"Can you believe that woman!?" An equipment crew member exclaimed from the corner as she slowly disassembled the equipment used for today's filming. It was late hours now, and most staff and actors had retreated back to their trailers or were lingering nearby, preparing to go home. However, amidst the scramble to leave, a group of crew members gathered together to vent about their recent encounters involving a certain A-lister who had been more of a tyrant these day than anything.

 

 

"Oh, please, spare me." Another staff member muttered, rolling his eyes as he carefully returned the cameras used that day to their rightful cases. "What's the princess throwing a fit about now?"

 

 

"She screamed at me today and stormed off set just because I got her coffee order wrong! Can you believe it? Her order was absolutely absurd! It's like a whole paragraph!"

 

 

"Something about Affogato with 10% mango, 20% unicorn hair, 2% vanilla bean, and 100% , right?" a makeup artist chimed in, joining the slowly growing group in conversation.

 

 

"Heh, basically, but replace with demon, and you got yourself an accurate description here"

 

 

"For real who does she even think she is!? Royalty? She yelled at me for 10 minutes today because I didn't do her makeup the way she wanted it. I've been doing her makeup the same for months! Why is she suddenly so high maintenance?"

 

 

"I swear, she wasn't like that before! At some point I could've sworn she was sweet and the rumours had been false about her. And now it's all over the media"

 

 

"It doesn't matter; we see her for who she really is. Besides," the makeup artist lowered her voice conspiratorially, "Let's just say I might know a thing or two about those 'anonymous sources' in the breaking news."

 

 

 

"No way..." The crew members clustered around her, eyes widening in astonishment. "You're not saying you're the one who leaked that news?"

 

 

"Hey, keep it down," the artist quickly glanced back and forth before also joining in the huddle. "But yeah, I couldn't take her attitude anymore. People needed to know what she's really like behind the scenes."

 

 

"But I just don't understand... you would think she'll be acting a lot nicer now that these rumours are spreading beyond, but no! She's even worse"

 

 

"Tell me about it, I've noticed her blonde manager hasn't been around lately either"

 

 

"Oh the shorter one?"

 

 

"Yeah, she was really nice, but followed that diva around like some loyal dog I swear"

 

 

"She obviously sees something in her that we don't"

 

 

"Or she just doesn't see at all"

 

 

"Who cares about the manager? Isn't Jihoon her boyfriend? Why isn't he disciplining her? He's just letting her do whatever she likes!"

 

 

As the group's chatter grew louder, they became enveloped in their own little world, oblivious to their surroundings. Too busy with themselves to notice... that unbeknownst to them, a man stood just behind the wall, on the other side of the corner, quietly eavesdropping. With each word, his anger simmered, his patience wearing thin. Just listening to their conversation was enough to make his blood boil.

 

 

Not for anyone else's sake though...

 

 

Just his own.

 

 

Rolling his eyes, Jihoon couldn't help but quietly scoff before cautiously walking away, ensuring no one heard him as he did so.

 

 

"This won't do," he muttered to himself before making his way to confront the very diva who had seemed to become the center of attention too much recently.

 

 

 

 

⋇⊶⊰💔⊱⊷⋇

 

 

 

"Jimin!" The actress turned around reluctantly at the sound of a voice she'd rather not hear right now, only to be greeted by a vibrant, waving man with the brightest and most innocent smile she'd ever seen—a presence she also wished to avoid.

 

 

But what could she do? People were watching. It must have been part of his plan so she couldn't refuse him directly. As her co-lead ran closer and closer, she realized what he was trying to do.

 

 

 

Stopping with a smooth hug around her neck, Jimin had to restrain every fiber in her body to resist the urge to spaz out and pull away from him.

