Minji had filming for You’re the One again. After skimming through the script quickly before shooting, she suddenly realized she’d have to kiss Joon today. Jung-ah is finally admitting her love for Young-jae and Young-hae will kiss her after realizing that she likes him and not Ki-hoon.

Minji swallowed nervously, thinking about how this kiss will potentially ruin her chances with Seungho.

After arriving on set, she was greeted immediately by Hyesung.

“Dude, we changed the script.”

Minji found herself led away to the script reading before the actual shoot.

Joon hit the buzzer on his alarm clock. 5:30. He had half an hour before he had to be at script reading. Crap, he thought to himself. Stupid snooze function.

He jumped out of bed and heard his manager angrily honking the horn of their van. He sloppily brushed his teeth, splashed some water on his face and hair, brushed it roughly, slipped on some jeans and a shirt, then hurriedly made for the stairwell. Even so, he was 10 minutes late to the reading.

Joon apologized quickly to the staff and was handed a copy of the script.

Seungho heard someone crashing around their dorm at 5:30. Joon, he thought with a pinch of annoyance. Then he happily thought back to last night and his time with Minji. They previously seldom talked even though they saw each other often. Seungho had convinced Joon to get Minji to go bowling with them, to Joon’s amusement. He’d have to thank Joon for “setting them up” last night. He grabbed his iPad off the nightstand, opened to the news, only to find big bold words leaping out at his eyes.

JUNG MINJI AND MBLAQ SEUNGHO DATING??

He scanned the article.

Late last night, Hallyustar Jung Minji was seen on the streets of Hongdae with none other than MBLAQ’s leader Yang Seungho. Photos of the two were posted on a fan’s meToday, and later released by the press. The two were reportedly seen to be “close, laughing together,” “joking around,” and looked “like a couple.” Both of their representatives have yet to speak out on this matter.

Jung Minji, praised for her acting ability, is currently playing the leading role in popular drama You’re the One That I Want, alongside MBLAQ member Lee Joon. Jung Minji is known to be very close with Lee Joon, while her relationship with leader Seungho is unknown.

The news of the potential couple has been explosive, as the pictures were posted only 6 hours ago. MBLAQ’s forum has been flooded with comments pertaining to the couple, and Jung Minji’s meToday has also been overloaded with comments. While both Jung Minji and Yang Seungho are immensely popular with the current generation, their unconfirmed relationship status has many netizens confused, concerned, and some outraged.

More details will be revealed as this hot issue unfolds.

5:02 03-02-2012

Seungho closed the page, furious, and a little excited. He texted Joon:

Have you seen the news?

He then checked the MBLAQ forum, and found that the article was right. They had around 3000 new messages, of which nearly all related to the possible couple.

Seungho began to read through the comments:

joonjoonjoonie: minji and joon forever!!

seunghoism238: joonmin!!

rahpewpew: I hope this isn’t true…I ship joonmin so, haha

crazyfordrama5678: If this is actually true, then my congrats to the new couple…but honestly, minji and joon would have made such a cute couple >_<

After scrolling through three pages with generally the same material, Seungho couldn’t bring himself to keep reading, so instead turned off his iPad and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.

Joon felt his phone buzz, but decided against checking his messages. Hyesung, or as they call her during drama shooting, Writer Hyesung-nim, kept drilling the importance of the kiss into their minds.

Hyesung rambled, “Jung-ah needs to feel pained!! She thinks Young-jae dislikes her, which is why she’s also feeling played by Young-jae! And Young-jae should be—Joon! Are you listening?? Young-jae should feel relieved, and be leading in the kiss!! This is very important! You must EXPRESS their feelings CLEARLY to the camera! We need to see the PASSION!! ARE YOU LISTENING? DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!?”

Joon and Minji nodded together.

Hyesung continued, “AND, we see that Ki-hoon has witnessed the kiss. Ki-hoon is hurt as well!! Joongki-sshi, be PAINED!! Let your eyes WATER!!—“

She was about to continue, but the door opened, and a staff member reported that the director was ready to start, and so was the PD.

They all shuffled out of the room, with Hyesung still preaching the importance of the scene, describing the quality of the “PASSION AND CONNECTION BETWEEN THEM!!!”

Joon suddenly remembered his phone, finding a message from Seungho:

Have you seen the news?

Joon opened a browser window on his iPhone and clicked for the news.

