20
“That room, Anshan.”
Thian pointed toward a door.
After asking around, we found out that Toop had fainted.
The crew, who were busy tending to the situation, quickly filled us in as soon as they saw Thian.
Now, we stood before the restroom on set, which was equipped with an efficient air conditioner.
I remembered it vaguely from the last time I was here.
“An.”
I jumped slightly as Thian tugged at my sleeve while standing just outside the door.
“Toop is perfectly healthy. Sure, he fainted today and had similar symptoms last time, but as soon as he went home and spent time with you, his complexion immediately improved. Maybe he’s just deeply attached to his wifey, uh, I mean, you, because-”
She paused, grinning before whispering near my ear.
“He’s probably experiencing sympathy pregnancy symptoms.”
“Huh?”
“Yes.
Let’s go ‘see’ him.
This is exactly what I wanted to prove.”
“P- P’Thian!”
Before I could gather my thoughts or respond, she opened the door.
But instead of just Toop, I saw someone I did not expect.
While the situation was not the same as when I visited him at his office, standing beside him was the same actress from before.
“P’Toop, don’t be stubborn.”
“Stay back, Pearl. I’ll—”
There he was—my husband—standing unsteadily, with the actress leaning in to support him.
It was as if neither of them noticed Thian and me entering the room.
Despite the pang of unease I felt at the sight, I was more worried about him, who looked like he could collapse at any moment.
His hand was weakly trying to push her away.
I did not know how she got here, the heroine of this movie was supposed to be someone else.
I stepped forward, intending to reach him, but—
“Pearl, I told you to stay away.
I’m going to—ugh!”
“Ah!
P’Toop—!”
He clasped the hand he used to push her away over his mouth as if about to vomit.
Pearl, startled, released and grabbed his arms instead.
“P’Toop, are you okay? I told you I’d take care of you—”
She froze.
Not because she noticed us, but because Toop had gone still.
Slowly, he lowered his hand from his mouth and turned toward the door, where Thian and I stood.
“Anshan.
Thian.”
“Yeah, it’s me and—”
“Mr. Toop!”
Before Thian could finish, everything happened too fast for me to process.
After Pearl released him, Toop staggered toward me, I moved my hand to touch his arm before he pulled me into an embrace.
Without saying a word, he buried his face against my shoulder, holding me tightly.
Pearl seemed ready to shout something, her mouth opening wide, but Thian, quicker to assess the situation, pointed a sharp finger at her.
“P- P’Toop!”
Her voice was not loud, but it was filled with shock and frustration.
“Thian,”
Toop’s voice was hoarse as he addressed his cousin.
“What?”
Thian spun around, glaring at the person whose head was still buried in my shoulder.
“Do me a favor.”
“What is it?”
“Get that woman out of here.”
“Wait, I’ll—ah!”
I offered to escort her out, even though my chest tightened and my heart sank at the sight of Pearl and Toop just moments ago.
Still, leaving it to Thian might not be the best option—it would not be fair to Pearl, who stood clenching her fists and pursing her lips like a stubborn child rather than a true threat.
Yet before I could finish my sentence, Toop pulled me closer into his embrace.
“You owe me for this, Toop.
Remember that.
And you—”
“Stay away from me.”
Pearl’s voice wavered as she spoke, prompting a sharp smile from Thian.
“So you do know what you should do—leave.”
“You’re—!”
Pearl snapped her gaze to me after glaring at Thian.
“Don’t think I’ll back down so easily!”
With a huff, she stormed out of the room, her feet stomping sharply against the floor.
“You too, Thian.”
“Huh?”
Thian spun around, while Toop loosened his grip on my shoulder but still kept an arm firmly on me.
“I want to be alone with Anshan.”
Thian exchanged a glance with me, then nodded and left the room as well.
Toop followed her retreat with his eyes before releasing me entirely to lock the door behind her.
“Why’re you locking—Mr. Toop!”
