A/N: And here it is, the final chapter for this story!

I will not be responding to reviews in the author note this time, but I'll try to PM those who reviewed! Overall, thank you to those who stuck with me, and I hope the resolve of this story was good!

This actually turned out to be the longest chapter of the entire story. I thought it would be the shortest, or shorter than the last, but boy was I wrong. So. Wrong.

It took a long time for this chapter to come out because it was just a very difficult and challenging chapter to write, since there were things that needed to be resolved. I am actually proud of this chapter and with how it went, but it's up to you all to decide how it really went. I'm sorry if there is any confusion in this story. If possible, please leave feedback; any kind is great! Even if you think there are some things I should have done or need to improve on-you know, anything. I would like to know your thoughts, and most importantly what your overall opinion is. But either way, I hope this chapter was enjoyable and satisfying for the last, and end of the story.

There will also be a sequel to this story. If you are interested, please be sure to check it out. But again, please enjoy and I hope it was satisfying! Thanks for sticking with me!

"Yah! You're running late again, aren't you?"

"Are you really going to go dressed like that, noona?"

"I think she looks nice.."

Jan Di did her best to ignore the voices of her family calling out to her as she raced out the door and down the stairs of her old home. The home she shared with her family years before. The home where many wonderful things occurred—such as the moment when she was invited to attend Shinhwa. At the time, Jan Di wanted nothing to do with such a horrible school filled with stuck up students. Jan Di didn't want to be in the presence of students who couldn't care less about the lives of others around them and she most definitely never wanted to arrive at school only to bump into the lousy, hateful F4. Long ago, the impression they gave off was just that. A bunch of stuck-up jerks that harassed students—particularly anyone who got in their way—to the point they were feared by everyone. F4, for so long, became the typical infamous group of higher-ups that terrorized the school halls. Or so Jan Di believed. Despite her previous beliefs and impressions on the boys, she no longer saw them in that light. Instead, they grew to be something else—something different—from what they once were. And Jan Di had to admit that had she not met them, she would have regretted it. Knowing them was what made her life all that more special—with them she was able to experience things she would never had.

Once she reached the last few steps, she ran to the door and pushed it open to leave. Once she stepped outside, she was met with the cool, evening breeze—and frankly, it felt better to be outside of such a stuffy and suffocating place. But there was no time to spend on appreciating the cool air around her. She had to run—and as fast as her strong legs could carry her—so she could reach her destination in time. Like always, Jan Di forgot her plans. Well, they technically weren't her plans. If anything, she would have preferred to stay home rather than attend such a pointless event that meant little to her. But it meant a lot to everyone else around her, and so they encouraged to her go—especially her family. And someone else, whose name she didn't dare to mention. If she even so much as thought about him—even a little bit—then..

"Running late again?" a voice nearby asked her.

Darn..

Jan Di froze in place, daring to peer out the corner of her eyes. And there he stood—her prince, dressed spectacularly in white—beside his parked motorcycle. He was grinning—warmly, delightedly—with a helmet in his hands as he approached Jan Di underneath the streetlight, in the cool, evening night. His eyes, she noticed, gave off an expression of pure amusement; probably from how this situation looked to him.

"Ji Hoo Sunbae.. Um.." Jan Di finally turned to face him, clearing her throat and glancing away occasionally to hide what embarrassment she felt, though it wasn't working. That much she could tell by the way he loomed over her with a curious grin. Unable to hide the truth from him, Jan Di gave into his assumptions with a defeated expression. "..I am," she admitted quietly.

"What was that?" questioned Ji Hoo, peering over at her. "I didn't quite catch that.."

This time, Jan Di met with his gaze confidently, without wavering, and spoke more clearly. "I am running late," she repeated. "You caught me."

"When don't I? But that was much better," teased Ji Hoo, placing his helmet under his arm and ruffling her hair playfully. "Were you thinking about me? Because I heard some kind of ringing—was that maybe the emergency bell?"

"This isn't an emergency," responded Jan Di, blinking. "I'm okay as you can see.."

Without any warning, Ji Hoo placed his hand across her chest where her heart was at. Jan Di was ready to pull back at the startling action, but his hand soon dropped as he went to press it against his own chest. "I'm not an expert," he said. "But your heart is beating pretty fast. I don't need to be a Doctor to know that you were doing an activity that required a lot of energy. And I clearly saw you running.." He tapped the side of his head. "You were trying to reach some place urgently, weren't you?"

"And if I was?" challenged Jan Di. "That isn't—"

"It isn't an emergency?" Ji Hoo smiled a bit as he stood up straight, placing a helmet on top of her head. "It doesn't need to be an emergency for me to help you. You need to be somewhere, urgently, don't you? I came, because I heard that call of help." He turned away and headed to his motorcycle, getting on it as he glanced over at Jan Di. "Are you coming? You'll be really late if you don't get a ride."

Jan Di pouted a bit, but she reluctantly got on behind him. It had been a while since they rode together on his motorcycle. At times, she never thought much about receiving a ride from him. She was sure he didn't either. It was—after all—just a silly mode of transportation he preferred. And to her, it was only just a free ride to get where she needed to be. But now, sitting directly behind him, she knew it was much different this time. To Jan Di, Ji Hoo was no longer just a friend, nor was he just a simple crush back in the past. Right now, he was something much more than that; something she could not put into words on her own. She swallowed thickly, hesitating on wrapping her arms around him now. It shouldn't have been any different than before, but it was. It was very different now. Ji Hoo glanced over his shoulder at her, his sweet smile—the one she loved to see—gracing his features.

