Orchids, A Charmer, and Soojung's Harsh Truth
Awkward (HIATUS - until Mountain Rose finishes)Am I strange for still being afraid?
Am I different from the world?
My father was right. I’m weak.
“With the first stage complete,” Chen said into the microphone, “The girls will be working on creating their photoshoot concept, which will be carried out after lunch.”
“That’s right, Chen,” Xiumin said with a grin, despite it being a hot day outside the studio, “Each group will present their best group and individual pictures for the judgement round. The girls will also be nominating the best and worst candidate, which will result in the first elimination of The Princess Games. We will see you after the break.”
“…and cut!”
Chen slumped. “It’s hot,” he whined, “Why do we have to film outside?”
PD Kim, decked out in sunglasses and fanning herself vigorously, sent him a look. “You’re not the only one here sweating in the sun!” she barked, making him shrink back slightly, “Aigoo, you call yourself a man when you can’t even handle a little heat, seriously!”
She strode towards the trailer specially for the crew, noticing how Xiumin fell into step next to her.
“How are things going in there?” she asked, “Any more problematic interactions?”
“Doesn’t seem like it. So far, so good,” he replied, “Why? Are you expecting any?”
She stopped walking abruptly, making him look over at her in confusion.
She gave him a look. “There is something…bigger at play here.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
She took a long, drawn out breath, as if to initially share her thoughts with him, until she realized that she wasn’t supposed to say anything. “Nothing,” she said, before resuming her purposeful stride towards the trailer.
Xiumin reached for her hand. “Taeyeon-”
She smacked it away, cutting him with a look.
His hand fell back to his side, as if he hadn’t held her hand in the first place. “Are you sure it’s nothing?” he asked, not dwelling on the gesture.
She knew what he was asking.
She knew it was easy to just lapse into old times if she ever decided to say no, I’m tired and anxious and I don’t know what to do.
Her lips pressed tightly, Taeyeon gave a curt nod. “I’m fine,” she said, entering the trailer and shut the door behind her, leaning against it as she let out a long exhale.
Little did she know that, right outside, Xiumin was leaning his forehead on the other side of the door as he, too, let out a long sigh.
“…she was so scandalized, you should have seen her face when I walked out in that!” Soojung said, to the laughter and amusement of the girls, “I told her, ‘But you said we could dress up in whatever we want!’ and I swear, I think her life flashed before her eyes.”
Kyungri raised her glass of iced tea. “Now this is a bold young woman!” she said, to cheers, “Soojung, I like you already!”
Sun Young watched as her friend commanded the attention of her teammates, a small smile on her face. Earlier, Kyungri had suggested Soojung and her come along with them for lunch, and Sun Young was slightly worried that her friend would feel a bit shy around her team, but it seemed that with their shared love for fashion – Soojung was in a fashion course in university, after all – they took to each other easily and were chatting like old friends in no time.
Sun Young got up. “Let me bring those trays back,” she said, reaching for the tray filled with empty plates, “Would you guys like dessert?”
Rana shook her head vigorously. “We’d love to, but we’re on a diet,” she said despondently.
“There’s a photoshoot coming up,” Jaekyung said, “Swimsuit shoot.”
The models sighed.
Soojung turned to her. “Can you ask Mrs Hwang for the jellies? She makes really good ones.”
“Sure,” she said, taking the tray towards the main food counter, passing it towards the staff.
“Ahem.”
She turned. “Mrs Hwang, there you are! I was about to ask you for some jelly-”
Hwang’s perpetually annoyed twist of her lips contrasted against the pink gingham print of her apron. “You’re not a staff, why are you taking your dirty plates here?” she asked, sounding annoyed.
Sun Young smiled at the elderly woman affectionately. God, I miss her quips. “It’s nothing, really,” she said, “If I can help, I’m happy to.”
“GET THIS GIRL SOME JELLIES!”
Sun Young jumped, startled, and noticed what the elderly lady was holding: a little vase of deep purple orchids.
“That looks beautiful,” she pointed, “Did you just buy them?”
Mrs Hwang placed the vase at the counter. “One of my customers is from Jeju Island,” she said, “Why? Are you going to tell me the meaning?”
“I was actually about to ask you if you knew.”
“I don’t. What does it mean, then?”
“Well, the meanings usually differ among the different colors,” Sun Young said, “Purple ones signify respect and admiration, due to the royal purple shade.”
“Ahem. I see.”
“Your customer must really care for you.”
“Of course she does. She comes here whenever she comes to Seoul to visit her grandchildren.”
The customers at the nearest table got up, bowing in thanks as they left the restaurant. Sun Young made a move towards it, reaching to help gather the plates and cups together.
