The last day the cast had shooting at Greece, they had a party to celebrate a job well done. The hotel they were organized to stay was not a five star, but it was comfortable enough, and with weeks and months, became dear to all of them.

The party was thrown at the hotel’s main restaurant, which was booked for all of them. The cast and crew mingled together in happiness. None of them ever imagined they would be shooting in Greece before. And yet it happened. The past few weeks were hard work, but unbelievably fun too. You should just hear how much laughter were heard that night, a sign of real friendship and a truly enjoyable atmosphere that couldn’t be found in all drama series shooting.

After the party ended and most of the people came home, somebody suggested to have drinks somewhere. Out of happiness from the exciting night, Song Hye Kyo said, “How about drinking together in my room?”.

It’s a bit bold, but what’s the harm, if a dozen of friends who met because of the drama had fun together? Besides, what could happen?

The drinking session turned to be heart-to-heart sessions where everyone told about the hardship of their career. Actresses and actors, the PD, her manager, and even Song Joong Ki himself.

They didn’t really drink much, but swallowed lots of snacks and talked until their voice were hoarse.

It was 3 AM before they realized they had a flight to catch the next day. They apologized to their main actress for imposing on her for so long as if she was their queen, and she laughed them off, “Aish, why are you all still so formal? I was the one who invited you, remember? It was me! I had a great time. See you all in the afternoon!”

She waved them all good night from her front door, including her manager, who waved back at her with a strange smile.

When she turned around, Song Joong Ki was still there.

“Oh, you’re still here? What is it?”

“Sorry. I just feel that if I leave that door, our shooting time in Greece will really be over”

Hye Kyo frowned, but she then nodded.

“I see what you mean. It’s been a great couple of months, right? But let’s not feel too sad, we will all continue to work again in Seoul, since we still have lots of scenes to take”

“You’re right”

He was looking at her with those eyes, and she felt unnerved by them. Come to think of it, it’s funny how Joong Ki made her nervous that very moment, he had always felt like a long lost friend since day one. Then why was he – looking at her like that?

She was starting to find excuses in her head to run from those peering eyes. Exhausted, sleepy, nauseous? Anything that she could say to put distance from those eyes and her.

“It’s late. I think –“

“Hye Kyo-ssi, can I talk to you for a while?”

They uttered those words together, and she recovered first.

“Talk? Now? Is it important?”

“.......Yes. It is”

“I hope it’s not bad news” she said, walking to the couch. He followed her and sat in front of her. He looked so serious, and it gave her goosebumps.

“You’re not – going to stop shooting the drama or something, aren’t you?”

“What?” he laughed, “No, of course not! Why would I? Everything is going well, and I’m under contract, so it’s impossible I’ll stop shooting”

“Ah. I see. That’s a relief”

“Ok. I’ll say it. Although I think you must have known it already. I .......”

Hye Kyo waited, feeling on the edge, wondering what on earth could he say, and how absurd she was for thinking that he could –

“If you don’t say it I think I will panic” she warned. “Are you sure this is not bad news? You’re scaring me”

“It’s not something easy to say, Hye Kyo-ssi”

“Ok. Ok, I will wait. Are you having a problem? Is it about the shooting? The cast? The PD?”

“Aniya”

“Then what is it?”

“You know, a while ago, you said that you thought at your age now, you would already be having a husband and a child or two. But you’re still single at the moment, still doing your best at your career, and still looking for a guy to settle down with”

“I did say that. Um.......it’s not a nice topic to talk about, you know? I rather not hear you throw it at my face that I’m single, ok? What with I’m older than you and everything. Where are you going with this, anyway?”

“I’m wondering, Hye Kyo-ssi, whether the guy you’ll settle down with......could be me?”

“...........................................”

Joong Ki waited with his heart beating so fast like he would fall from a very high place, and finally she said,

“Is this a prank? Are you and the PD having a prank on me?”

He gaped.

She began to stand up and look around, “There must be a hidden camera somewhere. I swear this is not funny. This is not a joke you should –“

Although he was laughing, he followed her and caught her wrist, “Hye Kyo-ssi, I’m not joking. I’m really asking you. Can I? Be with you?”

She was so shocked she pulled away from him.

“You – you like me?”

“Ne”

“But.......why???”

Joong Ki smiled, “What kind of question is that, Hye Kyo-ssi? Shouldn’t it be strange if I don’t fall for you? I mean, you’re you. You’re – you’re Korean’s most beautiful actress. You’re a Goddess!”

She was even more shocked with what he was saying.

“You’re so beautiful it’s a struggle to remember my lines sometimes” he added softly.

“That’s not true. I mean – whatever the media says, whatever my fans see me as, I’m not – that. I’m not a goddess or someone really, really good. I’m just. You know. Me. I’m not perfect like people always thought me to be”

“Hye Kyo-ssi, you’re perfect in my eyes”

“.........I can’t believe you like me”

“You probably should check the mirror more often”

“I see the mirror often enough, thanks. But you, you’re younger than me! Why would you –“

“Look at me, Hye Kyo-ssi. Do I look like I’m not serious?”

