Judge’s Office
Korean Family Court
Gangnam-Gu, Seoul
9 a.m.

Tiffany just came straight from the airport after visiting her family in Los Angeles and was experiencing a terrible jetlag that’s why it hasn’t hit her yet.

Seunghyun was filming until wee hours of the morning and has only two hours of sleep and wasn’t really thinking straight.

All they know is that they’re in this familiar room and their lawyers are with them that early in the morning.

That familiar, stern looking lady was smiling meaningfully at them.

“Long time, no see, kids.” The woman in robes spoke. “You look like you’ve gained weight, Mrs. Choi. Are you pregnant? I’ve told you kids to keep your hands to yourselves… I’ve told you not to complicate things.”

Mrs. Choi?

Did that woman just call her Mrs. Choi? Tiffany bolted from her seat.

Oh, include Seunghyun. He did the same thing. 
He had the same thought as Tiffany.

Tiffany and Seunghyun looked at each other with equally surprised and nervous expressions.
Suddenly they were alive and alert.

Dugeun. Dugeun.

Oh Shiiiiiiit.

“What?” The woman smiled evilly this time, seeing their alarmed expressions, “Don’t tell me you really made your wife pregnant, Seunghyun? Do you just want to cancel this divorce then?”

Oh dear.

Somebody find the cat.

Their cat.

Tiffany, baffled, had to seek help from her lawyer who was right beside her. Only for her to find him sweating in that cold room and looking very nervous.

“Attorney Park.” Tiffany whispered, her voice shaking, “What’s going on?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Her lawyer replied, but he didn’t look at her.

Oh dear.

Tiffany’s heart skipped a beat.

No way.

No damn way.

It can’t be.

Meanwhile on the other part of the room, which is just an aisle away, a very tensed Choi Seunghyun was asking his equally tensed lawyer the reason why they’re all present in the family court once again. And more obviously, why is the old lady, (now, he remembered she is the Judge who handled their divorce) suddenly appeared to be talking as if he and Tiffany haven’t divorced.

They haven’t divorced yet…

Oh .

Words that Seunghyun’s mind was fast rejecting. It came fast, and then he rejected it just as fast.

“It’s not what I think it is, right?” Seunghyun was definitely in denial. “Please say it isn’t so.”

His lawyer, unlike Tiffany’s attorney looked at him. But his eyes were pitiful and were about to cry.

“I’m sorry, Seunghyun.” The lawyer apologized, “That was negligence on my part.”

Shoot.

Upon hearing those words Seunghyun covered his face with his hands for a long time. Tiffany saw him do it, and she knew she need not press her own lawyer for more answers.

They’re still married.

I woke up married still exists for Tiffany Hwang and Choi Seunghyun.

How on earth did that happen?

Oh dear.

Now the scolding begins.

Another ‘Oh dear.’

The old lady looks pissed.

“I have been very lenient with you, kids.” The Judge spoke. “I have made myself clear from the very start that you were supposed to stay under one roof at all times… But what have you done? You were doing well at first, but what went wrong?”

Nobody answered.
Seunghyun didn’t answer.
Tiffany didn’t even open .

“News even reached me that you were… rather… intimate…” The old lady went on, “So I was a bit surprised of the sudden change. Well, you were staying at Hannam-dong, then moved in to Gangnam-gu. Then news broke out that you, Seunghyun-ssi were getting married to another actress. We probed on that and after we cleared that it’s just a cover-up, we kept silent… also because you moved in after awhile next to Tiffany-ssi’s home in Gangnam-Gu. But now, you’ve obviously gone separate ways for good. What’s going on?”

Seunghyun and Tiffany were still silent. Shocked mustn’t subsided yet realizing that they are still husband and wife.

“I…we… thought… we’ve…al… already…di…di… divorced.” Tiffany stammered.

The Judge laughed, “Says who?”

“We received a paper…” Tiffany couldn’t look at the old lady, but she continued to answer, “We thought it’s divorce papers.”

