Chapter 24: Because Being Yours (I Wish...)
Jaejoong stopped himself right in front of the restaurant suddenly and turned back, making me crash straight into him. I fumbled to steady myself and push myself away from him. Once I managed to get my balance, I started hitting him on his upper arm with my free hands.
"Hey, not fair... the deal doesn't count okay... you cheated..."
"Ouch... ouch... ouch..." He grabbed my hands, "I didn't think you'll actually be able to bring yourself to hit me..." He made a pitiful face at me.
"I... I..." I was a bit taken aback by his response, I didn't think my "assaults" were that painful, "Argh... who asked you to blackmail me... and still go back on your words... I don't care... the deal doesn't count..."
"REALLY???"
"Yes..."
"*sign* Then I guess I don't have a choice, but to let everyone know that we're dating..." He started walking into the restaurant, holding my hand.
"Hey wait!!! You can't do that!!! Stop!!" I tried to pull my hand out from his, and to drag him back out.
"Joongie, don't joke about this okay... It's serious... We're going to get in trouble if you do that... Just behave yourself in public, as for private stuff... just keep it between us... don't go about discussing about it to everyone... it's not very nice to do that..."
"Is that so?"
"Yes... We'll discuss the terms and conditions for our deal later okay? Not here..."
"So there's room for negotiation?"
"Yes..."
"Okay then..." He let go of my hand and started walking into the restaurant. As he walked in, he grinned with a look of victory.
"*sign* Why am I always in the losing end when it comes to negotiation with him... I think I give in to him too much..." I thought to myself, as I watched him walk in cheerfully.
He turned and gave me a cheeky smile and a flying kiss. I rolled my eyes, covered my face in embarrassment, and shook my head. I could hear his musical laughter, as he laughed and went on inside.
I waited for around 5 minutes later, then I went into the restroom, and emerged later from there to the dining room. The drinking group had already started to sober up and were all rubbing their heads from the alcohol. Jaejoong was sitting at his seat and sipping on hot tea.
"Do you guys need some hot tea to sober up before we leave?"
"Yeh..."
"I'll go ask them to serve some for you all..."
They looked at me as I walked out to order their hot tea.
"Your PM is quite good eh... Very good at taking care of people's needs..." TVXQ's manager said.
"Yeah... She's used to working with all sorts of talents, from the really young kids to adults... So she's quite observant when it comes to things like these..." my team leader replied.
"Ah... I see..." TVXQ's manager turned to TVXQ and said, "I guess you guys are in luck then... You got someone to take good care of all your needs during the filming... So I can relax..."
The guys smiled and nodded.
"Here's your hot tea guys... Be careful it's hot..." I said as the waiter followed me in with cups of hot tea.
"Kamsahamnida..."
"You're welcomed... I've already settled the bill. You guys can go ahead back after the hot tea... I've already asked the driver to wait up front..."
All of them looked at me in surprise. I felt a bit uneasy.
"Any... problem???"
"Erm... no... but it's just that in our tradition... we're not used to females paying for our meals... ha ha ha..." The korean producer said.
"Ah... mian hamnida... I saw that you all were so drunk, I thought I'd better settle the bill first in case they thought that we're not paying up..."
"HA HA HA HA HA HA...."
The whole gang started laughing. I felt weird standing there not knowing what was happening.
"You're really very attentivstraightforward... ha ha ha... AND efficient..." TVXQ manager said.
"Huh???"
"Nevermind... Thanks for footing the bill first... We should be going back now... It's quite late already and there's a script-reading session tomorrow, where you'll meet the rest of the cast... Everyone should get some rest... Let's go..." the korean producer said.
I stood by the door, as the group moved out one by one. TVXQ were the last to leave.
Max smiled and whispered to me when he walked past me, "Nuna, you're so... WOW..."
"Huh??"
He shook his head and went out. U-Know, Micky and Xiah all patted me on my shoulder when they walked past me. I was confused. What was the problem? Or is there any problem at all?
Jaejoong was the last to get up, and when he walked past me, he stopped and whispered to me.
"You're really one in a million... you know that?"
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
He grinned and walked past me.
"Jaejoong!!" I whispered, cos I couldn't shout his name. But he ignored my call, and went on walking. I just walked behind him to the front of the restaurant, where the vehicles were waiting.
"Kiki, why don't you take TVXQ's vehicle? It's less crowded, it'll be more comfortable for you..." TVXQ's manager suggested.
"But what about the guys?"
"We'll take this bus with the korean team..." my team leader said.
"But..."
"It's okay... You're all going the same way anyway... Since you're staying at the same apartment block..." the korean producer said.
"You are?" TVXQ's manager looked at me and asked.
"Yeah, we arranged for them to be staying at the apartment nearest to our company, and it so happens that it's the same apartment TVXQ are staying at... What a coincidence..." the korean producer replied.
I forced a reluctant smile.
"Ah... I see... All the more you should ride with us then... You can get to know the guys too... Since you'll be the one that will be handling them for the entire shoot..." TVXQ's manager said.
"I guess so... If it's not too much trouble for you..."
"Of course not... How much space can you take... The vehicle is so big... You can sit at the back with them and chat... I'll sit with the driver..."
"All right..."
"It's settled then... See you all tomorrow for the script-reading session... Thanks for the great meal again!!! I enjoyed myself very much..." TVXQ's manager said.
"Come on Kiki-shi, get on the vehicle..." Jaejoong nudged me to get onto the vehicle.
