A short story where both of them... become in one frame - again, shared one feeling which once has been buried deep in their heart

***

Park Shinhye’s POV

---

Following you for a long way

Secretly hoping you could see me behind

---

”Hi, Hye. Once more, please take care of me.”

The same greeting he always used to say to me whenever we’re about to start filming the drama scene. Got spelled out with his manly voice followed by his smile. Those routine was like my doping. As after he did it, I got my energy full in charge. My day got brighter.

”Uhm. Please to have your guidance, Suk Oppa.”

That was the usual reply I used to him.

Just like Lee Harin whom always following Haru since the first time they met, I felt the same toward him. I didn’t know why the man named Jang Keunsuk will be given so much effect on me. Since when? How? I didn’t know it precisely.

”Does... something wrong with my face that make you keep looking at it, Hye?”

I shook my head immediately then looked at different direction, but him. It wasn’t the first time that he caught me ‘staring at him’. It was embarrassing.

”You don’t need to be embarrassed like that, Hye.” I got back facing him, and found him started opening the script book in his hand. ”As I won’t ask you to pay money for your act just now. You’re free to look at my handsome face for how long you want it.”

”It’s not funny at all, Oppa.”

I got his merry laughter after that, which sounded so melodious to my ears. The next thing I got was his face which full of his warm smile as well as his big hand which ruffled my hair. I can’t helped but smiled back.

”Finally, you smile.” He said as he let go of my ruffled hair.

”Why? Do you miss my smile so much?”

”Yes, I do.”

I stopped my hands which tidying up my hair for a moment. My brain couldn’t arrange any kind of sentence once I heard his reply. It was when he drew his gaze from mine that I got back into my previous activity. Silence became our company after that short joking.

”And I will miss it in the future.”

I looked up at him immediately, and saw him looking back at me with his solemn face. He showed the script book to me, pointed at the title on its cover page.

”As the filming will end in several days ahead.” He added in the end, without looking at me. He got back opening its content, then stopped at a certain page. ”I have predicted that the end of this drama won’t be a happy one, but still...” He paused, letting out a sigh. Then he closed the script book, facing me as he asked. ”How about you, Hye?”

”What?”

”Have you ever wished for both Haru and Harin ended up together?”

I didn’t answer it immediately. Actually, it wasn’t a hard question. As I have played the main female character – Harin, I understood Harin’s feeling more than anyone else, except the original writer – of course.

”I have.” My answer in the end. Short and right to the point. Honest, yet it sounded so naive.

”Even it’s just in short period?”

I got back into silent mode after got questioned again by him.

”Why are you looked so serious like that? It’s not like-”

”Even it’s just in short period, I still wish that both of them ended up together.” For the first time, I cut his unfinished words. Slowly, I looked at him.

This time, he was the one who became silent. With a sour smile on his handsome face, he murmured. ”I see.”

”What about you, Oppa?” I asked him back.

It was taking him several seconds of silence before he finally answered. ”I think, it would be better that both of them never met in the first place.”

***

Wind breezing over and over

You never changed, I never stop following

---

A single white rose laid on the receptionist table, which mysteriously caught her attention once she walked pass that place. It laid on her wedding invitation. A small paper got attached on it by the white ribbon. For some reasons, she got nervous just seeing it. With her trembled hand, she untied the ribbon from the flower, slowly opened the folded paper.

And she almost forgot how to take the breath in once her eyes caught the hand-written letters on the paper.

--- Congratulation on your wedding, wish you an eternal happiness ---

Even she didn’t find the sender’s name, she already knew it by heart. Then, without a second thought, she dashed out of that place. She ignored her husband’s calling as well as the others whom called her name and asked her to go back.

She wanted to meet him. She was sure that the man behind those white rose was still around that place.

Even after those years, he was still the same. So the little things he did.

He never changed... and she never stop following.

She stopped her steps as she tried to slow down her short breath. With her remaining strength, she called out his name.

”Haru Gamdog-nim!”

...

...

...

”Cut!” The director shouted out, gave his thumb up. ”Okay! Let’s prepare the next scene!” He informed the staffs as the previous scene got executed successfully.