Mrs Hwang took the plates away, shooing her off. “Go back to your table girlie, I don’t want to see you clearing any plates,” she huffed, “I don’t need any help.”
“I’m trying to help you,” she said with a shrug.
“Ahem,” came the response, “Are you mocking an old lady?”
Sun Young’s eyes widened, shaking her head. “No, I’m not!”
“Thank goodness. I can’t have my Zitao hanging around girls who underestimate his grandmother. There is a reason the term is grandmother, you know.”
“Oh, god, Mrs Hwang, not again-”
“Have you ensnared the unfortunate boy yet?”
“Who, Zitao?”
Mrs Hwang smacked her shoulder, making her jump. “I mean the reality show, why would you want to ensnare my grandson?” she asked, before giving a sly look, “So you do want to ensnare my grandson, hmm? What a thought.”
“Mrs Hwang, could you lower your voice-”
“Have you ensnared the TV boy, or haven’t you?”
“Of course not!” she protested, suddenly imagining Chanyeol trapped in a net, “It’s only been what, a week, at most?”
The elderly woman let out an amused cackle, shuffling away. “The show isn’t on TV yet,” she said, by way of explaining, “How would I know?”
“You can’t make someone fall in love with you for a week, Mrs Hwang.”
“Believe it or not, I did,” came the reply, “Made my husband hang on for three years before we got married. When he died, I was disappointed at how short his life was, and to think he spent three years of it pining over me.”
Sun Young grimaced. “That’s a not so nice way of putting it.”
“Men are like fishes,” Mrs Hwang said, just as a staff brought a plate of cocktail jelly, “You catch one, you see whether he wants to hold on, and then you pull them up and toss them into the fire.”
Sun Young shuddered, taking the plate of jelly.
Talk about brutal. “That sounds straight up savage.”
“Don’t be like your beloved Miss Jung. She believes in true love too much, it prevents her from realizing that the kind of man she dreams of will never exist,” Mrs Hwang said, “Now, shoo, let me do my work.”
“Thanks, Mrs Hwang,” she said, walking back to the table, “Here you go, Soojung.”
“Thanks, unnie!”
As Sun Young sat down, Sojin turned to her.
“So you’ve never been with a guy in your life?”
“Um, what?”
“Nope, not at all,” Soojung answered, giggling, “Unnie’s been a lonely soul for as long as I remember.”
“Did you ever go on dates and stuff?” Kyungri asked.
“No,” Sun Young said, confused, “Why are we suddenly talking about dating?”
“Because it’s fun!” Rana said, “Man, I remember the last guy I dated. Was a dreamboat.”
The other girls laughed. “That’s not what you said when you saw the other dude behind his back,” Sojin snickered, making Rana laugh.
“Okay, okay, I admit, I wasn’t such an innocent,” came the reply.
Soojung suddenly gasped. “I can relate,” she said, to Sun Young’s shock, “I mean, not me, of course. Someone I know.”
“Yeah, sure, Soojung.”
“It’s obviously not you.”
“I swear, it’s someone I know,” Soojung insisted, meeting Sun Young’s eyes.
In that moment, she knew exactly who her friend was talking about.
Yixing.
“Well,” Kyungri said, “Whoever it is, there’s something dangerous about two-timing. You should stay away from those kind of people.”
Rana pouted. “Are you telling her to stay away from me, then?”
Kyungri sipped her drink, grinning. “Yes,” she said playfully, as they laughed.
Soojung sighed. “I’ll try, but I can’t say for sure,” she said with a shrug, as Sun Young’s lips pressed into a thin line.
I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
“You don’t have to come for lunch,” Chanyeol muttered into the phone as he stood in the middle of the flower shop set, “We can have lunch some other time.”
Baekhyun chuckled at the other end of the line. “Let me guess,” he said, “She didn’t say yes?”
Chanyeol sighed, reaching out to take a stargazer in his hand. “I hate this feeling,” he murmured, before putting it back, “I want to suffocate at how awkward it feels when we’re in the same room.”
“Don’t be so dramatic, I’m sure she feels it too.”
“That’s the thing, Baek,” he insisted, “She looks fine. I’m the one suffering. You know what happened just now?”
“What?”
He was about to reply when he noticed someone walking into the room. “I’ll call you back,” he quickly said, turning off the phone call despite his friend’s protests.
The dark figure walked closer to the set, and Chanyeol raised a hand in greeting when he realized it was Heechul.
“Sorry to interrupt your call,” the man said affably, walking around the large cameras, “Su-ji left her phone when she went out for lunch and asked me to keep it for her.”
