THE REAL DEAL
" We shoot in fifteen minutes!"
The loud bang on her door startled her out of a dream. A dream she doesn't want to remember. And yet, standing up she could vividly recall its detail, the sensation so fresh, she unconsciously touched a finger to her lips.
With an abrupt shake of her head she stood up and stretched, shaking off the lethargy accompanying a deep slumber.
A quick trip to the bathroom left her a minute to spare as she put on her costume for the day. She didn't need an assistant to put on the flesh colored blouse and coral skirt. After taking a peek on the vanity mirror she opened her door to leave.
He was just closing his door when she emerged and gave her a quick nod. Flustered upon seeing the object of her dream earlier she simply waved and turned to close her door as well.
"Fast shower, huh?" he remarked from behind her as they walked side by side down the hall.
Her nod but refusal to reply made him look at her more closely. Placing a hand on her elbow he stopped her stride.
"You okay?"
She had no choice but to look up and see his eyes. Darn, his eyes. Shaking her head, she meant that he shouldn't worry, but he took it the other way. With concern, he placed a palm on her forehead. A warm palm.
She stopped breathing as he gazed down at her.
When seconds passed by and all that she could do was gawk at him, his eyebrows drew in concern.
"What's up with you? You're really acting weird."
Her eyes dropped to his lips and she flushed. She couldn't help it as details of her dream came in a rush.
Those lips closing in on hers as he drew her to him. Her hands going up to mesh up his hair. Getting lost in a world where sensation reigned and the only sound she could hear was blood rushing through her ears.
A sharp tug at her shoulder blade jolted her back to reality as he frowned down upon her.
"Hey, are you coming down with something? We're going to shoot a long one today.."
"I'm fine..I'm fine." She finally said, licking suddenly dry lips.
He gave a brief laugh at her expression.
"For a second there your eyes glazed over."
She turned to go, leaving him staring after her retreating back. Perfectly aware that her behavior is abnormal, she left the hotel. She didn't care, she simply had to go before she did anything more odd.
The set was all ready, cameramen in place, scriptwriter perched on a nearby table and the director cleaning his glasses as they waited for their entrance.
For the first time she cursed the intimate scenes written in the script. One of which they will have to bring to life today. Her insides were already in a turmoil and that dream only made them worse. This is indeed going to be a long day.
" Places everyone."
Like the condemned, she walked towards the make believe stone pillar where he was already in his position.
He was still looking at her oddly and she averted her gaze, determined to go through the scene with as much detachment as possible.
Facing the crew, she felt his arms draw her back to his front as he leaned on the pillar. The pose was intimate and sweet. Bending her knees a little as instructed, she felt him tuck her head under his chin. Unwillingly, she tensed as she felt his warmth at her back.
He felt it for he tightened his arm on her shoulder.
"Relax. " he whispered.
"I'm fine" she said for the second time that day.
She felt him exhale a breath and it tickled the top of her head.
Closing his arms around her middle, she leaned back against him. The pose was in place. The prince and the princess on a bittersweet embrace near the stone pillars of the palace as he started reciting his lines. A love poem, following the tradition that a prince must teach his princess words of love.
She listened, the rise and fall of his chest on her back in cadence with the baritone of his voice. The words flowed from his lips and she felt herself softening. Their effect on her heightened senses making her forget the harsh lights and the whirr of the cameras rolling.
She turned her head a little, and he automatically adjusted his position. Fitting her torso in his, he readjusted his hold. For a second, they fit perfectly like a puzzle that has come into place. His warmth and his strength placing her in a cocoon.
"Ji Hoon." She whispered.
" I know." He whispered back, and she raised her eyes to his. He was gazing down on her with warmth.
Suddenly, she felt all her nerves come to life with the realization that every part of her body was in contact with his.
He didn't break his gaze nor his hold, seemingly as lost as she was.
Then his left hand moved in a caress so soft, she thought she imagined it. He caressed her arm where his other hand held her in place.
He lowered his head and she held her breath.
"Cut!"
They broke away abruptly, causing her to bang her head on his chin and he drew back with a hiss.
" I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she rattled as she touched his chin. He shook his head and raised his palm, indicating he was fine.
"What the hell was that about?" PD sounded pissed and they both turned to him in confusion.
He was waving the script at their faces, his expression indicating that he thought they were both idiots.
He recovered first, and still rubbing his chin stepped out.
" I'm sorry PD. I got distracted." He mumbled, eyes looking at the bushes to his right.
With an irritated nod, the director looked at them both and yelled for a second take.
And so it went, until she memorized his love poem and his body left an imprint on hers. After take twelve, PD was satisfied and let them go.
She quickly left the set, almost breaking into a run in her haste to leave. She heard him call her name but she didn't turn, intent on returning to her sanctuary.
She opened her door only to have it closed by a hand. Without looking up, she could sense his intense stare.
" What happened back there?" he murmured.
She shook her head in denial.
" Nothing. We are both tired. I want to rest before the next take." She said and turned the knob, but he would have none of it.
He opened the door and preceded her inside.
"What are you doing?" she demanded. Although he had been in her room before with the other cast, this was different. Memories from her dream and the scene they just shot left her feelings raw.
"We need to talk." He sat on a chair and dropped his head on his knees.
With unsure steps she took a chair opposite him and sat down.
"There's nothing to talk about. Today was just a bad day." She lamely began.
"Don't you think I feel it too?" he raised his head and looked at her. His stare was direct, trying to read what's on her mind.
