"Omo, Song Joong Ki proposed to you? Jeongmal?!!"
Chae Won smiled and nodded to her two best friends, who come to have dinner in her house after long time, and then showed the diamond ring Joong Ki gave her when he says the word a week ago.
"Whoa, yeppuda. Is this real diamond?"
"Yah, Han Hyo Joo! Do you think Joong Ki-sshi would give Chae Won something fake?" Geun Young snapped her chingu for asking the stupid question.
Hyo Joo grins. "nongdamiya (I'm joking)! Of course he wouldn't." she said to Geun Young.
Geun Young then turned her head to face Chae Won. "I'm so happy for you, chingu-yah. You and Joong Ki-sshi deserved this after what happened. I'm sure Joong Seon would be happy too, seeing his eomma and appa finally be together again." she smiled genuinely.
Chae Won smiled and hugs her. Tears are flowing in her eyes from hearing Geun Young's words.
"Aigoo, uljima. Uljima." Geun Young patted her shoulder while quietly trying to hold her own tears.
"Haaah... na do ulgushippo (I want to cry too)." Hyo Joo sighed. Her words made them parted from hug and turn to see her. "both my best friends are happy with their boyfriends, while I'm still alone. And soon one of them is going to leave me to get married, and still no boyfriend for me." she continued and took another sigh.
Chae Won and Geun Young looked at each other and they're burst into laugh.
"Yah!! Why did you girls laughing?!" she felt offended. Chae Won, still laughing, stood up and sat beside her, wrapped one of her arms around her neck.
"Because being gloomy is not you, chingu-yah. You're Han Hyo Joo, the catwoman of the big and successful Han Group! You can get every guy you want." Chae Won cheered her.
"You meant every guy who wants to get their butt to the group through me? Dwesso, nan shiro! (forget it, I don't want them)" she crossed her arms and pouted her lips.
"Geurom, you want me to introduce you to one of my colleagues?" Geun Young offered her kindness, but Hyo Joo glared at her.
"Yah, Moon Geun Young. You know exactly why I don't date celebrities, and now you offered me your colleagues? Shiro!"
"Kobwa, kobwa (look here), you're so picky. How can we get you guys if you always say 'shiro!' before met them first?" Chae Won words made Hyo Joo pouted her lips more.
Chae Won and Geun Young exchanged eye-contact and smiled when they realized they had succeeded to tease Hyo Joo.
At the same time, in a different place, Joong Ki is hanging out with a couple of his friends to treat them dinner in a private restaurant and later announced that he's going to get married.
"Jeongmaliya? With Moon Chae Won-sshi?" Kwang Soo asked him in disbelief. Joong Ki nodded and smiled.
"Woaaah, chukhahaeyo, oppa!!" Bo Young couldn't hide her happiness and asked him for a toast, though what she drinks is just an apple juice.
"Yah-imma. How dare you to step over me?" Kim Jong Kook, a singer and one of his friends shook his shoulders, making Joong Ki a bit dizzy but he was just too happy to be annoyed right now.
"Geurom, you too should ask Yoon Eun Hye-sshi for a date, hyung. Or else you will never have a chance to say that you like her forever."
"Kwang Soo-yah! You want to die?! Be careful for me not to reveal your embarrassing side to Geun Young-sshi, oh?" he threatened.
"Hyung... don't get mad at me because I'm dating Geun Young. I know you like her but she is way too young for you to date... ooooh, I think I should go to the bathroom and lock myself there." Kwang Soo rushed himself away when he looked at Jong Kook's dangerous eyes.
"Yah, Lee Kwang Soo!! Today you are really going to die in my hands! Come here, i-jashikkiya!!" he roared and stood up to run after him.
"Catch him, oppa! Give him a lesson!" Song Ji Hyo shouted and laughs.
Joong Ki and the rest of them are laughing at the sight. Those two guys were never stopped fighting, on and off air. Kwang Soo really likes to tease his hyung, although sometimes he was out of line, but because they are friends, Jong Kook was never really mad at him.
