It was lunch break and Ha Neul was the first to arrive at the cast’s usual table. It was the last week of filming and he wanted to spend as much time as possible with everyone before they’re forced to part ways. He, along with the other actors and actresses, became incredibly attached not just to the production but to each other as well. He was looking at all the food on his plate when Ji Won and Krystal arrived at the table. Ha Neul smiled at them.

‘I’m really going to miss seeing pretty faces,’ he said.

‘Don’t worry oppa, since you’ve become close with Woo Bin oppa and Hyung Sik oppa, you’ll see them more often,’ Krystal replied. Ji Won laughed and gave Krystal a high five as Ha Neul frowned. Krystal sat down with a smug smile.

‘Where’s Kang Min Hyuk?’ He asked. Krystal’s smile faded and was replaced by a contemptuous glare at Ha Neul.

‘What? I’m sincerely asking where he is,’ Ha Neul explained as he made a gesture of surrender with both his hands. ‘I see him one minute and then he just vanishes like a ghost.’

Krystal sighed. ‘Yeah. He had to go back to their company to film their reality show,’ she replied.

‘OH! You know Min Hyuk’s schedule. And you look sad. Is this another case of reel to real?’ Ha Neul teased.

‘AISH.’ Krystal held her utensils as if she was going to use them to stab someone. For a second there, Ha Neul was genuinely scared she would.

‘Kang Ha Neul, stop teasing her. She might just confirm the rumor and get in trouble with SM,’ Woo Bin said as he sat beside Ha Neul.

‘Oppa, not you too,’ Krystal made a cute sad face that sent everyone laughing.

‘Do you think that will still work on us? You do that all the time! It has no more effect,’ Ha Neul jeered.

Krystal decided to give up and focused her attention on the food instead. Just then, Hyung Sik arrived at the table with his plate. He sat at the end of the table and started to eat. Woo Bin noticed that Hyung Sik looked like something was bothering him.

‘What’s wrong with you?’ He asked.

Everyone turned to Hyung Sik for his response. He looked around, as if trying to scan the room for spies – and when the coast was clear, he spoke carefully.

‘Guys, I passed by Min Ho hyung and Shin Hye noona’s shoot,’ he started to say. Everyone stopped eating and lowered their heads to hear him better. ‘And I’m starting to think… I can feel it… there’s something going on between the two of them.’ He had crazy conspiracy eyes.

All of them sat up straight and let out a disappointed sigh, which confused Hyung Sik. ‘Wae? You don’t believe me?’

Woo Bin looked at him in disbelief. ‘Heol. How can you be exactly like your character?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Ya, everyone thinks there’s something going on between the two of them. Even the staff and crew members talk about it all the time. How can you only notice that now?’ Ha Neul asked, looking at him incredulously.

‘Chincha? Daebak. So are they dating now?’ Hyung Sik asked, still wide-eyed.

They looked at each other and waited for somebody to answer. One by one they shrugged and said that they had no idea.

‘Oppa, aren’t you close with eonnie? She didn’t say anything to you?’ Krystal asked Ha Neul.

‘I asked her once and she just hit me. She didn’t deny it though.’

‘How about Min Ho oppa?’ Krystal turned to Woo Bin.

He smiled conceitedly, ‘my lips are sealed.’

Hyung Sik turned to him excitedly, ‘DAEBAK. Did he say they’re dating?’

‘Not exactly.’

‘Anya, they’re even avoiding each other,’ Ji Won said. The rest of the guys turned to her in surprise. She rarely talked so when she did, it was always about something interesting.

‘What do you mean?’ Ha Neul asked, crossing his arms.

‘I noticed that when we first started filming, they would laugh at each other’s jokes – like people who were trying to become close. When we were in California, they did that everyday. Eventually, they became very comfortable and started teasing each other a lot. But suddenly, they don't really do that anymore. It started after episode 16. It’s obvious they’re trying to keep their distance,’ Ji Won explained.

‘So they don’t like each other?’ Krystal asked curiously.

Ji Won shook her head. ‘No, they do. That’s why they’re avoiding each other,’ she replied, and turned back to her food.

Everyone became silent as they tried to process what Ji Won said. Woo Bin and Ha Neul looked at each other and silently nodded in agreement.

‘I don’t get it,’ Hyung Sik blurted out. ‘So are they dating or not?’

Woo Bin scowled at him. ‘Just eat your food.’

A few minutes passed and they continued talking and laughing. Shin Hye arrived on the table with her food.

‘Annyeong!’ She said brightly as she walked to a chair beside Ha Neul’s.

‘You can’t sit here,’ Ha Neul said, putting his left hand on the chair. ‘I might get in trouble. I can’t go through that again. Sit beside Woo Bin,’ he pointed to an emp