29 March 2013, 3:45 PM

“Hyung, may I ask you for some advice?” Joong Ki started slowly yet hopeful that In Sung could help him.  After the weird reactions from Kwang Soo over the past few weeks where a certain female actress was concerned, Joong Ki had decided to drop the subject with Kwang Soo but rather solicit help from his other best friend, In Sung.  She was his closest female friend, and In Sung considered her to be his younger sister.  Joong Ki surmised that if anyone knew what Hye Kyo liked or disliked, it would be In Sung.

A look of bemusement came over In Sung’s face.  The 2 of them were at Joong Ki’s flat going over some potential scripts for In Sung and getting the plans for Joong Ki’s final months of civilian life and enlistment finalized.  It was almost time for Joong Ki to serve his mandatory 2-year military service.  He had decided to join the army and given his celebrity status, detailed plans needed to be put in place in order to cause minimal disruption by the legions of fans on the military apparatus.  In Sung suspected what the conversation would be about, but he nodded and remained silent, allowing Joong Ki to continue.  The episode 2 weeks ago long forgotten as In Sung had regained control, and he was determined to keep control.

“I…I was wondering…if you can…I mean…it’s about Hye Kyo-ssi,” Joong Ki stammered.  He had no idea why it was so difficult for him to talk about this with In Sung.  He had never had any problems asking for advice before from his older friend.  But then again he had never felt this way with any other girl.  He was in his late 20s, so he wasn’t exactly a neophyte when it comes to dating.  But if he was honest with himself, he had to admit that he had never had a really serious relationship.  It was nice to go out and have fun, and in this day and age he fully accepted the responsibilities that came with casual , but never before had he contemplated moving toward a serious relationship anyone.  With Hye Kyo, however, it was completely different.  Officially, they had not even had a formal first date yet, the Valentine’s Day ambush notwithstanding.  And yet he felt as if he had known her forever.  The butterflies in his stomach whenever he saw her, the way she lit up a room for him when they were together, the inner euphoria he felt that made him grin like an idiot each time she …these were all things that his sister had told him were signs that he was head over heels in love.  Intellectually, he knew this to be true.  Emotionally, he had accepted this a long time ago.  And it scared the hell out of him. 

He was scared of many things.  Did she feel the same way?  Will his family (aside from his scheming grandparents), her family, the public accept it?  After all, she was almost 5 years older than him, and in a conservative society such as Korea, this can be challenging.  How would this affect her career?  She had been through so much already in her life and the last thing he wanted was to do anything that would hurt her.  And finally, how would his military obligations fit into all of this?  He didn’t want to start something with Hye Kyo and then leave her in limbo for 2 years.  It would be extremely unfair to ask for her to wait for him when she had a line of suitors stretching to Hong Kong and back. 

“Hye Kyo-ssi?” In Sung asked in a voice that told Joong Ki he didn’t need to explain any further.  He stared at his young friend for a very long minute before continuing.  “It’s about damn time!  Ya…Joong Ki…I know you’re slow…but 2 whole years before you make a move?”

“What…how…how did you know?” Joong Ki asked, slightly knocked off-balance by In Sung’s reaction.  A few different scenarios had played out in his head how this conversation would be…this was not one of them. 

“How do I know?!  If you had been any more obvious you’d be sleeping at the foot of her bed like a puppy dog,” In Sung teased.  “And get all those nagging negative questions out of your head.  Hye Kyo has half the male population of Asia lined up for a chance to date her.  But she’s not interested in them, she’s interest in you.  You’re the man…you need to make the first move.  And it needs to be big…grand.  Bigger than what your grandparents tried to do on Valentine’s Day.”

“She…she told you about that?”  Joong Ki replied.  He knew they were close, but he never really understood just how close until now.

“Of course.  And I can tell you she was in heaven with happiness for weeks afterward.  I haven’t seen her happy like that in a very long time.  She absolutely glowed.”  In Sung told him. 

He continued, not letting Joong Ki interrupt him.  “But, before I help you, I need to know one thing…that you’re serious about this.  Once you start this you better be committed and follow it to the end.  I’ve seen her hurt too many times by bastards who play with her heart.  Hye Kyo is very very dear to me, and I am going to kill anyone, and I mean anyone, who hurts her again.”

“I love her.  I truly, madly, deeply love her.  I am in love with her.” Joong Ki declared to his hyung as the 2 men looked at each other, eye to eye.  “I promise you on my honor and on my life I will always do everything to make her happy, to protect her, and to give her joy.”

