How It Should Have Ended (A Ji Hoo and Jan Di Story)

Chapter 9

Jan Di appraised herself in the mirror. She was wearing a short skirt with black leggings and a pink Hello Kitty sweater. She tucked some stray strands behind her ear and smiled. She didn't know why she was so nervous, because she had done this many times before. She looked at the time.

Sunbae was coming to pick her up any minute now. He had asked if she could spend the day with him, and she had gladly accepted. She hadn't seen him in a week, so she was looking forward to today.

Calm down, she scolded herself. It's not a date. You guys are just hanging out. You guys do this all the time.

He arrived on time. He had a huge grin on his face that made her nervous.

"So, where are we going?" she asked, trying not to sound too excited.

He held up a picnic basket for her to see.

"We're going on a picnic?" she asked, incredulously.

He nodded. "I packed and prepared this myself," he proudly declared.

They went to the park and walked for a few minutes before they found the perfect picnic spot. He laid down a blanket and placed the picnic basket on top. She opened the basket excitedly, amazed that he would make something himself, and found a container with half a dozen pancakes and two small cartons of milk. He had also packed some strawberries, a can of whipped cream and a jar of maple syrup (which he proudly declared was sent by a friend from Canada). He carefully arranged the pancake and strawberries on the plate, poured some maple syrup, and then sprayed whipped cream on top. It was delicious, and she told him so.

Ji Hoo beamed proudly. He then told her funny stories about all the mischiefs the F4 got into when they were little, and she laughed delightedly with him.

They went for a walk by the marina and got onto a cruise boat, where they enjoyed the entertainment while eating lunch. The boat glided slowly along the water. Jan Di leaned against the railing and looked at the water longingly.

"Don't worry," Ji Hoo's voice interrupted her thoughts. "You'll swim again one day."

Jan Di glanced at him and smiled bitterly. "But the doctor said..."

"We'll be doctors too." Ji Hoo interrupted. "We'll show them they're wrong."

Jan Di grinned.

"We will be doctors one day, won't we, sunbae?" Sometimes it felt like a dream to her. Dr. Geum Jan Di. It had a nice ring to it.

"We'll be the best-looking doctors out there!" Ji Hoo proclaimed, making her giggle. She thought about all the female patients that would most likely be lining out his door and chuckled. Her sunbae would likely increase hospital visits tenfold, mostly in the female demographic.

His face became serious as he stared at the water with her. "I'll find a way so you could swim again..." he said it so quietly she almost didn't hear it.

After the cruise, Ji Hoo took her to visit Rui. She smiled as she saw the beautiful horse once again, and gently stroked its mane. Ji Hoo just stared at her, and Jan Di felt a little self-conscious. He blinked and looked at Rui. He leaned closer to the horse and nodded.

"He wants you to ride him," he said, smiling.

Jan Di grinned widely and nodded. He helped her get up on the saddle and then he walked beside her quietly. He would stroke Rui's mane now and again, and would glance at her but not say anything. Jan Di closed her eyes as she rode, and inhaled the fresh air around her. She felt so relaxed.

They bade farewell to Rui (after giving him a bushel of carrots as a reward) and walked around town. They decided to check out a fancy clothing store that made Jan Di's eyes pop out whenever she looked at the prices. Ji Hoo disappeared for a few minutes and then came back holding the store's gift bag. He handed it to her casually, a lopsided smile on his beautiful face. She opened it excitedly, carefully taking out the layers of tissue paper the cashier had so meticulously placed inside.

It was a set: a pair of pink fleece lined knitted gloves, a beautifully knitted scarf and a knitted hat to match. They all had a small Hello Kitty logo on them. It matched her sweater perfectly. She squealed in delight and gave him a surprise hug. He froze for a minute - eyes wide, mouth open in shock - and then he recovered and beamed at her.

"How did you know I needed gloves? I lost mine a long time ago." She put the new ones on. It was so warm she never wanted to take them off.

Ji Hoo was avoiding her eyes, his hands stuck in his pockets.

"Your hands are always cold." The truth was, he had held on to her pair of pink gloves for years now, the ones she had left at his house that one night.

They walked by an amusement park. Jan Di's eyes widened at all the bright lights and strange sights in front of her. Ji Hoo, ever observant, started walking towards it. She looked uncertainly at Ji Hoo. It was crowded and ridiculously busy, but if Ji Hoo felt uncomfortable at all, he didn't show it.

They rode on a few carnival rides, where Jan Di giggled and screamed in delight. They passed by a carnival game where you had to shoot at a target to win a prize. Jan Di's eyes went wide at the biggest Pusheen doll she had ever seen. This didn't escape Ji Hoo's notice and he gave the guy some money and then aimed.

The guy didn't look too happy as he handed Jan Di the massive Pusheen doll. Her eyes lit up and she hugged the doll tightly.

"Is there anything you're not good at?" she asked him, teasingly.

He pretended to think for a moment. "Baking. And cooking." He was holding two skewers of twisted potatoes and handed her one. Then he grabbed the doll so she could eat. "Me and the boys used to always go to the shooting range. We've been doing it for years."

They walked around the amusement park eating their potatoes, chattering excitedly about what ride to go on next. Ji Hoo wasn't much for roller coasters, but she got him to ride one anyway. She decided not to enter any more game contests to win other prizes, since the doll they won was so big that it took an extra seat on every ride they went on.

Finally, they decided to go on the Ferris wheel. It went around slowly, and then stopped when they were at the top. The view of the city was breathtaking from there. It was windy, and Jan Di felt a little chilly. Ji Hoo took off his coat and draped it around her. She shook her head, afraid he'd catch a cold, but he wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Sunbae," she began, admiring the scenic lights in front of them. "Thank you. This was one of the best days of my life." She was smiling from ear to ear. "You always know how to make me smile."

He smiled back at her but didn't say anything.

At least for one brief moment, I was the reason behind your smile. He thought, ruefully.