Starbucks Coffee

Tom Bradley International Airport

Los Angeles, California

Ji Hyo tapped her foot while she waited for her coffee. She was palpitating.

Weird.

She hasn’t taken a sip of her americano yet. And she doesn’t normally palpitate just by having a cup of coffee.

Yet, she was palpitating.

She can feel it.

The girl is nervous.

Even her hair strands and her eyelashes were anxious that very moment. She tried to think of something else to do; to avert her attention and keep herself from worrying yet she ended up getting a caffeine fix. Funny that it will obviously add up to her shaky and restless being.

Ji Hyo just arrived in Los Angeles. In a normal situation, if a person arrives in such city and about to get married, he/she would have felt excited and happy. But Ji Hyo’s feeling otherwise. Ji Hoon and his Grandparents arrived with her that day, but they haven’t spoken that much with each other during that thirteen-hour travel or so.

She and Ji Hoon are getting married.

She told Ji Hoon she’s in love with Kim Jong Kook.

Both things are made clear.

But it’s obviously a done deal? Ji Hyo can’t run away anymore; she’s in Los Angeles to get married, isn’t she?

“Ji Hyo?” The barista called her name for the third time.

“Oh, sorry.” Ji Hyo, who spaced out, hurriedly got her coffee. “Thank You.”

“Ji Hyo-yah.”

Another person called out her name.

A familiar voice.

A very familiar voice.

Oh .

She need not turn back to know who it was. She knew that voice by heart.

She tightened her grip on her coffee cup. It was warm but she was too nervous, it felt cold.

Ji Hyo panicked and looked for Ji Hoon and his grandparents. Her heart’s pounding like crazy now; she can hear it. The palpitation level had gone up with that ‘Ji Hyo-yah’ she just heard.

Then she saw her fiancé scanning a magazine page while his Grandma and Grandpa were both reading newspapers. They looked preoccupied with whatever they’re reading, with whatever that something that caught their attention. Bottom line, it’s safe to turn back… and smile.

Then she loosened her grip on her cup…

Then the same cup suddenly felt warm…

Then she turned her back…

“Jong Kook.”

Then she smiled.

“Ji Hyo-yah.” Jong Kook repeated. Apparently, it came with a handsome and y smile.

“What are you doing here?” Ji Hyo whispered and came closer to him.

What a question.

As if she didn’t know the answer.

“I am the Wedding Singer, right?” He smiled evilly.

Yes, you are KJK, yes you are baby boy.

Note: there was something in his smile. Forget that it was a handsome smile.

A very handsome one.

Again, always.

“Wedding Singer, my …” Ji Hyo shook her head. “Kim Jong Kook!”

“You know why I am here.” Jong Kook turned serious.

“You got to be serious.” Ji Hyo told him. “You can’t just stop my wedding just like that.”

“I am not stopping your wedding.” He replied. “I just need to ask you something, then I’ll go home… I will go… I’ll go back to Korea.”

“Wh-What?” Ji Hyo was confused on what Jong Kook was trying to do.

“Who do you want to wake up married to?” He smiled handsomely; that trademark Kim Jong Kook smile.

Then Ji Hyo smiled. “Do you really need to ask that question?”

Jong Kook nodded.

“There are things that are obvious that you don’t need to ask, Kim Jong Kook-sshi.” Ji Hyo’s eyes smiled. “And these is one of those.”

“Who?” He prodded, still smiling handsomely like that.

“Pabo.” Ji Hyo cutely laughed while she nervously looked at the Lees once more if they caught on to them.

“Ppalli… Answer me.” Jong Kook pouted like a kid. “Are you calling me a ‘Pabo’ or are you answering ‘Pabo’?”

Cute.

Cute, that Kim Jong Kook.

And he still manages to be cute on a time like this.

Whatta man.

And yet he’s seconds away from being caught.

And Ji Hyo, a week away from getting married to Lee Ji Hoon.

Ji Hyo just had to makes are once again that Ji Hoon and the old Lees aren’t looking before she can come a little closer to Jong Kook before she can speak.

“I love you.” Ji Hyo tip-toed and gave him a sweet short kiss on the lips. “I love you, Jong Kook.”

“Who do you want to wake up married to?” He repeated his question without saying ‘I love you too’ but still smiling again.

“You.” Ji Hyo replied. “Just you… again.”

