kahi headed downstairs, drenched from the dream she had last night. She couldn’t breathe well, nor could think properly. It was a nightmare, and the feeling of tiredness crept through her veins, insisting her to rest. She headed to the refrigerator to replenish herself with water. she wanted to have the bad thoughts vanished, it was only a dream after all. Nothing’s going to happen right?

Kahi looked for a drink. Tomato juice, grape juice, no water. Oh no, she must have forgotten to buy water. Even inyoung noona who went to grocery forgot to bring one. Its only 5 am in the morning. Would she buy one? A morning stroll might help her erase thoughts of the nightmare she just had. The surroundings can distract her for a while. Leeteuk and inyoung unni were asleep by then even if she returned. Kahi closed the refrigerator and found herself watched by someone close behind.

Kahi jumped. she thought she could have had heart attack.

“goodmorning.” Leeteuk greeted, yawning.

“you’re awake!” kahi hissed, holding her heart which was thudding so fast.

“I can’t sleep properly.” He told her.

Kahi noticed that leeteuk was holding the last bottle of water. she gulped for thirst.

He stared at her helpless expression. 

“water?” leeteuk offered.

“you’re drinking it, right?” she asked.

“I’m finished.” He said, placing the bottle on her hands. “you look like you need it.”

Kahi drank the contents until the last drop. “thanks.” She uttered, heaving out a relief.

“are you okay?” leeteuk asked her again.

“no.” was her immediate reply.

“why?” he asked.

“nightmare.” Kahi said. She took a seat near the counter table and rubbed the temples of her forehead. She crouched to clear herself with bad thoughts.

Leeteuk took a seat too.

“where’s your sister?” kahi asked, after she noticed that the living room contained no person sleeping.

“morning jog.” Leeteuk answered. “she’ll be back after an hour.”

“early bird, huh?” she muttered.

“I guess so.”

Kahi stared at leeteuk and flashbacks of the dream had caused her to close her eyes. As if the person infront of her was a bright sight.

“hey.” Leeteuk said, touching her shoulder. He observed that she was still unable to open her eyes.

“kahi?” he asked again. but she was not answering.

Leeteuk headed to the cupboard on the other end of the kitchen.

“I’m going to make you a chamomile tea, I’m getting worried.” He said as he took the tea box and the tea pot

Leeteuk split open the untouched tea box, retrieved two cups of tea and waited for the water to boil. He looked from the window outside, and saw the sun silently peaking from the clouds, as if ready to shine. What schedule will he have for today? He will be having a starking taping together with some members of super junior, snsd, f(x) and shinee. Kahi will be there too for We Got Married. So he will be going with her together with his noona. for the preparations, Minho already texted him, asking him for some adlibs that he can do for the show.

Suddenly two arms embraced him from behind.

“kahi?” he asked, surprised.

Kahi was not answering, but she kept on holding to him.

Leeteuk was confused.

“your tea should be done in a sec.” He told her, continuing to prepare . “and you can tell me what happened if you want to share what you dreamt last night.”

“yah, don’t leave me.” Kahi muttered.

Leeteuk noticed that she was sighing.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He smiled, as she loosened up her grip. “we’ll be having a same taping to do remember?”

Leeteuk faced her with a puzzled look on the face. Kahi was looking at him, like a puppy wanting to follow its master all the time.

“aww…you seem to really have a weird dream.” He said, handing out the finished tea to her.

STARKING TAPING

Taeyeon’s POV

We were early. The make up session only took about an hour to do. Seohyun and Sunny were busy playing with a game I don’t even know while we wait for the cue. Minho and Onew were sitting near the camera, talking in a low voice about some singing production. Sulli and Luna were bugging the make up artists to retouch their face with more powder. probably to conceal the eyebugs they had from work, kekeke. Kang ho dong, the mc, was already reading his lines. The show follows some guidelines, but is really purely variety. Starking is a show where entertainers connect with people around the world. Today’s episode? Korean entertainers.

Kyuhyun, Wookie and Eunhyuk oppa came with matching red shirt outfits. What’s the commotion? Christmas thing? I suddenly realized that its getting near Christmas, and I haven’t thought about it even now.

I spotted inyoung unni entering the stage. She was wearing a ridiculous tiger print shirt and black skirt.

“unni!” I called as she took the script from Kang Ho Dong.

Unni’s face lit up once she saw me.

“taengoo!” she cried, running towards my direction. I laughed at her curls that were way too bouncy everytime she moves.

