002 | KEEP OFF
True Colors?

The whole drama staff, together with Key and Yeonhee, went on a trip to the taping venue. It was a beautiful school; the buildings took a modern style, but the whole school was surrounded by huge trees. It almost seemed like a park.

"Shooting will start real soon, and the storyline will be mailed to you in a few days,” Director Song said to Key and Yeonhee as he toured the whole staff around the place. “The staff will be getting ready with the technical stuff; you two should be worrying about your pairing.”

Yeonhee nodded enthusiastically. Key was indifferent as ever.

“So you two – off you go and get to know each other!” Director Song said as he pushed the two away from the crowd.

---
Key and Yeonhee wandered around the school, Key walking a few steps ahead of Yeonhee. They seemed to be walking their way to the auditorium. The pathway was surrounded by tall trees, with benches in between.

Yeonhee was trying to catch up, but Key was too fast.

“Uh, Kibum-ssi,” Yeonhee called out. She wasn’t even sure on how to address Key.

“Key, just call me Key,” he shouted back, not even slowing down.

“Key, then,” Yeonhee repeated innocently. “So, how do we work our pairing out?” She was genuinely clueless.

Key stopped walking and abruptly turned to Yeonhee, his expression bored and indifferent. Yeonhee, too worn out after trying to run after Key, gently leaned on the trunk of a tree. She was panting, her eyes half closed because of exhaustion.

Key slowly walked towards her, only stopping when the tip of his shoes touched hers.

Yeonhee was more than shocked when she opened her eyes – Key’s face was only centimeters away from hers. She felt heat crawl through her cheeks; she can almost feel her face turn red.

“How?” Key repeated her question. Yeonhee can feel Key’s breath on her lips, making her turn her head away. Key smirked, placed his hand on her chin and made her look at him. “We don’t talk to each other, avoid getting into each other’s business, and pretend to be getting along well when Joongki’s around. We’ll do just fine.”

She didn’t know if Key was joking, or if this was how show business really worked. She was new to this, after all. But she knew Key wasn’t being kind at all. “Are you s-sure?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Positive,” he said as he walked a few steps backward.

Yeonhee stood there leaning on the tree, confused and taken aback.

“What are you waiting for?” Key asked. “Go.”

---
“Ugh!” Yeonhee groaned as she rested her head on the table. “He’s mean, Roo!”

Roo was reading a book and eating a carrot stick while she listened to Yeonhee’s ranting. “I’m not surprised. I heard he’s really like that. , diva-ish.”

“But how do I get along well with him?” Yeonhee asked, now looking at Roo. “I mean, I have to, right?”

“Yes.”

Yeonhee grunted as she banged her head again on table. “What do I do?”

Roo just flinched as Yeonhee rubbed her forehead.

“Just go play his game,” she answered indifferently.

“Thanks for your great advice, I’m sure it’ll work out well,” Yeonhee said sarcastically.

“Like you have any choice anyway.”

Yeonhee just pouted in defeat.

---
Yeonhee was early for their next meeting. She didn’t want that diva to have anything to say against her anymore.

“Good morning,” she cheerfully greeted as she came in Director Song’s office. Yes, she indeed wasn’t late this time, but Key arrived earlier. He was already inside, staring at her.

Director Song had them take their seats while he explained how the drama will go.

“It’s the Korean remake of the Taiwanese drama Devil beside You,” he said. “Yeonhee will be this outgoing girl, Eunjin, who has a big crush on this guy named Han Jinho, and Key,” he said as he turned to Key, “You will be the step brother, the devil Yu Hamin.”

Yeonhee let out a small chuckle. Key glared at her, making her stop and fake a cough.

“Who’s going to be playing the character Han Jinho?” Yeonhee asked. Key eyed her maliciously.

“You’ll find out sooner or later,” Director Song answered, wiggling his eyebrows.

