Wednesday 16 July 2008

Chapter 14: Awakening

“Ne?” I turned back to look at him.

“You shouldn’t walk back alone,” he said.

“I’m fine,” I smiled.

“I should walk you back…

“You don’t have to,” I said.

“I have something to tell you,” he said. “Please allow me to walk you back.”

“If you wish,” I said.

I said my goodbyes to Eru and the rest of TVXQ.

“Leaving so soon?” Eru said.

“Ne… I still have to compile the interviews I did today, before bed,” I complained.

“Ah… and here we thought that a reporter’s job was easy,” he winked.

“Bye, Sierra-shi,” Chang Min said. “We’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Ne,” I smiled. “Have a good night’s rest. You’ll need to conquer Singapore and the world tomorrow.”

“Ne…” he laughed.

“Bye,” Yoo Chun said, and shook my hand. “It was nice seeing you again.”

“Likewise,” I said. “Where’s Jun Su?”

“He went to the little boys’ room,” Yoo Chun said.

“Okay…” I laughed. “Tell him I said goodbye.”

“We’ll do that,” Yun Ho said to me; smiling warmly. “Good night.”

“Good night,” I smiled back at him.

“Did you have fun?” Jae Joong asked me as we entered the elevator.

“Ne,” I said.

“With Yun Ho?” he asked.

“We just talked,” I said.

“For an hour?” he said.

“Is there a problem with that?”

“You just met him today,” he said.

“And you just met me today,” I pointed out.

“That’s…” he started, and bit his lip.

“I know that it was your idea to invite me,” I said as we walked out of the elevator. “And you told me that Eru-shi and TVXQ invited me.”

“Yun Ho told you?” he said incredulously.

“He was only telling me the truth,” I said.

“He should stand by me,” he said. “He shouldn’t go around telling people stuff like that.”

“Like what?” I said. “That Hero Jae Joong of TVXQ goes around picking up fan girls?”

“Aisshiii…” he swore, and quickened his pace.

“My hotel is that way,” I said as I tugged lightly on his sleeve.

“Mianhaeyo,” he said, and we turned to continue walking in the right direction.

“I don’t randomly pick up girls,” he said, after awhile.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I know you don’t.”

“Thank god,” he smiled.

“But your reputation does precede you,” I said.

“What do you mean?”

“Your fans do think that you’re not as innocent as your image seems. They actually believe you have a very naughty side,” I said; and smiled.

“And my past just keeps haunting me,” he smiled.

“We all have out pasts. It’s just whether or not it’s worth someone else digging it up.”

“True,” he said. “The price of stardom,” he sighed.

“Look on the bright side,” I said. “At least you have no trouble getting the girls you want.”

“I don’t always get the girls I want,” he said. “It doesn’t always work.”

“What doesn’t?”

“The fame,” he laughed, and I laughed with him.

“Find me a girl who wouldn’t want to do indecent stuff with you, and I can probably find you 10 who would,” I said.

“You can’t be serious,” he said. “I’m not that popular.”

“You are,” I said. “Even though it’s kind of hard to believe,” I teased.

“Coming from a fan… I guess I should learn to believe in my fans,” he grinned.

“You’re exactly what I’d expected you to be,” I said.

“What did you expect me to be?”

“I think you have a disease,” I said.

“Disease?”

“Wangja pyeong,” I giggled, and he covered his face with his hands, as if mortified.

We talked a bit more, and finally came to my hotel lobby.

“Thanks for walking me back,” I said, as soon as we walked into a more secluded corner in the lobby so as to not draw attention to him.

“No problem,” he smiled. “I enjoyed the walk.”

“Thank you for inviting me tonight. It’s a dream come true,” I said.

“I wasn’t sure,” he said. “But from the way you were looking at us when Eru hyung introduced you to us, I could sense that you were a fan.”

“It could be your ego working overtime,” I joked, and he laughed; covering his mouth as he did, like he always does.

“Maybe,” he smiled. “At least it worked.”

“Worked?”

“Nothing…” he said. “I’m just marveling how well I could spot my fans.”

“I’m not specifically your fan. I do dedicate an extra percentage to you, but I am first and foremost a TVXQ fan,” I smiled.

“That’s very thoughtful of you; putting my band’s needs before mine,” he said.

“Thank you,” I said. “I try.”

“Keep up the good work,” he said, and pumped his fist, “Hwaiting!”

“Ne…” I laughed. “Chalga,” I said.

“Chalja,” he replied.

I turned to walk away, and all of a sudden, he grabbed my arm and pulled me into his embrace.

“Jae Joong,” I whispered.

My brain was in shock, and all I could do was say his name.

“You’re speaking plainly now?” he said, and pulled away slightly to look at my face.

“I…”

Before I could say another word, he covered my mouth with his, and started kissing me.

I allowed him to tighten his arms around me as we kissed. Yes… I returned the kiss. I was in heaven. This was beyond my dreams… kissing the man of my dreams… and yet, a thousand thoughts rushed through my brain at that moment. ‘Why was he doing this? God, he can really kiss… I’m gonna be killed by his fans. Why me?’ Then the final thought came. The most important one; the shocker… ‘Omigod… Jeong Hoon!’

“Jeong Hoon,” I gasped as I pushed Jae Joong off me.

“Jeong Hoon?” he said. “What Jeong Hoon?”

As if repeating a person’s name could effectively summon him, there he was, standing 10 feet away, staring at me and Jae Joong.

“My boyfriend,” I said, my voice filled with guilt as Jeong Hoon started walking toward us.

“What?” he said as he whipped around. “You never said you had a boyfriend,” he whispered urgently.

“You never asked,” I said.

As soon as he got to us, Jeong Hoon grabbed Jae Joong by the shoulders and pushed him further away from me and swung a fist at Jae Joong. Jae Joong caught it on time and pushed him away.

“No!” I shouted and hugged Jeong Hoon, trying to keep him away from Jae Joong.

“Let me go!” he shouted, and added a string of vulgarities in Korean, as he struggled against me.

“No, Jeong Hoon,” I said. “He’s gonna be on stage tomorrow. You can’t hit him.”

“Who gives a rat’s ass?!” he shouted and tried to push me away.

“Go, Jae Joong,” I shouted, as I held onto Jeong Hoon desperately. “Ka!”

Jae Joong quickly turned and left, and as soon as he got out of the building, I let got of Jeong Hoon. He tried to follow, but I grabbed onto his arm.

“Let me go,” he said sternly.

“No,” I said. “Andwae.”

“Don’t make me hit you,” he said.