Fandom: Lovely Runner (TV)
Tags: Jealousy, Fluff, Soft Soljae
(note: english is not my first languange and this is purely self-indulgent, so please proceed with caution)
“What? You’re going to Sunjae’s set?” Hyunjoo asks while Sol gathers her stuff from the office table.
“Yeah. We haven’t seen each other lately since his filming started.” Sol whines with a slight pout on her lips. “I already asked Dongseok and he said he’ll have a short break later.” She heaves a sigh. “I miss him so much, Hyunjoo.”
Said woman suppresses the urge to gag. She thinks she may never get accustomed to this version of Sol. She’s always been cute and affectionate, yes, but it’s like meeting Sunjae and dating him unleashed another persona in her that was locked before.
And if the lovesick way she’s acting right now is any indication, Hyunjoo can bet her car that her plan to surprise Sunjae will blow up on her face.
“Are you crazy? You do know he’s starring in a romantic film, right?”
“And?” Sol asks, actually oblivious. She looks at her watch. She has to drive now if she wants to make the most of his break.
Hyunjoo grabs at her arm, trying to stop her. “I know Sunjae loves you very much–he practically has permanent heart eyes for you– but do you really want to see him acting?”
Sol still seems to not get it. “My Sunjae is a very good actor. Why wouldn’t I?”
Hyunjoo sighs. This foolish girl. “Yeah, your Sunjae is indeed a very good actor. And he happens to play the role of a man in love with another woman. I saw the script and it involves a lot of… intimate scenes. Do you really want to see that?”
Sol, much to Hyunjoo’s surprise, lets out a hysterical laugh. “Yah,” She starts, wiping at an eye, “I’m not childish like that! I’m a very cool girlfriend–I know how to separate work from personal life!”
As it turns out, Sol is definitely not a very cool girlfriend. No, not even slightly. And she really, really wants to do something childish, right about now, like grab the actress ravishing his boyfriend by the neck and fling her across the room.
Sunjae is sitting on the bed with his partner on his lap. He’s got one hand on her hips and another one spanning her back. She cradles his head, tilting it back to kiss him deeper. A low moan is heard in the room. Sunjae shifts to lay her down on the bed.
It’s only when the director yells a cut! that Sol registers how tightly she’s been holding the strap of her poor bag. She releases the breath she’s been holding. She opens the palm of her other hand, surprised to see red crescent marks from her nails.
She looks up. Sunjae and the actress pull away from each other. Her boyfriend, ever the gentleman, helps her up. She doesn’t hear it, but she’s sure he’s asking her if she’s okay. He’s always been kind like that to his co-stars. Sol wishes he wasn’t.
She knows it’s unreasonable because Sunjae’s just doing his job. She’s never had an issue with it before. She’s seen his films; seen him kiss actresses countless times…
Seeing him in action, though, is an entirely different thing. Jealousy like she never felt before rises in her gut. She wants to smash something.
When the director cues them again, Sol’s not masochistic enough to stay. She turns around and leaves.
You’re right, she texts Hyunjoo when she gets inside her car. This is a bad idea.
What did I tell you, comes her immediate reply. Should I get soju or makgeolli?
I love you, Sol types. Both please.
This scene feels oddly familiar, Im Geum thinks, as he watches her younger sister chug soju like apple juice on their rooftop. Her wife sits across from her, looking equally as drunk. She brightens up at the sight of him.
“My gold,” She singsongs, reaching out adorably to him. He sits down beside her. The smell of alcohol assaults his senses, and he gapes at the amount of bottles on the table. Seven?!
“Yah, Hyunjoo!” Sol suddenly screams, startling the couple. “You think you’re safe? Just so you wait, sooner or later your husband will be kissing other women!”
Hyunjoo gasps, palm dramatically slapping over her mouth.
“You’re right! I can’t let that happen!”
“What are you talking about? Why would I kiss other women?”
Sol jabs a finger at his brother, cross-eyed. “When you have a girlfriend-” she hiccups, “-don’t you think you should protect your precious lips? Shouldn’t your girlfriend be the only one allowed to touch you?”
What, Geum rages, did Sunjae cheat on her little sis?
He’s about to ask her when Sol shouts again.
“Yah, Ryu Sunjae!” The finger jabbing at him earlier is now directed at the heavens. “Why did you become an actor and kiss other women?!” She downs another shot, and then mumbles, “Where’s that damn watch? I need to go back again and make sure he doesn’t become a celebrity…”
Relieved, and a little bit confused by the last bit, Geum sighs. Thank goodness. He thought he had to cut ties with his top star brother-in-law.