"What? You'll fall off if you don't grab on, Jan Di," he reminded her. He reached for one of her arms behind him and wrapped it around him. "Hold on tight. And don't ever let go.. Okay?"

She stared at him, smiling a bit as she wrapped her other arm around him. "I'll never let go," she whispered quietly, resting her chin on his shoulder.

Never again, will I let go..

I won't make the same mistake twice.

"Good. Now let's get going. You don't want to be late to your own graduation." Ji Hoo placed his helmet on his head, starting his motorcycle after.

Jan Di tightened her grip around him slightly, hoping it would go unnoticed. She closed her eyes, finding herself more and more relaxed when she was this close to Ji Hoo. She knew this time was different from the previous times she hitched a ride from him. This was much more different. As she told herself earlier, he was no longer a friend, nor did she just see him as the typical crush. He grew to be something much more than just that, and she still couldn't find the words to describe it. But what she did know was that she was too deep in love. That every second she spent in his presence—every moment they shared, all the time the world was giving them—she was falling more and more in love with him, over and over again like a never ending cycle. And that wasn't bad; not at all. If anything, she was lucky that every time they stood face to face, their love for each other was practically renewed.

I won't let go of my love for you again. Not for anyone, or any reason.

"So you've decided this on your own?" murmured Jun Hee. "I'm.. surprised."

"I knew you would be," replied Jun Pyo as he shifted upright on the couch. "I've only recently decided this. My mother.. I won't let her control my life, or how I take care of the business. I need to do this on my own."

"..I can understand that, Jun Pyo. I'm glad you're taking things into your own hands. As for mother.. How is she doing?" Jun Hee tilted her head a bit as she asked about the wench. It was clear that—despite the previous pain and torture Jun Hee was put through—she still cared deeply about their mother.

"You can ask her yourself," mumbled Jun Pyo. Though afterwards, he added, "She's starting to stay out of my life. I think she realized it after the banquet. But you didn't attend it, noona. Why is that?"

Jun Hee's eyes brightened up a little bit when he addressed her as 'noona.' He rarely got to see her, only due to the strain their mother put on their relationship. But that didn't mean either of the siblings didn't care or love each other. "..The banquet. I couldn't bring myself to see what was going to happen. Knowing her, she was going to do something.. I didn't want to see any of it."

Jun Pyo remained silent. After a few seconds, his lips parted and he spoke, "She's stopped trying to control everything. After the banquet, I confronted her. About everything." He cleared his throat, glancing away from his sister. "I can't say that she's completely done, but it's clear she doesn't plan on interfering anymore."

"That's some good news," murmured Jun Hee as she smiled a bit, reaching over to Jun Pyo and ruffling his curled hair. He swatted her hand away, though she gave him a stern look. "I think she's starting to realize that you're beginning to take control of everything." She paused a bit, shaking her head a little as a thought crossed her mind. "..Her choices.. They have good intentions, Jun Pyo."

"Good intentions?" scoffed Jun Pyo as he rolled his eyes. "I don't see what was so good about them…"

"That's just her mistake. She never saw what was truly best for us, just best for the business. And I think she's come to finally realize it.." responded Jun Hee. "Jan Di, has she helped you decide on this path?"

"What does that laundry girl have to do with anything?" mumbled Jun Pyo, averting his gaze from his sister. He was clearly unwilling to respond to a ridiculous statement, though it did hold some truth. "She's done nothing.."

"You always insist on hiding the truth from me?" Jun Hee's lips curved into a small grin at her sibling's act. "I think I know you well enough.. Something must have helped you decide."

"Aish! It's really none of your business!" groaned Jun Pyo as he ran his fingers through his curled locks. Before his sister could continue on, he quickly got up onto his feet and straightened his suit. "Noona, I'll be going now. I'm going to talk to mother."

"Now?" Jun Hee's eyebrows raised in slight surprise. "Aren't you running late already, Jun Pyo? You have plans to go too, don't you?"

Jun Pyo fell silent at her question. He already knew he was running very late, so there would be little point to actually looking at the time. But he needed to speak with his mother about his plans to go to America and save the business on his own. After calling off the engagement with Jae Kyung, he knew that the JK group was no longer going to merge with Shinhwa. He called off the engagement, not because of Jan Di, but because Jun Pyo was never comfortable with the engagement at all. He wasn't ready for any marriage; particularly one where he was not in love with his partner. But that was also why he was going to America; to make up for the broken engagement in his own way, and to save the business his father and grandfather built up. Ha Jae Kyung had understood Jun Pyo's reasoning in the end, and she knew the engagement was a hard thing to accept, especially when he wasn't ready. But she did leave behind a small message: that if he did ever decide he was ready, he knew where to find her.

"It's fine if I come late. Because I'm sure she's running late, too." After responding to his sister, he left the room and headed upstairs to where his mother's office was. But as he approached the office, he heard voices again inside the room. This time, it was the voice of someone unfamiliar.

"So that's it? This wasn't just for you, you do realize this don't you?" The voice.. It was bitter and filled with anger.

"Leave. I have no interest in cooperating with you further," came the exhausted voice of his mother. "It was a mistake to ever.."

"Unbelievable! I should have guessed you wanted nothing more to do with us.. I won't waste my time here anymore." The door swung open, which surprised Jun Pyo, since he took a step backwards. Then strolling out of the room was a person dressed in dark clothing. Their face was overshadowed by the hood pulled over their head, and Jun Pyo remained utterly still as he tried to get a glimpse of who it was that spoke to his mother in such a way. He squinted his eyes, unable to get a glimpse of any feature of theirs. Only the dark eyes that he found himself unable to read. But something about this person gave off the impression that they were up to nothing good. And the unsettling image of Yi-Jeong's car returned to his mind, along with the fact that Jan Di was almost killed in a car accident.

