“You may anticipate.”

“Yoona, do you know who Kim Jongdae is?”

“Kim Jongdae?” I swipes my cell phone locked and steals a glance at the driver’s seat. “The one who is from EXO who goes by the name ‘Chen’, isn’t he?”

“He was,” Heechul oppa says in a bouncy tone. “You really haven’t been keeping up with the news lately, have you?”

“Well, it’s not really lately because it’s been like, a year ago,” he drops an afterthought

“What do you mean, oppa?” He’s right; I haven’t been keeping up with the music industry these days. It’s not that I’m not interested, but I’ve been busy with lots of things; drama filming, occasional CF shootings, interviews, photo shoots and many more. So of course knowing Chen and the rest of his group wouldn’t be one of my biggest concerns.

“You know, there were some things happened in the past and he’d decided to withdraw from the group.” He steers towards the road that will lead us to K Hypermarket. The first scene of today’s filming will be shot there. “He’s still stuck under the same agency, though. He just left the group.”

If Heechul oppa hadn’t informed me today, I would have kept being nonchalant about the breaking withdrawal about one of the main vocalists of the hottest boy group in this era, EXO.

Surely, I know every member of EXO. I do listen to their songs from time to time. There are ten members from both South Korea and China altogether; the leader Suho, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, D.O, Kai, Sehun, Lay, Xiumin, Tao and lastly, Chen or Kim Jongdae, who had apparently left the group.

“Now that he’s pursued his career as a soloist, he uses his real name—Kim Jongdae,” he continues to add details. “You know, if he still used his stage name, people would be mistaken him as a member of EXO, though he’d left the group.”

“I see…” As I listen to his words, I could not help wondering about something. “Oppa, I get the part that he’d left EXO, but I was wondering why I need to know all of this. It feels strange, you know. It’s not like I’m going to act with him or something. He’s not an actor to begin with.”

I find it stranger the moment Heechul oppa starts laughing. Has he gone berserk?

“You know what, oppa?” I cross my arms over my chest. “Sometimes, I find you weird. Or too weird. I mean, you don’t only laugh when things aren’t funny, but you’re also different.”

“Different how?” He looks at me through the rear-view mirror, and I could see him rolling his eyes. “Differently good or differently annoying”

“Uhm, I…. I don’t really know how to explain this, but you’re different from any man I’ve ever known in my life. There are times where I feel like you’re my manager, who takes care of me every day as if you were my older brother and there are also times where I think you’re more to being my older sister. You know me more than I know myself.”

Another laugh is heard, and he must be feeling proud of what I just said. “Well, that’s my greatest charm,” he says smugly, flipping his hair charismatically. “We’ve known for a really long time, yet you just noticed it, huh?”

“My life doesn’t only revolve around you.” I pucker my lips in annoyance, looking out of the window. The sight of the hypermarket is slowly approaching and I could see a number of vans of the filming crew are lining up nearby the place.

I turn my gaze back to my manager. “Anyway, what’s up with him? I mean, the EXO memb—I mean, former member.”

“Oh, about him…” There is a sudden pause. “I went to the company yesterday and there was a proposal for you.”

I quirk an eyebrow, puzzled. “What kind of proposal?”

“Do you want to star in a music video?”

“Huh?”

“Kim Jongdae will be having a comeback next month and his management told in the call that they wanted you to star in his upcoming music video.”

 It sounds interesting, I must admit. It has been a while since I last starred in one. The last music video I appeared is SHINee’s ‘Replay’ Japanese version in 2011, if I remember it clearly.

“Let me think about it first, oppa,” I say as a sluggish response, though I already have made up my mind at this moment. It surely feels refreshing to do something I haven’t done in years.

“Sure.”

We finally arrive at the filming set. My co-star, Changwook oppa, who apparently has just arrived there as well, waves at me through the window.

“See you later!” I mouth hurriedly as I wave back at him. I’m not really sure if he picks it up, though.

“Yoona, hold on.” He stops me. “I have something to ask you before you hop off.”

“What is it?” I ask.

“By chance… is there anything happened recently that you keep it a secret?”

“What are you talking about, oppa?” I feel like laughing. I thought it was going to be something serious, but it turns out to be just a trivial thing. “Oppa, you know, even if I had secrets, you would’ve caught it right off the bat!”

His serious face expression doesn’t falter. “Are you sure?”

I don’t know what’s gotten into him—he never acts the way he does right now.

“I am completely sure.” I grab handbag and buzz off the car. “Now get it over with and let’s get going! I’m going to be late, then!”

“We’ll take a break for half an hour!”

I return to the resting booth upon the director’s words. My back feels sorely hurt and I think my legs are literally going to collapse in any seconds. The recent scenes did not require me to sit down; those were simply scenes where I had a shopping spree at the hypermarket and happened to stumble upon Changwook oppa.

“Come sit here, Yoona.” Heechul oppa ushers me to the resting chair. “You look kind of tired. Were the scenes too hard?”

I nod as I sink into the chair. “Pretty hard,” I say, a smile of satisfaction is on my face as I finally get a chance to rest.

“Get a rest, then.”

My eyes slightly widen at the sight of my stylist, Son Naeun, who just appears next to me. “Naeun, when on earth did you arrive?” I ask her incredulously. “I thought you were going to start working next Monday.”

“My break has ended yesterday, unnie,” she replies, chuckling softly. “It’s just… uhm, you know, I was late today.”

“It’s not that you don’t know who Naeun is, Yoona,” Heechul oppa butts in. “She’s widely known for being super late to work!”

The young girl’s expression looks as if she’s hurt by his prickly sarcasm. “I’m not always late, Heechul oppa!”

“Whatever.” Heechul offers her a nonchalant shrug and walks off the booth.

“Don’t get upset for what he’d told you, Naeun.” I pat her shoulder lovingly. “He was just… uhm, joking.”

“Merely as if.” She puckers her lips. “That manager of yours doesn’t do jokes.”

I could only stifle my laugh when I am at loss of ideas. Son Naeun has been my stylist for almost two years and she’s literally used to Heechul oppa’s sassy, fist-calling antics.

Despite her age (she’s only 22 year-old, for God’s sake), she’s really good at fashion styling. Her fashion taste is totally marvelous than me—fashion isn’t my forte. I feel absolutely happy for having her as my stylist. She always selects perfect clothing for every single schedule and occasion I attend.

“How’s your holiday?” I am curious. “Did you have fun?”

“Of course! I had so much fun!” The crestfallen look disappears from her face and replaces by a broad, overly elated grin. “If I had two or three days more at my parents’ house, it would’ve been great!”

“Maybe next time,” I say fervently.

Naeun just nods and rises from the seat. “I hope so.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m out for a coffee. You know, a glass of marvelous Iced Americano would be so perfect to quench my thirst.” She looks at me inquiringly. “Do you want anything, unnie? I’ll go get it for you.”

I rack my brain for a few moments, weighing up some scattered thoughts.

“I’ll go on your behalf, Naeun.” I’ve made up my mind. I push the chair backward and stand up.

Naeun’s jaw drops at my unexpected answer. “You want to go to the coffee shop alone?” She looks very startled. “Are you serious?”

I laugh, amused by her reaction. “Do I look like I’m joking right now?”

“Of course, you don’t.” She bites her lower lip, feeling slightly jittery. “Don’t you feel afraid, unnie? I mean, Heechul oppa would go nuts if he finds out later that you’re out on your own!”

“It’s okay. I’ll just handle him later.” I have no idea why I’m acting this way, but in all honesty, I just want to walk down the street and have some fresh air. I haven’t been out on