed out in public?’ she teased him as he pulled her for another kiss.

‘What are you talking about? I never said that.’

‘You did.’

‘You heard wrong. I must have said, people on dates sometimes can make a great entertainment for general viewing public…’

‘Liar…’

***

They arrived in Vegas early in the evening after flew first class from Korea. No more private jet, she noted happily. This time she had succeeded in persuading him to fly commercial. There’s no need to give more cause for Global Warming.

‘Remember this room?’ he winked at her when the bellboy led the way to one of the terrace suites door.

‘It depends.’ She tried her best to look unruffled at his suggestive question.

‘Depends on what?’ he led her inside and handed the bellboy a twenty dollar notes before he flung himself on the soft king size bed in the middle of the room. ‘Depends on the position?’ He laughed at her scrunched up face.

‘Depends on which things I remember, duh.’ She mumbled. ‘I don’t remember how we ended up here in the first place, obviously. You must have persuaded me to come with you.’ A pinkish color started sprouting all over her face. ‘I remember the morning after, kneeling in front of the toilet bowl. Jan Di stood behind me, holding my hair and massaging my back. That was unpleasant. I remember taking a hot shower wishing a hole appeared suddenly in front of me. I don’t remember this room has its own terrace… actually I think the bathroom is the only thing I remembered most about this place.’

‘So you don’t remember any of this?’ he pulled her onto the bed and pushed her gently until she lay sprawled on the mattress. ‘This?’ he kissed her mouth gently, nudging her lips to open for him. ‘Or this?’ his hand disappeared under her shirt. ‘Shall we re-enact everything from the start? Fancy a drinking game?’

‘God, no!’ she giggled and smacked his wandering hands. ‘Last time was so bad. I can’t even pin Las Vegas on my Facebook page as the city I have visited. And don’t get me started on the drinking game…’ she shuddered at the memory of hang over and unbearable headache.

‘Fine,’ he pushed himself up from the mattress and walked across the room to open the door leading to the terrace. ‘Come here,’ he signed her to come with him. ‘Shall we have dinner here tonight?’ His arms enveloped her from behind as they took in the sight of hundreds of thousand lights illuminating the cool night.

‘But I want Mc Donalds.’ She pointed at the glittering Mc Donalds’ sign made out of hundreds little red and yellow light bulbs. ‘It looks pretty.’

‘Really…’

‘Yes, really.’

He rolled his eyes but wisely chose not to make another remark.

***

‘Taste the same,’ she commented on her cheeseburger with a little bit of disappointment.

Yi Jung made no reply but continued eating his quarter pounder. His eyes, though, told her exactly what he wanted to say in the first place.

‘Well I can’t help it,’ she defended herself. ‘The place looks different from the usual Mc Donalds. I’ve never seen a glittering Mc Donalds sign before. I thought the taste might be different as well.’

‘You’re silly,’ he said, finishing his last bite of burger and took a large sip of his diet pepsi. ‘Shall we go back to the hotel now?’

They had walked for at least a couple of hours, only stopped after she heard her stomach rumbled. Much to his relief, to be perfectly honest. She had been constantly asking him to take a picture every time she saw something unusual along the road.

‘Oooh look at that Sphinx. Take a picture, sunbae.’

Click.

‘Wow… Roller coaster on the top of that building. Take a picture sunbae.’

Click.

‘Eiffel Tower!!! See we don’t have to go all the way to Paris to see Eiffel Tower..’

Click.

‘That’s a funny one!’ she pointed at the large peep show poster on the signboard. ‘Take a picture with me on the front, sunbae!’

He sighed for a hundredth time. Not because she called him sunbae, because he had come to accept that nickname after years of her stubbornly addressed him with that stupid honorific. He had to admit he actually kind of like it. It sounded different when she said it.

‘You never change, do you?’ he resigned over his fate and took another picture of her.

‘What do you mean?’ she still holding her hand up, making a V sign until she noticed the camera flashed.

