Jongin groaned and about kicked the door but thought about it and decided not to. Turning around he started into the street, but paused to look around cautiously. That was when he caught sight of a vehicle parked nearby. Windows were heavily tinted so he couldn’t tell who was inside.

“Hey!” Jongin shouted running forward. With quick instincts, the driver immediately drove off leaving him in the dust. “Ah…!” Jongin kicked the concrete. He turned around to stare at Namjoo’s house wishing she’d move quickly. People were stalking her daily and she hadn’t even realized it.

“What took you so long?” Chanyeol wondered in the driver’s seat, legs extended over into the passenger’s chair. He was playing a game on his phone.

Shutting the door after him Jongin dropped into his seat. “Just drive. I’m so annoyed.”

₪₪₪₪₪

Namjoo was determined to keep this drama script. It was going to be hers and it didn’t matter whether she became the star of it or not. She just needed money to last another year and then she’d be able to get a new home and get away from her weary life in Seoul. Being Kai’s girlfriend didn’t seem like a difficult task. They just had to appear lovey-dovey in public and once they were behind closed doors she had nothing to do with him. He must hate her for this but she didn’t care. In this world, she learned that one only had to care for oneself in order to live. It was animal instinct.

“Hey! Are you crazy?!” Hee scolded her later. “Why’d you tell him to leave?!”

“You think he’d eat something as petty as pork belly?” Namjoo pointed the spatula in hand toward the meat grilling on the table. “He’s a top star, Hee.”

Even though the woman had thrown a great fit when she arrived back to a home empty of Kai they were still going to eat pork belly.

“Even he doesn’t drink the coffee I drink. It has to be specifically from Brazil in South America,” Namjoo lied. “He’s that picky.”

“That difficult?” Hee gullibly asked.

Namjoo nodded, “He’s awful. That’s why I said I’m not dating him.”

“It doesn’t make sense. Everyone is saying it,” Hee frowned. “Hey! You even said it in an interview.”

Crap. Namjoo didn’t think Hee who’d been busy partying would have time to look at that interview hidden deep in some magazine.

“Anyway,” Namjoo blinked numerous times flustered, “it’s not real. Just remember that.”

“But you did sleep with him?” Hee stared into her face.

Namjoo peered into her gaze. “I don’t know! Stop talking about it already! Go feed your hormones on other news.”

After lunch Namjoo went straight to her bedroom, did nothing but sat at her desk. Staring out the window she leaned face into her palm. At age of 14 Hee had caught her rolling in bed intensely making out with a 20-year-old boyfriend. Then a few months later she caught that same guy sleeping with Hee mid-afternoon when she returned home sick from school. Fun. She broke up with him, but he dated that woman for about a year. During that time Namjoo sometimes woke up to them arguing. Pots hurling back and forth, voices raised. Fights had been often, even in following relationships with men Hee got involved with.

Namjoo didn’t hate that woman though. That woman, Hee, birthed her. And Namjoo learned various valuable lessons from just watching her. Sometimes, Namjoo felt like she was that woman. That men were the source of life, what she revolved around. Then came the booze, the clubs, the parties. Nighttime was her time.

For the most part, Namjoo knew she wasn’t that woman. She wasn’t obsessed with men, partying, , or alcohol. At least she took some responsibility over her life. Bills she took care of and at least she was able to hold a job for a while if not for the long run. The biggest accomplishment: she’d graduated high school. She even liked to think she took after the father she never met or knew. And that gave her a sense of pride.

Namjoo was a girl who was neither popular or known as the pretty face in school. She was the no-name girl, average of average. A simpleton. Her life was messy but not too bad. The woman she lived with was a mess. Yet, Namjoo survived. She was perfectly normal. Sometimes sad but majority of the time she kept her spirit up. Her life could be worse, but it wasn’t. She was satisfied. That was all she knew about herself.

What kind of person was Kai?

Namjoo pondered over it. Arrogant, rude, and a jerk. Those three words seemed to sum him up perfectly. Nodding with a smug grin Namjoo pulled her laptop forward, turned it on, and went searching for one of his dramas.

