“You need to work at this issue with him, and prove to his parents that you guys are determined to fight through every possible hurdle there is out there in life together.”

Jihyo thought back to the night in Macau. Rarely did she talk about her personal life or reveal her personal emotions to the outside world, but she felt very comfortable with her Gary oppa. Their relationship had become even closer these past few months. She kept true to her word and made a conscious effort to spend more time off-set with her Runningman family, attending almost every outing. Though slightly embarrassed that she, the strong woman, the Ace, lost all control over her emotions and bared her heart out to Gary, she nevertheless was grateful for that night. It had put a lot of her issues into perspective. His words were wise beyond measure, an unexpected shock to Jihyo. She didn’t take Gary to be the truly emotional, astute and sentimental type. She would expect such from Sukjin, an older more experienced man, but was pleasantly taken back by Gary’s words. She thought that his on screen demeanor was purely an act, but it turns out that he’s deeper and more romantic than she initially gave him credit for. She smiled as she looked through the display cases.

“Excuse me miss, I would like the get this keychain,” she said to the store assistant, pointing at a piece within the brightly lit cabinet. It was a simple designed keychain, yet with elaborate details carved into the white gold. She thought to herself that it was the embodiment of Kang Gary; plain and simple to the eye, yet elaborate and beautiful upon closer inspection. “It’s made of gold too, just like his heart,” Jihyo smiled.

“Excellent choice Song Jihyo ssi,” the shop assistant said. “Would you like it to be engraved as well?”

“Yes please. Let me write it for you, and please keep this between us. No one knows about this and I would like to keep it that way,” Jihyo replied in a serious yet non-threatening tone. She scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to the shop assistant. She looked at her name tag and asked, “When can I pick it up, Kim Mi-kyung ssi?”

“I’ll have it ready by tomorrow, Song Jihyo ssi. And don’t worry, I’ll ensure that no one finds out about this. I am a big fan of yours. But do you mind if I take a picture with you?” Mi-kyung asked with a shy smile.

Jihyo brightened. She always loved bumping into fans. “Sure, but only if you keep this between us,” Jihyo said with a smile. Mi-kyung nodded furiously with excitement and ran over with her cellphone. After paying for the keychain, she thanked Mi-kyung and exited the shop.

Mi-kyung finalized the paperwork and placed a new keychain along with the papers into a bag for the engraver. Curiosity getting the better of her, she sneaked a look at the inscription message:

To My Gary Oppa,

Thank you for showing me the light.

Love,

Mongji

Mi-kyung smiled and placed the note back into the bag.

                                                ************************

Baek Chang-joo yawned. He was tired, just coming off a long flight from Los Angeles. He had left Seoul on the same day as Jihyo did for Macau, but since then had been stuck in meetings and scouting interviews. They had left on unpleasant terms due to the awkward dinner with his parents a few nights before they departed. He had called her every night but Jihyo didn’t pick up the phone. She had left him a message to say that she wanted some time to think about what had happened and will only talk to him upon his return to Seoul. Ever since the dreaded day they fought, he hadn’t had much sleep, torn between his personal troubles and his busy schedule. He was tired, yet no matter how long he lay in bed, he couldn’t sleep. Even on the long flight back from LA, all he could do, all he could think about, was her.

The car raced down the expressway, about 15 minutes away from his place. Although they weren’t yet married, they unofficially were staying together. During the term of their harmonious relationship, she had stayed over at his place so much, it became her second home. She rarely went back to her own place, and since she worked at his agency, it made sense to commute together everyday. He was sweating with anticipation. Upon his arrival, he had called her to say that he arrived and that he missed her. She never picked up his call, but instead messaged him back saying that she will meet him at home.

“What is wrong with her? How come she won’t answer any of my calls?”

Chang-joo was becoming increasingly frustrated with the woman he loves. He missed her dearly but couldn’t even get her on the phone to tell her that. He looked down at the bouquet of flowers he bought from her and sighed.

“Jihyo-ah, I miss you. Please don’t get upset. I love you. Please, don’t do anything rash,” he prayed silently.

They had been officially in a relationship for over 2 years now and he couldn’t imagine life without her. He felt nauseous at the very thought of her leaving him, his fears causing butterflies in his stomach. Every minute that passed only increased the tension he was feeling. He was torn; on one hand he desperately wanted to see her to apologize and make up, yet on the other side he feared the worst in her attitude and response to him. He silently gazed out he window as he pondered, the flashing lights and beeping cars doing nothing to pierce the solemn look on his face. Even though it was already night time and he hadn’t eaten in over 8 hours, there was only one thing on his mind.

The car finally arrived at his house. His driver opened the driveway gate with the remote and slowly drove in. As they pulled up at the porch, the driver turned and asked him, “President Baek, will you be going out tonight? Shall I remain on standby in case you are hungry?”

The sudden question brought Chang-joo back to reality as he realized he was home. “No thank you. You may go for the day. I have some matters to handle at home and I doubt I will be going out.” The driver nodded and proceeded to help him unload his bags.

After the car was parked in the garage and the driver had gone, Chang-joo stood in front of his house for a moment. He looked up at the sky and offered a prayer.

“Please God, don’t take her away from me. I don’t know how I would live without her.”

He wasn’t the type to cry, yet he could feel his emotions thrashing about like a violent sea. His throat tightened up and he found it slightly harder to breathe. Forcing himself to calm down, he braced himself and walked towards the front door. Unlocking it, he took his bags and entered the house. He could hear the television from the doorway and knew that Jihyo was in the living room. It was her favorite place besides the kitchen. More often than not she would fall asleep there, TV still on, and he had to carry her back into the bedroom. He took a deep breath and prepared himself.

“Yeobu, you home? I’m back. Where are you?” he asked aloud. He heard the TV being turned off and a rustling on the couch.

“Oh, oppa! You are back,” Jihyo said from around the corner. She slowly got up and walked towards him. There was an aura of awkwardness in the air, and both realized it. She went to him and gave him a hug. He smiled, already relieved at the fact that she was home and she came to greet him. He had so much to say, but before he could get a word out, she put her finger across his lips signaling that she didn’t want him to talk.

“Oppa, before you say anything, there’s a few things I need to tell you.”