Episode 1

Jieun’s phone rings at four in the morning. She groans.

The night before, she had a very hectic schedule where she attended several photo shoots and more on interviews regarding her new drama. Jieun arrived at her house at two in the morning after all her schedule was done and now, her phone suddenly rings at the second hour of her sleep. What else can get any better?

Jieun groans once again at the annoying sound of her default ringtone. She had two options at that moment: one was to ignore her phone and continue sleeping and the second one probably break her phone until the phone stops ringing and then she’ll continue sleeping. Who would pick up their phone early in the morning anyway?

She tries to put her phone in a silent mode, but it failed, it won’t stop vibrating and when she turned off the vibration, the lights bother her as it flashes when someone’s trying to call her.  In the end, Jieun chose neither of her dumb options because her phone keeps ringing and she had no other choice but to pick it up and answer whoever was calling.

“It’s four in the morning, who is this?” She whispers in a hoarse voice.

“Congratulations on your drama unnie!” Suzy screams on the other line.

Jieun’s eyebrows furrow when Suzy started speaking. “Suzy, what the hell? It’s four in the morning.”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry!” She laughs awkwardly. “I know the news were out just a week ago, but I couldn’t congratulate you because I was busy filming Uncontrollably Fond.” Jieun hears a hint of melancholy in the tone of Suzy’s voice giving her an indication that her best friend was really sad that she was too busy to celebrate her friend’s new drama.

Jieun sighs and finally smiles. She can’t just get mad at Suzy. “It’s okay, thanks anyway.”

“You must be sleeping, sorry to bother your sleep, unnie. This is the only free time I got so I took the opportunity to call you.”

“It’s okay, you should rest up as well. Filming is taking all of your free time. You should sleep or rest for a bit.” Jieun advices the younger one.

“Alright, you too, at least have six hours of sleep. I’ll contact you again as soon as possible. I’ll definitely support your drama!” Suzy finally hang up her phone.

Suzy is one of Jieun’s favourite people aside from her family. She’s like a little sister she never had. Although, the two were always busy with their schedules, they still contact each other every now and then. It might not be that often, but as soon as they get new gossips to talk about, they’ll message each other right away.

When Jieun positioned her phone back to her nightstand, she quickly immerge to dreamland and dreamt of what’s going to happen the next day.

***

The next day, Jieun’s schedule’s still hectic as usual, but it’s quite different this time. It’ been weeks since Jieun’s been nervous of meeting the cast she’s going to work with in her new drama. After she approved her role as Hae Soo, the rest of the cast one by one gave their consents in being part of the drama. This excites her because it’s a huge drama with great actors in it, and this also makes her nervous because she hasn’t work with anyone in the set yet and she’s nervous about socializing with them.

Today is the day that Jieun’s going to meet her new workmates. It’s going to be their first script reading session. The media is crazy about it and posted several articles online on the schedule when the script reading with be held. Jieun’s manager’s the one who’s fetching her to the destination of the event. When the distance is coming to a close, her heart beats faster and faster until she feels like her heart is going to pop out of her chest. She can’t express how nerve wracking the situation is.

“We’re almost here.” Her manager coos.

She can feel her heart bumping out of her chest, cheeks are burning and her hands are cold. When they arrive, she steps out of the van, paparazzi immediately take pictures of her. The camera flashes are blinding her eyes but she doesn’t care because today will be a great day, she assumes. Paparazzi are trying to interview her on her way as they ask how she feels in being casted in a new drama and being paired up with Lee Joon Gi. She doesn’t answer these questions as she continues to go inside the building. 

When she finally enters the building, the paparazzi were blocked by security guards as they were restricted to follow Jieun inside. The building have a fancy interior design from good materials used in the furnitures to the chandeliers that are hanging beautifully from above. While admiring her surroundings as if this is her first time entering a very fancy place, she bumped into Kang Haneul who she believes will play the role of Hae Soo’s love interests. When their eyes meet, they quickly bowed to each other.

“You must be IU-sshi. I’m a fan.” He says with his geeky smile. “This is my first time meeting you. It’s a very pleasure meeting you, IU-sshi, I am Kang Haneul and I’m going to be playing the role of Wang Wook.”

