“….but he’ll be fine.”

Aiden tried opening his eyes, shielding the light with his hand.

“Wohabubuwi,” he mumbled. His manager rushed to his side while a butler escorted the doctor to the door. “Aiden, how are you feeling?”

Aiden repeated the incoherent word.

“What did you say?” The manager leaned in. He wasn’t too shocked when Aiden pushed him away.

“Your breath stinks,” muttered the drugged actor. “I asked what happened to me?”

“You fell down from the platform,” informed the manager, who looked a little relaxed. “Fire.”

“What s,” said Aiden, slowly sitting up. “That Minnie Mouse already knew I had a phobia, I bet. Must have planned it all up. Maybe even caught it on camera.”

The manager sighed. It was only natural of Aiden to think like that. “Aiden, Sungmin is not—”

“Don’t call him that!” Aiden clutched his head, then continued. “Stupid rat. Call him Minnie Mouse from now on!”

The manager gave a polite smile and nodded. “As you wish Aiden.” These were just one of the many bizarre demands that were thrown at him everyday. Scratch that. Every minute.

Aiden swallowed his medicine then asked, “What’s the schedule for today?”

“Today is the shoot for that superhero movie, Mr. Lee.”

Aiden perked up. “From Leeteuk hyung’s production?” When the manager nodded, Aiden jumped out of his bed and slammed the door of his bathroom. “We’re leaving! Now!”

Another one of his few trusted colleagues, Aiden and Leeteuk had collaborated on many projects. Earlier it had been music videos but once bitten by the acting bug, Leeteuk guided the young man, making sure he was offered only the best scripts and co-stars.

“Wait!” Aiden and his manager were now comfortably seated in the car, on their way to the shoot. “Where are we going?”

The manager glanced at the driver who nodded. The latter pushed a button and a privacy wall was created.

“The location for the shoot had to be fitting, so Leeteuk chose this place. He needed a raw, warehouse sort of feel and the place where we’re going is perfect.”

“But this is out of town, Hyung.” The manager’s eyes noticed the additional title given to him, but he knew it was better to ignore it. “What is this place?”

“There’s quite an interesting story behind this place. People say that this was earlier a huge studio, during your father’s days. It was supposed to be the set of a big movie with one of the biggest actresses of that time starring in it. Tragedy hit though, when the whole set caught on fire and the actress vanished. Sinister, right?”

Aiden pursed his lips and stared out the window. Something struck a chord but he didn’t know what. Deep inside, he knew this story even before the manager had started. How that was possible, he couldn’t understand.

“Your father must have told you this little piece of history before, right?”

Aiden sighed. Of course. His father must have mentioned it, though that uncomfortable feeling stuck with him.

“They say this set is quite cursed, no movie has been shot after the fire. No one has bothered to enter this studio and today is the first time that people are setting foot in this turf.” The manager pulled back when Aiden glared at him.

“What are you trying to do?” he muttered. The manager fidgeted then brightened up.

“There you go Aiden! We’re here.”

Aiden rolled his eyes then looked ahead. As the privacy wall pulled down, so did his skeptical smile. Suddenly, everything transformed into a vortex. Aiden couldn’t see anything but the big gates, that seemed to have been waiting for him. The car rolled in and his vision became that of a tunnel’s, everything dark with the faint light at the end giving him signs.

“How much does this cost?”

“Hurry up! Or you’ll miss her!”

“Look who’s here!”

Aiden shook his head and blinked. Those voices returned, though he couldn’t place as to where he had heard them before.

“Have we come here before?” he murmured.

“Aiden! My man!” Pulled back to reality, Aiden got out of the car and hugged Leeteuk, a tanned fellow whose smile bragged of an enormous dimple.

“What’s up? Feeling better?” Leeteuk pat his dongsaeng’s back, leading him to the centre of the shoot. Aiden heaved out a sigh and wore his mask. “You know me Hyung,” he smirked. “Nothing beats me but me.”