"I'm happy for you, Joong Ki-yah. But, don't you feel it's a little risky to get married now when you're on top of your career?" Im Joo Hwan, one of his best hyungnims, asked him in concern.
"Maja-ya (that's right). And you are marrying an ordinary girl. Not that I don't like Moon Chae Won-sshi, you are so lucky to have the prettiest girl I've ever seen to be your bride, but did your agency approve it?" Jo In Sung, his other best hyung, added.
"You guys are the second to know after my family, hyungnim. I haven't talked to my agency." Joong Ki smiled. "but you don't have to worry, I'm all ready for whats going to happen. One thing for sure, I'm not going to let her go again, no matter what." He continued with certainty in his tone.
In Sung smiled and patted his back. "geurae. I knew for sure how you liked her very much since your eyes met her at that party. Chukhahae, Joong Ki-yah." He spoke genuinely while raising his glass to toast his.
Joong Ki parted with his friends and manager as he hopped on his luxury car. When he arrived in his condo and was about to get in, someone called him from behind.
"Song Joong Ki-sshi." He turned around and frowned at the sight of someone tall and handsome approaching him.
"Jung Il Woo-sshi?" he asked in confusion.
"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you at this hour. I... I just want to ask you something." Il Woo spoke. Unsure if he had a right to ask what he wants to ask.
Still in confuse mind, Joong Ki invited him to come inside his condo.
They sat in front of each other and Il Woo's eyes keep staring at the cup of coffee Joong Ki served him without a sign that he'll going to talk about the question he wanted to ask him.
"So... what are you wanted to ask, Il Woo-sshi?" Joong Ki asked as he noticed Il Woo would not going to open up his mouth if he doesn't ask.
Il Woo gulped down—still unsure of the reason that made him come. He just knew from Chang Wook this noon when they had lunch together that Chae Won and Joong Ki are going to get married. And after that, he couldn't concentrate on everything he does, even his own manager yelled at him for being unfocused and made every crew and PD-nim in his drama shooting disappointed.
"H, how are you doing, Joong Ki-sshi? I've heard about the sudden drop of those drama and movie offerings."
Joong Ki frowned. Is that what he wanted to ask about? Why would he care? They never close to each other. He even yelled at him that time at Chae Won's house when he thought Il Woo was the baby's father because of how he treated her—with very much care.
"My manager told me. Don't you know that our managers are close with each other?" Il Woo continued, realizing Joong Ki's look at him with confused.
"Ah... kureyo? Well, I'm okay. We're still trying to find out the reason but I don't want to just sit and wondering why. I think I still need to improve myself as an actor more so that they could comfortably give me an opportunity." Joong Ki answered him and smile, trying to be polite, although he's still curious of his intention.
"Dahenghieyo (thank goodness, then)." Il Woo smiled back. His smile was more... relieved than happy for what Joong Ki could interpret.
Suddenly, Joong Ki realized there is something he should talk to him too.
"Il Woo-sshi..." Il Woo turned up his head to look at Joong Ki again. "I was never had a chance to say that I'm sorry, for yelling at you the last time we met. It was unappropriated, I know, but I couldn't control my emotion at that time. So, I'm very sorry. I hope you could forgive me." Joong Ki said sincerely and smiled.
"Ah... that time? Gwenchanayo, it's my mistake too. I shouldn't butt in to your problem with Chae Won noona..."
"Anieyo, Il Woo-sshi. You did nothing wrong. I knew you and Chae Won are close. You know her long before I did, so she was like your own noona to you, right?" Joong Ki cuts his words and smiled again.
Il Woo turned his eyes to the floor. Somehow, Joong Ki's words stabbed right at his broken heart. But he can't blame him, how will he know? Even Chae Won herself didn't realize that she 'wasn't just a noona' to him before he told her.
"Geurae, I knew her long before you did. That's right. But what's the point of that? The one she chose to be with her forever is you and not me, anyway." Il Woo's spittle tasted bitter in his throat when he forced himself to speak. He turned his eyes to see Joong Ki, whom looked surprised.
