Chapter Text
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this story are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
1.
If 17-year-old Jihyo in film school had been told she'd become the highest-earning actress under thirty within ten years, she would've laughed it off as a far-fetched dream. The idea of lounging in her own penthouse with her closest friends would've seemed like pure fantasy.
As the morning sunlight filtered through the window, casting warm hues across the room, Jihyo sank into the plush, expensive couch, her gaze fixed on her fingernails, lost in her own thoughts.
"It's such a beautiful day today," Sana remarked from her spot on the hammock, her face shielded by sunglasses and a hat, the pleasant breeze gently cooling her skin. Her words carried a sense of comfort, but despite the soothing tone, Jihyo seemed troubled by something.
"It's even more beautiful because Jihyo is quiet for once," Nayeon chimed in with her trademark teasing, earning herself a playful pillow to the face from Jihyo.
But despite the lighthearted exchange, Sana sensed unease lingering in the air. She removed the sunglasses from her face, lifted her head, and glanced across the room at Nayeon, who had now abandoned her book, her worried expression mirroring Sana's concern. It wasn't like Jihyo to be so distant, lost in her own thoughts.
"What's on your mind?" Nayeon's voice broke through the silence, her concern evident in the furrow of her brow.
"It's nothing," Jihyo sighed, hugging a cushion close to her chest, her voice barely above a whisper.
But Sana, ever attuned to the emotions of her friends, knew better. It was never nothing when Jihyo withdrew into herself like this. Sana felt troubled at the sight of her friend's troubled expression, her instinct to offer comfort kicking in.
"It's not nothing if you wouldn't touch that chocolate cake I bought for you," Sana said gently, rising from the hammock and padding barefoot across the soft carpeted floor of the penthouse to join Jihyo on the sofa. "And I know how much you love them Jihyo-chan." She opened her arms, offering a hug.
Jihyo shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, the weight of her worries pressing down on her. She took a deep breath, as she settled her face on Sana's chest, steeling herself to share the burden that had been weighing on her mind.
"My manager called. There's a picture in the newspaper of me kissing a girl," she confessed, her voice tinged with worry.
Nayeon's grip on her book tightened ever so slightly. "Which girl?" she asked, her tone laced with concern.
"How would I know?" Jihyo's pout mirrored her frustration.
Nayeon couldn't help but tease, a playful grin tugging at her lips. "How would you know, considering you've dated half of the industry in just five years?"
Jihyo's sulk deepened, as she nestled into Sana's comforting embrace, seeking comfort in her warmth. "Hey, I'm worried about my career here," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Nayeon, ever the voice of reason, offered reassurance in the face of her doubts. "Jihyo, you've already come out as bisexual, and I'm sure the nation's sweetheart won't be shunned for kissing a girl. Don't lose sleep over this," she shrugged, closing the book and joining Jihyo and Sana on the sofa.
She waved her phone in front of Jihyo, a smirk playing on her lips. "Besides, I just got a text from your manager, since you're not replying, saying you have nothing to worry about. The picture is too grainy and unclear to see who's who. So cheer up, baby girl," she urged, giving Jihyo a playful punch in the arm.
Jihyo retaliated with a punch of her own, and they exchanged mock glares before smacking each other again.
Sana shook her head at their antics, a fond smile tugging at her lips as she watched them fight playfully. She couldn't help but feel grateful for moments like these when they could forget about the pressures of fame and simply be themselves.
"Well, that's enough now," she chided when Jihyo rolled up her sleeves and Nayeon stood up flexing her arms as if they were going to actually fight each other.
Reprimanded, they sat down obediently.
Two minutes later, as Nayeon devoured the chocolate cake meant for Jihyo, and Jihyo, who had just returned from the bathroom, tackled a grinning Nayeon to a wrestling match on the floor, Sana shook her head, suppressed a smile as they groaned like petulant children when she dragged them away from each other by their collar.
She settled back into the hammock, feeling grateful for the simple joys of friendship amidst the chaos of their glamorous lives.