Leeteuk’s unique laugh made the manager do a double take while Aiden, who was used to its strange charm, sat down on a chair. After reading the script, Aiden was taken to his trailer.

“Sir, you’ll have to go the costume room,” said the young girl.

“The costume room?” asked the manager. “Where’s tha—”

“Second floor,” said Aiden. He paused and looked up at the both of them, who were staring at him in surprise.

“What?” he said. “Something wrong?”

The manager furrowed his eyebrows. “How did you know that?” Aiden shrugged and walked off to change.

“You look dashing!” exclaimed the proud director--producer. “Now, remember our old formula?”

“We do one scene in one take,” replied Aiden. “Or else…”

“PACK-UP!” they both shouted and startled the crew. The actor looked at them and snorted. “Not for you, kiddos.”

The scene was risky for sure, though it came along with its cheeky fun. Aiden’s co-star, Hara, had to stand on the third floor of the burned down building, calling out for help. Wearing a high-slit red halter-neck gown, being in despair had never looked so good.

“HELP!!” she shouted. Aiden scrunched up his nose, but pushed away his criticisms. Once his cue came, the stuntsman pushed him, sending him ‘flying’ to the window, his superhero costume intact.

“You called for me?” slurred Aiden, slipping his arms around her waist as instructed.

“Oh Macho-Man,” purred Hara and together, they both glided down to the ground. The second scene required them to dance, an act that seemed a little too difficult, even for Aiden Lee. Nevertheless, with the red and black fancy outfit on, Aiden showed some exaggerated moves and his charisma.

“Spin!” shouted Leeteuk, bouncing along to the music. It was now time for Macho-Man to unpredictably change to his alter ego, a regular nerd.

“Last scene guys! AAAAND..Oh !” Suddenly rain pelted down on the set. The crew people ran around to collect the equipment. Aiden and his manager ran under a porch, with the former cursing like a maniac.

“Go and get me some food!” ordered the star. The manager gave a frantic nod and was about to run away with the umbrella when he was called back.

“If you go away with the umbrella,” said Aiden in an irritated voice, “Then what am I supposed to do??”

(Listen to Not Alone by Park Jung Min : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcgeT9kf8nI)

The manager sighed and ran off, drenched to the soles of his shoes. Aiden kicked a lone barrel and backed away from the downpour. He turned around and saw himself standing in front of an old iron door. It had a small window, that had been mercilessly broken.

Curious, Aiden walked forward and carefully poked the jagged edge.

“DONGHAE!”

“What the—” Aiden jumped away, his breathing catching a heavy rhythm. He his lips and surveyed his surroundings. Shocked at the horrific vision, he had landed on the dusty ground, his hat thrown away.

Gathering up courage, Aiden slowly stood up. He had seen something. A wild fire with a girl trapped in it. He had seen her face, though he couldn’t remember how she looked like.

“But I’ve seen her somewhere,” he murmured. A shiver ran down his spine and he spun to his right.
“Whose there?” Aiden swore to himself that he wasn’t alone. Out of sorts, he walked around the door and entered a hallway. Again, that funny feeling. He ran to his left and landed up in a corridor with doors on both sides.

Taking a deep breath, Aiden opened the one closest to him and widened his eyes. This couldn’t be real. Everything around him was unsteady, the way one’s vision falters due to intense heat. He had become colour blind and standing in front of him were a couple, fighting with each other.

It was the girl from before, shouting at the man and throwing a magazine at him. Aiden found himself staring at the woman, her beauty throwing him off for a moment. He reached out to touch her face, but pulled back when she ran to embrace the man. They couldn’t see him. They didn’t know he was there. Aiden blinked, trying to see the man’s face but was unable to. He looked around the room and on instinct, shifted his attention to the ventilator fixed above the wardrobe. He gasped as a pair of eyes looked back at him.

His eyes.