“What do you mean she’s not here?” Jongin interrogated. He stared at Namjoo’s manager, “You didn’t pick her up this morning?”

“That’s why I’m here looking for her,” Kwak Joontae shot his hands out to explain himself.

“Have you called her?” Director Ilhong frantically walked up to them. “We can’t film without her today. And we can’t afford to delay an episode!”

Heaving a deep breath Jongin bit his lower lip and nodded. The director stomped off, pulling phone up to his ear. Not only was everyone in an awkward position on set today, he actually didn’t know what to do himself either. Last night Namjoo had bid him farewell, had said his name. That’d made him happy. Maybe he shouldn’t have been so flung in the moment.

It wasn’t like Namjoo not to show up for work. She always came no matter what.

Turning away from the whispers behind him he walked out of the studio with phone to his ear. Namjoo wasn’t picking up.

Spotting Chanyeol walking up to him he announced, “I’m going to go find her. She might be at home.”

The lanky manager said nothing but lifted his IPad up for Jongin to see, the one electronic the manager always carried around. And when he let Jongin touch it, it meant there was news he had to see.

Snatching it from the manager Jongin recognized Hee at the top of the page. He scrolled down, skimmed, and shoved the IPad back against Chanyeol.

“We need to take that article down,” Jongin said. “Call Hyunki and…”

“Then she’ll need to know about Namjoo’s family and we’ll have to bring that woman in,” Chanyeol informed. “Will Namjoo agree?”

Hee was her secret, her darkest secret.

“I don’t know,” Jongin muttered.

“If Namjoo disappeared because of this article, that means this is false reporting or she has something to hide.” Chanyeol stated. “Who else knows about this woman?”

Jongin swam back into his memories, recalled telling his mother. The situation could blow up…or he could save it.

He would save it.

“I’m going to find her,” Jongin promised.

If Hyunki got involved, Namjoo could get axed. He was just starting to get to know her and he couldn’t lose her just yet.

He would save her.

₪₪₪₪₪

“Can you go to Busan, sir?” was the first thing Namjoo asked the cab driver.

“Busan?!” he literally screamed.

“I have an emergency. I have to go there no matter what, please,” Namjoo begged. “I have money. I’ll give you however much you want.”

“Little girl, do you know what time it is? Busan is out. My cab won’t even cross the border of Seoul,” the driver scolded. “Why don’t we be a little more realistic? You just came from a restaurant. Are you going home?”

Giving up, Namjoo spent the night at the terminal waiting for the early morning train. Once the booths opened she bought the earliest ticket possible and jumped onto the train an hour and a half later. Starving, she bought herself eggs and bread for breakfast along with soda. The ride lasted two and a half hours with stops inbetween, but she arrived at Busan and that was all that mattered.

Often lately, Hee’s envoys took place in Busan for some reason Namjoo didn’t know. Maybe she had a man down here or a man had been giving her rides. One reason why she didn’t come home on time like she used to. And Namjoo had spent these last few nights alone, always alone.

She would have to do some good searching at cheap inns, because nightclubs were not open at this time of day. She would be here for a good amount of time and her phone had died. There was no way to get in contact with Hee, who always picked up her calls. Whatever happened between them, they were family. Namjoo always regarded her as family.

It took some asking around and jumping from cab to district before walking upon a cheap inn. The day was warm, but the sun was burning. Her back was drenched in sweat, shirt glued to her back. Namjoo was exhausted, she was thirsty and even more hungry than that morning. White clouds drifted over head, smothering the blue into blankets of white. Even so, the sun was daunting.

Reaching the front desk etched with scars from years of service, she asked, “Is there a Kim Hee here?”

“I’m sorry, but we can’t give out customer information,” the young lady refused.

“I’m her friend, I need to find her. This is important. I know she’s here, I’ve looked at all the other places…” For a second she peered into Namjoo’s face as she continued speaking then gasped.

“You’re that celebrity’s girlfriend!” slapping hands against she stared wide-eyed. “You’re that actor’s girlfriend! Oh my god! I can’t believe you’re actually here!” eyes jumping excitedly to her desk she shoved a piece of paper and pen toward Namjoo, “Please give me your autograph!” shrieking happily, “I really like you! I saw your first episode and it was so good! Wow, you’re so much prettier in person!”

Weirded out, Namjoo glanced down at the pen wielded toward her like a sword. This was unexpected, but if it worked this way she would take it.

“This is your work paper,” Namjoo said pointing to the paper with various schedules printed on it in black ink.

“Oh gosh, I must be out of my mind,” the woman slid the paper toward her and slipped a fresh white sheet toward Namjoo. “I’m just so excited.” She stared up into Namjoo’s face as if she’d never seen another human being before. “Who were you looking for again?”

“Kim Hee,” Namjoo said scrawling her name across the paper.

The woman made a few taps on the keyboard and announced, “It’s room 213. Just down the hall and around the corner.”

