The entire GWGM entourage occupied the top floor of the hotel.  One room was prepped as our honeymoon suite where we did most of the filming.  We took a few more shots at the hotels swimming pool where Gui Gui and I were taking our afternoon dip.  She was a good swimmer as was I.  I was glad that there was something in common that we share.  I also noticed that she had a y voluptuous body. Not that I'm staring but I'm a healthy male after all.  

After we had dinner, we had to film our "sleeping time scene" before we'll call it a day.  I saw Gui Gui passing out warm drinks to the staff after noticing that eveyone was almost ready to pass out.  She’s so thoughtful and kind, selfless even to some point.  I knew she was exhausted too, having only slept for an hour. And yet, there she was taking care of others first.  Finally, she came to me.

"Oppa, I know you're tired.  Have some of these so you can get energized."

She cared for me.  "Thank you Gui Gui.  Have some for yourself too, looks like you're ready to hit the bed."  She just waved her hand at me but obeyed me nonethless.

We were in the middle of a scene when I noticed Gui Gui's manager, Eta, getting upset over a phone call.  She approached PD-nim and had a serious discussion with him.

"Cut! Sorry everyone, we need to suspend filming until tomorrow.  Something urgent just came up," announced PD-nim.

"Gui Gui, I need to talk to you," Eta said and motioned for Gui Gui to hurry.  Gui Gui hurried after her to her room.

"What's going on PD-nim?"

"I dont know Taec, something happened in Taiwan.  Eta said it's urgent that she speaks to Gui Gui.  I hope it is nothing serious."

I was extremely worried for Gui Gui.  What could have happened?  I'm not one to meddle with other people's affairs but when it comes to her, I get so protective.  I knocked in Eta's room and was silently hoping that she would let me in.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Taec."  I heard Eta unbolting the locks.

"This is really not a good time Taec, can't it wait until tomorrow?"  I could hear Gui Gui sobbing from inside.

"Eta-ssi, I hear Gui Gui crying.  I don’t know what’s going on but I want to help.  I know this is none of my business but I promised her I'll be there for her in good and tough times."  After some pleading, Eta finally allowed me in.

"In the bedroom," Eta pointed.

I rushed to the bedroom and found her sitting on the floor, back against the bed, and arms hunched over her knees. She was sobbing like a wounded child.  It's as if someone had pierced a dagger through my heart. I was in pain seeing her like that.  I knelt beside her and started her head.

"Gui Gui, why are you crying?"

"Oppa, I don’t want you to see me like this."

"I promised you I'll be your family while you're here in Korea, please let me help you."

She stopped crying momentarily and then looked at me.  Despite her tears, she still looked beautiful.

"I'm so sorry, Oppa" and then hugged me.  She started crying again.  I hugged her back not really sure what to do.  I let her be.  She cried her heart out as I held her tight.  I her head and back to soothe her.  My shirt started to get damp from her tears until she could cry no more.   She got worn down from crying.  I got up to grab the bottled water from the nightstand and offered it to her.  After taking a few sips, she composed herself and faced me.  What she revealed stunned me into silence.  

"Oppa, we've only known each other recently.  Although, we dont know each other quite well, I feel that I can trust you with my past.  My life is not as happy as the face I carry in public.  When I was 6 years old, my mother left us for another man.  I'm glad she left us when I was too young to understand everything.  My father and grandparents raised me the best way they could.  I must say I had a happy childhood.  My father tried to be strong but eventually grief overtook him and he succumbed to alcohol.  My grandparents died in a car crash when I was 12 and this drove my father even further into drinking.  I had to grow up fast. The money my grandparents left us was almost gone.  Dad couldn't keep a steady job and I felt I must support both of us."

I held her hands and just sat silently beside her.

"I tried to audition for for an acting job.  Fortunately, luck was on my side and I got hired.  My meager income helped us get by. When I began making a name for myself, my estranged mother suddenly showed up in our doorstep.  She said she was truly sorry that she abandoned us.  She wanted me to know that she loves me and would change everything if she could turn back time.  I believed her words.  I longed to have a mother for the longest time.  In order to please her, I bought everything she wanted -- a brand new house, a car and a boutique to run her new business.  She also asked if I could I put a specific amount of money in her account every month so she can pay for her bills.  She also told me that to prove my love for her, I should also pay for my stepbrother and stepsister's tuition fees.  Little did I know, she only saw me as an investment.  She never showed me that she cared.  Never attended my birthdays or my dad's.  Nor did she took care of me, not once, when I was sick.  She was never there for us."

