Early Encounters

A.N.: This one is a very short simple story, reminisces of scenes between Yi Jeong and Ga Eul in BOF/BBF. The original draft (with a different title) is actually my second fanfic after "What Should I Do" but is kept in my laptop since I was more invested into the WS_D? series. Decided to rewrite that story and put this up while I think of a longer one. Maybe a sequel to "All I Ask"? I don't know yet. But thanks for all the suggestions on a new story. Love.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

Published: November 22, 2016

The blue clear sky was adorned with the various shapes of clouds. Some looked like mushrooms, some looked like pillows and there was one that Ga Eul swore looked like the profile of a witch with the long pointing nose and chin. Yi Jeong laughed out loud at her creative imagination to which said girl pouted and slapped his shoulder.

They were on a hill overlooking the city of Seoul. It was one of her favorite spots. Years ago she stumbled upon it when she was walking home from school. She had missed the bus and Jan Di was absent for she was sick. Ga Eul did not want to call her parents because she did not want to disturb their work time.

She fell in love with the place at first sight. Trees and shrubs of flowers were aplenty. The grasses were short and soft. Added to the allure of the place was the magnificent view of the city below.

It was their third date. The wind was soft but pleasant. She brought along a basket of snacks, fruits, and bottled water, together with a soft blanket. She too had told him to wear casually. She did not want him to ruin his expensive business suit.

So there he was, in his, still, branded t-shirt and long pants, while she was in a lovely knee-length flowery sundress. They chose a spot under a large tree. Both were now lying on their backs, eyes admiring the beauty of the sky and its clouds. She would occasionally stretch her hands up to show him some interesting shaped clouds and they played the guess-what-that-cloud-looks-like game. The one who guessed the best shape would get to 'punish' the loser. Being an artist and potter, Yi Jeong won but after many debates on who got it right.

His punishments were mostly making Ga Eul blushed furiously. He either made her say that she love him, or kissed him on his cheeks or forehead, or danced silly or walked like a supermodel or twirled a few times or to fed him the snacks and fruits. What he loved his punishment the most was to make her kissed him. He loved to tease this beautiful girl and her rosy blushing cheeks were one of his favorite features of her.

After some times, he decided to stop 'torturing' her for her cheeks could not go any rosier. He then kissed her cheeks and they lied down again. Both turned their head and looked at each other. Love for one another was evident in their eyes.

He smiled at her and so did she. He then brought up his hand and softly caressed her cheeks.

"I love you, Ga Eul."

"I love you too, Yi Jeong," as she held his hand.

He then leaned forward and gave her a kiss.

"Ga Eul, have I told you that you gave me lots of my firsts?"

"Oh?"

He nodded and smiled.

"My first unexplained racing heart beats." He placed a palm over his heart, "When I first saw you."

Flashback

The F4 and the school were supposed to go to the Caribbean on a cruise but Jun Pyo had to change the plan for he decided to stalk and torture Jan Di who instead followed her friend to the South Sea.

From his stand up on the deck of that huge cruise ship, Yi Jeong could only vaguely see Jan Di and her friend in that little fishing boat. However, Jan Di's friend's silhouette caught his attention. He could not keep his eyes away from her. What is it about this girl? Why am I drawn to her? He wondered. But he could not see her well due to their distances.

Later that day, they were waiting for Ji Hoo to arrive with Seo Hyun. Not so far away, he noticed two girls coming up the small steps of the jetty. They were Jan Di and her friend, shivering from the cold. The cruise ship had splashed on them earlier as it sailed past their little boat. This time, Yi Jeong managed to see her face. His heart suddenly beat faster.

God, she's cute! Her cheeks, red from the cold, made her looked alluring. Yi Jeong felt his heartbeats increased. He was usually turned on by sexy women but this girl was covered in layers of shirt, sweater and vest, and jeans. She even wore fishing boots for goodness sake. He must be crazy, he thought. And this feeling, it was also different from when he was with Eun Jae. He did not understand why. So he tried to keep his cool and continued stealing glances over her.

