EunJi could feel the awkwardness in the air. She hadn’t expected SeungHo to come to set or for HyunJoong to come and confront them. The HyunJoong she knew was very reserved and wouldn’t just come up to them. Then again he wasn’t her HyunJoong she knew.

She felt a hand of her shoulder and she was jerked from her day dreaming.

“I asked how did you two meet?” She frowned at HyunJoong. She didn’t like this HyunJoong. His voice was harsh and accusatory.

“We had a photo shoot together. We hit it off.”

“Really now?” EunJi watched as HyunJoong appraised SeungHo. SeungHo on the other hand wasn’t fazed at all. He was smiling and looking around the set.

“Yeah, I didn’t know what to expect,” SeungHo chuckled. “I walk into the shoot and they tell me that there was going to be a female model. Most female models I had worked with had been cold or super flirty. But EunJi walks in to set, bows, smiles, and then just introduced herself. I was surprised.”

“Ah that sounds like our EunJi.” The PD laughed as SeungHo poked EunJi’s cheek.

“Yah! You guys make me sound like a happy little elf or something! I can get mad! I can be a diva!” EunJi was pouting and stomped her foot. HyunJoong watched in amusement. He didn’t think that she could. She was sweet and gentle, but not demanding or rude. She wasn’t meant to be a diva. He didn’t want her to turn into a diva.

He heard EunJi laughing. “….but after the shoot, EunJi kept trying to avoid me. I didn’t know what I had done to offend her. Finally I cornered her in the dressing room and asked her number.”

“I said no.”

“But I kept bugging her until her ride came. If Yunho wasn’t 10 minutes late I don’t think I would have gotten it.” SeungHo was smiling at EunJi and HyunJoong wanted to hit him as SeungHo brushed a piece of hair from EunJi’s face.

A slight blush appeared on her cheeks. Did she like SeungHo? Why was she blushing? He kept his eyes trained on her. As she waved good bye, as she got into SeungHo’s car, as they drove away.

It was getting cold. Christmas was arriving soon. Production was going smoothly. HyunJoong would allow himself to go on the internet and look up reviews and search youtube videos. Their fans would put together these outrageous videos of them together or movie trailers from cut scenes. It was quiet amazing.

“I was wondering,” he walked up to EunJi after filming one afternoon. She turned her head towards him. “I was wondering if you would come with me and help me pick out presents for my parents, I haven’t had time…” She laughed. He enjoyed her laugh.

“What have you been doing for the last few years?” She had always steered him towards ideas for his parents. She would come back from shopping for her parents and he would ask what she had bought. Subtly she would slip in ideas for his parents. When she was gone he had started to just give money.

“Money, but my mom doesn’t like it as much… she says it is impersonal…”

“Well she is right,” he almost smiled at the frown of disapproval on her face. “okay we can go after this last scene, unless you have plans….”

“I’m free.” She nodded and smiled at him. He on the other hand walked back to his trailer and showered. He waited until her shooting was done. Anxiety and anticipation marred his thoughts. It seemed like mere minutes before the soft tapping on the door was heard. He got up and grabbed his bag.

“Hey,” She was standing there in jeans and a Tshirt, staring back at him.

“Are you ready to go? I called Jaejoong to let him know I will be late.” He just nodded and they walked off to his car. “Do you have any ideas for gifts to give to your parents?” He shook his head. He heard her sigh.

“Well what about some nice beauty supplies for your mother, for your father a new fishing rod, and for the whole family a family vacation? You should get your brother a tablet or something too.” He just stared at her. She had come up with that in less time than he could figure out what he wanted for breakfast.

They drove in silence until they reached the mall. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, more like a tired one. When they reached the mall, he took out a hat, face-mask, hoodie, and sunglasses. He looked over to see EunJi laughing.

“That will really make you stand out. Here” She took the sunglasses and face-mask off of him. “take your leather jacket off and put on his button down shirt.” She carefully put the hat on his head.

“What about you?” She smiled and looked back at him,

“No one will recognize me,” She was always naïve, she was a hallyu star. Of course people would recognize her, and this is why she always made him worry. None the less they got out of the car. “Don’t look down so much, it makes you look suspicious.” She led him into the mall. It was in the middle of the day in the middle of the week, so there weren’t a lot of people wandering around. She walked with her hand around his wrist, pulling him to the beauty store.

It smelled in the store. It was just like those scented candle stores, where all the different smells melted together to create a new scent.

“What kinds of make-up does your mother wear?” his blank look on his face must have told her everything she needed to know. She chuckled and left him at the door. He followed her like a puppy, as she would go around the shelves looking at the different products. Sometimes she would drop boxes into the basket, and other times she would put them back on the shelf.

“What are these?” All he could tell was that they were colorful boxes.

“Well some of it is moisturizers, foundation, lipstick, face wash…..things she will use, trust me.” He just nodded.

“Is this it?” He asked as they got to the counter. She nodded. ‘Do you want anything?’ almost escaped his lips. As the store worker was packaging up the boxes EunJi interrupted,

“Excuse me, keep that box there separate,” HyunJoong frowned, did she buy something for herself on his card? “This is for Hyori, it’s her favorite brand.” He was handed by EunJi the box. He opened his mouth to say something but she had already turned her back and was walking away.

“Where are we going next?” They walked out of the shop with the gift wrapped boxes.

