SONG JOONG KI

"Kwang Soo! Kwang Soo! Kwang Soo!" I called as I banged on the door of Kwang Soo's apartment. It was already 12 am but I didn't care. All I could think about on my way to Kwang Soo's is that I need to share the news I just heard with someone because I might just explode from being too happy by myself. 

"Kwang Soo!" I called again. 

"YAH!" Kwang Soo opened his front door with a shout. "What the hell are you banging on my door for?! Are you out of your mind?! I have neighbors you know!"

I just grinned at him widely as I let myself inside his house. 

"What the hell is it?!" He demanded as he followed me behind.

"Today calls for a celebration!" I exclaimed as I raised the cans of beer I brought with me.

"What are you talking about? It's midnight for christ sakes. I was sleeping!" He said as he laid down on the couch and grabbed a pillow, wanting to go back to sleep. 

"Get up!" I urged him as I pulled him up to a sitting position. 

"I have a schedule tomorrow at 8 am. I need to sleep!" He exclaimed. 

"Who cares about that right now! You won't believe what just happened!" I said excitedly.

"I already know! Hye Kyo Noona accepted the role for your drama. It's all over the news!" Kwang Soo glared as he tried fight off his drowsiness.

"It's not that! But yes, that calls for a celebration too. But something else happened!" I said to Kwang Soo as a huge grin stretched my face. 

He groaned. "Seriously, just say it so I can go back to sleep." 

"Hye Kyo and Seung Heon sunbae broke up!" I cheered. 

It took a few seconds for Kwang Soo to digest what I said and then he just stared at me. Honestly, his reaction was so underwhelming and did not match my current mood that I frowned a little. 

"What's with that bland reaction?" I asked.

"Where did you even hear that from? I didn't see any announcements on the news regarding that. You must've read some fake news or are you hallucinating now?" Kwang Soo said as he looked at me oddly. 

I took a seat beside him and handed him a can of beer as I opened one for myself. Kwang Soo drank as he waited for me to recount the events earlier.

"I ran into Hye Kyo before coming here. I was jogging around my neighborhood when she called out to me. Honestly, I was surprised but you know I was also looking forward to seeing her that's why I've been jogging around the area near UN Village for two days now, trying to catch a glimpse of her if she went out on a walk with Ruby. You know Ruby right? Our dog? Well she's her dog but she got her when we were together so she's kind of my dog too. I honestly feel like she's actually our fur child or something like that, whatever kids nowadays call it----"

"Yah! Just get to the point!" Kwang Soo exclaimed in annoyance. "You're way too over excited and you end up rambling. Just tell me about the important parts, I'm still sleepy you know?" 

I tried to calm myself down as I continued. "Right. Sorry. Anyway, long story short, we got to talking about the two of us. I told her that I'll just be patient and trust whatever decision she makes. Then she asked me if it was alright for us to still be in love with each other because it's not like we can freely act on it, then I said that I'm done thinking about those things and right now I'm just focusing on the fact that I love her and I'd want to make it up to her. Then I said that she can take all the time she needs to decide between me and Seung Heon sunbae."

"In which part does this play into the information that they broke up?" Kwang Soo asked, obviously irritated that it was taking me too long to tell the story.

"I'm getting there!" I grumbled at him.

"As I was saying, right at the end when I told her that I'll be leaving first since we were at the park and we can never be too careful ofcourse, since Dispatch seems to be everywhere and the news that we're working together again is still hot off the press, she said that she broke up with Seung Heon sunbae." I said that last part with so much glee that I could practically feel my mouth splitting from grinning too much. 

Kwang Soo looked confused as he stared at me. "Then how come there's no official statement from our agency or from Hye Kyo Noona's? Are you sure they already broke up? Or are they in the middle of breaking up? Or is she still deciding if she wants to break up?"

"What she exactly said was 'Just so you know, I broke up with Seung Heon Oppa.' Does that even mean anything else? It's as simple as that, she broke up with him!" I exclaimed. 

"Hmm. I still feel uneasy about this. I haven't really heard anything about the two of them breaking up at the office." Kwang Soo mused.

"Didn't you tell me that you heard from your manager that they barely see each other anymore? And that time we saw them at the restaurant was probably their last date before breaking up." I said. 

"Yeah, I did hear about that but don't you think the two of them breaking up would even be bigger news? I doubt my manager won't tell me if Seung Heon hyung's manager told him about it. After all, he knows I'm some kind of double agent for you." He chuckled.  

"You told your manager I still liked Hye Kyo?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. But he's a fan of you and Hye Kyo Noona so he likes to tell me these kinds of things, hoping I'd relay them to you. Which I do." 

"Maybe Noona and Seung Heon hyung are keeping their breakup a secret for now? After all, people would definitely think something is up if they announced that they broke up just right after your casting for the drama with Hye Kyo Noona was confirmed." Kwang Soo said. 