He gets his phone and texts Sunjae.
“Dongseok, did Sol come by earlier?”
Sunjae is sitting on the van, eyes fixed on the image of his girlfriend that Geum sent him. His adorable Sol, red in the face, looking like a cute angry hamster.
You dumbass, the text below the image read, why’d you let Sol watch you film a bed scene?
“Oh? Didn’t you see each other? She called me earlier asking for your schedule, and she said she’ll surprise you...” Dongseok replies, eyes briefly meeting him in the mirror.
“Yah!” Sunjae shouts, horror dawning on him. “You know what I was filming earlier!” At the front, Dongseok’s eyes widen in realization.
Sunjae looks at the photo again, and notices the alarming bottles of soju on the table. He recalls a memory from a lifetime ago– Sol wearing a trash can as a hat, a drunken shout from a rooftop, and a fallen slipper.
He orders Dongseok to drive to Geum’s home.
He’s got an angry and jealous girlfriend to pacify.
Sol is out cold when he arrives at the couple’s home, which is a blessing because it made carrying Sol into the van and into his house easier. He deposits her on the bed, propping her up slightly on the headboard so he can fuss over her.
He carefully removes her coat, her shoes, and the pins and bands on her hair. He makes quick work of removing her make-up, knowing first hand how awful it is to sleep with one. He was just about to remove her top to change her into comfortable sleep clothes when her eyes suddenly flashes open.
Flustered, Sunjae drops her top and falls on his ass on the bed.
“Oh, you’re awake.” He stutters out. He grabs the bottle of water by the bedside and hands it over to her. “Drink. You must be thirsty.”
Sol receives the water with complaint, drinking the entire thing without removing her gaze on him. She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, still looking at him, gaze intent and determined. No, not at him. On his lips, particularly.
She licks her bottom lip, and Sunjae stops breathing. He gulps, suddenly feeling hot. He didn’t expect the night to go like this, given her inebriation, but if she wants…
His not-so-pure-like-oxygen thoughts are halted when she leans over and scrubs at his lips. Furiously, like she’s trying to wipe the entire thing off.
It clicks, and Sunjae lets out a chuckle. Is she literally trying to rub off the evidence of another woman on his lips?
She’s so concentrated at the task that her face forms a charming little frown. God, his girlfriend is adorable when jealous.
“Do you think it’s funny?” Sol pouts at him, and he wants to explode at how utterly cute she looks. Sunjae holds her face in both hands, squishing it into a pout.
“Im PD, weren’t you the one who recommended this script?” He asks, teasingly.
Sol heaves a sigh, then purses her lips, before leaning back on the headboard. Sunjae follows suit and sits beside her, arm pillowing her head.
A few moments pass before Sol speaks again, voice small and whiny. “But did you have to kiss her so passionately?”
He can’t help it– Sunjae laughs. Oh, how the tables turned.
“Do you believe me now, then? I told you, I’m a master of meloromance.”
Sol pinches him on his side, a particularly ticklish location, which makes Sunjae yelp. “Sorry, sorry! I’ll stop laughing now!” He grabs the offending arm, then slides his hand down to intertwine her hand with his. He places his other hand one on top of theirs, covering it completely.
The familiar feeling of joy and contentment washes over him, as it always does, whenever he’s in her presence.
“Sol-ah,” Sunjae starts, tone placating. “Were you really mad?”
Sol shakes her head. “No, not really.”
She nods, although faintly.
“Because…” Sol takes in a large breath, as if preparing for a speech. “When on TV, or in cinemas, when I’m watching you, I’m also watching your character. I get immersed in your role and its world. But watching you on set, however… there is no story. It’s just you and a woman. Kissing.”
Sunjae just keeps looking at her silently while she goes on her tirade, giving her the moment to vent out her frustrations.
“I know it’s stupid. But… I don’t know. She’s so pretty… and tall… like all your on-screen partners were, and watching you two— you just looked so good together. And I know it’s your job but I just—It just dawned on me just how many attractive people you got around you in the daily.”
He’s got a lot to say about this, but he just kept his mum. Something like you are literally a goddess in my eyes and celebrities should be thankful you chose to be behind the cameras.
