June

“Are you excited about your first summer break? Anything special you want to do?” JiYong asked JinShil, who was sitting on his lap. Even though he was more than old enough to feed himself, he really did like to be babied. JiYong didn't mind babying him.

"I want to go to the beach.”

“And you JeongUi, what do you want to do?”

“Video games!”

Jodi snorted and threw a grape at him. “If you think you're sitting in this house all summer, you are very, very mistaken, little boy. Actually, I had planned on taking them back to the U.S. for the break, but with the show . . .”

JiYong nodded and fed another spoonful of cereal to JinShil. His aim was a little off, so he ended up spilling a little milk on his chin. Before JinShil could wipe it off, JiYong kissed him and it off. JinShil giggled, JeongUi looked offended, Jodi smirked. When the food was finished, the twins ran off to put on their uniforms.

“Where's Soo today?” JiYong asked as he helped to clear the table.

“At her parents house. She helped out in the restaurant and was too tired to drive.”

“What do you have planned for today?”

Jodi looked at the clock. “In about fifteen minutes, my staff will start arriving to set up for a shoot. It's going to be an all day event.”

"Do you need to be here for that?”

“Yes, and no. They've been with me for a while, so they know what to do. But, I haven't gone over the concepts with them, so they won't know which props and backdrops to take out.”

“I can drop the boys off at school, if you want.”

“In which car?” Jodi asked suspiciously.

“Since when do car seats go with a Lamborghini?”

* * * * *

As they pulled up in front of the school, JiYong looked in the back just in time to see JeongUi slap JinShil on the hand. “Yah. Don't be that way to your dongsaeng.”

“He's not my dongsaeng,” JeongUi corrected. “I'm maknae.”

“JinShil, you're older?”

“By twenty-seven seconds,” JinShil clarified.

“And he never lets me forget it!” JeongUi added with a pout.

JiYong laughed as he slipped on a pair of sunglasses. Coming to the back, he let JeongUi out first and kissed the top of his head before punching him lightly on the shoulder. JeongUi waved as he ran inside. He helped JinShil next, but stopped him before he could run off. “Hey, can I ask you a question? Why were you so cold to me before.”

“Because I didn't know you. I'm the man of the house and I have to protect my noona.”

“That is a very good reason, JinShil. I'm glad you took the time to feel me out. I take it that I'm okay now, though?”

JinShil shrugged. “You're okay.”

* * * * *

JiYong's phone alerted him to a text message as he pulled in to Jodi's place. The parking lot was nearly full, so he parked her car in the loading dock before checking the message.

Luna: We're having a Just Because on Saturday. Bring your , and your lovely wife.

He grunted as he read the message, then went in to find Jodi. She was in her studio, huddled with her staff going over a checklist. They broke apart and he saw her rub her forehead before catching sight of him from the corner of her eye. Jodi smiled at him while walking over.

"Hey, you.”

"Hey, back. Everything okay?”

"Yeah, I just got word from the group I'm working with today that they lost some of their wardrobe pieces, and will be very late,” she explained. JiYong rubbed her arm sympathetically. “Thank you for taking the boys to school for me.”

JiYong waved it off. “I got a text from Luna. They're having a 'Just Because' this weekend and would like us to attend.”

“A 'Just Because'?”

"Parties for no reason,” he expounded. Though Luna said it was to be a 'Just Because', he knew better. This time of year, DaeSung always sunk into a deep depression, and understandably so. The members and their families did their best to help him break out of it by keeping him close and occupied, no matter how much he protested.

At SeungHyun's house that night, they all showed up separately with bags of soju and snacks. YoungBae made a huge pot of ramen which they sat in the middle of the floor and ate out of while watching variety TV. DaeSung smiled through the night, even though his eyes would tear from time to time. When they were all good and tipsy, SeungHyun grabbed covers off of the beds. They rolled up in them on the living room floor and laughed and talked like trainees with DaeSung in the middle. They didn't want to crowd him, but they needed him to know that he was not alone.

“Sounds good,” Jodi said to him, breaking into his thoughts. JiYong nodded distractedly, then hugged her and kissed her forehead. The staff surrounding them sighed at the cute scene. “I don't pay you to stand around and stare at me. Get back to work!”

JiYong smiled and kissed her cheek. “I've gotta run. See for dinner.”

“Have a good day, dear.”

* * * * *

Episode 9

In Jodi's apartment that Thursday, Jodi and AhJong nodded to one another and smiled tightly. 'Consider that your free pass. I had to fight with my boss to leave it out. If anything like that happens again, I'm going to have to show it, or get fired,' AhJong had said to her after Jodi thanked her for not showing her meltdown at the 100th Day photo shoot. With those words still ringing in her ears, weeks later, Jodi, for the first time since the show began, was incredibly aware of the cameras trained on her.

"You okay, baby?” JiYong asked her quietly with his hand on her hip. Jodi jumped away from him to break the contact.

“Just fine.” Jodi moved farther away from him and grasped her coffee mug. “So, what's on today's agenda?” JiYong looked at her curiously for a moment then smiled. JiYong smiled at her brightly. Very brightly. Too brightly. Jodi immediately became suspicious. “What did you do?”

“Nothing, yet.” A staffer handed JiYong the red envelope and Jodi felt a sense of dread. JiYong continued to smile as he opened it hastily. “Well, would you look at that?”

Jodi read the card and groaned. “No, no, no. Please, no.”

“That's right. 'Do whatever he wants.'” JiYong read proudly. He pumped his fists in the air and started to dance around the kitchen.

“AhJong-ssi! Please say there's a mix up!” Jodi begged. AhJong shook her head. JiYong executed a few victorious hip s. “Baby? Wanna play video games all day? We can go to your studio. I would love to see you work. Hey! Let's rearrange your closet! We can . . . alphabetize by designer. Come on, I'll do anything!”