"You and Chae Won noona are going to get married, aren't you?" he finally asked what he wanted to ask.
Joong Ki can't speak a word to answer him as he just realized something he shouldn't. The man in front of him is clearly looking like he will break down if he answers him with a bright smile on his face.
Just a couple minute before, he still thinks that Jung Il Woo doesn't have any intention towards his girlfriend—that he just behaved like he did because he was just trying to protect his noona from some crazy man who acted like he's about to hurt her at that time. He will do the same thing for all the girls he considered his noona.
But of course that's not the only reason. He can't blame him, though. Il Woo's an idiot if he didn't fall for Chae Won after being beside her all those years.
Seeing Joong Ki keeping his silence, Il Woo smiled bitterly.
"I'm sorry that I'm bothering you for something that doesn't even my business in the first place, Joong Ki-sshi."
Joong Ki snapped back from his head when he saw Il Woo stood up. He stood up too and watching Il Woo's back—walking towards the door—before he called his name.
"Il Woo-sshi!" Joong Ki paused for a second before continued. "'I'm sorry'... I can't say those words to you. I'm not sorry I met Chae Won and fell in love with her because I know for sure in the next life, and the next life after, and the next after, no matter how many times I get to be born in to this world, I will surely meet Moon Chae Won and be in love with her all over again." He said it with so much steady and sincerely.
Il Woo turned his head to look at Joong Ki.
"What about Jae Seok samcheon?" he suddenly asked. Because if he forgotten, Jae Seok is trying to ruin his career that he worked so hard to build.
Joong Ki paused for a moment, before he smiled and shook his head. "We haven't told him yet, but I will have his permission, even if I have to be on my knee and beg for it." he answered.
Il Woo could see from the man's eyes that he meant what he said. See him so sure and brave; it made him amazed and jealous at the same time. Could he ever do the same thing if he stands in his position right now?
His corner lips curled up into a bitter smile and he nodded as he turned his head back and gets out from Joong Ki's condo.
"Il Woo-yah, you're here!" Chae Won patted Il Woo's back and he turned his head—startled.
"Noo, noona... eottoke..."
"Chang Wook told me you got yelled at by your PD-nim at the shooting place and that you are here, so I come to cheer you up. How have you been? It's been quite long since the last time we met. You never showed up at my café anymore." Chae Won cheerfully answered Il Woo while took a seat beside him.
Il Woo glared at the ring which is on her ring-finger and he quickly turned his head and gulped down his whiskey. "aren't you going to tell me that happy news?" he said, not looking at her.
"Oh?" Chae Won responded. Il Woo turned to see her eyes and hinted with his chin to the ring. "aaaah, igeon (this)? Chang Wook told you?"
"Silmanghaedda (I was disappointed), that kind of news was told to me by Chang Wook and not by the bride-to-be herself." he said and once again gulped down his drink.
"Mianhae, Il Woo-yah. I was going to tell you but you were busy." Chae Won felt guilty. She knew she was wrong to let him be the last person to know—aside from her appa—but there is another reason why she hasn't told him yet, she wasn't sure that he got over his feelings toward her, so she doesn't want to brag her happiness to his face for it might be still hurts for him.
Il Woo stares at her and forced himself to smile. "noona, can we have a toast, then?" he asked.
Chae Won looked at her friend since childhood's face and a relieved smile appeared on her lips. She nodded and he ordered a sparkling water for her. Once it's served, they have a toast and start talking about so many things.
Most of the time, Il Woo was just listening to Chae Won's words. She looked so bright and cheerful that it makes his heart hurts. He knew he could never give her that smile with so much happiness, no matter how hard he tried. The only one who could do that is the man who gave her that ring.
Will she get mad at him if he's saying that he couldn't congratulate them right now?
Will she get mad at him if he told her that he tried to ruin their relationship, along with Joong Ki's career—the thing he knew very well that she protected with her whole heart—by sent that photo to her appa?