CHAPTER 31

[Sol Han Na’s POV]

“Five minutes!” the male PD announced. “Get on your places everyone! We’re about to start the shoot!”

My stylist made a last brush of foundation against my cheeks. I stood up and immediately went to Manager Song.

“Manager---“

“The PD said to get on your places, Hanna. What are you still doing here?” she demanded, cutting me off. She looked a lot more stressed and nervous than I am, pacing back and forth. What’s wrong with her?

“Uhh… I know, Manager, it’s just… Baek---“

“He’s fine. I just checked on him. He’s just chilling out at the dorm watching movies,” she answered quickly and then strode off into another direction. I followed like a lost puppy.

“Please tell him I have prepared some food on the fridge if he ever gets hungry. He just needs to heat it,” I pleaded and this time, Manager Song stopped to get a closer look at me.

“You…” she whispered, pointing a finger to my face. “You stayed up late cooking that food, didn’t you?”

Confused, I nodded my head slowly.

“So that’s what those eyebags are all about!” she suddenly yelled, making me jump.

“Chill, Manager. It was still manageable through concealer,” I reasoned out but Manager Song had already began pushing me towards the set.

“Concealer, my face,” I heard her spat. “We need to make everything as natural and normal as it can be, Hanna. We can’t even put that much make-up on you because it would all look scripted.”

“But I still look okay right?” I asked, batting my eyelashes at her to make her laugh.

She sighed and shook her head as she answered, “Yes. Depressingly, yes. You’re gorgeous even without make-up.”

I smiled and pulled her into a hug before running to my designated spot.

So the flow of the shooting was already decided. I will be at the practice room together with the boys who had just finished their rehearsals for their very first concert and then we shall finish the mission given to me altogether. We wouldn’t be doing much but just sit down and try to make everything as entertaining as we can. I didn’t think of it to be a hard task.

“We’ll start recording! Everyone attention now!” the PD announced again as he began to count down. “5… 4… 3… 2… 1… action!”

The boys on my side began to dance so as to show they’re actually in a rehearsal. I took my time seating on the wooden floor, watching.

The music ended and the boys stopped to flex their muscles and stretch their bodies. I tried my best to fight back a laugh. They all look hilarious.

“Lunch break time, people,” their choreographer said as he shyly stalks out of the practice room. I didn’t realize he’s shy on camera. He looks so charismatic especially when he’s teaching the boys. It’s odd.

“At last!” Chanyeol said as he picked up his backpack and took out a bottle of water which he emptied in one gulp. Monster, I thought to myself. I began calling him that as a form of joke. I think it pretty much describes his huge built and very big appetite.

The boys began coming towards my direction, crowding all around me.

“How’s our performance, Hanna?” Kai asked as he sat beside me and leaned his head on my shoulder. I understand that he’s not being clingy or overacting. They say they wanted normal? Then this is purely normal.

“Same as usual, oppa,” I said, handing him a bottle of water I have for safekeeping.

Sehun also sat beside me and leaned his head on my shoulder just like Kai did. I patted his cheek and asked, “Tired?”

He groaned and answered, “Very much, noona.”

Just then, I heard Tao complain behind me: “Kai hyung stole my spot.”

Kyungsoo answered him, “Then sit still here right beside me. Don’t be so picky.”

Tao didn’t answer and I can sense by then that he’s already pouting.

“I still have my back, oppa,” I offered to comfort him. “Or my lap. Choose where you want.”

Tao immediately chose my back. He sat behind me and leaned his back against mine. It felt a bit heavy, having the weight of three males pressed on you but it was manageable. All for the sake of the boys.

“Ohh they’re so clingy,” Chen muttered, eyeing the three.

“Hanna looked so small being crowded around by those three,” Luhan chimed in, chuckling.

“So, Hanna. Will we be meeting your husband today?” Suho asked suddenly. I think we’ve pretty much given enough entertainment to start off the show and Suho knew just the right time to get the path straight on to business.

I frowned and shook my head, “I don’t know, oppa. I really have no---“

My words were stopped when I suddenly noticed one of the staffs waving a red envelope just behind the camera. I needed to squint my eyes before I came to realize what it was.

“Mission card!” I announced, pointing to the envelope. I tried to stand up to get it but then I realized that I can’t since these three men were holding me down. In the end, I had to ask Suho for help.

“Uhh oppa… The mission card… Please…” I asked awkwardly. I’m not really used to ordering my oppas. The viewers might think I am bullying them too much.

Suho stood up and excitedly took the mission card together with another red box. He handed me the things right away and the three men around me sat up straight as I prepared to read the letter loudly.

“Welcome, lovebirds!” I began to read. “Today you shall have your first conversation with your future husband.”

The boys made noises at the sound of the word ‘husband’ and they all huddled together to listen more closely.

I continued, “Using the phone we’ve prepared inside the red box, you have the freedom to exchange messages with your soon-to-be better-half. You have an hour to ask anything you want and get to know one another.”

“Anything? As in anything? You can ask him anything?” Lay asked innocently from across me.

I didn’t answer but just continued to read the last few lines of the mission, “Reminder: You are not allowed to reveal your true identity. Have fun and welcome to We Got Married!”

The boys and I began to clap our hands and I don’t know which of us is actually happy about all this or which are only pretending for the sake of the show. As for me, I guess I am 50% of the both.

I took the red box and opened it. Sure enough, there was a phone placed inside. I unlocked it and the screen automatically went to the inbox where I saw a contact named “Husband”.

I stared at the screen hesitantly and asked almost to myself, “I… I shouldn’t be the one to text first, right?”

“OF COURSE NOT!” the boys answered in unison.

I dropped the phone and held my hands up.

“Fine. Fine. I won’t,” I said in surrender.

The boys and I spent an entire ten minutes talking and joking with one another but the phone never even rang nor buzzed.

“Doesn’t he want to talk to me?” I asked as I stared helplessly at the clock and at all the time that is remaining. “What’s taking him so long? We only have 50 minutes!”

“Maybe he doesn’t know what to say,” Xiumin suggested, taking the phone to his hand.

I took the phone away from him and said, “Maybe I should just go text him first. The time’s running.”

The phone was out of my grasp and into one of the boys’ hand in a flash. With my mouth open, I stared blankly at my empty hands. I feel like I’ve just been robbed.

“You can’t, Hanna!” Chanyeol scolded. “Rule number one: the lady must never approach the guy first. It’s the male’s responsibility to always make the first move.”

“Really?” I asked, my voice challenging. “Why do you seem to know so much about this whole thing, oppa?”

Chanyeol looked taken aback. But the interrogation was interrupted when the phone suddenly buzzed. Saved by the bell.

Sehun immediately ran and handed the phone to me. Goodness, I hadn’t even realized it was with him.

I unlocked the phone and read the message out loud. For some reason, I can feel my heart wildly beating inside my chest.

“Hello?” I read.

And… that was it.

The boys stared at me quietly, all of them seeming to wait for more. But then I shook my head and they all burst out into fits of complaints.

“That’s it?” Tao demanded.

“There’s nothing else?” Kyu