‘Remember Caledonia?’ He put the little digital camera back in his pocket and shook his head mournfully. ‘How many obligatory tourist pictures did I have to take that time? Now is just the same. I can’t even feel my thumb and fingers anymore.’

‘Just like what they say. You can take a bumpkin out of the country, but you can’t take a country bumpkin out of a girl,’ she half reminded him about his nickname for her years ago.

‘Did I really sound that snob?’ He cringed as she said the words.

‘That you did. I don’t know why I put up with you.’

‘Because I’m your soul mate and you would never let you soul mate passed you by?’

It’s her turn to cringe.

‘Am I still that naïve?’

‘Not THAT naïve,’ he wiggled his brows suggestively. ‘Let’s go back. Please?’

‘After Mc Donalds.’

‘Oh fine.’

***

‘Do you really have to do this?’ She sighed as he ripped her blouse on the seam.

They were back at the room. He had just closed the door behind when he decided to start the re-enactment. He trapped her on the door with his arms on each side of her, kissing her furiously as her hands framed his jaw.

‘Gently,’ she whispered as he ran his hand under her thin silk blouse. But he didn’t care and tugged the fabric roughly on the side. A loud splitting sound can be heard as her blouse tear in his hand. Not that he cared.

‘But I just bought this last month,’ she made a face at him.

‘You ripped your dress last time,’ he grinned and continued his assault. ‘I’m just trying to recreate the scene faithfully.’

She grunted but jerked her body forward as he pressed their body closer. She could feel his excitement grew exponentially inside his pants as they practically dry humping each other while staggered across the room and fell on the couch together, her half sitting on his lap.

‘You taste so good,’ he kissed her hard as his hands lost within her hair.

‘Like a cheese burger?’ she managed to answer him even when their tongue rolled against each other’s.

‘Uhuh, you’re not going to ruin it for me,’ he chuckled at her reply. His hands slid from her hair down her back, lingered on her tiny waist and it burned wherever he touched. She bit her lips to restrain herself when she felt his fingers trailing her bare thigh.

This was crazy, she thought. They were very much fully clothed and yet she felt like she was naked already in front of him.

She felt his strong, callous hand rubbed her skin, tugging her underwear like it was a piece of rag. Damn, she cursed herself for acting like a horny little rabbit.

‘I love you,’ he whispered softly at her, his breath warm on her neck. She felt his teeth grazed her ear and she swallowed long and hard. She knew she had fallen for him the first time she laid eyes on him. But even she had not known how good he was as a lover back then. That was definitely a bonus.

She caught her breath as his fingers slid under her pink lacy underwear and inside her.

‘Damn it Ga Eul,’ he muttered under his breath as she moved along with his rhythm. His breath haggard, she didn’t understand how her arousal affected him that much.

‘Wait,’ she held his wrist and got off his lap. Only to take off her underwear and unzipped his pants. He watched her took his erection in her hand. Slowly she climbed back on his lap and slid it easily inside her.

‘I love you too,’ she whispered on his chest as she held desperately onto his shoulder. His hands firmly pressed on her butt. He move upward, meeting her thrust for thrust. This was heaven, she thought, and it kind of made her want to laugh. It’s a sin city and yet she found her heaven here.

She felt the upcoming spasm on her inside. It’s coming fast and it’s the size of a tidal wave. His hand pressed her even closer to him as he moved faster inside. She was out of breath when the tidal wave at last came ashore. Her body was rigid, all muscle clamped and locked then released, clamped and locked then released. She heard him grunted and felt his release inside her.

‘I love you,’ he said after it was over. Their head pressed together, him still inside her. ‘I wished I had told you that the first time I saw you.’

She didn’t answer. Instead she rested her head on his shoulder for minutes in silence.

‘It’s probably for the best,’ she said after awhile. ‘After all, we won’t have stories to tell.’

‘There will be stories, only different.’

‘I like this one better,’ she wrapped her arms around his shoulder. ‘I thought you’re going to recreate the whole night?’

‘Hey I thought you don’t remember anything..’

‘Oh, here and there…’ she laughed, got off his lap and walked to the bed. ‘I think they all came to me now.’

**THE END**