[Narrator POV]

“Urgh, I don’t get it. Where is he? I really need to talk to him!” I growled, pulling at my hair. I sat down on one of the chairs in the waiting room at the third photo shoot since this morning. Apparently, I was to work with another person, a male model for this ‘couple’ photo shoot for a magazine. It seems there are a lot more companies requesting for me to model instead of performing. I scratch my head as I swivelled the chair around to face the door just as the make up artist and stylist came in.

“Hello! Please take care of me; I am Song Sun-hi!” I greeted, bowing to them. They said hello then came over and began setting up their equipment on the table and on the clothing racks. It wasn’t my first time modelling, like I said, it’s already my third shoot of the day, but I was still fascinated with how quickly and efficiently they worked to get me ready.

Within minutes, I was ready and my manager announced me to the crew, “Song Sun-hi is ready!”

I stepped out of the waiting room and walked to the front where a white backdrop was set up. I turned and faced the crew and bowed deeply, repeating the same greeting as earlier. I had soon learnt after my first shoot that everything worked better if I treated the crew and stylists with respect, as if I was not the model but a new worker.

The cameras were still being set up and I wandered around, wondering who the male model was. I also worried about Jungshin, and speak of the devil, another voice called out, “Lee Jungshin is ready!”

My head snapped upwards to see his tall figure stepping from the shadows; the lights had been set up and the room had been darkened so that the backdrop space was the focus; Jungshin stepped forward, as stylish as the first day I met him face-to-face and now, I knew my mouth was slightly open in shock that I would be modelling with him.

Jungshin stepped into the pool of light around the backdrop and turned to face the crew saying, “Hello, I am Lee Jungshin. Please take care of me.” He did not even once, take a glance at me. When he finally straightened, he turned to face me and acted in a stoic manner, as if he didn’t know who I was. “Hello.” Only a single word and I felt just a little happier but even then, Jungshin was not talking like he usually did with me before turning to face the cameras.

He held his hand out for me to shake which I took hesitantly, because his expression seemed to say with a menacing glare that he did not want me to shake his hand. I straightened my shoulders and gripped his hand firmly, “Hello.” To others on the outside, our act made us look like we were complete strangers in spite of being in the same company.

“You’re still avoiding me, right?” I blurted out, as I let go of his hand.

He didn’t answer and looked away. Annoyed, I grabbed that back of his coat, tugging on it to get his attention. “What?!” He snapped at me. I flinched.

“Why won’t you talk to me?” I asked outright. I just had to know.

“…Do I need to?”

The sentence left me unable to answer. No, of course he doesn’t need to talk to me. It is his own free will and I can’t – shouldn’t – force him, I thought, looking up at Jungshin’s face. But I needed to talk to him and explain the misunderstanding