Saturday, January 2, 2010

Promise (Chapter 16 & 17)

Chapter 16

The next day, HB received a call from MBC Entertainment Award committee right after she came back from Japan.

The committee member said the Ssangchu couple got a high chance to win the best couple award, asked if she could perform in the MBC Entertainment Award night.

HB refused at once, didn’t even think twice.

“Why?” The member persuaded. “We are going to use the performance you did before on the Chuseok1 Special. I’m sorry for the late notice, and I know we are pressed in time, but this should not cause a big problem.”

“You have a point here, but Hyun Joong shi is very busy filming the drama, he certainly will not have time for the practice and rehearsal.” HB said.

“But we had already contacted Hyun Joong shi and he agreed to do the performance.”

“What? He agreed?” HB is shocked, screamed in mind ‘Is he crazy? Is he gonna kill himself? Why did he agree to this needless, unnecessary performance.’

“Yep, he already agreed.” The member said.

“Let me think about it, I will call you back.” She said.

HB calls HJ at once,

“Hello” HJ answered the phone.
Once HB heard his voice over the phone, she loudly said to him without letting him say another word,

“Why are you agreed to perform in the MBC Entertainment Award night, you don’t even have time to sleep, when can you find the time to spend in this needless, unnecessary performance.”

She waited, but there’s no answer from the other end,

“Hey, Kim Hyun Joong, are you listening?” She said, her tone is almost close to yelling.

“Yep, are you mad?” HJ asked.

Hearing what he said, she realized she is actually upset, and precipitately called him without considered if he could take the call or not. She’s speechless.

“Don’t worry, I’m okay.”

“Don’t carry it too far, how could it be okay? The practice, the rehearsal, the performance, those are exhausting.” She is upset over his unconcerned tone.

“If I miss this one, I am not sure I would be given another opportunity again.” He said slowly.
She silences, her heart cramps, and the aching.

“Really, I’m okay.”
“Made me some good foods, I guarantee I would not pass out on stage.” HJ said laughingly.

HB tries to picture his grinning mischievous expression, but still couldn’t say a word.

“Oh, I have to go, would you agree too, Please!” He said and hanged up.
She continues holding the phone, weakly nodded.

Shortly, she phoned MBC agreed to the performance.
Then, start contacting his manager to confirm the practicing time.
The dancers and the dance studio are arranged too.
After all this, it’s in the evening already, his message came in,

“Thank you”

She scold at him in mind, ‘moron’, but starts to tear up.


__________
End Note:

1 Chuseok - originally known as Hangawi (한가위) (from archaic Korean for "great middle"), is a major harvest festival and a three-day holiday in Korea celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. Like many other harvest festivals, it's held around the Autumn Equinox. As a celebration of the good harvest, Koreans visit their ancestral hometowns and share a feast of Korean traditional food. (Credit: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) In Chuseok speical (Episode 25 in WGM), Ssangchu couple dance performed using Hwangbo’s “Get Hot” song.


Chapter 17

Finishing filming his part, HJ rushed to the dance studio. MH tells him to take a nap in the car, he will wake him up when they arrived. HJ finds a comfortable position, and close his eyes.

Really tired, in order to squeeze in the time for practice and rehearsal, his filming schedule has to be adjusted. Basically, everything is rushed.

His wearying body knocked out on the seat, he feels very sluggish and needs to make a huge effort for his body to move a bit, but he is consciously and mentally awake, very excited.

Thinking back that day receiving her call is a great bonus; he hurried to find a quiet corner, and picked up the call. But all he heard is her agitatedly yelling at him. Her voice is really loud, so loud that he could hear the buzz sound afterward.

He never saw her get angry, even there were times he totally made her embarrassed, but she never get angry. He didn’t know she will get that upset just because he agreed to MBC’s request. And the reason behind is unexpectedly because he will get exhausted. She really cares about his health, even more than himself. This makes him feel really warm from the bottom of his heart.

Right now, in the situation where message communication even becomes a luxury, how could he refuse this kind of opportunity? He got the adequate reason to see her, practicing with her, performing with her, how could he refuse?

Knowing he made his decision, she did not say anything anymore, just arranged everything on her own. What he needs to do is to squeeze in the time to make his appearance.

Today is the day for their practice, he could finally get a closer look at her, HJ couldn’t hold his excitement.

It’s about half an hour drive, HJ arrived at the dance studio.
He makes a deep breath, pushes open the door.

He could recognize her at first sight; she’s wearing a white hoodie and sweatpants, sitting on the floor, looking at her cell phone.

He smiles walking towards her.

