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Kyungsoo walks through the thin veil of the past. Same faces, unchanging characteristics, no awkward greetings yet many things are actually changes. No more commands to clear the location, no more NGs to retake, the Make Up Artists and the coordis are not seen running all around the place to fix the accessories and cake their actors’ face by more compact powder. It does not fit their situation now.

People will not see Ah Yeop PD-nim sitting and facing his monitor to direct the scenes. They will see him here, talking pleasantries and sharing stories with the other crews.  Three hours cannot even cover what three years have for this people. There are too many stories to tell and listened to.

Kyungsoo tunes in to the sounds surrounding him. The loud laughter, the never ending words, the exchanging tales, are mixed together and become a good ambiance to fill the spacious restaurant’s room they occupy. Once in a while he will shake his head to nonsense stories, chuckle on funny jokes, or become a quiet listener. Sometimes he also goes blank on the conversation and does not give reactions as if he is not in the room itself.

He sips some mouthfuls of his beer. The hot liquid runs down his throat is somewhat comforting. He glances at his watch discreetly. The device shows that the day is almost over, fifty four minutes to twelve.  However, it feels like the night is still young. People still talking excitedly among each other while digging on some dish from the plates. It is like a reunion or some get together people go to school get invited to, but with director, screenwriter, producer, actors, and crews as the participants.  

After three years of no communication and being drowned in their own jobs, the whole team of Miracles in December the Movie, has finally meet again. The controversial coming of age movie which brings the issue of mental, verbal even ual harassment experienced by orphans and the phenomena of children trafficking, was a real success. They got so many Awards on their hands and tons of compliment from Critics.

No one ever thought that the movie would gain the huge achievement seeing that it was not played by the A-list actors. The main actors, Kyungsoo and his partner, were just supporting characters in the previous movies they got on production with. They were the nugu actors. People did not recognize them. Besides, they also had to portray 15 years old teenagers while they each were 21 and 20 years old at that time.

Nonetheless, when the movie hit the theatres, it instantly secured the box office first position and stayed for about two months. The profit they earned could cover their production costs. They could also make a new movie from the money.    

Of course it was not the work of overnight magic. All of them, the director, screenwriter, producer, crews, and actors worked together for months to make it happen. Kyungsoo and his partner were not the exception. As the main characters, their chemistry was no joke. They successfully played their roles and it reached the audiences' hearts. Their role as orphans who were bullied, harassed and abandoned but always try to find a positive side from their broken life and stay together until they ran away from the place then struggled to survive made people shed tears.

As the popularity of the movie arose, so did their names. People started to know them and recognized them. They became the rising actors everyone anticipated. They also got their first Award from the movie.

It does not come as a shock too when people chose them as Couple of The Year.

Someone pats his right shoulder, bringing Kyungsoo to the present time.

“What were you thinking about, hyung? You looked like you were deep in thought,” Jhonny Lee, one of the supporting actor asks.

“Ah, nothing. Just reminiscing things,” Kyungsoo gives a lazy smile.

“Really? Was it a happy thing? You kept smiling,” Lee prods him to talk about it further.

“Did I?” Kyungsoo muses, “Maybe..”

“Eii hyung. How about now you share your stories with us?”

Kyungsoo shakes his head no, “There is nothing interesting happens in my life. It is so boring, it will send you to sleep.”

He does not lie. He really has a monotone, boring, repeated pattern of life. He works on his drama/movie/CF/ filming from early morning or after 9 a.m. if he is lucky till the drop dead of night, then goes back to his vacant apartment. If he has no schedules, he will visit his parents’ house or hang out with his friends. Earlier this year, Dispatch had given up on following him. They did not find any interesting and juicy stories to be revealed. When he indeed went afar, he went to an orphanage and became a one day volunteer. Not really worth the front page.  

He does not go to bars, night clubs, or any inappropriate places that call for scandal. He also has a good reputation before and after he becomes famous. People like him, not a bad word ever comes from their mouth about him, and no past scandals to be found. Even though he did not really ace his academic field when he was still in school, he had an outstanding points in social matters. He liked to help people, volunteered here and there when he could. It was like he has no flaw at all.

Netizens, from children till the old persons, all adore him. His great acting and his humble personality gets him the title of Nation’s First Love. He also becomes the precious jewel in the industry; many actresses and actors say that he is their ideal type and wants to either be his friend or be in relationship with him.

There are various Awards he gets in his six years of acting career. They are Best New Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Couple, and many more displayed on the glass shelf on the corner of his living room. Even so, he is still the Do Kyungsoo who is friendly and he never boast about his accomplishment.  

