The daytime at the countryside had changed to night time. The downpour had left as suddenly as it came. Noctilucent clouds drifted by in the sky. The croaking of the frogs and the chirping of the crickets were the only sound that could be heard. The crackling from a television in a nearby house completed the sound of a countryside at night. In the middle of this serenity were two exhausted companions sitting on the dirt road, their backs leaning on the near side of his car. Their legs were straightened out in front of them.

The scene reminded them of a night about four years ago when they celebrated their birthday together for the first time. It was a similar night, but the differences between then and now were obvious. For starters, it was just the two of them now. No cameras. No artificial lights. No manager. No anything. There were only confusion in their hearts at that time. Does she like me? Does he like me? Is it okay to feel this way? But, she’s SNSD’s maknae! But, he’s from CNBLUE! But now, all the questions in their heart were answered. They like – no – love each other. It doesn’t matter whether they’re from CNBLUE or SNSD. All that matters were that they were Jung Yonghwa and Seo Joohyun who share the same feeling for one another.

Back then, a fish pond was in front of them. But now, a rice paddy field was in front of them. Back then, they were seated apart. But now, his left arm was around her shoulder and her head was resting on his left shoulder. Back then, they were dry. Unlike now, they were still wet even though the rain had stopped almost an hour ago. They were both just staring out at the distance. Too tired to say anything. Just enjoying each other’s company.

It was Seohyun who broke the silence. “Oppa, we need to dry ourselves.”

“Hmm?” Yonghwa faced her.

“We’re still wet,” she stated the obvious. “Where should we go?”

“Er, well,” he hesitated. “I didn’t expect it to rain.”

“Then, why did we play in the rain?”

“It seems like a good idea at that moment.”

“Ah, oppa!” Out of habit, she aimed to hit him. He naturally blocked her “attack”.

She stood up and looked down at him. “What are we going to do?”

“I’m sure we’ll come up with something. Er, at least, I’m sure YOU will come something.”

“Ah, oppa!” she whined, stomping her feet lightly on the damp ground.

He stood up, smiling at her antics. He had always find it cute when she whines and tends to about it, so that Joohyun jjing jjing-ie (whiny) would make her appearance.

“Jashik,” he said as he ruffled her hair. “You think I don’t have a backup plan?”

Seohyun just stared at her oppa with her big, round eyes asking the questions. The latter pointed at something behind the former. She turned around. At the corner of the rice paddy field, there was a house. It would have remained invisible if it wasn’t for the single lamp post. The light coming out from one of the windows of the house indicated that the owner was still awake. She faced back at Yonghwa.

“You know we can’t be seen together alone by anyone,” she voiced out her worry.

“It’s alright,” he assured. “I’ve checked. They’re just an oreshin couple. I doubt they’ll pick up the phone to tell the paparazzi about us.”

He opened the car door to the back seats and retrieved a bag. He wore it over his shoulder. He closed the door and locked the car.

“But-” before she can retaliate, he cut her off.

“Don’t worry.” He gave her that reassuring look in his eyes – telling her to trust him. She returned it back with a smile – telling him she does trust him. His hand reached out for her right hand, their fingers intertwined. They walked towards the house as they swung their arms at their side.

“Jashik,” he teased.

“Choding,” she back.

“I’m not a choding.”

“You are a choding.”

And with that, their childish argument began again.

~~~~

Yonghwa knocked on the door. It didn’t take long for someone to open the door. Yonghwa and Seohyun was greeted by a wrinkled face – lines that appeared throughout his life. His back was stooped over probably due to years of harvesting the crops. He squinted his eyes at the two strangers.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“Annyeonghasimnikka, oreshin,” Yonghwa greeted him as he and Seohyun bowed to the man. “Sorry for disturbing your night. But, er, we are kind of wet from the earlier downpour. And, we were wondering if you would be kind enough to allow us to use your washroom for a short while.”

The oreshin squinted his eyes again. He moved his gaze from the guy to the girl, back to the guy, and then, to the girl again.

“Both of you look familiar.”

“Ah, I’m CNBLUE’s Jung Yonghwa.”

“I’m SNSD’s maknae, Seohyun,” Seohyun finally said something to the oreshin.

“Aish,” the oreshin waved the remark away. “Stop joking. Why would they come to our village at this time?”

Yonghwa and Seohyun exchanged glances. “We’re telling the truth,” he replied.

“You don’t have to come up with a story. Just go ahead and use the washroom.”

The young couple stood at the front door, baffled by what had just happened.