He was looking at her with those eyes again and she found it hard to look away.

“You really.........like me?”

“I’m in love with you”

She gasped in disbelief.

“Since when?”

Since I first saw your drama on TV”

“Um.....but that......that’s gotta be for a long time then”

“You’re right. I’ve liked you for a long time”

“You can’t be”

“I am”

“..........since when? We’re......friends, right? Sort of? You’re Ah In’s friend and In Sung-ssi’s friend and we—“

“And we’ve met several times, yes”

“You visited In Sung-ssi during That Winter The Wind Blows”

“I actually wanted to see you, not him”

“What???”

“Hye Kyo-ssi. I’ve been a fan for a long time. I feel really blessed to finally work together with you. And after knowing you better, I don’t like you. I’m in love with you. Beside being the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, you’re also a brilliant actress, a warm-hearted person, a caring woman, a good friend to everyone, and a very funny and talkative person.

I know this would happen eventually. That I’ll fall for you. I thought I’d be satisfied just by being close to you. But of course I’m not. I want to be with you. And – and I think now is a better moment than any other to tell you. I don’t know what my chances are, but I’m going to say it. Please accept me. I will do everything I can to make you happier”

Hye Kyo was silent.

He was standing so close and everything he said was from his feelings, not from a script. It would be a lie if she said she hadn’t felt that he was attracted to her. Most of her co-stars did, to be frank. But usually it was influenced with their roles, and it would wear off after the drama was over. The way Song Joong Ki acted had been different ever since the first month they were shooting the drama. The way he talked and looked at her were different than the way he treated other women. But......

“I’ve been with my co-stars in the past. None of those relationships ended well”

“I’m not them”

“I........I don’t know what to say........”

“You can say you’ll give me a chance.......”

She blinked.

“You’re very confident, aren’t you?”

Joong Ki chuckled then shrugged.

“I’m already crazy enough by trying to be with you. I guess I’m crazier because I think we have a chance together”

“If I’m with you, people will see me as a bad woman who keeps playing with all her co-stars”

“I’ll help you ignore them by being beside you”

“I might get stressed up because people will hate me, and I might end up spending a lot of time in New York”

“Then I’ll follow you to New York, Hye Kyo-ssi”

“You really do like me, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do”

“Was I flirty in any way with you? I wasn't, right?" she asked, as if she's backtracking everything she did and trying to point the exact cause or moment of why and when.

“You’re always friendly, but never flirty. I am just hopeless from the day I knew you accepted this role. And.......the haters get to you, aren’t they?”

“I......try not to. But sometimes I slip”

She cleared .

“Now what should I do?”

“You can make today the happiest day of my life. Say yes?”

“If I say no, what would you do?”

“I’ll be sad for a few days, but I swear it won’t affect my work. And when I think the time is right, I will try again. I like you too much to give up after one try”

She was silent again, and this time he could see she’s considering. He thought his heart couldn’t beat any faster than that, but it did, when he asked again, “Hye Kyo-ssi? Is it a yes or a no?”

“........Yes”

He was immobile for a while, before he asked, “Really?”

She nodded and he hugged her excitedly, laughing and lifting her off the ground.

“Daebak! I’m the luckiest guy in the world!”

She smiled shyly.

“I won’t let you down. You've made my dreams come true. Wow. I really can’t believe this. Thank God I tried!”

Her hands were holding his, but he said, “It’s late........”

“Right. I’ll see you at noon”

“Ne”

“Sweet dreams, Yeppeuni”

“Sweet dreams, Captain”

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

The few hours before the time to prepare getting to the airport were spent with a deep sleep. When her manager came to her room at 10 AM, she was surprised to see her.

“Wow. You’re glowing. Did you have a good sleep?”

“I had a sweet dream”

“........I see”

Her manager was dying to ask about what she and Song Joong Ki talked about the previous night after everyone else left, but her habit was “never ask personal questions unless you’re told”, so she asked nothing.

Lena Park, the faithful manager, did pay extra attention to her care and the main actor when they met again at the airport, but nothing was different. They were always full of smiles and greeted the other cast and crew politely.

Only when Song Joong Ki came to her and asked her to exchange their seats on the flight so he could sit with Hye Kyo did she feel something was really going on between the two.

She gave her seat gladly and sat beside Joong Ki’s manager readily.

“It seems like we would be working together from now on” Joong Ki’s manager told her.

“I’m looking forward to work with you”

“Joong Ki-ssi looks very happy this morning”

“Hye Kyo-ssi is glowing, more than usual”

“I beg for your cooperation” Joong Ki’s manager said formally.

“So am I”

Meanwhile, Joong Ki tried to hold Hye Kyo’s hand as the flight prepared to take off.

And she didn’t let go.

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

Author's Note: 

Because Song/Song couple deserves tons of stories written about them. 

Another couple I wish to be real :)

Their chemistry is so wow, so.......I'm praying for them. And I'll be writing more about them, definitely.