JoongBo: 9

It’s lunch time and both Hwang Bo and Hyun Joong are sharing a meal in the living room and he then does the dishes as she lies down for a bit to rest, since she’s sick. He clears the table, dropping one of his mangas on the floor and she wakes up and they both begin cleaning the house again together. Armed with brooms, she begins sweeping the floor and a little cleaning robot follows her from behind, cleaning up after her. Hyun Joong comments that just following after the robot is more convenient and that it was really efficient, only to be met with Hwang Bo’s glares.

HB: My pride is hurt. I can't even win over a robot.

HJ: Well, humans can’t win over robots.
HB: But robots are made by humans!
HJ: Yea, but humans made robots to do the things that they can’t do, right?
HB: But robots are made by humans!
HJ: *adorable defensive* Humans were initially monkeys…
HB: *laughs*

She then takes her sewing machine out and tells him that she’s going to make curtains and a table cloth when he volunteers to do the tablecloth, saying that he’ll do it prettily. They both work together to make the items and he says that with all the work that they have to do with the move, they should have just gotten a house mortgage and all, making her laugh. He then mentions that he’s going to decorate the tablecloth and starts sticking pieces of cloth that he cut out earlier on. He also starts cutting up the ramyun packaging before telling her that he’s going to the guardhouse. He ends up at the convenient mart and begins picking out several items.

HB: Where did you go? The guardhouse?
HJ: I couldn’t find what I wanted there so I had to go to the convenient mart instead.
HB: *mutters* What is he doing?

He comes out of the kitchen and walks up to her saying that he’s done, bringing her into the kitchen to see what he did. He tells her that she’ll definitely like what he did and she goes over to see the tablecloth before she starts laughing. He had cut out pictures of food from all the packaging and stuck them on the cloth as decoration.

HB: Truly this idea? You must have gone to a good kindergarten!
HJ: I never attended kindergarten.
HB: *falls over laughing*

Private interview:

HJ: I wanted to make a tablecloth where you’d feel full even when you sat in front of it. No matter how difficult, actually our current conditions are pretty good right? If things ever get more difficult later, then I want to have one where even if there’s no food, you’d feel full. I’m going to have to look for more pictures so I can change them, such as cold noodles for summer and ho bbang (steamed buns stuffed with sweet red bean filling) for winter.

HB: When are you going to Japan? Tomorrow?
HJ: *hesitates* Mmmmm… Yea.
HB: Why are you thinking your answer over? Are you just telling me that you’re going to Japan but actually you’re going somewhere else?
HJ: No, no.

Hyun Joong picks up a piece of cloth on the floor and says that they can make something out of it. He puts it around himself and asks Hwang Bo if he should make her a gown. She looks at him and asks why would he make her one and he tells her that he’s not so sure why either. He then changes his suggestion and asks if they should make a banner bearing good words instead.

Private interview:

HJ: Actually when we started earlier, I thought that we should have such a banner. I kept on thinking about it and then right at the end, I thought of a gown instead.

(play of words, gown and banner in Korean sound similar)

HB: I really couldn’t understand it at all. But the amazing thing is, if it was before, I would have asked him how we should do it and even if I didn’t like it, I would have agreed. But now, since we know each other’s true feelings, I can say and do what I want.

They begin discussing the length of the banner and the lines to be written, and Hyun Joong comes out with the weirdest lines, before they deciding on “The activities of my life, activities come to me!”

HJ: I’m going to Japan!
HB: Happy?
HJ: No, I’m not happy.

Hwang Bo begins packing Hyun Joong’s bag for him, and he tells her that it’s okay since he’s going to take it all out again in Japan anyway. She then starts telling him that she would always wonder why the wife was not able to look after the husband when she sees married men all messy and everything, and that she doesn’t want to be sworn at. He answers that he wouldn’t be able to understand (Japanese swear words) so it’s okay. Then she says that his members would say comments about her and he reassures her by saying that they wouldn’t swear either, as they are idols.

HJ: What’s that handkerchief for?
HB: You’ll be sad tomorrow when you leave. Since you’re leaving me. *laughs*

Private interview:

HB: Even though it’s only make believe, but it doesn’t feel that way. It felt weird when I was packing his things. I really hate luggage bags. I’m fine with other bags but luggage bags just make me feel as though you’re leaving for far away.

HB: If I pack too much, you’ll end up only eating ramyun.
HJ: There are nicer ramyun in Japan…
HB: Can’t you just be thankful when I’m trying to care for you?
HJ: I’m rather thankful now.

HB: This is the most important one.
HJ: What?
HB: Three times a day. Vitamins.
HB: Are you really happy that you’re going to Japan?
HJ: No, I’m not. I’m really sad now.

HJ: I’m off!
HB: Shillang, where are you going?
HJ: I’m going early to the airport.
HB: *laughs*

Private interview:

HB: Although it was a joke, but when he jokingly said that he was going off, I felt sad. What’s more sad is that he didn’t seem sad that he was leaving.

He then goes to his bag and picks up his key wallet and says that he’ll give her a photo of him. A passport photo of him with his hair tucked behind his ears. She starts laughing and comments that he looks kind in the photo.

HJ: When it gets hard for you, look at it. Three times a day.
HB: It’s hard for me now.
HJ: Look!