I just Gui Gui's hand reassuring her that I'm here for her.  She took a deep breath and continued her story.

"Surprisingly also, so many scandals about me had surfaced since my mother's return.  Some of these scandals alleged that I have been mistreating my mom and her kids now that I am better off.  Eta suspects that my mother had something to do with it but I didn't want to believe her.  Eta argued with me that my mom had no job, neither does her husband, but she seems to be getting richer by the day.  When I asked my mom about her good fortune, she just told me that she gets lucky at the casino all the time.  Eta took matters into her own hands to prove her suspicion.  She hired a private eye to follow my mother's every move."

Gui Gui suddenly stood up and retrieved a folder from the drawer.  She handed it to me and urged me to look at it.  I hesitantly opened the folder.  I looked at her and reassured me that it's okay.  I started perusing through the documents.  The first thing I saw was a picture of Gui Gui with a shirtless dude smiling happily at the camera.  I glanced up at her with a questioning look.

"Read through it, Oppa then I will continue to explain."

It was a newspaper clipping about the man in the photograph with Gui Gui.  It stated that she is in a secret relationship with this George Hu but that the guy has a girlfriend who is pregnant with his child.  Gui Gui was being portrayed as the woman who caused havoc in this couple's relationship.  It further said that Gui Gui shouldn't be in the GWGM show since she is really in this troubled romance with this guy and is therefore, not legitimately single.   Gui Gui was carefully watching my expression, worry evident on her face.  

The next documents that followed were pictures of a woman, probably in her early or middle 50's, who resembled Gui Gui in features.  She was handing what appears to be pictures of Gui Gui and this George Hu to different people.  In turn, these people were handing the woman a thick envelope of something.  She appeared to be watching her surroundings, making sure no one was watching her.  I carefully closed the envelope and handed it back to Gui Gui without saying a word.

"Are you going to judge me, Oppa?" she asked, nearly choking on her own words.

"No. I will listen to what you have to say."

"The guy in the picture was my on-screen partner in a drama I recently filmed.  That picture was taken during our last day of filming as a souvenier.  He was fully clothed and we were in the company of the filming crew and other casts.  Our tandem was well received back in Taiwan and China.  The public thought that we could be a good couple in real life.  The woman in the photograph is my mother.  The man who took these pictures, is the private eye that Eta hired.  My mother had managed to have this picture photoshopped so it appears that George was half .  She was feeding these pictures to the media.  In return, she has been paid a huge sum of money.  She is the one quoted as the "reliable source" in the tabloids.  She told her contacts that I was indeed having an affair with George and to prove her point, she handed those pictures to them.  Anyone who sees that picture would conclude that George and I share an intimate relationship.  Eta had these documents a few days ago but did not disclose it to me until now so I will have a clear head while we're filming.  The news broke in Taiwan and China today.  The public was in a frenzy.  Even in the Internet, it's a hot topic.  You should read what people are saying about me.  They chose this day to publish the news because they knew I'm here filming GMGM.  I couldn't care less what others think of me but, why my own mother?  What have I done to deserve this?  Why couldn't she love me back? Despite all the preposterous things she did to me, I couldn't bring myself to hate her but I won't let her hurt me again."

She covered her face with her hands and started to sob again.  I wiped her tears with the back of my hand and embraced her tenderly.  I could feel her pain but I couldn't really empathize with her.  I don't know what it's like to have a broken family.  I come from a happy family whose parents love each other unceasingly.  My parents always attended to our needs first and protected us fiercely from anyone who wished to harm us.  All I could do was comfort and reassure her that everything will be fine.  Finally, she fell asleep in my arms.  I scooped her off the floor and carried her to her bedroom. After I tucked her in, I gave her a kiss goodnight on the forehead.

"Goodnight, my little ghost.  Someday, everything will be okay, I promise."