I started to ask why he locked it, but before I could finish, Toop leaned against the door and exhaled if relieved.
Then, without warning, he approached me again and pulled me into another embrace.
“Am I suffocating you?”
His muffled voice emerged from where his face was nestled against my shoulder.
Despite my initial shock, I shook my head gently, wanting to reassure him that I felt more than fine—relieved, even, to see he seemed okay.
“Take me to the sofa.”
I blinked, my chin resting on his shoulder, unsure of how to process everything.
But when Toop asked, I simply complied, guiding him to the sofa in the center of the room.
“Whoa, Mr. Toop—!”
How many times had I called his name in surprise?
Just as I was about to let go, he grasped my wrist, causing me to stumble forward and nearly straddle him.
My nose ended up mere inches from his, and our eyes locked.
Swallowing hard, he suddenly shifted, seating me down in his place instead.
“Mr. Toop…”
“I’m exhausted, Anshan,”
he declared immediately after setting me down he stood upright.
“Let me get you a cold towel and some water. Um- Mr. Toop?”
I felt slightly tense, Toop, rather than letting me move, lay down with his head on my lap.
His face pressed against my stomach, leaving me wide-eyed at his swift actions.
I hesitated to push him away, I could not bring myself to.
I sat there, my mouth agape, but when he wrapped his arms around my waist, I sighed in resignation and sat still.
“Are you okay?”
“I’ll be better in a bit,”
he mumbled, his voice muffled against me.
I could not help but feel ticklish, yet oddly comforted by his closeness.
“Why did you come here with Thian?”
He looked up at me, his gaze belying the fatigue he claimed to feel.
“Well, Anshan?”
“Well, I—”
“Did Thian force you to come?”
I quickly shook my head.
“P’Thian just wanted me to get some fresh air, so she brought me here to see you.”
“You missed me, didn’t you?”
He looked like he was about to smile, but it did not quite form.
I nodded slowly.
“You.”
“You asked me, didn’t you? Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
And if I said no, you’d accuse me of not being honest.”
“So, your honest self missed me?”
“I already answered, didn’t I?
What about you?”
I did not know where I found the audacity to ask, but the words had already left my mouth.
“What kind of answer do you want?”
Though I was not sure how my expression appeared, I felt the tremor in my emotions.
“Do you love me yet?”
I chose to ask that question instead, meeting his gaze with a tentative smile.
I was not expecting an answer.
But if he were to say something that would bring me joy, like ’Yes, I love you now’, I was not sure how elated I would feel.
It would be incredible, as I had longed to hear those words.
“I wanted to see you, too.”
His response made me frown.
The soft tone of his voice, paired with his arms tightening around my waist and his face pressing into my stomach, made my brows knit even further.
“I asked if you love me yet, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, and I said I wanted to see you.”
“But that’s…”
It was not an answer to my question, but I did not push further.
Maybe asking too much would ruin this moment of ease between us.
I did not want that.
“I’ll ask again later.
For now, rest up.
Once you’re better, I’ll take P’Thian back home.”
“Do you not want to stay?”
Was his neck tired from constantly shifting between snuggling into my stomach and looking up at me like this?
“I’m okay either way.
But you might feel uncomfortable if I stay.”
“Did I say that?”
I shook my head.
“We’ll leave together.”
“You mean?”
“You and me.
’Us’.
We’ll go home together.
No more riding back with Thian.”
“But—ah.
Mr. Toop!”
He buried his face against me again, tightening his hold around my waist like before.
“It might be late, though.
Can you wait for me in this room?”
“I’d rather sit and watch you in front of the camera.”
Toop did not answer.
He remained as he was, hugging me while I reached for my phone to text Thian.
Before I could type anything, though, there was a knock at the door—the one the man who was having a shuteye had locked earlier.
“Ignore it,”
he muttered, eyes still closed.
But I did not want to indulge his stubbornness.
“Mr. Toop.”
My attempt at scolding him prompted a sigh as he opened his eyes, his expression grumpy enough to make me want to smile.
