Empty eyes.

Hes laid flat out on the cold concrete, an angry red gash across his forehead. The dried blood pooled around his head smelled funky. His lifeless eyes stared out unseeingly past the girl crying over his dead body.

Her perfectly manicured fingers were curled into his gaudy blue shirt. Her tears were forming wet patches on his face. She screamed out the words she kept from him. Screamed out her regret and sorrow. She kept screaming even as the paramedics pulled her away, even after his body was covered with the white cloth.

“And cut!”

Andrew breathed in relief. Playing a corpse was harder than he thought. The main lead, Jeannie Jeong, ran back to him as he stood up. “You were really great!” She exclaimed. He grinned sheepishly, “Youre the amazing one. All I did was stay motionless.” She shook her head insistently, lower lip pouting cutely. “Nuh-uh! it felt so realistic! It was as if you weren’t breathing at all!” Shes got her slim fingers entwined in his rough hands now, not that he minds. “Well, I wasn’t supposed to be breathing remember?” That earned him a playful slap on the arm.

“Jeannie, come here, you need to do your make up.” A sharp voice rang out, startling them both. Jeannie’s manager was glaring at them. If looks could kill, Andrew was sure hed be dead by now. “Okay~” Jeannie reluctantly released his arm, flashing an adorable smile as she waved goodbye to him. Andrew found it difficult to smile back with that demon of a manager boring holes into his head with her eyes.

The clacking of her heels as she marched up to him was deafening. Andrew was cowed in the presence of this woman. “I know what you’re up to.” She hissed into his face, looming over him with her added height. As if she wasn’t tall enough, Andrew thought bitterly. “Don’t even think of flirting with Jeannie, you’re just a temp. Know your place.”

He doesn’t need to be reminded. He was lucky enough to be selected to have a part, no matter how tiny, in this drama. His role was minimal, just an event that will get the story rolling. By the end of the episode, the viewers would have probably forgotten him.

He backed away from the demon manager. “I understand.” Its better to avoid conflicts, hes got enough on his plate as it is. “I’ll be going now.” Giving a respectful nod, Andrew hastily made his exit.

Jeannie’s manager gave a snort of victory and turned her heels, marching into the dressing room. Her little star, who was having her hair done, turned around with a knowing look. “You chased him away didn’t you.” Her tone was resentful.

The manager simply gave a motherly smile. “Oh Jeannie, I know whats best for you, and that man is not worthy of you.”  Jeannie rolled her eyes and faced the mirror instead. Shes upset. Andrew was kind and attractive, but he had always maintained a distance with her. And today she had just been able to hold his hand. Jeannie sighed, it’s a pity Andrew wasn’t a regular. Knowing her manager, that would probably be the last time she sees him.

~

Freshly showered and back in his own clothes, Andrew jumped onto his bicycle and began peddling like mad. Well, he was mad really. Who does that woman think she is? He continued on at an incredible speed, burning off his anger and frustration.

Heracles Hotel, Andrew had arrived at his next workplace. Greeting the security guard, he swipes his card on the reader and enters the backdoor. He moves briskly into the changing room and took his uniform out of the locker. Andrew Lee is a very busy man who wastes no time. While everyone was just waking up, hes already flying around the neighbourhood on his bike delivering the morning paper. Then he checks into his agency where he fulfils his dreams as a small-time actor, though most of his roles were simply as a passer-by or a background stand. Following the afternoon, he is the Chef de partie at the famous Heracles Hotel restaurant. And after supper, he takes the night shift at the local emergency call centre.

“You’re early today, boy!” a potbellied man boomed heartily, slapping a meaty hand onto Andrew’s back. He almost stumbled from the force, but years of experience helped him maintain his balance. “Luis, how are you today?” Andrew replied by patting the man back. Luis’s enormous moustache wiggled as he laughed. “Oh-ho! Im feeling all better! The scar still itches tough, makes it a bit hard to move quickly.” Andrew smiled, despite Luis’s large size, the man can move like lightning when needed to. Luis had undergone surgery and just returned the week before. He was shot in the gut during a robbery in his neighbourhood mart.

“You shouldn’t exert yourself, you move fast enough as it is.” Luis pinched his nose fondly. “Aye, boy! But fast aint fast enough for the boss!”

The meticulous and professional Chef de cuisine, Francis Aberdeen, demands perfection for every dish. Not many people survive under her. But those who last thrived and flourished. Andrew almost didn’t make the cut for the position of Commis as he didn’t have the education nor work experience, but after observing his skills during his trial period, Chef Francis found him satisfactory. And now, he has upgraded to the position of station cook.

They made their way into the kitchen. Lunch preparations were in full swing and they each hurried to their posts. Chef Francis suddenly appeared at his side, grabbing Andrew’s elbow. Once he turned to face her, she began to speak rapidly, dragging him along while grabbing ingredients with her free hand.

“Good that you are early. Listen; there is this VIP who is demanding his food prepared under his observation. We believe he is suffering some sort of paranoia, we have never seen so many bodyguards at once. But we do not blame him, after what has happened to his house, we would be scared less too.” Andrew was used to her mannerism, but he was bewildered. Prepare the food in front of the customer? That’s a first for him. “These are his men, here are his orders and what you need. We trust you to perform perfectly.” He was pushed out with the cart which was almost overflowing with ingredients.

“Oh- yes, Chef!”  He had barely managed to answer her when the two suited men grabbed him and began patting him down. Andrew felt lost, he seemed to be manhandled a lot today. The men released him and checked the equipment, pocketing the knife set and sniffing the meat. They then proceed to shackle him between them by the arms marched him into the elevator, another suited man popping out to wheel the cart behind them. He felt like a prisoner on his way to the gallows.

“Sir!” The men unload him into the presidential suite, where he faced a man laid out on the queen sized bed, appearing to be badly injured with bandages covering almost his entire body. Andrew gulped hard when he recognised the man. It was Mr. David Moon, the city’s renowned millionaire and head of Valkyrie Inc., the company which revolutionised the country’s transportation services. Mr. Moon smiled and Andrew immediately felt paralysed. Like a rat captured by the snake’s gaze…

“Whats your name?”

~

~

((Ahh still feels too rushed.. anyways cameo by the awesome orangebox! haha this is my way of saying thank you~))