“Okay, so this is what you’re going to do.”  In Sung smiled, with a certain mischievousness in his eyes.

SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK |

19 April 2013, 6:25 AM

Hye Kyo felt as if she was in heaven.  The warm South Pacific Ocean breeze that gently wafted its way through her hair perfectly matched the first rays of brilliant sunshine piercing through the distant horizon.  The gentle waves rolling onto the shore tickled her toes.  And the strong arms and firm body hugging her from behind felt like a blanket of happiness enveloping her soul.

“Is this real?” She asked, almost in a whisper.  A kiss on top of her head and a slight tightening of the hug were her answers. 

The past week had been like a dream.  After the shooting for That Winter, The Wind Blows wrapped, In Sung had suggested that the 2 of them needed a short vacation.  Hye Kyo readily agreed and didn’t really think twice about it.  This is In Sung’s usual way of letting go of a project, especially such an intensely emotional one as this melodrama.  So when In Sung had picked her up in his car the previous Sunday, she didn’t suspect anything out of the ordinary.  He had told her to pack for a week, bring her passport, and that they would be going to a place with plenty of sunshine and sandy beaches.  She became curious when, instead of driving to the normal passenger terminal at Incheon International Airport, he drove around to the far side of the airport, through a special gate, and to the terminal for private jets.  In Sung drove straight onto the the tarmac and stopped in front of a Lear jet, its door open, engines revving, ready to whisk them away. 

A waiting staff took out her luggage from the car trunk and loaded it onto the plane.  It took a moment for Hye Kyo to realize that it was only her luggage that had been loaded.  She looked at In Sung expectantly, but he grinned widely and said, “He’s waiting for you on the plane.  Go have fun.  Just enjoy yourself and don’t worry about anything.  You deserve this…the both of you deserve this. Take this leap of faith.”

Hesitantly, Hye Kyo walked up the steps and boarded the plane, where she found Joong Ki waiting with 2 glasses of champagne.  She will never forget the look on his face at that very moment.  It was a mix of hope, nervousness, earnestness, and love.  Hye Kyo turned and poked her head back out the door of the plane to see In Sung waiting for her reaction.  Slowly, a smile spread across her lips and she blew her older brother a kiss before heading back into the plane and sitting down beside Joong Ki.  She took a long sip of the champagne before leaning in and giving him a gentle kiss on the lips.  They were still kissing as they felt the plane lift off from Seoul towards their unknown destination. 

That had been 6 days ago, and now, on their last morning at this phenomenal private island retreat in the Tahitian islands that In Sung had somehow managed for them, she still couldn’t believe she has spent the last week in complete serenity and relaxation.  They had spent the time getting to know each other, really talking with each other, and just enjoying one another’s company.  The discrete staff of 8 had catered to their every whim, including the night when Joong Ki attempted to cook for her and ended up blowing up the grill, leaving himself with a smoke-black face and Hye Kyo in an uncontrollable fit of laughter.  After that, Joong Ki was not allowed to go anywhere near the kitchen.

Hye Kyo couldn’t stifle a laugh as her right hand reached back and pulled Joong Ki’s face closer to hers.  Without turning her head but feeling his chin nestled on her shoulder, she asked, “Does your family always do things backwards?!?”

It took Joong Ki a minute to get her meaning, but then he too started laughing.  “I guess so.  We Songs are stubborn, you know.” 

“So what happens now?” Hye Kyo asked in a more serious tone.  They had been putting off this conversation, but she needed to pull them back to reality.

“Now we face the world together,” Joong Ki replied calmly.  He knew what she was saying, how unsure she was of what all of this meant.  He knew he had to reassure her that he was not like the others, the ones before him who had hurt her so deeply, so badly.  He needed her to understand that this was forever for the both of them.  “I promise you, whatever happens, I will always love and cherish and adore you.  I will never leave you.  And I will always protect you.”

And with that, Joong Ki gently wiped the happy tears from Hye Kyo’s cheeks and gave her another kiss, wanting to make more memories with her as the very last seconds of their time on the island ticked away.  But Hye Kyo stopped him momentarily.  Taking his face in both of her hands, she forced him to look directly at her.  She searched his eyes, and she could see truth. 

“I love you too.” She breathed before pulling him on top of her as they settled down once more onto the sandy beach.