Like Seungho, he was met with the bold headlines. His eyes got wider as he read the article, then called to Minji.

“Minji-ah, come here!”

She looked over his shoulder to read the incriminating article.

Minji felt anger rise in her, but also an…exhiliarating feeling.

She was about to grab the phone from Joon, when the PD called to start.

Hyesung reiterated once again, “PASSION!!” and pushed them onstage.

Joon muttered to Minji, so only she could her, “It’ll be okay. Our managers will sort this out. Don’t be angry just yet. Let’s see what happens first.”

Minji nodded.

The director called ‘action’, so Minji took a deep breath, and started to speak her lines.

“I’m not expecting anything, and I haven’t told anyone. Is it such a big deal? Is liking someone wrong?” She felt tears gradually build in her eyes.

Joon inhaled sharply, starting to speak, “Yeah. If I were him, I’d feel awful and invaded!”

“Do you hate it that much?” she said quietly. Then she just took a deep breath, turned away from him, and started to walk away, when she felt him grab her arm.

“Jung-ah…do you…by chance…like me?”

She sighed and turned just enough to look into his eyes. “No, I don’t. Just pretend you don’t see me now.”

Joon stuttered, acting his part well. He opened his mouth about to speak again, then pulled her towards him, holding her in his arms. He could hear Hyesung muttering, “Now!”, so he pulled back to look into Minji’s eyes, and so he leaned in, brushing his nose against hers, but—

“NG! NG! Joon! Why did you stop?”

Minji looked up at Joon wide-eyed. She sighed in relief.

Joon couldn’t bring himself to kiss her, and he knew that she felt the same way. The two were close like siblings, AND he couldn’t keep out the thought of his Hyung liking the girl he was about to kiss. He knew Minji was still shaken up about the news article, and felt that she probably wasn’t ready.

“Writer Hyesung-nim, can we not do the kiss? Isn’t there another way?” Joon pleaded.

Minji also looked to her best friend, only to see her shake her head. She motioned them toward her and the two made their way to Hyesung. “Look, let’s make this strictly professional. I’m sorry you were casted this way, but for the sake of the drama…Please?”

Minji knew how much this drama meant to her friend, so she gathered up all her professionalism, and reluctantly agreed. Joon, seeing Minji’s approval, also relented.

They tried again.

“I’m not expecting anything, and I haven’t told anyone. Is this such a big deal? Is liking someone wrong?”

Minji once again felt the sensation to cry, and blinked her eyes.

“Yeah! If I were him, I’d feel awful and invaded!”

She said quietly, “Really? Do you hate it that much?” She turned to leave and, like they rehearsed, he reached out for her wrist, holding her back

Joon, as Young-jae, makes the realization that Minji/Jung-ah likes him. He grabbed her in a hug, feeling her gasp in shock. Then he pulled back to look into her eyes, putting his hands on her upper arms. He looked in her eyes, and they quickly exchanged glances, Joon taking the cue that she was okay with the kiss.

He took a deep breath and as he leaned in, she instinctively closed her eyes, letting the tears drop out, and this time, he pressed his lips to hers. Minji stifled a cry and felt more tears roll down her cheeks. She balled her fists at her side, letting the tears drop onto the ground. Joon took his hands off her arms, wrapping one around her waist and used the other to wipe her cheek, all the while keeping their lips connected. He turned his head slightly, as he heard Hyesung praising, “Yes! FEEL the PASSION!!”

He felt Minji respond to his kiss, moving her lips along with his. And then they heard the coveted “CUT!!” and immediately jumped apart.

Minji wiped the remaining tears off using her hand and Lee Joon hugged her close. “It’s done,” he whispered.

“Aaaaand let’s go again!” shouted the voice of the PD. “I want to get some more angles, then let’s shoot Ki-hoon witnessing the kiss!”

Joon felt Minji tense again, and rubbed her arm comfortingly.

And they filmed the whole morning and to late afternoon.

“Ramen?” Joon invited.

Minji nodded and smiled for his benefit.

Just then, Joon felt his phone buzz. He saw a text from Seungho:

Can you meet me in our practice room? 6:00. Bring Minji…

He glanced at the time, and noted they had half an hour.

“Seungho wants to meet with you,” Joon reported. “At six, in our practice room. I think it’s about the news article…”

Minji sighed. “I know…we need to figure it out, don’t we?” She chuckled lightly, but humorlessly.