She goes into the kitchen and mentions that it’s a bit sad that they are not going to meet each other for a long time now and he tells her that he’ll come back once every two weeks. She continues saying that it’s still rather sad and moves around the kitchen. He asks her what she’s looking for and she tells him it’s his surprise. She starts filling the inflatable pool with water before sending him to fill it up while she writes him a secret note.

*Hyun Joong, come back from Japan safely. A man who can do well while I’m not around is my handsome shillang.*

She puts it in his key wallet and they both start moving the pool into the living room where they both fall from exhaustion. They both begin playing with a toy boat and little figure toys.

HJ: The diver can’t dive!
HB: *laughs*
HJ: You stay here and play.
HB: Me?
HJ: Yea, I need to go to the toilet for a while.
HB: Okay. You’re not going off to Japan right?
HJ: No, no.

Hyun Joong walks into the bedroom where he lies down, and starts folding a paper crane while memorizing the lines for the song he sang her earlier on. Hwang Bo however, is getting tired waiting for him outside and she starts to seemingly get irritated at the fact that he’s taking so long when they don’t have much time together. She calls for him and he finally comes out.

HB: What were you doing?
HJ: Me? Folding this paper crane.
HB: *annoyed look* Oh?
HB: You were folding that? You could have just done it here.
HJ: Yea, well, you know.
HB: I really want to understand, but I’m sorry, I just can’t.
HJ: I have a special technique of folding cranes known only to myself.
HB: *eyes downcast and silent*
HJ: I just didn’t want to show it to everyone, that’s all.
HB: *laughs*
HJ: 1000 cranes means everlasting love right? I’ll work on the other 999 before I come back from Japan.
HB: I really want to understand but I just can’t.

Hwang Bo drops the crane into the pool and Hyun Joong exclaims that it’s floating. She tells him that of course they float and he tells her that it doesn’t for him. He begins talking about when he returns when she starts throwing a tantrum at him.

HB: Gosh, just to fold this. How annoying! Annoying! You went inside there just to fold this??? Annoying!!
HJ: I told you that I have my own special technique!
HB: But it’s still really annoying!!

Private interview:

HJ: I’ve folded cranes for more than ten years in my life, so I have some pride in my technique of folding paper cranes. But because I did many wrong things to her today.

PD: What kind of wrong things?

HJ: Well, I didn’t play the piano for her. And then there was her signature on my vest that got washed off, and the fact that I didn’t wear the vest to the airport when I went to Thailand. I did a lot of things that made her fed up so I just kept quiet. She seemed angry. She keeps on getting angry with me now. Since we’re a little closer now.

The both of them are still by the inflatable pool and Hwang Bo is still angry at Hyun Joong when he finally tells her the truth. That the reason why he went into the room was because he was memorizing the lyrics to the song there. Upon hearing that, her face brightens up and she asks if he’s really memorized the whole song. He tells her to listen carefully and to look at the crane as he sings, which she does. He apologizes for not being able to play the piano for her and she smilingly nods her head. He then pulls off another fake “I’ll start over” before singing for her. Halfway through the song, he stutters a little as he looks at her to see her reaction to his singing. She, on the other hand, is just sitting there with her eyes closed, mouthing the lyrics as he sings for her, totally feeling the song.

Private interview:

HB: I liked the lyrics. It’s for me.. are those words meant for me? Honestly, I have never seen it before. Him singing for one person alone, I don’t think he’s done it before. He sang the song for me because he couldn’t play the piano. It feels good when he does these things for me to make up for what he couldn’t do. If it was before it was unimaginable for him, but now it’s like he’s changed, seeing that he gave me his photo and that he tried doing things for me. What feels even better is that I managed to change him.

HJ: Shall I buy you a present from Japan?
HB: No, it’s a waste of money. Don’t spend any money.
HJ: It’s not a waste of money.
HB: *smiles with joy*

She then tells him that she wants a shower towel and a shampoo container. He asks her if two’s enough, and she asks him if she can’t have two things when he quickly tells her to choose three things instead. She starts smiling happily and begins thinking about her third present when she says that she wants underwear. He looks at her, slightly taken aback and asks her “Underwear?” before saying okay and that he’ll definitely bring it back for her.

HJ: I’ll be back from Japan before you know it.
HB: Well, I can always go over if I get bored.
HJ: Come over to play.
HB: Okay.
HB: No matter how good you are, I don’t think you’ll call me.
HJ: I’ll call you everyday when I go to Japan. Everyday.
HB: You must.

Hyun Joong surprises Hwang Bo in the studio with a special video message that he made for her before he left, leaving her with smiles and tears in her eyes.

*Hwang Bu In, annyeong. I’m in Japan now. Before you watch this, I felt that you would have thought of many things while watching the interviews. I’m really sorry. When I’m in Japan, I promise to buy all your things for you and come back. I was scared (that I may forget) so I memorized your items. A shampoo container, underwear and your shower towel. And on top of that, I’ll learn how to cook a Japanese dish, so don’t feel depressed. Wait for me. I couldn’t make it to the studio recordings right? But my passport photo will be right next to you, so look at that well. I’ll be back soon.*

*Credits: MBC, Soompi*