 

 

"Jimin..." His voice lowered, his mouth mere inches away from her ear, ensuring only she could hear him. In their current position, they must have looked like a couple hugging to everyone else that had been surrounding them, which made it even more difficult for her to step away. "What in the bloody hell do you think you're playing at here?" The initial vibrant energy in his voice vanished, replaced by a snarky tone that anyone could tell was not rooted in happiness, though his face remained smiling to keep up appearances for the audience.

 

 

"Sorry, can you be more specific? I don't have a degree in mind reading." She didn't bother hiding her disdain for the situation, though it required every ounce of her being to maintain the appearance of contentment in the arms of someone she instinctively felt repelled by.

 

 

"Don't act like you don't know. Why are you doing this?"

 

 

"Doing what exactly?"

 

 

"You're acting like an impossible diva. You know exactly why the media's latched onto your name like that. You're only going to further tarnish your reputation if you keep this up. Are you not scared everyone here is just going to work against you?"

 

 

"Why should I care what they think of me? They're just a bunch of ants who spend more time yapping than doing their jobs. They should be grateful they still have work." Now it was Jimin's turn to take charge. She wrapped her arms around Jihoon's waist, pretending  she was reciprocating the hug and plastering a smile on her face as she leaned in closer to his ear. "And why do you care? You've known about this since we first met on set, even before all this. Don't tell me this stunt has actually made you fall for me, and now you suddenly care about my reputation?" She said mockingly, her tone dripping with sarcasm, knowing the truth better than anyone else.

 

 

"Yeah right" The man couldn't help but scoff. "And you're correct, I don't care, but this time your image reflects on me too. If you continue like this, they're eventually going to point the finger at me, probably spout some crap about how I'm enabling your behavior." His jaw clenched at the very thought of his reputation being in the hands of his co-star. "Your actions are no longer your own. Can't you be a little more responsible?"

 

 

"Oh, so that's what this is about..." She leaned in even closer, her smile brightening by the second for the sake of the show. "Too bad, I don't actually care about you at all. That's the price you signed up for when you agreed and even pushed for this fake relationship, do you not remember?" She broke away from the hug, her voice now at a normal volume, speaking in a rather cheery tone. "So, babe, let's not waste any more time with this aimless blabber and go home, okay?" She smiled innocently at him before walking away.

 

 

Leaving him to be able to do nothing else but to stare at her leaving figure....

 

 

"Yu Jimin.. you are one devilish woman..." he resisted the urge to cuss out loud before letting out a deep silent sigh of his own and walking the opposite direction...

 

 

 

He followed her footsteps to the front of her trailer, contemplating confronting her once again. However, at the last minute, he decided against entering or speaking to her again, not wanting to risk making the situation worse. After working with Jimin twice, he had learned that she could be a loose cannon when it came to those she didn't like.

 

 

And boy, does the woman not like many people...

 

 

All but one anyway....

 

 

A blonde one at that....

 

 

 

And now that he thinks about it further.... when Jimin's manager had been around... the woman hadn't been this bad at all... in fact, she had improved significantly since the last time they had to film together... during the time when the A-lister was practically munching through manager after manager until she finally received the one she had now...

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

 

Or doesn't have now?

 

 

Though he refrained from entering, Jihoon couldn't resist the urge to peek through the window, curious to see what Jimin was up to after isolating herself from the rest of the staff due to her behavior.

 

 

But what he hadn't wagered for, was for his eyebrows to shot up in surprise as he witnessed something unexpected unfold before him—a scene Jimin likely didn't intend for anyone to witness.

 

 

Sitting by her makeup booth, Jimin played with a hammer keyring on her left hand, fidgeting with it before clutching it tightly.... but that wasn't the weird part.. the weird part was from here, he could just make out the woman staring at her phone being completely engrossed by it... however... there appeared to be nothing opened on it.

 

 

No apps.

 

 

Nothing....

 

 

She was just simply staring at her wallpaper... in a manner that seemed strangely obscure to Jihoon...

 

 

As if she was longing for whatever was on that wallpaper....

 

 

A blonde wallpaper at that...

