Jihyo woke up to find that she had missed dinner. It was almost 11:00, but she could still see some of the staff and crew going about as she looked out from her huge window. She looked up at the starry sky and almost giggled. The most amazing thing about filming in the province are the starry skies and more often than not, one can witness more than one shooting stars. She grabbed her coat and the milk and sandwich her manager left for her and headed outside.

She could hear male laughter as she neared the bottom of the stairs. Apparently, living room area in the ground floor was still filled with people, or rather, men. The movie’s cast was mostly male, in fact, she was the only female—a fact that her now ex-boyfriend had pointed out several times. They were all housed in the same villa. Although, some of them, especially the sunbaes (senior actors) don’t always sleep in the villa but travels to the city for their other commitments. Jihyo, on the other hand, preferred staying in the villa. Some would say she was hiding out there. Everyone hated her at home at the moment and she got so tired of feeling guilty and trying to appease everyone.

Jihyo tiptoed as she reached the bottom of the stairs and sneaked out to the kitchen to avoid detection. The male casts and crew were all nice to her but since she was the only girl, they were extra attentive to her needs. This makes her cringe because she hates bothering anyone and she doesn’t like the shower of attention at all.

Fortunately, the kitchen was empty but someone left behind a cup of ramen. Her ramen craving hit her hard and without second thought she took the cup of ramen and replaced it with her milk and sandwich before tiptoeing out to the back door towards the flower garden.

As she stepped out into the garden, Jihyo inhaled the cold evening breeze lovingly. She found her usual spot in the garden—a wooden bench that looks over the meadow. She gazed up the clear starry sky, then down to her ramen laden hands. “What would she give to have her mother’s kimchi right now?” she thought. She warmed her hands with the cup of ramen as she thought of home.

“That was one big sigh,” said a voice from behind her.

Jihyo jumped up just as her heart did a somersault. “You scared me!”

“Sorry,” Insung said, dodging a fist from Jihyo.

“What are you doing here?” Jihyo asked as they took a seat on the bench. Jihyo had no qualms about being informal with Jo Insung even though he was her senior, having entered the industry years before she did. They were the same age and he was the only actor among the cast whom she had met previously. It was also Insung who insisted that they drop off all formalities for the sake of the movie.

“I should ask you the same,” Insung replied cunningly.

“I came here to get some air, and you?” Jihyo asked raising an eyebrow.

“I came to get my ramen,” Insung grinned pointing at the cup on Jihyo’s hands.

Jihyo smiled sheepishly at him.

“You can keep it,” Insung told her when she tried to offer it back to him. “I was really just curious as to where you’ve been hiding all this time.”

“I wasn’t hiding, I was sleeping in my room the whole time,” Jihyo explained.

“Well, I’m glad you’re here. I thought you had gone home,” Insung said.

“I couldn’t sleep well at home these days,” Jihyo admitted. Insung just nodded. Jihyo had already confided to him that her family and ex-boyfriend were all against her playing her role in the movie.

“Have you ever had any doubts about doing this movie? I mean your role as a gay person isn’t easy either. I mean, I could stand being in front of camera but , making out, and gay to boot is a little too much for me,” Jihyo asked.

“Of course, I had doubts at first. But when I decided to do this, I was ready to give my all. Having doubts will only jeopardize my acting,” Insung explained.

“You make it sound so easy,” Jihyo sniffed. “My mom used to remind me every day that I’m now a marked woman. That no respectable man would take me seriously now. And that I’ve lost all marriage prospects. Of course, she’s exaggerating. What’s worse is that my dad would just look at me imploringly and not say a thing,” Jihyo smiled bitterly.

“It’s only because they care about you so much,” Insung consoled her.

“I know, they just don’t understand. For someone who hasn’t proven anything, this is a really good opportunity. I know this movie will be huge and I don’t want to have to watch it on TV and say ‘that should’ve been me’,” Jihyo said frustratedly.

“I understand, they will, too—eventually. And if your mom happens to be right and no man marries you, I’ll make a respectable woman out opf you, I’ll do it. I’ll marry you,” Insung said biting his lip. Jihyo laughed at his proposal.

Her laughter died when she realized that he was being serious. He was looking intently at her, which made Jihyo squirm in her seat. There’s a reason why he’s so popular among the ladies and it’s because of those eyes.

“Yah!” Jihyo said weakly in an attempt to cut the tension.

“I’m serious,” Insung said refusing to give her a break.

It was the closest thing to a confession that Jihyo will ever get from him. She liked Insung but she has no plans of dating him. The movie they’re making is scandalous enough, she didn’t want to add fuel to the fire. Yet, they flirted with each other and there were times when she’s tempted to see just how far their flirting can go. There are times, however, when she feels that he’s being serious. Like right now.

Jihyo blinked nervously. There was no other way around it, if he’s really serious.

“Okay! Call!” Jihyo finally agreed. She opened the steaming cup of ramen. “Let’s share this ramen as a sign of our agreement. If we eat from this and if we stay single at 40, then we’ll have to marry each other,” Jihyo said daring him to take on the agreement.

“Forty? Wouldn’t we be too old then?” Insung protested.

“Exactly! If I’m still single at 40, then I’m sure my mother is right when she said nobody wants me for a wife, then I’ll give you a call,” Jihyo laughed.

“Fair enough,” Insung nodded and to Jihyo’s surprise took a mouthful of ramen. Not wanting to be fazed, Jihyo ate a mouthful from the cup too.

“What about we make it 35?” Insung negotiated.

“Hmmm... no,” Jihyo responded.

“I mean, you gotta think about your bio-clock can we still have a child at 40?” Insung reasoned.

“Hmmm...,” Jihyo was starting to feel doubtful.

“What about 38?” Insung suggested.

“Okay, I’ll think about it at 38,” Jihyo conceded.

“Okay!” Insung cried, he took the chopsticks from Jihyo but realized that she had finished eating the whole cup to herself.

“Sorry,” Jihyo mumbled, swallowing the last mouthful of ramen. “I was really hungry,” she said guiltily.

“It’s okay, let’s do a pinky swear instead,” He said offering his pinky finger to her, which she took.

“If we’re both still single at 38, Cheon Sung Im and Jo Insung will have to marry each other,” Insung intoned in all seriousness.

Jihyo couldn’t help but chuckle at Insung’s serious tone. She linked her pinky finger with his, putting their thumbs together at the same time, and said, “It’s a promise—a Ramyun Promise.”

“Sealed with a kiss,” whispered Insung. And before Jihyo could stop him, Insung moved in for a kiss. It was a sweet kiss, albeit short, nothing like the hot sensual kisses they’ve shared in front of the cameras for the movie. Looking into each other’s eyes after breaking off the kiss, neither knew, although both hoped, that they were thinking the same thing; that 38 couldn’t come sooner.