Kim Woo Bin POV

It was a nice surprise to have him around that day.  We could not spend a lot of time but I felt happy.  He was too sorry and if that is how he is when he wants to apologize, then I will just have to pretend to be really hurt next time he gets a little y.

He is generally a restless soul, unless he is very tired.  I smile now when I think how he sat right in front of me grinning and looking as if he was perfectly content just sitting around watching me.  He did not even try to bug me when I had no time for him despite sitting right next to him.

I felt refreshed for few days before the frustration was back again…

Argh.

…….

Today my manager reminded me that the last Beer commercial shooting coming up with him. 

Well, that is not something I am likely to forget.  We always keep counting days for our next meeting.  This time there is great excuse to see him without worrying about it too much.

I have been told I can drop his name in interviews so that there continues to be excitement for us.  What we do is also work.  Our personal relationship is known to only 3 of us.  Me, him and his manager.  No one else knows or suspects. To everyone else, we are just close friends.  Some of them even believe we are really good at servicing our fans. 

If only they knew. 

I know I have to warn him that I will be dropping his name in interviews.  There will be plenty of articles written again about us.  The product marketing team probably will make sure.  Our agencies will also make sure.  I also know there is still the residual interest in us as friends.

So, we both have to make it work. 

Lee Jong Suk POV

Today I saw Woo Bin’s interview.  He had already given me heads-up.

The interviewer brought me up and Woo Bin said Friendship is a type of love.  He almost looked a little shy.  I wonder what he felt when he said that.   And then also decided to tease me by pointing out he has broader shoulders and is taller.  Ha.  I don’t even know what the interviewer asked him for Woo Bin to give that answer. 

I am sure my next interview will have questions about him.  I probably should back and say my face is smaller.  Ha. 

Teasing each other is what we are really good at and it is fun.  It is always fun thinking how he will react and I am already giggling at the thought.  He probably will laugh heartily.  My chest tightens a bit.  But I feel happier and lighter.

Our next commercial shoot for Cass Beer is coming up.  I am looking forward to it with dread and excitement.  Dread because the last time we had to hang around in public was hard for me because of all the pent up frustration and it is the same now. 

…..

I call him to talk about how to handle the ad.  They have sent a rough outline of our characters.  It is nothing complicated that needs a lengthy discussion.  But any excuse to talk is good. 

He is not necessarily in the same mindset.  He is all breezy.

WB: “Saw your interview.  Good come back” I hear him laugh his signature laugh.

Me “I do have a small face”

WB “I am not arguing.  And I do have broader shoulders.  And don’t forget better abs”

Me “Don’t remind me”

WB “No, let me remind you.  I am actually counting them now”

I imagine him shirtless.  Damn him!

Me “I called you for work.  So, stop distracting me”

WB “Che!  You are no fun sometimes” he complains.

Me “And you are such a pain”

WB “Why are you so cranky?”

Me “You are making me cranky with your abs talk”

WB “Is it because you are jealous of my abs or they make you think of doing nasty stuff to them?”

Our conversations sometimes really have no intellectual content. 

Me “It is both.  Now that probably made you very happy.  So, can we talk work?”

WB “What work?  The shoot?”

Me “Yeah”

I hear him sigh.

WB “Why do you overthink simple things like a commercial shoot?  You are not going to get acting awards for it.  Just be yourself and you are good” he tells me with irritation in his voice.

I am sure I burst his y bubble.

I grin.  I am happy he is irritated a little.

I think I need help.

I don’t let up.

Me: “So, how do you want to do it?  I heard we are supposed to be the cheerleading squad”

WB: “Che.  You are really annoying me.  Let us just be ourselves you dickhead.  I am going to hang up now if you want to continue talk about the shoot”

A snort escapes me.

WB “What, are you laughing?”

Me “I was cranky.  Now you are cranky.  Makes me feel better”

WB “You are an ”

My mood is all brightened up now.  I laugh more.

WB “I will teach you a lesson when I see you” he threatens me.

Me “Oooo, I am so scared” I tell him sarcastically.  Though the anticipation of how he will teach me a lesson builds a tight knot in my stomach. 

I need to get my mind out of the gutter.

…..

It is a night shoot.  I have had a long day.  We texted each other saying “See you soon”.  I still have those knots in my stomach and they are a pleasant kind.  But for my own sanity, I need to focus on just enjoying his company without constantly thinking . 

There is going to be a whole lot of crowd watching us.  I hate when everyone watches me.  I chose a wrong profession to like; I laugh at myself.

As usual, apart from shooting the commercial, there will be customary interview.  I am sure everything we say and do will be discussed, blogged and made into fictional intentions.  It’s all part of being in this bubble and I will have to enjoy everything and not just one thing.  The less I fight with it, more fun I can have. 

Woo Bin will be there and that will calm my nerves about everyone watching me.  My fear of crowds is a known thing.  I don’t have to hide it from anyone.  We agreed to be ourselves.  Right?

I feel very cheerful in my head.   Now, how can I get him all roiled up?  A automatic grin spreads on my face.

My manager shakes his head.

“Be careful” he tells me.

Way to burst my bubble Hyung!  I shoot glares at him.  He shrugs and looks away.

…..