Then it was Jong Kook’s turn to initiate a kiss and said, “I just needed to hear that. It’s not what you think. I’ll go now. I am letting you go. Be happy with Ji Hoon.”

“Yah! What was that?” Ji Hyo was confused.

Even Authornim was confused as hell too.

But Jong Kook was already on his way out of the coffee shop, waving goodbye with his back turned to his teary-eyed-ex-wife. But he was smiling (again).

He was smiling.

He was smiling wide.

Oh dear.

What was that?

Grandma and Grandpa Lees House

Somewhere in Los Angeles

(they were seemingly hiding from someone…)

“Grandma…”

“Jong Kook…” Grandma’s smile faded. She was talking to her neighbour, another halmoni, when a familiar looking man came up to her when she was about to tell another story.

Jong Kook saw her flushed expression. He saw the worried look of the old lady that is very dear to him. He felt the tension.

Jong Kook suddenly felt sad himself.

“I knew I would have a hard time finding your place… I couldn’t speak English fluently… so it’s almost a miracle I made it here.” Jong Kook almost said shyly.

“I-I-I thought you couldn’t come…” Grandma Lee stammered. She suddenly forgot she had someone that she was talking to.

The other Grandma looked pale herself. She must’ve known the story between Ji Hoon, Ji Hyo and Jong Kook. She excused herself and left.

“I’ve changed my mind, Grandma.” Jong Kook smiled. “For old times’ sake, I think I should come to Ji Hyo’s wedding. We’re… we’re friends after all. And Ji Hoon, he’s my friend too. And you… you and Grandpa. You are special to me. I shouldn’t be missing this special event, should I?”

Then he smiled.

Grandma had to hold on to a steel bar to keep her balance.

Something’s not right.

Jong Kook is smiling handsomely.

Grandma, that is normal. Jong Kook smiling handsomely; I bet you know that.

“Grandma, what’s wrong?” Jong Kook asked, sending Grandma Lee is unusually not her talkative and accommodating self. Although he knew his arrival was not anticipated and definitely an unwanted surprise, he was least expecting, the old woman could’ve hidden her current expression for old times’ sake.

Old times sake.

That again.

Oh dear.

“I am alright Jong Kook.” Grandma told him. “Would you like to come in?”

“Yes… Yes Grandma…” Jong Kook excitedly nodded.

When Jong Kook entered the Lees home, he immediately looked for Grandpa. He was told he was napping. He was a ‘Pabo’ alright, but it was ten in the morning and he caught a glimpse of the old man trying to sneak in to one of the rooms. That broke his heart even more.

Grandma Lees spoiled him. But he and Grandpa shared secrets too. Man to Man. Jong Kook felt he had a real Grandpa in him too; like he was someone who would always take his side if his parents would not. Now, Grandpa Lee was avoiding him. Running from him, hiding from him. He was clear that he’s just there to attend the wedding.

Why are the Lees acting so weird?

Because he came up to them telling them his feelings for Ji Hyo?

He was just being honest.

BUT he said he would let go.

“Would you like to have coffee… or…” Grandma’s worried expression hasn’t changed a bit even inside the house.

“It’s not the best time right now, isn’t it?” Jong Kook stood up and smiled. “I’ll just come back later Grandma. You too, take your nap first. I won’t disturb you. You look restless.”

“Jong Kook…” Grandma had nothing to say but his name.

“Oh, I am coming with someone on their wedding, by the way.” Jong Kook informed him. “I’d be too lonely for a guy my age to be attending such event without a date. I hope you don’t mind. Please tell Ji Hoon and Ji Hyo.”

A date?

You.got.to.be.kidding.me.

A date?

Heol.

“I thought you still love Ji Hyo?” Brave Grandma had to ask now… or she forever had to hold her peace.

Jong Kook nodded. “But Kim Jong Kook has to move on.”

Awwww.

“Not good at moving on actually; never good at it. But I will try.” He added.

Jong Kook nodded.

“I’ll go Grandma.” Jong Kook smiled. “Maybe it’s better if I should just see you all at the wedding. You don’t need to worry about me. I won’t create a scene. I wont mess it up. Except maybe I’ll live up to my role… you know, the Wedding Singer.”

Grandma laughed.

Of course.

Jong Kook walked up and hugged Grandma. “A real man knows when to let go. Yo