'I have no interest in cooperating with you further. It was a mistake to ever..'

Were these the people who tried to hurt Jan Di?

Just so he could get some answers for his questions, as the dark-clothed person walked right past him, Jun Pyo reached for their hand. However, instead of succeeding in grabbing a hold of it, their hand was yanked away and he was shoved directly against the wall, pinned for a few seconds out of surprise at the sudden action taken. However, he got a glimpse of their eyes once more before he was released. Then, they started down the hall again as if nothing had happened. But Jun Pyo remained leaning against the wall, watching as the mysterious figure clothed in black left. The look in the mysterious figure's eyes—it was something creepy and eerie. Jun Pyo could not shake the feeling that the mysterious figure had cooperated with his mother for some time. That the incident of the car accident was closely related to them. It was because of their eyes—eyes filled with pure malice—that he could not shake the feeling that were not done yet, either.

Jun Pyo was in a desperate need to know who they were and why they were out to get Jan Di, or any of the F4 members. Just why were they all targeted, and what did his mother know about them? Was she the one who sent them out?

Just who are you..

Once she arrived at the graduation party, dressed in her school uniform, she was greeted by the F4 men. All of them were dressed very nicely and made an appearance for the graduated Jan Di. Due to their appearance though—Jan Di noticed as she looked around—many of the students were in awe at their presence. And it was Jan Di who was surrounded by F4, which made her a little uncomfortable to be the center of attention, but she really wouldn't have preferred to be surrounded by anyone else. To her, they were much more than just F4, who were popular and good-looking. They all had different personalities, and big hearts; bigger than she could have imagined. Each and every member of F4 helped her in their own way and proved to her that they weren't the bullies she assumed they were.

"You didn't want to wear anything else?" teased Yi-Jeong, gesturing to her school uniform. "You're the only one dressed like this. If you needed something to wear, you could have asked."

"I think she looks good like this," Woo Bin responded, nodding his head with a small grin. "It's definitely fitting for someone like Jan Di."

Jun Pyo snorted as he scratched the side of his neck. "Fitting? It's all she ever wears."

Jan Di couldn't help but smile at their teasings this time as she shifted nervously on her feet. "I didn't plan on coming to this graduation party."

"I knew you didn't have plans to. What made you change your mind?" murmured Yi-Jeong as he raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Both he and Woo Bin exchanged a suggestive glance, and Jan Di could tell they were already assuming it was all Ji Hoo. Jan Di couldn't wait to prove them wrong this time.

"My mother," she responded with a small grin of her own. "She insisted I go.. And then both my father and brother agreed."

"Ah!" Woo Bin's features lightened up. "Your mother, of course! How is she doing now, along with the rest of your family?"

"Well, everything is going back to normal," responded Jan Di with a warm smile on her face. "They're happy to be back.."

"I expect so," murmured Yi-Jeong. "Ji Hoo helped a lot with that, didn't he?"

Ji Hoo shifted on his feet at the question, glancing away as he cleared his throat. "I did what I could."

"And I think I know why," Woo Bin whispered into Jan Di's ear, winking at her playfully before Ji Hoo caught him. "I think you do too, don't you Jan Di?"

While Yi-Jeong laughed along with Woo Bin at his teasings, Ji Hoo simply blinked and shoved his friend a bit playfully. He shook his head, but Jan Di noticed he allowed a small grin to curve his lips. "Well.. There might be some truth to that."

Woo Bin elbowed Jan Di suggestively as her cheeks began to heat up. "See, I wasn't that off," he told her.

"Now look what you did," said Yi-Jeong. "Our Geum Jan Di is all flustered now."

"Aish, both of you stop," mumbled Jun Pyo as he shoved Woo Bin away from Jan Di. Instead, his arm wrapped around her 'protectively' and pulled her closer to him. "I don't get why she doesn't give you the same treatment she gave me when we first met. It's a little unfair.."

"Well, that's because we don't provoke her like you did. You deserved that, Jun Pyo," teased Woo Bin once more. Jun Pyo sent his friend a look that said 'be quiet' right after those words left Woo Bin's mouth. Yi-Jeong simply snickered at the empty threat, and Jan Di was left being 'protected' by someone who wasn't very capable. After a few seconds, Jun Pyo finally released her from his grasp to try and get back at Woo Bin who kept taunting him. After Jan Di was out of 'harm's way', Jun Pyo reached over to Woo Bin and yanked him close by the collar. It was only then he gave his friend a noogie—which caused Woo Bin to try and break free from his grasp.

"My hair—bro, stop this! Yah!"

Jun Pyo only grinned evilly as he messed up his friend's hair, only to release him seconds after. "There. You know, you look a lot better."

Ji Hoo and Yi-Jeong stifled their laughter, meanwhile Jan Di laughed a bit out loud before clasping a hand over her mouth to muffle it. Woo Bin was busy trying to fix his hair, though it was a little messed up by Jun Pyo. In all honesty, though, Jan Di thought that Woo Bin still looked pretty good; his hair wasn't even that messed up. Those were the advantages of F4; despite most things, they always looked good.

"So how about a dance, then?" suggested Yi-Jeong.

"I call first!" Woo Bin grinned, straightening out his suit as he approached Jan Di. He offered a hand to her, which she gladly accepted after a few seconds of debating. "You'll show me some of the moves Ji Hoo taught you, won't you?" He led her to the dance floor.

"I'm not very good yet," admitted Jan Di as the two got into position. She was nervous, seeing as she was still as clumsy as ever, even after practicing with Ji Hoo.

