"Wow, Yoochun ah. Do you really hold shares to this restaurant? You must be raking in lots of money huh?" The sound director teased as he gave a hard pat on the hard working boy in front of him. "Seriously, do you even have anything you can't excel in?"

"You're flattering me too much! I'm embarrassed!" Yoochun joked, smiling the entire time as he ushered them to the big vip room, a traditional room where they would have to sit on the cushion behind the low tables.

"You don't have to be embarrassed Chun ah, they are all telling the truth, you are that great!" Hye Jin boasted proudly, placing her hand on his arm. "I'm sure with you around, the ratings will continue shooting higher and higher!"

Yoochun gave a small smile and inched away from her in the most discreet manner as he moved forward to join another conversation initiated by another ground staff, leaving Hye Jin basking in the bliss of having such close contact with Yoochun.

The staff from the production company, mainly Jiyun, MinAe and their boss, were walking in front of them the whole time since Jiyun had been there before and knew her way around the restaurant well.

They had just wrapped up early for filming that day and had decided to get dinner together at Bum’s Story. Since Jiyun dropped by to monitor the filming progress (and to supposedly thank Yoochun for the medication and the tea from the night before), she was also dragged along to the dinner.

"The witch is at work once again." MinAe mumbled with a disgusted face, turning back to the front as she continued to follow Jiyun's lead. Looping her arm in hers, she softly whispered, "I wonder how can Yoochun stand a person like her? Her plastics?"

Thanking Yoochun had initially been Jiyun’s main aim for dropping by the set. However, when she saw how intimate they were with each other, she had thrown away all thoughts and started ignoring him once again.

"Do you really think he is such a shallow person?" Her boss asked MinAe not before glancing over to look at Jiyun. "He is merely trying to keep the harmony between the actors and actresses in balance. Why else do you think he is trying to bear with the obvious advances Hye Jin pounced on him with?"

"We'll never know. Who knows he is just trying to play hard to get?" MinAe countered, her face looking doubly disgusted. "Although i hope that it isn't the case."

"He is a good man." He firmly spoke out. Looking over at Jiyun once again, he continued, "You have to trust him."

"Boss, that is none of my concern." Jiyun reply nonchalantly before stopping in front of the VIP room. "We're here." She announced, smiling and turning to her side where the owner was. He had caught up with them from behind upon knowing that the crew has reached.

"Hey Jiyun! It's been a while huh?" The owner greeted Jiyun immediately, ignoring Yoochun who had somehow managed to creep his way behind her in an attempt to close up the distance in between them. "Oh Yoochun, i didn't see you there."

"Hyung!" Yoochun complained with an uncomfortable looking face, while Jiyun smiled radiantly in response to the owner's greeting. The both of them somehow turned to face each other, but Jiyun immediately turned away.

"Just sit anywhere! Let me know what you guys want to order!" The owner explained hospitably, extending a hand to usher his guests in.

The staff from the production company quickly settled down on their respective cushions. Yoochun noticed an open seat right beside Jiyun and pretended to reluctantly walk towards it. He was about to reach the seat when he noticed another staff making his way towards the same seat. That's when Yoochun made a dash towards it and sat down at once.

Remembering the fact that an irritating girl by the name of 'Mary had a little lamb' was also present, he pulled the earlier staff to sit down beside him, providing a shield for himself. Hye Jin could only curse under her breath and walk to the opposite side of the table where only a few empty seats were left.

Yoochun's friend slowly went round the group to take down their orders before returning to Jiyun and Yoochun. "So, what would you guys like to have?"

"Hyung, i'll have kimchi jjigae."

"Alright, how about you, Jiyun?" He asked, immediately transferring his attention to the lady beside Yoochun. The latter pouted in response to the lack of attention towards him.

"I'll have that as well." She replied. "You guys have the best kimchi jjigae around."

"That's thanks to Jaejoong's delicate taste buds." He responded.

Yoochun pulled his friend nearer to him and started whispering in his ear with a frown on his forehead. His friend’s smile changed into that of a smirk and started teasing him for some reason or another.

“Ok, consider that done.” He replied, signaling an ‘ok’ with his hand. Turning towards Jiyun, he asked once again, "Fancy a drink or something?", throwing a knowing wink towards both Yoochun and her.

Jiyun chuckled. "No thanks, i'm expected at the filming site tomorrow at dawn."

Yoochun turned towards her with a questioning look. 'But we don't have any filming schedules tomorrow. That's why we can all come out for dinner together, isn't it?'

That was what he had wanted to ask.

Luckily for him, Jiyun’s boss had noticed his confused look and had offered him an answer. “Our Jiyun is producing another MV. This time it’s for Sung Gyu from Infinite.”

Yoochun acknowledged that piece of information with a small nod.

Many things had happened for the both of them over the few weeks of absence from each other. Yoochun had tried to find out her latest news from her twitter, but alas, she had not updated it for quite a while as well.

Hence, when Jiyun’s boss told him about the MV, he felt his heart squeeze.

‘I miss the good old days where we could just talk about everything and anything under the sun.’

WIth that thought in mind, he had unknowingly turned to his side. He had an intent gaze on Jiyun.