Sol just kept on, almost stumbling over her words, refusing to meet his eyes. “Ah, I don’t know! And you weren’t supposed to know, anyway! I was gonna get over it myself… stupid Im Geum—”
No longer able to stop himself, Sunjae kisses her. Partly to shut her up, partly because of how pretty she looks all riled up. She was about to speak when he kisses her again, this time a little longer and a little deeper. Her arms come up to his neck while his finds purchase on her waist. When he leans back, her eyes look a bit hazy.
“Sol-ah, I love you.” Sunjae says, looking deep into her eyes.
He takes a deep breath, knowing there’s no turning back once he says it. He swore he wasn’t going to admit it out loud, but he guesses she’s bound to know one way or another, anyway. In Hyuk has a big mouth.
“You’re the only woman in my life. The only person. Ever.”
Confusion paints Sol’s face, and then surprise.
“What? What do you mean only?”
“There’s no one, other than you. I never dated anyone.”
Surprise turns into disbelief.
“In this life? But… you never knew me?”
“Not just in this life. In all of them.”
Sunjae sees the weight of his confession dawn on her. Practically sees the excuses firing up in her brain. She opens her mouth, then closes it again. He continues.
“In my first life, when you mistook me for a delivery man? I knew then, the moment you gave me your yellow umbrella and those white candies, that I love you.”
He brings a hand to her face, bracing himself and her, for what he’s about to say. They haven’t really talked about this, no. “And I don’t want you to blame yourself, Sol, okay? But when the articles then said I was depressed, had anxiety and was undergoing medication? It was true. But it wasn’t because of the public, or their perception of me.”
Sunjae’s surprised about how easy the words come to him. Weightless, now that the burden has been lifted. He used to be only able to speak of it in moments of inebriation, with In Hyuk, or in his sessions with a therapist.
Sol, on the other hand, seems to be overwhelmed with emotions. He notices the tell-tale signs of her eyes reddening.
“It’s because of guilt and regret. That I couldn’t save you. That it was because of me that you got hurt–” Sol starts to protest, but he shakes his head. “--I couldn’t forget you. And while that was partly because of guilt, I know it’s also because of a love that could have been.”
Sol’s lips start quivering, and he can see how hard she’s trying to keep her tears at bay. This girl– she’s the one crying for me again.
“When I met you again on that bridge, I was glad that you didn’t remember me. That I at least have been someone who’s given you strength– that tou didn’t remember me as a person who caused you pain. ”
Like a dam overflowing, Sol’s tears fall down her face. Sunjae catches them all with his palms.
“And in another life, just when I thought I couldn't possibly love you more, I find out that you literally jumped through space and time just to save me. It was… I was gone, Sol. And I loved you for fifteen years in a life before that, even when all I had of you was a photograph and the memory of a few months to sustain me. There was just no going back for me, once we crossed paths. You owned me– body and heart and soul.”
She was full on crying now, breaths stuttering with each inhale. Sunjae soldiers on. He’s got a point to get across.
“And in this life, even without memories of you, it’s like all the love I held for you in all my lifetimes accumulated so much that it overflowed in this one. Somehow, I knew in my heart that if it wasn’t you, I would rather be alone. And the moment we met— this will really sound cliche— it felt like I was coming up for air after a long time underwater. My mind sure took a long to catch up, but my heart recognized you.”
Sol reaches up to grip on the hand on her face, holding it tight.
“All of this to say, my dear Sol– I love you. I’m yours— before, now, and forever. You literally cannot get rid of me, no matter how much you try. So,” Sunjae pinches her cheeks, “As much as I enjoy seeing you cutely huffing and puffing like a kitten, I’d much rather it not be because of jealousy. Okay?”
Sol’s face crumple with her tears, but a watery smile graces her lips. Sunjae feels the room brighten with it. Sol nods and whispers a small okay. And the she throws her arms around him, burying her face on his chest, crying some more.
“I love you, Sunjae. You’re the only one for me, too.”
He hugs her tighter. “I love you too, Sol.”
It takes her a bit more to calm down. When she does, she looks up to see his face. She traces the bags under eyes, frowning a bit. “I’m sorry. You should have been resting, but here you are…”
Sunjae smiles at her, booping her nose with his. “You are my rest.”
That must be the wrong thing to say, because Sol burst out crying again.
A memory comes back to Sunjae at that moment, making him chuckle.
“Why are you crying? I didn’t make you cry.” Sunjae asks her, a teasing smile on his lips.
She punches him lightly on the chest. “Yah! You definitely did!”