"I'm sure you'll do good," responded Woo Bin as he took the lead. As he led the dance, he did so at a slow pace in consideration for Jan Di. And she was thankful he kept it slow, so that way she could keep up easily without stumbling. As they danced together, Jan Di found herself staring at Woo Bin—only because she was reminiscing.

Woo Bin, who was always there for her and F4 when they needed support or comfort the most. He'd show up regardless of any situation and was always willing to do anything to help. And despite getting off on the wrong foot—just like the rest of F4—Jan Di was happy to have him in her life. He was definitely someone who could make her smile when she needed it most.

After a few minutes of dancing and being together, Woo Bin switched places with Yi-Jeong who decided to be Jan Di's next partner. As he moved into position with Jan Di, taking one of her hands into his, he smiled slightly at her. "Are you ready? I hope you can keep up." As he started it off, with her following closely behind, she continued to recall the sweet memories she shared with him.

"I'll try," she responded. He was definitely sweet; one of the sweetest she met. While he often gave off the impression he was a 'bad boy', he was actually really kind and supportive. And he was a tease, similarly to Woo Bin. Jan Di would admit that she saw Yi-Jeong as nothing but a flirt at first, and she was often worried for Ga Eul who hung around him. But despite her earlier assumptions, she grew to know him as someone who was actually genuine with his feelings.

Soon enough the song ended, and a new one began. Yi-Jeong took that as a sign for their dance to end. But he parted from Jan Di with a warm smile while Jun Pyo slowly made his way up to her. She stared up at him with a slight smile. With hesitance, he took her hand into his—just like the others had—and brought her closely against him. She was about to object at how close they were, but she heard him whisper, "Just one last time." At his silent whisper that only she could hear, she swallowed the lump in her throat and whispered in return:

"One last time," she agreed quietly. The song that began to play was absolutely beautiful—she listened to every string that was strummed, every beat that was played. And Jun Pyo moved with her ever-so-slowly, in sync with the rhythm playing. And for a moment, her eyelids closed momentarily as she remembered their times together and the experiences they shared. He was the worst of them all and the one she resented the most. He treated her horribly, tried to make her feel bad for being poor, without a distinguished family name. But despite it all, he was also full of love. He had love to give and share. Gu Jun Pyo, Shinhwa heir, had the dreams of an ordinary person. He had his own wishes and desires, some that were so far he could not reach, no matter how hard he tried. Jan Di was one of those desires, and so was finding love. But Jan Di sincerely believed, that with his devotion and determination—and even his big heart—he could find what he was searching for, and everything beyond it. It was very possible. But he helped her through ways she didn't realize up until now. Jan Di would be grateful to him for a long time. Really, she was glad to be his friend and to have known him this whole time.

Maybe somewhere else, in a different time, we could have been something, Jun Pyo.. Just maybe, in a world different from this one, we became something greater than this.

It felt like they had been dancing forever when the music came to a slow yet satisfying end. Jan Di's eyelids fluttered open and she found Jun Pyo staring at her, strangely with a smile on his features. She returned to smile, delightedly, before she shifted her gaze over to where Ji Hoo stood, watching with a relieved expression of his own. Relived to see that Jun Pyo and Jan Di have made up, probably. The two slowed to a stop, and Jun Pyo leaned down to briefly brush his lips across her forehead, as if that were the conclusion of their love. Then he let go of her hand, stepped away and made his way off the dance floor, towards his friends.

From where Jan Di stood, she watched as Woo Bin patted Jun Pyo's shoulder. Yi-Jeong and Ji Hoo were beside them as well. From where Jan Di stood, she could easily see that they were a group of good friends who experienced everything together. But in the end, no matter how hard it got for all four of them, they were always together in the end. Jan Di was also a part of that group, as she would always be. By being with F4 and getting to know them, she was able to experience the bad and good in life. She was able to experience betrayal, deception, heartbreak, even pain. But along with the bad, she also experienced friendship to the fullest, along with honesty and love from these men. They taught her that she could dream again, and helped her whenever she needed it. Never would she ask for anything different.

Out of the blue, Ji Hoo approached her silently, watching her with his observant and curious eyes. "Is something on your mind?"

"Just thinking," she responded as he stood face to face with her. Before he could ask her further about what she was thinking about, she decided to already answer the question on his mind. "I was thinking about you all.."

"Good thoughts?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course." Jan Di nodded her head.

"Are you done thinking then?" he asked next.

Jan Di blinked at the question asked of her. "Am I done thinking..? Why?"

He reached for her hand, and took it into his own; intertwining their fingers together while he gave her a small smile. "Well, this is your graduation party. And you did dance with everyone else but me. I was thinking that we could now. Unless you're tired.."

"Oh!" Jan Di nodded her head, "Of course, sunbae! I'm not tired at all, but are you sure you're okay..? I mean, your.." She was trying to refer to his old wound, without bluntly saying it. Instead, she merely glanced where his wound was once at before looking back at him. It was enough for him to understand what she meant.

"I'm fine," he told her. "The wound is already healed. Remember?"

"I can't help but ask.. I know it's been a few months since you've recovered, but I worry still.." she mumbled quietly, glancing away for a few seconds. "So you okay to dance?"

"I've always been okay to dance," he responded with a smile, pulling her closer to him so that there was barely any space. "For you, I'll heal up in no time." As he whispered those words, he took the lead at a quicker pace than usual, as if to challenge Jan Di to keep up. But regardless, she was capable of keeping up to speed with him. It was almost like knowing everything about him by heart.