Although Haneul’s introduction is kind of stiff and awkward, Jieun laughed silently as she thinks it’s cute.  “I am also a fan Haneul-sshi! It’s nice to meet you! I hope we get a long and work hard together” she lend out her hand for him to shake and Haneul playfully shake Jieun’s tiny hands.

“Did you just arrive?” He asks.

“Yes, have you met the rest? Are they in the function hall already?”

“I have met some already like Joon Gi hyung, Hong Jong Hyun, Seohyun-sshi, Kang Hanna and Sun Woo-hyung. They’re somewhere in the building, not really sure where because I all met them separately.” He says. “Oh, and I have seen Baekhyun too.”

Baekhyun, that name caught her again. He is an idol like her. Other than Seohyun and Z.Hera who are also idols that were casted to be in this drama, Baekhyun seems to catch her attention so much.

Why? Maybe because he is an idol in the opposite ? Maybe she’s worried about his acting? Or maybe something more than that?

Jieun’s mind wanders off in recent issues such as dating scandals. She never considers dating an idol or an actor because she thinks it’s so unreal to date them. She prefers someone who is simple, someone who looks normal like your own boy next door kind of guy or maybe someone who’s a normal guy and not a huge celebrity. Jang Ki Ha was that type of guy. But she dated him a few years ago. Jieun was over him. 

“I see” Jieun beams. “So far, I have only met you, the others, not yet.”

“I see” Haneul imitates her causing her to giggle. “This drama is going to be huge huh? Historical dramas really interests me that’s why I joined immediately.”

“Really? It’s my first time acting in a historical drama that’s why I was so hyped when I got offered in playing the role of Hae Soo. It’s going to be a new experience.”

“I know right! Historical drama gives me that different kind of feel when acting. It’s fascinating!”

They had a few little more talks before they bid their goodbyes to each other as they expect themselves to meet up again inside the function hall where the script reading will be held.

After Jieun and Hanuel’s talk, they started to call each other in their real names. Haneul calls Jieun in her real name and not in her stage name, minus the “sshi” suffix. Then Jieun calls Hanuel still as Haneul, but the “sshi” was replaced with an “oppa”.

Jieun found her first friend at her first day and she feels relieve. She assumes she’ll have the closest relationship with Haneul among the male casts.

She meets Lee Joon Gi, Nam Ju hyuk and Ji Soo next. She spots all three of them at the dining area of the building. The three of them already seem close as Jieun observes how active and talkative they are in one table. When Jieun walked pass the table they are in, Ji Soo was the one who greeted her first followed by Joongi and Juhyuk. They talk short about the drama and talk about how all three of them are anticipating to work with her before she leaves heading to the elevator. She feels like she needs to go to the function hall next and stay there until the script reading starts.

When Jieun finally arrives at the elevator, she’s all alone, there was no one inside the elevator. She presses the button for the twenty-second floor where the meeting is going to be held. The elevator music plays TWICE’s “Cheer Up” while she waits she quietly jams to it.

A few seconds later the elevator makes its stop on the tenth floor. The elevator slides its door wide open revealing a mysterious man wearing a grey hoodie that hangs over his head, underneath he wears a schoolboy hat, and his hands stuff inside his hoodie’s pocket. He hangs his head down low where Jieun can’t see his face at all. As this man was standing near the elevator’s buttons, Jieun sneakily moves three steps away from him. Now, she’s standing at the corner of the elevator trying to give as much as distance she can give to the weird man she’s with.

This weird man’s body stature is not quite tall. In fact, he was kind of short, but he is not shorter than her. Jieun predicts he’s around 175 cm. His shoulders are also quite broad and from behind Jieun can see his posture and she likes it.

In every moment that a person is with a random stranger inside the elevator, it becomes awkward. That goes the same to Jieun and this man. She guesses that this man didn’t recognize her as IU maybe because he didn’t saw her face when he entered the elevator. The elevator’s moving upward slowly as TWICE’s “Cheer Up” still keeps playing from the background. She spots the man swaying his head with the beat of the music. He does not do it so obviously, but with that kind of little movement Jieun still notice it.

