An evening in Florence
The Baddest Chick in the Game
Athena's POV
I rise up from the bed and look outside the window blinds. The night view here in the city of Florence is filled with dimmed lights from the streets and buiding. Today's shooting was really tiring so I went to bed as soon as I arrived here in the rental apartment I'm staying at. I chose to rent a separate place than to stay in the hotel like everyone does. I'm enduring to see those “people” for the sake of work but I wouldn't want to see them aside from that.
I go to the small veranda to get some fresh air. Peaceful and quiet...just what I need but I didn't stay longer than three minutes because the air is getting chilly. I walk to the kitchen and see my manager's note attached to the fridge. She went out to watch a movie. She might be really bored.
I grab one sandwich and heated it in the microwave before marching to the living room. I place down the milk carton to the coffee table. There's an envelope so I pick it up. It's an express mail for me from Korea. I open it up but there's only a CD inside. The only label written is “Watch it”. I turn on the DVD to play it.
A pair of hand covers the camera.
“SURPRISE!” Jaejoong's smiling face appears.
“It’s been one week, fifteen hours, and six minutes since the last time I saw you. I heard that you'll be staying there for another week so I decided to make a video message for you since I couldn't go there where you are right now.”
I didn't expect this yet I continue to stare at the plasma TV.
“So....how's Florence? Is the weather good?.....Perhaps, you miss me?” he says pointing to himself.
“Huh!” I utter.
“Here in Seoul....somebody is missing you....your fans and.....paparazzi!” he laugh in his own joke then he came closer to the camera gesturing a whisper.
“Me.” He stares at the camera as if he's looking at my expression.
He claps his hands once.
“Okay...first, I will give you a tour to my house.” he carries the camera and walk.
“This is my living room.”
The blackness of the leather couch was emphasized by the white marbled floor. He pointed to a corner with some Christmas decors.
“It might be a little early for this but it was placed there anyway. I like turning off the light while letting the Christmas lights on at night. I wonder if you will put up a Christmas tree in your house too?” he touches the tree and shows his face in the camera.
“What do you want to get on Christmas? As for me....I already have one in mind.”
“Alright...let's go next to the kitchen.” He proceeds to the kitchen and stops in front of the cupboards.
I noticed that he just left the camera facing him and he only turns it if he's showing something.
“He really can't give up exposure....what kind of house tour is it? Sheesh....” I say.
He opens the cupboard showing foods.
“Biscuits, ramyun, canned foods, energy drink....fans sent me all of these. Aren't they nice?”
“Good job....you can live for a year with those stocks...” I say sarcastically.
He goes to open the fridge. Various foods are neatly placed inside.
“My mom sends me kimchi regularly. I also have different ingredients than I need for cooking. Isn't my fridge impressive? I didn't put foods here just for this....my fridge is naturally like this.......I'll cook for you one of these days...I think you're not watching your food well. I'm really shocked to see your cupboards and fridge empty when I'm in your house.”
My cupboards only have a canned fruit cocktail and soda crackers while the fridge has nothing but water. It's been like that ever since.
“I was thinking....“Is it a woman's house?” But then I realized that you always eat out. Ah! You are doing it again now am I right? You are eating instant food?”
I almost choke from the sandwich I'm eating. How did he know that I'm eating an instant sandwich bought from a convenient store?
“Eyysh....you could ask Ms. Go to get you good foods..” and he continue but then as he is showing the drinks section, the camera catches the bottle of soju.
“Ah....” he laughs. “This is a left over from the other night. Some friends barged in and we drank soju. At nights that I work on a new song, it's good to drink at times..”
Next is the bathroom. Everything is organized except the sink area.
“A bit messy...okay...this is where I shave. Should I shave now?” he touches his chin and looks at the mirror.
He shows his dresser table. After that, he takes a peek on his walk-in closet first. He bit his lower lip and faces the camera.
“I think I should have cleaned first...” he's a bit hesitant to show it but in the end, he decided to expose it.
The next place he goes to is his studio.
“This is my mini studio. My personal space in the house where I can compose music..”
There are computers, a piano, amplifier, and mixers there.
“What is it?” he put his ear near the camera for a moment.
“Ah...you want to know if I wrote songs for my past girlfriends...well honestly...I never did that. Though some of my songs were consisted by my personal feelings from those past relationships.” He seriously says.
