Hakyeon had always found something so soothing about the sound of paper being tapped against a table. All the mess would be put back into order and everything was organised exactly as it was needed.

Today was different.

"A final question for you two," the interviewer informed, leaning forward briefly before glancing back down at her sheets. "A number of theories have risen regarding what exactly is the meaning of the drama’s title. As it nears its end, would you be able to clear that up for everyone?"

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Minyoung restrain a sigh. He knew why. He knew what she was thinking... what the title meant for not only her character, but for her. Because she knew it was true. With cheeks slightly filled with air, he blinked over at the interviewer. "Oh-- when will this interview be published?"

After a few moments hesitation and a glance toward another staff member, she responded, "It should be on the 19th of March."

His face lit up and a polite, slightly forced laugh escaped his lips. "Everyone, it's today!" he grinned, referring to the future readers. "Tune into tonight's episode and you'll find out for yourself."

* * *

"Don't come. I don't want strangers in my hospital room."

"I'm not--" he began instinctively before closing his eyes, breathing out a soft sigh. "I know that, but I'm the stranger who got you into this mess. I can't sit back without trying to help."

Narrowing her eyes, Minkyung turned away to scoff. "Wow, you're a really funny man. You haven't learned yet that you can't help? That nothing you does helps me at all--?!"

"You still don’t understand, do you?" Kang whispered, making her brows push together as she finally noticed how loud she'd been yelling. He may have been able to mask the pain from his face, but his eyes gave everything away to Minkyung; he was completely and undeniably hurt, and she realised for the first time that it was all because of her. He sighed, shaking his head gently as his gaze averted to the ground. "There’s this term… ‘vanishing point’. Have you heard of it?’

Minkyung tilted her head. “Not since middle school… why?”

"When you draw the vanishing points of a prism, you have to mark where it ends first. That’s the first step," he stated quietly. "But… it’s just a drawing technique, Minkyung. It’s not supposed to be a lifestyle."

"Look… if you’re going to talk in riddles—"

"You decided where we were going to end before we even began."

She could only blink, jaw slightly dropped. How was she meant to respond to that? If he'd shown his anger, it might have felt as though she'd been slapped in the face with truth. But he didn't, and she wasn't. He was quiet, and hurt, and disappointed - and instead of throwing the truth at her, he'd left it on the floor for her to realise by herself.

He paused, remaining silent for a moment before looking over at her again. "It's here, isn't it? It's gone too far already." Releasing a soft sigh, he stood up from the chair by her bed. "I'll disappear. I'm sorry... for everything. I ruined it all. I understand that now." As he walked towards the door, he turned back only to give a deep bow - respectful and emotionless, much as he would for a stranger. "I'm sorry."

Soyul's eyes had been widening as her fingers gripped the ends of the sofa until the soundtrack rudely interrupted as per usual. "No! It's over already? You expect me to wait until next week?!" she complained to her television screen before scrambling to find her phone.

"Eh?" a grumpy voice yawned on the other end of the line.

"What happens next?!"

"What..." the voice mumbled in confusion.

The female huffed, blowing her front fringe out of her eyes. "The drama, unnie, what else-- what happens next? You know, right?"

Minyoung yawned again and Soyul could hear what she assumed was a blanket being pulled over the phone as the older curled back into a ball on her bed. "I don't know."

"Of course you do, you saw the script!" she groaned, hurrying into the bathroom to find a headband.

"It's a secret."

"Even for me? Even for your favourite person on the planet?!"

"You're not... Jay Park... have you even seen that body, I just--" she sighed tiredly, shaking her head at her rambling self. "Soyul-ah, unnie is hanging up now. I'm going back to bed."

"Wait, wait--!" she insisted, struggling to put on the headband with her one free hand. "I saw the behind the scenes footage. You guys seem really close, you and Hakyeon."

That certainly woke her up. "Close-- HAH!" she repeated with a short, succint laugh. "Good joke."

Soyul's brows pressed together in confusion. "What... that was acting, too?!"

A short sigh escaped Minyoung's lips as she rolled onto her back, an arm sprawled loosely off the side of her bed. "Of course it was. I can't face him when I'm not."

It wasn't long after their call had ended that Soyul decided to re-watch the video. She squinted, carefully studying Minyoung's face for any subtle annoyance or signs that she was acting... "Nothing," she said aloud, relaxing her tensed shoulders as she shut her laptop and leaned back into the pillows of her couch. "'Acting' my ."

[TEXT MESSAGE]
Received 10:48P.M. from: Park Sobabo
Message:
Can I come to your next filming?

Two days and one catering call later, the short female arrived at the set; a bright smile on her face, a 'TEMPORARY STAFF' card hanging from her neck, and a firm mission in her mind.