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It’s been almost a week and a half and on the Thursday, for some ungodly reason, I have woken up at 4am and found it impossible to fall back asleep. Which is awesome for someone who needs their sleep to function…

So, to kill some time before I need to be out and about I look over some information and scripts for the drama. It’s a web drama, so it’s smaller and shorter than T.V dramas, so hopefully I have studied enough. I met my male lead on last week’s Wednesday, two days after the weird chicken night with Baekhyun and Chanyeol.

I am working with No Min Woo… The first few rehearsals went really well. I think we work pretty well together so I am really excited for this drama to get going.

While working, I’ve also been contacting Baekhyun. We’ve gotten a few coffees, midnight snacks together, and a few drinks the other night with Chen and Xiumin. Even hanging out when we are both free at the company. Of course, Chanyeol has been around for a lot of our interactions as well, but I don’t mind. I really like Chanyeol, he is so funny. Also, it helps that he keeps me from boiling over like I do when I am alone with Baekhyun sometimes. Either way though, with someone accompanying us, or alone, I am getting to love being around Baekhyun a little too much.

With the hurt still hanging around from Kim Bum, it’s nice to have some buzzing feelings for someone. But the last thing I need right now, after all that a few months ago and now starting under a new company, is a scandal… One was enough for a lifetime for me.

By 7:30, I notice I got a text.

‘Come work out with me?’ With a selca of a sweaty Baekhyun, his singlet wet down the front and his grin is as cheeky as always.

I giggle softly at the photo, sleep still keeping me from reacting well. I lazily reply, my fingers slowly finding the keys I wanted. After I am satisfied with the spelling with my head still buried in the pillow and one eye open, I decide to send a photo, too.

‘I would rather stay in bed…wouldn’t you?’ My photo is a soft smile with a wink, bed head and low enough that my thin bed singlet is showing a little. I mean, if he is going to tease, why can’t I?

The reply comes quick. ‘Don’t tempt me.’ His is grinning now, his eyes full of joking mischief.

Baekhyun replies again before I get a chance too. ‘What are you doing later today?’

I grin, knowing it was coming. He has been asking everyday now. I can’t say I don’t like it.

‘I have some more rehearsing with No Min Woo-Ssi until 6 then I am seeing Shin Hye. What are you doing? Beside working out our poor muscles?’

‘Well, now I’m thinking about getting into the bed.’

I cough, choking on my breath and Baekhyuns text. Well!

‘Excuse you!’

‘haha! I meant into MY bed! You have a dirty mind, Taehee-Ya!’ As if he didn’t mean to tease me again…

I don’t bother replying this time. But it doesn’t take long for Baekhyun to continue. I decided that I should get up and get ready anyway since I need to be at location at 9. As I open the next message, I head into the bathroom. I’ve had a shower and everything earlier, I just chose to put new pyjamas on and get back into bed…

‘Chanyeol is getting angry at me for not working out. I have some stuff to do with Jongdae-Ah and Minseok Hyung. That's about it. Okay! I better go! Talk later?’

He adds a photo a few seconds later. He is kissing at the camera and winking. I notice Chanyeol in the background giving his friend an aspirated look.

‘Get back to Chanyeol-Ah before he throws that dumbbell at you.’ I don’t add a photo since I am undressing. I smile to myself as I put my phone down. I am proud of myself. I am starting to converse with him most days and text him every day and I can control myself pretty well. More so than before, anyway…

I don’t bother with and makeup and opt for some glasses and a mask. I end up heading out pretty early and by the time I get through all the traffic, I am at my scheduled place pretty much on time.

I greet everyone, Min woo-Ssi included and start right up with the rehearsing. It’s the meeting scene we had tried a few days ago, since it is a little difficult and we have to get the chemistry right, we are practicing again.

Min Woo has to catch me from falling down some stairs then I quietly and quickly beg for him to explain why I had some stolen shoes in my purse, covering for me. Of course, my character isn’t the thief, but he doesn’t know that and she just wants to get out of it before she gets taken down by it. The real thief is stealing over things while the commotion is going on. Min Woo’s character covers for her, pays for the shoes, then takes her away. He soon turns around and tells her he is the CEO of the high profile company she was ‘caught stealing’ from. Then starts the painful relationship of guilt and paybacks leading to romance.

I find working with No Min Woo-Ssi quite easy. We get along and he is very patient when I start messy around. Which is something I can’t help…When I am over worked, Embarrassed or just bored when working, I will play about and get very giggly. He is actually half of the reason I get so bad, too. He feeds my laughter.  

