“Of course a lot of fans were surprised. Your acting was so natural that some people are starting rumours, aren’t they?”

She smiled, suppressing the urge to scoff.

“I am an actress. It would be more concerning if I was not convincing, wouldn’t it? If nobody could believe that I was in love with a woman, I wouldn’t be doing my job.”

The interviewer smiled and nodded politely.

“Of course, of course. What about behind the scenes? Did the two of you get along?”

“Absolutely. We became quite close during the filming, which made it easy to become in love for the film.”

“How was that friendship like?”

She faltered slightly, then remembered that her contract was coming up for renewal.

“We would go to eat or drink after long days of shooting. We became like any friends, really. As my sunbae she really took care of me, and as her eonnie I would give her advice.”

“So you two would talk a lot?”

“Yes, of course. Not only about work, we would talk about some personal things too. Men, things like that.”

She knew that she had set up the trap well. Or landed in it. Either way worked.

“I’m sure some fans are glad to hear that. What sort of men would you talk about? Ideals? Coworkers?”

“Both. There was someone that she had met that was close to her ideal. She refused to tell me who though.”

“And what about you? What sort of men are you interested in?”

She smiled, trying to pull together a vague enough answer.

“Literary types I think.”

“Men who read?”

“No,” she shook her head thoughtfully, “I mean… the type of man who seems like he came out of a book. Like…” she racked her brain, trying to come up with a character or name.

“Like Grey. I think I’d like a man like Grey.”

---

“Gray, man you read this?”

Sunghwa’s head twitched slightly in the direction of Hyoseob’s voice, though his eyes stayed glued to the computer monitor in front of him.

“What’s that?”

“This interview with your favourite secretly gay royal maid.”

That got his attention. Stretching his back, he spun his chair to face the younger man.

“What?”

“What’s her name from that royal drama you like… uh…” Hyoseob glanced down at the magazine in his hands, “Sowon. Lim Sowon?”

Sunghwa tried to keep his cool. Ever since he had named Lim Sowon as the type of girl he liked in an interview a few months ago, the guys had been teasing him every chance they got.

Turning back to his computer he shrugged.

“Not yet. What’s it say?”

Hyoseob grinned at the false nonchalance of his hyung.

“Not much. She just reassured fans that she’s not gay. Talked about her ideal type and stuff.”

Hyoseob’s grin only widened when he noticed the slight slouch that took over Sunghwa’s posture.

“What’s it say?”

“Hmm,” Hyoseob drew it out, pretending to flip through pages, “where was it? Ah here… it says: ‘after some questions, Sowon admitted that she liked men who were like book characters. She even offered up Gray as an example of one such man.’ Interesting, ri-”

The magazine was pulled from his hands. Sunghwa desperately scanned the page.

“Really? She really said that? Where doe…” his voice trailed off when he found the passage Hyoseob had read.

“... Gray as an example…” he muttered, eyes scanning the page, “... perhaps the two will get a chance to meet…” he started walking out of the studio space, continuing to read aloud, “...considering his answer during the fashion shows at…”

Hyoseob chuckled before making sure to save Sunghwa’s progress before leaving.

---

“Where’s Simon?”

Hyuk Woo looked up at Sunghwa.

“Hi to you too. I think he has a shoot right now.”

Sunghwa ran his fingers through his hair, distracted.

“, fine. Where’s Jay?”

“In his office. What’s goi…” Sunghwa didn’t wait around to hear the end of Hyuk Woo’s sentence. “Alright then.”

---

Jay was all smiles when Sunghwa burst into his office.

“Hey, just the man I was about to call,” he stood up, “I just got off the phone w-”

“When’s the release party for Ugly Duck’s new mini album?”

Jay cocked his head at the unusual interruption.

“Uh, the night it’s releasing. The fifth I think. What’s…”

“You need to invite Lim Sowon.”

---

"I like manly men. Men who can take control."

Gray's smile widened. He nodded encouragingly, reveling in his ego.

"A man with intensity, you know?"

"I know exactly what you mean."

He tried desperately to make himself appear larger, leaning against the bar to make an excuse for his height not keeping up with her high heels.

"So now you can see why I wasn't talking about you."

Sunghwa blinked. His brain, slowed by the many drinks Jay had pushed into his hands in order to convince him to come talk to her. The alcohol was taking a toll on his ability to process this turn of events.

But he could process the familiar laughs behind him. Both of his bosses had apparently snuck in closer to listen in on the conversation.

"I don't..." he started uncertainly.

"Grey," she laughed, "like from the books? 50 Shades? I thought it would make for some interesting comments on the article.”

She shrugged, lifting her drink.

“Honestly, I completely forgot that there was a musician using the name.”

With that, Simon and Jay broke into full hysterics.