“What did those papers say, Mrs. Choi?” The old lady smiled meaningfully. “Mr. Choi?”

Tiffany and Seunghyun looked at each other for help. Tiffany’s copy was in one of those boxes piled up in her house. She didn’t bother looking at it. Back then, it had hurt her so much, she didn’t want to even see it.

Seunghyun’s was in the trunk of his car. He, too, didn’t bother even reading it. Same reason with Tiffany. As the days went along, he didn’t even have the reason to even take a quick glance at it.

Both their copies of the supposedly divorce papers are still unopened and unread. But apparently, those are not divorce papers.

“I haven’t read it…” They both said at the same time, with their voices both sad.

“You kids both knew why you ended up married, right?” The Judge told Seunghyun and Tiffany who aren’t just speaking the same words but were acting similarly now. Their faces were both about to cry, eyes were downcast. Disappointment, fear, frustration and desperation are etched in their beautiful faces. “You never cared about important matters… You never did. Those aren’t divorce papers, for your information. Those were just summoning you to set the final hearing date for your divorce proceedings. But you never came. I thought you weren’t interested to separate anymore.”

Tiffany began to cry now.

“I thought I made sense when I said you weren’t interested…” The Judge’s voice turned soft, “I had means to check you, remember? I thought the of you went real for good. But now that you have your own relationships, that divorce is still going to happen, isn’t it?”

The two nodded.

“I’m sorry, but my condition has not changed. May it be in Hannam-dong or Gangnam-gu, you kids choose where you want to live together.” She sighed and prepared to leave, “Don’t call me, I’ll call you. No set duration this time.”

the magic dragon.

“What do you mean, Your Honor?” Tiffany’s lawyer, stood up.

“What do you mean, I mean?” She laughed, “That’s the probably the clearest thing I have said this morning. Clearer than the relationship between your clients.”

“Please clarify, Your Honor.” Seunghyun’s lawyer followed up.

“They have to live together under one roof again.” She smiled, “But I’m not setting a deadline this time. Could be longer, but definitely not shorter… Then, I will grant them divorce…”

“Have a good day ahead of you, gentlemen.” The Judge closed the door loudly as she left but she opened it just as quick. “Oh I forgot to say, I don’t know if it’s just my generation, or you kids believe in this saying too…love is lovelier the second time around.”

Tiffany cried harder.
Seunghyun covered his face with his beautiful hands again.

Hannam-dong or Gangnam-gu.

Oh dear.

“My house.” Seunghyun told Tiffany without looking at her; they were at the parking lot, under the blazing hot sun.

“Mine.” She protested.

“You lived there for a long time.” He reasoned.

“You didn’t have a problem living right next door to mine, Choi Seunghyun.” She reminded him.

“There’s a truckload of bad memories in your house, Tiffany Choi.”

“It’s the same in yours, just in case you’ve forgotten.” She rolled her eyes.

“At least there were good ones.” He shot back.

“I didn’t know you wanted to reminisce.” She chuckled.

“I was way past that.” Seunghyun was quick to answer.

Uh-oh.

Mr. and Mrs. Choi Seunghyun are fighting.

This is exciting.

Seunghyun and Tiffany as husband and wife never fought, only now. And they’re fighting where to live together again: in Seunghyun’s villa in Hannam-dong or in Tiffany’s house in Gangnam-gu. And nobody wants to give in.

Not the husband, not the wife.

“One week in your place, then the next in mine?” Seunghyun sighed.

“That’s too tiring.” Tiffany sighed too. “And Miss Kang would notice. She always notices things.”

Miss Kang.
She would notice Seunghyun living with her now.

“That’s our answer, Tiffany.” Seunghyun finally smiled. “Miss Kang. You are going back to Hannam-dong.”

Tiffany just had to roll her eyes once more. How can Miss Kang have so much effect on her life? She didn’t anymore speak to Seunghyun and left hurriedly to her car.

Thoughts were running in her mind as she drove away. Tiffany wasn’t sure what she needed to do first, inform her family and friends, tell Kwang Jin or pack her things. But one thing’s for sure, none of it excited her.

