June 2, 2025. 18:32 PM. Busan.

“That is a wrap! Thank you, everyone, for your hard work!” 

The bellowing sound of the director’s voice echoes throughout the set. He is an obnoxiously loud man by nature, but more so now that they are finishing up. The production crew begin to take down the lighting rigs carefully. The many extras needed to walk in the background of shots rush out of sight without speaking a word. Many of whom, when the project started, had been grateful to be working. They are now thrilled for it to be over and no longer have to walk on eggshells around the director and his terrible choice for the male lead, Lee Byung-ho. Both of whom have created a tense environment. An environment that Sooyoung is not used to dealing with, nor does she wish to again. 

The first few weeks had been torturous, and Sooyoung contemplated quitting many times. However, the director always somehow managed to negotiate her into staying. It is an achievement alone that Byung-ho is leaving the set today alive. There have been moments when Sooyoung had wished unspeakable things toward him. But she figures he deserves it for how awful he has treated not only herself and his staff but everyone involved in the project. His turning up late or hungover to set is one thing, but to mistreat others for your own mistakes is inexcusable. The final straw came when Byung-ho requested all of his foods be stored alphabetically, or he wouldn’t be acting that day. To say that Sooyoung was annoyed would be an understatement. So, she confronted him about his behaviour and put him in his place. 

After being embarrassed in front of everyone, things began to spiral further. Byung-ho intentionally ruined scenes to make the shoots run later than usual or block cameras with his body during close-up scenes. It has been a chaotic few weeks that Sooyoung can’t wait to erase from her memory. To be rid of this experience feels like a breath of fresh air. Not that Sooyoung didn’t enjoy portraying what most would deem the “bad” character for a change. It became difficult to do so when a real-life villain was haunting production. 

“Hey, the director has arranged a wrap party. Are you going?” 

Eunseo, a petite woman in charge of the third camera, breaks Sooyoung from her thoughts. Every day Eunseo likes to inform Sooyoung that she purchased all of Red Velvet’s albums. She had been a die-hard fan since their debut, and Sooyoung appreciated her kind words on tough days. Her smile grows wider as she eagerly awaits a response. Sooyoung shuffles slightly to face away from Eunseo. She finds it easier to lie if she doesn’t have to look at the person she is deceiving. 

“Sure! I just need to grab my things from the trailer.  I’ll get my manager to drive me straight there.” Sooyoung has not attended any of the director’s other parties and has no intention of beginning this evening. All she wants to do is lay in her bed and sleep as long as her body allows. A knot in her stomach reminds her she should feel terrible about lying.

However, Eunseo doesn’t question Sooyoung’s answer and latches her arm firmly around her neck. She can barely reach, but Sooyoung instinctively bends her knees to help. The first few weeks of Eunseo being clingy with her was a pain. But it is now something that Sooyoung will miss once she’s finished up. 

“Great! I will see you there.” Eunseo excitedly squeals. 

Sooyoung squirms her way out of the awkward hug and gives Eunseo a reassuring smile. She hurries off to her trailer, not allowing Eunseo another chance to wrestle her neck. She unlocks her phone as she gets closer to the spacious trailer she has spent months getting used to living in. A few notifications appear about her upcoming movie, which she subscribed to the alerts for self-consciously. If Byung-ho tries to tarnish her name, despite his actions being the problem, she wants her team to fix it immediately. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time a man in the industry has tried to ruin her reputation. 

The adjustment from music and movies to strictly the latter has been brutal. It has caused several bouts of self-realisation and doubt. Although, both industries should overhaul how they treat the people putting in the hard work. If somebody did, maybe people such as Byung-ho wouldn’t be a menace to everyone around them. The sad truth is that none of the people involved in this project cares enough to do anything about him. 

There is one notification on her phone that doesn’t look familiar. A call from around an hour previous from a number she doesn’t have saved, but she recognises it. Sooyoung desperately tries to decipher where she has seen this collective of numbers before, but her memory fails to recall. She deletes the missed call and determines that whoever it is can contact her manager if it is paramount. 

As she heads closer to the trailer door, it appears ajar. The trailer doors lock behind them when closed, and Sooyoung knows that she closed it. So, why is it open? Or rather, who has opened it? She slows her pace down and carefully takes a look through the gap. No movement or sound emanates from the inside. But that doesn’t mean that it is empty. 

“Hello?” Sooyoung asks carefully. Her voice barely lets the word out as she’s terrified that some crazy person has broken onto the set. They could be rummaging through her personal belongings or stealing them. It’s shocking to see what folks will purchase online these days, and items belonging to an idol are no exception. “I’m going to call the police if you don’t come out.” Sooyoung tries to be threatening, but it sounds pathetic through her shaky breathing. 

“Ah! Sooyoung, no need for the dramatics.” The voice sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard. It’s similar to several screaming children on an aeroplane. If the devil himself had a voice, this would be it. Byung-ho. Byung-ho is inside the trailer. Sooyoung carefully steps back and places her phone into her bag. Her fists instinctively ball tightly at her sides. “Come on inside. We need to talk.” 

