“I won’t. I can’t. Not with this woman, I won’t.”

Song Jae Rim’s eyes nearly narrowed into slits, but the old man didn’t blink an eye.

“Maybe you’ve forgotten how this entertainment show biz works, son. Hate to break it to ya, but this is MBC, . They make the rules; ya get paid fer followin’ it, everyone’s happy- the end. Whatdaya mean, ‘no’? You know how ‘We Got Married’ works.”

Hell, he did. But this woman was too god damned beautiful for her own good.

He had purposely avoided being romantically involved with anyone for the past eight years in his life, and no, it wasn’t because of the stupid celebrity contract he had signed.

His motto had always been something like: Forget the past, focus on the present day. Hooray for ‘Carpe Diem’.

As much as he tried, Jae Rim found it nearly impossible to do so.

For years, after that incident, Jae Rim had often lost himself in a vulnerable, feeble state- it nearly drove him to a point of insanity. He had spent more than a quarter of his life hating himself for mourning over his shattered heart, broken by the wench he is still very much in love with.

Imagine! A man, incapable of overcoming a simple break up! 

Since then, Jae Rim was determined to become aual- for the sake of his heart, for the sake of his well being.

So why the hell did the picture of a stunning woman scare the living out of him so much?

Well, Song Jae Rim was a coward.

And because he is the coward that he is, he didn’t want to risk any chance of him, falling in love again.

“You should be happy,” His manager continued, now shaking him by the crisp collar of his polo t-shirt, “that MBC chose you, a newbie, the rookie. Finally I get to make profit. You know how much I’ve regretted scouting you, boy?”

Jae Rim had no choice but to stay silent. Every word that his manager uttered was, sadly, true.

“Finally you get a chance, Jae Rim. A chance to be known… Y’ could earn fame, money, more work... And you want to blow it away? It’s right under yer nose! What’s the matter with you?”

“She’s beautiful,” Jae Rim admitted, all too honestly.

“They did ya a great favor, then. Now, if I get one more peep outta you, asking me to cancel the contract…”

His manager sent him a threatening death glare, and Jae Rim’s focus dropped to the ground.

And he continued to stay quiet, continued to behave in his obedient character- his usual agreeable, pleasant self.

And now here he is, regretting every second of what he did that day.

Here is Kim So Eun, the second woman in his life who had managed to quicken his heartbeat.

What bliss it is, to feel the weight of her head rest comfortably down on his lap, and grip on tightly to her cold, delicate fingers that are intertwined with his.

She couldn’t possibly be human; she was too angelic of a creature. So Eun’s skin, Jae Rim noticed, radiated glowing light, making her look absolutely heavenly and surreal.

Looking at her was almost as if he was staring hard into brilliant light. Afterwards, he would feel completely light headed, and his heart would thump from the lack of control he had from all the pleasure he felt by just looking at her.

Yes, he is in love.

There was no point in denying it. Kim So Eun had one day become a part of his life, as a whole. He thought of her everyday- the second after his eyes opened in the morning, right before his eyes closed at night, and every time before a meal. When he was delightfully happy, he would imagine her smiling, happy with him, and when he became pessimistically depressed, he could almost see her reassuring face.

Every day of the week, in the midst of his busy schedule, he’d wish for Monday to arrive quickly so that he could see So Eun’s smiling face. He’d plan on what he would say and do so that he could impress her, and every Monday, when So Eun laughed because of his premeditated actions, his heart would burst in satisfaction.

So, yes, he was in love. But how ever did that matter?

Kim So Eun did not love him back, he had concluded. Her hollow affection towards him told him so; their relationship, after all, is only pretend, all scripted by the ‘WGM’ producers.

There, he heard it again- the quickening of his heartbeat as she gently brushed a strand of his hair away from his eyes, thawing every chilled corner of his insides with a loving smile.

He knew that he would not be able to keep himself from falling deeply in love with her. The earlier their interaction stopped, the better, he supposed. More time with her meant he would fall for her harder, deeper. Even now, he knows he is digging his own grave.

Just a little more. He could deal with all future consequences, he would often convince himself, if it only allowed him a bit of more time with her.

“Oppa. Look at what I prepared for you. Doesn’t it look appetizing?” So Eun had an authentic, bright smile on her face as she placed the pot of boiling stew onto the table. She was obviously happy with the result, by the way she beamed at him. Her expression was priceless- so pure, animated, and… and real…

 Her genuine expression made him do a double take. Jae Rim often wondered if So Eun was really content with him as her companion and husband (although virtual) as he, with her. Yes, So Eun is an actress, but.... a jolt of hope sparked throughout his chest.

“So long as it’s not kimchi stew,” Jae Rim replied, teasing.

So Eun’s long eyelashes fluttered indignantly. “Yah.” She put on her sarcastic grim look. “You don’t like my kimchi stew?”

Jae Rim fought back a laugh from escaping his throat. How downright adorable she was. “Honey, it was kimchi soup. I livened it up by putting MSG in it.”

So Eun was now giggling, showing Jae Rim her perfect, pearl white teeth. Her fingers curled around the inside of his collar as the palm of her right hand was wrapped gently around the front of his neck, thumb pressed against his temples- indicating to the future viewers that she intended to choke him.

“Say you like my stew, say you like my stew!”

Jae Rim purposely swallowed, making his laryngeal prominence bob up, and down again. He winked at her, grinning. “Service.”