~~~~

After cleaning themselves up, the couple said their thank-yous and goodbyes to the generous host. His wife had offered to make dinner for their guests, but Yonghwa kindly rejected it as he had their dinner already planned out. Of course, this invited curious look from Seohyun.

The couple walked back to their car hand in hand. Seohyun suddenly laughed at the thought of the earlier incident with the oreshin. Yonghwa looked at her questioningly.

“What’s with the laughter?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she replied. “I just found it funny how badly you wanted to convince the oreshin that you are CNBLUE’s Jung Yonghwa.”

While Seohyun was cleaning up back at the house, the oreshin asked Yonghwa for his identity – to which he, of course, again said he was Jung Yonghwa. The oreshin still refused to believe him no matter how many times the poor young man tried to convince him otherwise. Seohyun, on the other hand, didn’t have much trouble. She ended up introducing herself as Joohyun, which was already her name in the first place.

“Yah! That’s because that IS my name.”

Seohyun just responded back with a laugh. Yonghwa smiled upon seeing her cheerful face. He hadn’t seen it much at such a close range over the past few months. The butterflies appeared in his stomach once again and fluttered. Why would someone with such a beauty and intellect choose to be with him?

“Ah, yes,” Seohyun stopped in her tracks and turned to him. “How is it that my clothes are with you?”

“Ah, that,” Yonghwa bit his lower lip and rubbed his nape nervously. “I promise not to tell.”

“Tell what?”

“How I have your clothes?”

“Promise who?”

“Someone.”

“Who?”

“Just someone.”

Seohyun hit the guy in front of her again. This time, he didn’t manage to block it. He rubbed his left arm even though it didn’t hurt.

“It’s one of the unnies, right?” Seohyun was sure that they were involved in this meeting. How else would the guy in front of her get his hands on her clothes?

“I didn’t say anything.” Yonghwa knew the girl in front of him is smart enough to figure out who helped him. But, he wasn’t going to be the one to tell her because he made a promise with a SNSD member. And, he knew the consequences of breaking their promise. He had already suffered their wrath when he made her cry for the first time since they were official.

“Is it Hyoyeon unnie?” she guessed – mainly due to the reason that they shared a room together. It was also because her unnie was involved in making most of the couple’s dates possible.

Yonghwa shrugged his shoulders. He was determined not to break his promise.

“Or Tiffany unnie?” she guessed again. She knew how close her unnie and oppa was. One wouldn’t expect them to be friends, especially when one sees their interaction back when her unnies visited the couple at their “newlywed” house. He was flustered upon their arrival and his back was hunched at some point.

Yonghwa shrugged his shoulders again. Seohyun could tell that he was lying. She caught a quick movement in his eyes as his pupils dart to the left and then returned to the centre. He may have hid certain things well from the reporters, but he somehow can’t keep some things a secret from his girlfriend. Not everything, but SOME things. He definitely knows how to plan surprise events for her.

“It was Tiffany unnie, right?” she asked – it was more of a statement to confirm her suspicion.

“I didn’t say it,” he had both his hands up, “showing his innocence”. Seohyun found it adorable that he is somewhat intimidated by her unnies. He’d always emphasise that he is comfortable with them, but she knew that isn’t the truth. Yonghwa knew how Seohyun perceives his relationship with her unnies. He is not fearful of them. It’s just that whenever he sees them, they would be giving off a vibe with their eyes as they smile – as though asking him whether he was taking good care of their maknae. He knew how much they love and care their maknae.

“Alright, alright,” she said. “You didn’t say anything to me. I figured it out myself.”

Her oppa just smiled at her, his hands now at his side. He held her hand again as they continued their walk back to his car. She about that time when her unnies were at their house during their We Got Married (WGM) days. He kept reiterating that he was comfortable with her unnies even though they both knew he was lying.

His grumbling stomach interrupted their teasing. She looked at him with a smile, showing off her pearly whites. He had told their host earlier on that he had a dinner planned already and she wondered what surprise he had in store for her. One can’t blame her for wondering since he had been giving her surprises ever since they met that day.

Yonghwa returned her smile with his own. He pressed the unlock button on his key ring. He proceeded to the trunk of his car on his own and opened it. He took out a foldable chair and set it on the near side of the car.

“What do you think of dinner under the stars?” he asked. “Well, it doesn’t have high-class waiters or live musicians. But, it does have you and me.”

“Cheesy,” she replied. “But, what’s not to like?”