Chapter I:

2020

Walking through a mall in his casual disguise, Song Joong Ki saw a boy who was about four years old. The young boy who was few feet away from him looked lost as he kept looking from side to side while roaming the huge area. Poor boy, he thought.

There were not much people around so Joong Ki felt it was safe to let his guard down a little. He neared the boy and the closer he got the better he sees the freight in the boy's round eyes. The boy stopped walking but he still kept looking around, slowly turning in circles on his spot, searching for his companion.

Song Joong Ki bent his knees, kneeling one down onto the cold tiled floor. "Hey, brave man. Can't find your parents?" He asked warmly.

The little boy looked up a little to meet the eyes of the older man, "Can you help me?" Joong Ki flashed a smile to the boy and nodded.

November 2012

"Cut!" the director commanded. Everyone's face was painted with smiles as they have wrapped up the filming. "You've all done well," the director complimented all the staffs he worked with for the project. Soon enough their smiles were tainted with a bit of sadness as they have realized it was their last day working together as a successful team.

Joong Ki turned to Chae Won to give her a hug shortly after the director's cut. They smiled at each other, a smile that was mixed with compliments and sadness for the possibility of not seeing each other again once that very moment ended. "You did well," both have told the other. A short hug then they pulled back and turned to the other staffs.

Joong Ki hugged the director and tiny drop of tears fell from his eyes, not able to contain them. The director patted his back and told him they should work again in the future.

Amidst the emotional moment, one staff loudly asked everyone to gather up and face the camera. It was time for their group photo to be taken. One, Two, Three, everyone smiled for the shot as it captured their commemoration of working together as a team.

Later that night, all of them gathered once again for a wrap up party. Despite sitting apart, Chae Won and Joong Ki couldn't stop taking glances of one another, and whenever their eyes met, they'll shyly exchange affectionate smiles.

It was when they started to eat slower when the producer stood up. He took the microphone from the corner, turned it on and started his speech. One staff after another. They took turns to have a few moment to thank everyone, or just any message one wanted to say for the whole team or a certain co-worker.

"Our very own Kang Maru, Joong Ki." The one who just voiced his message passed the spotlight to their lead actor. It was Joong Ki's time to deliver his message.

Joong Ki stood there finding the right words to tell. He stuttered and was teased by the staffs, they sang the OST that he sang for the drama, to him. He smiled getting reminded of the song. He continued giving message to the staffs, saying it was them who made the stars shine all throughout the drama and that, he was very thankful.

Sound of hands clapping and loud cheering after every speeches could be heard. Soon enough, the mic found its way to Chae Won.

Chae Won held the mic with both hands, placing it close to . She started by thanking the staffs behind the camera. She said she was most happy working with all of them, and thanked them for making the set comfortable. "Song Joong Ki...ssi," she trailed off saying his name, hesitant to address him casually. She glanced at the man briefly, too shy to hold his gaze for too long. She thanked Joong Ki whom she worked with the most for this project. When she was done she bowed left and right, then turned to her back and was met by a group of staff chanting her name from their seats.

After their wrap up dinner party was the karaoke that Chae Won personally suggested. She was labeled as a mic hogger as she and co-star Lee Yoo Bi sang most of the songs and even danced to it. That was how the rest of their wrap party ended, they lasted until six the next morning.

Chae Won felt it ended so soon when it actually lasted longer. She still wanted to share the same space as Joong Ki. He, on the other hand was looking forward for the party to end. Despite wanting to spend time with everyone, that was the only way he could talk to Chae Won privately.

There were only half of them left, the others went home earlier. In the midst of exchanging their good byes, Joong Ki who just finished saying his to Lee Kwang Soo, quickly turned to search for Chae Won. It was to no avail when he could not find her in the empty space that was crowded a while ago. He found himself disappointed.

"Joong Ki," Dong Hoon, his manager, called to tell him they should get going too.

"Hyung," Joong Ki walked closer to him who was waiting at the door. "How about Won?" he asked when he was near him. His manager furrowed asking 'who'. "Chae Won," he clarified.

The manager scratched the back of his head, "Ah. Maybe she went home already."

"Already?" Joong Ki raised his voice, dazed. Dong Hoon nodded in confirmation. Finding it unthinkable he voiced, "Without saying goodbye, just like that? Why?" he asked almost aggressive.

"Why? Can't she do that?" he asked back turning around and started marching towards the exit of the building, leading their way to his car that was parked in front of the KTV place. "Let's just go, can we?"

Joong Ki, though disheartened, followed his steps unwillingly. He has opened the front passenger door but he couldn't just give up that easily, he thought. After waiting patiently for the party to end? Nah, he was better than that. He closed the door and circled over to the driver's side. He opened the door and asked, "Hyung can you let me use your car for a while?"

"And why is that?" his manager asked back, refusing to do so.

"Please, just this once. I already planned this beforehand, you know that," he begged putting his palms together to show how earnest he was. He did ask him beforehand to bring his car instead of using the van because he might borrow it after the party.

His manager knew what he was up to but he did not expect him to go on with his plan despite the fact that Chae Won already left. He sighed yet did as per Joong Ki requested. Dong Hoon went out of his car and lets him have the wheel. Joong Ki hurriedly took the driver seat and closed its door while his manager walked over to the passenger side. Joong Ki locked the doors even before Dong Hoon could reach the other side. When Dong Hoon opened the door but failed, Joong Ki lowered the window to speak to him, "I'm sorry hyung but I'm in a hurry, just call a cab and charge it on me."

"Yah! How dare you?" the manager said, starting to get frustrated.

Joong Ki just smiled at him before speeding off. "Thanks hyung!"

Dumbfounded, the manager could only shout, "Yah!" Dong Hoon looked around and realized he was the only one from their team that was left there. Without anyone who can give him a ride, he does need to go by cab. "He could at least drive me off to the high way," he grumbled annoyed.

Inside, Chae Won just finished using the ladies room. When she was back to their karaoke cubicle she found it already empty. "Did everyone left already?" she pouted. "Joong Ki too?" she frowned. "You shouldn't have used the toilet! You wasted your chance", she said to herself in a voice that was barely audible.

Chae Won heard the faint sound of her phone ringing. Who could be calling her this early, she wondered. She took it out of her pocket only for the ring to stop. Her forehead crinkled, she checked and found out her phone was empty.

Joong Ki tried to call her again after the first one was cut off but he was answered by an operator instead, it said the number was currently out of coverage. He sighed, yet again, he was not the type to give up just like that. He decided to go home first and took some rest, Chae Won needed that too. Before he went to bed he sent her a message saying he will call back in the evening. The place he wanted to meet her was better at night anyway.

Later when Chae Won arrived home, "Chae Won, wake up." She was woken up by her assistant who was still sitting on the driver's seat. Slow