He also has this mysterious aura that intrigue people. His fans call him Almo-Kyung because however you see it you can never comprehend him. He can be all smiley then putting the blank look the next. He can be jumping in excitement like children who are given ice cream then staying still and not moving at all. When he has to describe himself in one of reality show, he says that he is actually an introvert person. He is very reserved and does want other to know much about him. He does not use SNS, only once in a while answering fans’ questions in his official fancafe. Who he is seeing, who is with him, with whom he spends his holiday, no one knows. His family and friends respect his private life and never spill a word to the public.

“Eii, does it make sense that you are doing nothing these past three years?” PD-nim jumps to the conversation.

Kyungsoo shakes his head no again, “I am not lying, PD-nim. My life is really boring. Also, isn’t tonight your night? You should be the one telling all of your stories, not me, PD-nim.”

PD-nim drink his soju in one shot then shakes his finger at Kyungsoo, “Don’t belittle yourself, Kyungsoo-ya. Let me tell you one thing. Everyone has a story they want to share, no matter how, if it means to them it also means to people that love him.”

“That’s right, Kyungsoo-ssi. C’mon, just tell anything. Maybe you can start by telling us who is your girlfriend now? Or boyfriend?” screenwriter Im Yoona bids while giggling.

All the crews suddenly shouting their agreement and urging Kyungsoo to tell them. Kyungsoo can only shake his head continuously while spitting ‘NO’ over their voice.

PD-nim cackles, “Just tell them Kyungsoo. I also want to hear it.”

Kyungsoo barely opens his mouth when PD-nim interrupts him, “These old eyes maybe have lost their ability to see things clearly yet I can see you peeking at your watch once in a while. If I don’t know you better, I will say that you want to leave this place.”

Kyungsoo quickly interjects, “No, PD-nim. It’s just..I am..eng..” waiting for someone “I want to go to the loo. Yeah..that’s it..loo..” Kyungsoo laughs awkwardly, giving the first reason comes to his mind.

PD-nim gives a boisterous laugh responding to his answer, “You don’t have to wait around searching for the right timing to excuse yourself, Kyungsoo ya. Just go and relieve yourself. Or you prefer to do it here? Then go on, do it..” PD-nim teases Kyungsoo.

“Ya, PD-nim! Can’t you see I am eating peacefully here, Aish..” Kang Yoomi, the coordi, puts down her spoon. She loses her appetite now thanks to the remark PD-nim makes. PD-nim only laughs harder.

Kyungsoo makes a beeline to the door now that he already said that he wants to go the loo. He will just wait outside then go back inside minutes later. He is going to open the door, when the door is suddenly opened from the other side. He hits his forehead on the surface and loses his footing when a hand steady him.

“Are you okay?”

This voice. Kyungsoo knows this voice.

Without seeing the person’s face, Kyungsoo hurriedly lets the hand fall from his arm and escapes from the room.

“Don’t worry, Sehun-ah. He just really have to be in the loo right now,” PD-nim explains to Sehun who still stands near the door.

Sehun only shrugs his shoulders then closes the door. The female crews are surrounding him in record time like bees around their honey. Some grab him, some hug him, some even pinch his cheeks.

PD-nim chuckles when he sees how Sehun is being bombarded by the females, “Ah, he always is popular among women.”

“Ya! Let him breath hey single old ladies!” Lee Changsun, the assistant editor shouts, pitying Sehun.

The women automatically change their target, which is Changsun now, but instead of hugging or pampering him, they hit him on the head. Hard.

Sehun lets a relief sigh when he is set free from the women then walks to the table where others sit. “I hope there is still something to eat. I am famished.”

“Of course, Sehun-ah. We leave enough for you,” Yoora says.

Sehun sits himself in the last available chair, right beside Kyungsoo’s. PD-nim in his left. “Thanks noona. Even though I know you are a big eater and want to ravish these by yourself. And, oh, do you gain weight, noona?” he teases Yoora on the other side of the table.

“Ya! You! If I knew you will be like this, I will just eat them all and let you starve,” Yoora folds her arms on her chest, mumbling ‘ungrateful brat’ over and over.

“Turn it down, you two. You always fight over nothing really when meeting each other,” PD-nim shakes his head then looks at Sehun, “And you, taller than before, I see,” he pats Sehun’s back.

“It’s not me that tall, it’s you who short, PD-nim,” Sehun remarks.

PD-nim pretends to be offended and want to hit Sehun, “Still have a lousy mouth, I see.”