"Probably. Well, I don't really care about that anyways. All I care about is that they broke up. If that isn't a telling sign that Hye Kyo chose me over him then I don't know what is." I grinned. 

"You're cruel to be happy over someone else's heart break." Kwang Soo scowled at me as he sipped his beer. 

"I don't care." I laughed. "All I care about right now is that Hye Kyo chose me over him!" 

"Noona chose you? Then did she say she'll be dating you now?" Kwang Soo asked. 

I stopped being excited for a moment. "Well, she didn't say anything about that."

Kwang Soo smirked at me. "Then you're being thrilled over nothing. Noona might have broken up with Seung Heon hyung but that doesn't mean she's going to be with you now." 

I hit Kwang Soo's shoulder as it elicited a yelp from him. 

"Ow!" 

"You really have a way of dampening my mood don't you?" I glowered at him. 

"I'm just being logical here. Noona said she broke up with Seung Heon hyung but she never mentioned anything about dating you. So maybe they broke up because Noona just wants to." Kwang Soo said.

"Why would she break up with him for no reason other than she wants to be with me now? She already admitted that she has feelings for me still, what's the next step for her then if she doesn't date me?" I asked as I drank my beer. 

"I just think that Noona must've broken up with Seung Heon hyung because she likes you, but that doesn't necessarily mean she'll date you right away. Noona's a sensible person. She knows that there are many factors at risk if you guys get together immediately. Mainly, the press and public's reactions once news about it comes out." Kwang Soo answered.

"Well, I'm not in any hurry to be in an official relationship with her again too if she thinks it's not yet the right time for that. But ultimately, I'm just happy that Song Seung Heon is now out of the picture." I said. 

Kwang Soo nodded at me. "Well, if anything, I guess things are now looking up for you and Hye Kyo Noona." 

I grinned at Kwang Soo as I clinked my beer with his. "About damn time, don't you think?" 

SONG HYE KYO

3rd week of June 2022

I was currently on my way to KBS for the first table read of Now We Are Breaking Up. I was preoccupied with reading the script and rehearsing in my head how I should deliver my lines when my manager spoke. 

"I'm nervous about this." 

"About what?" I asked, still not removing my attention from my script. 

"You, Song Joong Ki, and a lot of other things!" She exclaimed. 

I turned to her as I smirked. "Weren't you the one who assured me that I shouldn't be bothered at all? You said that there's nothing to be worried about since everyone's expecting a positive feedback from the press and public for this project." 

"I know what I said and I still stick by that. I'm not totally worried about this drama and the public's reception of it, what I'm worried about is your relationship with Song Joong Ki. The both of you still have feelings for each other and you went ahead and even broke up with Seung Heon-ssi, although I do think that what you did was the right thing since you won't really ever love him. But anyway, won't your feelings and relationship develop even more since you're bound to spend more time with Joong Ki-ssi during the shooting?"  My manager asked.

I turned to her as I spoke. "I thought about that when I accepted the project and I do know that this just gives us more chance to be in each other's presence and to further develop feelings, as you say Unnie. But you know me, when it comes to work, I'm not easily sidetracked. And I'm sure that even Joong Ki has his priorities straight. Also, I've decided to shelf my feelings first. I'm putting all my focus on this drama during filming and nothing else." 

"You're putting all your focus on the drama during filming? What about when you're not filming then? You'll focus on Joong Ki-ssi?" My manager teased. 

I laughed as I rolled my eyes at her. "Seriously, unnie." 

The meeting room at KBS was already filled with some of the staff, cast, and crew of Now We Are Breaking Up. As soon as I walked inside, I greeted everyone. I also said hello to the other actors and actresses that we'll be working with and the staff that will be working on the drama. I shook hands with the writer and director as I tried to find my place on the table. My eyes landed on Joong Ki who was already settled in his seat and probably arrived way before I did. He was grinning as he gestured to the empty seat beside him. I walked over gingerly towards him, noticing that some people in the room had their eyes on us. 

The table read lasted for a few hours. We read parts of the script that were considered as the focal scenes for the first 10 episodes so it was no wonder that my throat hurt by the time it ended. Althroughout the table read, I'd notice a few looks directed at me and Joong Ki whenever there was a dialogue between our characters, I guess everyone was looking out how the two of us could possibly play as a couple in this drama when we have history that is undoubtedly unpleasant. As expected though, Joong Ki and I work great together. There was nothing unsatisfactory in the way we portrayed the tone of our characters during the table read and the praises showered by the director and writer was a testament to that. 

As the people inside the meeting room left one by one, I noticed that Joong Ki was lingering by the door. When I walked out, he turned to me.

"Hey. Are you going home now?" He asked. 

I nodded my head. "Yeah. I have a flight to Taiwan tomorrow for a promotion for Laneige and Sulwhasoo and I haven't packed yet." 

"Oh really? How long will you be gone?"

"Just three days." I answered. 

"Then what about Ruby?" He asked.

"I'll be dropping her off at my mom's tomorrow morning before I head to the airport." 