Suddenly he felt a strange sensation in his chest when he saw Jun Pyo approached the two girls. Then the sensation intensified when Ji Hoo too, went to meet them. What in the world? He felt angry at his two best friends. When they came back to join him, Woo Bin and Seo Hyun, he glared at the F2 but both were oblivious of his glares. Then he turned to look at her again. However, she and Jan Di were gone. He cursed inwardly. He wanted to know her name.

End of flashback

"Did… did you really feel that way?" Ga Eul could not believe it.

Yi Jeong nodded. "I was going out of my mind that night after the party. I didn't understand why I felt that way. I wanted to meet you and thought that you were coming to the party as well, but you didn't." He pouted in frustration.

"I wasn't invited. Jun Pyo Sunbae and Ji Hoo Sunbae, as well as Seo Hyun-shii, invited Jan Di only. Moreover, the party was for Shinhwa students." She shrugged her shoulders.

"I would have had invited you even if you were not. You are Jan Di's best friend." He felt guilty.

"Hey, hey, don't feel guilty. I'm OK. I'd be like a lost deer if I went. I didn't know anyone there back then." She swept away his bangs that threatened to cover his eyes.

"But I still don't believe that you felt that way when you saw me. Are you trying to charm me, Mr. So Yi Jeong?"

"Ga Eul, I really did."

"But you were cruel to me when we first met." She was referring to his visit to the porridge shop.

"Is that what you think?" He sported a sorry look. She nodded and pretended to scold him but later smiled.

"Oh, Yi Jeong. Was that your first time coming to a porridge shop?"

He softly laughed and pinched her nose. "Yes, it was. Things I had to do for my crazy friend." He rolled his eyes, earning a playful slap from her and they laughed again.

"But I experienced another first that day. My first hitched breath." He gazed lovingly at her, making her breath hitched too.

Flashback

That was the last that he saw of her. When they got back to Seoul, his normal routine resumed but when he was alone in his bedroom, he thought of her. He wondered when he was going to meet her again and wished it was soon. He missed her cute face badly.

Fate seemed to hear his wishes. He thought that Jun Pyo was getting way out of line with his infatuation and so called love towards Jan Di and so Yi Jeong decided to pay Jan Di a visit. Jun Pyo once told them that Jan Di worked at a porridge shop downtown. What he didn't expect to see there was the girl who had been taunting his dreams, who made his heart raced without warning that day.

She immediately bowed when the doorbell chimed indicating the arrival of a customer. When she leaned up, she was star-struck at the sight of him and in an instant gave him a smile.

There was something fetching about her smile. His breath hitched and then started to race. It was just like the last time he saw her. What is it? Why is my heart beating so wildly? He had to keep his heart steady before he made a fool of himself in front of her.

They then had that small conversation. Chu Ga Eul. Autumn. Beautiful. At last, I get to know your name, he cheered inwardly. Out of a sudden, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of the porridge shop. He could not understand why he did that. He could have just talked to her about Jan Di there in the shop but a whisper in his racing heart told him to do otherwise, and so he obliged.

End of flashback

"It never crossed my mind that I would get to meet the famous So Yi Jeong of the F4." She gave him a warm smile.

"Of course the first time I knew about you was from the Internet when Jan Di told me about you F4 but never thought that I'd get the chance to meet you and the others."

He tucked some hairs behind her left ear.

"That day in the porridge shop, you really, really surprised me. So Yi Jeong in the shop? Talking to me? Was I dreaming?"

Yi Jeong laughed at her expressions.

"But you, Mr. So Yi Jeong. Could you not surprise me any further? I got an earful from my boss after I came back from your studio that night." She pouted at him.

Flashback

She was hesitant at first but his grip was so firm that she had to follow him. They rode in his car. It was not too far, the shop and his studio, only four blocks away but he took his time to drive at a much slower than his normal speed. He felt the need to be near this girl for longer. Woo Bin would tease him to no end if he knew about it, Yi Jeong thought.