---
“I knew it, Taemin!” Key said as he grabbed Taemin’s collar. Taemin was peacefully drinking his banana milk at the dining table when Key suddenly came and started mumbling words.

“She’s a ! She is!” Key shouted madly as he let go of Taemin.

Taemin was confused. “I don’t follow,” he said, innocently taking a sip from his carton.

“My leading lady – Yeonhee!” Key said, pacing around the maknae. “She’s a ! She even asked during out meeting who’ll act as supporting actor!”

“And so—?”

“You clearly don’t get the point! When she figured out she couldn’t get me, she’s going after the supporting actor!”

“Ya, umma,” Taemin grunted. “You’re being judgmental. That’s totally unreasonable.”

“You don’t understand,” Key said as he sat down at last. “Girls like that always have hidden motives. They try to look cute and all, but they’re just faking it to get what they want!”

“You know, Key,” Onew suddenly butted in as he came to the kitchen. “We cannot agree with you until we see her.”

Key nodded. “Wait, until you see her and you’ll praise me with bended knees because you’ll know I’m right.”

---
“What exactly are we doing here?” Key asked Yeonhee as they sat at a table in a café a few blocks from Director Song’s office.

“Waiting for Han Jinho,” she answered. “Director Song said he’ll meet us here.”

“You must be excited, huh,” Key said, malice in his voice.

“Of course,” she answered. She didn’t know why she said that; she was nowhere near excited. She was nervous – trembling, even. She was afraid that the actor coming would be as mean as Key. She was worrying if she wouldn’t be getting along with anyone in her work. That would be awful. What was worse was that what she just said gave Key the wrong idea.

A good five minutes passed by and the actor they were waiting for still didn’t come. Key was getting bored and really annoyed. Tardiness was on the top of the list that really ticked him off.

Key was ready to kill when his hand phone rang.

“Hello?” he said as he pressed the phone to his ear.

Yeonhee just stared at Key as he talked, quietly waiting for him to finish. When he did, she pretended to look at a distance. Key just scoffed.

“Your prince is not coming,” Key said as he took a sip from his cup of coffee. “Schedule problems. But Joongki will be coming to get us.”

Yeonhee just nodded, still trying not to look at Key. She started playing with her fingers, and Key seemed to notice.

“What’s wrong with you?” Key asked, getting more annoyed with the girl.

Yeonhee looked at him, a bit startled. “Huh? Uh, Nothing.”

Key rolled his eyes.

Once she realized how she has been acting, she sat straight and faked a cough.

She was really confused on how to deal with Key. She has been thinking about it for a while now, but she couldn't think of a way to 'play his game', like Joo suggested. Everything she does seems to annoy Key, the opposite of her goal to get along with his leading man. Though she actually enjoyed annoying him.

“Uh, so what do we do?” she asked.

“Didn’t I just say we wait for Joongki?”

“Oh, right.”

It didn’t take a while for Director Song to come. He was as cheerful as always when he came, and his smile grew wider when he spotted the two at a table.

“Hello, my lovely actors,” he said as he grabbed a chair and sat with them. “You’re supposed to meet the other casts today, but it seems like it’s a bad timing.” Director Song took Key’s cup and drank form it. Key complained harshly, but the director didn’t bulge. Key just called a waiter and ordered a new one for himself.

Director Song discussed a few things here and there, and stood up once he finished his cup.

“Well, that’s all for today. See you tomorrow,” he said, putting the cup down.

Key glared at him. “What? That’s it? Do you think we’re that free that we can just go and meet you every time you want?”

Yeonhee didn’t say anything. She was really free after all.

Director Song ruffled Key’s hair. “Yes, you really are that free,” he whispered.

“So you two,” he said louder this time for Yeonhee to hear. “We’ll do a bit of testing tomorrow and see if you two will do well on camera. Don’t be late,” he said and walked away.

Key crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. Yeonhee couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

---

Key was totally uncomfortable. How could he say those three words to the woman he hated the most?