Nayeon woke up with a pounding headache, dreading the looming read-through for a new film in just a couple of hours. As she reached for her phone on the bedside stand, it rang, interrupting her groggy thoughts.
"Hello?"
"Hi, I'm the assistant producer of your film, Adam Robinson. You can call me Mr. Robinson," came the voice on the other end. "I wanted to talk to you about Mina."
"Nina who?" Nayeon replied, still half-asleep.
"Mina. Not Nina. You know, the one you're going to spend the next eight months shooting with. That Mina," the voice answered sarcastically.
Nayeon gritted her teeth. She didn't need this attitude at this hour.
"Yeah, okay, Mr. Robinhood. What do you want to talk about?" she retorted.
"It's Mr. Robinson," the voice corrected, a hint of annoyance creeping in. "The producer wants you both to spend some time together to create a bond and understand each other. I'm sure he has briefed you about it."
Nayeon rolled her eyes. Of course, the producer, director, her manager, and even the lightman had told her about it. "I'll be with her at the read-through anyway."
"You can't get to know each other there. It's a table-read for all the cast," Robinson replied matter-of-factly. "If you're going to play best friends in the film, the chemistry has to look believable."
"Fine, I'll stay the night at hers, cook her dinner, and make her breakfast in bed. How does that sound?" Nayeon quipped, her sarcasm dripping.
"Like a date," Robinson's tone suggested his patience was wearing thin.
Nayeon bit her tongue. She needed to watch her words. For someone who had only done blonde bombshell roles in action films like her, she had to be careful with powerful men like Robinson. She needed to branch out and prove her talent, and this film could give her that opportunity. She wasn't going to let some Robinhood get in the way.
"I'm sorry. I'm irritable in the morning and I have a headache on top of that," Nayeon apologized, trying to salvage the conversation.
"I understand," Robinson said, though his voice lacked understanding. "Mina would like to have lunch with you after the table read."
"I can do that," she gritted through her teeth in a polite tone, "whatever her highness wishes," she muttered under her breath after she cut the call.
She knew Mina was a highly respected superstar, but that didn't mean she had to give away her self-respect to bend over to her every wish. God have mercy, she thought, dreading the next eight months.
Two hours later, Nayeon found herself at the table for the read-through, noticing that Mina hadn't arrived yet. As everyone introduced themselves and helped themselves to breakfast, Nayeon took a box of strawberry milk and settled into her chair, anxiously tapping her pen against the wooden table.
Mina still hadn't arrived.
Nayeon had seen Mina's films during her film school days and glanced at her from afar whenever their paths crossed at award shows and ceremonies. However, this would be the first occasion she'd have the opportunity to see Mina up close, in person, without the veil of distance or the glamour of the spotlight.
Nervously, she adjusted the glasses on her face. She didn't wear them often because Jihyo always teased her about being a closeted nerd. But today, it gave her comfort, like an armor a soldier wore on an unexpected battlefield.
Just as everyone was settling down to start the read, Nayeon heard footsteps rushing through the hall.
"I'm sorry I'm late. I keep forgetting how tight the traffic gets around here!" said a voice out of breath.
Nayeon's gaze was drawn upward to the figure framed in the doorway, bathed in the glow of the morning light, silhouette cast in radiant gold as the sun ascended.
As the figure stepped further into the room, Nayeon observed in stunned silence, feeling as though she were witnessing a scene from a film.
The cameras, with all their lenses and filters, had utterly failed to capture the full extent of Mina's beauty. It was as though they could only skim the surface, unable to delve into the depth of her allure.
In that moment, bathed in the soft glow of morning, Mina's face seemed to emanate a mesmerizing radiance, accentuated by the gentle play of light and shadow. Every feature seemed to be sculpted by the hands of a master artist, from the gentle curve of her lips to the graceful arch of her brow.
Her smile, genuine and warm, reached her brown eyes as she met Nayeon's gaze directly for the first time. It was a smile that spoke of a gentle soul, filled with kindness and understanding.
And Nayeon felt her own worries and apprehensions melt away, replaced by a sense of calm and peace.