HER:

She's been stressing. She can't help it. Ever since that day they first met, she's been stressing... Well, that's not quite accurate; they've "met" before although they didn't speak nor interact with each other. That first time there were too many people, so many guests milling about; she was cornered with a group of friends and didn't get much chance to mix with others. But she knew he was there, in a peripheral sort of way. The way eyes would sometimes meet across a crowded room; the slight head tilt to acknowledge the other; the quick glance away when you caught the other looking.

That was just a few months ago, in fact. Several times she saw him moving as if making his way to her direction where she stood with the others, until he was waylaid by an acquaintance each and every time, cutting his path to her short. Later, she had berated herself for not walking over instead. Why didn’t I? I could have walked over and said hi, she had sighed. Before she knew it, the party was over, and the timing just was no longer right. Ugh…

She’s known of him, about him before. That much is obvious. Their circle of friends does overlap in this business, though their paths have not converged but that once. Well…almost converged. She’s known of him from his idol days, having followed their group as a fan quietly. They were popular but not enough to reach the status to claim “they made it” in the overall kpop world. Too bad, she pondered sadly; she liked this group of boys, their easy camaraderie, their humility and down to earth-ness.

She smoothed her hair, feeling all sorts of nervous and anxious again. They had completed their first table reading last week. She was relieved that she felt more composed, back to her usual calm and poised self during the script reading. He was more nervous than I, she mused, maybe that was why I felt fine. But he was still too busy staring, which caused him to stammer a few times when he was reading. Oh, she was very much aware of it; how could she not be when he sat right across from her. It was too easy to look right back at him.… Could be that his nervousness had emboldened her, for she found herself meeting and returning his gazes, even though she was still the one who ended up looking away first.

Today was no different. They both arrived on time at the studio. He even opened the door for her, causing her to start blushing right then and there. There was a short exchange of “hi’s” and “how are you’s” and then they were whisked away by their stylists to their respective corners.

They’ve already been shooting for a few hours. The outfits they picked for her were lovely; she felt quite glamorous wearing the black dress. It fitted her well, not revealing at all but she felt y all the same. Elegant. Chic. And with those high, high heels, she was tall enough to reach past his chin, perfectly eye level with his mouth...lips that look naughty and cute and…

She shook her head to clear her mind, focusing once more on the task at hand.

He helped her up the stepstool to sit on the table where they posed leaning on each other, looking like an elegant couple on a date. She kept touching her hair, feeling self-conscious at his nearness. She would be hard pressed to deny her pulse was not racing. But he was so very polite, addressing her finally as noona after she corrected him when he used sunbaenim while speaking with her.
“You’re making me feel too old,” she teased, “you don’t need to be too formal.”

And oh boy, was that smile he gave her so dazzling.

He didn’t seem nervous at all this time, she thought as she gave him a side-glance. She wore a dark blue dress for the next shoot; he a cowboy embroidered motif on his white shirt. He was playful, causing the staff to laugh at some of his antics. He meant to be disarming and he succeeded in doing so; she couldn’t stop giggling along with the others.

They stood and posed facing each other. A few times she’s seen a smile lift the corner of his lips when it was his turn to catch her looking. But then they would both look down shyly after their eyes meet each other's.

The boy is just too charming for his own good, she thought.

She looked at the proofs and playback of their shoot in between takes. Even she can’t deny their chemistry. The staff kept gushing at them and what was supposed to be a short pictorial went on and on a while longer, when the film director kept adding more scenes for them to pose. No one seemed to mind; they felt like dolls being dressed-up by their stylists and posed for their pretend play.

They were having fun together. Shy but not awkwardly so; a tentativeness precluding a blossoming something too early to identify just yet. Everyone senses it in the way they lit each other up when they’re together in one frame.

Pd Seo gave them prompts to get their reactions, and they have followed along good-naturedly.

“Pretend you were surprised to see the camera, Hyung Sik-ssi,” Pd Seo said.

Hyung Sik leaned forward for a close up, eyebrows all wriggly and crunched up while he peered at the camera, causing her to giggle at the image reflected from the screen. He played around with peace signs, made faces at the camera behind her back. It was a good take. The camera captured some of their shyness, their easygoing aura, and the happy atmosphere of the shoot.

She stood waiting on the sidelines for her turn and watched him during his solo takes. She noted how well he playfully posed astride the chair, how he strutted on the platform looking like he belonged there.
Of course, he’s no stranger to modeling; most idols usually did as part of their repertoire, to get the exposure they needed in the public, she thought. She is not at all surprised at how easily he took command of everyone’s attention once he was in front of the camera. How photogenic he is, carrying himself with easy confidence, without looking proud or haughty.