“Ah, my wife begs so sweetly,” JiYong mused. “But it won't work. My mind is set. We are—“

“Baby, please!”

“—Going shopping.”

* * * * *
 

With his hand on her wrist, JiYong drug Jodi behind him from rack to rack in the empty Hyundai Department store. “Come on, we've only got this place to ourselves for two more hours.”

“How about I just sit over there, and you can shop to your hearts content. My iPad is in my bag, and I'm almost finished with 'A Feast for Crows' any—”

“Jodi.” JiYong gripped her forearms and shook her gently until she looked up at him. “Keep in mind, this is my day. I choose to spend this day giving you everything you want. My goal, is to spoil you until you forget what life was like before me.”

“I don't feel comfortable spending your money,” she admitted through clenched teeth.

JiYong smiled down at her then hugged her. “Oh, I like you so much. I am not bragging when I say that I can buy you anything in here. I want to buy you anything you see and like. There are a lot of things that I want to do to—for—you, but can't.” Jodi caught his slip up. “This I can, so this I will. Now, didn't you say you needed a new wallet? Let's go buy a wallet.”

Before she could protest, JiYong pulled her over to the accessories section of the store. A very flustered young woman bowed to him. “Hello, JiYong-oppa, is there anything I can help you find?”

Jodi gave the girl a quick look, not liking her familiar tone. Catching the look Jodi sent the girl, JiYong chuckled and winked at her. “My wife is in need of a wallet, and is partial to red. Can you show her a few?”

The girl nodded to Jodi and waved her over to the counter. She pulled out a few, Jodi picked up a pretty one with embossed flowers on it. She rubbed her fingers across the leather and liked it, until she opened it and saw the price.

“Did you like that one?” JiYong asked over her shoulder.

“It's nice,” Jodi said in a disinterested tone. She discreetly checked for one that was more reasonably priced.

 “Can you wrap that one up please?” JiYong said to the assistant. Jodi opened and he pressed his finger to her lips to stop her. “Argue, and I will buy the matching bag. You know what, give her the purse, too.”

“JiYong!”

“And if she keeps talking, I will buy everything on the counter.” JiYong looked at her with his eyebrow raised. Jodi said nothing. He pinched her cheeks and kissed her nose. “Was that so hard?”

Jodi stuck her tongue out at him childishly. JiYong winked at her again before dragging her to another part of the store. He caught a glimpse of the two of them as they passed a mirror. He, in a brightly colored Versace shirt, she, in her customary black. It would not do.

“What?” she asked, after he walked around her for the second time.

“I want you to do something for me. Go pick out something I would never expect to see you in. Anything, as long as it isn't black.”

“Why?”

“'Because 'y' is a crooked letter that can't get straight',” he repeated. Jodi rolled her eyes, but didn't argue further. She knew it would be pointless. She wandered around the women's department, trying to find something unlike her. A dress caught her attention and with a shrug, she picked it up along with all the other 'Non-Jodi-like' accessories to match. She made her way over the dressing room to change. JiYong was talking to MinJung in one of the plush, leather chairs, so Jodi hid her choices behind her back and slipped inside. After she was dressed, she took a deep, deep breath and walked out.

JiYong stopped mid-sentence when he saw Jodi in a pink floral dress. In fact, everyone in the store got quiet and stared. Still with his gaze on her, JiYong stood and walked over to her. He used one of her hands to make her spin in a slow circle so he could admire her.

The silence stretched long enough that Jodi felt uncomfortable. “Alright. Well, experiment over. I'll go chan—”

“No!” he said loudly, stopping her from going back into the dressing room. JiYong grasped her hands and held her at arms length to get a good look. “You look absolutely beautiful, and I love the Chucks.”

Jodi smiled shyly. “Thanks.” Jodi patted her hair, adjusting the bow a little. “I saw a few things I think the boys will like. I'm going to head back over to the kids department.”

JiYong requested that the cameras be off for this. AhJong agreed and sent the staff on a break. JiYong placed Jodi's hand on his elbow and escorted her. After confirming what size clothing the boys wore, JiYong went crazy grabbing this and that. Jodi tried to stop him, attempted to remind that they could grow out of the clothes in a month, but JiYong would not be deterred. He even asked, “What do you think SooYoung would like?”

“Money,” Jodi mumbled. JiYong looked at her askance. “It saves the hassle. She just returns everything anyway.”

With that in mind, JiYong ask a clerk to make a ridiculously large gift card for SooYoung. “What about your mother? What would she like. Your uncle? Aunt? Grandparents?”

“Why are you trying to buy gifts for my family?”

“I can't come to them empty handed. That's rude.”

“Woah, woah.” Jodi stopped in her tracks and pulled JiYong to a halt as well. “Who said anything about you meeting my family?”

"I'm not talking about today, or anything, but eventually. You'll meet my family, I will meet yours.” JiYong glanced around and whispered conspiratorially, “That happens when people are dating.”

“We are not—are you crazy?”

He winked at her and pinched her cheek. “Just kidding. Or wishful thinking. Whatever. I'm actually not in a hurry for you to meet my parents.”

“Oh, yeah?” Jodi asked while looking in the other direction. JiYong caught on to the tension in her shoulders and voice. He grabbed her upper arms again and made her face him.

“No. That isn't why. I was not saying that I don't want you to meet my family because of your color. I am hesitant about you meeting them, because my parents house is historically where my relationships go to die.”

Jodi cocked her head to the side and asked, “What do you mean?”

“Any girl that I took to meet my parents didn't stay my girlfriend for long after that. What about you? What was it lik