“Cut!” The director yelled. He and the PD marched up to the table and stood over Jodi with matching angry expressions. “What was that?”

“I improvised?” Jodi said in defense of herself. “I'm supposed to love this guy enough to marry him, right? Why would I bow to my husband and ask him about his recording plans? I don't think—”

“You aren't on this show to think. The script clearly stated how this first meeting was supposed to go. If you want to think, go on 'A Quiz to Change the World',” said the PD condescendingly. “We have a plan, there is a script. All you had to do was follow it!”

The director raked his fingers through his hair and turned to face the main PD. “Is any of that even usable?”

“I'll go watch it now.” The PD threw his script on the ground and walked away with his shoulders stiff.

“Gamdoh-nim, if you'll give me—,”she began, only to be cut off again.

“You were late, which should have been bad enough, but then you come in here and ruin the set up. Do you know how much planning and time is spent creating these scenes? What it cost to rent out this cafe?! Do you have any idea—aish!”

“Would you mind not yelling at my wife?” came a calm voice from behind Jodi. Everyone turned to look at JiYong as he walked over and stood directly behind Jodi's chair.

The director bowed to him and twisted the script in his hands anxiously. “JiYong-shi, I'm sorry. This isn't how this was supposed to go. We can replace her, and try this again tomorrow with the back up choice.”

“No, I don't want to try this again tomorrow.”

“Arraso. We can call the replacement and ask her to come now. There'll be a delay until she gets here, but in that time you can rest—”

“You misunderstand me, gamdoh-nim,” JiYong cut in with a polite nod of his head. “I don't want to try this again, and I don't want to do it with another wife.”

“But, you see, the first meeting is important. It gives the audience a sense of how well you will get along through the rest of the show. Love at first sight? Will it be a bad match? They can see that immediately. You can't fake that reaction.” the director explained.

“Obviously, it can be faked, since the paper told me to gasp, cover my mouth and giggle shyly upon seeing him,” Jodi interjected. JiYong put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed a little. She took the hint to be quiet.

“You are the problem here! 'Make it multicultural', the comments said. 'Get an American.',” the director sneered at her. “Are you stupid? You speak the language, but you can't read it?”

“Gamdoh-nim! That's too far!” The PD yelled as he walked back over. The director threw his hands up and walked outside. The PD ruffled his hair and took a couple calming breaths. “The footage of you, JiYong-shi, is salvageable if we edit carefully. We can bring the replacement in, have her look surprised a few times and redo this by this evening.”

“No, thank you,” JiYong told him just as politely.

“We can't work with her. She has to go.”

“If she goes, so do I.”

* * * * *

Jodi turned in her seat to look up at JiYong. What? She was sure she hadn't heard what she thought she heard, because what she thought she heard was ridiculous. “Um, JiYong, was it? You don't have—” She felt his fingers tense on her shoulder again. Okay, I'll just shut up.

“B-b-but, JiYong-shi, you can't do that,” the PD said with a nervous and very fake laugh. “There was a contract signed.”

“MinJung-hyung?” JiYong called out as he looked around. MinJung made a noise, then came over to hand JiYong the drinks. JiYong set Jodi's down in front of her and winked. “How much will it cost if I break the contract and leave the show?”

“I don't have it in front of me, but from what I can recall, the amount of fees, fines and penalties incurred would be about a fifth of what you made during the 'One Of A Kind' tour. Give or take.”

“Thank you,” JiYong turned his attention back to the PD. “The ratings for this show aren't very good, my being on it will be a major boost for you. I'm very popular, I'm not currently promoting anything, so I don't need any publicity. With that in mind, this show can either be recorded with both of us, or neither of us. While you talk it out, my wife and I will sit over there and have our drinks. Jagi?”

Jodi snapped out of her trance when JiYong squeezed her shoulder for the third time. JiYong put her purse on his arm and held his hand out to her. Jodi placed her hand in his, and he lead her to another equally empty part of the cafe. She leaned a little closer to him once she was sure they were out of earshot and whispered, “I didn't know you had that kind of pull.”

JiYong smirked. “I'm kind of a big deal around here,” he whispered back. Reaching a table against another bank of windows, JiYong pulled a chair out for her and waited for her to sit down. She drummed her fingers on the cup and bit her lip.