During the silent ride, he could see that she was uncomfortable and a little scared. She played with her fingers and occasionally tucked her loose hair behind her ears. Her hair looked so soft and silky. So Yi Jeong had to control himself from helping her with the hair.

When they arrived at his studio, he quickly went over to her side of the car and opened the door. Before she could do anything, he unbuckled the seatbelt and again, grabbed her wrist and tugged her out of the car. She shrieked loudly, startled at his actions.

He let her looked around his studio and went to make some tea. He occasionally glanced at her and saw that she was admiring his pots and vases on the shelves. She looked oh so cute.

However, he didn't expect her to be so spunky, blunt and loyal to Jan Di to the extent that she starkly gave him a tongue lashing. He really thought that he could charm her like how he did the other girls. Boy, was he wrong. When she left and Woo Bin came in, he pretended to be annoyed by her antics but deep down, Chu Ga Eul was already engraved in his heart. She amused him more when she still had the courtesy to respect him as a host and drank her tea even though she was so irritated by him. Such an interesting character so he thought. She made him want to know her better. No. He needed to know her better.

End of flashback

"You were so fierce, Miss Chu Ga Eul. I didn't expect that. I thought that you were a soft-spoken lady." Yi Jeong laughed at the memory.

"Well, I am. But you deserved the scolding." Ga Eul playfully stuck out her tongue at him, earning a pinch on her nose.

"You are so full of yourself. You thought that your handsome face could make me do whatever you wanted. Well, I'm not any girl that you can easily charm, Mr. So Yi Jeong."

Yi Jeong laughed louder. He then inched closer to her and their shoulders touched, eliciting shivers to her whole being.

"Are you really that sure of resisting my charm, Ga Eul?" He blew on her nose, making her closed her eyes as she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stood up from the warm sensation.

"Yi Jeong…"

He then gave her a quick peck on those sweet pink lips. When she opened her eyes, he was gazing lovingly at her and his smile, oh his gorgeous smile sent her heart into a frenzy.

"Do you know that you were the first girl who did not fall for my handsome face and charm? The first girl who dared to lecture and scold me? The first girl to storm out of my studio in anger? No girls had ever left the studio in anger. Woo Bin was really surprised you know."

"Oh? Was I? Did he?"

He nodded. "You really are something, Ga Eul."

"But of course I was angry at you. You made it sound as if Jan Di was the guilty party when it was actually Jun Pyo Sunbae who was making her life hard at that time. I had to defend my best friend."

Yi Jeong nodded again and smiled. "Yes, you had to. I told Woo Bin that I thought you were unsophisticated."

Ga Eul's eyes widened. "You what? So Yi Jeong!" She pinched his arm and he laughed again.

"But you surprised me too, Ga Eul."

"Eh? How so?" She gently rubbed the place that she just pinched.

"Before you left, when you turned back to drink the tea. I was stricken with awe and was intrigued. That was also my first time seeing such behavior from someone who had just given me a tongue lashing and yet, was still good mannered to accept my offer of tea."

Ga Eul's cheeks warmed up and turned rosy. "I… I just felt that it was rude to decline the tea from the host."

Yi Jeong laughed again for the n-th time of the day. "And you didn't think it was rude to scold the host?"

"Yi Jeong! That's different." She slapped his arms, not so lightly. "You were too arrogant that night." She pouted again.

"You really are something, Ga Eul. That's one reason why I love you." He took her hand up and kissed the back of it.

"Yi Jeong, were those all the firsts for you?" She shifted closer and rested her head against his. Both looked up to the clouds.

"No. There were a lot more."

"Really? Like?"

"You were the first girl whom I had to kidnap."

Flashback

Even though Yi Jeong acted irritated and sounded reluctant to fetch Ga Eul from the porridge shop, he was actually cheering inside. Jun Pyo bribing him with the porcelain vase that he had been eyeing on was a plus. It was like giving candies to a child before bedtime. He was that joyous.

