Monday, August 11th

It occurred to Jiyong that he was a masochist. That was the only reason he could give himself for why he was reading fan comments. Quite simply, they were mad at him. Some expressed their disappointment at his actions, and those hurt him the worst. He was hurt that they were disappointed in him.

A lot of fans stuck up for his wife. Some told her to never forgive him, but most expressed hopes that she would. Some assumed they were already on the road to reconciliation based on them leaving Octagon together. There was a general consensus among the fans was that they didn't want the show to end. As the tide turned that way, hecklers popped up to question the authenticity of the fight. They declared that the argument was staged for ratings. That prompted MBC to release a statement saying the that events unfolded on screen were real, unscripted and unaltered . . . and be sure to tune in next week for the conclusion and decision episode.

“Are you planning to live on my couch?”

JiYong looked up and saw YoungBae looking down at him with pity written all over his face. He had been on YoungBae's couch with little interruption since he got there the day before. JiYong nodded his head and went back to browsing his twitter feed. Seeing what he was reading, YoungBae took the phone and pocketed it. “You know, we have extra bedrooms. You can sleep in one of those.”

“No, this is fine. I'll go home after I shower. Can I borrow some clothes?”

YoungBae nodded and sat on the other end of the couch. “I watched the fight last night. Part of it, at least. It cut off halfway through dinner.”

“Yeah, I watched it this morning,” JiYong answered and rubbed his hands over his face. “I'll give AhJong credit, she let things play out with minimal editing. Strained silences and all.”

“So what happened after that?”

“After I was finished acting like a jealous , I told her I didn't trust her.” YoungBae breathed in quickly and wore a pained expression. “Yeah, I know. I ed up.”

“You're fans are mad at you. I read some of the comments and twitter messages too.”

“A lot of people are mad at me, no one is madder at me than me.”

“What made you freak out on Jodi like that?”

JiYong rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “Pressure.”

“What pressure?”

“You probably should hear this from me,” JiYong said as he sat up. “Yang wants me to put out a single next month and promote for a few weeks. I swear, hyung, this isn't what I wanted and it will not interfere with your album release.”

YoungBae looked away and toyed with his wedding ring for a moment. Then he smiled. “That's fine. You get to be my opening act for once.”

JiYong reached out and shoved his shoulder goodnaturedly. More than anything, JiYong had been nervous about YoungBae's reaction to that news. His friend had been working so hard on his album that any more delays or setbacks might push him off the deep end. “If it was up to me, I'd just drop the single Beyoncé style and be done. But . . .”

“Yang wants a stage for it?” YoungBae asked and JiYong nodded. “Any ideas?”

“Is it wrong to say I don't care?” JiYong said, almost to himself. YoungBae laughed gently and settled back more comfortably. “Seriously. I don't want to do this now. I really, really wanted this time off. I'll give the track to the choreographers and let them tell me where to stand. I don't care about the sets or putting on a perfect performance. I just want to sing the song over and over again and delight the fans for two weeks and be done, then go back to living quietly like I have been. Hopefully Jodi will take me back. That'll make all of this more bearable.”

YoungBae sat quietly for a time, his hands cupped over his mouth. “Is it fixable between you two?”

“I think so. I hope so, but I'm not sure. She won't let me fix this.”

“Have you tried going over there and talking to her? You can be very persuasive.”

JiYong shook his head. “Can't. The men in her life expressly forbid me from doing that. They told me it would only make things worse if I pressure her. I'm supposed to wait until she calls me first.”

YoungBae nodded once more and stood up. He clapped JiYong on the shoulder and ruffled his hair. “I have a meeting to get to, but stay as long as you want. Lu should be up soon. Check on her for me?”

“Is she okay?” JiYong asked with genuine concern.

“Morning sickness,” YoungBae answered with a shrug. “Give her dry toast and a bottle of water if she needs it and nothing else. No matter how much she complains and asks, don't cave. My mom should be over soon to make her something.”

“She's pregnant, shouldn't she eat everything in sight?”

YoungBae shook his head. “Not with her diabetes. It's a balancing act between starving herself or the baby. If she eats whatever she wants, we could end up with a six kilo baby.”

“Wait, she's four months along now?” YoungBae nodded and JiYong started bouncing excitedly. “Then you can tell the of the baby. Boy? Girl? You have to tell me so I can start buying clothes.”

His friend laughed and slapped his head gently. “We aren't going to find out.”

“Wae?” JiYong whined and pouted.

YoungBae's face turned serious and sad, though his lips still held a smile. “This has been a difficult pregnancy, and it'll get worse. Whether isn't a boy or girl doesn't matter, we just want a healthy baby. That's all I can pray for right now. For her health, and for the baby to be delivered safely.”

Getting off the couch, JiYong wrapped his best friend in a hug. He squeezed a little tighter and told him, “It's going to be fine, Bae. We're all praying for her.”

“That means a lot. Thank you,” YoungBae said thickly.

JiYong patted his shoulder and punched him in that way that men do. “ Go. Don't worry, I'll take care of your wife.”

“Thanks, but figure out how to take care of your own too.”

* * * * *

Tuesday, August 12th

WGM Interview

JiYong watched himself on the monitor with a pained expression. He knew what he had done, but it was different to watch himself do it. To watch himself accuse her and walk out of the room with her phone in his hand. To watch her ask if it was supposed to be a prank. To watch her put on a brave face when the rest of the cast walked in. The footage skipped to the end of dinner and he cringed at the sound of clattering plates and Ebah's warning growl. He watched Jodi walked out again and his shoulders sagged. AhJong turned off the monitor and turned to him.

“How does watching that make you feel?” she asked him.