After the graduation party, Jan Di was beyond exhausted. It was clear to Ji Hoo by now that they all had exhausted her with the dancing, and they all made fun with it. By the time Ji Hoo and Jan Di ended their dance, Woo Bin suggested going somewhere nice to relax a bit, which everyone agreed to it. Especially Jan Di who was just too tired to do much of anything. After discussion, they all agreed to go to a beach quite the distance. But they all had time to spare, and apparently there was some news to share, according to Jun Pyo. Instead of splitting up and taking separate vehicles, they all agreed to take the bus as a mode of transportation together. And while it was a bit unappealing to some of them, they were all in agreement.

During the bus ride, which Jun Pyo found extremely uncomfortable, all five of them talked for most of the trip. Jan Di was seated between Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo, while Woo Bin and Yi-Jeong sat on a different set of seats. Throughout the first half of the long trip, they all teased and spoke about Jun Pyo's discomfort. That part was filled with laughs and jokes, while Jun Pyo simply groaned and grumbled throughout the first half of the ride. The other half was filled with Woo Bin teasing Yi-Jeong, who was texting Ga Eul, along with Ji Hoo speaking quietly to Jan Di about random things. Despite being tired, she seemed to enjoy listening and conversing with Ji Hoo about these 'random' things, since it was a part of their daily life now. These random things consisted of questions about the future, or even about food sometimes, but ranged from many, many topics. Jan Di enjoyed talking about food a lot, and Ji Hoo teased her about it.

Thanks to the enjoyable discussion held by F4 and Jan Di, the ride seemed to end a bit more quickly than expected. Once they bus came to a stop, Jun Pyo was the first to run off, taking in breaths of fresh air while Yi-Jeong, Woo Bin, Jan Di and Ji Hoo followed behind casually.

"We're almost there," Ji Hoo told her as he turned to face her. "We have to walk a little bit. Can you do it?"

"Mhmm!" came Jan Di's response. From there, they walked on foot to their destination. Their walk there was a bit silent, not because they had nothing to talk about, but because they were all in deep thoughts of their own. Even Ji Hoo was, though he occasionally glanced at the other four to observe them. He often wondered what they were thinking about, especially Jan Di who stared blankly ahead of her. He was almost worried she'd fall over or trip. To prevent something like that, he kept his eyes on her, watching her every movement until they finally reached the beach. All five of them came to a slow halt as they stared ahead; watching and listening to the waves as they hit the shore. Jan Di was the first to speak. "I always liked how the beach looks during the night," she breathed out. "Quiet and beautiful, don't you think?"

"It's definitely quiet. Not filled with annoying people," mumbled Jun Pyo.

Woo Bin walked past his friends and raced forward, spinning around to face his friends as he jogged backwards to urge them to hurry. "C'mon!"

They all exchanged glances with one another before they began making their way after Woo Bin. Ji Hoo grabbed a hold of Jan Di's hand and gave it a squeeze. She glanced up at him, and he grinned, "Come on. Let's catch up to Woo Bin." As she nodded in agreement, they both took off jogging right after Woo Bin while Yi-Jeong and Jun Pyo remained walking behind. Woo Bin slid to a stop in the sand, which caused Jan Di and Ji Hoo to stumble right into him. Jun Pyo and Yi-Jeong met up directly behind them. Woo Bin spun around, exchanging a glance with his fellow friends.

"I had an idea," Woo Bin began.

"You have an idea? That sounds concerning," Jun Pyo joked.

"It's a good one, trust me," objected Woo Bin. "I was thinking we play a little game."

"A game?" repeated Ji Hoo questionably, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, not so much a game. But let me just say this: who's ready to get splashed?" responded Woo Bin with a faint grin.

"Splashed?" Jan Di repeated slowly. "Do you mean.."

Yi-Jeong chimed in, "I think he means we mess around in the water a bit. Isn't that right?"

"That's exactly it!" Woo Bin nodded his head, snickering. "Unless you're all afraid of a little water.."

The other three fell silent, exchanging looks with one another. Jun Pyo didn't look so sure about it, and Ji Hoo imagined it was because of the suit he chose to wear that day. The mere thought sent a small, humored smile forming across his lips. Jan Di on the other hand nodded her head in response to the suggestion. If Jan Di was down for it, then Ji Hoo would be too. For someone like Jan Di, he imagined that she would like to go near the water, at least a few more times. Despite her inability to swim again, she could still venture out into the shallow water for a little fun. Perhaps that would lighten up her memories with water; it didn't have to end so abruptly.

"I'm up for it. It should be no problem for the little otter," he mused, sneaking Jan Di a humored grin.

With slightly puffed out cheeks and folded arms, Jan Di averted her gaze. "It's not a problem. But it might be one for Jun Pyo.."

"What?" Jun Pyo scoffed, shaking his head as he began to take off his jacket. "You all underestimate me.."

"Then what are we waiting for?" spoke Yi-Jeong. He, like Jun Pyo, began to remove his jacket so that he wouldn't get it wet. He dropped it onto the sand beside him, only to then undo the first few buttons on his dress shirt to give him more room to breathe and relax. "Let's do this," he murmured, rolling up the sleeves on his shirt.

By now, Woo Bin was already following Yi-Jeong's actions. His jacket was also removed and tossed aside, with sleeves of his shirt already rolled up. "Lucky Jan Di, she doesn't have to take off much."

"And all she's wearing is her school uniform," added Yi-Jeong as he removed his shoes and socks, tucking his socks into his shoes afterwards. "It's almost unfair."

