[SEB’S POV]

It’s been more than a month since I started working this current project. Although I’m not the director of this movie, I’m still privileged to work as Ethan Lader’s 1^st assistant director. I’ve been very busy these days, sketching movie scenes, checking the updates for the pre-production and lastly organizing the read-through.

 

At last, I can meet the casts of the movie, specially the School Gyrls. One of its members is a Filipino, Monica Anne Parales. I’ve been watching her in "JammXKidz" since I was a kid back in the Philippines. I’ve been looking forward in meeting her but besides of the School Gyrls, there’s another girl group who is joining the read-through this afternoon.

 

I’m walking as fast as I can to the room which the meeting will be held. I must be there before all of the casts will arrive. I bought coffee before coming in the building and now I’m having a hard time holding everything. Riiiing! Riiiing! Riiiing! And now my phone is ringing.

 

I reach in my right pocket but my phone is not there. I tried the left pocket but it’s not there either. Same with my back pockets, it must be in my bag. Just great! How am I going to search my bag with two occupied hands? I put the papers which I clamped on my right side with my arm and transfer it to the other side. While walking, I’m trying to find my phone in the bag.

 

Thank God, I found it! “Hello? JYP?” I answered the phone, still walking to the meeting room. “Seb, if you’ll see the girls on your way there, please tell them to ask for their phone numbers.” He answered. “Sure I will, thanks for reminding me though. Okay see you later, I’m on my way to the meeting room.” Then I hang up. I know it’s rude but what can I do? The papers I’m holding in my left side are starting to fall and holding my coffee is making it worse.

 

I can see the door of the room at the end of the corridor. I put the phone in my right pocket and trying to organize my things while walking and trying my best not to spill my hot coffee. I finally manage to put my things inside my bag but I forgot that I need the call sheet so I tried to find it again inside.

 

I take a small sip of my coffee when someone bump into me and my “hot” coffee is spilled all over my shirt. “What the ! Sh*t it’s hot!” I shouted without even thinking. I’m all covered with my hot coffee and I feel my body just got burned. “What the hell are you doing? Aren’t you watching where you’re going?” I whined to the person who bumped me. “Sebastian?” Sh*t it’s the girl from Bob’s Diner. “OMG! OMG! OMG! I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you. Wait let me help you clean up.” She pulls a handkerchief and wipes it on my shirt.

 

“From all of the people here in the building!” I whispered to myself. “I’m very sorry, Sebastian.” She then stops wiping my shirt and looks at me straight in the eye. “Why are you here?” She continued and I shot her a look. I pick up the empty cup and walk inside the room.

 

[LIM’S POV]

“Why are you here?” I asked Sebastian while looking him straight in the eye. Instead of answering my question, he picks up the cup and strides down to the room at the end of the corridor. What a snub! Yenny, Sunye, Yubin and Sohee walk to me from behind wearing a smile on their faces. “Why are you smiling?” I curiously ask. “Oh, nothing, we just saw a great scene earlier.” Yubin unnie replied. “That was not a great scene. The matter of fact I just got humiliated by that snub guy.” I cross my arm saying that I disagree with what unnie said.

 

“Yeah and that snub guy just went inside that room. Do you know what that means Apple?” Sohee muttered. He went inside the room? “He’s not working for the movie, is he?” I somehow panic but they just laugh at me. “If he is working with the movie, why would you care? What happened earlier was just a small accident, isn’t it?” Yeeun unnie is obviously teasing me.

 

Why would I care? “I don’t care at all, it’s just that he’s a big snub.” I defended myself. “Come on girls, let’s stop teasing our Little Apple.” At last Sunye unnie is on my side. “Let’s go in and ask Sebastian, what is he doing here?” Unnie said it playfully which made me irritated. They all giggled as we enter the room while I pouted my lips.

 

The room is very silent. “I guess we’re early.” Sohee suddenly muttered. Then I saw Sebastian half , top less, at the corner of the room while looking something inside his bag. I immediately turn my back away from him. Oh my god! He has a great body. I shake my head to wake up from that crazy view. What are you doing? Don’t be such a . I look back to him again but this time he’s already wearing a different shirt.