₪₪₪₪₪

“What’s wrong with you?” Jongin grimaced when Namjoo boarded his car the next morning. She’d watched one of his dramas all night that she barely slept. Now her eyebags were drooping and dark.

She observed him, eyes roving up and down. With a scoff, “You’re so fake.”

Jongin snorted and rolled his eyes prepared to give her a piece of his mind. Mumbling, “I can’t believe you,” he threw a thick packet onto her lap. Without explaining he crossed his arms and leaned back into his chair, eyes closed with a warning, “Don’t talk to me.”

Namjoo hissed at him before grabbing the packet. It was another script. out of irritation she threw herself back into the seat then shifted onto her side so that her back was to him. She didn’t want to know what she had to memorize. Right now, she wanted to nap.

A few minutes later she was woken with a, “Wake up.” that sounded ill-mannered to her.

Irritated, she opened her eyes and realized the van had come to a stop. Scratching her head, she sat up and looked around. The door was closed. No one was inside with her. They’d left her. Mumbling underneath her breath she scooted forward to push the door open and found Jongin standing outside impatiently with arms crossed, like an angry child waiting for his mother who was late.

“We’re behind schedule thanks to you,” he pulled her hand.

“Ow! Jerk,” she loudly name-called.

He leaned in close to her, “Call me that one more time and I’m telling Hyunki you’re cancelling.”

Namjoo frowned upset. Why was he so against her clinging onto this job? It wasn’t like she was taking a fortune away from him.

“Come on, lovely,” he tugged her forward by the hand, “it’s time to get you pretty.”

Hearing that left an acidic taste in . The walked up the stairs into the second level beauty salon where a staff member greeted them courteously. Namjoo about gasped in awe. The staff here were formally dressed in black and white attire. The entire salon a house of sophistication. Floors beautifully waxed, the side window extending from floor to ceiling, plenty of mirrors and chairs prepared for customers. Makeup palettes, foundation, and brushes occupied counters underneath the mirrors. To the side Namjoo spotted hair straighteners and curlers. The yellow bulbs inside the ceiling lit dimly embracing the entire floor in coziness. It would have looked like a high-level house if not for the expensive machines buzzing around them.

“We’ve been waiting for you,” a woman dressed in her own attire different from her staff approached them giddily. Her face was round with weight, lips plump and red, eyes smiley. She clasped her hand together, “Oh my. How lovely you are.”

Namjoo glanced up at Jongin with a frown. He gave her no attention. Suddenly his hand was at her back and he pushed her forward, “Beautify her. She needs a lot of fixup.”

“She’s beautiful already, don’t say that,” the woman giggled and playfully hit his arm. Namjoo raised her brow. “Come this way.”

“What?” Namjoo glanced back at him. “What am I doing?”

He waved her off, “Just go.” She watched him walk off into the opposite direction and seat himself in front of the mirror.

“Over here,” the woman instructed.

Weirded, Namjoo walked toward her and sat in a chair in front of the mirror as instructed. As the woman began touching a powder and brush on the counter she said, “It must be so nice being able to date someone like Kai. He’s just so handsome. How did it happen?”

“No, not really…”

She cut her off with, “Close your eyes. You should put on some primer before the makeup. It’ll make your face glow.”

Something cold landed on her skin and the woman gently rubbed it over her face. Namjoo opened her eyes briefly before she was told to shut them again.

“He’s such a nice young man, you’re unbelievably lucky.” She went on as if talking to herself.

“I doubt luck is in the equation,” Namjoo quietly uttered.

“What was that?” she asked then went on, “He’s the sweetest gentleman you’ll ever meet. Don’t give up on him. Now, I hear you two haven’t been together for long. Trust me, all men are arrogant in the beginning but they’re such boys. I believe that no doubt he’s just like one underneath all that media portrayal of him.”

Eyes opening Namjoo observed the round woman. “Are you sure we’re talking about the same person?”

“Of course!” she nodded. “Now tilt your head back.”

The soft of the brush glided over her skin giving her goosebumps. “I really don’t think so.”

