Chapter 3 - Smile, You

By the time the director had finished explaining his romantic ideas involving characters Ki-Young and Yoon Soo, Shin Hye looked conflicted, while Yong Hwa looked annoyed.

“There are things I like and don’t like about that,” said Shin Hye.  “The romantic angst might improve ratings, but viewers are going to hate Professor Jung for being so firm in rejecting Lee Shin and then changing her mind.”

Director Pyo finished another glass of wine.

“Also,” she added, “If she’s having mixed feelings about a student, then I think we should explore the idea of the abuse of power in student-teacher relationships.”

“I don’t like it,” said Yong Hwa.

Shin Hye turned to argue with him.

“Not your views," he added.  His face softened as he looked at her.  “I just don’t like the idea of Ki-Young falling in love with Kyu Won.”

The actress stretched back in the chair and scrutinised her co-star’s face.  “Why?”

He frowned and took a sip from his wine.  “I just don’t.”

Shin Hye prodded his shoulder with a finger.  “Just say it!”

“The love triangle is old,” he mumbled, not looking her in the eyes.

She was confused.  “But Lee Hyun Jin-ssi is not!  Fans love him.”

“Why?  Are you his fan, Shin Hye?”

Shin Hye was speechless.

Yong Hwa regretted it the instant he said it.

“Truce!”  Director Pyo raised his hands in the air like a referee.  “I call a truce.  This is getting us nowhere.  Have some more wine.”

Looking for something to do, Yong Hwa jumped up and poured some more wine in their glasses.  Shin Hye’s didn’t need topping up, but he added a drop anyway.

“Okay.”  The director looked around the dark campus.  “We’ve pooled some ideas.  Now let’s go get some inspiration.”

“Eh?”  Yong Hwa and Shin Hye said simultaneously.

It turned out that Director Pyo’s idea of inspiration involved: the campus dance hall; pulling on random leather gloves, jackets and furry hats from the costume box; turning up the volume the enormous speaker system; and playing Super Junior while doing some really bad dancing.

Director Pyo had pulled on a pair of aviator sunglasses, a black glove, and began doing some extraordinary kpop dance moves.  He kicked his knees up, crossed his legs and spun around the floor.

Damn, that Ahjusshi could move.

What were Yong Hwa and Shin Hye to do with him?

Join in of course.

They could have stood there and cheered on the director politely, but there was something freeing about dancing around a deserted building.  Polished wooden dance floors were made for fun, and it wasn’t long before the three were skating up and down the room in their socks.  None of them knew the dance moves to the songs, so they made up their own.

They took three steps forward, turned and posed.

“You’re not pouting enough,” complained Yong Hwa, giving Shin Hye a playful shove.

“Diva,” she teased as they went back to their original positions.

Of course, lip-synching was involved.  The three took great pleasure in destroying the lyrics by playing the ‘this word sounds like’ game.

Director Pyo showed them the old moonwalk, and also showed them how to do a really good knee-skate.

He then took a well-earned break outside with what was left of the most recently opened bottle of wine.

The next song on the Director’s mp3 playlist was more relaxed.  It gave Yong Hwa and Shin Hye a chance to catch their breaths, but they continued dancing around each other, enjoying the opportunity to be happy together without the fear of being caught on camera.

Yong Hwa clasped her hands and threaded his fingers through hers.  It felt good to touch her.

Shin Hye felt her cheeks grow even warmer.

“Wha-“  He stopped dancing and turned her hand back over so that he could look at her fingers.  The digits were red and callused.  “How did this happen?”

“Playing the gayageum,” she supplied, not pulling her hands away.  She glanced up at him and dimpled.  “Now my fingers match yours.”

Their heads nodded together as she turned his hand over to reveal his old calluses from playing the guitar.

“We’re both suffering for our art.”  He smiled weakly.  He was still bothered by seeing her fingers so damaged.

“If it gets me to where I want to be, then I’m okay with it,” she replied, tracing his fingers with her own.  “I want to be able to pick the roles I want.  I want to reduce the health crisis in Africa, and who knows, take on the world?”

“You’ve always dreamed big.”  He sighed.  “I would settle for working in music for the rest of my life, but my vocal cords won’t let me.  I’m dreading the surgery I’ll have to have.”

Shin Hye squeezed his hand sympathetically.

He put on a brave smile.  “Which is why I’m hoping my acting career might do well.  So, about the script.  You only suggested themes, but you really didn’t go much further than that.”

Shin Hye smiled, and nudged his arm.  “I’ll have to base it on Director Pyo’s romance storyline.”

“Because the director has final say?” he finished for her.

“Neh.”

“And not because you’re a fan of Lee Hyun Jin?”

She chuckled.  “Yah.  Yong Hwa.  Are you jealous?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know the answer to that,” he replied, still holding her hands firmly in his.

The laughter faded from her brown eyes.

He leaned into her.  “Shin Hye, why...“

“You don’t understand,” she whispered.

She broke away from him, and threw the costume pieces off her on the way out.

'What wouldn’t I understand?' he thought.