just a short chapter today. it has been long, right?

Gary drew the mission card. It read: Call someone and get the person to say ‘You are acting very strange today’.

“Call Jihyo! Call Jihyo!” the audience chanted playfully.

Gary shifted awkwardly in his seat and laughed to mask his awkwardness.

“Why don’t you call her?” the emcee of the talk show repeated.

“Ah, well, I can try,” Gary eventually gave in. “But she might be busy, though.”

He called her mobile, but she didn’t pick up. He tried their house phone next.

“Hello?”

“Appa!” Jiyoung squealed. The audience got excited at hearing the child’s voice.

“Eo. Where’s eomma?”

“Cooking,” he answered.

“Are you playing now?”

“Ne…”

Ji-ohn came over, wanting the phone too. They hadn’t seen their father in days- Gary went overseas to film a talk show, so they were both excited when he called.

“Appa, I miss you,” Ji-ohn said.

“Eo, I miss you too,” he replied, slightly awkward to show his affectionate side of him on TV.

“Are you coming home soon?” she whined.

“Eo… tomorrow…”

From his end, he heard Jihyo walking over.

“Is that appa?” she asked the kids. The kids nodded.

“Eo, wae?”

The audience laughed at her cool response.

“Eo… Yeobo…it’s me.”

Jihyo chuckled. “I know, I heard the kids. What’s up?”

More stifled laughter from the audience.

“Aren’t you filming now?” she asked again.

“Eo… how are you?” he struggled to make her say the mission phrase. “Are the children behaving?”

“They’re whiny,” she said, laughing a little. “Why?”

Then, thinking to him, is this some mission?

Gary couldn’t control his surprise and laughed.

Eo, it’s a mission. You have to say a phrase.

“Hmm. Tell them I’ll get them presents if they’re nice,” he said.

“Okay.”

“Uh… uh… Can I withdraw 30 k?” he asked randomly.

The audience laughed at Gary’s extreme awkwardness.

“Am I on loud speaker?!” she asked.

“Eo…”

“Ah… hello everyone…”

The crowd cheered.

Oppa, what is it that I have to say! I need to get back to cooking, she thought.

You have to say ‘you are acting very strange today’.

Ok, lead me.

Gary scratched his head.

“Can I buy a new car?” he asked again.

“Is this a mission or something? A phrase I have to say?”

The crowd laughed at her sharpness.

“Yeah,” Gary admitted.

Jihyo was a natural, maybe because she was an actress, because her lines flowed so seamlessly with his. 

Either that, or because they've already woven their minds and souls as one.

“Uhm. Why are you acting so weirdly? What’s wrong with you today? You are acting very strange today? Any of those?” she finally said.

The emcee laughed, applauding Jihyo.

Jihyo chatted for a short while, mainly answering the emcee’s questions, before finally ending the call.

“Okay, bye oppa. See you tomorrow.” I love you.

“Okay, bye. Take care.” I love you too.

“Do you always talk like that?” the emcee asked, surprised at their lack of affection over the phone.

Gary shrugged. “Maybe… I think we just feel weird talking in front of a crowd.”

The emcee nodded, and moved on to the topic. Gary quietened down as the attention was given to another guest. He kept his eyes on his watch, waiting anxiously for time to pass so he could go home quickly and meet his little babies and Jihyo.

Finally, the recording ended. They wrapped up, and thanked each other for the hard work, before leaving for the hotel. Just 8 more hours before he can go home!

But that night, an earthquake struck the country he was in.

A/N: I didn’t name a country because I didn’t want to jinx anything!!!!!