Sehun manages to dodge from PD-nim’s hovering hand, “Wah PD-nim, it is included in harassment. You can be charged and thrown to jail. Do you want to spend the rest of your time there? O?” Sehun his eyebrow.

PD-nim shakes his finger at Sehun instead, then gives him a bottle of beer.

Meanwhile, Kyungsoo does not need a long time and he is back in the room. If they look closely at him, they will see that he walks slowly, with head low, and pale complexion. He really does not want to go back inside, but he does not want people to wonder about his whereabouts.

Kyungsoo falls into his seat slowly and quietly, hoping that the crews and the others are too busy talking with Sehun so no one realizes that he is back from the loo.

“Oh, Kyungsoo ya, you’re back.”

Well, now gone his hope.

Kyungsoo tilts his head, “Yes, Yoora noonim,” He answers meekly, willing himself to not look at his left where Sehun is sitting.

“Well, now that everyone is gathering here, let’s start the main event from tonight. Because, yes, we are not here to free load PD-nim only. He has some words to deliver,” Yoora says when the rest are seated now.

PD-nim stands, looks at the faces around him, then opens his mouth.

“First, I want to thank all of you who comes tonight. I know every one of you is busy, yet you still leave some time to meet this old man. I will just make it short. You already know why we are here by the way,” PD-nim stops for a while then continues, “I have been in this industry for 40 years. From just being an errand boy till I can be who I am today, a director. I am very grateful. Really. I can meet many people, many characteristics, many personalities, many faces. That’s why I want to thank all of you. Our hard work, our team work, all of it is the best memory for me. There are other movies I had the joy to make, but Miracles in December  will always has a special place in my heart. It changes the life for most of us here in this room. Who knows that a low budget film, doubted by people and expected to flop will gain success like it does. That the actors are now the A-list actors. No one knows. Yet we went through it all together, till now we are in our own road to more success. Even though for me, after this, I will end my career and retire, for you it’s still going. I will always hope the best for you. I will never forget you. I hope you will not forget this old man,” PD-nim chuckles, “Thank you for everything. My team.”

Applauses can be heard in the room. They all now standing together with PD-nim. Some have tears b in their eyes. The others freely crying their heart out.

Yoora is the first among them to embrace Ah Yeop, “I also had fun working with you, PD-nim.”

“I disagree. It has been a long time waiting for you to retire. I am tired of seeing your name in the credit,” Sehun bids PD-nim but his face shows the opposite of his words. He looks sad.

“You, come here,” PD-nim lets himself go from Yoora’s arms then open his to welcome Sehun.

Sehun may seems like he rather be dumped in dog’s poo then goes anywhere near the emotional old man, but then he hugs PD-nim tightly.

“Cut your act, I know you will be the one who misses me the most. My child has grown up, now. Thank you, Sehun-ah..” PD-nim pats Sehun’s back gently.

“No, I am the one who should thank you. If it is not because of you, I will not be where I am right now. I will miss you, PD-nim. Thank you.”

Sehun may be sassy, or rude or has a lousy mouth but he is really soft inside.

Sehun steps away from PD-nim then drops his arm on Kyungsoo’s shoulder. “Besides, if it’s not because of this film, I would not get those Awards. I even got one with Kyungsoo-ssi. Am I right, Kyungsoo-ssi?” Sehun his eyebrow at Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo pales more when Sehun’s arm now laying on his shoulder.

“Oh My God, you are right! Both of you even dubbed as Couple of the Year!” Haneul, one of the actresses, comments.

“Now that you mention it, they really were popular as couple back then. And..ya..Kyungsoo ya, why does your face is so pale? Are you sick? You look like someone who meets ghost. Or did you see one in the loo? Is the rumor true then that this place is haunted?” Yoora inquires.

Kyungsoo does not answer Yoora. Instead, he slowly looks at his left, at Sehun. Sehun smiles thinly at him and Kyungsoo knows even if Sehun is smiling at him, he is not really smiling.

He can feel the heat crawling from Sehun’s hand on his skin through his clothes. He cannot move his mouth and his head hurts. His heart beats faster that Kyungsoo can hear it clearly.The time stands still in his mind.

Even when Kyungsoo already knew days before that they might see each other tonight, Kyungsoo still reacts like this.

Yes people, he sees a ghost. The ghost who is part of his life history. Here. Arms around him. Looking at him with that eyes. Eyes that Kyungsoo can be drown anytime. Eyes that Kyungsoo always want to only look at him.

The thin veil of his past is broken.

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