Her Tears

In front of Mango Six, Shin Hye was staring fixedly at her script. She had been reading the same lines over and over while waiting for the scene to start. It was the part when Tan finds her at her workplace, right after he admits to being an illegitimate child. Suddenly, tears were starting to fall.

‘Omo, Shin Hye-ah, what’s wrong?’ Her stylist, who was working on her hair, hurriedly grabbed a piece of tissue paper and started wiping Shin Hye’s cheeks.

‘It’s so unfair, eonnie,’ she replied in between sobs. ‘Why does Kim Tan have to suffer like this when it isn’t even his fault?’ She couldn’t stop her tears.

‘What? Uhh, I don’t know. Every drama needs a conflict; Kim Tan has to suffer a lot because he’s the main character,’ her stylist scrambled for something to say. ‘Shin Hye-ah, I know internalizing is part of your job but it’s messing up your make up. Mind if you do the crying when the cameras start rolling?’

Shin Hye nodded her head and tried to compose herself. It was getting harder and harder to keep her feelings in check. She looked at Min Ho who was at the opposite end of the shooting area. He was getting prepared as well. He looks so sad, Shin Hye thought. Just then, she was crying again.

‘Park Shin Hye!’ Her stylist cried out. Some of the crew members turned to their direction; Shin Hye looked down to hide her face. She was still sobbing.

‘What are we going to do with you?’ Her stylist mumbled to her while she waved at the crew members, ‘She’s fine! She’s okay. Just practicing her lines.’ She grabbed Shin Hye’s wrist and brought her to her van.

‘You stay here, okay? I’ll tell you when we’re ready,’ her stylist said calmly. ‘And please stop crying. Oh? Your eyes will look puffy on screen,’ she closed the door after Shin Hye nodded.

She breathed deeply. This was the most difficult part of her job, trying to delineate between reality and make believe. Sometimes, she felt real, searing pain. She’d find herself crying even at home whenever she thought about Cha Eun Sang and her Mom. Lately, however, what gave her more pain was whenever Kim Tan was hurt. ‘Aish. Why do I have to fall in love with this boy,’ she said out loud, still crying. ‘I thought this was a romantic comedy, why so much melo,’ she wiped her own tears.

The car door suddenly opened and in came MIn Ho. He closed the door and sat beside her. She gasped in surprise and quickly looked the other way.

‘Oppa, why? Do you need something?’ She said while her back was still turned.

‘Look at me,’ he said softly.

‘I’m fine, oppa,’ she replied, sniffing.

‘I said look at me,’ this time his voice was more commanding.

Shin Hye gave in and turned to look at him. When she saw his face, she bit her lip hard to keep from crying out loud. ‘Oppa, miane…’ she started to say, her words muffled.

Min Ho smiled and said, ‘Aigoo. It’s okay. It’s just me. If you keep crying now, there will be no more tears left for later.’ He grabbed the tissue box that Shin Hye was holding, took out some sheets and gently wiped her face. Shin Hye tried to avoid his eyes. She kept remind