The elevator stops on the seventeenth floor, but it does not open. The man tries to press the open button, but nothing happens. He presses several buttons and repeatedly press the twenty-second button where Jieun reckons that she’s going to the same floor with this strange man, but still, nothing.

“Excuse me,” Jieun finally speaks gaining the man’s attention, but he does not turn around to see her. “Is everything alright?”

She can see that the man fidgets his fingers, something must be wrong. He does not answer fast, he took a five second interval of silence before he clears his throat and says: “We’re stuck”, his voice is dry.

Jieun’s eyes widen as she hears his statement. They're stuck in an elevator. She repeats in her mind again, they are stuck in an elevator. The script reading starts at two in the afternoon and it’s already 1:35. Out of all people and out of all elevators, fate chooses to break down the elevator she’s in.

Jieun panics and immediately grabs her phone from her bag and quickly calls her manager.

“There’s no signal in the elevator.” The man says.

Jieun looks up at him, he is staring at her, Baekhyun is staring at her.

“Oh, yeah. I forgot.” Jieun says in dismay at the same time she feels stupid. “What do we do now?”

“I’ll press the emergency button, perhaps the one who’s managing the elevator can help us.” Baekhyun says casually, Jieun sees no sign he’s panicking and she does not know if they’re going to be okay or not.

Baekhyun holds the emergency button and starts to speak “Excuse me, we’re stuck in the elevator.”

‘How can this guy be so casual? Both of us are stuck in an elevator!’ Jieun screams inside of her head still worrying. Both of them had meetings at two in the afternoon. She checks her watch and they only have 15 minutes left before the script reading finally begins.

“What floor are you stuck at, sir?” a woman’s voice speaks through the speakers of the elevator.

“We’re on the seventeenth floor. How long will it take for the elevator get fixed?”

“I see, let me ask the maintenance. Please wait for a while.” The woman seems to hang up leaving Baekhyun and Jieun in an awkward silence.

“The script reading starts at two.” Baekhyun finally realizes.

“I thought you forgot, you seem so calm.” Jieun comments as Baekhyun turns his body around facing hers. He smiles. “If both of us panic, everyone outside the elevator will hear us. This is going to be an issue. A big one.”

Jieun thinks he’s right. It was a good decision that she didn’t pull out a tantrum or a scream while she’s at it. But if ever Jieun is stuck inside the elevator alone, she predicts there’s a huge possibility that she’ll pass out. “You’re right.” She responses.

Both of them hears the speaker having clicking sounds that indicates that the operator is back. “The elevator is said to be fixed for around 30 minutes, sir.” the woman says.

When she hears the announcement, the elevator music stops as well as Jieun’s breath. She thinks she’s going to die at any moment.

“We’ll wait” Bakehyun replies. “But can I request to not turn off the air conditioner inside so we won’t suffocate to death here?” he eyes on Jieun as he jokes.

The woman laughs in the other line. “No worries sir, we noted it.”

“Thank you.” He replies for the last time and finally sits down in the corner of the elevator. He looks at Jieun who’s uncontrollably panting, her face in distress, her hands on her phone trying to contact someone.

“I told you, there’s no signal.” Baekhyun repeats, but Jieun ignores what he says and continues to call her manager.

“The subsciber cannot be reached, please try your call later. The subscriber cannot be reached, please try you—“ Jieun ends the call.

Baekhyun laughs quietly as he’s still observing her. “I told you.”

Jieun gives up. She does not only give up in calling her manager, but she also gives up in life. “I know.” She says, her voice trembling. Her eyes are teary, but she feels that she’s nowhere crying in front of Baekhyun. “It’s just that, I’m worried about the script reading. What will director Kim say when his lead actress is late for the first script reading? I want to give a good impre—"

“He’ll understand," he cuts her off. "if you gave him a reasonable explanation. He’s a good guy. He even might laugh at us if he hears about this incident.” He chuckles and gives her a genuine smile. “Trust me.”

"How did you know?" Her eyebrows furrow.

"Just trust me."

She does not know if she should trust him because first, he does not know how directors can be so strict at times. She remembers director Seo when she was filming "Producers". He's very strict and always scolding the actors when they made a mistake while filming. And Jieun does not want that.

She does not reply to Baekhyun when he said that she needs to trust him. Instead she sits at the corner of the elevator opposite to him. She tries to contemplate about all her worries at the moment.