“Oh, sure, sure, go ahead,” Chanyeol replied, wondering why the latter needed to tell him that.
Heechul was humming something as he went around the wires. “Honestly, how does one leave anywhere without their handphone?” he commented, giving him a grin. “Women, huh.”
Chanyeol swallowed, turning back to the flowers. “Yeah,” he murmured, touching the soft pink petals, “Women.”
I can write a whole list of women whose purpose in life is to make me confused.
Let’s start with Sun Young, followed by my mother.
“How’s your experience with everyone so far?” Heechul asked, moving things around, “Any particular person you fancy?”
“Not at all,” came the polite reply, “I can’t be biased.”
Heechul chuckled. “I must be horrible, having a favorite already when I’ve only met them today,” he said casually, before letting out a triumphant gasp. “There you are, you pesky little thing.”
He has a favorite already?
Chanyeol turned back to see the Head Stylist walk towards the platform. “You’re not heading out for lunch?”
“Well, my wife was supposed to go with me,” he said, “But something came up, so I’m having lunch with my brother-in-law instead. He’s coming with food, so I won’t have to leave the studio.”
He raised an eyebrow. “That’s kind of him,” he commented, suddenly thinking of his future brother-in-law.
I should tell him to step up his game and send me food.
As a joke, of course.
Yixing is a good guy. My sister made a good choice.
“Yeah, my in-laws are great,” Heechul replied, just as a phone started to ring. “That will be my phone,” the stylist said, stuffing Su-Ji’s phone into his pocket while taking out another from his blazer. “Ah, speak of the devil! Give me a moment, yeah, Mr. Park.”
Chanyeol nodded. He began to walk around, busying himself with the flowers, picking some randomly to bring to his nose. For a moment, he could see himself walking inside Sun Young’s flower shop again, back during the days he was unaware that she had been Baekhyun’s savior.
He wished they hadn’t have met sometimes; maybe it would have been so much easier if he had been introduced to her through Manager Han.
This is my daughter, she would say, presenting Sun Young.
They would bow to each other, and he would have nodded in acknowledgement.
Nice to meet you, he would say.
Nice to meet you too, she would say.
He would have thought, what a nice girl. She comes to fetch her mother from work.
She would have probably thought, what a nice director. My mother is in good hands.
And it would have ended there, with nothing else. No flower shenanigans, no animosity, no awkward silences and no tense moments.
It would have just been Sun Young, his employee’s daughter, and he was her mother’s employer.
Heechul huffed, hopping off the platform. “Where are you, you said you’ll be here like five minutes ago! You’re already here? Where? I’m at the third hall…yeah, behind the office rooms…sure, we can eat at my office, there’s extra chairs…yeah, see ya,” he said, before turning to Chanyeol, “Are you going to go out for lunch, Mr. Park?”
He looked up and shook his head. “I’m still quite full from breakfast,” he said graciously, “Please, go on without me.”
“Oh, no, no, no, I must insist. My brother-in-law said he brought extra, but Su-Ji and Jiyong aren’t here, and he had given some to the staffs too,” Heechul said, “Join us, please, I can’t have anyone not share.”
“If both of you are alright with it…”
“Of course we are,” Heechul said, just as the door opened, “There he is!”
Chanyeol got off the platform just as Ryeowook entered, holding up bags of food in his hands.
He stopped walking.
The equestrian hadn’t noticed him at first. “I must have startled the security, walking in with five buckets of chicken,” he was saying, before the smile disappeared from his face, replaced by a surprised expression.
Heechul clapped his hands. “This is my brother-in-law, Kim Ryeowook,” he introduced to Chanyeol, about to reply when he was interrupted.
“Mr Kim,” the hotel director said calmly, giving a bow.
The man in question smiled, his lips turning upwards at the corner into a smirk. “Ah, Chanyeol, what a surprise! We meet once again,” he returned.
Heechul glanced between them. “Oh, you know each other already?”
“Oh, we’re very much acquainted,” Ryeowook said, never taking his eyes off the former, “We saw each other at the equestrian club just yesterday, and had a quick chat, didn’t we?”
Chanyeol glanced at Heechul, a polite smile on his face as he faced his adversary once more, his insides tense. “Yes we did. It’s nice to see you again.”
“How kind of you, Chanyeol,” Ryeowook said with a chuckle, the light and airy sounding grating to the director’s ears. “Will you do the pleasure of joining us for lunch? Since you’re here.”
“I’ve asked him to join us earlier, since he won’t be leaving the studio,” Heechul answered, and Chanyeol remained stoic, putting on a smile that would have made everyone in the world but Ryeowook think was sincere.