"Why don't you just leave her with me?" He suggested. 

"Can you handle her on your own?" I asked.

"Ofcourse! It's not like I haven't done that before. I take care of Ruby all the time when you have schedules abroad in the past too, remember?" Joong Ki said, pertaining to the times when we used to live together.

I thought about it for a second and decided that it didn't seem like a bad idea. "Okay. I guess Ruby would like that too." 

"I'll pick her up at your place then?" He asked. 

"Sure. I'll text you my building and apartment number inside UN Village." I smiled then continued to walk out to meet my manager who was waiting a few meters away from where Joong Ki and I were standing. 

"What's that?" My manager asked after we got inside the car.

"Huh?" 

"Song Joong Ki was talking to you." She said.

"Oh. That. He said he wants to look after Ruby while I'm in Taiwan so he's going to pick her up later." I simply said. 

My manager looked surprised. "Is that okay?" 

"I don't see any problems about it. Ruby is technically his dog too since we got her during the time we were dating." I replied. 

"No, I meant him just casually dropping by at your place. He's done that before in your old house right?" She asked. 

"It's fine. The security at UN Village is top notch anyways and I don't think anyone from the building's staff would leak any info to the press. A lot of celebrities live there so I'm sure they're used to that and follow certain protocol." I said. 

My manager shrugged at me in defeat. "Fine. Whatever. So much for shelving your feelings huh?" 

"He's just picking up Ruby." I rolled my eyes.

"Don't pretend this isn't some kind of late night rendezvous, because we both know that it technically is." She said, her eyebrows raised at me. 

I just laughed at her, not responding to what she said. 

At around 10pm, my doorbell rang while I was busy packing my luggages. I hurriedly opened the door to welcome Joong Ki.

"Hey, I brought food." He said as he raised two bags of takeout. 

"That's great, I haven't eaten yet." I answered as I let him in. 

"You really need to change that habit of yours of not eating on time." He frowned at me as he followed inside.

"By the way, your new place is amazing." He said as he looked around. 

"Thanks. It took me a long time to finally be happy with the way I decorated the place." I laughed. 

"Seeing as you're quite detailed when it comes to these things, I can imagine how much you obsessed over your interior decor." Joong Ki said as he placed the bags of food on the dining table.

"What did you get?" I asked, eyeing the food as I got 2 sets of plates and chopsticks for the two of us.

"Chicken Skewers, Jokbal, and Cheese Tteokbokki." He grinned as he removed the lids of the containers. 

"Wow." I exclaimed as I looked at the spread of food. "That's a lot."

"You need to eat a lot. You're way too skinny these days." Joong Ki pointed at me as he placed servings of food on my plate.

I smiled in satisfaction as I ate. I didn't actually notice how hungry I was while I was packing my things, so I was thankful that Joong Ki had the sense to bring food.

"So..." Joong Ki trailed in the middle of eating.

I looked up at him in confusion. "What?" 

"Are you and Seung Heon-sunbae really no longer together?" He asked. 

The question had me surprised. I just nodded at him without saying anything. 

"Why?" 

"What do you mean why?" I asked.

"The last time we talked at your old house, you said you were staying together with him since you think it was the right thing to do and that you didn't want to hurt him." Joong Ki said. 

I tried to focus on eating, trying to ignore what Joong Ki said but he was staring at me intently, showing no sign that he was going to let go of the topic. 

I sighed. "Yeah, I said that but I got scolded by my manager. She said that it's stupid of me to think that it's the right thing to do. I'm just hurting Seung Heon Oppa more by staying with him and lying about my feelings, so I decided to end it. We're okay though, we're friends."

"Then how come there's no official statement regarding your breakup?" He asked. 

"We decided to postpone announcing anything since it happened right before I signed the contract for Now We Are Breaking Up. Oppa said it might cause rumors that can overshadow the project and I agree with him. We wouldn't really want that." I said. 

"So you guys are broken up but in the public's eye you're still dating?" He asked again.

"Basically." 

He seemed a little annoyed at this as his eyebrows scrunched up. 

"That's a little ed up." 

"I don't think so. It works anyways." I casually said.

"But that doesn't really work for the two of us." He frowned.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, how are we supposed to get back together if other people think you're still dating Seung Heon sunbae?" 

I set my chopsticks down. "Who said anything about the two of us getting back together?" 

He looked at me in shock. "What? You said you have feelings for me too!"

"I did. But that doesn't mean I'm getting back together with you." I said. 

He groaned in frustration. "I don't really understand where you're coming from." 

"I thought you said you'd trust in my decisions? And my decision is to not get back together with you." 

"What?" He exclaimed. "So you're saying we're just going to stay like this? What are we anyways?!"

I exhaled as I explained to Joong Ki. "We can't just go back to being a couple just because we love each other." 

"That's the most absurd thing I've heard in all my life." He said as he begrudingly took a bite of his chicken skewers.

"Joong Ki, we have a project to focus on. We have s