Jihoo and Jandi sat nervously in their seats, completely silent.

"Tell me will the audience like this?"

Paul’s voice rung in their ears.  Jandi fidgeted with her finger while Jihoo shook his legs while staring blankly out the window. This wasn’t going good, he had understood that, well before Paul rebuked them. Jandi had become a very good friend of his—someone he could finally talk to after Somin./ But her epilepsy attack changed her completely. She was no longer his friend Jandi. He knew it was her insecurity that led to this behavior but he wanted the old Jandi back, for her own sake, if not for anything else. Jihoo was aware of Jandi’s financial conditions. Her father was a small laundry shop owner and she had a paralyzed younger brother—she was their only hope. Jihoo realized they needed to resolve things else Jandi will suffer.

“Umm…look” he said turning to Jandi “We need to tal—“

“Why are you here?” Jandi sniffed, looking at the floor instead of at him. Jihoo could make out she was trying hard to suppress her tears.

“Wha-what do you mean?”

“I mean what I said!” Jandi faced him fully now “Why are you here?! Do you think I am incapable of doing a show? Did Hyunjoong send you as my caretaker?”

“WHAT?!” Hyunjoong’s mention drained out all the concern Jihoo had for her momentarily “Don’t give yourself so much importance! I am not here for Hyunjoong or you!”

“Then why are you here?”

“I got an offer. It was good money so I took it”

“Money? You have a freaking mansion and cars I have never seen in Korea! You don’t need money! This might not be important for you, Yon Jihoo, but it is for me! So get out! I can take care of myself, you don’t need to bother about me…go to your mansion and then drive off to Australia with Dong Sun!”

“So Junnie you are the only one left now” Somin said.

“Poor Baby always the last at everything” Jungmin teased

“Well I am still young…you all starting to have wrinkles. I still have time” Hyungjun tried defending himself

“You are aware that there is just a year older” Hwangbo pointed out

“But I have better skin” Hyungjun pouted

“And yet I am the brand ambassador of Faceshop” Hyunjoong mocked. Everybody laughed as HyungJun got bullied

“YAH! Don’t make me more miserable!” Hyungjun whined “What kind of hyungs and unnies are you anyway huh? Dancing off to get married while your little dongsaeng is still alone and lonely”

“Yah! Don’t blame us…you have extraordinary standards” Jessica said

“And a flickering mind too! One day he likes Suzy and they next day he’s lovestruck by Yuju!” Jungmin pointed out

“Recently he’s been obsessed with Hyeri” Kyujong announced

“Yah! Hyeri was amazing in Reply 1988! The whole nation is in praise of her!” Hyungjun clarified

“It’s okay Junnie…you will find your soulmate”

“I hope so” Hyungjun sighed.

DongSun’s phone beeped just then. He took a look at his cell and then looked up at others, “Umm…did you know Jihoo went to WGM”

The room fell silent.

“Oh..” Hyunjoong said after a while “He’s paired with Jandi, I suppose?”

“De” DongSun nodded “I think she is the reason he accepted the offer in the first place”

“Ara” Hyunjoong nodded

“You know I have to invite him to our wedding” DongSun said

“Oppa, we don’t have a problem with him.” Somin looked up “It’s her, I have a problem with. The way she behaved that day was unacceptable…after all we have done for her” Hyunjoong patted her back in notion to calm down “Jihoo has always been a dear friend…our equation is not like it was, I accept…but he will always be invited”

“I understand Somin” DongSun said “Anyways I have to leave now..Jess and I need to fix a date for our wedding.”

“Kure..just don’t do it on 14^th February. We have called dibs on that one” Hyunjoong exclaimed

“Yes ofcourse! how can I clash with SS501!” DongSun waved and left with Jessica. Slowly everyone left one by one.

“Hey Hyungjun I packed you some—“Somin came out with a tiffin container in hand. “Did he leave already?”

“Yes..” Hyunjoong sighed getting up

“Aish! I packed him some fried chicken legs” Somin pouted waving the foiled food in the air.

Hyunjoong slowly walked upto her and s his arms round her waist “Finally I have some lone time with you” he whispered and kissed her forehead “The marriage…Are you happy?”

“Ofcourse” she said and leaned forward to peck on his lips

“Wow! I am getting rewards without even asking for them…I am really lucky today” Hyunjoong chuckled

“Yah…are you making fun of me?” Somin said locking her arms behind Hyunjoong’s neck

“Nope I am just surprised” Hyunjoong said glancing at her hands “pleasantly”

Somin didn’t say anything just got up on her toes to kiss him slowly. Hyunjoong bent down helping her to give her full access to his mouth. The kiss grew deeper and finally they parted to breathe.

“Don’t entice me so much…I might take you right here right now” Hyunjoong warned, his voice rugged

Somin giggled and slid his front hair with her fingertips. Hyunjoong bent down and stole another kiss. “Help me with the dishes?” she said entwining their hands

The landing announcement woke up Jihoo. He slid his sleeping mask slightly. From the angle his seat  was reclined, he could take a peak at Jandi’s side if he leaned, so he looked trying to decipher her thoughts and actions. As he did so, he came face to face with her sleeping. She looked serene, peaceful and loving. That was the first time he saw her when she wasn’t anxious, tensed, angry or crying and it was such a pleasant sight.  Jihoo smiled to himself. Suddenly another announcement beep echoed through the flight, this one alittle louder than the rest.