“I…I…” he stuttered. He couldn’t even look at Yeonhee, who was patiently waiting for Key to say his lines.

It’s all in the script, it’s just part of your work, Key kept on repeating to himself.

“…I actually love you.”

There, he said it, but there’s something worse that he needed to do. He needed to kiss her on the cheek.

He hesitantly reached for Yeonhee’s cheek and leaned forward.

Just this and this will be over.

And then, with his bad luck, he accidentally pushed a cup off the table, making it break into pieces.

Great, just great.

“CUT!” Director Song shouted.

This will be a long day.

---

Minho saw Key sitting at the dining table, his face flat on the table. He knew something bad happened. He took the seat next to him and poked him to check if he’s conscious.

“I’m alive,” he said, his voice muffled by the table.

“What’s wrong?”

“The test shooting we had this morning didn’t do well.”

Minho chuckled. “Shouldn’t you be happy, then?”

Key looked up to see Minho staring blankly at him.

“Sorry?”

“I mean, you hate this drama. If you didn’t do good, your director would probably fire you and just get a new actor to replace you. Your problem will be over.”

Key’s eyes glistened with the idea. Minho was right. He stood up, and laughed his way to his bedroom.

Minho furrowed his eyebrows at his hyung. He must be going crazy. Minho didn’t really mean anything he said – he was just kidding. But whatever, he just let it go.

Just when Key was about to enter his room did Minho remembered he had something to tell Key.

“Hyung,” he shouted. “Manager told me to remind you – you have meeting tomorrow with Director Song at 7 in the morning.”

Key just sighed, and banged his door shut.

---

Yeonhee was already inside when Key reached Director Song’s office. They seemed to be talking about something serious, and he was just there, peeking from the slightly opened door.

“You’re probably aware that our your test shooting didn't turn out well,” Director Song said. Yeonhee just sat still, looking down at her shoes, slightly nodding. "You were all right as individual actors, but when you two get together in a scene..."

Director Song just shook his head.

Key was almost sure of what Director Song was going to say next – he was just waiting for him to say that the drama’s done for and they don’t have to shoot again and he doesn’t have to see Yeonhee’s face ever again. He was almost sure.

“So we decided to send you and Key on a short vacation so that you can work your pairing out!” Director said with a huge smile. “Since we haven’t really stated anything to the press about when the drama’s gonna come out, we can postpone this for a while until we can get this right. Isn’t that great?”

“WHAT?” Key shouted as he pushed the door open. Director Song just stared at him; he didn’t look surprised. Yeonhee however was the opposite.

“Oh Key” Director said, his smile not fading. “You’re there.”

“Yes I’m here and I don’t agree with your freaking idea!”

Director Song just laughed. “I know you wouldn’t.”

“Good!” Key shouted, eyeing the bewildered Yeonhee in front of him. “It’s good that everything’s clear. I’m going to call my manager now so that we can get through this drama cancellation smoothly and pretend none of this happened.”

Yeonhee covered her face with her hands, seemingly disappointed with what Key just said.

Key was about to take his phone out when Director Song cleared his throat.

“But you must know this by now, almighty Key,” he said. “Your entertainment company isn’t doing very well at this moment.”

Director Song’s words made Key stop from fumbling through his pockets.

“Attitude problems, lawsuits…”

Key glared at him. Director Song was just smiling in return.

“If your company’s image was as clean as before, you can probably get off this well,” he continued as he stood up and walked towards Key. “But since this drama and its cast are already publicized, suddenly cancelling it under all these pressure would not really be good for both you and your company.”

Key was silenced by his words. Director Song slightly tapped Key’s shoulder and smiled. “See you next week then on your vacation.”

He continued to walk pass Key, leaving him and Yeonhee alone in his own office. 

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Guess who's on the main image and what his role will be. :P (It's very obvious though. LOL)
So there's a vacation? The casts really have all the time in the world LOL.