“I’m thankful for your offer,” he said, gesturing towards the door, “Is there a place we can eat at?”
“No worries!” Heechul exclaimed, “Hmm, my office is just down the hall, let’s head there. Here, let me take some off your hands.”
Chanyeol stepped forward. “Allow me,” he offered, and before Ryeowook could reply, he had taken the plastic bags of food.
“How kind of you,” the man in red said, and once more, and Chanyeol shut his eyes, hearing the triumph in the former’s voice.
I have a bad feeling about this.
But let’s just go with it.
As long as he doesn’t stay long enough and sees Sun Young, I’m fine.
“Such a gentleman,” Ryeowook commented, his snark all too evident in his simpering tone.
Chanyeol gritted his teeth.
For the first time, he wished that he was surrounded by the girls.
“They told us we can choose to go back home instead of staying at the hotel full-time after Episode 5,” Sun Young said, glancing at the others as they walked up to the studio entrance.
Soojung grinned. “You sound ready to leave,” she sniggered.
“Shh, not too loud,” she said, elbowing her friend, “Of course I’m ready to leave. I miss my bed.”
“Dude, stop. You’re living in luxury, and that is what you say? That’s stupid.”
“Okay, I could use the facilities. Not so much the whole segregation-into-cliques thing.”
“Don’t forget the part about snagging your mom’s boss.”
Sun Young groaned, shoving her friend. “Don’t get me started,” she muttered, “He looked like he was going to interrogate me just now, he looked so mad.”
“Why would he suddenly get mad at you, unnie, come on.”
“That’s the thing! Never mind. He’s just…weird.”
“But cute,” Soojung prompted, earning another shove. “Hey! He was so shy when he asked you to have lunch with him. He even asked you to ask the rest, unnie. If a guy asks you to invite your friends, it means he doesn’t want you to feel awkward.”
“Hush. I’ll stay lowkey and try not to start another stupid fight by being chummy with him.”
“I ship it. The height difference is just…whoa, but I ship it.”
Sun Young massaged her temples. “Soojung,” she groaned, before brightening, “Hey, we have some downtime before tonight’s activities today.”
“That sudden change in topic, though,” she said with a smirk.
“I’m being serious,” Sun Young groaned, “Maybe I could come to the flower shop in the evening, after today’s filming.”
“What for?”
“I could just chat with you guys before heading back to the hotel,” she said, “I haven’t seen your sister, and Jongin, in a long time. Literally since the competition started.”
“Uh-uh. Not today,” Soojung said.
“Why not?”
“My sister’s going to her friend’s house for dinner. Also, Yixing is coming to pick me up after work,” came the reply, as they entered the studio, “So I’ll be going back with him.”
Sun Young stopped walking, her previous smile turning into a disapproving frown.
Her friend noticed and turned, rolling her eyes. “What is with that look?”
“What look?”
“That look. The one you were giving back at the restaurant.”
Sun Young sighed. “You have to stop this, Soojung. You heard what your sister said.”
She sighed tiredly. “We’ve been through this. I tried, okay? Some things are just too complicated to solve immediately,” she insisted, “Remember when I first told you about him. You used to tell me you were happy for me!”
“That was before I knew he had a fiancée. Soojung, don’t you find it weird? If you keep this up, you’re going to be the mistress hiding behind his wife’s back!”
And not to mention the fact that his wife is Park Yoora, literally a family friend.
Soojung rolled her eyes again. “Look, I’m trying to cut off ties with him, okay?” she drawled, “I’ll tell him one of these days. Gosh, I don’t even know why you and unnie are so uptight about this. It’s not even-”
“You know it’s not right,” Sun Young interrupted, “But you did it anyway. Just because he gave you lots of gifts and money, which you and I both know is the real reason you are still holding onto this relationship. You’re not really that in love with him.”
Rebut me on that. Tell me you love him.
Her friend didn’t say anything. Which probably meant that she was right.
Sun Young ran a hand through her hair, trying to ease the discomfortunnie that had been gnawing at her since earlier at the restaurant. “Whatever it is,” she said gravely, “It needs to stop. It’s not fair to his fiancée.”
Soojung frowned. “Well, considering she’s a boring girl he’s forced to marry,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, “I’d say it’s not fair to him. You know these chaebol girls-”
She paused, noticing the look of pure shock on her friend’s face. “What?”
Sun Young’s features were dark. “Is that what he told you?” she asked softly, “You better ask him again. No, wait. You know what? Don’t ask him. I can vouch for his fiancée myself.”
