Yoona: The last time I saw Changmin-sunbae was… almost a month ago.

That’s a pretty long time. Both of you must have been busy.

Yoona: Yeah. Things got a little hectic – what with my drama filming and Dong Bang Shin Ki flying off all around Asia for their fan meets... it’s been difficult to set up a time where we would be in the same country together.

You must have missed him.

Yoona: [pause] I was glad to see him again, yes.

* * * *

Changmin was standing over the counter with his arms crossed on his chest, peering closely at a cake display in front of him.

[ MC#1: Wow… look at him.

(Screen shows Changmin asking the cashier about a cake;
looking like he’d dressed to impress in the late evening out in Seoul City.)

MC#2: Yoona-shii is really lucky.
She got herself a handsome husband.

MC#1: Except… you know…
The WGM staff picked him for her.

MC#2: [laughs] True. ]

It was late, around 11 in the evening, and shockingly cold in Seoul. He had finished his schedule earlier than expected and had enough energy and time to spare for a little visit to the filming set of Yoona’s drama, “Love Rain”. Of course, he hadn’t really thought about it – but when the WGM producers came by at his last schedule and mentioned that Yoona’s set was actually only a few blocks from where they were… Changmin didn’t think it would be bad to squeeze in a few more hours of airtime to go and see his TV wife. There was no harm in that, after all. They were ‘married’ on TV.

(Changmin tried not to think about the way Yunho had raised his eyebrows and grinned mischievously at him when he said that he’d go and see Yoona. His words ringing in his ears – “Thought you were too tired to go anywhere. Guess not if you’re on your way to see your ‘wife’, huh? You must really wanna see her, Min.”)

And he did, admittedly enough. He does want to see her. But he wasn’t about to admit that to Yunho (or to anyone for that matter) anytime soon.

It had been three and a half weeks exactly since their date together at SM Entertainment, and so far things were going pretty smoothly. He caught a glimpse of a group of girls talking and pointing their cameras at him by the bakery’s window and let out a tired sigh. At least… things were going as smoothly as his and Yoona’s fans allowed things to be.

Changmin pointed at a white, round cake and went over to the counter to pay for it – smiling as he did so while remembering the comments he’d read the night before. The episode where they’d gone to the park for their first date had apparently just aired during the weekend and so far, to everyone’s surprise, the feedback had been good. He wondered briefly what the audience would think about what happens after that time in the park to go their company’s building (and all their hand-holding – He was sure the camera caught a lot of that) and immediately decided not to worry about it too much.

As far as he was concerned, there were no death threats yet and things were fine. Changmin decided he’d rather keep those thoughts in mind instead of worrying anymore than he should. What was important now was that he got to see his ‘wife’ again tonight and film well enough for a few episodes until their next meeting. Time was running away with them after all, with their packed schedules all year round.

He sighed and waited patiently for his cake to be wrapped up; playing with the mission card the PDs had given him just minutes ago in his hands. The instructions on the card said to read the mission once they were together and he was already anxious to know what it was. Admittedly, Changmin worried about things like these a little bit. He’d watched enough episodes of WGM to know that the missions they get could either be very easy (opening a bank account together, for example) or very hard (like moving into a strangers’ house to call their own for a year or so). Truth be told, he was in no way ready to do anything wildly out of his comfort zone with Yoona yet… and he wasn’t entirely ecstatic to know what their mission would be for tonight.

Kyuhyun had just a few days ago over the phone, telling him he was being too stiff and awkward on the show. “Yoona is not a girl you have to impress. She’s one of us! She’s our friend and co-worker. Relax and enjoy the fact that you get to date in broad daylight!” He’d told him, laughing at him through the receiver. It was one of those rare times that Changmin couldn’t find the right words to retort. Instead he’d just sat silently with the phone to his ear, rolling his eyes while he looked on at the Tokyo night skyline.

“She’s not going to think you’re disgusting if you laugh the way you do around the guys. Yoona’s not like that. If anything, she’s an energy pill. Just the thought of her makes anyone feel better.”

“Thanks.” Changmin said, shaking Kyuhyun’s words out of his head. Bowing to the cashier politely, he turned to leave with a short sigh. His manager waved at him from the driver’s seat as he slid into the van. They were on their way to Yoona’s filming location now, and for some reason, he felt a better – less anxious and worried over the mission and just looking forwards to seeing his – well, ‘wife’. It was like the anxiety he’d felt just moments ago vanished at the thought of finally meeting with Yoona again.

I guess Kyuhyun’s right. Just the thought of her can make anyone feel better.

“Does she know we’re coming, Changmin?” His manager asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. They stopped at a light as Changmin shook his head in response.

“No. It’s a surprise.”

* * * *

Changmin: She was in Korea with her members, recording for another single while I was in Japan, working on a drama stint with Yunho. We didn’t get to see each other for almost a month, I think.<