Kim Woo Bin’s POV

“Did you eat?” I ask him when I see him sitting alone reading his script. 

“I am busy” he says without looking up.

“Let’s at least talk Sukkie.  Please…”

“I will talk but nothing about us” still not looking up.

“I got you some food” I tell him.

“Please don’t.  Please don’t make this harder for yourself.” He says.  He is still not looking up.

I pull a chair and sit next to him anyway.  I give him the lunchbox I carried.

“Eat when you are reading.  If you don’t take it from me, everyone will notice.”  I have decided to use any means necessary.

“Fine” he says sounding exasperated as takes the lunch box.  I do a mental jig for small victories.  “How long you are going to keep this up?” he asks.

“As long as necessary.  As long as you don’t talk to me properly”

“Leave me alone Woo Bin” he says.

“I can’t.  We should talk.”

“I don’t want to. “  He is being childish again. 

“You are being very childish.  You are…” His manager interrupts us.

“Jong Suk, your lunch is the van” his manager says.

“I got him something.  He is going to eat that” I tell the manager.  I can’t show irritation. 

He looks at Jong Suk and Jong Suk shows him the lunch box.  “Anyway, there is some lunch in the van”

Jong Suk takes the lunch I gave him and goes to the van after nodding at me.  He has still not met my eyes.

I will not lose hope.  No matter how frustrating this is.  I will keep at it.  Positive thoughts!  Positive thoughts!

…..

One day gone.  No progress.  I don’t know if he had the lunch I gave him or just threw it away.

His manager returns the lunchbox.  It is empty.  That does not mean anything.

……

“How did your scene go?” I ask him the second day.

I don’t ask his permission to sit next to him.

He does not respond. 

“If you don’t respond to me when I talk to you, everyone will notice” I tell him.

“Fine.” He is exasperated again.  “It went fine”

“I have missed you Sukkie”

He gets up and goes to the van.

Just before leaving he says “Don’t call me that.”  He does not look at me.

Second day, no progress.

…..

“Wow, I had so many NGs today” I tell him.

No response.

“Everyone is looking.  At least smile and give me comfort.”

“You can’t use that card every time.” He tells me. 

“It worked each time” I tell him.  “Someone has already asked me if we are not friends anymore.  Do you want a scandal that says we don’t get along?  It will be bad.” I continue as I sip some water.  Any dirty tricks will do for me. 

“Give me some water” he asks me.

I do another mental jig.  I give him the bottle.  He drinks from there.  I think like a teenage girl.  Oh, indirect kiss.

“That was an indirect kiss you know” I tell him with a smile.

“Yeah, that was for the audience you keep talking about” he says coolly.

For some reason, that makes me a chuckle a little.

I see him clench his jaw.

Hmmm..

Some progress? 

…..

I don’t take any initiative for the next two days.  I am hoping he will miss me even if he ignores me. 

Once, I catch him watching me.  But when I meet his eyes, he is averts his eyes quickly.

At least he looked.

…..

One full week gone, not much progress.

But it looks like there is progress between him and Seo-Yeon.  He has dropped his honorifics.  That does not make me happy.  He does his dorky dance when he sees her. 

My manager complaints I am especially cranky today.  I glare at him.

We get Friday and Saturday off for our other commitments.

I hate Fridays and Saturdays.  I don’t get to see him.

….

Sunday we start late.  He is not yet at the set.  Someone tells me he does not have a shoot scheduled today.

I hate Sunday too.

…..

It’s Monday and everyone is at the shoot. 

Park Seo-Yeon comes to say hello.  She is her cheerful self. 

“How are your scenes going?” she asks.

I smile at her warmly.  I know my issues are my own.  I can’t be irritated with her. 

“I have to do better.  I keep having NGs”

“I have a crying scene today.  I am trying to get into the mood.  How did you manage to cry so genuinely in your school project with LJS?” she asks me.

I try to keep it light.  “I am sure you have cried for your projects right?”

“Yeah… I am trying to really make it as natural as possible” she admits.

“It was easy to cry for me.  I created this history with our characters and believed all that was real.  Plus, having LJS made it easier.”

“Yeah…You guys are not as friendly anymore is it?” she asks suddenly.

“What?”

“You know, I had a different impression about you both.”

I laugh.  “All that was all media and fan created.  I am sure we helped.  But we are still friends.  But it has been a long time and we lost touch.  So, that is all.”

“Of course I knew all that JongBin stuff was just fun.  But I thought you were really good friends.  I feel sad you know.  My friends keep asking me how you guys are at the set and I have had no stories to tell.”

Just when I am about to respond to her, Jong Suk interrupts us.

“Park Seo-Yeon, I thought we are supposed to be in a relationship.  What are you doing with him?  He is my enemy you know.  Come, come..” he drags her off.

I laugh at them.  I hope no one sees how hard I am trying to suppress the sudden emptiness that I feel.  I bend down to read my script.  I blink rapidly to dispel a tear that is threatening to escape.

I watch them walk away.  He actually looks cheerful.

Sukkie, aren’t you going to give us any chance?

I suddenly catch Jong Suk’s manager’s eyes.  He holds my glance for a brief moment and then looks away. 

Was that sympathy?  That makes me feel worse.  I try and shake off the creeping depression and focus on the script.

……

“Hey, my sister got me some food from home.  Here, I got this for you.” I give him a box. 

“Kim Woo Bin, let’s talk” he says.

It took two full weeks.

….