She looks so cute with her hair tied to the side, he thought before entering the shop and simply grabbed her wrist and pulled her along. She was surprised but jerked her hand away from his grip. She thought that he had mistaken her for Jan Di.

Tears soon filled up in her eyes upon hearing the news of Jan Di's accident. Yi Jeong hated himself for lying to her about Jan Di. He concluded that he didn't like seeing a worried Ga Eul. It crushed his heart.

During the whole ride, Ga Eul tried so hard not to cry in front of him. He was amazed that she was trying to be strong. Commoners really are tough people, as he thought. To Yi Jeong's relief, Ga Eul did not suspect anything since the airport was on the same route to the hospital. However, when the car made a detour towards the airport, she quickly turned towards him with confusion in her beautiful doe eyes. Oops... busted. He groaned inwardly and braced himself for her ammo of questions and more. Luckily, she did not but gave him intense hateful glares instead. So he offered her his best smirks.

While waiting for Jun Pyo and Jan Di to arrive, he went to change into something more casual. When he came out, he saw Ga Eul standing nervously near the private jet. She must have a lot of questions in mind, he guessed. When he got nearer to her, she took a few steps away but did not take her eyes off of him. He swore that he saw her eyes twinkled. He did not know what they were, but he felt elated by them. What is with my heart whenever I'm near this girl? He wondered again.

They stood there in silence, waiting for Jun Pyo and Jan Di. On the sideline, Woo Bin never stopped observing the two. Once in a while, Woo Bin let out a chuckle or a small laugh, amused by the two's gazing 'contest'.

End of flashback

"You really scared me back then, Yi Jeong. Jan Di is my best friend. I can't imagine if something happened to her." Ga Eul nudged Yi Jeong's shoulder with hers and he nudged back while laughing.

"Well, blame Jun Pyo. I didn't know why he asked me instead of Woo Bin to fetch you. Maybe because he knew my weaknesses?"

"The vases?"

"For one, and also girls." He winked at her, earning him another nudge.

"But I'm glad that he asked me. I really wanted to see you again." Yi Jeong then planted a kiss on her cheek.

"How could you guys simply kidnap girls as you pleased and jet off whenever and to wherever you wanted to? And I didn't even bring any clothes."

Yi Jeong laughed again. "Well, because we are the F4. But I'll make sure you are also the last one who I kidnap. As for clothes, well, I know your size. All I needed to do was a short phone call to my assistant. Did you like all the clothes?"

Ga Eul shyly nodded and smiled. "A lot. I still wear them. They fitted perfectly. Thank you, Yi Jeong. Saranghae."

"You are welcome. Nado saranghae. Which one is your favorite?"

"The blue sleeveless dress. The one that…"

"You wore that night. You were gorgeous with your hair up. I had to restrain myself from coming up to you and kiss you."

"Yi Jeong…" He remembered. Ga Eul was touched.

"Would you like a drink? All these talking and laughing are making me thirsty." He sat up and reached for the glasses.

Ga Eul sat up as well and nodded. "Yes, please."

After the drink and a few bites of fruits, both stood up to stretch. He turned on the music player on his handphone, took her hands and they danced to the music. Laughter and love filled the air as they shared the beautiful moments together, just the two of them on that hill.

Yi Jeong plopped himself back on the blanket followed by Ga Eul, next to him. But he pulled her onto his laps. She automatically encircled her hands around his neck. Their eyes gazing at one another and wide smiles plastered on their happy faces.

"Ga Eul, can we have more of these picnics? I love to babysit you."

"Babysit? Yi Jeong?"

He laughed heartily. "Yes, like the first time I babysat you."

"Ey? Did you? When was that?" She could not remember.

"You were the first girl whom I had to babysit. In New Caledonia. Don't you remember?"

Flashback

The bossy Jun Pyo ordered that everybody went back to the cabins to freshen up. Ga Eul followed Jan Di to hers and they lounged on the deck, enjoying the sea breeze. Jan Di took a nap. Suddenly, she woke up and shared her strange dream with Ga Eul.