'Why did we end up this way? Behaving like strangers...'

Jiyun had noticed it shortly after she started a conversation with a staff from across the table from her peripheral vision. Someone beside her had been staring at her. She turned the opposite way to initiate a conversation with MinAe. 'I hope i'm not blushing...'

Yoochun looked down, feeling upset. Although he was currently sitting in a room full of people he had slowly gotten to know over the past month, he was feeling... lonely.

'I want her back in my life.' That was what Yoochun had finally decided on. 'To heck with everything else.'

He pouted and looked away, his head leaning on his palm, with his elbow securely etched on the table. Sneaking his left hand under the table, he inched nearer to Jiyun and started roaming around to find his target - Jiyun’s hand.

Once he had found it, he gently held it in his and pulled it nearer to him. Even when Jiyun resisted by pulling her hand back, Yoochun had managed to find her hand over and over again. With one final pull, he had successfully pulled her hand to rest on his lap.

All that while, both Jiyun and Yoochun were speaking with people other than each other.

“Jiyun, are you excited for tomorrow’s filming? I heard that you’ve gotten MyungSoo to become the male lead for the MV!” MinAe squealed.

MyungSoo is undeniably MinAe’s favourite member within the group Infinite. It is an understatement to merely label her as a normal fan.

“MinAe, i bet you’re wishing that you could trade places with me...” Jiyun chuckled. “If you’re free, you should come down to the filming site tomorrow. I can introduce him to you.. although he’s a boy of few words when he meets new people...”

Yoochun released his grip on Jiyun’s hand, placing her hand palm faced up on his lap. She was about to pull away when she felt him stopping her by intertwining his hand with hers once more.

“Where is the exact location? I’ll finish up my work in the morning quickly and rush down!” MinAe replied animatedly, bouncing up and down on the floor.

Jiyun giggled, seeing a giggly fangirl at work. Was she like that when she was still a normal fangirl of JYJ? She hoped not. It is quite embarrassing to look at.

She felt Yoochun tighten his grip before releasing once again. Then, a finger started tracing what seemed like words on her palm.

(미...)

“You know... the cafe that we have been discussing about but have yet to find the time to go to?”

“Oh! That pretty little place!”

(안 ...)

Jiyun nodded, “We’re filming the story scene there.” A little sigh left , “Too bad i won’t get to see Sunggyu until a few days later when we film the indoor scenes.”

MinAe threw her head back and started laughing in amusement, “Didn’t you get bored of seeing him already? Remember how many times did you guys meet up for the MV discussion? I could’ve sworn that their company is evilly strict.”

“It’s ok. We all have a common goal, and that is to make sure that the MV is perfect for leader Gyu’s.....”

(해...)

Jiyun suddenly stopped talking.

미안 해. That was what Yoochun had written on her palm. Then, once again, he started tracing new words on her palm.

(Forgive me...)

And left her hand unattended on his lap.

“Jiyun?” MinAe asked, snapping Jiyun out of her trance.

“Oh! I’m sorry, where was i?”

“Common goal for leader Gyu’s solo, i assume.” MinAe replied, shrugging her shoulders. “You’re too tired from burning all the midnight hours due to the drama...”

Jiyun shrugged. “Doesn’t matter, i’ll catch up on sleep tonight.”

“You know, i am absolutely willing to help you out with tomorrow’s filming...” She hinted with a sly grin on her face.

Jiyun rolled her eyes and laughed. “You’re only willing to go on location to drool over MyungSoo, i think.” She said, flicking her forehead with her free hand.

“Doesn’t hurt to ask...” MinAe pouted, now turning to their boss to somehow persuade him for permission to help out with Jiyun’s MV shooting.

Yoochun held her hand once again, gently caressing the meaty part of her palm with his thumb as if to ask her if she is willing to forgive him.

Jiyun bit her inner lips once again, feeling the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. A sudden surge of warmth overwhelmed her when she felt him squeeze her hand, persisting for an answer.

She sighed and tried to hold back on the smile that was slowly creeping out. ‘What a kid.’ She thought before curling up her fingers to meet with his hand as a response.

She could have sworn that she could see a wide grin appearing on Yoochun’s face from her side view.

Their cold war has finally come to an end.

Yoochun was still basking in the happy occasion when his friend had to, once again, interrupt on his their moment, making them pull back their hands in shock.

His friend cleared his throat loudly upon opening the sliding door to the room. He had seen what had been happening under the table clearly since both their backs were facing the door.

A few rounds of serving the food later, his friend was finally back to serve Yoochun and Jiyun’s order. Instead of placing them on the table and leaving, the sneaky friend had whispered something just barely audible enough for both Yoochun and Jiyun to hear as he placed her food on the table.

“Special order, sister-in-law. Yoochun had requested for the kitchen to cut down on the chilli.”

Jiyun blushed as she turned to look at Yoochun, pointing at the stew in front of her.

“What?” He whispered with a grin on his face. “You have a weak stomach.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Mr Park.”

"Anytime, Miss Kim."
 

A/N: Now... THIS is a good New Year present, isn't it? ;)