Chapter 3

The first day of filming is very tiring because Jin young who is the director of the music video decided to take the scenes outdoor. The location film that day is arranged in Hyde Park and the West End, especially in Piccadilly Circus. Of course filming in a public place is not an easy thing because the season of winter can still be felt. However, Director Park is a perfectionist. He was very concerned about the movements of Ji eun in front of the camera, her facial expressions, posture, foot steps, hand movements, even her gaze.

"Cut!" Exclaimed director Park for the fifteenth time.

Ji eun straightened up and turned to the director. The sky has been turned dark since hours ago. They also had to repeat the scene in antique store in this bright red painted at least six times and none of the scenes they took satisfies director Park.

"This time you try to cross the road from there to here," said director Park when he was beside Ji eun, " then paused in front of the store, looked inside, as if you're in doubt, then you're in. Ok? We try that."

Ji eun smiled and nodded although her fatigue started creeping her bone and she starts to shiver. Plus, her legs starts to ache in because the boots are too small. Of course this is not the first time she felt all of this. As a model work is very demanding of time and energy. She never come home at two in the morning after performing at a fashion show in London.

All day in every week she had to go out again from home at four o'clock in the morning to have a photo shoot in Cornwall. So fatigue is very familiar to her, even sometimes she felt that she's just feeling tired.

Directed by Park nodded. "We will begin in five minutes," he said, then walk to one of the cameramen. 

Yoon rushed to bring a jacket for Ji eun. "Thank you," Ji eun murmured while wearing her jacket and shoved a hand into the pocket.

"Sit here," said Yoon, pushing Ji eun to one of the benches in near the light and began to fix her makeup.

When Yoon go take another crockery, Ji eun closed her eyes for a moment. Time breaks, she got just a little time on sidelines to work like this. Ji eun doesn't know if anyone ever appreciated five minutes of free time as herself. Suddenly, she smelled the tasty. Her eyes opened and immediately confronted with a steaming cup of tea.

"Tired?"

Heard a low voice and the stranger, Ji eun looked up and immediately made an eye contact with a friendly and dark eyes, Wooyoung. Since their first meeting this morning, during the day they have not had time to talk to each other.

They did not do a scene together and their respective scenes taken separately. And whenever he is not in front of the camera, Wooyoung go straight back on his role as assistant director of Park, also busy behind the camera.

Because Ji eun remained unmoved, Wooyoung grabbed the hand of Ji eun, want to make her to accept the proffered paper cup. But Ji eun snapped out her reverie and like a lightning, she quickly draw back her hand. Wooyoung blinked and stared at her with eyebrows raised in surprise. Although, the air was cold, Ji eun felt her cheeks starting to heat up. For a few seconds none of them moved. Then, Wooyoung sighed and put the warm paper cup into her hand.

"Here, drink it. You will feel better, " he said lightly.

Ji eun grasped the proffered paper cup with both hands. She sighed softly as she felt the warmth spread over the fingertips of her hand.

"Director Park is a bit hard, but he always managed to get a good picture," Wooyoung said, putting his hands into his pockets. "You'll see you later."

Ji eun looked at him for a moment, then nodded briefly.

Just then, director Park calls everyone  and state that the shooting will begin again.

Wooyoung turned to the director, then back at Naomi. "Hold on a minute," he said, smiling cheerfully before turning away and left Ji eun. Ji eun stared back away for a moment, then looked down looked at the cup of tea that is still full and trembling in his hand. She draw a deep breath, exhale, and put the cup to the ground.

* * * 

Finally, they finished filming that day as well. Ji eun was rubbing the back of her neck while collecting all her things. She looked at the clock on her phone. If she hurried, she can ride the subway. Tomorrow she had to get up early because she was asked to arrive at the set by eight in the morning. Right now she just wants to sleep.

"Ji eun."

She turned when he heard the director Park calling her name. "Hmm?"