Stepping on the bar of the stool the woman lowered her and asked as she stepped back, “What do you think?”

Namjoo peered at herself in the mirror. Jaw nearly dropped. In just the matter of a few minutes her face was actually glowing and with color.

“Now, how would you like your hair? Curly? Straight? Wavy?”

Falling into disbelief Namjoo touched her face, leaning forward in her chair. “Wow,” she whispered. Turning to the woman with a beaming smile, “No one’s done this for me before.”

“Do you like it?”

“Yes!” Namjoo grinned. She would have never guessed that being styled by someone else made her feel even more beautiful than those pretty girls she had gone to school with. If only they saw her now.

Feeling better and more awake Namjoo headed down the hall to look for Jongin. He was currently reading a newspaper in the chair he earlier sat in and there was also someone with him busily styling his hair. He turned upon her approach. Namjoo coyly looked elsewhere as he looked her over.

“You look like a decent human being,” Jongin commented then ran his hand in front of his face, “and more awake.”

Namjoo turned to make a face at him. No matter how much he changed his appearance it wouldn’t be able to cover the ugly underneath. Crossing her arms Namjoo walked over to sit while waiting for him to finish because she didn’t know what else to do or where else to go. Then just a second after she sat down Jongin got to his feet, “Lets go.”

She imagined crushing him within her mind as she got up to follow him down the stairs. He’d intentionally done that to make her waste her energy sitting and standing.

The lower level was an entire mall itself. Hooks and hooks of dresses, suits, pants, shirts, shoes and literally, everything organized by type. There were even bras, , and men’s underwear. Namjoo gawked over everything, ran her hands over the nearest section of beautiful awards show dresses before Jongin called out, “Not there. Come over here.”

She sighed frustrated and turned around to stomp over to him. Could she not bathe in herself for one minute? One of the ladies working there was already attending to him. Noticing the dress hooked up on a dressing room door Namjoo looked at Jongin.

“That’s yours,” he told. “Hurry. We don’t have much time.”

Namjoo shuffled off toward the dressing room and stripped out of the nice clothes she’d chosen for the day. She had had no idea they were coming to a salon. If she knew she would have just wore something casual – maybe something Jongin would call rags. Namjoo laughed to herself as she pulled on the dress and looked at herself in the mirror. She was really pretty in a way she had never been before.

When she stepped out Jongin was waiting for her. And he was dressed elegantly in a black suit. Namjoo frowned almost bewildered by his behavior when he walked toward her and took her hand. She swore he had just exuded manliness. Siting her down in a chair he walked away and came back with a pair of pretty black heels.

“I can do it myself,” Namjoo pushed him back. “These are my own feet and I have my own hands.”

“For show, honey, it’s for show,” he smirked. Namjoo narrowed her eyes as she removed her hand from his shoulder and let him take her shoes off. Behind them the woman watching squealed. Another hurried to take a picture with her phone.

“Smart,” Namjoo commented quietly.

After putting her shoes on nicely for her Jongin grabbed her pair of sneakers and helped her up. Thanking the staff, he led her out of the building. Namjoo laughed out loud with disbelief as they headed toward his van, where Chanyeol waited for them from wherever he’d disappeared to. Opening the door for them, they entered. Namjoo pulled her hand out of Jongin’s the moment she sat down.

“Don’t complain, I don’t want to hear it,” Jongin warned.

“The press is already on site,” Chanyeol announced from upfront. “So are news stations.”

“She’s getting serious,” Jongin muttered.

“What does that mean?” Namjoo wondered.

“You wanted to get famous, well there you go,” Jongin glanced at her apparently unhappy. “Our relationship is about to be broadcasted nationwide.”

Jaw dropping, Namjoo gasped.

“Since you’re so desperate to pull through that drama,” Jongin bitterly instructed, “go through that script right now like your life hangs on it.”

Namjoo glanced down at the script that had landed on her lap earlier. She was sitting on it. Pulling it out from under her she flipped through it. “All this?!”