Not bothering to knock on the door, Jun Pyo and Yi Jeong then came in and without warning, Jun Pyo started to drag Jan Di away. When she struggled to pull away, Jun Pyo whispered something to Yi Jeong and left with Jan Di. During this whole time, Yi Jeong had his hand on Ga Eul's shoulder to hold her down. He sported an annoyed look at her. The fact that he got to hold her made him excited and his mind was already planning on the places to take her to.

They took a cab. During the ride, he tried to strike a conversation with her, but she was too busy looking outside and enjoying the views. So he contented himself by just watching her. It was a pleasant ride for So Yi Jeong.

They walked up the hill and stopped half way. The view was magnificent. Ga Eul felt like she was in heaven. She could not stop taking pictures with her handphone. Selfie here, selfie there, this angle, that angle and all she could think of.

Even though Yi Jeong had pleasure from watching her cute poses, he did not show it. When Ga Eul asked him to take her photo, he even acted irritated. He then suggested that they went back but Ga Eul wanted to go up all the way to the top. He, again, for the n-th time pretended to be annoyed and said that she was old-fashioned and unsophisticated.

A few minutes later, he heard her scream. Panicked, he sprinted to the top, never stopped praying that she did not get in harm's way. When he got there, he could not find her. He searched everywhere. Where is she? Ga Eul! Abruptly, he stopped in his tracks. The view overlooking the blue sea and green islands was breathtaking. It was his first time up there and he inwardly thanked her for making him came. But where is she? He was still worried.

Ga Eul came out of her hiding place and asked if he was glad that he got to see the mesmerizing view. In an instant, he felt as if his heart was freed from a tight grip. Thank God she's alright. He chuckled when she mentioned that it was his punishment for lying about Jan Di before. She sure is something, he thought again. However, his heart felt hurt when she looked troubled after he stated that Jan Di and Jun Pyo might be making an 'accident' by themselves too. Does she like Jun Pyo? Please, please say no.

Yi Jeong wanted to bring her to more of his favorite places but he received a call from Jun Pyo to return to the resorts early. During their ride back, Yi Jeong finally got his wish. Just for the sake of killing the silence in the cab, she asked him about New Caledonia since he had been here for nine times, as he had smugly told her earlier. He was more than happy to share his experience with her. He quickly learned that she was a very curious young lady and every little thing that he mentioned could spark a whole load of questions from her. Excitement and amazement were written all over her face. She was definitely a fresh change from the girls he used to associate himself with, but he enjoyed her company immensely.

End of flashback

"I can't believe that after all the times that you vacationed in New Caledonia you had never been to the top? Tsk tsk tsk, Mr. So Yi Jeong. Then what did you do all those times?"

"Horse-riding, sailing, swimming, sunbathing, island hopping, racing, partying, games and a lot more."

Ga Eul's jaw dropped. She was jealous of him and wished that her time in New Caledonia was longer.

"Would you like to go there again, my love? For our dates and maybe honeymoon?"

Ga Eul felt a warmth spread up her face. He definitely surprised her. How could he not when they had not even talked about marriage yet.

"Yi Jeong…" She then buried her face against his neck.

Yi Jeong chuckled. "OK. OK. We'll leave that to another time." He loved her blushed cheeks. When he was in Sweden he had thought about the matter for so, so many times. He just needed to find the right time and place to discuss it with her.

He then leaned back down taking her with him. She then adjusted herself so that her head now rested on his arm as she snuggled to him, a hand over his torso and his other hand over her shoulder. He then yawned.

"Let's take a nap for a while and I'll continue with my story of firsts after this OK?"

"OK, Yi Jeong. I love you." She lifted her face and pressed her lips to his. He returned the kiss as passionately.

"I love you, Ga Eul."

And they closed their eyes. The two lovers cuddled together cherishing each other's warmth and love so that when they opened their eyes later, the first thing that they saw was each other.