“Umm, can I get two set As, no pickle, extra mustard… and a root beer as well?” I told the cashier, while unsuccessfully trying to open my wallet single-handedly. The other was holding a phone to my ear as I listened to as thirty year-old man-child list off his demands for lunch as if it was Christmas and I was freaking Santa.

“Don’t forget my mango smoothie as well,” he whined. “I have no energy, I need my natural sugar.”

“Next time all I’m feeding you is water,” I quipped, much to the cashier’s amusement. Ji Yong fake gasped on the other end and then chuckled.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“You want to test that theory out?” I hung up on him and then put my phone away before he could be a smartass and say something he would regret.

“Your fiancée looks like a handful,” the cashier said as I handed the cash over to her. I was going to ask her how she knew when I eyed the black and white rock on my finger. I sighed exaggeratedly and then smiled at her.

“Well, what can I do? I can’t back out now, I’ve fallen too hard.” She gave me a knowing nod then handed me back my change along with our glorious junk food of a lunch in a paper bag and cup holder. I’ve been wasting my time the past few days in Ji Yong’s recording studio back in YG due to a sudden dip in schedules because of the approaching holidays. Shoots and interviews for special Christmas and New Year edition prints were completed last week so now I had this huge gaping hole in which I could do whatever I wanted. In Ji Yong’s ears it meant he’s got himself a woman who could now serve him at his every beck and call.

As I waited on the curb for Ji Yong’s car, fresh mango smoothie now at hand, I suddenly heard a small voice call out from behind me.

“Excuse me…” I turned around slowly to find two girls in school uniform stare at me inquisitively with large, dark brown eyes.

“Oh my gosh, I was right! It is her!” one whispered a little too loudly to the other. After pushing and shoving each other a few times, one of them finally took out a notebook and a pen from their backpack along with their cellphone.

“You’re Erica right, the one with that coffee ad and the jeans billboard? Can we get your signature and a picture?”

“Eh?” That was all I could squeak out. First, I never expected a situation like this to happen. Second, I was wrapped up like a fat purple snowman juggling packages on both my hands. It really wasn’t what I would imagine my first autograph-giving moment to be, if I could imagine it.

“Please, it won’t take too long,” the other girl said.

“H-how about just a picture then? My hands are a little full at the moment.” They took the deal straightaway and quickly took turns posing with me before bowing and slowly walking away.

“Thank you, we’re such huge fans. You’re so beautiful,” they cried, leaving me in the most awkward position ever. I tried to give them a small wave and smile as stragglers stared at me a little confused at what the commotion was all about. And just like that I passed a milestone; someone recognized me on the street.

I was beaming when I entered Ji Yong’s car to his absolute bewilderment.

“I was getting ready to pick up a pissed young lady, what’s this about?” he asked, grabbing the Styrofoam cup from my hands. I shook my head but couldn’t take away the stupid grin off my face even if I tried.

“Two girls just made my day.”

“Were they handing out free samples or something? Free food, maybe?” he wondered hopefully.

“They asked for my signature.”

Ji Yong stopped at his straw then looked towards me who was still a little mind-blown from it all. I wanted to coin up a term for the opposite of star-struck… fan-struck? Then again for Ji Yong this would be no big deal. He’s been dealing with screaming girls for over ten years and could have them lying at his feet in a matter of seconds, what do two girls have to his millions?

“Remember their faces well, Ri Ah,” he said in an unexpectedly serious tone. I stared at him blankly.

“When things get difficult,” he continued, “It won’t be me that’ll help you, sometimes even your own personal will isn’t enough, but the faces of the people that love and respect your work are the ones that you pull through for. Your fans are who make or break you.”

I was silent for a while, picking at the paper bag as his words resounded in my head. If it was anyone’s guidance I should trust it would be his; not only because I believe in him entirely as a person but because he’s been through enough to know how important the support of his fans are. This wasn’t advice to be taken lightly.