“Ah..wait..” he touches his ear and hang his head on the side. “Most of my songs are sad? How to explain this? It’s not because all of them are based from my personal feelings....I have different inspirations..r-right..that’s it...” he nods in the camera as if he’s convincing me.
I want to laugh at him. He makes questions for himself and answers them at the same time. Then he’ll find trouble for himself. What’s with him?
“Look! That’s the CD rack.” He walks towards it. “These are the CDs I bought. I also have movies I haven’t watched yet.”
I realized that he’s naturally talkative and active. He talks a lot and he’s all over the place which makes him my total opposite.
“This next room is as you can see....my fitness room. I used to go the gym but when I moved here, my members suggested to just do it here. Much convenient right? How about you? There’s a treadmill in your house but I think you don’t use it often.”
Yeah...it was a present from Chairman Ahn. I don’t use it that much...only if I need to.
“It will be good if we can go jogging together...seems impossible without somebody bothering. We could...jog together on the treadmills I guess...”
“Alright. This is the last room to show you.” He turns the knob open.
“Welcome...to my room.”
The room is incredibly spacious and so white except from the black king-sized bed. He sits on it.
“This is my bed...Uhm..it’s warm..” he says then blink his eyes.
“What’s happening to me? Why is my word coming out so strange like that?” he turns to the camera and waves his hand.
“Don’t misunderstand! What I mean with warm is that...it has a bed warmer underneath.” He says.
My lips curve into a smile.
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No Min Woo's POV
I drank all the whiskey in my glass in one shot and sigh. My phone suddenly rings. I read that it's Hye Ri who's calling.
“Yoboseyo?” I answer.
“Oppa?”
“Yes, Hye Ri ah?”
“Are you still on the set right now?”
“Nope. I'm here in my hotel room.”
“Ah...I heard that you are now in Italy. You haven't mention anything.”
I can almost see her pouting face.
“I didn't have the time to call.”
“Hm! Okay as long as I know where you are.”
“By the way, what made you call?”
“I just miss oppa. Did you miss me too?”
“Huh?”
“Let's meet over dinner when you come back. I'm so excited that I could almost tell you this over the phone.” she cheerfully says.
“What is it?”
“Secret!....for now. I'll tell you when you get back to Seoul. You'll meet me then right?”
“Uhm..okay.”
“Alright. See you later. Bye oppa!”
“Bye.”
What was that? I pick up the whiskey bottle and fill my glass.
I'm drinking now because my head is filled with thoughts of Athena. What is this? Don't tell me that my feelings for her is returning? I worked hard and kept myself busy in seven years to get her out of my system and I never imagines that with that single touch will cause me to care again.
I empty my glass and hold the bottle tightly.
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Athena’s POV
The rests of the video contains his different video logs. One in the car while he’s on his way to work. Then in the salon while getting his make-up done. There’s also from the set of his new drama during breaks. He wears a traditional hanbok and hat. He had some of his co-actors greet in the camera and they thought he’s doing it for a program. He also has a log on his mini studio as he composes a song that will be a part of that drama’s OST. He’s really busy but still did these various video logs.
“It’s already two in the morning...” He says as he lies down on his bed.
“I’ve done a lot today and it’s quite tiring....More work to do tomorrow. Hmm....by the way, I heard that you are doing a good job there. As expected from you...I know that you can do that well. While you are there, aside from working hard...don’t forget to take care of yourself. Take a nap whenever there’s a chance. Eat good foods and take some vitamins. I know that you are doing your best now and keep it up so that you can wrap up your filming there and go back here in Korea right away. Athena...hwaiting!” he puts his fist into the air for encouragement.
“I’ll see you once you get back. Good night.” He also kissed his hand and puts it in the camera.
“Good night.” With a smile on his face, he waves lightly before turning off the camera.
Once the screen turns black, I heave a sigh.
“Why do you have to do all of these?” I whisper in the air.
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Preview to the next chapter.....
Park Ha’s POV
It’s already night time so I change into a comfortable sweater and leggings. I also wash my face and brush my teeth as I prepare to go to sleep.
Ding..dong....ding..dong....
I hear the door bell. I gather my loose hair and tie it up in a messy bun before getting the door.
“Y-Yoochun sshi?!”
Yoochun smiles at me and raises up his palm for a greeting.
“Annyeong!”
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