₪₪₪₪₪

“Try this,” Naeun suggested placing some of her Indian curry on Namjoo’s plate. “It’s really spicy. Do you like spicy food?”

“I like it,” Namjoo said.

“You do? Oh, I can’t take spicy food,” Taehyung shook his head.

“He’s weak,” Naeun teased with a laugh. “The last time we had spicy chicken, he was crying!” she went on telling a tale of Taehyung’s most embarrassing moments that had them cackling throughout dinner.

By the end of the night, Namjoo was lying in bed feeling both contentment yet troubled. Happy because she felt closer to Naeun and Taehyung. Troubled because she didn’t think Jongin had been the one left behind.

Broke up with him…

It had been her assumption that Jongin broke up with Naeun. She had also second guessed that the two had agreed to leave their relationship as is. Namjoo also felt maybe they had things left unsaid.

Maybe she was wrong after all.

She could admit now that she was uncomfortable seeing those pictures Minseok showed her. And she was weirded out by herself because Jongin didn’t smile that broadly around her, especially when he wanted to be real.

Gosh, what was wrong with her?

Kicking her blanket off Namjoo ruffled her hair out of frustration.

₪₪₪₪₪

Filming started at sun rise, but Jongin had woken up at 4:30AM all because of one phone call. And it was a phone call he had never expected to receive again.

Driving carefully through the empty roads Jongin pulled up to a quiet 24 hour coffee shop. There were few people inside and one employee at the counter, but it wasn’t inside he was going. It was to the corner of the building where his destination was. A car hidden in the shadows opened and someone stepped out. The side roof of the building provided a dark shade to hide them. Unless they were being stalked, they were unnoticed.

“I’m expecting to hear really important news or I’m going to be really angry,” Jongin crossed his arms.

A smile crossed his ex’s lips. “It’s not news, but it’s a worry.”

Jongin eyed Naeun. “I have filming in a few hours.”

“Of course,” she acknowledged. “Namjoo was with us yesterday.”

“Taehyung, too?”

“He was there,” she nodded.

“Seriously, Naeun, could you keep him away?” Jongin asked. “Just one favor for me.”

“That’s not my jurisdiction.”

“Enough with the police talk. Are you a cop?”

She scoffed. “Has Namjoo been seeing a reporter?”

Just like that Jongin’s impatience flew out the window. “Why?”

“She’s been saying things, like I should get back with you. She intentionally mentions you,” Naeun informed. “Maybe someone’s saying things to her to stir things up.”

“You know that’s not going to happen.”

“I know,” she straightforwardly agreed. “You should be careful with her. You know how reporters are. At least, if you’re not fooling around.” She waited a beat then asked, “Are you?”

“I’m not.”

“Good,” she said. “She’s a nice girl. I’m a fan.”

₪₪₪₪₪

Kim Minseok. That name twirled around his mind as he eyed Namjoo from afar. Today she was intentionally keeping a mile between them. He had walked toward her to talk this morning but upon seeing him, had walked off into the distance. So was she angry he wanted to be real or was she upset…with what, he didn’t know.

If Namjoo was talking to a reporter it would be no one but Kim Minseok. And if Namjoo wanted to get rid of him, he’d prove to her she’d have to work harder to make it happen. Because it wouldn’t.

Today, he and Namjoo had twice more scenes together than with Taehyung. Oh, he’d make it worth it. Namjoo might get angry but it’d be all right too.

Their first scene today would be about a lover’s quarrel. The kind of slap and kiss kind of scene. The concept was composed of an argument and then he’d pull her in for a hug. That would be easy for him. He wanted to thank the writer for giving him the advantage today, because if not for this Namjoo would probably put two more miles between them.

As the stylist hurried over to give him a last touchup he glanced in Namjoo’s direction. Always so busy she was with her damn script.

“Ah…so we finally meet,” Jongin teased when they stepped in front of the camera to record.

Namjoo shot him an unkind look. “I don’t think there’s much to say between us.”