Keunsuk Oppa whom previously stood by the lobby door, his back faced me, turned around as he gave his warm smile toward me. Both of us walked toward the director’s place as to review the scene we filmed just now.

”Oh, your expression spoke it all, Hye-ya.”

I heard his compliment about my acting, just like usually he did. I was about to reply it but unable to say something out once I saw his expression he showed on the camera screen.

”So, about the next scene...”

...

...

...

---

I remember you said “see you never”

Maybe it’s better to forget

I put it aside, with you hide inside

---

Her tears flew out of sudden. Once her eyes caught his face, the thing which haunted her every night. He looked pale, skinnier than the last time she saw him. His shoulder-length tousled hair, got hidden behind his oversized beanie hat. He wore his favorite dark colored cardigan, which... hid half of his hospital robe.

”You...” She paused, as she lowered her head. ”Why...” She was unable to complete her question as tears kept coming out, prevented her to talk properly.

”To fulfill my promise to you.” He answered, as if he knew what kind of question she was about to be asked to him. ”To join you in your happiest day.” He added.

Her hands which clutched her wedding dress, held onto it tighter. She felt rage filled her heart once she heard his words just now. At the same time she heard the tall wall which she built to imprison her heart slowly crumbling down.

”How dare you...” She whispered as she tried so hard to muffle her sobs. Lowered her head, her shoulder trembled as she cried in silence.

He was about to take a step forward, but her words had succeed in making him stopped.

”How dare you show your face here?!” Her scream, which accompanied by her swollen eyes as well as her dampened face. The tears which has stopped – for a while, got back flowing like a small river on her face. ”After your wordless goodbye five years ago. After your sudden missing without any news. And now, look... you show yourself, here, out of sudden, and... those appearance. Don’t you think... you owe me an explanation rather than your absurd answer earlier?”

...

...

...

”Cut! Good job, guys!” Director Ji San yelled out, and instructed the staffs to take a short break before filming the next scene.

That cue, I used it to take a distance from him. I let the make-up artist applied several touch-up on my wet face. In silence, I stared back at my reflection on the small mirror which stood on the table in front of me.

How many tears I have shed at the scene earlier? I can’t count it. I just... felt so helpless back then. Hearing his words – which was based on the script, for unknown reason it pierced my heart. I felt that words wasn’t referred to Harin – my character – but it was for me.

”Shinhye-ssi, gwaenchanayo?”

I got back to the reality once I heard that worried question given to me by the make-up artist – Im Sungkyung. With a weak smile and nod, I tried to reassure her that there’s nothing to be worried.

***

Jang Keunsuk’s POV

---

If I could be forgiven, I would steal you away

Our silenced moment disappeared into the dark night

---

Seeing her sad face, it broke my heart into pieces. If it wasn’t in the drama filming, I would run to her immediately. The picture of me holding her in my embrace, caressed her head as sung a gentle song to calm her, played continuously inside of my mind.

She is a great actress indeed. She went all out in every scene we have filmed. And she always gave me surprises in each filming.

It was always like got drown into the endless sea of emotion once my character – Haru – met against her character – Harin.

And as the day goes by, I got more difficulties to get out of there.

...

...

...

”There’s nothing to be explained. And I don’t have any intention of explaining anything to you either.” He started, without looking at her eyes. His trembled hands inside the cardigan’s pocket tried to clutch the cloth.

He has sworn to himself that he won’t waver. Whatever happened.

”Haru-”

”There will be no change, even if I explained everything to you, right?” He cut whatever she was about to say. ”The scars I have left to you won’t be erased. The regret I have got won’t be vanished. Also...”

My remaining time won’t be prolonged.

He whispered that words to himself.

She was so beautiful in his eyes, that it made him regretted in every single breath he took in because he has made her shed tears countless times in the past, even till this second.

Why... out of all the people in this world, she should fell in love with someone like him?

He kept replaying those question to himself.

”... Nothing.” He continued his unfinished words earlier. He was about to say another words, when he heard the rushed steps got closer. There, he saw the man in black tuxedo run towards her, examined every inch of her with his worried look on his face.

”Harin-ah, are you alright? What happened?”

The beautiful bride didn’t answer the groom’s question, which made the groom himself looked for the source of his bride’s sadness. Then, he found Haru stood a bit far from their place.

