August  2017
Jeju Island, South Korea

The sunlight filtering through the drapes slowly wakes him up. Ji Chang Wook's eyes pause for a second, taking in the unfamiliar oak clapboard ceilings. He can hear the distant cries of seagulls and the muffled roar of ocean waves. The familiar sounds triggers a memory.


...He is in Jeju....

He lingers for a minute, in a haze of semi-awakeness as snippets of a sweet dream slowly slip away. It had been about her; her soft skin, soft scent. A quiet rustling of the sheets right next to him makes him realize he's not alone. He turns sleepily and smiles, his eyes opening to gaze at the person next to him...

..Holy hell!

Bang Chi Gu lay inches from Chang Wook's face, deep in slumber. 

Chang Wook clambers quickly out of bed; the memory of the dream that had seemed so vivid fading away. He glances down in irritation, wondering how the hell his manager had ended up in his room.

"Yah... Yahhh!" He pokes Chi Gu,  trying to wake him; but his friend just rolls over and snores.
 

Chang Wook sighs and shakes his head feeling a dull pressure there and a sudden sick lurching inside. Urgh. He must have drank too much. They'd been celebrating his last few days of freedom and his memories of the night before were annoyingly hazy. He winces and staggers out the room, not sure where he's going;  almost tripping over the sofa. He collapses gratefully and sinks down on to the soft cushions. Ah... so soft. And warm.

 
Nam Ji Hyun smiles exasperatedly at the man dozing on her lap. She had wondered when he would get up . At the sound of his door opening she had turned excitedly only to see him completely hungover and disoriented. He'd staggered blindly her way before tumbling on to the sofa and laying down on her lap.

Idiot, she thinks affectionately. She smooths down his tousled hair and watches as he sighs and resumes sleeping.

They were in Jeju for a few days getaway with friends. Well, technically Ji Hyun was also visiting her Aunt but last night she had come over to hang out with Chang Wook and his friends and everyone had ended up drinking late into the night. She had called her Aunt to let her know she'd have to stay over. After all nobody was sober enough to drive.

Her Aunt hadn't questioned her; just told her to have fun and call her in the morning. If Ji Hyun had been back at Seoul she might have gotten an earful from her Omma; but thankfully Auntie was a little more relaxed. After all,  she knew Ji Hyun wasn't the kind to do anything crazy.

At that thought, Ji Hyun smiled. What could be crazier than falling in love with this man?

They had met on a set of a TV drama. Thought "met" wasn't quite the right word. They had known of and seen each other far longer before that; fate having thrown them in each other's paths many times before. He was one of the most famous Hallyu Stars in South Korea, the whole of Asia even; where as she was much less well known as a former child-actress. But the set of Suspicious Partner was where they had really gotten to know each and become just Ji Chang Wook  and Nam Ji Hyun. Two people who had fallen in love.

The Hallyu Star in question was looking completely ordinary right now, snuggled on her lap, recovering from a raucous night with his friends. He frowned slightly as a ray of sunlight hit his face and murmured something unintelligible. It sounded to Ji Hyun like he said "kosher salt" but that didnt make sense. She really should get him some water or aspirin; but she didn't want to move or wake him just yet.

"Ji Hyun, want some coffee?" his manager's girlfriend, Seulli-unnie, smiles at her from the kitchen; the fresh smell of coffee brewing wafting through the air. Ji Hyun nods and smiles back gratefully. She wasn't usually a coffee-drinker but she could use some now. The extra caffeine would help after the late night they had.

"Sugar and creamer too?" 

"Yes, please. Thank you, Unnie"

Manager Bang's girlfriend busies herself with stirring in the cream and sugar, then walks over with two mugs in her hand. She chuckles when she sees Chang Wook passed out on the sofa.

"Aish, these boys. I had to kick Bang-go out of our room. He was snoring too loud, it was driving me crazy." 

She hands Ji Hyun a mug and settles into an armchair nearby. For a moment the two women share a companionable silence enjoying their coffee and the morning's peace and quiet.

Nam Ji Hyun was only just getting to know Chang Wook's friends. She had gotten to know Manager Bang very well over the months of filming; but the others were still new to her. They were the people he was closest with and she was thankful that they had been welcoming to her. To be honest, she had been very nervous about meeting them; almost as nervous as she had been at meeting Chang Wook-oppa's mother. These were the people he loved and she wanted to leave a good impression.

When she had confided this to Chang Wook, he had chuckled (rather unsympathetically, she thought) and told her not to worry.

"Jagiya," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the nose,  "they won't be able to resist liking you." And he had meant it. How could anyone not like Ji Hyun? She was kind, funny, smart; beautiful. He could go on.

"Stop worrying.  They'll love you. My Omma will too."

Ji Hyun had wrinkled her nose at him with annoyance. A girl was allowed to have some worries. Anyhow, Chang Wook-oppa hadn't talked so big when it was time for him to meet her parents, had he? She chuckled evilly, remembering that event. Payback had been very, very sweet.

"He's such a kid sometimes, isn't he?" Seulli-unnie said, as if reading Ji Hyun's mind.

This makes Ji Hyun smile, remembering his pranks and silliness,  "That's his charm," she agrees, "Three-year-old kid, Chang Wookie-oppa"

"That, he is. But you know...," Seulli-unnie looks up at Ji Hyun, a thoughtful look on her face, "I've never seen that side of him come out so much with anyone else. Especially not with any girl."

There is a short silence. Manager Bang's girlfriend pauses as if she's considering something.