She’s back to being Mrs. Choi Seunghyun. Well, just when she thought she was done with playing the part, she was dead wrong.  

She’s been Mrs. Tee-Oh-Pee all along and all this time.

All the while when they were out there hurting each other, they were still very much married to one another. And all the while, when she’s loving someone else, she was still legally married to that man, Choi Seunghyun.

It was a really painful cat-and-mouse chase, now that she thinks about it. It came to a point that she hated him; she made worst, unimaginable things to him, a person she truly loved before. Tiffany had admitted to Taeyeon that Seunghyun, still is, the person that she loved the most.

Not Nichkhun.
Still not Kwang Jin.

It’s Choi Seunghyun, whom Tiffany considers the man she had loved the most.

Loved.
With a ‘D’ at the end.
Past tense.

And now that they have no other choice but to live together again, Tiffany can’t help but be sadder than the first time she found out she was married to him. The first one was a surprise; it was way too unbelievable. But this time around, she and Seunghyun had too much emotional baggage after what they have been through, after that Kwon Sang Woo-Shin Min Ah issue. They have hurt each other too much and they went to hell and back just to get over that pain.

And now this.

They’re back to each other’s arms, with no assurance when they will be out of each other’s sight. And they’re (again) both with respective relationships, and both happy with their own partners.

It’s unfair.

Tiffany had to pull up to the side and cry. She was about five minutes away from her house when she did. She cried again, harder this time around. How can this happen again to her? To Seunghyun?

When she regained her composure, she called up her manager.

“Unni…”

“Tiffany?” Her manager answered, “You’re back? Why do you sound weird?”

“I need boxes…” Tiffany told her. “Lots and lots of them. And I need a big van. I’m moving back to Hannam-dong.”

“What?” Hye-Sung almost shouted.

“I woke up married again, Unni.” Tiffany’s tears began to flow from her eyes again.

“Ah, Seunghyun.” Hye-Sung’s voice sounded relieved. “You guys got married for real? Love is indeed lovelier the second time around.”

the magic dragon.

Ah, that line again.

Which one?

I woke up married again or the magic dragon?

Seunghyun and Tiffany’s Villa
Hannam-dong, Seoul
9.30 p.m.

Seunghyun didn’t count her suitcases this time.

BUT

He helped her carry them inside her room this time around. They weren’t talking but he was helping her, and her staff, carry her things. He wasn’t being just a handsome spectator unlike before. And he also offered her manager refreshments and something to eat.

Tiffany’s room is still pink. It’s how the way she left it. Seunghyun didn’t even bother to change it, as if he knew she would be coming back someday. Actually, even when Tiffany was still there, it was unoccupied for the longest time because Tiffany and Seunghyun already shared his room.

“How long has it been since this room was used Tiff?” Hye Sung asked.

Tiffany calculated mentally. Of course she was trying to recall when she and Seunghyun went ‘official’. Seunghyun smiled as he placed a box on top of another box. He was waiting for Tiffany to answer while he was doing calculations of his own. Tiffany saw him smile, which made her blush.

“I forgot…” Tiffany replied.

Safe answer, Miyoung.
That was safe.

“Thanks, Seunghyun-ssi.” Hye Sung smiled. “Thanks a lot.”

Seunghyun only nodded and left the room leaving Tiffany and her manager fix her things. He grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and went to the veranda and plugged music to his ears. Reality has not hit him yet until he saw Tiffany back in his house.

He saw his wife back in the pink room.

His wife’s home.
She’s back again.
She was still his wife.

And Seunghyun’s sad.
Very, very, very sad.

Seunghyun and his girlfriend, Son Ye Jin have been going strong and they’re really happy together. He didn’t have high hopes and expectations with his relationship with her because he was traumatized with his previous relationship with another Noona, Shin Min Ah. But much to his surprise, it’s been working pretty well with Son Ye Jin. Seunghyun bought her a ring recently and they just came from a vacation in Maldives. He couldn’t quite comprehend why this had to happen again. Not when all things are finally falling into place between him and his girlfriend.