Namjoo slid her autograph toward the woman with a smile, “Thank you.”

The woman shrieked again and let Namjoo go after one firm handshake.

It was just as said, Namjoo discovered the room down the hall around the corner. Knocking on the brittle door, she called out, “Hee! Hee!” knocking furiously, “Hee!”

There was a cling then the door unlocked then it opened. Namjoo stared at drowsy Hee in the face. Without waiting, she shoved the door open and walked inside. It was a one room kind of place without even a bathroom or a tiny kitchen. It was just a tiny bordered closet kind of room with enough space to sleep in. On the floor lay blankets and a pillow.

Eyes shot around the room. Good, Hee was alone.

Dragging the woman by the arm, Namjoo pushed her behind her. Wheeling around she demanded, “You’ve been here all night?!”

“All morning,” Hee stepped by pushing her away and lying back down. “I’ve only slept 3 hours. Can’t you give me a break?”

“Hee!” Namjoo turned to stare down at the irresponsible woman who knew no wrong.

Pulling the blanket over her head she tiredly grumbled, “What?”

Gritting her teeth together, Namjoo hissed a through her teeth. “I told you not to talk to the reporters. And what did you go and do? You talked to them! Why can’t you just listen to me! I’ve never asked you anything before, and you couldn’t even do this!”

Lowering the blanket, Hee sat up to look at her, “Well, what’s wrong with that? All I said was the truth and the guy loved it.” Shrugging, “What’s wrong with that?”

“What’s wrong?!” Namjoo repeated bewildered. Dropping to her knees, she took a hold of Hee’s shoulders, shook the woman wishing she was actually shaking the living daylights out of her. “You lied! You made me a liar! Do you know how many people will be trying to shred this story apart? People will be questioning me, they’ll be watching us!”

Hee flung her hands off her, “If I lied, then you’ve always been a liar.”

Namjoo opened to retaliate but no words escaped.

“So you only care about yourself now that you're some celebrity?” Hee huffed. “What’s good for you and what’s not good for you? You barely spend time with me anymore. You’ve gotta run here and you’ve gotta run there. You can’t do ‘this’ or ‘that’ because you have a job now. I’m the one left behind in the dust. I should be complaining!”

Namjoo clenched her jaw.

“You only want to make yourself look good out there,” Hee blamed, “you don’t care about nothing else. It’s all you these days. You’re the one whose been lying and you have the galls to call me out.” looking around, “Where’s that man of yours? He didn’t come?”

Snatching the blanket Namjoo flung it up and down because her efforts coming had turned meaningless. Letting out a shout of frustration she glared at Hee then stood. “If you talk to the reporters one more time, don’t come home anymore!”

She stepped out slamming the door after her. A second later she pitifully buried her face into her hand. God, that had been immature of her.

₪₪₪₪₪

In the matter of a night Namjoo disappeared off the earth’s surface. Jongin couldn’t find her wherever he went. No one answered the door at her home, she wasn’t at the café, and she wasn’t with Minseok – the last person he talked with out of desperation. The script was being modified at every step he took. All scenes including Namjoo today were wiped off the slate. Trouble loomed on set and even worse, Hyunki wanted a word with them first thing in the morning.

Forced back to the studio for urgent filming, Jongin went back. Recording continued without break because they were in a dire situation. Episodes 3 and 4 needed to go in for editing before being released for its timeslot the following week. And there wasn’t much time to squeeze in all the required scenes. Plus, without their female lead the script was filled with plot holes.

“Namjoo didn’t reply yet?” Taehyung wondered mid-afternoon.

Jongin was irritated and frustrated with anybody that attempted a conversation about her. He didn’t bother replying.

“I left her a voicemail,” Taehyung said.

“Look,” Jongin finally turned to him after rubbing his forehead, “unless you got a hold of Namjoo, then I really don’t want to talk to you right now.”

“I last talked to her last night.” He admitted.

This caught Jongin’s attention.

“I apologized for using her.”

Now shifting to face him, “You what?”

Guiltily looking away Taehyung continued, “For intentionally approaching her, for always mentioning Naeun, so that once she realized you cared about her more Namjoo would let you go.”

Aggressively snatching Taehyung’s collar Jongin almost spat in his face if not for the heads turning curiously. Immediately releasing Taehyung because tabloids about them fighting would only add another layer to Namjoo’s issues, Jongin let him go. Brushing Taehyung’s shirt Jongin smiled and turned away, his lips flat lining bitterly as he walked off.

At 1AM the crew decided to call the day off. Hot headed, Jongin glared out the window as Chanyeol quietly drove down the road.

“Will you just be going home?” Chanyeol asked, glancing at the star through the rearview mirror.

Jongin was taxed from being in such a bad mood he had no energy left to answer.

“If I drop you off, you’ll make it to filming tomorrow, right?” Chanyeol said. “Promise me you’ll go to work.”

He didn’t reply. Chanyeol parked the car and glanced back, “We’re here.”