If this had been before, I might have sulked at his mood.
But now, I found it endearing.
“Who’s interrupting now?”
He grumbled like a child denied their way.
However, he showed no signs of the illness that the crew had been worried about.
He stomped to the door, flung it open, and asked irritably,
“What do you want?”
Standing there was his manager.
“I’m here to take you to the doctor, of course.
Ah—oh.
Mr. Anshan, hello.”
“Hello, Manager.
Sorry for coming unannounced.”
“No need to apologize.
I should be the one apologizing—I’ve been running around worrying about Toop and sorting things out with the director.
I did not even get to welcome you to the set properly.”
“But it seems like there’s nothing to worry about now.”
“Miss Thian?”
The manager turned toward her, startled, adjusting his glasses as he spoke.
Thian just smiled cheerfully
“I came with An.”
“I see,”
The manager nodded before turning to look at Toop, who made no effort to hide his irritation.
“Toop, I think you should—”
“No need to see a doctor.
I’m fine now.”
“But earlier, you—”
“Didn’t I already tell you, Manager, that there’s no need to worry about this guy?”
“But Miss Thian, his condition really wasn’t great today.”
Thian sighed and patted the manager’s shoulder like she was consoling him.
“He’s just experiencing symptoms.”
“Huh?”
The manager furrowed his brow in confusion.
Before he could say more, Toop interjected sharply.
“Thian.”
“Hmph,”
Thian scoffed, tilting her head with an air of defiance.
“What exactly is going on here, Toop?”
The manager pressed for clarity, while I stood there watching the exchange.
“Nothing’s going on.
I’m fine.
Tell the director I’ll be ready to shoot in ten minutes.”
“Huh?!
Ten minutes?”
“Why so surprised?
Or do you want me to go home instead?”
“Oh no!
If you say you’re ready, then we’ll continue filming, Toop,”
the manager said, his wide smile despite his concern.
It was understandable—Toop was the lead actor.
If he could not perform, the entire production would suffer.
“In that case, hang out here in the room with Mr. An and Miss Thian for now.
I’ll inform the team.
Oh, and I heard Miss Pearl from the set next door—”
“Let’s go talk to the crew, Manager.
I’ll go with you.”
“Ah, Miss Thian—!
Mr. An, please keep an eye on Toop for me.”
“Y-Yes,”
I replied as the manager was whisked away, looking bewildered by both Toop’s condition and Thian’s swift and unpredictable actions, which left me feeling dizzy as well.
Even so, I could not help but smile, though it faltered when I noticed Toop shutting the door again.
“If you’re tired, stay in here, but bring Thian along.
Don’t stay alone.”
“And you…”
“What about me?”
His voice held a slight edge, prompting me to shake my head quickly.
“I was just going to suggest that you should rest before filming. I’ll grab you some water and a cold towel—uh…”
Before I did as I had said, he reached out and grabbed my wrist.
His quick reflexes and intense gaze froze me in place.
I wondered if he would let me go, so that I could grab the stuff from the refrigerator from him.
“There’s nothing going on with Pearl.”
Hearing his reassurance, I nodded.
“I saw that.”
“There’s really nothing, Anshan.”
He emphasized his words, and I nodded again.
I truly believed him.
Though I had felt slighted by him over the actress before, the scene earlier, combined with his serious tone, convinced me there was no cause for doubt.
Toop nodded.
“Go sit down. I’ll get it myself,”
he said, releasing my wrist.
I watched him walk off, his steps steady and composed, showing no signs of the earlier distress.
During the filming, I found myself reflecting on Toop’s performance.
The shoot stretched from the afternoon into the early evening.
I sat with Thian and his manager, observing as everyone in the crew admired Toop.
His acting was exceptional, as always.
But today, their admiration seemed heightened, likely because of the stark contrast between his earlier state and his current demeanor.
With all his the odd mood swings and fainting spell.
When he returned to the set, he seemed perfectly fine.