Soojung looked wary. “Why are you suddenly looking like that?” she asked, nervously fiddling with the hem of her blouse, “What do you mean, vouch for his fiancée?”
Yoora is a lot of things. Charming, diplomatic, warm, selfless and understanding.
But boring?
Yoora? Boring?
She scoffed. “Him and his…’boring’…fiancée are college sweethearts,” she said, “How dare he say Yoora is boring? I dare him to say that again.”
“Wait. Yoora? Isn’t that the Park CEO’s daughter who helped you and your mom that time-” she stopped, inhaling a gasp when Sun Young nodded.
“Yes. It’s Chanyeol’s sister.”
Soojung’s mouth dropped open.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!”
“It was nice to see you again, Chanyeol,” Ryeowook said, as he and the hotel director stood outside Heechul’s office. The Head Stylist was talking to his secretary, and they were waiting for him to send Ryeowook off, which was, in Chanyeol’s honest opinion, a bit unnecessary. “I must say, I hope you enjoy all the frills and joys of being a reality TV Prince Charming. I’m sure you can pull it off.”
Chanyeol suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. “Thank you for your well wishes, Mr. Kim,” he said, because at the end of the day, even if the equestrian thought he could say his name so easily, he sure as hell wasn’t going to call him hyung.
“Oh, it was a joke, actually. Do you really see yourself as a reality TV Prince Charming?” Ryeowook pretended to ask in surprise, before proceeding to chuckle. “How…adorable.”
Chanyeol’s self-control faltered for a moment as he contemplated calling the latter out for his sarcasm, but he stopped himself at the last minute because Heechul appeared, closing the door behind him as he exited his office.
Oblivious to the clearly warring feelings of the two men before him, he beamed as he led them down the corridor towards the lobby.
Chanyeol spotted Sun Young without even thinking of her, speaking to the flower shop set girl – come to think of it, the more he pondered, the more he was convinced that the girl had been in the flower shop the morning he and Baekhyun had gone looking for Sun Young. She seemed familiar to him somehow.
Coincidence? Maybe.
Both girls looked up as they entered the lobby, and he caught a glimpse of Sun Young’s expression – dark and disturbed. She murmured something to her friend, who was staring at him most curiously as if she were looking at him for the first time.
He glanced back at Sun Young, only to see her light up as she spotted Ryeowook, fluttering over to him like a hummingbird to a flower.
He swallowed the lump in his throat.
While Chanyeol was alone in his thoughts, Sun Young, too, was lost in hers.
Soojung sidled up to her. “I’m gonna go to the studio first,” she whispered, and before she could protest, her friend was gone, bowing quickly to present company, before hurrying off.
She glanced past her friend at the three men who had entered.
Or, more specifically, the one in red.
A little gasp fluttered out her lips as she brightened, current issue of Yixing forgotten for a moment as she recognized the equestrian from the club yesterday.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, surprised, “It’s you!”
What is his name again?
Ryeowook!
The dreamy-looking equestrian.
He looked equally surprised, his expression looking confused at her exclamation, before recognition dawned on him.
He smiled, raising a hand in greeting.
Sun Young tried her best to not seem too embarrassed – she felt like a deer in headlights as she chuckled nervously – and she bowed, quickly trying to seem composed.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes, my dear Sun Young,” Ryeowook commented, returning the bow as she let out a little gasp.
“You remembered my name,” she said back, flattered; here he was, talking to her like they were old friends.
“Of course,” he said, “It only happened yesterday.”
Memories of her on Cinnamon yesterday, from the near-death experience to her rescue, flitted through her mind.
She smiled, slightly embarrassed.
“Right.”
“Nonetheless, I don’t think I can ever let it slip out of my mind.”
Chanyeol rolled his eyes, an action that immediately earned him a sharp look from Sun Young.
She regarded Ryeowook like she hadn’t just glared at the man behind him. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or-”
“Of course it is,” came the smooth reply, “Why would I insult someone I admire?”
Admire?
She didn’t know what to say to something like that.
Heechul laughed. “I didn’t know you knew everyone,” he commented, glancing at her, “He’s my brother-in-law.”
Sun Young’s eyebrows rose. “Oh,” she murmured, “Wow. Small world.”
Ryeowook chuckled. “Indeed. Which is a wonderful thing, since I get to bump into you. I must say, seeing you again has been one of the things on my list; you’re that difficult to forget,” he said, an easygoing smile on his face that belied his sincerity.
Despite the lighthearted tone, she felt herself blush, unable to form a proper reply that wouldn’t give away the fluttery feelings she felt within.
“Thank you,” was all she said, because that was the only thing she could bring herself to say that wouldn’t so
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