“Really?” he wondered. “I’m the opposite.” He watched the distaste grow on her face. It was fun to see. “I feel like we’ll have a lot to say to each other soon.”

“Don’t irritate me while we’re working.”

“I haven’t even tried,” he smugly replied. “Oh, and don’t forget. My mom will be waiting for you. End of the month dinner.”

Narrowing her eyes, she turned away. Ilhong called out to them and the camera starting rolling.

“We should breakup.”

“Why?” he asked. “I don’t want to.”

“This isn’t working. Us. No one will accept what we are.” She argued with bouts of anger.

“I don’t care what they say. I care about you. I won’t break up like this.”

“Then we can’t talk anymore. You’re not listening!”

Wow, how so very like Namjoo her character was. Seo Yul had been watching some real drama or she’d been stalking them. Jongin mentally applauded the writer.

“We’re not done here!” he stepped toward her. Taking her arm, he pivoted her around to tug her toward him. They were supposed to struggle and then he would embrace her, but Jongin had no plans for that. One glance into her face and he burst out laughing leaving Namjoo staring at him stupefied.

His plan today was to make as many NGs as possible. He would use this opportunity to get as much time as possible with her, because Namjoo was getting too rebellious for him.

“Lets do that again,” Jongin suggested. The director nodded his head. They stepped back into their positions with Namjoo silently eyeing him. Jongin grinned to himself while concocting his next plan.

Their argument completed and this time he intentionally screwed up by forgetting to struggle with her. Namjoo stared up at him annoyed when he drew his hand from around her waist.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I messed up,” he pointed out the obvious.

She shot him a rude stare before brushing her clothes and glanced toward the camera to signal she was ready. This next round, Jongin simply forgot his lines. He dragged on time by looking at the script again. Namjoo was sighing irritably when Ilhong called action again. Boy, he was getting on her nerves.

Before they started Jongin asked, “Can we rehearse the scene before recording? I’m kind of out of it today. I don’t want to mess up again.”

“All right,” Ilhong easily agreed. “Lets run through the script. Namjoo, do you need another look at it?”

Jongin was pretty sure she didn’t. She’d done nothing all day but look at it. She declined.

“All’s good. Lets get this going,” Ilhong encouraged.

Peering at Namjoo again sparked euphoria through him. Ilhong counted down to three and they reargued again. In fact, Jongin harbored no more plans for a breakup. Hyunki would have no say about it. She never controlled his relationships anyway. Becoming real with Namjoo was just a plus for his company.

By the time he tugged Namjoo forth she really struggled with him irritably. He was forced to put in a little more effort to wholly wrap even an arm around her, but it wasn’t like the director or the crew noticed. When he finally managed to and Namjoo’s body curved into his he glanced into her face with a smile bubbling to the surface.

He’d won.

“Ok! That’s good! Lets start shooting!” Ilhong instructed.

Namjoo shoved him away but Jongin only laughed as he stepped away. He could no longer take her seriously. This was starting to get fun for him merely because he was enjoying every second of acting with her.

After they finished recording Jongin returned to his chair at the makeup corner to wait for his stylist. He was just glancing through the script for the next scene when Namjoo stomped toward him. “What do you think you’re doing today? You were joking with me!”

He glanced up at her. She was upset and possibly angry but still pretty. “I was.” He admitted. “Should I apologize?”

“Jongin!” she scolded.

“Why?” he asked. “You’re ignoring me. I just wanted to be a little closer to you. If you didn’t like it, you can punish me by shackling me up.” He grinned but it only fueled her anger.

“I’ve had it with you.”

“You can’t possibly be angry that I’m your boyfriend?” he raised a brow. Propping an elbow onto his arm rest he rested his head against it. “If you tell me why you’re ignoring me then maybe I’ll do as you want and leave you alone.”

Namjoo just glared.

Putting his arm down, Jongin rose to his feet. “I like you, so I told you so. I get it. You snapped at me, but why are you acting this way? You ignoring me means you like me too. So why don’t you just like me? It’s not hard.”

“I never said I liked you,” she hissed.