I climbed on reluctantly, and sat myself at the back, and they climbed one by one onto the vehicle after me. Jaejoong climbed in right after me and strategically sat himself beside me, Max and Xiah came in after him, and sat themselves in the 2nd row. U-Know and Micky came in last, and sat in the front row.
When the vehicle started, Jaejoong grabbed my hand. I looked at him in surprise. He just gave a innocent "Huh? What happened?" look to me.
Max and Xiah turned around and started making "pretend" idle chat with me.
"So Kiki-shi... How long have you been to Korea already?"
"Erm... for a week already... But we didn't move in to the apartment until yesterday, cos it was not ready yet..."
"So have you been to Korea before?"
"Anio..."
"You like Korea so far?"
"Haven't seen much of it yet... But I like the weather..."
"Oh I see you like cold weather..."
"Yeah... I like cold weather... Cos we only get sun and rain from where we are... And the temperature never goes lower than 22 degrees or higher than 35 degrees... It's boring without seasonal change..."
"Ah... I see... So which is your fave season?"
"Oh I like winter the most cos of the snow... But autumn is very romantic cos of the red and brown falling leaves... Spring is refreshing cos of the blooming flowers everywhere... I think I can only say that I don't like summer cos the sun is very hot... I like all the other colder seasons..."
"Eh guys... are you having an interview with her? You're asking so weird many questions..." TVXQ's manager commented from the front of the vehicle.
"Ah no hyung... we're just chit chatting with Kiki-shi... I'm sure she doesn't mind... Right?"
"Yeah it's okay..."
"What kind of music do you like?" Jaejoong asked suddenly.
"Erm... music?? Ballads... soft rock... jazz... pop..."
"Quite a wide range eh..."
"Yeah..."
"So you're quite a music lover... Have you heard TVXQ's music before?" TVXQ's manager asked.
"Erm... actually..."
"Yeah?"
"Actually we are quite slow when it comes to music imports from Korea... I think I've seen their albums before... But there haven't been much publicity there so it's not very hyped up..."
"So you haven't heard them before?"
"Yeah..."
"Eh guys, sing something for her then..." TVXQ's manager turned and faced them and said.
"Okay... Let's sing 'Hug'..." Jaejoong suggested.
"Okay!!!"
"Guys, it's really..."
They all turned to face me, and sang 'Hug' for me on the ride home, and made funny faces when it was their turns to sing. I smiled when I saw them make the funny faces. It was fun to hang out with them, cos they are all really dorky and playful in nature, and they crack me up...
"Kamsahamnida... That was really nice... I'll probably get myself an album when I get back..."
"Oh no need... We can give you one... A signed one too... We'll pass it to you the next time we see you..." U-Know said, "That's okay right, hyung?" he then asked their manager.
"Of course... That's the least we can do to thank Kiki-shi for the meal..."
They smiled at me.
"Kamsahamnida Lee-shi... Kamsahamnida guys... That's really nice of you all... Cos I didn't bring any music along for this trip... I'll be playing that when I work in the apartment then..." I smiled.
"You still need to work later?"
"Erm... Not later... But when the production starts I may need to work when you're not filming to do an offline edit."
"Wow, you can edit too?"
"Yeah... Part of what I studied..."
"Wow, your country's women are quite strong eh..."
"Hee hee... Not really... Just trying to earn a living too..."
"Really? The women here usually marry quite young, and stop working totally..."
"Well... Not everyone can do that... Depends on whether you find your better half that early first right?"
I felt Jaejoong squeeze my hand tighter and pull it towards him. I looked at him. He smiled at me sweetly.
"So have you found your better half yet?"
"Erm... Changmin-shi... That's a very private question... Can I choose not to answer?"
Max grinned at my quick response.
"Of course you can... But I guess that's a yes?"
I smiled, "That's for me to know, and for you to find out..."
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"Thanks for the ride, Lee-shi..."
"No problem... My pleasure...", He turned to the guys, "Guys, escort her to her house okay? Make sure she's safe before you go back... Annyeongi kyeseyo...."
"Annyeongi kaseyo..." We waved goodbye to him as the vehicle drove off.
When we were sure that the vehicle was gone, we walked into the building. Once inside the lift, everyone started to breathe a sign of relief.
"Wow... That was weird..."
"Yeah... And you're really... ha ha..."
"What?!! Don't 'you're really..." me... Tell me what's this all about? You mean I can't foot the bill first? Cos I'm female?"
"Anio... But it's unusual here... And you did everything before anyone said anything... All by yourself... So I think they're all kinda taken aback... By your efficiency and attentiveness..."
"Aiyo... I thought it was something worse... So it's nothing... Just a break from tradition..."
"But you're breaking our tradition, the very first time we all go out for dinner... So it's a bit... Shocking..."
"Oh... Is that true? Joongie?"
"Don't listen to them... You can break tradition anytime you want... You just do what you think is right... I'll be behind you..."
"Kamsahamnida... That's sweet of you... But is it really bad? What I did just now? Will they think that I'm not respecting them?"
"Don't worry... I think they're more WOW-ed than offended... You'll be fine..."
"Okay..."
He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his arms.
"Don't worry... No one will dare do anything to you... I'll protect you..."
I looked up at him and smiled.
"Eeeekkkkssss...."
We looked at the guys, who were rubbing their shoulders, pretending that they were sprouting goose pimples everywhere.
"Hyung, can you be anymore mushy? We're freezing here already..."
"Ha ha ha ha ha... Mianeyo dongsaeng... My bad... Why don't you guys head on back first? I'll escort her back to her apartment..."
"Okay..."
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