She looks up, and then stands up while seeing him walking towards her.

“You came.” HB smiled at HJ.

“Yea, did you wait for long?”

“Not really, let’s start then.” She’s waving at the dancers.

“You got whiten than before.” He is still stared at her.

“Isn’t it not good to get whiten?”

Oh, no, just that I’m so caged lately, didn’t know whitening is now the trend for Southeast Asia.” He said humourlessly.

She blinks at him, and then starts punching him with her signature laugh. He’s delighted seeing her signature smile again, he laugh joyfully. He really missed the way she looks when she laughs delightedly at what he said, that look is really affecting, looks as if it could simply melt away all the burdens.

Their practice starts in this relaxed mood. They begin by her giving a demonstration first. Then, they practice together, he remembered most of the dance steps, soon after, he gets familiar to the dance.

The practice goes well, after dancing two more times with his bass, they finished half an hour earlier than they expected.

HJ sat on the floor puffing, and watching her discussing with the dancers on the details. The dancers got other schedules afterward; they tidy up, and then leave.

She walks back,

“Tiring right? Are you still okay?”

“No problem” HJ said.

“Stubborn.” She gave him a slightly annoyed peek, then looked at her watch, “We finished half an hour early, why don’t you rest in the car?”

“I don’t want to move, I would just rest here.”

He stretched his legs, massaging his neck, “Ai yah, my neck gets sore if I keep tilted my head like this.”

She stares at him, making a big sigh then sits down. She didn’t say anything, and he didn’t want to break the silence either. She’s really with him, that close, he could smell her intimate and familiar scent, this is the only serene moment for him in these months.

He felt like they went back to WGM times, when they could causally chat in their house, cleaning up together, making and eating dinner together. She was like the rivulet, little by little streamed into his heart, even before he could realize, she already filled every corner of his heart. This is the first time he wished to live with someone, he would feel complete only if she stays with him. Although she thought they don’t have a future together, He was already get used to plan his future with her in it.

“I already arranged with MBC, we will be the first one to rehearse, this way, we don’t have to wait for others, and it’s easier for you to arrange your time.”

“Ne ……”

“I will tell MH once my clothes are finalized.”

“Ne ……” He enjoys hearing her voice.

“How come it’s only ‘Ne’” She smirks.

“How’s your Christmas eve?”

He suddenly asked about Christmas, she seems like she couldn’t response right away, stopped a bit,

“The concert is a success.” She responded.

“How about you?” He only interested in her feeling.

“Me? …… Not bad.”

Her tone is a bit strange, he takes a look at her, not saying anything.

It’s almost time, she stands up first, and offered her hand,

“Do you want me to pull you up?” He holds her hand, and pull to stand up. Put on his jacket, looking at her, “I’m going.”

“Wait ……” She went to the other side, brought over a big bag to him.

“This is for you.”

“What?”

There is another bag and a vacuum bottle inside the big bag.

“Christmas present, and Samgyetang1, I don’t want to see you passed out on stage.” She said.

He could still feel the warmth from her hand, and now he even got this surprise present from her, he stares at her, couldn’t say a word.

“Let’s get moving.” She pushes him.

“Thank you” Other than this he doesn’t know what to say.

He reaches the door, turns back and wave at her, finally walked out.

He gets in the car, open the present, a card fell down.
He opened the card,

“Hyun Joong:

This supposed to be the Christmas present, but now I guess this will become the New Year present.

Don’t know what to give you, but I remembered you said the filming location is very cold, so I ordered this hand warmer. You could warm your hands when you are not filming, it’s easy to use, you would know when you see the instruction.

But I think it will be strange if you are the only one using it, everyone feels cold too, if possible each person in the location should get one. I ordered 20 sets, not sure if that is enough. Just treat those as the new year gift you give to them, If that’s not enough, you could ask MH to buy it for you.

Fighting!”

He opened one of the package, a hairy sleeve and something looks like a mouse. He takes a look on the instruction, there’s a pocket in the hairy sleeve, the mouse like warmer2 should be charged and then fitted in the pocket. He follows the instruction to try, few minutes later, it gets nice and warm. Took a sip of the Samgyetang, it’s still warm too. He takes a deep breath, she’s not only cares and heartens him, she even takes care people around him. He grins ear to ear, how could he let go of the warmth to stay in the freezing cold?


_______________
End Note:
1 Samgyetang – The ginseng chicken soup.

2 Hairy Sleeve and mouse like hand warmer set - In one of the BOF Behind the scene's special, Hyun Joong gave these warmers to Kim Joon, Kim Bum and Lee Min Ho as New Year gift.

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