As they all began to remove pieces of their clothing as necessary, Jan Di was the first to finish; having only to take off her school blazer, shoes and socks. During the removal of items of clothing, Ji Hoo snuck a glance at Jan Di, who was now observing the F4 boys curiously, seemingly in belief that she wouldn't get caught. As she trailed her gaze from Jun Pyo to Ji Hoo, she blinked several times in realization that he, too, was peering at her from the corner of his eyes. With a flustered expression, she glanced away immediately as if to act like she wasn't doing anything; scratching the back of her head uneasily. Ji Hoo simply grinned as she tried to hide the embarrassment.

It's so like you, Jan Di, to try and hide the obvious.

After they all got ready—with their jackets, socks and shoes removed and their sleeves rolled up—they all stood up straight. Several of them stretched, including Woo Bin, who rolled up his pants to his knees to act as shorts. As Ji Hoo peered around, he realized that none of his friends looked like they once did. None of them looked rich nor distinguished with pieces of clothing thrown off and scattered, and their sleeves rolled up messily. In fact, for once—in Ji Hoo's honest perspective—all of them looked utterly normal. He and his friends finally seemed as though they were regular students, who had little to no major responsibilities on their shoulders. While that was far from their reality, Ji Hoo personally felt as though just for once, pretending to be normal graduates was just enough to lift off these burdens; even if just for a little while.

His lightened gaze shifted towards the water, which was only a few feet away. Luckily their scattered clothes were far enough to keep from being swallowed up by the lake. "Well, what are we waiting for?" mumbled Ji Hoo as he began to make his way towards water, approaching it slowly and carefully. He thought he was alone at first—that was until he noticed a particular presence beside him. As he turned to glance beside him, he noticed Jan Di was at his side every step of the way. It caused him to feel a bit more at ease, to know that regardless of the situation, Jan Di would be there by his side. Just as he was about to say something, there was a loud shout behind him that cut him off from his thoughts.

"Incoming, Ji Hoo!" called Woo Bin.

Just as he turned to look at what exactly Woo Bin was talking about, he spotted Jun Pyo at the corner of his eyes. Before he knew it—and just as his eyes made contact with the Shinhwa heir—Jun Pyo slammed his body into Ji Hoo's and knocked him back into the shallow water upon impact. Unable to prevent his friend's action, Ji Hoo landed in the lake water with a small splash. An immediate chill ran through his body once he actually came in touch with the water, and he visibly shuddered from the freezing temperature. He hadn't been ready for this. Originally, Ji Hoo had planned to take small steps into the water to get used to it before actually messing around, but it seemed as though his plans had to be changed. Now partially soaked—or mostly soaked from chest-to-toe—Ji Hoo remained sitting in the water, with his arms holding him up, while Woo Bin and Yi-Jeong bursted out into laughter. He glanced to Jan Di who's mouth was covered by her hands and eyes were wide, while Jun Pyo who was standing next to her was grinning. Oh, Ji Hoo could see that bold grin of his for committing such a daring move. Despite being laughed at and ridiculed—in front of his girlfriend—and despite freezing in the water from the shove, Ji Hoo couldn't help the grin that formed on his lips. He had to stifle what laughter he did have at the moment, for the sake of proving that he didn't approve of being sneaked on like that. But just when he thought he could stifle his laughter, he spotted Woo Bin running up behind Jun Pyo. Without realization of the male behind him, Jun Pyo remained standing superiorly over Ji Hoo, with a cocky grin on his features. But then that grin disappeared when Woo Bin took his turn and tackled Jun Pyo into the water right where Ji Hoo was at. With barely any seconds to spare, Ji Hoo scrambled to the side so that he wouldn't be crushed under the two men who fell into the water where he was once sitting and freezing. After seeing this, Ji Hoo bursted out into the small laughter he was unable to contain further. Jun Pyo, on the other hand, shoved Woo Bin off and tackled him into the water right after.

"You..! Aish! It's cold!" came Jun Pyo's voice that hinted at the fact that his body was now suffering in the freezing temperature of the water.

One glance at Jan Di and anyone could tell she was filled with the utmost shock, watching the two men wrestle in the freezing, cold water as if they had no senses whatsoever. Jan Di raised her fists up defensively as Yi-Jeong approached her; expecting him to pull the same stunt as the other men. However, her obvious fears were diminished when he raised his hands up innocently, proving that he wasn't about to shove her in. Instead, Yi-Jeong was just watching his friends as they wrestled each other. Ji Hoo forced himself onto his feet and rushed out of Jun Pyo's and Woo Bin's way by getting out of the water. He hurried beside Jan Di, shivering visibly, which took Jan Di's notice immediately.

"Ji Hoo sunbae," she began, blinking slowly as she turned to face him; her arms folded across her chest. "Are you okay? You're shivering.."

"Yes," he responded quickly, leaning close to her. "Just a little cold.." A brief kiss was planted to the side of her head before he scooped her up into his arms. With a slight squeal of surprise, Jan Di's hands grasped frantically at Ji Hoo's wet shirt.

"Ji.. Ji Hoo sunbae! You're cold!" she yelped, struggling in his arms. However, despite her endless struggling, Ji Hoo kept a strong hold on her and carried her to the water at an agonizingly slow pace as if to cause her some mental preparation and suffering. Once they were in the water deep enough—up to Ji Hoo's knees to be exact—Ji Hoo, who had grown used to cold temperature, went ahead and gave her a small, playful smile. Jan Di at this moment must have realized his plans because just then at that moment, she gave him a look similar to a pleading puppy in hopes to change his mind.

However, he wasn't swayed. He gave her another 'sweet' smile as if to show her that much.

