May 18

It didn't take a lot to convince Jodi to join him for a late afternoon nap. He was tired from spending almost eighteen hours in the studio, she was tired from the shoot she had done with a rookie group. Repeatedly yelling, 'Left. No, your left. Your left, not mine!' had exhausted her.

“Shouldn't you be getting ready to go out tonight?” Jodi asked as she got under the covers.

“Bae and Luna are having dinner with his family first. I'm taking him out after that.” JiYong rolled over and pulled Jodi on to his chest. She hooked one leg over his and inhaled the cologne on his neck.

“Did you set an alarm?”

“Two hours,” he answered with a kiss on her forehead. “Close your eyes.”

“Actually, I'm not all that tired.”

“Then just lay here and let me cuddle on you. I'm going to need all my strength to deal with Bae tonight.”

“Maybe, I'll fall asleep if you sing to me?”

“You can't afford my performance fees. Now, hush.”

* * * * *

Jodi was not happy to hear her phone ringing at 3a.m. She considered rolling over and going back to sleep, but thought better it. People don't call at a time like that unless it's important, or there is bad news.

“Hello?”

“Anae, were you sleep?” JiYong slurred into the phone. Jodi shook her head as she sat up and turn the bedside light on.

“Yes, I was. As most people are at this hour,” she responded dryly. “You, sound very drunk. I thought you were going to be the designated driver tonight?”

“I was, but hyung didn't want to drink alone. You can't drink alone on your birthday. It's a rule.”

“Is that so? Huh. So, with all the people in the club, no one else was there to drink with him?”

“That's right. It was my job as his best friend to drink with him on his birthday.” There was a long stretch of silence, then JiYong cleared his throat. “Can you come get us? There's paparazzi outside.”

“And that is different, or a challenge, why?”

“Because I don't want them to follow the taxi to your house.”

“Why would it come to my house?”

“Because I'm sleeping with you, yeobo.”

“Of course you are,” she said with a smile in her voice. Jodi groaned as she got out of bed. “Are you at Aura?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can.”

“Anae . . .” he said slowly, “thank you. You're so nice.”

“Of course, I am. That's why you married me.”

“Nuh-uh.”

“No? Then why did you marry me?”

“Because you're pretty and nice.”

“I'm glad your standards are high. Don't go anywhere, I'll be right there.”

* * * * *

“Ani, those weren't the words. It was . . .”

Jodi glanced in the rearview mirror and laughed as she listened to JiYong and YoungBae, drunk out of their minds, try to remember the words to a rap song that had written together twelve years ago. They argued and giggled with their arms around each other during the ride from the club to YoungBae's home. Professions of love, and jealousy, and admiration were yelled to one another, even though they sat side by side.

“Ani, ani, but you can wear anything! Everything looks good on you.”

“Ani, you're cooler because of all those muscles. I look like I'm fifteen still. You look like a man, I look like a boy,” JiYong argued.

“But women like pretty boys,” YoungBae countered. “And besides, and besides, you make great music.”

“But you dance better, and sing better than me. And, and!” JiYong hollered to cut off YoungBae's next point, “My wife like you better than me.”

“That is true,” Jodi said from the front.

“Yah! If you weren’t driving I would . . . kiss you,” JiYong finished with a drunken giggle. All Jodi could do was shake her head and drive. The two superstars spent the rest of the trip cackling and hitting one another. Jodi had sent Luna a text to let her know what was going on, so she wasn’t surprised to see Luna sitting on the front porch when she pulled into their driveway.

“Hey, girl,” Jodi said to Luna as she stepped out of the car.

“Hey,” Luna responded. She looked in the back seat to see the two men still laughing at absolutely nothing and shook her head. “Good morning,” she said to them as she opened the door. JiYong stumbled out of the car, YoungBae fell out.

“Jagiyah!” YoungBae called from his new seat on the ground. JiYong helped his inebriated friend to stand, and they wrapped their arms each other again, either out of need for balance, or affection, but probably a little of both. YoungBae staggered over to Luna and she caught him in time to stop him from falling again. He clung to her tightly and leaned on her heavily. He turned to Jodi and pointed at Luna. “This is my wife. Isn’t she pretty?”

“Yes, she is,” Jodi said with a small smile. Noticing that JiYong wasn’t quite steady on his feet, either, she grabbed him by the waist and put his arm around her shoulder.

“I haven’t seen you in a while. Think you can be free for lunch some time this week?” Luna asked. As she watched, YoungBae started nuzzling and kissing Luna on the neck. Luna pushed his head away.

“I would like that,” Jodi replied. JiYong dropped his hand to her waist and started rubbing. She smacked his hand. “Do you want to come over? I have a recipe for vegetarian pepper steak that I would love to try on you.”

“Oh, that would—Bae stop it—that would be lovely.” Luna removed YoungBae’s hand from under her shirt with some difficulty and shifted so he stood behind her. “Do you want me to bring anything?”

“Well, since you asked—hey, hey, stop that!” Jodi exclaimed as she moved JiYong’s hand off of her behind and back to her shoulder. “Do you think you could make that macaroni and cheese? It was delicious.”

“I would be glad to. I’ll pick—oh!—up the ingredients on the way home from work later today.” Luna tried to shuffle away, but YoungBae kept his hands firmly on her hips while he kissed her neck and rubbed himself against her backside. “What—can’t you see I’m trying to hold a conversation? Would you cut it out?”

“But, baby,” YoungBae whined, “I want you.” He wrapped his arms around her and on her earlobe. Luna wiggled out of his grasp.

“Can we do lunch on Thursday?” Luna asked, trying to stay focused on the conversation she was trying to complete.

“No, I can’t do Thursday. It’s a filming day for us.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot. How about—Oh my God!” Luna gasped. She gripped YoungBae’s wrist and wiggled, trying desperately to take his hand back out of her shorts. Despite how drunk he was, his grip was strong, and his aim was spot on.

Jodi covered to stop her laughter. She spun around and unceremoniously pushed JiYong into the back seat as quickly as possible. With her eyes averted, Jodi jumped into the driver seat and started the car. “I’ll call you later,” she yelled out the window.

Jodi looked behind her as she pulled back out of the drive. As she was making the turn on the street, the headlights showed her a quick glimpse of YoungBae on top of Luna in the grass.

* * * * *

Jodi found herself chuckling from time to time on the drive home. She looked in the rearview mirror and saw that Jiyong was fast asleep. Slumped over and snoring softly. Back at her house, finally, she closed the car door and saw him jerk awake.

“Are we home?”

Jodi cocked her head to the side and absorbed the question. Are we home?, she asked herself. “Yeah, baby. We're home.”

“I'm sorry I called and woke you up,” Jiyong told her as he got out of the car. The nap had done him good, because he seemed far more lucid than he had when she first picked him up.

“It's okay. I would rather you call me. At least that way I know you got home safely.” She helped him out of t