It took him so much time and effort to get over Tiffany. He wanted to die when he couldn’t get her back. He lost his pride, his sense of self; he was willing to lose everything just to win Tiffany back. But in the end, he still failed; he didn’t get her from Kwang Jin. And when he finally got another lease in life, after that gruesome period of getting over Tiffany Hwang, overcoming his feelings towards her, she’s now back in his life.

And Tiffany’s not just back as a nobody… she’s still his wife.    

He emptied his beer can fast. He got two more and finished them just as fast. Tomorrow, he will tell his family… he will tell his friends. His company might know already.

Tomorrow, he will tell Noona.

She’s back in his home.
She’s back in his life.
He’s back in her life.

And

They’re back to being awkward.

Were they ever awkward towards each other?

Maybe… maybe not…
(Not unless you count that MBC Gayo Daejun Moment back in 2010; then yes, they have been awkward at some point in their lives.) Or maybe on the few months of living together before as husband and wife.

But now, they are… hell they are… to the highest level.

Seunghyun couldn’t even look at her straight and neither does Tiffany could even look at the spot where Seunghyun is in. And they never talk to each other; that is, if they chance upon seeing each other. Mr. and Mrs. Choi Seunghyun avoid each other the best way they can. If someone is hungry, that someone will not eat if the other one is eating in the dining area. They can’t even get a glass of water if the other is around the kitchen; they’d rather die out of thirst than create an encounter.

One would rather be late than have the chance of leaving the house together. Seunghyun asks for her schedule from her manager; Tiffany does the same so they won’t be seeing each other at music shows, variety shows or any other show for that matter. They rebook their flights so they won’t be in the same plane, or they won’t meet at the airport, may it be in Gimpo or Incheon.

They don’t attend the same parties of their friends. They check guest lists of corporate events or sponsored events, whether or not they’re both invited. If Actor Choi Seunghyun or BIGBANG’s TOP is invited, then SNSD’s Tiffany doesn’t attend. If SNSD’s Tiffany’s in the guest list, Seunghyun or TOP sends his excuse for his decline of the invitation.

The only thing they can’t deny going together is the invitation of the Lees. Funny is that Grandma and Grandpa might have forgotten that Kwang Jin is their grandson. They got too excited that Tiffany is still married to Seunghyun and had moved back to Hannam-dong with him.

If Seunghyun and Tiffany needed to talk, just like before, they have their managers that they use as their medium to communicate.

Or the Post-it and the refrigerator.
They’ve become helpful.
They write what they needed to tell each other, and they stick it to the ref. Only those very, very important things make it to the sticky notes.

The very rare eye-contacts that they share were too awkward and too shy, as if they never had a past. A past that included an unborn baby, who could’ve been a running cute toddler by now.

For months, it went this way. No actual communication between the two of them. Not even phone calls or exchange of text messages. It wasn’t needed; or if ever it was, Seunghyun and Tiffany had always found a way to avoid each other or to contact each other indirectly.

They didn’t feel anything towards each other anymore, which was clear. Above all this confusion and chaos, that single thing was the clearest of them all: their feelings were gone. But they felt mutually that they needed a space.

Their situation was unique, and undeniably too painful that seeing each other reminds them of a very traumatic past so it’s best just to ignore.

To ignore is to forget.
And to forget is to move on.

Seunghyun was surprised to see Tiffany resting in the hammock that lazy Saturday afternoon. He thought she left the house when he heard her speak on the phone telling someone she’s about to take a bath. Apparently, she’s just taking a bath and do not have plans of leaving the house. Instead, she went up to the rooftop and decided to make out of the breezy day just to stay at home. Too bad, Seunghyun exactly had the same plan as hers.

It was too late to back out and go down because Tiffany saw him staring at her swinging lightly in the hammock.

“I’m done.” Tiffany sat up.

“It’s okay.” Seunghyun told her; he wasn’t facing her because he was already preparing to leave the rooftop.