"Ji Hoo, please—"

Despite her pleas, he then tossed her in at the knee-high height to give her the full taste of the cold water almost all of them had experienced. She landed with a splash and resurfaced for a breath of fresh air immediately. Now, she was fully soaked. Not that Ji Hoo felt bad about it, because what came next was what he expected. Jan Di's eyelids fluttered open and her eyes locked onto Ji Hoo. Just as he expected, her hand shot out of the water to grab onto his shirt; yanking him directly into the water right beside her. He wasn't really surprised by her strength. To Ji Hoo, she was very strong in many ways that he could admire. He simply grinned as he was pulled into the water beside her. As if that wasn't enough, she splashed him a little bit to make it 'equal.'

"I never expected something like that from you," mumbled Jan Di with a small pout as she turned her gaze away from Ji Hoo, referring to him throwing her in the water. Ji Hoo also knew that she least expected it to be from him—normally he was the one who protected her from these things. But she forgot that he was also a tease as much as everyone else.

"It was your fault believing I wouldn't," he murmured. "Even I know better than to trust someone who surprises me left and right." To make up for his deception moments ago, Ji Hoo planted a quick kiss on her cheek before helping her stand up in the water as waves came crashing into them. From the impact, Jan Di stumbled against Ji Hoo, who—of course—caught her before she could fall. While Jan Di was in his arms, she peered up slowly to give a small, nervous smile of thanks. "You're welcome," he whispered to her.

After she was standing upright, both Jan Di and Ji Hoo made their way carefully towards their friends. Yi-Jeong was finally—but cautiously—making his way into the water, taking small steps to test the temperature at different heights the deeper he went. But he stopped in the shallow area where Jun Pyo shoved Woo Bin off him and splashed him. As Jan Di and Ji Hoo approached their friends, Woo Bin returned the splash of water to Jun Pyo, who raised his arm to cover his face from it. By this time, Yi-Jeong was behind Woo Bin, grinning like everyone else, but also looking proud to be free of the torture. However, when he least expected it, a wave of water Jun Pyo sent—specifically aimed towards Woo Bin—hit and washed over poor Yi-Jeong. Last minute, when Woo Bin noticed that Jun Pyo was about to send that huge wave of water towards him, Woo Bin had dodged to the side; which only allowed Yi-Jeong to be the victim. Jun Pyo's eyes widened slightly, only until the Shinhwa heir chuckled a bit at Yi-Jeong who took Woo Bin's hit.

"Oops," mumbled Jun Pyo under his breath as he cleared his throat; grinning afterwards.

Yi-Jeong—now only partially soaked—seemed as though he were about to let that go, when another wave of water, much bigger than the last, washed over him. Now almost entirely soaked, Yi-Jeong stood a little stunned, only to glance over at Woo Bin who was smiling mischievously at his friend.

"My bad," Woo Bin began, trying to escape with an excuse similar to Jun Pyo's.

"Busted," Ji Hoo said quietly for Woo Bin to hear.

Instead of exacting revenge, Yi-Jeong smiled faintly and turned away from Woo Bin, showing that he wasn't plotting any revenge on his friend. This caused Woo Bin to sneak a glance at Ji Hoo. "See, I knew Yi-Jeong wouldn't—" A splash of water cut Woo Bin off. It caused him to shiver slightly. Ji Hoo assumed from this that Woo Bin was not yet used to the freezing temperatures.

"You were saying?" murmured Yi-Jeong with a playful grin of his own, indicating that he was the one behind that splash. Jun Pyo was still sitting in the shallow water, laughing with closed eyes and an open mouth until salty water splashed into his mouth. He choked slightly and coughed, shooting a glare at his four friends as if to figure out who dared to splash him.

"Which one of you.." he began before another wave flooded over him. He coughed once more from swallowing the salty water by mistake as he spoke.

His four friends began to laugh quietly while Yi-Jeong made a bold remark. "Guess you can't really exact revenge on the lake, now can you Jun Pyo?"

Jun Pyo, by now, forced himself onto his feet so he wouldn't be attacked by the water a third time. But now that he was up and not beneath anyone else, he splashed water—aimlessly —countless times at his friends, who all began to scatter and sprint away from Jun Pyo. But each and every one of them all returned the splashing attack—and not just to him, but each other as well as they all engaged in what would be considered their first 'water fight.' While it was a cold time, it was also a moment filled with joyous laughter and happy smiles of the friends—Jan Di, Ji Hoo, Jun Pyo, Woo Bin, and Yi-Jeong—who brushed aside their responsibilities and set aside their troubles, just to have fun without care; even if it were to last only a little while longer.

The fun with water lasted about half an hour, where all five of them were cold and shivering from the freezing temperature of the lake. All of them, at the same exact pace, left the freezing waters with their soaked clothes clinging to their bodies. Finally, once they were by their scattered clothing, they all plopped down onto the ground. Despite it being the night, the air was warm; which was a blessing to their frozen and wet bodies. Without a care of getting sand all over their bodies, all five of them laid back on the sand with their arms behind their soaked heads, right beside each other in the following order: Woo Bin, Yi-Jeong, Jun Pyo, Jan Di, Ji Hoo. For a while, they all laid in the sand in a peaceful silence, staring up at the sky. Nothing could have been more peaceful than that moment.

Jan Di was the first to speak up. "That was...fun," she spoke quietly.

Ji Hoo turned his head slightly to glance over at her. It was only then he noticed the warm smile gracing her features. Her smile was practically contagious, so he couldn't help but smile too. Whenever she smiled, he would too.

"When I come back, let's do this again," breathed out Jun Pyo.