“Where do you buy fishing rods? You can book the trip online, and you don’t need me to help you buy electronics. I doubt you need help buying a fishing rod….” He heard the hesitation in her voice.

“I can buy those later, I’ll drop these packages off at home and drop you off.”

“I can just call Yunho or Jae to pick me up…”

“No, it’s okay.”

“alright….” He knew she was nervous, it had been a while since she had stepped into his apartment. It was nostalgic walking up those stairs with her to his apartment. It was as if no time had pasted at all. It felt natural. He opened the door and held it open for EUnJi who did a slight awkward bow before walking in.

“Uh…” HyunJoong had forgotten the state that his apartment was in.

“You always were messy,” EunJi was laughing. “Go put the bags away in the bedroom.” In the back of his head he heard ‘Our bedroom.’ He started up the stairs to put things away.

When EunJi walked into the apartment it was as if a hurricane had been through. She couldn’t help but laugh. It was so like HyunJoong to be living like this. As he headed to his bedroom, she quietly started to pick up trash and clean up. She shook her head at all the delivery food packages she was finding. There were clothes that hadn’t been cleaned in a while according to the smell. “Aish, he should just get a house cleaner!”

She didn’t dare go over to look at her, no his kitchen. She knew it would be a mess. The memories flooded back to her. It was as if the dam was broken and everything was rushing back.

EunJi started shuffling papers on his table. She liked organizing, and he had so much just sitting there. Then a small black jewelry box fell from the papers she was organizing. There was a bow stuck on the top. She looked around she really shouldn’t open it. Her curiosity got the better of her. She lifted the cover of the box. She let out a muffled cry.

HyunJoong had been peering out the glass window of his bedroom. Of course she would start cleaning right away. He knew she would. He waited. Finally she picked up the black jewelry box. It was cute how she looked around before opening it up. He got up and started down the stairs.

“Ah! HyunJoong, I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have opened it!” The panic in her voice startled him.

“It’s okay. Isn’t it pretty?” He intended to , just a little bit. He noticed her eyes go glassy,

“Yes it is pretty,” a silver chain with a small canary teardrop diamond pendant in the middle. Her voice was soft.

HyunJoong remember their first Christmas while they knew each other. He had wanted to see what she liked and disliked. He was young and delusional. He brought her to the jewelry store under the pretense of getting something for his mother. They had looked around for a while. After watching her he noticed how she would gravitate to the simple jewelry.

“What about this?” He asked looking for her reaction.

“It’s pretty, but I personally don’t like Gold, it looks tacky. What about this for your mom? Its simple and classic.” EunJi pointed out a silver chained necklace with three drop diamonds. “Elegance never goes out of style.” He nodded. He could see his mother wearing something like that. When he went to buy it he watched EunJi walking around the store. One of the floor managers went to talk to her. She shook her head before walking away quickly. He watched as her phone ring and she picked the call up, she looked over at him and pointed to the door he nodded. After he had made his purchase he went over to the floor manager.

“What was she looking at just now?”

“Oh, sir, it was this necklace, I ask her if she wanted to try it on but she refused.” HyunJoong looked down it was a yellow diamond in the shape of a tear on a silver chain. It was quiet small, and quiet. Of all the jewelry in this place costing millions of won, she chose this. This was what caught her attention.

He saw by her eyes that she recognized the necklace. How she kept it at a length from her body and how she held it.

“Yes, very pretty. But HyunJoong, I don’t think that it’s right.” He frowned. He had gone back to the same store and described the necklace perfectly. Of course the original necklace was gone, but they had made a special order one for him.

“Why?” He bent down to stare at the necklace.

“It is pretty, but Hyori won’t like it. She liked jewelry with more of a flash. This will be too simple for her. It isn’t right. I would say maybe a chain of diamonds with a pendant?” She set the box down carefully. As if it was to break. He was speechless. “But, it is very pretty, just not right for her I think, but I don’t know maybe she will love it!”

“What are you doing here?” HyunJoong jerked his head up to see Hyori standing in the doorway.

“Ah, Hyori I was just helping him pick out Christmas gifts, he asked for help after our shooting.” He watched as she bowed to his girlfriend.

“Hmmmm, well why are you still here?” Hyori walked over to the table where they were standing.

“I was just leaving,” stuttered EunJi.

“What’s this!” He looked up to see Hyori’s eyes light up in excitement as she saw the jewelry box. She snatched it from the table and opened it. Her face fell. “What is this….” HyunJoong watched the scene unfold in front of his eyes.

“It is a necklace.”

“I see that, an ugly necklace.” Hyori threw the box in the trash.

“Next time just invite me, you don’t have a good taste in jewelry Yeobo. That is an old-maid kind of style.” Hyori draped her arms around his neck.

“Ah, that is my fault, I helped pick it out. Our styles are different.” EunJi bowed in apology.

“No wonder it was ugly. Oppa! Lets go to the jewelry store to look for a replacement gift!” He watched as EunJi bowed again before leaving his apartment. This wasn’t what he thought would happen.

He thought that EunJi would open it up and be amazed by it. He would about it. But she would know it was meant for her. It was the necklace she liked when they went to the jewelry store that one time. He would tell her to try it on. He would attach the necklace around her neck as she held her hair up. He would turn her around and tell her that it suited her. She would try and take it off and he would, well he would stop her. Make her see that it was a gift.

But that didn’t happen.