Friday, February 22, 2013

Once and Always

Para sa chinggus, mahal ko kayo! Sa mga nag-birthday na, belated gift ko sa inyo, sa mga magbi-birthday pa lang, advance gift naman, hahaha... Sana magustuhan nyo :)  Noimee, singit ka na din dito ha :P


Somewhere in one of those exclusive and affluent district in Seoul, a certain Hallyu star was having his much-needed me time, which he could use to sleep, one of his favorite pastime, or he could drink with his best buds, something he wasn't able to do for a while now, but nope, he decided to mope in his bed and think of the past, a past he so wanted to relive and turn around.

He was a struggling idol leader back then, yes their group have quite a number of doting fans but it wasn't enough to make them afloat in the business.  Their company set them out to try their luck in the Land of the Rising Sun, they got noticed alright but not in that immeasurable way that their company hoped for, and they even suffered a fallout in their own home.  To save his group, he reluctantly entered the world of Korean variety shows, he became a husband, er, a make-believe husband to Hwangbo Hye Jung.  Yes, the drop-dead gorgeous, kind-hearted, ideal woman of all idol-kind, only because mankind would be a bit extreme.  He wouldn't claim to have fallen in love at first sight because he simply didn't, his fall was a progression, a continuity of some sort, something he didn't plan nor expect, he didn't even noticed it until he was already off the cliff.  He's not complaining or anything because truth be told, being given the chance to love her is his greatest happiness, second to none, even to his music.

It was an exhilarating and satisfying ride with her, from We Got Married-induced lovey-dovey moments to real life intimacy, it was perfect... up until the fool that he is, uhm, was, because he firmly believes that he's all mature now, made a fatal mistake.  The green-eyed monster struck him when he chanced upon a text message from Bi, he used to call him Bi-hyung but after that incident, let's just say he wasn't able to get over the fact that he was the cause of his pains *crying bullets*, if he were to tell the whole truth, it was just an ordinary birthday message and dinner invitation from a friend but because he was a jealous freak, he made a hell hole for himself, wait, just look at her, come on, who wouldn't be jealous?  So, he flew to Hongkong with Yong Saeng and created a scandal that would ruin his life forever, nothing really happened though, he wanted to, yes he did, you know to let off some steam and a bit of his body heat, but he couldn't, he was, after all, deeply in love with another woman.  But there was no turning back, he had to reap what he sow, he was bound to suffer the consequences of his temporary insanity - he broke her heart on the eve of her 29th birthday, tsk!

And now, four years later, he's still hang up with what ifs and could haves.

Kim Hyun Joong heaved a sigh.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the four, or so, corners of MBC, a meeting that may turn his life around was taking place.

"We need to do something, the higher ups already issued an ultimatum," the PD griped.

"We're going to have Taecyeon and Wu Ying Jie soon, they're idols and both popular so I'm sure our ratings will pick up by then," one creative consultant spurred.

"If we aren't sacked yet by then," a bespectacled writer chimed in.

"What are you suggesting then," the creative consultant asked.

The writer shrugged, "beats me!"

"I know! We give the audience what they want, something that they had been asking for" the PD beamed.

The staff and crew of We Got Married looked at each other knowingly, did some eyebrow wriggling and scrambled off to do what they had to do.

Two weeks later...

After a grueling push-and-pull with their managers...

And after an arduous inner battle, Hwangbo Hye Jung and Kim Hyun Joong finally decided on appearing in the show - a We Got Married Special Edition, a reunion of the first season's finest, the Ssangchu Couple reunited.

It was awkward, meeting again after a number of years and greeting each other like they were just colleagues, like they don't have any connection deeper than that of Korean entertainment industry.  In all honesty, it actually stings.

But to hell with that, she was there and they were standing in the same stage, breathing the same air and pretending to be civil, friends even... it was enough!  Heck, he felt like Christmas came several months earlier and Santa sent him the grandest gift of all.

There was the customary introduction and greetings, a blast from the past video clips, reminiscing and story-telling, discussions and interviews.  It was maladroit-ish but he enjoyed every minute of it, and he claims he's all mature now, HA!

"Hyun Joong-sshi," Lee Hwi Jae called his attention, "do you miss Hwangbo-sshi?"

"Of course," his quick reply, "working with her is such a privilege, I mean she is the one and only Hwangbo Hye Jung, and I became his husband, I bet, ani, I know that a lot of men envied me, and some may still do," he grinned.

"Then, persuading you to come back to We Got Married as her make-believe husband will be easy," Hwi Jae commented.

"No! I am quite positive that our stint as a fake married couple in 2008 will be our first and last."

"But you just said," Hwi Jae began.

But Kim Hyun Joong didn't allow him to finish, "Our time together was, IS, magical, with and without the camera rolling, it will never be matched and can never be duplicated.  OURS is a once in a lifetime experience but it is for keeps.  We met and fell in love once and it will be for always."

The world was at a standstill.

Until she smiled and beckoned him. "Once and always."