“Well, sometimes actions are bigger than words,” he smiled. “Oh, and if you’re talking to Minseok, let him know I’d like to meet him. I have some things I’d like to say to him. And enjoy your shoot with Taehyung.”

He brushed past with a vow to shred as many magazine pictures of them as he could when they were published.

₪₪₪₪₪

They would be filming late into the evening. Namjoo was driven straight to the warehouse for her Cosmopolitan shoot with Taehyung. They would finish into the early morning, she would be driven home, and then in the early morning head off to the salon. The crew – her, Jongin, and Taehyung – were meeting with a TV station to promote their drama. The first episode had already aired tonight.

Namjoo was already feeling beat by the time she arrived at the warehouse in a jacket. Accessories were already set up, the crew busy and bustling. No time to prowl around or wander in awe. Everyone was prepared to get to work. That meant she would have to get down to it as soon as possible, no excuses.

A stylist rushed over to her, urging her toward the back changing room. Her wardrobe for the shoot hung against the door. She was to get dressed, get her makeup fixed, and then they would start shooting. It would all happen by the flick of the fingers. They were short on time because of her and Taehyung’s schedules as well as the magazine that needed to undergo fast editing for publishing. Time was everything and they didn’t have it.

The director was impatient, ordering everyone off set, asking if preparation was underway for the next stage of photos. Taehyung was being brushed up front, his head bobbing from listening to instructions. He waved, the only friendly gesture she got upon her arrival.

“They’re really mean today,” Taehyung whispered to her when she reached him. “Lets just have a good time ourselves and never mind them.”

“How, when they’re cranky?” Namjoo wondered.

“Be a couple with me,” Taehyung grinned. “Tonight, Jongin doesn’t exist. Ok?”

Uncertainty swam through her. What would people say about her if she acted out of character? What kinds of things would they say about Jongin?

“Come on,” Taehyung led her toward the makeshift bed. From behind the director was shooting instructions at them like bullets. Basically, they were machines programmed to follow directions. That was all.

Taehyung’s strong arms wrapped around her as they sat onto the bed together. “More intimately!” the director screamed. “Stop looking like a robot!”

Gosh, was she getting annoyed with his irritable tone. She was already doing her best. Namjoo held her breath when Taehyung wrapped his legs around her hips. A five second break ensued and the stylist ran forward to tousle her hair to imply the look of a hot session. Awkwardness zipped through Namjoo but she could not retort. Why had she been all cutesy with Jongin but all out and passionate with Taehyung?

Several more photos were snapped of her and Taehyung before the bed disappeared and they moved onto the next set. In front of a white screen Namjoo was directed to put her arms around him, look fierce, now Taehyung put your hands around her waist, there, that’s the look, someone fix her hair! Instructions from everywhere screamed at her. She was listening to a mere banshee and it fired up the flame burning in her stomach. Namjoo could not catch up in time, so Taehyung basically led her through the process.

“It’s all right,” he assured her after the director began impatiently shouting at the stylist. “Sometimes it gets like this. It doesn’t have to do with us though.”

“Are you sure? She’s not getting yelled at because of me?” Namjoo whispered.

He shrugged, “Does it matter? It’s everyone’s fault today.” His hand cradled her back. Her insides nearly melted from the gentle touch. Taehyung’s eyes sparkled when their gazes met. Lovingly smiling he leaned forth as if to kiss her. Their lips never touched though. From the corner of her eye the camera flashed.

After the shoot, she went home with Taehyung’s soft touches still humming across her body, that smile of his still embedded in her memory. Her heart fluttered.

₪₪₪₪₪

“How is it working with a couple?” the host wondered.

They were seated on a stage, 10 to 15 cameras recording them from afar. Large posters of her still with Jongin under cherry blossoms stood behind them. They had been recording for half an hour now with questions Namjoo had earlier reviewed from an edited script. The producers had seated her in between Jongin and Taehyung to further promote the love triangle in the drama. It wasn’t a very comfortable seating arrangement, because in order to look at the host Namjoo had to look past Taehyung. And seeing Taehyung so very reminded her of her fluttering heart when he’d nearly kissed her.