“Okay.” Tiffany went back to lie down.

That was their first conversation after so many months.

Seunghyun smiled as he realized that, and he also recognized how perfect the weather was. He wanted to really get into that hammock and nap. He too, just got out of shower and wanted to lie on that improvised hammock, he himself made. He was tired from working almost the every day the previous week and this is the only day that he had a chance to rest. And again, he was finding the weather too perfect.

Going back to his room was out of his options. So seconds later, Tiffany, who had her eyes closed, almost shouted because she almost fell when Seunghyun had lay next to her.

“!” Tiffany cursed out of shock, “Choi Seunghyun!”

“What?” Seunghyun smiled; his face literally few inches away from hers, his body next to hers. There was no space at all. And he was holding her because she jerked when she was startled; Seunghyun had to hold her because if he didn’t, Tiffany might have fallen off the hammock.

Space?
What is that again?

“You scared me.” Tiffany had to catch her breath. “And I almost fell…I thought you left.”

Seunghyun laughed, “I didn’t know you were sleeping.”

“I wasn’t.” Tiffany still sounded a bit flushed, and she was still holding on to Seunghyun, “You Bingu.”

“Sorry.”

But then Tiffany couldn’t reply anymore. They locked eyes. Either they cry or they kiss when they lock eyes.

Cry or kiss.
Shoot.

No they didn’t do either.
Not anymore.
Seunghyun and Tiffany didn’t shed tears nor did they share sweet or passionate kisses.

They laughed.

They freaking laughed.

Tiffany stood up first then Seunghyun lent out his hand asking Tiffany to pull him up from the hammock. They were still laughing.

“We’re still married…” Seunghyun spoke as he stood up, coming face to face with Tiffany.

“Unfortunately… yes we are.” Tiffany smiled. “Damn… how could that happen?”

“Unbelievable.” Seunghyun just have to agree. “Again…”

Right on, Seunghyun.

Unbelievable… Again.

“Maybe there is a reason why this has to happen. It’s like we hit the replay button.” Tiffany told him smiling.

“Rewind, rewind.” Seunghyun laughed. “If this was a movie filming, we’re doing a re-take.”

“Absolutely, we’re doing it again, Seunghyun. Take two… We should do it right this time.” Tiffany smiled at him.

Seunghyun cleared his throat and extend his hand, “Anyeonghaseyo, I’m Choi Seunghyun.”

“My name is Stephanie Hwang… I mean Choi. The last name is Choi.” She shook his hand, “Let’s be friends, Seunghyun. Let’s be friends.”

“Yes.” He nodded. “We do things right this time around. Let’s start as friends.”

Who says ex-lovers can’t be friends?

“Don’t fall in love with me again though.” Tiffany chuckled.

“I should be the one saying that.” Seunghyun had to laugh too.

“Hey, you fell for me first.” Tiffany blushed.

“I did?” Seunghyun pretended to be defensive. “YOU did first.”

“No I didn’t.” Tiffany denied. “You did.”

Seunghyun shook his head and smiled handsomely.

“Aisssh. This is not going to end.” Tiffany waved her hand, “By the way, nice mushroom hair. You look cute. I think I’m going to call you Tabi again.”

Awwww.

He’s back to being Tabi for her.

“See?” Seunghyun told her, “This is what I’m talking about. Let’s draw some line here, Tiffany. Please let’s not complicate things again, alright? No matter how much you fall in love with me again, keep your feelings to yourself. And don’t worry about me, I am safe… I won’t fall in love with you again, ever. I promise.”

Seunghyun laughed mightily as he spoke these words and upon seeing Tiffany blush when she heard him.

“In your dreams!” Tiffany went back to the hammock smiling.

Seunghyun followed and forced himself beside her in the hammock. “Move.”

“Aisssh, what a difficult guy!” Tiffany complained.

“Yah, your heart’s beating faster, isn’t it?” Seunghyun touched her chest.