 

I think he noticed me looking at him, so he smiled at me. “Why does he change his mood so often?” I mumbled in my head. “Lim, look he’s smiling at you.” Yeeun unnie is still making fun of me. And then suddenly all of them are making noises which are clearly teasing me. “Stop it unnie, he’s not smiling at me. And if he does, I don’t bother to care.” I muttered.

 

Then I felt that someone is tapping on my right shoulder, so I turned around to check who it is. “Excuse me if I bother you but I need to get all of your cell phone numbers.” Sebastian asks us out of the blue. What? Is he hitting on me? “Wait, what do you mean?” Sunye unnie asks curiously. “I need your cell phone numbers if you want me to contact you.” He answered unnie without any sign of hesitation.

 

“Oh Seb, there you are. Can you give me the number of the owner of the location for the club scene?” Ethan, the director of the movie, enters the room loudly and seems to be on the run. “Sure, wait let me find it in my contacts.” Sebastian answered him timidly. Why everyone is popping out of nowhere? “I believe you guys got already acquainted.” Ethan uttered. “Not really.” I replied.

 

Ethan gives me a surprise expression. “Aw okay, girls, this is Seb the 1^st AD (assistant director) of the movie.” Our jaws dropped when we heard him saying that Sebastian (or Seb, whatever they call him) is the 1^st AD. “Nice to officially meet you.” Seb extends his arms and starts shaking our hands. You’ve got to be kidding me?! He shakes my hand last and he stares at me for almost five seconds.

 

Ethan hands Seb’s phone to him, “Seb, I’ll be back. I just need to check something. Tell them about the changes of the scripts.” He pats Seb’s back and leaves the room. “Yeah, and run errands for you too.” Seb said it as if he’s the only one in the room and he turns his attention to us. His eyes widened when he realized that he spoke it loud. “You didn’t hear anything I said.” He nervously told us.

 

“You’re the 1^st AD?” Yenny unnie curiously asks. “Yup, the one who run errands for Ethan.” Seb giggled emphasizing the joke. “But how old are you? You look too young for being an assistant director.” Yubin unnie asks. Seb seems to be taken aback from unnie’s question. “Huh? Uhm, I just turned 19 last month.” He answered shyly. “Mwo? You’re still 19?” Sohee surprised comment. This guy is full of surprises.

 

All our attention turns to the slowly opening door. It’s just Jane, “First AD? Ethan needs you outside.” She hesitantly said it to Seb. “Thank you.” He thanked Jane and left the room without another word. “He was nice and weird. What was with him?” Jane asks with baffling look. She’s right. What’s with him?

 

The other casts starts to arrive one by one. This is our first time to meet all cast for the movie and I’m very nervous for the read-through. When the cast was complete we started the session. Everyone is really doing so well. They are saying lines really good. I wonder where Seb is. Since he left the room earlier he didn’t come back. I keep looking at the door, hoping it will open and he’ll come in.

 

Seb is such a weird guy. He always walks out every time we talk. First back at the diner, second was in the set of our cover of ‘Nothing on You’ (though we were not actually talking that time when he left), next was the accident at the hallway, and lastly was when he left room. Why did you become a mystery to me suddenly?

 

“Lim, focus on the script.” I snap back to reality when Leader Min woke up from my deep thought. My mind flew too far this time. “Choe song hamnida.” I apologized to Sunye unnie. You’re right unnie, I should be focusing instead of thinking about non-sense things. “Want an advice from your sunbae?” She asks me whispering. I blink my eyes a couples of times and answer. “What is it, unnie?” Sunye unnie moves nearer to me and whispers to my ear. “Give him your cell phone number.” She then gives a cheerful smile as she moves away. I was about to answer her about how ridiculous her idea is but my line is almost up so I just keep quiet.

 

At last the read-through is finish. The final part of the pre-production is over. That’s what Ethan told us earlier hehe. Fred, the second AD, walks up to me carrying a cup of coffee, obviously from Starbucks. “Uhm, Lim, Seb wants to give this to you.” He then hands me the coffee and I accept it, of course. There are two sticky notes, yellow and pink, on the cup.

 

The yellow sticky note says: “Tell Jane to give your phone numbers to me. –SEB” And the pink sticky note says: “PLEASE be careful next time!” What the... That guy is being awkward, snub, and now, he’s so mean. And the worst thing is, we will be working together for the incoming weeks.