“What? Did you expect one or three lines?” Jongin asked clearly making fun of her. “A drama has fifty times more than that. So, are you ready to call it quit yet? You can still call Hyunki.”

“Well…I obviously know that.”

“Did you?” he asked with doubt.

“I’m not stupid, ok?” Namjoo turned to him. “Fine, I’ll memorize this piece of .”

“Watch your language.” Jongin warned but Chanyeol laughed amused which had Namjoo grinning.

“Don’t talk to me,” Namjoo said in spite and turned to focus all energy on the packet.

She knew, like anyone else, she wouldn’t be able to fully memorize everything typed down but she would still do her best to soak in the general of it. Besides, she knew well what would go down today minus the big press. She knew what it was about. Namjoo just had to play along and she was definitely good at playing along. If they wanted her to hold hands with Kai? She would hold his hand.

Half an hour later they arrived at the venue. A dozen reporters that hadn’t made it in were gathered outside. Peeking through the curtain Namjoo took a glimpse of the building the press was gathered in. Jongin pulled her back.

“Don’t get too excited,” he warned.

Namjoo narrowed her eyes at him and dropped into her seat while waiting for their signal to go in. Chanyeol had gone out to meet with Hyunki, tell her they were on site. News was going to make headlines, she had been informed by the CEO. Everyone would know her within a few hours. Her face would be everywhere.

At first, Namjoo had to admit, it just sounded exciting and she hadn’t been spellbound by it. But now was totally different. She was starting to get…what? Cold feet? No. She was getting anxious. Nervous. Everyone was here for Jongin, because of Jongin. But she? No one was here for her.

Namjoo hadn’t even told a friend about her appearance today. What would they think? Would they call her a traitor? Or would they use her in the future? Or perhaps, were they true friends who would support her?

She wasn’t entirely sure. Yet, Namjoo didn’t think this kind of feeling was foreign to her. She had been alone on many occasions, but then…Kim Hee, the mother who didn’t want to be known as her mother had been there through light and dark. And she understood. Always there for her. Always ready to spare a word to uplift her.

One reason why Namjoo couldn’t hate the woman regardless whether she wanted to deny their blood relationship.

Namjoo loved that woman despite all cold ends.

Should she have told Hee about today? Would she want to be here for her today?

Namjoo glanced down at her hands. She wasn’t one to usually experience palms sweating, but it felt like right now it was happening. For the first time, her palms were sweating. Unusual. Because today’s event was unusual.

Average. That was what she was. She wasn’t used to being known. Wasn’t familiar with being the pretty girl on the block every boy went after. Not funny. Unintelligent. Just normal. That was what Kim Namjoo was.

Never Kim Namjoo girlfriend of a widely-known celebrity, Kim Jongin also known as Kai.

She would make profit. She would get something out of this, Bae Hyunki promised her when she signed the contract. As long as she did a good job, upheld the hype of being Kai’s girlfriend, and agreed to perform in the drama as instructed she would get her money. But this life, she had been warned, was not her own. It would be the company’s. What she did, who she went out with was the company’s responsibility and it was her duty not to get caught. The moment anyone found out she and Kai were fake, Hyunki could sue her and the contract would be nullified.

The money?

Nada.

The van door opened and Chanyeol spoke, “They’re ready.”

Jongin stepped out without looking at her. The sunlight beamed down over him when he turned around to extend a hand. He resembled a knight in shining armor. Like the man he was supposed to be onscreen.

Was she ready for this life that would not be hers to own?

No.

Taking his hand Namjoo alighted from the car. The reporters outside moved in on them like hounds, cameras flashing, questions coming left and right. Arms spread out Chanyeol demanded space for them to move. Stubborn reporters.

They squeezed in for photos shoving her against the lanky manager and then toward Jongin. And then…they were in the building.

“This way,” Chanyeol led the way, his feet quick.

Namjoo huffed a breath and followed their lead. Then they reached the door that would lead her to the new world. The pause seemed to extend for a minute and then, Jongin laced his fingers through hers closing the gap between their palms, and pulled her in with him.

***Last update for the week! I'll be back next week! Thank you all for reading! =D