| Fan Fiction |
by shattered teardrops
“Yi Jung… Let’s meet. I need to talk to you about something.” Jae Joong’s voice sounded stern and rigid as Yi Jung listened on his celphone. It wasn’t likely for Jae Joong to be serious, thus, his sudden actions greatly puzzled the Casanova. However, Yi Jung decided that whatever it was that made Jae Joong sound so serious might have been very important, so he decided to meet him at a nearby café in thirty minutes.
When Yi Jung entered the café where they decided to meet, he found Jae Joong already seated on a table by the window. His expression was grim and his lips was set firm into a thin line. He was undoubtedly discussing something very serious with Yi Jung.
“What is that you wanted to talk to me about?” Yi Jung casually slid unto the seat opposite Jae Joong and faced the man with his practiced carefree expression.
Jae Joong shifted his sitting position and leaned unto the table as he faced Yi Jung seriously. “So… You’d gladly hand over Ga Eul to your Father, huh?” His tone was revolting and his eyes burned into Yi Jung’s with pure anger.
The carefree expression on Yi Jung’s face soon vanished. He knew that he was bound to get another beating for introducing Ga Eul to his Father. He perfectly knew that it was an action he should truly be sorry for. And he was. Truthfully, he was.
“Jae Joong, I believe this is none of your business. It’s between Ga Eul and me.” Yi Jung didn’t want Jae Joong involved. He didn’t want occurrences from the past to repeat themselves. However, this time, Yi Jung seemed to be helpless.
“No, Yi Jung. This is my business. I’ve openly declared that I like Ga Eul right from the start, though I knew that she liked you. If there was one person you could give Ga Eul to, why not me? Why did you have to insult her by bringing her to your Father?” Jae Joong’s features hinted great anger. He felt all the more aggravated thinking about how many chances he gave Yi Jung to admit what he really felt. He pulled strings and thought of various ways to bring them together. He gave Yi Jung every chance to realize that it was Ga Eul whom he now loved. Who, in their right mind, wouldn’t be mad?
“I admit I made a mistake…” Yi Jung spoke softly, his tone was apologetic and his expression was somber. He breathed in deeply before continuing to speak. “It was a very big mistake… And I’ve already talked to Ga Eul about it.” Yi Jung confessed.
It was then that Jae Joong finally leaned back on his seat and exasperatedly massaged his temple before turning back to Yi Jung with a more relaxed expression. “Ga Eul is trying to learn pottery now… She took classes in order to learn the craft you’ve been famous at. As much as I don’t want to admit, it’s you that she likes.” Then, Jae Joong took out a small sheet of paper from his pocket. He placed it on the table and slid it towards Yi Jung. “This is the address of the place where she takes pottery classes… I thought you might want to visit her.”
Yi Jung got the paper on the table and stared at it. He didn’t know that Ga Eul liked him that much to even learn pottery. But for some reason, the knowledge that she was trying to understand him through his craft was something that greatly warmed Yi Jung’s heart. None of the other women did that for him. Some of them would ask him to personally teach them, but in fact, they were merely out to get him. However, for Ga Eul, it was different. She secretly took classes without letting him know.
On the other hand, Jae Joong thought it was time for Yi Jung to confront the past. He perfectly knew that Eun Jae was Ga Eul’s teacher but he deliberately did not tell this small detail to Yi Jung. He personally wanted Yi Jung to discover for himself. If his suspicion proved to be correct, there was only one woman whom Yi Jung truly loved, although secretly. And it was no other than Cha Eun Jae. However, what was between him and Eun Jae was something of the past. Ga Eul was Yi Jung’s present and this, Yi Jung’s must see for himself. “I’m leaving…” Jae Joong said before standing up to take his leave.
-oOo-
Due the memory of Yi Jung’s fleeting kiss on her cheek, Ga Eul had renewed energy as she worked on molding a pot made of clay inside Eun Jae’s small studio where pottery classes were held. The others students as well as Eun Jae had already left, but Ga Eul opted to stay and work a little more. After all, she was feeling a lot better than usual. She was concentrating too much on her work that she wasn’t able to notice a person enter the room.