 

 

of someone very oddly familiar.... alongside what looked like a manatee...

 

 

"Wait," Jihoon murmured, rubbing his eyes in disbelief before peering through the window once more, needing to confirm what he had just witnessed. "No way..." His exclamation slipped out involuntarily, prompting him to quickly cover his mouth with his hand, hoping he hadn't been too loud.

 

 

 

Because, at that moment...

 

 

Let's just say...

 

 

For him, a few puzzle pieces that had previously eluded him suddenly clicked right into place.

 

 

 

 

 

⋇⊶⊰💔⊱⊷⋇

 

 

 

 

Minjeong stood still, her eyes taking in the sight of the world beyond her as she inhaled the freshest air she had tasted in days.

 

 

After two weeks of confining herself indoors, limited mostly to the couch, the sensation of fresh sunlight finally enveloping her skin was a new feeling.

 

 

A feeling that didn't feel suffocating anymore. 

 

 

Where the air around her no longer felt thick.

 

 

Though she was still far beyond healed from the endless chips her heart had disintegerated into....

 

 

The aches... to put it quite simply.... though still painful... no longer confined her...

 

 

At least she didn't think it did anymore... otherwise she wouldn't be able to manage dragging her moody self outside....

 

 

Moreover, Ningning was right; it wasn't the solution to treat herself the way she had been, regardless of how strongly she felt she deserved it....

 

 

And maybe just maybe...

 

 

She wanted to go outside to distract herself..

 

 

keep her mind off things...

 

 

Things that had been repeating on her mind over and over again relentlessly day in and day out....

 

 

But now as her body had somehow led her to the city streets, the blonde found herself faced with endless possibilities for how to spend her day.... Though, she was at a loss as to what she should actually do.

 

 

Cause usually at this time, she would have been on shift... but now... in reality she wasn't even sure if she still had a job anymore.

 

 

She had been ignoring her messages and missed calls for a while now as her phone had been switched off for as long as she had been spending her days crying on the couch, wanting to be left alone with her grief. However, this avoidence of offering any solid explanations to her agencies of her absence, even after Ningning had filled out her annual leave form, had likely meant she had exceeded more than she had bargain for... She's probably pissed of Junwoo more than enough this time...

 

 

But Minjeong really would rather keep thoughts thoughts on the bottom of her list for now...

 

 

Not just because the prospect of unemployment in this economy was enough to trigger an anxiety attack, but also because the mere thought of her job brought back painful memories she had only just managed to suppress.

 

 

Maybe some nice cafe food will get my mind off things...

 

 

She thought to herself as she paused outside a qaint yet inviting café, its rustic charm beckoned to her, teasing her senses with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked pastries... that did in fact convince her to eventually push open the door and step inside.

 

 

The cafe wasn't at all crowded.. allowing the only noise to transfer around her be the soft jazz music playing in the background and sound of distant cars from outside. 

 

 

It was just the way she liked it.

 

 

As she seated herself and glanced over the menu, Minjeong found herself drawn to the comforting familiarity of a classic croissant paired with a steaming cup of cappuccino. With her order placed, she settled back in her chair, allowing herself to relax for the first time in what felt like ages.

 

 

 

As soon as the food arrived, she wasted no time in savoring every bite of her flaky pastry and sipping her rich coffee. She couldn't believe she had denied herself these simple yet delicious flavors for two weeks now....

 

 

However, that little spark of joy she found today... did not manage to last long, when a tall man, dressed in black with a face mask and cap, suddenly sat down directly in front of her. Caught off guard as she took another bite of food, she choked in surprise.

 

 

"Minjeong correct?' The man spoke without even waiting for the blonde to adjust herself, his voice quite familiar, though the currently choking woman didn't have time to pinpoint it to a person yet.

 

 

"I-I'm sorry?" she finally managed to utter, still recovering.