They arrived at exactly 6 o’clock. Seungho was dancing to an old song, but stopped as he saw the two coming in.

“Hyung,” Joon greeted.

“Oppa annyeong,” Minji smiled.

So Joon left the room, sighing. He figured out that the two had feelings for each other after seeing her reactions during the shoot. Minji is known for her professionalism despite her young age, as well as her deep portrayal of characters. He was so sure Minji didn’t like Seungho, but also sure Minji didn’t like himself. They were like siblings, but Joon couldn’t help but feel attracted to his dongsaeng. What if they realize they both like each other? He thought insecurely to himself. No. I must support them. That’s what a good person would do. But it’s hard being a good person.

Meanwhile, Hyesung just finished looking over the footage from the day’s filming. She headed for her car and the radio as she started driving home.

“Yes Eunhyuk! It seems as if Jung Minji and MBLAQ’s Seungho could possibly have something going on. There were pictures released of the two being intimate…and I’ve seen those pictures, although they do look just like friends to me,” Leeteuk said in one breath.

Hyesung did a spit take, immediately regretting it though, as she now had Coke splattered on her passenger seat. She made a mental note to wash the car this weekend, and kept listening.

“Leeteuk-sshi, you don’t think they could be together? Well…we’ll just have to wait for their representatives to make an official statement regarding this issue! And onto our next subject…”

Hyesung turned the radio off. Minji…with Seungho-sshi? Hyesung thought it absurd. So that was why Minji was reluctant to shoot the kiss scene with Lee Joon today…

Before she could think more on the matter, her phone began ringing, *Ring Ding Dong Ring Ding—“

“Hello?”

“Hello? Hello? Is this Hyesung-sshi? Hello?”

Hyesung recognized the voice as belonging to Yoseob. “Haha, yeah…and is this Yoseob-sshi?”

“Listen…wanna come ice skating with me? I really want to go, but none of the members want to go with me!”

“I see…so am I some sort of last ditch effort to you?”

“No, Hyesung!! I really want to go with you!!”

“Yes, I know. I was only kidding…Are you going to pick me up?”

After she gave him her address, they played a cute game of “you hang up first, no YOU hang up first” before they mutually agreed to “okay, let’s hang up at the same time…one…two…three…now!..........….are you still there?”

“So…you’ve seen the article?” Seungho started.

Minji nodded. “It must’ve been the two fans we first ran into.” She scrunched up her nose and chewed her cheek.

They sat back to wall, next to each other, facing the big mirror. Seungho had his legs slightly apart, while Minji tapped her toes together lightly, then drawing her knees up to meet her chin.

“Oppa, I think we should…” Minji gathered up her courage. “…Just go with it. Even if we deny it, they’ll say it’s true…so um…”

Seungho turned to look at her. “Hmm?” He must have come off as unwilling, because he saw her eyes drop to the ground and start biting her lower lip.

Now feeling bad about his comment, he clarified, “What I mean is…would you be okay with that? I don’t know how the press will treat this, and I don’t want to see you getting hurt.”

Minji looked up cautiously, realizing how much he cares for her. She kept biting her cheek to keep from busting out in smiles.

Seungho continued, “It seems like the fans like to see you with Joon.”

Minji turned her gaze to Seungho, confused. “Me and Joon? That’s ridiculous.”

Seungho sighed, relieved. “You don’t like him?”

Minji laughed, “Of course not. We’re like brother and sister.” But inside, her heart crashed back to earth from Seungho-Heaven. Lee Joon? Honestly, Minji had liked him before, but moved on after Joon’s highly publicized eight-month relationship with HyunA. But even so, the mention of possible coupledom with her old crush gave her stomach a few flips. Not to mention their kiss today. More like multiple kisses.

“So, what shall we tell our managers?” Seungho asked.

“Umm…?”

Seungho began, “So, like you said, let’s just confirm it for now…and break it off later.”

He winced at the last part, wishing that even if it was pretend, they could still be together.

Minji thought similarly, but agreed enthusiastically.

He got up and reached out a hand, helping her up as well. “I’m sorry things turned out this way, Minji-ah.”

Minji laughed lightly. “No, it’s not your fault. We both should have been more careful. So I’ll talk with my manager, and you talk with yours?”

They left it at that, and by then, Joon had appeared in the dorrway, ready to take Minji home. So Minji reached up to give Seungho a quick hug and followed Joon to his car.