Chapter 1

“It’s not going to work.”

JooHyun snarled at MiYoung, her friend-slash-manager – what she supposed and believed for years was her level-headed manager, until this stupid idea.

Hwang MiYoung, or Tiffany Hwang to the industry, had been her manager ever since her acting job under the stage name of ‘Irene Bae’ started rising – and fine – maybe it was partly because of MiYoung and her managerial tactics that shot JooHyun’s fame an all-time high, but JooHyun would not be caught saying that out loud.

“I mean,” JooHyun gritted her teeth, “Look at her.”

She pointed at her kitchen, which was now being massacred by a certain Kang SeulGi who didn’t know how to prepare breakfast.

JooHyun’s utensils were all over the kitchen counter, and the ingredients were surprisingly – because she had absolutely no idea how it was even possible – spattered on the kitchen tiles.

“She’s been trying to prepare that for nearly half an hour,” She covered her face before widening her eyes back at her friend, “MiYoung, it’s just toast.”

MiYoung only stifled a laugh at her that JooHyun only glowered at, MiYoung said – placated, “Maybe it’s French toast! Look at all those fruits.”

JooHyun slowly turned to her friend fully, she said – slowly and with restraint, enunciating every word, “I will strangle you.”

And MiYoung only laughed louder then, making SeulGi look at their direction.

JooHyun, whose brows were still furrowed together, only looked back at SeulGi – who, mind you – had the audacity to just smile sheepishly and go back to vandalizing her kitchen.

Well, at least Kang SeulGi had the decency to feel the least bit embarrassed and as uncomfortable as JooHyun was with this very absurd idea.

Kang SeulGi was the leader of the rising idol group, The Velvets.

The Velvets had been in the industry for quite some time but had only recently made a breakthrough.

JooHyun had to admit though that the idol was, undeniably, beautiful. At first glance, Kang SeulGi had this cold aura to her, but then she smiles, and it’s suddenly the warmest of feelings.

Kang SeulGi was – of course – taller than her, not as tall as other idols, probably one of the smaller ones that JooHyun had seen, but there was a certain illusion that made Kang SeulGi taller than meets the eye.

Kang SeulGi also had a husky voice than what JooHyun expected, which contradicted her voice when JooHyun had heard her sing in some of their songs. And in a way, the normal low husk of it gave JooHyun goose bumps when the other woman spoke.

And Kang SeulGi, JooHyun noticed, had a habit of staring from time to time, and JooHyun didn’t know why, but it kind of unnerved her.

Unnerved in a way that Kang SeulGi was studying her, or maybe it felt like that simply because Kang SeulGi’s stares were intense and unsaying.

JooHyun couldn’t read what was Kang SeulGi thinking, and her only indications were the slips in clumsiness and stiffness when the idol would be caught staring.

But didn’t that mean that JooHyun was staring, too?

Yet, Kang SeulGi’s eyes – those eyes could pierce maybe if they wanted to.

Seeing them in photos wasn’t enough to prepare her for seeing them in person.

And Kang SeulGi was staring at her again, and a slight raise of an eyebrow was enough to bring JooHyun back to where she was.

God.

Was she the one caught staring now?

“I’m actually surprised you let her touch your things,” MiYoung interrupted the moment, and JooHyun was somehow thankful for it, “Moreover, use your kitchen and move around the house,” then she teased, “I was sure you would lock her up in your basement.”

“I would have had if you hadn’t called!” JooHyun growled, “Then I’ll lock you up with her!”

“Ooh, don’t tempt me.” MiYoung simply winked at her, and it took every ounce of her being not to strangle MiYoung then and there.

MiYoung’s cheer then molded into sudden gravity, “What time did you two wake up?”

“About an hour before you arrived.”

“Ah, that explains the breakfast,” And just like that, MiYoung’s tone suddenly turned to a teasing one again, “And how was your first night together?”

“Don’t change the subject!” She pointed a finger, “This ridiculous idea is not going to work.”

The ridiculous idea that JooHyun was extremely sure would not work was the idea formulated by their team and Kang SeulGi’s.

The very bizarre idea of publicity, the very silly idea of a media-play, the very outrageous idea of a public stunt,

The very stupid idea of a fake romance.

“Any publicity is good publicity, JooHyun,” MiYoung had always told her, “If we play our cards right.”

JooHyun worked just as hard for her to come where she was now, but she wouldn’t even call herself top actress, or the most famous one, or even the best one,

She would rather say she was fortunate enough to have the right gigs and the right people, and the right mindset and work attitude to achieve her status of somehow being known in the industry,

And okay, maybe that was downplaying her fame. But hey, she didn’t want to jinx it.

But it was a whirlwind job, and that was an understatement.

One day, you would be at the front page for a hit movie, the next, you would be front page for a scandal.

JooHyun was steadily gaining fame and a high place in the industry – a good film here, a TV show there, hosting events at the other side,

But there was no certainty how long she would stay there, and if she would even last long enough to bask in the spotlight.

JooHyun’s reminiscing was abruptly cut off when MiYoung said, “Celebrities do it all the time, we already discussed this.”

“But we’re not desperate enough for fame, are we?” JooHyun answered back like a child, not that she wanted to, MiYoung just really pushed her.

MiYoung grunted a guttural sound, which JooHyun knew she only made when she’s frustrated trying to get a point across, “We talked about this, and then again in the meeting! I knew you weren’t listening!

“We need to ride your fame, babe.” MiYoung sipped her drink, “While we still have it.”

JooHyun rolled her eyes, and she made sure MiYoung saw that she did. She smiled when she heard her friend scoff.

“We’re not fame-crazy though, MiYoung.” JooHyun sat properly, her tone mellowing down as their conversation started to have a more serious turn.

MiYoung continued to sip her drink, eyes trained on the person still in the kitchen, “I know that,” She put her drink down, “You have newer projects and a new movie soon, but in between that and quickly rising new movie stars, we need all the hype we can get,”

And she saw the sincere severity in her friend’s eyes, “We’re not that new to the industry anymore, JooHyun. And you are at your peak,

“Some stars are not lucky to have that.”

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In her years in the industry, JooHyun wasn’t new to dating rumors about her. Her first years, she was almost always romantically linked to her co-workers. It wasn’t new, celebrity life was always like that.

But she knew she was more than just a name attached to another person, and she made sure she worked as hard as she could to be known for her abilities and achievements, and not the gossips about her,

And she was succeeding with that.

Her name was steadily gaining recognition, and she was starting to get more projects that she actually liked, some of them she chose herself.

This was where it’s decided that the perfect way to somehow still be the talk of town was to start dating rumors about her and the up-and-coming idol.

More media clicks wouldn’t hurt, and it was a certain way to keep their names on top of the searches.