"When we get out," Baekhyun suddenly breaks the ice "no one must see us."

Jieun raise both of her eyebrows. "Why? We just happen to ride the same elevator. There's nothing wrong with that."

"True, we just happen to ride the same elevator that got stuck on the seventeenth floor." He emphasizes. "I'm pretty sure everyone in the building are now aware that one of their elevators are broken and if they see us going out in that broken elevator, I'm a hundred percent sure it's going to be a scandal. The media can make up rumours."

Jieun sighs at his statement. 'He's right, he's right', she thinks. She feels foolish for not thinking of that.

She does not respond but she hugs her legs and rests her head on her knees.

"Just think of all the possibilities. Small issues can become big." He removes his hoodie and his hat revealing his soft and shiny brown hair. He brushes it up with his fingers then sighs as well. "I know you don't want to get involve in scandals."

"Neither of us want it though." Jieun adds. "You're right" Jieun notes that this is the second time she tells Baekhyun that he is right and she tries to avoid on saying it again next time because she really feels that he think she's stupid. "Do you have a plan?"

Baekhyun suddenly stands up, dusts his pants off and flashes a smile at her. "I do." He then pressed the emergency button again as he tries to contact the operator. "Excuse me, this from the elevator that got stuck on the seventeenth floor."

"Yes, sir how can we help?"

"When's the elevator going to be fixed?"

"The maintenance reported that it's going to be fixed in less than five minutes, sir."

"Good!" He exclaims. "Can we request to let the security to clear the area near the elevator on the twenty-second floor? This is EXO's Baekhyun."

"Yes sir, noted. We'll clear the area within 2 minutes, but I rest assure that we can’t keep people away from that area for a long time. It will be clear for a few minutes only." and the speakers went off.

Jieun's eyes widen. "How can you order the employees so easily?"

He hums before he speaks again. "Let’s just say the CEO of this building favors EXO too much." He beams this time with matching eye smile. Jieun just watches him in awe as he comes closer to her. He leaves at least half a feet distance, he feels that Jieun is uncomfortable with him getting too close. “Listen, I need your cooperation in this. When the elevator start going up again I want you to run with me, but we’ll do it quietly so no one would suspect that we’re escaping. Got it?”

Jieun stares at his eyes and nods unconsciously. The words that Baekhyun said seems to be a blur in her ears, but she does not have any choice left but to follow what he says.

When they feel the gravitation going up that’s when Jieun become uneasy of her feelings. The elevator starts moving again.

“We’re just four floors behind. You ready?” He asks, this time he grabs her wrist which made Jieun’s heart pound even faster.

Jieun nodded her head once again.

The elevator goes up. Eighteenth, Baekhyun check up on her first. “You nervous?”

“No.” She lies and it was obvious. She knew that Baekhyun knows she's lying because he can feel her arms warming up and her hands keep shaking.

Nineteenth, twentieth,

“There’s nothing to be nervous about. We just have to sneak out.” Baekhyun tightens his grip on Jieun’s arms.

Twenty-first

“One floor left, ready?” He looks at her.

Jieun looks at him with a terrified expression then she shakes her head. “I’m not ready, actually let’s boycott the plan. I think it’s not a good idea—“

Twenty-second

“Too late” Baekhyun smiles widely. When the door slides open, he first checks the surrounding before signalling Jieun to keep quite. He slides his hands to hers as if both of them are holding hands. “It’s clear, let’s head to the washroom quickly.” He whispers and began to lead the way.

They sneakily run for their lives as to find the nearest washroom in the floor and luckily Jieun finds one in a matter of seconds and they quickly head their way, both of them hid at the women’s restroom.

Both of them were panting, but Baekhyun was the only one who was smiling. “That was exciting.” He tells her, he seems very thrilled on what’s happening.

“Exciting?!” Jieun hissed as she removes Baekhyun’s hands off of her. “We’re late for our script reading, how can you be so carefree at this moment?!”

“Don’t worry,” Baekhyun checks his watch. “We still have three minutes to run again and—“

“What if some reporter finds us exiting the woman’s bathroom together? Wouldn’t that be a greater scandal? We’re lucky that no one’s here.” She’s already close to shouting at him. She feels so stressed out, her makeup’s slowly fading because of the sweat her body produces. She really wants to get out of the restroom as soon as possible.