Every fibre in Sooyoung’s being is screaming for her to leave. There is nothing good that can come from spending time with Byung-ho. There aren’t words to make up for his poor behaviour, not that she expects an apology from him. Sooyoung believes the words ‘I’m sorry’ would be acid on his tongue. Although his surgeon has done an excellent job hiding it, Byung-ho is almost forty. But his actions and words are that of a teenager. Instead, her feet are carefully moving toward the trailer door. 

“Let’s get this over with quickly, Byung-ho. I have to be somewhere.” She scolds, though Byung-ho doesn’t care to react to her words. He instead sits on one of the seats toward the front of the trailer. There is a glass in his left hand with what looks to be brown liquor in it. His dishevelled appearance makes sense now. 

“You know, I thought you would be different, Sooyoung. I was looking forward to working with you.” His eyes darken as he leans forward. “But now I see, you’re just like the rest. An ungrateful who isn’t good enough to work with me.” 

He swills his drink around the glass several times before throwing it back into his mouth. A few drops spiral down his sculpted chin, which he aggressively wipes away and slams the glass onto the table before him. This situation is dangerous, and Sooyoung can sense that if she doesn’t get out soon, Byung-ho will make matters far worse. 

“Are you done? Is that what you wanted me for?” Sooyoung disgruntledly asks though she knows this isn’t the end of his rant. 

Byung-ho stands and manoeuvres around the table between them. He lazily stalks closer to where Sooyoung is standing with her arms folded across her body. His eyes roam across her wildly and with the intent of causing harm. He raises a hand toward Sooyoung’s face and trails his index finger across her jawline. The alcohol on his breath is intoxicating and warm. It attacks Sooyoung’s nostrils and makes her feel physically nauseous. He leans his face closer and attempts to attach his lips to her own. But the door to the trailer rapidly swings open before he can.

When situations like this happen in movies, the hero is usually someone of stature, a burling person with great strength. Instead, Sooyoung has never been more grateful to see all of five feet one inch of Joohyun in her lifetime. There is no one she would want to protect her more than her former leader in this current situation. Though she is confused as to why she is here and right now. But it isn’t the time to be asking questions. Sooyoung quickly pushes Byung-ho away from her, darts out of the door and almost tramples over Joohyun. 

“Oh my. What is happening here?” Joohyun asks calmly but with a stern knowing look on her face. She knows exactly the kind of man Byung-ho is and what he is trying to do here. “Why is he here right now?” 

Byung-ho almost falls over from laughing at Joohyun’s questioning. He slicks back his hair with his hand and pushes past both women to wander back through the set. His raucous laughter never ceases. Joohyun hugs Sooyoung tightly to check she is okay and brushes the loose strands of hair out of her face. Tears are forming in her eyes that Sooyoung refuses to allow to flow. 

“Are you okay?” Joohyun calmly asks, knowing the question is redundant. She grasps Sooyoung a little tighter out of instinct. It feels like an ocean flowing around their bodies, steadying them. 

“I’m okay.” is all Sooyoung can muster up, not that Joohyun was looking for more out of her. Hell, even a tug on her sleeve would have qualified as an answer. 

Their two bodies barely move, never breaking the embrace. Sooyoung closes her eyes and hopes to whatever deity is out there that Joohyun is legitimately before her and won’t vanish into thin air if she lets go. Joohyun wonders if this is what she has been missing whilst tending to her garden. A flood of memories washes over her, and she can’t help but release a few tears onto Sooyoung’s shoulder. 

“Why are you here?” Sooyoung questions, carefully. The words are barely audible and muffled, but Joohyun knows it is not said maliciously.

“I met someone.” Joohyun begins. “He had a proposition for me that you turned down.” 

Sooyoung peels herself off Joohyun’s shoulder slowly. There haven’t been many roles she has refused as of late, nor has she missed out on many she has auditioned for. Yet, she cannot think of what she has turned down that could drag Joohyun out of her pseudo-retirement. The puzzled expression on her face does not go unnoticed, and Joohyun chooses to fill in the blanks for her. 

“Her name was Seo Yujun.” 

It takes a moment for Sooyoung to recall the name, but finally, it clicks. Her eyebrows furrow together as she sighs and sits on the trailer steps. She rubs her temples and invites Joohyun to sit beside her. She obliges. Sooyung anxiously rests her head against Joohyun’s shoulder. 

“Did Yujun tell you why I turned it down?” Joohyun shakes her head in response. “Let me guess… you haven’t read the script she gave you?” Sooyoung further questions, Joohyun nods this time. Even after time apart, she knows Joohyun very well. “It hit a little too close to home for me. It’s about an idol who loses her career through reckless behaviour. She then tries to get revenge on the people who allowed her to fail. Until she realises it was all her own fault.” Sooyoung explains. 

Joohyun straightens her posture and inadvertently pushes Sooyoung’s head from her shoulder. They stare at one another briefly before it becomes too awkward for Joohyun to upkeep. 

“Why is that too close to home?” Joohyun curiously asks. 

Sooyoung twists her body to look at Joohyun and grips one of her hands to lessen the blow. She knew that Joohyun would be off the grid, but she didn’t realise it would be to this extent. 

“I don’t know how to tell you this.” Sooyung starts. “But, the reason that they so badly want one of us in this movie is because someone we know has inspired part of the story.”