May, 21, 2016

---

Jong Suk was sitting on a bench in the store they were filming. His head was bend down, his knees supporting his elbows. He was sighing and lifted his right hand to massage his neck a little bit.

It was the first week of shooting. He was still so insecure about everything. Kang Chul was not an easy character. Being stuck between being rich, strong, traumatize and fascinated but weirded out by a girl, all at the same time, was harder than he had thought, when he had gone the last time through the script he was following.

His head was so heavy already in this heat, it was hard to imagine, to continue shooting throughout this whole summer. He felt a little bit down.

Was he a looser? He was hearing the director talking a few meters away, and the light guy, as well as the microphone guy talking to each other.

Then suddenly- he recognized the feet he saw through his stare to the ground.

Han Hyo Joo.

He lifted his gaze and looked into her smiling face.

“You ok?” she asked and sat down right next to him. She wore her dress, as well as the beautiful earrings with flowers he liked so much. She was obviously done with doing her hair again and must have seen him here in his awfully-tormented looking state.

He was flushing a bit. He should get a grip, he told himself. She was already so professional…

“Yeah”, he answered and smiled widely. “Just so hot in here.” His voice sounded realistic, he told himself and was kind of proud.

She leaned back in her seat and placed her head on the backrest of the couch. He took the chance, as she closed her eyes and stared at her.

She was really beautiful. Especially her even plain skin, and her lips fascinated him. Why the hell was his heart beating so fast as soon as he was next to her?

She exhaled and leaned back forward again after half a minute “You’re right…” She said eventually, as he was already taken aback, from her sudden movement. “Just imagine we were somewhere really cold, do you, and then imagine how we are almost dying there, in the cold. And then jump here, into this warm place…” she said.

He stared at her again. This time because of what she had said. He felt better. Not even because of what she said, but because she was actually just trying to make him feel better. He could feel that in what she said...

“Better?”

“Better…” he said and laughed then. “But I think my hands are frozen now.” He was proud of how well he managed to cover his embarrassment. But then she took his left hand and rubbed over it. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you get away with a frostbite, as long as you’re with me.” She smiled, and he was biting his lips now.

He was so shocked by this sudden gesture, that he had a hard time to breathe with her hands touching his at the same time.

Then she let go… much too early.

After a few moments that they spent in a silence that was actually relaxing and calming for him, she got up and looked at him.

Expectantly he looked at her. She lay her head to the side and bend then down still a bit.

“You’re doing great. Just let him take over.”

“Kang Chul?”

“Yes… I swear, I wouldn’t lie. You are fantastic.” She looked at him and seemed a bit embarrassed over this sudden statement.

But he felt the truth in it, and he believed her. He felt it in his heart as she had said these words. She was right. He should just let him in. He would continue. Get better and better. Impress her, and the audience. Let Kang Chul have his story, and his love that he deserved.

It was not that hard to be in love with a girl like her, anyway.