"You're going home alone?" ask director Park.

"Yes," Ji eun said and smiled. "It's okay. I am used to. I still had the last train ride." 

Director Park frowned for a moment. 

"It's too late. Not good to let a girl like you to walk alone." he said. Then, he looked around, in the direction of the production staff who are busy collecting and smoothing the equipment they used in the filming. 

His eyes stopped at Wooyoung who was helping to lift the equipment into the van. "Oi, Wooyoung," Director Park called. 

Wooyoung turned around. "Hmm?"

"Can you take Ji eun home?" director Park asked in language English to Wooyoung. "I don't want her to go home alone at a night like this." 

Ji eun's eyes widened. "No," she said quickly. Too fast and too hard until the two men turned to look at her. Ji eun shook both hands and smiled nervously. "No need to bother," she said in a voice that it should not sound panicked. "I can go home by myself. Really."

Wooyoung walked up to them. "I don't mind," he said. "Again, anyway, I agree with hyung. It's late in the evening and there someone should take you home. Where do you live?"

Ji eun wiggle her hand again. This time its faster. "Really, I could go home alone. I'm used to it."  she said as she grabbed her the bag and hat. When she saw Wooyoung opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, Ji eun quickly bowed. "Congratulations tonight." She said quickly, then turned around without waiting for an answer and walked away.

Observing that Ji eun backs away, Jin Young Park muttered, "You won't let her go home alone at a night like this." Wooyoung turned around. "But she doesn't want my company," he said. then he shrugged. "Hyung, don't need to worry. Nothing will happen."

Director Park chuckled softly. "But still...," he murmured reluctantly. He sighed and turned away. "Alright. Come on, Wooyoung. We should clean up this place and go home."

"Yes, hyung." He muttered. But he didn't  move from the place where Ji eun stood up until she disappeared around the bend across the deserted street.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ji eun doubted her own decision. The streets were deserted. The station of the subway also suddenly looks dim and scary. There's only a handful of people who stood there waiting for the train. Ji eun doesn't like a place that is deserted.

She began to panic. Should she accept the offer from Wooyoung to take her home? But the company of a man who she just had met this day is not a worth option that she should consider.

All the way home, Ji eun occupy her mind with considering the work schedule for the next month, trying to ignore trains that are almost empty state and the two men who look dull standing near the door, chatting and drinking beer. When she finally arrived in Hampstead, New Ji eun breath a little easier. Just a little. Because of now she had to walk to the flat. It is not far from the station, but she still feel paranoid when she have to walk alone at night.

While continuing to occupy her mind so would not think about scary stuff, Ji eun walked quickly down the street that leads to her flat. She can only really be relieved when approaching the building of flats.

Robin 's Nest on the first floor of the building was still open and still crowded. Lamplight that is lighted, the sound of people laughing and chatting, and the sound of clinking glasses can be heard.

Ji eun felt relaxed.

Just as she was relieved, a sudden loud noise behind her made her nervous, followed by the sound of the curse. Ji eun gasped, turning around fastly, and widened her eyes.

"Oh, ," the dark shadow man muttered under a tree that is lined the roadside. The shadow seemed to be bending and lifting something from the ground.

Ji eun seemed glued in place. Couldn't move, could not speak out, could not breathe. With wide eyes, she stared at the shadow ... dustbin? 

"Don't panic. It's me. I hit a garbage can. But don't worry. The garbage is fine."

Ji eun blinked in surprises recognizing the voice as the dark shadow before it stepped into the light path, raising both hands. Ji eun widened both eyes after seeing the man's face that was clearly visible. "You ...?"

Wooyoung lowered his hand and smiled broadly.

"What are you doing here?" Ji eun ask in  wonder mixed with suspicion. She looked around, then back at Wooyoung. Her eyes narrowed. "Are you following me?"