“There’s too much strength on your wrists…” A voice which undoubtedly belonged to Yi Jung suddenly spoke.
For a moment, surprise invaded Ga Eul’s pretty features. “Yi Jung… Sunbae…” She softly gushed upon the sight of the handsome Casanova. Her lips shortly curved into a smile for a well-welcomed distraction from her work.
Yi Jung took steady steps towards where Ga Eul was working. He took an appreciative glance towards what Ga Eul was working on. He even went as far as touching her hand to properly position it as she continued to mold. However, something utterly distracting suddenly took away the cheerful expression on Yi Jung’s features. It was a small puzzle piece on top of the table. “This…” Yi Jung spoke as he held the puzzle on his hand.
“Ah… Isn’t that pretty? It looked unique and not complicated so I thought I’d make one just like it.” Ga Eul replied. An all-too innocent expression still painted on her pretty face. She sat unaware of the emotionally-disturbing thoughts running inside Yi Jung’s mind as he held the puzzle piece.
“Where did you get this?” His tone evidently changed as his expression became rather grim.
“Why?”
“Tell me! Where did you get this?!” It was then that his voice raised a notch higher which ultimately frightened Ga Eul.
“The teacher here… lent it to me…” She spoke softly.
Without another word, Yi Jung retraced him steps towards the door, leaving behind a greatly puzzled and deeply stunned Ga Eul. She didn’t have any idea why that puzzle piece seemed significant to Yi Jung. However, a memory suddenly replayed itself inside her mind. She remembered her teacher, Eun Jae, mention about her childhood friend and love with whom she shared her passion for pottery. And then, she remembered Yi Jung mentioning something about a child crying in his sleep while he was drunk. Ga Eul began to put the pieces together and suddenly paled in realization. So Yi Jung was Cha Eun Jae’s first love.
Once outside the studio, Yi Jung abruptly picked up his phone and immediately dialed Jae Joong’s number. He could feel his heart thumping wildly inside his chest upon remembering Cha Eun Jae. He didn’t realize that after all these years, Eun Jae could still affect him like no other.
“Yobosaeyo?” Jae Joong responded on the other line.
“Jae Joong… You knew, didn’t you?” Yi Jung directly asked. His voice was gruff as he tried to calm down his rampaging chest.
“Yeah… I think it’s time you faced things from your past Yi Jung… It’s the only way to lift whatever it is that has long been kept inside your chest.” Jae Joong uttered. He knew that sooner or later, Yi Jung had to confront the issue concerning Eun Jae. He didn’t want to break it to Yi Jung this way, however, he couldn’t think of any nicer way to present it to Yi Jung. He had personally settled things with Eun Jae and he was glad that he had settled everything.
“How long have you known?” Yi Jung asked. “Why did you tell me sooner?!” His voice raised higher as he gripped his celphone tightly. Without waiting for Jae Joong to answer, Yi Jung clicked the phone off and got inside his car. Once inside, it was then that he slumped his head on the steering wheel and allowed the long-restrained tears to come out of his eyes.
-oOo-
A few days after knowing where Eun Jae now worked, Yi Jung finally gathered up enough courage to show himself to her. He heave out a deep breath before finally taking the necessary steps to enter the small studio where she taught pottery.
“Yi Jung-ah… Why are you here?” Surprise was clearly written on Eun Jae’s face upon seeing the person who captured her heart years ago. His face was the same, even the way he looked at her. But somehow, there was something strangely different from the man that was in front of her now.
“I always had to do the hiding and never had to do the seeking. Turned out, it was a little difficult. Cha Eun Jae, didn’t you hide a little too well? I almost gave up playing hide and seek.”
What they both didn’t know as that, Ga Eul was listening to their conversation by the door. And a mixture of horror and despair was deeply imprinted on her beautiful features as she realized that the guy Eun Hae referred to as her childhood friend whom she loved dearly… was in fact, So Yi Jung.