Jongin glanced out the window. They weren’t anywhere near his house. This was across the road from Namjoo’s.

“You seriously…” he started but Chanyeol cut him off. “Don’t waste gas by coming here an hour later. Lets care about the environment, shall we?”

Rolling his eyes, Jongin stepped out of the car. Chanyeol drove off as he crossed the road. Finally reaching the small home he knocked and waited. Still, no one came to the door. One glance at his watch. It was still one in the morning and Namjoo wasn’t back yet? Where had she disappeared to?

Leaning back against the door he waited. He would stubbornly wait if she refused to open the door. Two could play a game.

An hour later he scrambled to his feet after his tired legs gave out and he sat down. Car lights from across the road announced a person’s presence. Jongin waited, listened to Namjoo climb out of the car with bags dangling off her arms. When the cab veered off she walked toward him.

“Where’ve you been?” he questioned as she passed.

“I was shopping.” Opening the door, she stepped in. Jongin hurried in after her and giving the new lock a tap to securely close it.

He watched her place what looked like a trillion bags down onto the kitchen table.

“Where did you get all this stuff?” Jongin went through the bags recognizing products that were rarely sold in the city. “You went out of town.”

“Are you hungry?” she absentmindedly asked opening the fridge to stuff the new things inside.

“I missed you,” he said.

“I bought fried fish, have some leftover dumplings, and fried rice,” Namjoo stared into the fridge.

Crossing the table, he shut the fridge, and pinned her to the counter wrapping hands around her face to kiss her. She was warm. She was alive. She was here.

Jongin nipped and tenderly , felt her grip his arms and tilt her head up for him. Inhaling he moved away, repeating, “I said I missed you.”

Blinking but still cradling his arms, she asked, “Am I in trouble?”

“Yes.”

Sighing, she wriggled free and sat down at the nearest chair.

“So where’d you go?” he asked.

“To find Hee.”

“And?”

“Nothing,” Namjoo mumbled. “Nothing happened. I achieved nothing. Blow my head off if you want.”

“If I kill you then I’d have nothing,” he said.

“Jongin, please,” she looked at him not amused. “And what the hell are you doing here?”

“Well,” he gazed into the living room, “I’m going to spend the night here.”

An expression of bewilderment shot across her face. “I’m not that into you.”

“But I’m that into you,” he smirked. “And we just kissed. And I liked it.”

Namjoo rolled her eyes.

“You’re fun,” he commented. Pulling the chair beside her out he sat down. “So what’s for dinner?”

₪₪₪₪₪

Jongin ended up staying the night but they didn’t sleep together. He was in the other room outside her door sleeping, again, on the couch. She hadn’t expected to see him, but he was here making moves again. Now her mind was crossed once more with a bundle of thoughts. None of it was helping her.

She didn’t want to be branded a liar, but she was already a liar. She was basically lying to everyone that she was Jongin’s sweet mate. This relationship with him was the basic foundation of all her lies. Everything that happened was all about her. The news, the articles, and how they impacted how others saw her.

It was all about her.

Just as it had been all about Jongin from the beginning.

Being his girlfriend was starting to become everything. It was owning her life.

What did that make her?

What would developing feelings make her?

₪₪₪₪₪

Guiltily crossing hands behind her back, Namjoo tried not to tap her foot against the floor. It was hard making eye contact with Bae Hyunki so early in the morning. They hadn’t been invited to sit. Instead, they stood in front of her large desk like students about to be reprimanded.

Entwined hands under her chin she peered up at her, “Give me one good explanation about why you disappeared yesterday.”

Lips pressed together, Namjoo fought for thought.

“She needed a break, if you can go easy on her, since she’s new…” Jongin tried on her behalf.

“I was talking to her,” Hyunki snapped. “So, Namjoo, why?”

What would she say? That she’d gone to find her birth mother to scold her for not listening?

Heaving a deplored sigh, Bae Hyunki put her hands down, “I know all these reports must be frustrating you, but I’ve told you to meet with reporters once I schedule for it. So how did this leak? Who is this woman that talked to them?”

Namjoo’s heart rate quadrupled. What was she supposed to say about Hee? Would lying now make it ok for her later? What if lying now blew up in her face in a few weeks?

“Namjoo,” the CEO demanded.

Once she started lying, the truth was harder to tell. It had always been that way. Hee is my sister, Hee is my elder cousin, Hee is a friend, Hee is a young aunt from another city. Namjoo had never told the truth. It had sunk into her life, it was a reflex to tell it that way. That Hee was not her mother.

Starting now would just be the same. Hee is my sister.

Namjoo was ashamed.

“She’s someone like an older sister,” Namjoo quietly said.

“So it’s true?” Hyunki raised her brows. “You don’t have parents?”

God, she hated this.

Closing her eyes to inhale a breath she nodded, “I don’t have parents.”

***Namjoo is realizing she lives a double life and there are a lot of lies underneath it but she can't tell the truth. Oh it will come to bite her later