Interview happens before the shoot, during breaks and after the shoot. 

I tell them I am the captain and he is the vice-captain of the cheering squad.  He pretends it is a burden that he has to be the vice-captain, saying he sacrifices a lot for me.  I back that he always makes me to be the bad person. 

He then takes his revenge.  Here I thought I was teasing him and then he had to talk about the Trouble Shooter dance.  He did not warn me about that..  Did they plan that?  Oh I want to beat him up. 

I wanted to die every day I did the MC work.  It was just not my thing.  And that dance.  I am going to beat him up.  How many times has he teased me about all the outfits I wore in that program? He knows I get very embarrassed about that phase of my career.   Now he is teasing me in public.  He is going to get it later for sure.  For now, I am going to be satisfied with the punch and a tickle.  For some reason, I am still laughing and grinning like an idiot and he is too. 

Hmmm.  I can feel him tightening his hold a little bit and I know what he is feeling.  I need to slow this down and not get carried away.

I am looking at the crowd cheering and I feel the familiar fear creeping up.  I start sweating again and decide to be honest and tell the interviewer about my phobia.  She asks me how I am going to handle it today and without a second thought I say I am going to look at WooBin and that will calm me… So I look at him and I think that I might have become a little too honest there.  I feel calm and butterflies when I look at him.  I can only see him and no one else at that moment and I feel happy for being here with him. 

I think I forgot where was and what I was doing for few seconds there.  I see his eyes and they are giving out warning signs.  After a very brief beat, he tells me to stop it and laughs at it.   I think what I did was a little more than ‘good friends’.   I need to dial this back a notch and so I laugh with him heartily, as if I was just teasing him and our fans…..Phew!

Shake it off, I tell myself.  I need to remember where I am.

I get too comfortable around him and then I come out with this stuff without thinking.  Not good.  Glad he has a better head on his shoulder and is always thinking. 

Another time, interviewer asks us to look at each other to see if we can tell what other is feeling.  Well, I can’t possibly show everyone all that I am feeling right now. They ask me what is WooBin is feeling.  Safest answer is he is tired.  He is tired.  I think he is happy I did not say anything outrageous again.  I can almost see relief on his face. 

I don’t know how we got here but we end up talking about abs.  I am immediately reminded of our conversation.  I immediately look at him and he knows exactly what I am thinking.  Why did they have to talk about abs of all the things?

Well, I had decent ones when I was busy shooting my previous movie but now I am not swimming as much and I can feel them receding.  No one can fault me for not being honest.  With regret I admit they are not there and WooBin decides it is a good idea to listen to the interviewer and feel me up.

How does he expect me to keep this up when he decides he can do whatever he wants?  I am hot all over and I need to calm down.  He knows exactly how I feel.  He can be really an sometimes…  I fume inside and want to take revenge by asking him bare his stomach.  Interviewer is more than happy.  He hilariously calls for his manager.  Gosh, I can’t even remain angry.  When was it that I had this much fun in an interview?

Then they want to know which part of our body that we tend to be concerned about.  I can’t think of any and WooBin laughs at me as if he is so amused by that answer.  When I see him like that, I am tickled.  I don’t know what I said that was so funny but he looks so good laughing at me like that, that I can’t help but laugh back and it looks as if we have a secret joke which we don’t.  But we are laughing like idiots again, my hands all over his thigh and I can feel him tighten.  I am again reminded where I am.

After the interview is over, we have a break and he comes and puts his arm around my shoulders. 

WB: “Don’t you have any control?  Am I that tempting?”

Me: “Why you had to bring up the dance you idiot?”. 

WB “I told you I will teach you a lesson”

Well, I guess I was more creative in my head.

Me “That was the lesson?”

WB “Why?  What erted things you thought I would be doing?”

Argh.  He knows me too well.

My ears get a little red.  He is having a merry time with me.

Then he whispers “That will come too” and then he gives my ear a sudden .

That jolts me.  I push him “What the ?”

WB “No one is here”

He is really erted and sometimes fearless.

Me  “I want to really punch you”

He laughs again… “You know you are not really Tsumami right?  I am much stronger than you are.  Don’t you remember?”

Then suddenly we are both heated as we stop talking and just stare.

He comes out of the trance quickly. 

“Frustrating as ” he curses under his breath.

He takes out a cigarette.   Our managers try to make sure we are not photographed smoking.  I think they are doing that right now.  Neither of us suddenly cares.  We decide to share one. 

WB:  All suddenly serious.   “Too many ing people all the time!  There is no chance in hell we can be alone”

Okay, here we go again.  He is the one always comforting me.  Today, I want to do that for him. 

Too many watchful eyes. 

I poke him, tickle him and laugh lightly. 

Me: “I think I flirted with you enough for the day as if we were alone, don’t you think?  You had a good time with my stomach.  How did you think I felt?”. 

He chuckles.  “I needed an excuse”.  We both laugh again. 

I give him a hug and whisper “It’s okay”.  Everyone has seen me hug him all the time.  It’s not a big deal for them. 

And our managers are signaling us and we are wrapping up soon.

We finally hug again, whisper I love you’s into each other’s ears and leave with our entourage. 

I get his text 5 minutes after I leave.

“I miss you.”

…….