Chapter 9: It's a little complicated

When I reached the studio in the morning, the crew, especially the girls, were squealing even more than usual.

"What's going on?" I asked Yoona, wincing as another outburst of excited shrieks threatened to destroy my eardrums.

"Apparently Lee Dong-wook is coming." She replied

"Lee Dong-wook?"

"Yeah, He's the lead actor for Jessica’s new movie."

"Oh?" I said, raising my eyebrows. Now that Yoona mentioned it, Taeyeon had briefed me the day before that Jessica would be starring in a new movie, even though she had just completed filming the one about the hot biker chick. That girl really has a lot on her plate.

Yoona nodded. "He's supposed to play her love interest. And guess what?"

"Hmm?"

"I heard…" Yoona leaned towards me to whisper conspiratorially in my ear, "…that they are also dating each other in real life!"

I froze.

"Sooyoung? Are you okay?"

I blinked. "Yes I am. Why?"

"It's just that you turned pale for a second."

Did I? Come to think of it, my stomach had felt queasy for an instant. I frowned as I wondered whether Hyoyeon had added anything extra to my breakfast. It wouldn't be the first time, after all.

"Sooyoung!" My thoughts were disrupted by Taeyeon’s voice.

I looked up to see her standing in front of me, together with a man I didn't recognize. Not that it mattered though. The man, who looked like he was in his mid-thirties, was the textbook example of "tall and handsome". With his black suit, the girls in the background were barely restraining themselves from clawing at him.

It was too obvious who he was.

"Let me introduce you two. This is Lee Dong-wook, the lead actor. This is Choi Sooyoung, Jessica’s personal assistant. Sooyoung is from America!"

Not exactly, Taeyeon.

I noticed that his eyes lit up at the mention of the Ice Princess' name. He extended a hand towards me.

"Nice to meet you, Sooyoung-ssi," he said in heavily accented but relatively fluent English.

"Nice to meet you too." I gave a polite smile as I shook his hand. For some weird reason I was tempted not to do the usual and ask him to address me by my first name. But that would be against my principles, wouldn't it?

"Please call me Sooyoung. And I hope you won't mind if I address you as Dong-wook."

He seemed a little taken aback, but eventually smiled. "Okay."

"Your parents are Korean, Sooyoung?" He enquired after Taeyeon excused herself to attend to other matters.

"My dad's American, but my mom's Korean."

"Oh." He furrowed his brows. "But your name—"

"My dad doesn't believe that children have to follow their father's surname. And he liked my mom's better."

"Oh, okay…" he replied, though clearly having difficulty understanding why a man would want his children to take his wife's surname.

Well, that's my dad. I had to get my eccentricity from somewhere.

Fortunately for me (and probably Dong-wook), our attempts at making small talk were interrupted by a distinct change in the studio's atmosphere. We both looked towards the entrance. In strode our hot biker chick, dressed in her usual attire of tank top and jeans. Today, though, she was also wearing a pair of aviators that screamed "I'm a superstar!"

Is it that sunny? I tried to peer out of the window beside me.

Dongwook’s gaze immediately zoomed in at the girl, blatantly stalking her as she made her way across the room. She casually swung the haversack she was carrying on her right shoulder onto a chair. She then slid her aviators off with one hand, before casting a glance in our direction.

Dong-wook stood ramrod straight. Suddenly his suave demeanor was gone, and he fidgeted erratically, like a boiling pot that was bubbling all over.

"Goo—ood morning, Jes—Jessica- ssi!" he practically shouted across the studio.

Every single soul present turned to gawk at him. I let out a low whistle at Dongwook’s impressive display. Even my toe nails could tell that he had the hots for her.

Ice Princess, however, answered him with an icy glare that shut him up at once.

She looked at me next, and I wasn't sure if it was my imagination, but her gaze seemed to soften. I responded with a stiff wave and smile. Truth to be told, images from the last scene of the music video kept popping up in my head over the weekend. And every time they do, I would get this, umm, weird feeling. Yes, weird feeling. I'm so awfully precise.

As I averted my gaze from Ice Princess I noticed the clock hanging on the wall. Oops, better start working. I did a quick check on Dongwook. From the glazed look on his face, the man was evidently stuck in Jessica-land, and probably wouldn't notice my absence.

I rolled my eyes and walked away.

"She even writes like a drunken three-year-old…" I grumbled under my breath. I was seated at a desk, trying to decipher Taeyeon’s words (or should I say squiggles) on the document I was looking through.

"Hello, Soo."

I glanced to my left. A redhead sat on my desk with her legs crossed sensuously. Oh so she dyed her hair to red this time. Her chin was propped up by her palms, while her elbows rested on her lap. She gave me a coy wink.

"Hello, Tiffany." I greeted with a smile.

I must say that her purring was a little intimidating at first, but I eventually got used to it. I’ll compare Tiffany as a lazy sultry kitten. She was basically harmless. Provided, of course, that you do not step on her tail. Because then she would scratch your face off with those well-manicured nails of hers.

"Don't you have a photo shoot today?"

Tiffany waved her hand dismissively. "Who cares about that? I'm much more interested in coming to watch this."

I couldn't help but chuckle. I had to agree that it was rather amusing.

I wasn't sure whether the rumors that they were dating were true, but Dong-wook was sure as hell whipped. Every now and then I could hear the girl barking at him.

"By the way, I've watched the music video. You're pretty good."

"Thank you."

All of a sudden she leaned forward, tilting my chin up towards her with her thumb and forefinger. 

"I really like your eyes. They're like… fire."

My eyes widened and my breath hitched from this intimate gesture. But from the corner of my eye, I caught Jessica staring at us, slightly open. I realized what Tiffany was up to it, again.

I sighed, and nudged her away by the shoulder. I really couldn't fathom why she had a tendency to get touchy-feely whenever Jessica is watching. I much prefer the normal conversations which we have only when the latter was not around.

"I'm not your toy for pissing her off."

The redhead pouted, but she nevertheless proceeded to give the girl a wink.