“I'm not sure if I should thank you, or apologize first. Both seem appropriate.”

“How so?”

“Well, I should apologize for causing trouble. I know I was supposed to just work with the script, but I . . . couldn't?”

“Why not?”

“It's . . . How do I explain it? If someone tells me, 'Do not go left', my instinct is to ask 'Why not? Is there fun to the left? Some form of excitement? Danger, maybe? Even if there is danger, danger is interesting. Why would you want to keep me away from something interesting? Dammit, I must go left',” Jodi said in a rush. She rubbed her forehead and looked at him, shamefaced. “Okay, I realize that sounded incredibly childish, and probably a little crazy, but it's true. I rebel at the thought of doing what I'm told to do. Suggest, ask, advocate, propose, advise, recommend, hint, offer, proposition, appeal, request, . . . but don't tell me. You know?"

There was about a half of a minute of silence while JiYong looked at her. He then put his hand out at the middle of the table. Jodi put hers on top of his and he squeezed. “It is so nice to meet you.”

Jodi squeezed back. “It's nice to meet you, too. I wanted you, whoever you were, to get to know me. Not some character. ”

“I can respect that.” They sat back in their chairs and JiYong asked her, “How did you know I would go along? With you going off script, I mean.”

“I can recognize a rebel when I see one,” she said as she pushed back her hair to reveal her size four gauges. She then pushed her sleeve back a little so he could see a tattoo of a cartoon, walking razor with a trail of blood on her forearm. Jodi then held her left pointer finger up so that he could see where she had the word 'smile' tattooed on the inside of her finger. “I'm a bit of a rebel myself.”

* * * * *

The PD came over to sit with them and had a tight smile on his face. “JiYong-shi, we want this to be an enjoyable experience for you. If you'd prefer to keep her as a wife, we respect your decision.”

“Thank you. What happens next?”

“Well your honeymoon is set to take place at the W Hotel. We've booked the Fantastic Suite for you, it seemed appropriate. They'll serve dinner up there, then you'll have some more time to talk and get to know each other—if that's alright with you.”

“Should we go over now?” JiYong asked. The PD nodded, JiYong stood but noticed Jodi stayed seated. “What's wrong? Not going?”

“Yeah, but . . . my PA has the car. I didn't realize we were doing a second location today. I'll ask one of the coordi's for a ride.”

“No need. Come with me. There's plenty of room in the van.”
 

* * * * *

“I need to check in with home. I'll just be a minute,” she told JiYong as she sat next to him in the van. “Hey, Soo. I thought the honeymoon was on the next filming day, but we're shooting it today. I'm not sure when I'll be home.”

“No problem. I've got everything taken care of on this end.”

“Are the boys okay?”

'The boys?' Upon hearing this, JiYong leaned back further in the seat to ear hustle.

“They're fine, you worry wart. Halmoni is making them something to eat as we speak. Don't worry. We've got this.” SooYoung assured her. “Hold on. JinShil wants to talk to you.”

“Noona?”

“Hey, baby boy. How was school today?”

“It was fun. We made macaroni necklaces. I made one for you and JeongUi made one for noona. The teacher said if I come in early, I can make one for omma, too.”

“That sounds wonderful. I'm sure it's beautiful and I can't wait to wear it.”

As JiYong listened, he noticed how her voice and eyes softened. The conversation was had in a mix of English and Korean, so he didn't catch every word. But the tone of her voice let him know she was talking to someone she cared about. She had a gentle smile on her face as she looked out the window and absently played with her seatbelt.

“Where are you, noona?”

“I'm working, baby.”

“Can we come see you?”

“Not this time.”

“Are you going to be home to read to us?”

“Probably not, but I'll be there when you open your eyes.”

“Promise?”

“I promise. Now, let me talk to your brother.” Jodi waited through a few seconds of silence before JinShil got back on the phone.

“JeongUi says he doesn't want to talk to you.”

Jodi snorted. “Put SooYoung-noona back on.”

“What's up?”

“Hit that other little boy for me.” Jodi heard a satisfying yelp of pain in the background. “Thank you.