VIRAL LOVE Chapter 38 : PREMIERE October 9th “Aaagggh!” The former footballer groans painfully as Piccolo and Harry Potter slam his body hard against the concrete wall. Snoopy stands in front of him, snickering in amusement. “Aigooo….Getting so soft already, Lee Choong-hoon?” “Careful, man! That hurts!” His breath stinks of soju and it’s barely 11 am in the morning. “What do you even want from me? You guys got me kicked off from the team already!” “But you still owe me from when you dragged my name, Choong-hoon.” His bloodshot eyes widen when he finally realizes who exactly is standing right behind Snoopy. “B-Big Boss…. I’m sorry… Please, don’t beat me up, it was my manager’s idea, I didn’t mean-“ Si-jin just scoffs at his lame excuse. “Whatever, man. Now is your chance to repay your debt to me.” The other guy furrows his brow in confusion while he warily watches the bulky footballers surrounding him. “W-what do you mean?” Si-jin stares at him with a smirk on his face. “Your cousin, Min Yoon-gi. Are you close to him?” --- “First part of the plan, done.” “Good job, brother.” “Let’s just say the boys were very persuasive.” Si-jin glances at Snoopy behind the steering wheel as he talks to his sister on the phone. “Aigoo….Good teamwork is very important indeed.” Si-jin snorts in reply. “Yaah, is your Eonnie still at the studio?” “Neh. You should go back quickly though, she said she wants to pick up pizza and go home soon.” “I’m already on my way. Hold her off for another 15 minutes, okay?” “Haish, the things I do for you, big brother.” --- “Hmmmm, this is so good, babe.” Mo-yeon grins as she feeds him a slice of the meat-lovers pizza. They are having their dinner right on the sofa while Si-jin flips the TV channels searching for something good to watch. “I know, right? Much better than the grass you kept nagging me to eat.” “Considering you’re starting to eat a little healthier now, I’d say it’s worth nagging and paying for that health food delivery service.” She makes a disgusted face at him, just in case he harbors any delusion about what she truly thinks about his whole meal plan. “Oh yeah by the way, what did you do today? Did you go out?” He blinks and keeps his face innocent. “Me? Why would I do that?” She just shrugs as she takes a bite from the same slice she is feeding him. “You must be so bored being cooped-up in here with nothing to do. I was just wondering if you went out with your friends.” Si-jin decides to distract his girlfriend before he blurts the truth out so he abruptly grabs her waist and pulls her into his lap, making the songwriter gasp softly in surprise. “Hmmm, you haven’t given me a kiss yet since you got home.” She squirms playfully and tries to push his face away with just one hand as the other is still holding the pizza. “Yaaah, pabo, no kissing! Your mouth is all greasy from the pizza! Ewwww, Si-jihmmmff-” She stops resisting after a few seconds and kisses him back, oily lips and all. October 10th “Are you ready for the premiere tonight?” Mo-yeon smiles at her adopted father in reply. “Neh, I’ll see you guys there, okay?” “I heard they’ll start by debuting your new OST first? The one you made for Miss Sena to sing?” She nods, her eyes bright with excitement. “Neh. Director Takashi said she’ll perform it tonight live in front of the audience so that it creates more buzz when they release the single tomorrow. I can’t wait!” “She’s going to do great, because your song is great, Mo-yeon Ah. Don’t worry, okay?” She beams at the fatherly way Sunbae Song is patting her shoulder before something crosses her mind. “Oh, Appa, by the way, about that other thing….” “Yes?” She bites her lip. “I think, perhaps we should keep it to ourselves for now? I really just want to leave it all behind. Unless he tries something else….” Sunbae Song just smiles and nods his head in agreement. “Whatever you say, Mo-yeon Ah.” --- "Ready? One, two three!" Myeong-joo smirks smugly to her brother as she opens the door to Mo-yeon's bedroom. They had been inside there for almost an hour as Si-jin waited patiently outside, all ready in his suit and tie. He watches with a stunned face as Mo-yeon shyly walks out of her bedroom in high heels and a little black dress, her hair flowing in teasing waves, looking all dolled up and ready for her first movie premiere. “Tadaaa!!! Doesn’t she look amazing, Si-jin?” Si-jin swallows audibly before he walks forward and reaches for Mo-yeon’s hand. “Perfect. She looks perfect.” Mo-yeon gives him her megawatt smile in return, a lovely tint of blush spreading across her cheeks as she admires the way he looks in the crisp black suit he had chosen for tonight. She stands on her tip toes to plant a kiss on his cheek. “You look perfect too, Si-jin Ah.” Myeong-joo pretends to gag at the scene in front of her. She grabs Mo-yeon’s grey jacket that is lying on the sofa and dumps it on both the lovesick couple’s heads as she walks briskly to the door. “Haish, enough with the lovey dovey already! We’re going to be late!” Mo-yeon just giggles while Si-jin sighs in exasperation as he removes the jacket from both their heads and helps her put it on. She shivers when he deliberately caresses the back of her neck with his fingertips as he helps her pull her hair out of the jaket's collar. “You lied though.” Mo-yeon blinks. “Neh?” Si-jin gives her a mock frown. “You said it’s not y. Now I have to glare at every man who dares to look at you funny.” “Haish, jinjja! Do you want me to wear a sack or a blanket instead then? Come, let’s go before Myeong-joo kills us.” He pouts as Mo-yeon starts to drag him out of the apartment, all while muttering under his breath. “Somehow I think you would make even a sack look y, though. Ottoke?” --- Mo-yeon keeps a tight grip on his hand as they walk nearer to the red carpet. He watches her in concern. “It’s okay if you want to skip the red carpet, babe.” She shakes her head and looks at him determinedly. “I promised Takashi Nim I would walk the red carpet.” Si-jin’s face immediately changes so she quickly adds more to that sentence before he turns into a raging jealous monster. “--And I want us to do this, together. There have been too many talks about our relationship lately because of that stupid song and I want to make it clear to everyone who my heart really belongs to. Just to you, honey.” Her words manage to sooth him and he gives her a heartdropping smile in reply. --- Mo-yeon tries hard to keep her eyes open and her smile steady as the flashes of cameras blind her sight. She tries not to show how flustered she is by all the attention even if inside her heart is thrumming loudly. It feels like everyone’s eyes are focused on them. The words Yookang Couple seems to be on everyone’s lips as they whisper and marvel about how good the couple look together. For someone who usually shies away from attention, Mo-yeon finds the situation very unnerving indeed. The only thing that is keeping her glued to the ground is the calm, steady man standing beside her. Si-jin’s arm is faithfully wrapped around her waist, keeping her snuggly nested into his broad chest as they stand side by side on the red carpet and allow their