“Yah! Watch it!” Tiffany’s eyes were wide of surprise. Seunghyun was touching her there. “Damn it, Seunghyun. Watch where you’re touching!”

“Have your s gotten bigger? Or is it the same?” The Bingu’s face looked confused trying to recall.

Imagine Seunghyun’s face, analyzing, trying to remember. His hand still on there on that part of her upper body.

Cute.

“Ahhhh…” Seunghyun nodded, his smiling face was inches away from Tiffany’s red and hot face, “It’s the same.”

“Choi Seunghyun!!!” Tiffany screamed.

“What?” Seunghyun smiled handsomely.

“It’s supposed to be bigger! I’m wearing a wonder bra, you Bingu!” Tiffany returned his smile.

 “Can I see?”

Oh bra.
Oh dear.

That day on the rooftop was the icebreaker. They became friends.

Not lovers.
Not enemies anymore.

Friends.

Mr. and Mrs. Choi Seunghyun are now friends. 

Surprising, yes… but they are friends now. After what they been through, they have become friends. Seunghyun and Tiffany are no longer awkward with each other. If ever they bicker or argue, it’s how normal friends fight over common stuff. They no longer bring up past issues and both have very well moved on.

Their respective partners have accepted their current set-up as well, because in the first place, they have no choice. Kwang Jin, despite his earlier resistance and now his developing jealousy towards Seunghyun, had no other choice to but accept the fact that his girl is still married. As much as Kwang Jin hates it, Tiffany must still live under one roof with Seunghyun or else the Judge will not grant them divorce. They disobey, they’ll stay married longer.

Son Ye Jin’s cool about it. Unlike Seunghyun’s ex-girlfriend, Shin Min Ah, the current girlfriend’s dealing with the situation pretty well. She thinks it’s neither Seunghyun nor Tiffany’s fault so they don’t have any choice but to live with each other. And she trusts Seunghyun, and not to mention the fact that she had fallen head over heels in love with him too.

So far everything was going smoothly.

The husband and the wife have become friends.
The girlfriend of the husband is cool.
The boyfriend of the wife had been slowly accepting the situation; there had been a few occasions of jealousy but nothing major.

So far, so good.

“Sorry… I know it’s late.” Tiffany apologized. “I wanted to call Kwang Jin to pick me up but he has a presentation tomorrow at work… it’s going to be a big day for him… and…”

“And I’m your husband…” Seunghyun yawned. “I should be doing these things for you.”

“I’m sorry, Tabi.” Tiffany tried to sound cute.

“That ain’t working for me, Tiffany.” Another yawn from the sleepy husband, “You owe me a meal.”

“Yes, sir!”

“At a very expensive restaurant…” He laughed.

“Your place of choice.” She nodded while she got inside his car. “Anywhere you want.”

Tiffany filmed late again but since she doesn’t want to ride with her staff, she asked Seunghyun to pick her up. It was past midnight and he was already fast asleep when his phone rang. Seunghyun didn’t have much of a choice because he doesn’t want Tiffany to be taking a cab going home too.  

Inside the car, Tiffany was talking nonstop on how the filming didn’t go so well. The director was late. And he and the assistant director argued too many times. There were too many problems with the sound system. In the end, the filming took many hours to finish, thus they ended up late.

When they reached home, Tiffany was having problems getting inside her room. She can’t open her door.

“What’s wrong with this thing?” She tried opening it, but she still can’t. She can’t remember locking it when she left that morning.

She got her keys from her bag and tried opening it with them. The keys just got stuck in the keyhole, and still, her door won’t open.

Then, she had to bother (again) her handsome husband next door.

“Tabi.” She knocked at his door. “Tabi.”

After five knocks, and two “Tabi’s”, a semi- Seunghyun opened his door, looking very, very sleepy.

“I’m dreaming already.” He said, with his eyes half-opened.

“My door’s busted. It won’t open.” Tiffany explained. She too, looking and feeling sleepy.

Seunghyun stepped aside, as if telling her to come in. But Tiffany didn’t move. So Seunghyun gestured that she should come inside his room.