He shifted in his seat and crossed his legs. He adjust the sunglasses on his nose and clenched his hands together. “Ashamed. Embarrassed.”

“Can you explain why you behaved that way?” she pressed.

“I won't try to make excuses. I had some things come up suddenly and throw me off, but it had nothing to do with her. I took my unrelated anger out on her and I feel terrible about that. It was stupid of me, I know. I think she knows, too.”

“Have you had a chance to talk to her and explain yourself?”

He shook his hand. “I saw her a few times this weekend, but we didn't really get to talk like I would have wanted. I have had a chance to apologize, but she hasn't accepted it yet.”

AhJong tapped a pen on her knee and cut to the chase. “Since it's been six months, it's time for you to decide whether or not to stay with the show. What do you think she’ll say?”

JiYong toyed with his hair took a while to answer. “I honestly don’t know.”

“What do you want her to say?” AhJong questioned further.

“I want her . . . to make the choice she’s most happy with.”

“And what do you want?”

“ . . . her.”

* * * * *

Wednesday, August 13th

JiYong traded one couch for another. He laid on the couch in the studio, lazily nodding his head to an instrumental track and doodling in his notebook. He didn't what he wanted to say, the words weren't coming to him. Completely frustrated, he threw the notebook down and flung himself back.

“You okay back there?” Teddy asked, not even bothering to turn around.

“I'm fine,” JiYong said unconvincingly. So unconvincingly, that Teddy saved the file he was working on and turned around.

“Look, I've only met Jodi a few times, but she seems to be the reasonable sort. She's hands down the most mature woman I've ever seen you with. She'll call, you'll see. But until then, write what you're feeling and make a hit song. That's what you do best. Got it, kid?” JiYong nodded and retrieved his notebook. His phone rang on the desk and he ignored it. Teddy let it ring twice more before reaching back to pick up. “This might be that call you're waiting for.”

“I doubt it,” JiYong said it a short laugh. That was until Teddy turned the phone to face him so JiYong could see that 'Oh Studios' was calling him. JiYong stared down at the phone mutely.

“Answer it before she hangs up!” When JiYong still didn't move, Teddy did it himself. “JiYong's phone . . . hey, Jodi . . . oh, he's just got his headphones on. Let me get him for you.” Teddy the phone into JiYong's hands and thumped his forehead. “Talk to your wife.”

He left the room as JiYong lifted the phone to his ear. “Jodi-yah?”

“Hello, JiYong.”

“Are . . . are you well?”

“I'm fine. And yourself?” she asked with no real enthusiasm.

“I miss you,” he told her honestly. “Did you listen to the CD?”

“I did. I liked a few of the songs on there,” Jodi admitted. “And because I know you'll ask, yes, I listened to track five and yes, read your letter. But that isn't why I called.”

“Oh.”

“I called because . . .” she went quiet and he could hear her sighing. “Because I need your help.”

“Anything. Whatever you need,” JiYong assured quickly. She was quiet for so long that he called her name again.

“I feel like a ing hypocrite.”

“Why?”

“Because I need to trade on your name, and I just said I don't care about your fame.” He could hear her groan and opted to wait for her to explain. “You're schedule is still on the calendar here, so I know Sunday is a busy day for you. But, if you could block out an hour, two at most, that morning, I would really appreciate it. There's going to be a party at the gallery where I'm supposed to have my show next month. There hasn't been a lot of buzz about it, so the gallery owner is getting . . . anxious. “She's not saying, but she's saying that she won't promote the show if she doesn't get to meet you” Jodi said with a small laugh, though he could tell she found none of it funny. “There will be a bunch of celebrities there and she wants to show off her tenuous connection to you. If it was up to me, I would cancel the ing show because that, and her. But my agent won't let me. So if you come with me, I think that'll put her at ease.”

“You aren't a hypocrite, Jodi,” he told her honestly. “She is a , though, for putting you in this position. Either way, I'd be glad to go with you. When is it?”

“It's a brunch, daytime formal event—because the artist is a pretentious . I don't even like him,” she said with a sneer in her voice. JiYong laughed along softly and could imagine her rubbing her face and rolling her eyes. “Anyway. If you could pick me up at 9:30, that would be great. The party starts at ten, but the gallery isn't too far from my house.”

JiYong cheered quietly. “I'll be there. See you then.”

“Thank you, JiYong. I appreciate it.”

“Of course. Any—” Click. “time.”

He threw himself back on the couch and picked up his notebook again.

Hey. What’s up baby girl?
I bet you look beautiful today
How’ve you been?
I know it’s awkward between us right now
I know everything feels so strange
I pretend to be cool and start talking to you
So you won’t be uncomfortable
The atmosphere gets better at our cute jokes . . .

* * * * *

Friday, August 15th

Jodi planned on spending a quiet night at home with 'Scandal', but her girl friends had other plans. Led by SooYoung, Ailee and Amber walked in and sat themselves down on the couches. “Why are all of you here?”

“To cheer you up,” Ailee answered as she started digging through bags.

“But I'm not sad,” Jodi told them.

“Of course you are. You can talk to us, Jodi. We're your friends,” Amber added. Pulling soju, wine and chocolate out of the bag at her feet, she started passing it around.

“Honestly, I'm fine though,” Jodi argued. Hearing a commotion behind her, Jodi looked over to see Jay come in with his arms full of bags.

“Nah, ladies. Don't worry. I got this,” he said sarcastically as he set the burden down.

“Thank you, Jay!”

“You're so strong,” Ailee said with a wink. Jodi chuckled as she saw Jay blush.

“Since I'm obviously being subjected to a Ladies Night, are y