That man was about to ask the man in hospital robe, but he didn’t do it when he felt his arm got pulled by the beautiful young woman beside him. That sign, used by Haru to bid his goodbye as well as to end whatever business he had there.

”I have fulfilled one of my promises in the past, so... excuse me.”

For the last time, he took a better look of her. Recording each detail of her most beautiful appearance.

...

...

...

”Cut! Okay!”

I let out a relieved sigh as I heard the director’s shout just now. I walked toward Director Ji San immediately, as to review the filming through the camera and asked for his direction about the next scene. In the middle of my discussion with Director Ji San, once in a while I took a glance towards her.

”Should I give you a short break, Haru?”

I almost got startled by the sudden tap given to my shoulder which followed by that question. With an awkward smile, I replied. ”Yes, please.”

A can of cold black coffee got offered to me once I took a seat on my chair. I looked up to see the one who offered that drink, and found my manager.

”Gomawo, Hyung.” I thanked him as I accepted the drink, and he sat beside me.

”What is in your mind when you filmed the scene just now, Suk-ah?”

I didn’t answer it immediately, as I chose to look at my manager. It was unusual of him to ask such serious question.

”Not a thing that I can share with you, Hyung.”

”Hey, I’m being serious here?”

”So do I, Hyung.”

I replied fast then took several gulps of the cold black coffee which for several reasons tasted too bitter in my tongue. I could hear my manager let out a sigh after that as he leaned on his chair.

”You know, Suk-ah. Earlier, you looked like struggling about something.” He started as I listened to him in silence. ”That priceless expression, I wonder what’s the trigger for you to show it.” He added.

The trigger?

Even I myself couldn’t tell it precisely. It flew naturally in my system, once I read the script about that scene. The expression I should made to show Haru’s true feeling.

”Let’s stop this nonsense talk, Hyung.”

***

At least in this moment,

Let’s hide in the shadows and kiss

---

It was after we finished all the filming for the day, I spotted her sat on the veranda of the house which got used in the drama set. She looked up at the night sky, sometimes tilted her head from right to the left as if searching for something.

”Looking for what?”

I asked as I sat beside her. I could see her got startled after hearing my voice. Shifting her attention from the night sky to me, with her usual shy demeanor she answer.

”Byeol.” Her answer was that short, then she got back gazed at the night sky. ”But I found nothing.” She added with a tone of disappointed.

”You’ve found one, haven’t you?”

By that sentence, she looked back at me with her questioned gaze in her beautiful eyes.

”Your brightest star.”

***

None POV

Under the sixteenth night’s sky I embraced you

The pain of our brief tryst burns this body of mine

If this is what they call “fate”, if you cast down your eyes

Then I’ll defy the heavens and commit a sin

Until the end of these condemned feelings that I hide inside my heart

---

Shinhye’s mind got blank when she felt her body got pulled then found her lips already got enveloped by his lips. So warm, so gentle. The way his lips grazed upon hers was like a glass artist held their masterpiece. Full of carefulness, as if a single scratch will harm it.

Engulfed in that strange yet so familiar feeling, Shinhye closed her eyes as she kissed him back. Only for that second, only for that moment. She let herself be in his embrace, in his kiss, be with him as she poured all of her worries.

Worries about her feeling towards him.

Keunsuk tightened his hug when he felt her kissed him back. His left hand which previously laid on her shoulder, moved up to her face. As he deepen the kiss, he caressed her cheek which gradually felt so warm.

He didn’t want to end it. There are so much feeling he had inside his heart that he wanted her to know, through that kiss. As he couldn’t onto it any longer.

”Op...pa...”

Keunsuk glued his forehead to hers as he heard her breathless call just now. Their noses met each other, as both of his hands cupped her face.

”I ended up thinking about you so that I can’t breathe, it’s too painful.” He started as he made a gap between the two. His eyes focused on hers. ”I thought, maybe it’d be better if I just stay away, and repeating those words like a mantra. But, the more I recite it, the more I fall deep.” He looked down on her clasped hands, then took it in his.

”I want to love you, just like this, forever. I won’t tell any single lie to this feeling.”

***

--- frame.03 – Stepping on Shadow in the Sixteenth Night’s Sky ---

***