Ji Hoo blinked slowly, now forcing himself up by his elbows to glance over at Jun Pyo. Jan Di did the same, as Yi-Jeong and Woo Bin both looked over at him. "When you come back?" Ji Hoo asked the question everyone was wondering.

Realizing what he said, Jun Pyo blinked several times before he glanced at all his friends who were now staring at him in curiosity and confusion. By his expression, Ji Hoo knew he had to explain himself. After clearing his throat, he spoke, "That's right.. I haven't told you. Well, now's better than never. Recently I decided to travel abroad to America."

"What for?" pressed Woo Bin curiously.

"To save the business," responded Jun Pyo as he closed his eyes. "..I plan to save the business in my own way; a different way from the way my mother proposed. I am the head of Shinhwa now.. I need to take control of it all now: my life, this business...and the future. I already spoke to that wench about it today when I went to see her.."

The way his voice trailed off caused Ji Hoo to believe there was more Jun Pyo wasn't saying, or rather chose not to say. Despite his suspicion, Ji Hoo decided to let it go this once; only because whatever it was on Jun Pyo's mind was clearly something that he was uncomfortable with. Instead, he asked another question; one that everyone was probably meaning to ask by the expressions on their faces: "When will you be returning?"

Jun Pyo opened one of his eyelids to peer over at Ji Hoo. "Talk about into my business.. I plan on making a full return in five years at the minimum."

Ji Hoo's chest tightened slightly at the answer. He almost regretted asking. Why his chest tightened was unknown to Ji Hoo himself. He couldn't think of a plausible reason behind it.

Perhaps.. I will miss him?

Was that right? Would Ji Hoo miss him so easily? It didn't seem like the right answer at first, but it didn't seem too farfetched either. If anything, it seemed more reasonable than anything else.

I'll.. miss him. Of course I would.. Jun Pyo is my closest friend, aside from Yi-Jeong and Woo Bin. But Yi-Jeong is leaving as well..

Admittedly, Ji Hoo was going to miss the lively Shinhwa heir, who always caused trouble for everyone around him, even if unintentional. Ji Hoo was going to miss the friendly outings he had with his friends in general. Once Jun Pyo left, along with Yi-Jeong, that would be the end of F4 and all they were. There lives were beginning and there wouldn't be any time to spare for one another.

No, Ji Hoo told himself, that will not be the end.

There would never be an end for F4, nor would it be the end of them. Even if their lives grew busier—even if each F4 member carried more responsibilities—they would still remain in contact and be there for one another, just as they had always been. They would support each other when necessary, and enjoy life with one another while doing it. There was no need to go separate ways in a world they all shared, and Jan Di would help be that connection between them all. She helped them keep connected, even when they didn't realize they were separating at times.

As Ji Hoo glanced over at Jan Di, he could tell by her expression that she wasn't necessarily happy with the decision. She parted her lips to speak in a quiet voice, "So.. Yi-Jeong will be off traveling to Sweden, and you'll be going to America. I'm happy for you both that you've decided this.."

She's not being completely honest.

By her expression, Ji Hoo could see that she was a little upset with their decisions. He could only assume—from what he already knew about her—that it wasn't about disliking their choices, but just simply being distant from her friends who she grew close with. She wasn't one to be open with those feelings or recognize them herself, but Ji Hoo was. He spent enough time with her to recognize what she felt, even when she couldn't. He was able to acknowledge her feelings, even when she denied them. He was especially able to decipher them even when she desperately tried to hide them from everyone. That was just a portion of his love for her, and how far it ran.

"When you both come back," spoke Ji Hoo suddenly, turning his gaze to both Yi-Jeong and Jun Pyo as he tried to fill Jan Di with reassurance, "We'll be waiting. And if you think I'll be uncareful around you again, Jun Pyo, you have another thing coming to you. Specifically, a face full of water." A small smile was flashed to his friend.

Jun Pyo simply returned that smile and shifted his gaze back towards the sky. "I'll accept that challenge, Ji Hoo. Just as I've accepted every other challenge you've given to me. But this time, I'm not afraid of water. So I won't be losing any time soon."

Ji Hoo glanced over at Jan Di, who was now laying on her back again, also staring up at the sky. A relieved smile was gracing her lovely features, which indicated that her worries had settled. As he moved back into his laying position, he felt her hand grab onto his; squeezing it lightly.

"Thank you," she whispered quietly, only loud enough for him to hear. "What would I do without you, Sunbae.."

He returned the squeeze of the hand, gently, lovingly, to prove that he would never let her be alone.

"Do you guys believe in shooting stars?" Woo Bin began randomly. All five of them were gazing up at the starry, night sky, so Ji Hoo could only assume why Woo Bin asked. It wasn't all that random in the end.

"Isn't that a fairytale?" murmured Yi-Jeong teasingly.

"If there is one, I'd wish for dry clothes," responded Jun Pyo.

Jan Di chimed in, "That's so like you, Jun Pyo. Of all things you could wish for, you'd wish for something like that?"

"Then what would you wish for, Jan Di?" asked Ji Hoo, not bothering to take his eyes off the beautiful night sky.

"Hmm.." There was a momentary silence between them. Seconds, minutes passed with no response from Jan Di, and especially not from her friends. Finally, she spoke up with confidence, "I'd wish for this to never end."

"It doesn't have to," murmured Ji Hoo as he smiled warmly. With his fingers intertwining with her soft ones, he gave her hand one final squeeze. "It's a beautiful life we're living. It will continue to be so, as long as we all stick together."

This was not a lie, nor was it an exaggerated truth to keep her or any of them happy.

This was simply a yearning of the heart.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this story, and I hope it was a good enough resolve! Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through this story!