She hoped she wasn’t blushing thinking about it and that no one realized she wasn’t even paying attention, even if she had perfected a pretentious smile the entire sitting. Thinking about it now, last night’s shoot only passed because he so kindly guided her through the entire photoshoot. Taehyung had even gone through the photos on the computer with her, deciding which were passable or not. Rookie Namjoo even received his advice about how to best take pictures.

“Just like working with friends,” Taehyung cheerily smiled after looking at her. Namjoo nearly sunk down to the floor. His voice was suddenly sweet sugar to her ears.

“You should stop staring,” Jongin spoke to her after the interview ended.

Setting the water bottle in her hand down at the table in front of her Namjoo turned to look at him. They were now back in the waiting room. Their managers were on their way and off they would be toward the filming site. Work would be back to back schedules the following days.

“I wasn’t staring at you,” Namjoo turned away, replacing the cap on her water bottle.

“Obviously,” he sounded bitter. Placing a hand against his chest he gasped, “Oh wait, so you were thinking about me? I wasn’t exactly talking about myself, you know.”

God, he was tiresome.

“I’ll just remind you that Hyunki will be reviewing the show,” Jongin said, “and she’ll have something to say if my girlfriend suddenly isn’t my girlfriend.”

Her brows formed a frown. The door opened and Taehyung walked in, quietly stopping at the threshold upon sensing the tension.

“Right, my girlfriend?” Jongin asked. Folding jacket over his arm he turned to walk out.

“Is everything all right?” Taehyung wondered. “Were you two arguing?”

“Of course not,” Namjoo replied with a smile then turned away. Jongin had sounded angry with her though and it was unsettling.

“Are you sure?” Taehyung asked. “I don’t recall him speaking like that with Naeun.”

₪₪₪₪₪

For some reason, Namjoo felt bummed. All heart fluttering thoughts of Taehyung dispersed from her mind. She could only hear the bitterness in Jongin’s voice when he’d spoken to her earlier. It was so frustrating she just wanted to pull her hair out.

So Jongin didn’t treat her the same way he had treated Naeun. Yes, Namjoo would acknowledge the fact that perhaps Jongin loved the ex more. Namjoo wouldn’t have expected any less. Son Naeun was class A, she was one of the best, the most beautiful. Because obviously Namjoo was a fake to Jongin.

Why did she care?

Namjoo peered out the window. She didn’t even want to go to work, didn’t want to act with Jongin today. She hoped he avoided her today like she’d been avoiding him.

“The CEO said she spoke with the director today,” Manager Kwak explained when they neared the filming site. “They’re allowing you and Jongin to leave early in the evening.”

“Why? Is there a schedule?” Namjoo asked.

“I heard it was a personal arrangement between you two,” he said.

Namjoo frowned and stared up front. It took several minutes for her to recall Jongin’s end of the month family dinner. Well who cares. She didn’t even want to go. She was just a fake, wasn’t she?

₪₪₪₪₪

He was stingy, but he wouldn’t blame himself. Not even once that morning had Namjoo glanced at him. Not even once had she looked in his direction. Jongin was downright jealous. How well had that photoshoot gone that Namjoo couldn’t stop ogling at damn Taehyung? Like seriously?

The more he thought about it the more irked he became.

She was his girlfriend. His girlfriend!

After arriving on site, he peered in Namjoo’s direction with a glare. He would wait for her to realize her wrong and apologize to him. And he hoped he made her feel bad, because she should feel bad.

Refraining from speaking to her, Jongin tended to his script and his scenes with all the concentration he could manage. He only paid attention to Namjoo when it was time to shoot their scenes together and as they rushed from one location to another. And then he left for the day without even waiting for her.

He kind of regretted it by the time he made it to his mother’s house.

***haha Jongin's mischevious tricks xD

***Minseok and Taehyung are purposely trying to get at Namjoo by mentioning Naeun, but as you can see, Taehyung is still a fling for Namjoo and then she forgets him once Jongin rubs off on her. Who is she most affected by?