Wooyoung did not answer immediately. Then, he said with a brooding tone, "You know, this is the first time you say more than two words to me. And I didn't know you had a clear London accent. Actually, how long have you lived here?"

Ji eun paused and stared at the man in front of him. Then, without answering his questions, she asked again, "What are you doing here?"

Wooyoung shoved his hands into his gray jacket's pocket and lift his shoulder. "Because you don't want a ride home, I decided to follow you."

Ji eun's brow furrowed because she doesn't understand what he said. "Why?"

"Just to make sure you were okay. Making sure you get home safely, " he said lightly. "Hyung and I fear that something might happen to you."

Ji eun blinked confusedly. "Oh."

"So," Wooyoung said as he looked up at the building in front of him, "you stay here?"

Ji eun turned around, following the direction where he is looking at, then look back at Wooyoung. "Yes, I do."

Ji eun's tone, made Wooyoung to switch back his attention to her and he gave a short laugh. "There is no need to suspect. Besides, it looks like I'm not invited to enter."  he says. He looked at Ji eun from head to foot, and then returned to her face and said, "Besides, you're not my type."

Ji eun blinked in surprise, opened , then closed it again. Her brain struggles, looking for a suitable reply, but she can't find one. Her brain is suddenly empty. She could only stare at the man who was smiling broadly with disgust.

"All right. Because you've got home safely, I'll go first, " Wooyoung said as he held up a hand. "See you tomorrow."

When the man turned and started to walk away, Ji eun successfully think of a dozen ways to reply to Wooyoung's words earlier. But of course its already late. 
Ji eun turned irritably as she dug in her purse, looking for the front door key of the staircase. "Who is that man?"

Ji eun's heart almost fell to the ground when Ji yeon suddenly was there right in front of his face. "Omo, Ji yeon!" Ji eun pressed a hand to her chest. "What are you doing here?"

Ji yeon made a gesture with her thumb in the direction of Robin's Nest restaurant. "I'm with my friends," she said. "Incidentally, I saw the boy. Who is he?"
"My co-worker." said Ji eun. 

Ji yeon's eyebrows lifted. "And he took you home? Ji eun, I've never seen you taken home by a man."

"No, he did not take me," Ji eun interrupted quickly, "he followed me."

This time Ji yeon furrowed her brow. "He followed you here? What for?"

Ji eun didn't answer immediately. She looked back. Wooyoung was not there anymore. She shook her head and sighed. "I have no idea. I'm really tired and I want to go to bed." she said as she pulled out the keys from the bag and walked past Ji yeon. "Go, go back to your friends."

"Oh okay, Ji eun," call Ji yeon. "Taeyeon called looking for you many times a day Here you are. She said your cell phone could not be contacted."

Ji eun just thought she hung it up during her filming so she won't be disturb during the shoot. She sighed heavily. "Taeyeon. Oh, dear, I almost forgot. I promise I will submit the article tomorrow." she sighed. "I guess I have to cancel my plan to sleep."

Beside of working as a model, Ji eun also works as a freelance editor in one of the popular fashion magazine in UK. She loved and knew a lot about the world of fashion, so when Taeyeon Kim, former profession friend and the daughter of the owner The magazine, asked for her help, writing fashion articles for the magazine. Ji eun gladly accepted the job. But now she began to questioned her own decision to help Taeyeon because it seems now she's just not only in charge of writing the fashion articles, but also often asked to do a task that should be done by Taeyeon herself as the editor-in chief because her friend was not the type of person who can make decisions on her own.

Ji yeon looked at her with concerned. "I think it's time for you to choose one, Ji eun. Model or magazine editor. You can not do both with your current schedule. Aren't you tired?"

Ji eun turned the key and opened the door, and then she turned to her friend.

"Don't worry. I can handle it," she said with a smile. 

She never told anyone, but having full of activity is her protector. Busy is not a distracter for her. Being busy can make her not to think about things that she doesn't want to think about. For example, anything related to Wooyoung Jang.