“sit with me.” I offered, patting the place next to me. Unni nodded and giddily took a seat beside me and my girls.

Leeteuk oppa and Park kahi came in last. They were wearing matching white tees with labels “mr. and ms. park.” I snickered. Isn’t it Kahi unni’s last  name a Park too? Doesn’t cause too much difference though.

Kahi looked at me and nodded. I nodded too as a sign of greeting. Its really awkward being with her. its like a ranking system, she on top and me on bottom. More like food chain too. She the tiger, me the ridiculous plant. Leeteuk oppa smiled upon looking at my direction. I raised my hand to wave.

“where do we sit?” leeteuk asked Kang ho dong.

“infront of taeyeon.” The mc replied.

Great, just great.

A pair of tv show couples infront of me. I don’t know why it causes too much of a reaction for me. Probably because of what happened last time, it was really embarrassing.  

Sunny saw me muttering something that she nudged my ribs.

“what?” I hissed.

“too obvious.” She hissed back. I sealed my lip shut and pretended to focus on the moving camera instead.

Inyoung unni must have heard me. She was laughing.

I tried to concentrate on the stage lights.

“were about to start!” the director yelled. “in 3, 2, 1”

And the introduction of star king already started.

“today’s episode on starking: Korean entertainers!” kang ho dong yelled. The audience automatically clapped their hands and cheered as our faces flashed through the VTR. I cringed as I look at my appearance on the screen, I seemed like I gain 10 pounds.

Kang Ho dong mentioned us one by one in terms of the groupings. As part of the routine, we were made to do a cheer for ourselves. Inyoung unni looked so hyper. She was practically jumping and yelling at the top of her voice. Minho and Onew did the same. Sunny, Seohyun and I did a cutesy pose, the one where we do a pouting look while flashing a peace sign. Luna and Sulli did a dino dance much to the delight of the audience. kyuhyun, eunhyuk and ryeowook danced a little bit of the "no other" song chorus.

Kang ho dong cleared his throat. “and we have a special segment for today.” He stated while looking to the direction of Leeteuk oppa, who was laughing in a high pitch voice again. “a question and answer portion for the couples of We Got Married: Idol leaders edition!”

Everyone cheered as the faces of oppa and Park Kahi flashed on the screen. Hah, starking is somewhat a reality show, so what lies beneath what they are going to say can be somewhat true.

“everyone noticed that there’s a lurking ahjumma from the Korean idols?” kang ho dong asked. The audience laughed as the camera pointed to Inyoung unni, who didn’t know that she was being focused at.

“I looked pretty much like one, ne?” inyoung unni asked. More laughs from the audience.

“youre supposed to be mcing with me.” Kang ho dong said in a kidding manner.

“oh I thought this is a one man show!” inyoung said, flabbergasted. Everyone laughed again.

My stomach hurts from laughing too much. Unni is a really fine entertainer.

“what can you say about your brother being married?” kang ho dong asked.

“it made me feel like I want to get married too.” Inyoung confessed.

I couldn’t hold it too much, I exploded like a firecracker who’s dormant from laughing nowadays.

“leeteuk ssi seemed to be the ideal guy for this kind of show.” The MC said as the noise subsided.

“ne.” leeteuk agreed.

“how does it feel to be married?” kang ho dong asked.

Leeteuk smiled. “before, I really don’t do house chores. But when we started taping for We Got Married, it felt like I have to do house cleaning.”

“he was pretty good at it.” kahi added, crossing her legs.

“inyoung noona said that Park Kahi is a great cook.” kang ho dong said.

“ne.” leeteuk said. “I think I’ve weight a pound. She really cooks good food.”

Kahi slapped his shoulder. “he’s kidding, he’s way too picky when eating.”

“yeah, that’s why you cook my favorite food.” Leeteuk smiled at her.

“what about my cooking?” ryeowook interrupted. Another roar of laughter from the audience.

“wookie is the ideal husband.” Said leeteuk.

Kang ho dong turned to my direction. “what about Taeyeon? What can you say about the two?”

“I don’t watch their show.” I confessed. It was really true, but my statement made the audience laugh as if I was saying a joke.

“so you didn’t know what was going around?”

“ne. but oppa really looked like a changed person." i said, thinking out loud. "Maybe because of Park Kahi.” I added. Did I say that correctly? I knew he has changed, thinking that its because of her. another butterflies in my stomach feeling.

Leeteuk laughed again in a high pitch voice. What did I say?
“Is it true leeteuk?” kang ho dong asked.

“it was actually because of a girl I like months ago before the show started.” Leeteuk smiled.