" I'm just a little weird today." She met his gaze but he shook his head.
"Something is happening between us."
Her eyes widened at that. Did he guess how she felt?
"Don't be ridiculous." She scoffed.
" I wanted to kiss you." Her eyes widened at the admission.
"And you wanted it too." He continued, his gaze daring her to break its hold.
In an agitated move she stood up.
"We just got caught in the scene. It meant nothing." She rushed on.
"And the kiss we shot the other day? It meant nothing as well?"
She shut her eyes as she tried to stop her brain from remembering , to no avail.
Swallowing hard she snapped:" Yes! We're professionals, it's supposed to be that way."
He stood up and towered over her. With a quick snake of his arm he caught her to him.
"Stop denying this." He said as he took her lips in a kiss.
Lips locked, her heart and her brain joined in a rush to flood her with memories and sensation of the kissing scene they filmed the day before. The minute long kiss which lasted like forever exploded in her mind.
It was supposed to be a passionate kiss, the affirmation of the love between Shin and Chae Gyoung and the director told them to give it all they got. That they did and more.
Feelings simmering in the months since they first started acting together had come out in full force during that scene. They kissed like there was no tomorrow. Drowning in each other's lips, they angled their heads here and there, letting instinct guide them.
They did the scene in one take as the applause from the crew broke them apart.
Heart hammering, she felt her lips swell as she looked up to him.
He was breathing heavily, his eyes intent on hers.
Now it was happening again, and they both felt helpless to stop.
When breathing became a problem they broke apart, hearing their hearts beating in unison.
He dropped his head on top of her head, as she struggled to control her senses.
"We can't do this." She said weakly.
He didn't speak but she knew his mind was busy as well.
"This was bound to happen. Everything just got too intense for us." He spoke. "From the beginning, this was a special project because we were both on new territory. And all those months of filming.."
She drew back." I know, but I never expected that it will lead us to this… You have to admit, this is not going to make things easy."
He chuckled as he gazed down at her. " I beg to disagree, but kissing you wasn't a difficulty."
She blushed at that and he grinned, his eyes disappearing altogether.
"What are we going to do?" she asked, worried for real. About how this will affect their working relationship and how others will perceive this new development.
He closed his eyes, his chin still on top of her head as his palm made circles on her back.
"Well, for one, we stop acting." Understanding his meaning immediately, her eyebrows knitted together.
"What? We like each other for real, so why act like we do?" he reasoned out and looking up she could count his teeth with his smile.
Playfully she swatted his chest.
"I'm being serious."
"So am I. This is not necessarily a bad thing. For one, playing the part just got easier."
" We never had problems with it in the first place. But what will people think?"
" Look, let's take things easy. We are both single and we're not doing anything wrong."
He drew her to the bed and easily, as if they had been doing it for years, drew her on to his side. Putting his feet up he closed his eyes. She did too, worried and yet happy to be lying beside him.
" I don't know if I'm ready to admit this to anyone yet." She began, her fingers playing with the fabric of his shirt. He caught her hand and brought them to his chest.
"Let's take this one day at a time. If you're not comfortable, we don't need to tell anybody, but I'm not going to hide it."
She nodded, understanding that it was not in his nature to play games. It was one of the things she respected about him. She used to think that models were one-dimensional, like the mannequins they portrayed, but he had more depth than any other person she had met in their line of work.
"Okay, one day at a time."
The cast members, the filming crew and the production staff all noticed the change in the lead stars, but because both of them never spoke a word on what changed, nobody dared to ask.
Their romantic scenes became sweeter, their arguments more painful, their sad scenes more heartfelt.
When Shin learned that Chae Gyoung has agreed to be exiled, his anguished expression and honest tears made everyone else forget that they were shooting a scene.
When Chaegyoung ran towards Shin and he caught her, locking in a desperate farewell embrace, no one left the set with dry eyes.
The filming finished on a high note, and even higher ratings. Expectations were met and surpassed and everyone was victorious.
During the farewell party, the others noted that although both lead stars were openly smiling, their eyes were both sad. They ate, drank and acted merrily with everyone, but notable was the fact that they seemed to be intent not to interact with each other for long. They chose to sit opposite each other at the table and circulated alternately.
If some wondered, others simply shrugged and presumed that it was separation blues. The all knew that the two lead stars have become close during the series, and they thought that perhaps, having the longest interaction among the cast had made them reluctant to part.
The victory party after the MBC special ended in the wee hours of the morning. Not a few had to hitch a ride for being too drunk to drive home. The hotel ballroom emptied, save for a few service crew who did the clean up. Had they did a more thorough job, they would have seen two figures seating side by side in the gazebo adjacent to the ballroom exit.
Her head on his lap, she sighed. Finally, they could be themselves.
"Tired?" he stroked her hair as she closed her eyes, nearly drifting to sleep. She nodded.
"Impatient. For everything to end." She smiled.
He pulled her in a sitting position and quickly settled her on his lap. His hug was satisfyingly sweet and she couldn't help but sigh once more. He always did hug great for a skinny guy, she thought with a grin.
"So now, Ms. Yoon. Can we finally breathe easy and just be?"
"Nope." She shrugged, his eyes widening in question. " Not until you call me by my proper name."
A slow grin appeared on his handsome face, turning into a full throated laughter.
Standing up, he grabbed her hand and pulled her up.
" Fine. Let's go home, wife. Our job is done."
THE END