“Do you remember your first fans?” I asked him.

“Of course, but that’s a secret between me and them.” He winked at me and then concentrated on the road for the drive back to the office.

Time in the studio for me is nostalgic. Although not exactly the same, in LA this would be where we had our first kiss, where we started our love, and where we would just waste our hours away together. As I lay down on the couch, doing my new version of ‘studying’ involving fashion spreads and magazines, Ji Yong plays parts of songs on repeat for the umpteenth time as he edits the voice and sounds for a final piece that he’s finally satisfied with.

“If you’ve played it a thousand times and it still doesn’t sound right… don’t force it,” I told him. Ji Yong’s head is in his hands, his eyes closed as he incessantly tries to figure out the 0.1% that’s missing from making it a perfect song. I get up and approach him, before bending down and giving him a comforting kiss on the cheek.

“Otherwise you’re going to be up all night wondering what to do with it, and I’m going to end up sleeping with you and a laptop. Three’s a crowd babe.”

“But honestly, what do you think is missing?” I furrowed my eyebrows and listened to it one more time, but came up completely empty.

“I know what you mean, it’s good but it needs something…else. Why don’t you try adding a female vocalist in the back? Get someone with a sweet voice that can do falsettos. It might give it a softer edge.”

“Okay. Then you go in the booth, I want to try it out.”

“Me!?” I waved my hands in front of me a little too ecstatically, but shook my head as well for good measure. “I can’t sing.”

“I know, I’ve seen you try.”

“Where?”

“Shower and kitchen. You sing to yourself a lot.” Huh, never knew that. “Don’t worry Ri Ah, hum along, I just want to see.”

I guess it’s one of the perks of having a fiancée that’s a composer, you get to play around with his equipment. I’m nervous. I know it’s only just me and him but as soon as I stepped into the recording booth my palms are sweaty, my heart’s racing like I’ve just run a mile and something feels caught in my throat.

“Nervous?” he asked through the headphones.

“How’d you know?” I asked, grimacing a little.

“That room tends to do that to you sometimes. Just… imagine we’re at home and it’s the two of us. We’re in the living room and we’re in each other’s arms and just enjoying the fact that we’re together, the two of us. There’s no one else in the world except you and me and this song that we’re humming along to.”

“We’ve never done that before,” I said matter-of-factly. I heard Ji Yong’s deep chuckle before he spoke.

“We have our entire lives to do that together.”

“You’re just saying that so I can hurry up and record aren’t you?” I questioned, knowingly.

“Love you, babe.”

“You’re lucky, it just so happens I love you like crazy too.” We smiled at each other and I followed his advice. It would nice to say at this point that it turns out I have magical vocal abilities and I would be included as a back track for one of Big Bang’s new songs. Too bad it didn’t matter where I sang; my voice was just not cut out for humming not to mention actually singing.

“I think I’m going to have to call one of my girls,” he finally decided, sighing.

“It would’ve been nice if you decided that after my 1^st attempt,” I added, before chugging down water like there was no tomorrow. I have a whole new found respect for recording artists that have to work with this guy. You need to have a hell of a lot of patience, for both parties.

“You’re not working for New Years are you?” he asked me, before I left him for the day. The senior YG ladies and I were gathering at sajangnim’s apartment for some good food and gossip.

“Of course not, what do you have planned?”

“Snow, a private pension, a view of the river, fireworks… sound good?”

“It sounds perfect. I’ll see you tonight.” I blew him a kiss then made my way downstairs towards the dance studio. Life as we know it, is perfect, and I sighed contentedly at that thought.

AN: HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! Hope you guys had a good start to the year, with all your loved ones near. =D. I'm currently penning two stories at once, so everything's a whole lot slower. Plus I just took up a language class which is taking a good portiong out of my day. I'm going to try and write as much as I can. If you guys have the time, check out Nove, which I recently started. Thanks again and enjoy!