His behavior, of course, made So Eun burst into peals of laughter. She steadied herself quickly again, her smiling lips morphing into a stern pout. “Oppa,” So Eun started seriously, but her eyes glinted with playfulness. “My feelings are hurt. Fine. You’ll never see me prepare kimchi stew again. Ever.”

Jae Rim only chuckled, reaching out his hand to tuck a strand of her long wavy hair behind her ears.

She stopped his hand from reaching to her hair midway by lacing her graceful fingers between his. “Say you like my kimchi stew, so I would have the motivation to cook for you. Say you like my kimchi stew.”

Jae Rim snuck his right arm around So Eun’s shoulders, pulling her closer to his embrace, and looked at her square in her eyes. Those beautiful brown orbs stared right back at his dark eyes. He watched her eyelashes flutter some more, before answering, “Of course I like your kimchi stew. How could I not, they’re made by you, for me.”

He looked at her hard, before managing at last,“And I like you.”

He was completely sincere. The three words that had escaped from his mouth… they weren't as innocent as they appeared to be. He is not a man who is manifest with words of affection and love.

Jae Rim’s focus was on So Eun’s flustered face. She must’ve noticed that the playful atmosphere had died off a bit. She must’ve understood a piece- a miniscule piece of sincerity that was held in his words.

The tension, however, lasted for only a brief moment. “Duh, you like me,” She laughed, ruffling Jae Rim’s perfectly styled hair. “What is there not to like? I make kimchi stew for you.”

How typical it was of her to change the subject.

Jae Rim, however, knew that it was he who was in fault. ‘WGM’ is all about comical relief. His seriousness had confused her. The change from his original, suave demeanor had shocked her.

“You’re like the MSG to your kimchi stew, if the kimchi stew symbolized our relationship,” Jae Rim stated at last, the corners of his mouth itching to curve upwards. “Without it, the stew would just be bland. Without you, our relationship would be bland.”

It took her a few seconds for her to process it all down. Irritation crossed her face. “Criticizing my kimchi stew again? Tsk. You just watch, Song Jae Rim. I’m going to make it again, and you’re gonna like it, and ask me to cook for you everyday…”

He rested his chin on top of her shoulders, grinning boyishly. “Whatever you say, darling.”

“…Speaking of stew, we need to make a run to the grocery store. We ran out of ingredients.”

Jae Rim relaxed the muscles of his smiling eyes, making sure to express disapproval, like he always did when her kimchi stew, or cooking was mentioned in their conversation.

To be truthful, he was tired of having to repeat the same joke (the ‘let’s always criticize So Eun’s kimchi stew’ joke) over and over again, but it seemed as if the audience never got bored of it. In fact, it seemed as if the audience never got tired of their ‘Tom and Jerry’ relationship.

Jae Rim wished that their relationship would be more wholehearted, and less comical.

But who were you kidding? This is a frigging variety show. You ain’t gonna get no views if it ain’t funny.

“Oppa. You’re zoning off again.” So Eun tapped him lightly on the middle of his forehead with her index finger. “Grab the car keys, we’re going to shop.”

“I told you. It’s better for the both of us if we just eat out.” He remembered what he had been planning to say.

Her arms immediately shot over his neck, giving him a suffocating head-lock. Her free hand balled up into a tight fist, and they dived into the mass of his voluminous hair, giving him her ‘hardcore nudgie’. “We’re going shopping for the food that I’ll be cooking for you!”

“Alright, Alright!"

..................................................................................................................................................

Most people turn completely hysterical when facing chaos.

But Jae Rim was not one of them, and thank god.

Here’s an example: Today, during a car accident.

He first didn’t know what exactly it was that came screeching, flipping, turning to the direction of the windscreen of So Eun’s car.

A millisecond past by, and his brain functioned again.

Oh, it was a car, and it crashed into theirs. Look, now he was spinning.

He felt his body jerk up high with accelerated force, and felt his head scrape slightly against the roof of his car. He supposed that the whole car was going to flip over. For some strange reason, he did not panic.

Jae Rim thought some more.

So Eun, she was seated on the driver’s seat. She was sitting next to him. She was in the same car as him.

He turned to look at her. Both her hands were clenched onto the wheel, so tightly that her knuckles turned ash white. opened from the tip of her nose to the end of her chin, and both her eyes were closed shut. She seemed to be screaming, but Jae Rim could not hear a sound.

How weird. His ears were naturally bright.

And all of a sudden, he was reminded that So Eun was with him, in the car, ready to die. The news of her existence just burned a mark in his brain.

Hold up. So Eun was in the car with him. She was in the car with him. She was in the car with him. In the car…with him. She was in the car with him? In the car… with him? With him, in the car? Why was she in the car with him? She was in the car with him? She was in the car with him! She was, she was! She was with him, in the car!

The last thing he remembers is staring down at the crown of So Eun’s head.

I just decided to give it a shot, since I've been obsessed with this couple lately.

I know that I should probably finish my first fic before starting this one, but I couldn't help myself.

Motivation comes and goes.

But to be fair, I will try to make this fic as short as I possibly could.

That's why everything is happening so quickly on the first chapter. I hope it didn't turn out too messy....

And I realize that the story is pretty ironic, compared to the comical title of the fic. But I'll try to make it as light as possible.

I don't plan on making the fic all tragic and depressing, but it did come out a lil' dramatic, didn't it? ;)

Anyways.... Thanks for giving this fic a chance, and make sure to comment and subscribe.