“You’re right.” Baekhyun bites his lower lip, he knows that he didn’t thought of that. “You go first to the function hall. I’ll get out of here on my own.”

“What?! You’re going to be late if you stay behind! Director Kim wouldn’t like that!”

“I know, but I really don’t mind going last, you can go first. Director Kim won’t mind it though, this is the safest way. If ever someone is following us, I’ll sneak back to the men’s room and wait ten minutes before I get off. They won’t suspect a thing between us.” He reassures her.

“How can you be so sure—“

“Don’t worry about director Kim, I bet he’ll laugh it off if I tell him I got stuck in the elevator. Now, go. People are starting to occupy outside.” Baekhyun hastily pushed her and himself out of the washroom. “Go.” He signals her once again to run already as he tiptoes towards the men’s room. "Don't worry too much. Go." he whispers and she oblige.

Jieun runs away from the wash room and halts as she tries to calm herself when she starts to see people. She worries about Baekhyun, she wanted to go back and look out for him, but she realizes that it is better off to go alone than go together. Media is everywhere.

She walks towards the function hall. The script reading is just about to start.

***

The script reading starts at 2:03 exactly at Jieun’s watch and it’s already 2:30 and Baekhyun is still nowhere to be found. Haneul notices it too when he tells Jieun that Baekhyun is still missing. Jieun couldn’t count how many times she feels stress this day and she already feels exhausted even if the event is just starting.

“I’m Jin Ki Joo playing the role of Chaeryung. I’ll be looking forward to working with you all!” Ki Joo is the next one to introduce and two more people are next before it’s her turn.

“That’s strange, Baekhyun’s not here yet. Have you seen him, Jieun-ah?” Haneul asks once again. She does not know what to answer.

“Seohyun, and I’m going to take the role of Woohee. It’s nice to meet you all!” Seohyun flashes a wide grin towards the audience as everyone claps their hands.

“I do not know.” Jieun whispers in reply. ‘I’m worried’, she thinks.

It was Haneul’s turn to introduce, he stands up and adjusts his clothing before he speaks. “Kang Haneul and I’m playing the role of Wang Wook. It’s a pleasure to work with everyone, I will work hard!”

Then it was her turn. She nervously and slowly stands up from her chair and awkwardly smiles at everyone. She made a short eye contact with Lee Joongi and he gives her an encouraging smile.

“I’m Lee Jieun and better known as IU and I’m going to play the role of Hae Soo and Go Ha Jin—“

“I’m sorry, I’m late!” Someone interrupts her introduction as the hall’s door flings open revealing Baekhyun. “I got stuck on the elevator.” Out of nowhere he says.

There's a few second of silence, Jieun’s head is aching from worrying over him. She prepares that Baekhyun will get scolded, but suddenly director Kim is the first one to laugh at his statement. “Aigoo, I also think that the elevator here needs to be fixed. Are you alright Baekhyun-sshi?”

“Yes, director-nim. The maintenance somehow fixed the elevator in several minutes. I’m alright.”

Director Kim laughs again. “Sit down, sit down, we’re just starting.”

Baekhyun smiles as he heads toward the empty seat in front of Jieun. Jieun stares at him in disbelief. He’s right, director Kim would only laugh at that reason. Everyone giggled when they heard what Baekhyun have said.

Jieun’s living in an anxious life, she worries too much about simple things. She's so stressed out on how people will think of her, she wanted a perfect good impression, she was afraid to be judged negatively. If she and Baekhyun arrived late, director Kim would not scold them, instead he would even laugh at them.

‘He’s right.’ she says in her mind.

“You’re right.” She mouths at him and he smirks and give her a wink. That's the third time she said that phrase and she tells herself that maybe she's going to use it a few more times to him.

----

A/N: whoa what a long chapter! I plan that every chapter would be this long, is it too long or is it okay? Hope you like it though! Upvotes and comments are appreciated! and let's pretend that IU is single hehe :) Stay tuned for the next chapter!!

And I have also did some editing on the prologue. Check it out if you want! :)