The audience cheered. So its not Park Kahi? who's the girl?

“can you tell us something about the girl?” kang ho dong asked. i saw Kahi bit her lip as she looked at oppa.

Leeteuk eased his self by straightening up his back. “um.. she’s a really special girl.”

“yah, every girl is special. Ne?” kang ho dong turned to the audience. “be specific.”

“no comment.” Leeteuk said, raising his hand to stop.

“oh come on, hyung!” Kyuhyun butted in, which made the audience agreed.

“just tell us what you liked about her.” kang ho dong said.

“she’s dorky.” Leeteuk confessed.

I blushed. That statement somehow looked as if it represented…

“is it a celebrity?” kang ho dong asked followed by the cheers of the audience.

Leeteuk just laughed and shook his head to stop from answering.

“I think I know who it is.” Minho blurted.

“leeteuk is not yet answering my question.” Kang ho dong said out loud.

Oppa really looked tensed, but he heaved it out by laughing.

“is she here right now?” kang ho dong asked again.

The question caused too much chaos. People were frantically dying to know his answer.

Could it be?

“hey this is too much of a hotseat but yes, she’s actually here right now.” Leeteuk said and laughed. The noise from the people grew from chaotic to way too chaotic. I couldn’t hear the MC talking anymore.

“another description please.” Kang ho dong suggested.

“im going to stop now after I say this.” Leeteuk said which silenced the audience.

He smiled. “another description of her, is… um.. ahjumma? best description.”

I saw Eunhyuk and Ryeowook stood from their seats and made a bow of respect for leeteuk’s statement while laughing themselves off. I blushed. I didn’t know that I caused that change. So he changed because of me.

then the screen pointed to a pouting Kahi.

“I think this show has forgotten that leeteuk has a tv wife.” she blurted.

Kang ho dong was surprised.

“oh yes, we forgot about Kahi!” he laughed. Kang ho dong’s attention was not focused to the girl infront of me.

“ask me anything and I’ll answer.” Kahi said, crossing her arms.

“have you taken the word ‘wife’ quite seriously because of the show?” the MC asked.

A moment of silence.

“yes.” Kahi said.

“answer in one sentence.” Kang ho dong said. “why?”

“well, because---“

“because leeteuk hyung lazes  around and he needs someone older to spoil him.” Eunhyuk butted in, causing a roar of laughter from the audience.

kahi continued. "no, its because..."

“because oppa is behaving like a kid.” Sunny chimed in. seohyun nudged her in the ribs.

"she doesnt know what's she's saying, forgive us." seohyun said, laughing.

Leeteuk did his high pitched laugh again. He looked as if he had a stomach ache.

Kahi shook her head. “because I like him.” She blurted out loud.

i like him, i like him, i like him. it seemed like the time stopped for a couple of seconds. and Kahi's words filled the stage atmosphere.

everybody was silent.

Leeteuk stopped laughing and looked at her. I stared too, gaping. Oh my...is this for real?

Kahi realized what she had said and started putting her hand to as if she just said a bad word.

“omo…”

And the director yelled “cut!”

--------------------------------

Leeteuk followed Kahi out of the car until they reach the house. Park Inyoung stayed in the living room to fan herself from exhaustion.

“hey.” Leeteuk said, following Kahi to the bed room. The after school leader opened the cabinet and started pulling out some of her stuff.

“what are you dong?” leeteuk asked.

“packing.” Kahi answered while looking at him. She then continued piling some clothes.

Leeteuk bit his lip. “are you leaving?”

“I just need fresh air.” Kahi said, selecting some clothes. Leeteuk sat at the bed, staring at them.

“I suggest you go to your dorm too.” Kahi mentioned while packing.

“why are you doing this? Let’s talk about it.” leeteuk suggested, taking out her selected clothes from the bag.

Kahi slapped his hand gently. “yah. I really need some time to think about things.” She said, retrieving what he removed. “I’ll return, don’t worry. I think I just need to sort some things about myself.”

Kahi closed the zipper tight and picked up some clothes on the floor.

“I already told the show about it, just incase you’re wondering.” Kahi said, reading leeteuk’s thoughts. “I pretty much blurted some sensitive stuff about us earlier, that’s why I need to contemplate.”

"but the management said that they're not going to air it, so it wouldn't be a problem right?" he asked, but Kahi was not in the mood to listen.

Kahi walked through the door but stopped to look at his shocked face.

“i know. but i really need some time." she said. "its not going to change what I feel for you though.”

and she walked out.