After work finishes, a little later than planned, at 6:40, I give Shin Hye a quick call and let her know I wanted company at my place instead of going for drinks. Plus, we are going out Saturday night anyway. We don’t need to drink any more than we will already be this weekend. I don’t do well with hangovers.

I rush out of the half made set and head home, looking forward to my bed, some coffee and a few episodes of a drama with my best friend.

I punch my code in and walk through the door, filling my lungs with air. “Eonni! I’m home!”

“I have wine!”

I shake my head, heading into my apartment. I know where she will be. Lounging on the couch T.V on and red wine in hand. Possibly without pants on.

Since we have been high jacking each other’s places while we wait for the owner to finish work, I have grown accustomed to her being there when I come home. Frankly, I love it. I do get lonely, so having that company to come home too is really nice. Especially after the break up.

“Welcome home, honey!” Shin Hye calls as I round the corner, her wine glass risen above her head as she stretches out on the lounge. I knew it. I know her too well.

“Hey, got some more of that?”

“Ready and waiting.” She holds up the bottle and points to my full glass. “You’re amazing!” I makes my way over to her, stripping my tight pencil shirt off and letting my previously tucked in skirt hang loose across my tights. “I need this!”

“I hear you, sister…”

I pick up on it now, the low tone and bored face. Something is wrong for sure. Usually she would be laughing and telling me some stories about her day. Or maybe running a million questions about SM by me, not really listening to the answers and jumping into the next.

“Shin Hye…Are you okay?”

She groans and sits up. “Yes. No.” She groans and downs a long swig of her wine. “It’s Park Jae Ho…”

“Oh god, what happened?” I sit my wine down and let my full attention zero down on her. I need to be ready to jump on her and hug the sadness away if something bad has happened.

Shin Hye rubs her hands together, twisting her fingers together a few times. “Well, you know who I said we were going to go on a date?” I give her a nod to keep going. “Well, we did…and it was really nice! I really enjoyed it.” She sighs. “Then when the night was over…I was a little drunk…and I tried to kiss him…”

“Oh…”

She groans and buries her head in a cushion. “I head butted him.”

I slap my hand over my mouth, but not before I snorted. Oops. “What?” I try to control myself before removing my hand. “You…head butted him?”

Shin Hye nods from behind the pillow, her nervous eyes peeking over the top. “I made him bleed…”

“…”

“Yeah… He waves me off and said he would call later… but he hasn’t called…and that was the other night…”

I frown. If he was into her, an accidental head wouldn’t have stopped him, right? “Maybe he is embarrassed…?”

“I sent a text this morning asking if he was okay and he hasn’t answered! I feel so bad!”

I go and still beside her, leaning my head on her shoulder. She has never really come out and say how much she actually likes this guy, but I can see it. I could see it a long time ago, really. But with her like this…I know for sure now.

“Listen…I’m sure he’ll message you back…I mean…look how cute you are. I think he is just scared…” I frown when she looks at me accusingly. “OH! Not scared of you! Like that! No, I mean… you know what I mean!” I flick her arm and she ‘Hmpf’s’ but seems okay anyway. Lucky. “Just give him some time. If he is worth your time, he will make time for you. So don’t stress…”

She nods and abandons the pillow. “Change of subject! How’s Byun Baekhyun?” She wiggles her eyebrows and winks. “I think we should focus on that!”

I giggle. “We’re friends.” I can’t help feeling giddy as I think about it. “He is really nice…”

“And hot.”

“Yes, Shin Hye-Ya. He is hot…” Very hot.

“So, when are you going to ask him out?”

“Me!” I grab my wine, hoping to occupy my mouth before I spurt something weird, like usually. “I don’t think so.”

Shin Hye takes her glass back too. “Well something needs to happen there. I saw it that time you were at the coffee shop a few days ago…”

I smile, thinking about that ‘friend’ date. Shin Hye called me when he was talking casually. He saw the screen and told me to answer it. Of course, she was face timing me. And of course, when I told her I was with Baekhyun, she wanted to check it out. He waved me on, so I turned and let her see us sitting with our coffee and cake…

She, of course, started rushing out weird and embarrassing things about me. I have never hung up faster.

“Whatever. Thanks to you and your stories you where spitting out, he probably won’t talk to me either!”

“When was the last time he texted you?”

“On my break.” I say sheepishly.

“I suppose you got a selca, too?”