 

 

"You're Kim Minjeong, Jimin's manager"

Now that almost made Minjeong spit out her food entirely.... but wait... she recognises that voice....

 

 

She practically heard it everyday at work.

 

 

It was a voice she knew all too well, one she heard nearly every day at work. A voice that used to accompany another, another who she had once cherished, someone she had fallen in love with... and at the same time... the same person that had crushed her down completely to who she is right now. 

 

 

But right now wasn't about that person...

 

 

Because the person in front of her was none other then-

 

 

"Ji-Jihoon?"

 

 

"Yes."

 

 

"What are you- why are you here?" and why are you here talking to me out of all people?

 

 

"Well that's because I'm here to see you"

 

 

"Me?" The blonde points at herself with a stunned expression.. "Why?" She really wasn't even sure what the normal way of responding would be at this point. Everything was just so sudden and immediately out of the blue.

 

 

Out of all places... why in the world would she bump into Jihoon?

 

 

In some random cafe....

 

 

Where the man chose to sit down in front of her to engage in conversation..

 

 

The one time I step outside and this day just keeps getting weirder and weirder..

 

 

"You haven't been on set for 2 weeks, when are you thinking of coming back"

 

 

"What?"

 

 

'I said, when are you coming back, to manage Jimin"

 

 

Normally having a famous individual as well known as Ji-hoon would make anyone jitter on their seats, but having been next to the limelight for too long now, being beside someone who by the way, was probably way more famous (not that she's bragging) than he was, made Minjeong feel rather numb to this entire encounter.

 

 

She was honestly more confused over anything else. 

 

 

They've never talked before... heck they've hardly ever even made eye contact, Yet here he was, randomely approaching her and asking her questions as if they had known each other to some degree...

 

 

"I don't  understand... you searched for me because of my absence?"

 

 

"I searched high and low in the city for you. I even tried your company for your contact information, but they cited confidentiality reasons and wouldn't budge. So, we scoured every corner until my assistant finally spotted you out in the open today and followed you here before calling me."

 

 

"SOMEONE WAS FOLLOWING ME?" Minjeong's eyes widened, and she glanced nervously over her shoulder.

 

 

What in the world is going on here!?

 

 

"Now it's my turn to receive answers Minjeong, let's stick to the point"

 

 

 

"What point- what-"

 

 

"when are you going to manage Jimin again" he interupts her again despite knowing fully well the blonde probably had no idea what was even going on. He couldn't help it. Jihoon was in a rush to get what he wants, and he wasn't going to stop until he gets it. 

 

 

"Jimin? I-" Minjeong had to pause herself.... she had been responding without thinking before.. but the more she thinks about i nowt.. the more she realises how bizarre it was for someone's co-star to look all over the place for their manager, just to stalk them to a cafe and ask them if they were coming back onto the job.. "Can we please go back to your manager following me please?"

 

 

"No," Jihoon replied bluntly

 

 

"Oh-" Minjeong's confusion deepened but Jihoon didn't even give her a chance to formulate her thoughts together.

 

 

"Are you ever coming back?" 

 

 

"I- I don't know?" Minjeong stammered, struggling to keep up with the rapid-fire exchange. Jihoon's relentless pace left her grasping for words.

 

 

"So you're not coming back?"

 

 

"I don't-" 

 

 

"If I write you a cheque with a lot of zeros, will that change your mind?" Jihoon's proposal left Minjeong speechless, her brain struggling to make sense of the sudden turn in the conversation.

 

 

"What- NO- Wait- I don't understand," The blonde sputtered, feeling as if her head might explode from the whirlwind of confusion she was experiencing the longer this conversation continues. 

 

 

Jihoon leaned back in his chair, a hint of something the couldn't quite decipher flickered in his eye. "Look, Minjeong, I assume you've seen Jimin's name all over social media... I don't know what happened... and I don't know what's going on between you two, but all I know is, when you were there, she had someone who kept her in l