Her mind drifted to their script reading. She worried a little bit about being the senior actor in this upcoming drama. She is taking this responsibility of being the mentor of the younger actors to heart. She felt she had her turn being the dongsaeng and had always been grateful for the mentors who guided her and provided her support. She wanted to be the kind of senior she was lucky enough to have had. She was concerned that he would feel anxious when filming starts; she already noted some nervousness on his part during the script reading. She thought of various ways she could do to ease their anxiety, to make sure the boys would not feel pressured when the shooting starts.

She was roused from her reverie when her name was called.

HIM:

He could not help track her with his eyes, searching for her within the dimmed interior of the studio. The glare of flash from the camera has caused his vision to blur for a few seconds, and he had to blink several times to clear the residual after image. She passed by him as he took the stage, and he heard her soft murmurs of “well done.”

Even her voice sounds so charming, so soft, so mellifluous…

He stayed in the corner, slightly hiding in the shadows to watch her. He tried to be out of sight so he can watch in relative peace before his stylist grabs a hold of him and drags him away. He can never tire watching her...

She had changed into a gold dress with pleated skirt that skimmed her knees, showing off nicely turned calves. He’s always been a er for pretty legs. And hers…for someone so petite, how can she possess such a lovely pair of stems, he thought, noting how her slim her ankles are, even the way her foot arches curve in her heels. Man, oh man...

Someone handed her some balloons; she twirled and played, laughing while confetti rained all around her; he could see pieces caught in her hair, its lovely shade of reddish auburn highlights glinting along with the sparkling confetti as they catch the lights. He saw a few land right on her hair, and his hands reach out automatically wanting to touch her hair, though he was hardly close enough to do anything. He kept his hands in his pockets to keep himself in check.

She’s more beautiful each time I see her. He is unable to resist an answering smile when the girl he’s staring at posed and twirled and smiled at the camera; he is too caught by her charms, as if the smiles were directed just at him.

He couldn’t shake how thrilled he was on their last take: how her hands felt holding onto his arms; how it rested on his shoulders. And her shy giggle while she played along when the staff started whistling at both of them, teasing them to make them laugh. He saw how she blushed so prettily, the way she dropped her eyes when they glanced at each other at the same time. He couldn’t help it, but he wanted to some more, to see that rosy blush grace her cheeks; to see the way it travelled slowly from her cheeks to her neck again. He could barely make out her faint freckles; her makeup covering those fine sprinkling of love dust on her cheeks and nose. Yes, love dust is what he calls them in his mind, because he is truly enamored by them the first time he saw them on the photographs. Because her freckles matches mine perfectly, he thought.

Not everybody knew she had freckles. He knew though; he had stared at her pictures and watched her movies enough to be familiar with her features. Stared quite long enough, he mused, biting his lips looking at the girl posing confidently in front of the cameras. I’m in big, big trouble, he thought without the least bit of dismay.

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Pd added another scene, wanting another shot of them together while they still have table set up. They both changed to a different outfit. Hers was a fitted dark blue dress with light pink blouse insert and him, a grey sports jacket with blue shirt. Before them lay a table spread with goodies, with glass goblets, and plateful of desserts.

“Let’s take a few shots with Bo Young-ssi sitting on the table, and you on the other side, please,” Pd Seo said, peering in the cameras and checking angles.

They moved around enacting various poses as directed, both of them finding themselves sitting facing each other across the table.

Pd was busy giving out instructions, telling the crew to move the lights, adjust the props and so on. Everybody bustling for the final takes. Someone played a romantic music in the background, mixing with the voices of the director and crew.

Bo Young listened attentively to the prompts, nodding her head once or twice at the director.

Hyung Sik, well, he was hardly paying attention. No, not at all. The voices were just a buzz in his ears right now, even the lovely music playing in the studio. He was too busy living in the moment; thinking of what their real date might be like; how it would be for real with this girl in front of him. His heart thudded and he knew he can’t hide what he is feeling. He has always been this way, wearing his heart on his sleeves, letting his guard down for a moment to let his heart peek out of his eyes.

C’mon, look at me, he thought.  Just look at me and then I’ll know for sure what I have to do.

“Hyung Sik-ssi,” Pd Seo called, trying to catch his attention.

Bo Young turned slowly to face him….to catch the smile that lit his face.

Sigh….

Elle pictorial: credit to Elle Korea via https://youtu.be/QBKh_I4HkQo 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Becm-fPjV2R/

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A/N:

I wish i knew how to insert a gif here. Lol.

I'm missing our puppies something bad. Hope this lil' story lighten your mood. :)

Credits to owners of all respective medias.