“No…but I did this morning.”

“HA! See what I mean!” She shakes her head then freezes. “What was the selca?”

I roll my eyes and navigate my phone into his message thread and hand her the phone. She can see it all, I don’t mind. We share everything anyway.

Shin Hye’s face changes from grinning and gasping and back to grinning about two hundred times in the space of five seconds. “He is a massive flirt, isn’t he!” She clicks on something that makes her call out. “And look at you! Miss sleepy head!” She turns the phone around her me. It’s my bed selca, my chest isn’t not showing cleavage. I would deny that it was intentional, but if it were true or now, Shin Hye wouldn’t believe me.

“My girl knows how to play!” She calls loudly and kicks me softly. “You better be moving in on him…” She trails off as she frowns and turns the phone around at me again. “Or maybe I will…” She lets drop open exaggeratedly with an approving frown on her face. I kick her this time.

“Can I keep this one?” She teases and I kick her again and snatch the phone off her. I close the messages down, but not before taking another quick look at his gym selca. He does look really good there…

“I know right!” She answers what I thought were my inner thoughts. Turns out I speak my mind literally, quite a lot.

“Anyway, so I was thinking, we should go to that new place tomorrow night. You know that one that the producer from SM opened up a few months ago. You’re Taehee from SM so you should get us in.” She giggle and winks over her wine glass. She acts modest about herself, as if her high profile wouldn’t get her in anywhere…

“Sure, let’s check it out.” I turn to my wine too, loving the rich wine and it’s promise to relax me after the day.

The next day we both sport a mild hangover and some dark circles after the lack of sleep. Since we both have no schedule today, we decide to spend the Friday with some food and park time. So after some greasy food, we head into the park for some much needed fresh air and relaxing time before we head out tonight and after the weekend, head back to work.

But, what I wasn’t expecting was a message from Kim Bum, telling me to stand still…because he was walking up behind us as we stroll through the park.

“Hey, Taehee-Ya. Hey Shin Hye-Ya…How’s Jae Ho-Ya?” Kim Bum asks, his eyes finally finding Shin Hye and not drilling into mine.

Shin Hye grimaces and hmpf’s. “I don’t know. Ask him.” She grits back and looks at me. “You okay? I think I need to go for a walk…did you…wanna…come or…?” She eyes Kim Bum a few times, silently asking me if I was okay talking to him alone or if I want her to stay or take me away, even.

I nod. “It’s okay, go walk. I’ll talk with Kim Bum.” I turn back to Kim Bum as Shin Hye leaves and his eyes are already trained on me. It’s getting hotter, right? It’s not just because this is insanely uncomfortable…

It talks more than two hours before Kim Bum had to leave for his schedule and I almost passed out from the sudden intake of a regular breath. There is something about him that still makes me struggle. But it’s not the same thing anymore. I don’t fall short of breath because he is wooing me and I want more, it’s because it hurts me still.

By the time I meet back with Shin Hye, her face told me something is wrong. When she holds up her phone and shakes her head, I feel my heart drop.

Articles, photos and rumours are floating around…all about Kim Bum and I. How did they get photos from just this afternoon and pump these out so fast!

I suddenly get a call. My manager.

“.”

“Taehee-Ya…What’s this about Kim Bum?”

I groan. “We were chatting…we ran unto each other…”

“That's all fine. But we need to go over a few things before tomorrow’s interview…” Jin Ho doesn’t really sound pissed. But, man am I pissed now.

“! I totally spaced about the interview tomorrow. I didn’t even think of it…”

“Yeah, well they will most definitely ask you about Kim Bum-Ssi now…Are you okay with that?”

I give Shin Hye an aspirated look. “I guess so…What should I be answering? Just let it out. The truth and stuff…or bluff it out a bit?”

“I think we should just let it go. Nothing is happening between you two anymore anyway, right?” He asks, his voice sounding less confident with each word spoken. It started as a statement but ultimately ended as a question. I try not to get irritated and hurt by it.

“No. Nothing. It’s over.”

Jin Ho sighs on the other end of the phone. “That’s good to hear.” He clears his throat. “You know…I didn’t mean that…to you…that's a good thing, right?” He stutters and laughs nervously. “Sorry, Taehee-Ya.”

“Don’t be. I don’t want anything with him anymore. You know that. It’s fine.” I clear it up with him and we start discussing what might happen now with the interview. Since it’s a magazine interview, I will almost 100% get asked about the photos taken today. Joy.