YC and EH continued filming the kiss scene. Each camera set-up for the filming of the kiss scene was becoming a strain for both of them to film. With each repetition of the scene they both had to fight hard to maintain their professionalism; they had to stay calm and appear unaffected every time the PD-nim shouted “Okay!” and they had to let the other go.

YC found it increasingly hard to let EH go; EH, on the other hand, was feeling as weak as a new born babe after the end of filming of every angle of the Kiss. For the first time in their acting careers, it seemed that the scene being filmed was real life and that they were acting in their real lives. During the filming of the fade-out Kiss scene, which also happened to be the last Kiss to be filmed for that day, YC just released the control he was exerting on his emotions and, throwing professionalism out the window for the first time in his acting career, just kissed EH will all the sweetness, tenderness, love and passion he was feeling. He knew the camera was too far to pick-up the emotions he was letting out with the kiss. Only EH can actually feel it. He grew weak with gratitude when EH did not reject his advance but instead responded with a tenderness and passion that equalled his own. They were just thankful they were both able to hang on to a little bit of professionalism for them to still hear the PD-nim shout: “Okay!” and slowly but reluctantly release each other. Catching their breaths, they stepped away from each other but they still felt the strong binding pull of the string that seemed to tie them together refuse to give, to let them free from its hold. The approach of their staff broke the spell they were in. Suddenly becoming aware of their surroundings, they shared a shy but bright smile as well as a sigh of relief when they noticed that the production staff and crew were too busy packing up to notice their ‘moment’.

They bowed at the production staff and crew as they bid their goodbyes and complimented them by calling out “Good job, you’ve worked hard.” As soon as YC was out of the room, he called his driver on his mobile phone to instruct him to be ready to pick him up, as near to the entrance/exit door as possible, simultaneously he was walking briskly to catch-up with EH, who was walking leisurely slightly ahead of him. When he was beside EH he grabbed her hand and, holding it tightly, made a mad rush down the stairs and to the doors as he shouted to their joint staff members to all take YEH’s van; they were going home together in his van. YC’s manager, bodyguard and EH’s assistant manager run after them, barely having enough time to scramble into YC’s van to join their recalcitrant bosses.

YEH was too surprised at YC’s sudden taking hold of her hand and running off, tugging her along, to react in any way. She just went along for fear that she would miss a step, loose her balance and fall. As soon as she was seated in the captain’s chair beside YC’s in his van, EH used her free hand, YC was still holding on to her other hand, to give YC a light punch on the chest as she mock angrily asked: “Yah, Park Yoo Chun, what do you think you are doing?” YC answered in a cute way: “Why I’m taking my ‘date’ home. We already kissed though, shouldn’t the Kiss come when you reach home and not before?” YC’s statement had EH blushing like crazy.  

Both YC and EH were just sitting quietly soaking in the companionable silence and allowing themselves to savour their lingering feelings from the Kiss. YC was grinning, like a Cheshire cat who ate the cream, because EH was not trying to free the hand he was holding. He felt a slight pull when EH suddenly sits up straight and asks YC if he knows where she lives because she doesn’t remember them ever having a conversation about it. YC’s grin grows wider as he admits that on his way home from filming one day, he saw YEH’s van a few cars ahead of his own and took note of which gate her van turned into. In fact, she lives 3 minutes away from him, they are practically neighbours. EH was stunned on hearing this fact; it seemed like too much of a coincidence.

As they neared the area where they lived. EH sat up again and asked YC how he planned to send her home without being noticed. YC answers: “My van will turn into the driveway to your gate and your assistant manager can just open her window so that the guard can identify her as she gives him a wave or, if you have the number of your guardhouse, you can just give the guard on duty a call and give him my van’s info and plate number for them to allow it in as soon as we arrive. We can stay in my van and wait for your own van to arrive so you can disembark at the same time as your other staff members.  Nobody needs to see me.” EH, liking the way YC thought, just nodded her head as she admiringly answered YC saying: “You sure can think on your feet. Your idea is not bad at all.”

While waiting for EH’s van to arrive, YC started to crack jokes and make her laugh all the while keeping his hold of her hand. YC liked holding EH’s hand it was so soft and smooth and fit his hand to a T. Spying EH’s van enter the gate, YC lifted YEH’s hand and gave it one last tight clasp before reluctantly letting it go. EH and her staff stood on the steps of her home as they watched YC’s staff enter his van and drive away. She saw YC give her a wave as the van door slid closed.

Laying in her bed ready to have a good long rest, as tomorrow was a non-filming day for the Missing You production crew, staff and actors; EH lifted her left hand and stared at it, re-living the moment that YC was clasping her hand, sometimes, loosely others tightly, as they rode home together for the first time. She could still feel YC’s right thumb lightly cruising the back of her hand and the heat that spread up from her arm to the rest of her body from that simple contact. She felt her skin come alive, awakened by his nearness, by the warmth emanating from his comfortable hold on her hand. She placed her left hand under her cheek as she turned to sleep on her right side.  She had pleasant dreams that night, dreams of Princes and Princesses and happily ever afters.

YC was having a relaxing can of beer, sitting on the armchair he usually used for reading in his room, and trying to think about the myriad of emotions that EH evoked in him that day during the filming but, more importantly, during the times they were together during breaks and in the MBC waiting room. He was having a conversation with himself that was going this way: “Do you want to get even closer to EH? – Definitely, yes.” “Would you hold on to her, if you could? – Of course, he wasn’t stupid. Who would let go of the opportunity to be with EH, of having a stable relationship with her?” “How long will you want to be with her? – FOREVER” The word resonated in his head and took hold of his heart, powerful…sure…CERTAIN. He felt his world shift another notch. Walking to his bathroom and throwing the remnants of his beer down the drain of his sink, YC prepared for bed. He laid down on his bed facing his window and fell asleep, almost instantly, dreaming of slaying dragons, catching witches and saving a beautiful princess in distress, who looked exactly as he imagined EH would look like in princess attire. Funnily enough, his dream also included a picture of himself holding an adorable baby girl in one of his arms with the beautiful princess safely tucked under his other arm.