Even later that day
 

The group of friends had decided early on that they would be building a bonfire and have a cookout on the beach. And so the boys had put together a shopping list of everything they wanted to eat and Ji Chang Wook had volunteered himself and Ji Hyun to go pick up the supplies. It seemed a good excuse for more alone time with her, he thought happily.

When Ji Hyun double-checked the list with Manager Bang's girlfriend her jaw had dropped. There were four guys and two girls; but the amount of food listed seemed more than enough to feed a party four times their size. Seulli-unnie had just laughed when Ji Hyun pointed that out.

"Do you have any brothers, Ji Hyun-ie?" she asked

"No, just an older sister." Ji Hyun replied, wondering where this was going.

"Ah, I thought so." said the other woman with a twinkle in her eye. "Now think closely: have you seen how Chang Wook eats?"

Ji Hyun thinks about it for a second and then grins. For someone in such good shape he had an enormous appetite. She swears he might have even liked some of their eating scenes the best the way he got so excited. In between sets they had spent a lot of time talking about food because, conveniently, she was a big fan of eating as well. 

"Ok picture that," Seulli-unnie says, "Now picture four of these grown men, eating like that AND the fact that when they eat together it becomes a competion. There's no point stopping them. And they'll get cranky if there's not enough to go around."
 

Nam Ji Hyun nods, diligently taking note of this important life lesson.

And so she had not said a word when Chang Wook had grabbed packet after packet of meat. Or filled up their cart with snacks and even piled up on Octopus bread. She had made sure to grab a bagful of gamgyul tangerines, just to make sure there were some healthy options and carefully steered them to the vegetable aisles.

She spots something and picks it up.

"Oppa, look! It's your favorite!" Ji Hyun teasingly holds up a bunch of carrots; the one food item that Chang Wook hated.  He shudders, already imagining the gritty sweet taste. 

"Agasshi, I'm going to need you to put down that weapon of mass destruction and step away."

He mimics aiming a gun at her, his look serious and intent. As an action star, he has the moves down solid. But then he ruins it with a cute finger gun.

"Bang! Bang!"

Ji Hyun rolls her eyes at this; but laughingly plays along, fainting slowly into his arms.

"Oppa, it's so cold....," she shudders, "please, tell my Omma and Appa I love them...." cue dramatic coughing  "...and tell my sister not to read my diary..." she gasps a final breath

Chang Wook grins down at her. "What about me?" he pouts a little.

"You, I will haunt you as a vir-gin ghost and bring you carrots"

At this Chang Wook growls and tickles her; causing her to giggle uncontrollably.

The sound of someone angrily clearing their throat nearby makes them stop. They turn and see an Ahjumma in the aisle opposite shaking her head and muttering about "shameless kids" before giving them the stink-eye. Both blush and bow apologetically but then they catch each other's eyes and rush away with their cart, giggling.

Who knew something so ordinary as going to the market could be so fun? In Seoul it would have been impossible for them to go out and about; but here in this quiet part of Jeju-do nobody paid them any attention (except when they were being dorks). To the locals, they were just a couple of mainlander tourists from among many. And the joy of the ordinary was that much sweeter.

On the car ride back, Chang Wook's playlist kicks on a familiar song. Ji Hyun looks over and smiles. It was the song she had shared with him when they had been listening to each other's music on their phones while waiting in between shoots.

He turns to look at her, smiling back; his eyes saying without words the measure of his happiness. His hand reaches over to hold hers and he sings along:

 

You said you’d give them to me

remember?

those flowers aren’t just pretty flowers

to me they're precious yellow flowers

of that summer that linger in your mind

Oh freesia, oh freesia

Oh give me freesias

Oh freesia, oh freesia

Oh give me freesias

They ride the whole way home, hands held tight, blissfully  sharing the joy of songs and sweet moments together.

BolBBalgan4 – Freesia (프리지아)
Fan MV by special nn