-oOo-
Yi Jung was lying on the bench inside his work shop. His hand held the puzzle piece on his chest as he closed his eyes in a nap. He had been crying listlessly and had fallen asleep thinking of his past with Cha Eun Jae. He was deeply in slumber that he didn’t notice someone entered his work shop.
“Why are you being like this?” A voice suddenly woke him up from his sleep. He sat up and adjusted his eye sight before finally recognizing Ga Eul in her signature red coat. She was standing before him with a serious expression on her pretty face.
“Oh… It’s you, Ga Eul… I still want to sleep so… Can you just get back later?” Yi Jung sounded a bit groggy and he seemed so tired.
“Sunbae… Is this all you’ve endured? Is this all you’ve experienced and yet you acted so strong and mature in front of me?” Ga Eul’s expression was a mixture of pity and sadness. She looked at Yi Jung intently and waited for some sort of reaction. She realized that she had been right about him all along. She was right that he had been hiding a mask… And she was right that he was just like a little boy…
“Can you just cut the lecture and leave?” He spoke rudely. His tone was annoyed and harsh.
“Aniyo… I’m sorry I can’t do that, Sunbae… If I shut up now, I’ll have to see you live in such a stupid state for the rest my life… I just can’t stand that.” She took a brief pause before continuing to speak as she looked intently at Yi Jung, “Sunbae, you’re a liar… An absolute coward.” Her voice sounded heavy as she accused him with what she believed as the truth.
“Mworagu?” His eyes widened as she met her determined eyes.
“You acted like you didn’t know that she loved you because you were afraid to hurt her… Aniyo… Actually, it was you, Sunbae… You were afraid of getting hurt. Because you’re too scared for her to realize that you are pathetic…” Ga Eul courageously spoke.
This was what Yi Jung had been dreading for. He had always been scared that Ga Eul, though innocent and naïve, would be able to see through his long worn mask and figure out his long hidden flaws. Now that he knew where Eun Jae was, he was being torn between two women. He was wondering whether he should finally pursue Eun Jae like he always wanted. But then again, there was sweet and gentle Ga Eul, the only woman who seemed to find the right things to say and figure out things which he hid the most…
“Chu Ga Eul…” He warned in a serious tone. He didn’t like being scolded like this.
“I know So Yi Jung’s cool and composed self is just a mask… I’ve always suspected it right from the start. You were hiding yourself all along. But the truth is, So Yi Jung is simply like a little boy who’s afraid to lose love. He didn’t want people he loved to be hurt so he would do things to make them hate him…” Ga Eul handed Yi Jung a puzzle piece much like the one he hid behind his back, only it had a different character written on it. After which, she turned her back on him to leave. However, before she could completely exit out if his work shop, she turned back to look at him again and left behind meaningful words for him to ponder. “Children never hesitate to go after what they want… It’s because they know that if they lost it, they would be sad and they would cry…”
To Be Continued…
- - - - - - - - - -Preview of Chapter Twenty-Four: “I found you”
“Ga Eul… It’s Yi Jung…” Woo Bin and Ji Hoo suddenly came to the porridge shop with serious expression on their faces.
“What happened?” Ga Eul asked.
“We’ve been trying to reach him all night… Up until now. He’s not answering his phone and we learned that he hasn’t come home since last night.” Worry was clearly etched on Woo Bin’s features as he recounted the puzzling events that occured. Ji Hoo and Woo Bin wanted to contact Yi Jung to inform him that Goo Jun Pyo’s mother had arranged Jun Pyo’s wedding to be held as soon as possible at Jeju Island, however, when they tried calling him, he never answered. “We were wondering if you had any idea where he might be…”
-oOo-
A/n: I love Jae Joong in this Chapter. The twist will be on the next chapter…
-oOo-
Date Written: Apr18,’09
Date Posted: Apr18,’09