Haneul paid the taxi driver and turned to face the nondescript cement block building in front of her. Siwon’s manager was standing at the entrance, impatiently waiting for her. He rushed to her and grabbed her bag.

    “I’m so grateful you could come,” he said, rushing her down the hallway. “Siwon was so irritable after he realized that he’d forgotten his lunch at home.”

    “I’m sorry if my husband caused you problems,” Haneul said. “I must be feeding him too well if he can’t go one day without my food.” The two chuckled and then paused before Siwon’s door.

    “You need to cut this out Krystal!” Siwon’s voice boomed through the door, stopping Haneul and his manager.

    “What do you mean oppa?” a high voice that Haneul assumed was Krystal’s, half whined. “Dating each other could help both of our careers!”

    “I’ve told you before, I will not date you. Not for real or pretend,” Siwon said, exasperation evident in his voice. “You're a good hoobae, a good singer, and a good actress but you will never be anything else to me.”

    “But oppa,” Krystal whined (an attempt at aegyo, one must assume). A stamp of her foot could be heard.

    “Let go of my arm” came an almost growl from Siwon. At this point, Haneul decided she needed to intervene on behalf of her husband. She stepped forward and rapped sharply on the door to Siwon’s dressing room. She then walked in without waiting for a reply.

    “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Haneul said. “But I brought your lunch.” She turned and looked back at Manager Kim. He started and then handed her the bag. She turned toward Siwon and Krystal. He was looking at Haneul with awe and relief. Krystal appeared angry and tried to walk to Siwon. He stepped forward out of her reach and grabbed the bag from Haneul.

    “You brought enough to eat with me, right?” he asked, leading Haneul to a table near his make-up chair. “Oh, I should introduce you.” He paused, moved even closer to Haneul and placed a possessive arm around her waist. “Ahneh, this is my co-star Krystal. Kristal, this is my wife, Kim Haneul.”

    “Wife?!” Krystal screeched.

    “Yes,” Siwon said firmly. “Now you can understand why we can’t be involved in any scandal.”

    “This isn’t over,” Krystal hissed and stalked out of Siwon’s dressing room. She practically pushed Kyungsoo on her way down the hallway. The EXO singer briefly turned to look at his young sunbae with confusion in his large eyes. With a shrug, he turned and headed down to his dressing room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Haneul left Siwon’s dressing room after one of the most awkward meals she’d ever eaten. Both her and Siwon tried to pretend that the confrontation with Krystal had never happened. They chit-chatted about the drama and Haneul’s birthday presents from EXO. He even asked some questions about Haneul’s life in China with Tao’s family.

    “Hey ahjumma,” came a call from behind her . Haneul turned and saw Krystal walking down the hallway toward her. “Who do you think you are?”

    Haneul just stood there silently. No reply was really needed. Krystal was merely trying to pick a fight and Haneul was not going to give her that privilege.

    “Do you really think you’re good enough to be married to Siwon oppa?” Krystal asked once she was close enough to Haneul for their conversation to not be easily overheard.

    “It really doesn’t matter what I think or what you think about my worth,” Haneul responded calmly. “The fact of the matter is, I am married to Choi Siwon.”

    Krystal walked around Haneul looking her up and down. “So fat,” she poked Haneul’s side. “So dumpy,” she tsked. “How on earth could you possibly be announced as the wife of an idol? Especially one as well loved as Siwon oppa?”

    “I guess the good thing is,” Haneul said with a slight smirk. “I can lose weight and buy a new wardrobe. You, however, have no way of making yourself Siwon’s wife in my place.”

    Krystal reached up and slapped Haneul’s face so hard that Kyungsoo heard it as he was walking down an adjoining hallway.

    “You fat !” Krystal spat out and walked away fighting the angry tears that threatened to run down her face.

    As soon as Krystal was out of sight, Haneul let her brave facade slip and her shoulders slumped. She turned and slowly walked out. Today was going to be the first day she worked out at the gym she had joined the day before.