The director praised him effusively, and when the final scene of the day was called with a cut, the entire crew erupted into applause as if they had wrapped filming entirely.
In truth, they had only completed about 40% of the project.
Toop smiled cheerfully, as he always did, showing no signs of nausea or mood swings.
This brought great relief to his manager.
“Do you want to eat anything else?”
Toop asked as he drove us home.
Just minutes earlier, we had said goodbye to Thian and the manager after having dinner together at a reserved restaurant.
“I want some street fruit.”
”Huh?”
He glanced at me in surprise before turning his attention back to the road.
“That’s it,”
I replied softly, but I really wanted it—so much so that the craving grew stronger.
“No, Anshan. Please don’t look so down. I’m not saying no or stopping you if you want it. But why does it have to be fruit from a street cart?”
I quickly nodded, turning to face him.
”I really want it,” I said with excitement, feeling the urge rise to its peak.
“Can I? You can just stop, and I’ll get out and buy it myself.”
Toop took a deep breath, saying nothing more.
After a while, he drove us to a night market.
As we approached, I caught a glimpse of a fruit cart near the entrance—the exact type I wanted.
“You stay here,” he instructed, removing his seatbelt.
He grabbed a mask and his wallet before crossing the road briskly, leaving me watching him from the car.
“It’s like you care about me,”
I mumbled to myself, watching him.
The apprehension of not being able to satisfy my craving quickly dissipated, replaced by a smile.
Even though he did not have to go to such lengths, this man—who was sometimes stubborn and occasionally sharp-tongued—was willing to do this for me, even after his tiring day at work.
“You bought so much,” I remarked as soon as Toop returned about ten minutes later, ‘hauling’ bags.
I was not exaggerating—he was practically ’hauling’ the load.
Toop handed me two large bags filled with various fruits.
Did he buy out the entire cart?
“I forgot to ask what kind of fruit you wanted, so I got two of each,”
he explained as he started the car.
“Thank you,”
I said sincerely, touched by his effort.
However, he did not seem particularly keen on accepting my gratitude.
“If you’d just be kind enough to feed your husband a piece, there’s no need for thanks.”
I could not help but smile and then press my lips together, glancing at my undeniably handsome husband.
“If I skewer a piece for you, will you really eat it?”
“Why wouldn’t I eat it?”
”Because you don’t love me yet.”
I did not know if it was relevant to what he had just half-jokingly asked me to do, but as I posed the question while peeking into the fruit bags to see what was inside, I did not feel hurt.
It was as if this kind of question had become routine—something I asked whenever it crossed my mind.
As always, Toop did not give me a direct answer, so I turned my focus to picking out a rose apple from the bag and taking a bite.
It was deliciously sweet and juicy.
“This one’s good,”
I said cheerfully, savoring the flavor.
“Do you want some?”
I offered, turning toward him.
“You eat your fill first.”
“Worrying about me and the baby?”
It felt as if not only my lips were smiling but my eyes, too, narrowing warmly as I looked at him.
How odd—just getting to eat what I craved put me in such a good mood.
But I genuinely felt uplifted and refreshed in a way I could not quite describe.
“Of course, I worry about you both, isn’t it?”
Sometimes, I found his pretentious attitude irritating, but I decided to let it slide.
Taking another bite of the rose apple, I picked up another piece and held it out to him.
”Then I’ll take that to mean you really do care about me and the baby.
Open up—it’s delicious.”
He made a soft snort but cracked a faint smile before leaning forward to bite the fruit from my hand.
“Mmm, crunchy and delicious.”
“Right?”
Once again, I found myself grinning so wide that my eyes nearly disappeared behind the curve of my cheeks.
The rose apples from the street vendor were genuinely tasty, but the sight of his smile was just as delightful.
Even though I had been startled earlier to hear that Toop had fainted, I felt a sense of contentment now.
Sharing this moment, riding home together—it felt almost as if we were a couple deeply in love, very much so.