"I wasn't sure about you at first, Ji Hyun," she finally says. "You work in the showbiz industry and I've seen a lot of shallow people there. I'm only on the fringe; but frankly I wouldn't want to get closer. I've seen a lot of dreams live and die there. A lot of ruthless people and social climbers. It's a miracle Chang Wook hasn't changed even though this fame has been hard on him."

She looks at Ji Hyun directly.  

"If you're hoping for a glamorous life or a rich and famous one you'd be better off finding someone else." 

Ji Hyun looks up sharply; ready to protest.

Manager Bang's girlfriend smiles at the dangerous glint in Ji Hyun's eyes. "But you're not like those other girls are you? "

The unnie puts her mug down and smiles, softening her earlier words. "You must forgive me," she continues, "I'm a pretty direct person. I've seen Chang Wook let down before by hanger-ons and 'friends' who are only in it for the fame. Girls throw themselves at his feet and do everything they can to get his attention, and more..."
 

Ji Hyun puts her own mug down on a nearby side table. A million warring thoughts running through her. A part of her feels indignant at the thought that she might be lumped with these 'other girls'. A part of her, however, understands. She is well aware of the ugly side of the industry and of fame.

"Unnie," she starts. She grips her hands to stop them from shaking. "Let me be direct as well. I don't know about those other girls. I don't know about fame, and I don't know about the future. This may sound cliche; but, I do know that I love him and he loves me."

She pauses to look down and gently e his hair. Her heart feels strengthened by the fact that she has this man's love.

"We love each other...    But the other people we love also matter to us. I know it won't be easy, but I plan to do all I can to get the blessings of his important people. Chang Wook-oppa is fortunate in his friends and family. To know that there are people who love him for himself will bring him comfort through any hard times. And I know, when Chang Wook-oppa is gone, I... " her voice breaks a little at this, " I will also need all the help I can get from those who love him."

Ji Hyun feels her heart clench painfully, thinking of what was coming. 

Chang Wook-Oppa would be heading soon for his mandatory military enlistment. It was something all able-bodied men in South Korea were required to face. Their country were still technically at war with North Korea; and, despite the long armistice that had held an uneasy peace for decades, the news that had filtered through recently from the north had been grim. Reports of nuclear weapons and missile threats had put everyone on edge.

She tries to shake off the worry, but the thought of him on the frontlines facing immediate danger has kept her up at night. Ji Hyun had hidden away her fears, not wanting to worry him with tears or make the weeks before he left full of sadness. She had put up a brave face; but now, as she looks down at him sleeping peacefully, all she wants to do is hold him close and ask him not to go.

The next two years (or 1 year and 9 months as Chang Wook-oppa liked to remind her) were going to be so very hard.

Tears are threatening to spill and she wipes them angrily away. She has promised herself, she would not cry.

In seconds, warm, comforting arms surround her and a hand gently pats her back. Ji Hyun hadn't realized it, but Seulli-unnie had gotten up and was now holding her close. Chang Wook still sleeping untroubled between them.

"Ji Hyun-ie," Seulli-unnie says kindly, "This must be hard for you. And it's not fair how little time you have before he goes. Even so, I'm glad that Wookie found you and that you'll be there for him. For a man to go serve, knowing that there is someone waiting and thinking of him will give him strength to endure.  Our Chang Wook, he would never have said this to us, but I know he felt so alone. Being at the top, facing all that fame, he'd had to do it alone and pretend all the time he's happy and strong while we could only watch.  But now, you're here by his side. So please," she leans back to look at Ji Hyun; a glimmer of  tears in her eyes, "Please take care of Ji Chang Wook for us."

The sincerity of those words, bring answering tears to Ji Hyun's eyes. In the coming months she knew she would be depending on his friends greatly. He would be gone in a matter of days; and the only ones who would understand how she felt would be the friends and family who loved him. She hugs Seulli-unnie tight.

They hold on, finding comfort in each other the way women have for centuries as they are left behind to hold all the pieces together.

A soft murmur interrupts their embrace and the two women look down as Chang Wook, still deep in slumber, shifts to find a comfortable position.

"...burnt toast.." he mumbles randomly; probably still dreaming.

The two women look at each other and burst into laughter. They laugh so hard that more tears come to their eyes.

And so, it was to the sound of their laughter that Ji Chang Wook woke up. 

He looks around in confusion wondering  how he had ended up on the sofa. But, when he realizes he's laying down on Ji Hyun's lap he settles back down.  He had no idea how he'd got here or why the two women were in hysterics, but the sound of Ji Hyun's laugh makes him smile happily and he closes his eyes to snuggle some more.

"Good morning, Jagiya" he murmurs.

"Aish, seriously." Seulli-unnie pushes him up. "Ji Hyun-ie's legs are going to go numb; you've been lying on it so long. Give the poor girl a break"

"Nope." he pouts, though he does sit up instead and pull Ji Hyun closer. "I'm never giving this girl a break. Shes my hostage now"

At his words, the hostage in question rolls her eyes, but leans closer to snuggle him back; smiling contently.

Seulli looks at them, shaking her head at the insane sweetness of the two. Which reminds her, where was her own dear love? She gets up and pokes her head into Chang Wook's room to see Bang Chi Gu spread out on the bed still snoring loudly. She smiles. True love was something, wasn't it?

Meghan Trainor ft. John Legend – Like I'm Gonna Lose You
Fan MV by OMFG VMIN

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Author's Note:

You may have noticed, but this chapter is very, very different from the first version. For reasons of the storyline, I've decided to change it. But, I hope it's still as enjoyable.

I apologize for the change.

Thank you as always,

-genxv