Jihoo looked up suspiciously. The beep woke up Jandi too.

“Folks” everyone identified Paul’s voice. “We are about to land at Jeju in a few minutes. I hope you all got some sleep and ready to roll, because this was the only off camera time you are going to get for the next 3 months”

Jihoo jolted up feeling the gravity of the situation. Jandi also was surprised at the announcement. She pulled up her headphones and plugged them into the socket on her armrest, to listen to the announcement attentively. She heard Jihoo getting up and was somehow relieved to find him acting similarly to her. Both of them signed the 3-month WGM contract but didn’t estimate the extensive coverage Paul now announced.

“A cameraman would always be with you during these 3 months…and yes even when you are not particularly shooting for WGM and engaging in your other activities.”

“What?” Jihoo let out a low grump. Jandi heard it from other end and even though she was quiet her reaction was no different.

“Now coming to the show, I hope each one of you has strategized a character in your head, which you’re gonna reference. Play yourself or play the character. Don’t mix it as it didn’t result in a successful participant in the past and it wont now. I hope you have discussed with your partner about your role and personality…if you haven’t…well that’s extremely stupid of you” Paul said cold heartedly

Jandi gulped in fear realizing she and Jihoo have hardly spoken, let alone strategize

“Best of luck everyone” Paul said and called off the announcement

The participants sat in utter silence but just then the announcement bridge resumed and Paul spoke again.

“Umm one more thing…you cannot change your partner. The person sitting next to you will be with you till the next 3 months do you apart.” Paul chuckled. Jandi and Jihoo, simultaneously, looked at the shiny wooden separation between them. “If you think you’re not up for it, you still have time, till we reach Jeju,  to call it off. But I should mention, in case such occasion arise, you WILL be subjected to a fine on the grounds of contract breach that would amount to 150% of your recruiting sum. Goodluck ”

Jandi fell back in her seat. There was no escape.  She closed her eyes and sighed. Finally after 5mintues of dueling with her inner dilemnas,she knocked on the wooden plank

Jihoo pressed the button on his armrest and the separation came down gradually. He wasn’t looking at her, Jandi observed, but at something infront of him. Evidently he didn’t care for her words—this was going to be difficult; he is going to be difficult.

“Ok so we are stuck in this” she finally said

Jihoo made an indecipherable sound shrugging his shoulders and his eyes moved to the clouds outside the window.

“I cant back away since I don’t have the money.” Jandi continued, avoiding Jihoo’s evident lack of interest in her

“I can give you the money” Jihoo immediately said

“I wont ever be able to repay it”

“You don’t have to. Take it as a payment for your favor”

“Favor?” Jandi couldn’t understand him

“Favor of sparing me the bother of tolerating you” Jihoo said, indifferently

Jandi’s jaw dropped at his unabashedness. “If I back away, you’ll be dropped too!” she pointed out, her voice shriller than she had intended

“Nope. I can find my way”

“No you cant! Paul clearly said we cant change partn—“

“You underestimate me!” Jihoo said, finally turning to her. His eyes, completely devoid of any emotion, were serious and professional.

Jandi didn’t know this Jihoo, at all. She took a deep breath and let it out in an attempt to calm herself infront of this utterly obnoxious Jihoo. “I cant….rather I wont…I wont quit” she said strongly

One corner of Jihoo’s lips, surreptitiously, pulled up, hearing Jandi’s resolve. Brave Jandi

“So I am afraid you have to put up with me” Jandi finished not giving in.

“Can I ask you something?” Hyunjoong said as he stood backhugging Somin while she did the dishes

“Sure” Somin said softly. Hyunjoong unwrapped her arms and moved to her side. Somin noticed the change in posture “I have a feeling I wont like the question” she said, narrowing her eyes

Hyunjoong chuckled but the turned serious,”Earlier…you seemed pretty mad at Jandi”

All traces of smile drained from Somin’s face and she turned back to her dishes.  Hyunjoong waited for her reply but it didn’t come. He softly held her arm. “Isnt it obvious?” she said in a slightly agitated tone “she insulted my husband”

Hyunjoong smiled at the reference of husband but then spoke,”She was not in the right state of mind”. Somin didn’t respond. “Plus Jihoo is with her now. Avoiding her would be avoiding Jihoo. Are you relly going to do that”

“That’s just a pretend wedding.”

“Even so..they will be together for 3 months. And from my knowledge, not many couples have came out of that show without the slightest of feelings” Somin bit her lips, as she placed the last dish on the shelf. Hyunjoong bent over and turned off the water for her. He held her shoulders and made him turn to him. “Don’t make Jihoo choose.That guy already had to let go of a lot because of us”

Somin remembered the pain she could see in Jihoo’s eyes whenever he saw them together. She slowly rested her head on Hyunjoong’s chest.

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Hello everyone! This is your capricious author here! How are you lovelies?

It's been ages hasnt it? I had started this ff in college and now I am a working professional. Many of you have also grown up along the way too. There are new readers I see coming in every time I post a new chapter and I guess some old ones have left(I dont blame you, this has been going on for a really long time now) But nonetheless, you guys make me so happy. Thank you for reading!

Some of you have been asking me for more Hyunmin and less of others. But dears, Hyunmin had 200 chapters solely dedicated to them. Let others come in for abit now...dont be hasty. So Jihoo and Jandi are going to be here for a while and dont be sad Jihoo is ultimately our Hyunjoong oppa(just with a different haircut)

Enjoy!^^