A figure walks down the corridor towards the room with a lot of bustle. A makeup artist sees the figure walking past her.
"Hey Zeal! Here you will have your makeup done." The makeup artist says pointing towards a vanity van. Zeal makes a dazed face and then walks towards the room with his cameraman following him.
There were cameras everywhere. Sua was already there, getting her shots done.
Six cameras were taking her photos from different angles. She was giving a bad-ass look through her thick mascara, long fingers pulling her own cigarette from lips as red as her dress. Her brunette curls tumbled down to her low cut neckline and if looks could kill, all the guys would have been dead on the checkerboard tile by now.
There is a shutter sound to which she changes her pose.
She folds one leg over the other, dangling her high heel, showing more leg; yet her face stays aloof.
Before her gaze could fall on him, he had already hidden his.
Minutes later, the director shouts, "It's time we start the combined shoot. Zeal, have you done changing?"
Zeal comes out of his room, with a grim slash on his face. "I have to wear this?!" Zeal asks, looking at the shirt that exposed his chest. Along with that he was wearing a blue velvet coat, adorned to which were GUCCI accessories.
"Well, the song's name is 'Touch'. It has to be sexshy." The outfit manager tries to explain with exaggerated actions. Zeal stares at them for his odd actions and pronunciation. To which the outfit manager says, "Go rock with these six- pack, on which you worked so hard." He then points his index finger and thumb at him, and tries to wink, which turns into a complete fail attempt.
"Let's start. We shouldn't waste time." The director says. Zeal walks closer to the set.
So tonight I'm wearing nothing but a fedora face-I am a hero, a villain, a cheating lover and mob boss, Zeal thinks. He drifts into the fictional mindset.
"Ready..and action!", the director says.
The song starts playing.
Sua was leaning on a telephone booth near the traffic light. She then lights up a cigarette to add to the hazy cloud, lingering, spiralling in stagnant air. She drops it, her looks still perfect: soft cherry lips, hair arranged with every strand in place, ivory skin, angelic with closed lashes of thick black mascara.
"I can't wait.....for it to get over." Zeal says to himself and enters the camera range.He was driving a black cabriolet which stops in front of the traffic light, more appropriate to say in front of the telephone booth.
He looks near the side mirror of the car.
He meets her gaze with the smirk, which shows that the upper hand is his..For a moment the only movement is the curling smoke from her half-burnt cigarette.There isn't a chance in hell this M/V is gonna have a "happy ever after". Clouds loom in the sky, every shade of monochrome from sliver though storm grey leaving gaps only for the black sky. He walks out of the car and offers her a cigarette. He then lights it. He lights his cigarette too. The only glint in the blackness comes not from the moon, but from the tips of their cigarettes. The song picks up pace.
The director smiles, everything was going perfect. He points to a, camera man, telling him to shoot from a height. He points to the other, to move to the right and focus on the car. He points the third one, to zoom into the telephone booth. Rest all cameras were already at their positions.
Sua enters the telephone booth, pulling him along with her. The booth which had barely space for one was now filled with two. Sua moves her lips to his face, looks into his eyes and then suddenly turns it near his ear and whispers something.
In a few seconds the music catches its full pace, against the car, near it's running board lean the men, faces partially obscured by the lack of light.
Zeal's stride and posture change, there is a swagger in his lengthening stride and a confidence that belonged to Marlon Brando.
Sua moves out of the booth and after a few second Zeal too. Their moves were graceful and they gradually move into the dance steps which was going well in sync with the backup dancers. The dance breaks with the last part of acting.The last scene is them sitting in his car with the car's flashlights suddenly turning on, blinding everything with loud sounds of the engine. The song stops.
The on camera scenes were done. The thing amazing about this M/V was that it was gonna be a one take.
"Cut! Amazing!" the director says.
The staff starts clapping and congratulating everyone.
"Congratulations! The second song has also been recorded. Good work lad." He says to Zeal who was talking to the camera saying, "It's a wrap for them. Not for me." He says looking done.
Rejected by Zeal, the director turns to Sua, "You were just as amazing too.", he says.
"Thanks" Sua says. He smiles. They part ways. Zeal walks out of the studio towards his car. He still had some scheduled meetings and interviews. Most importantly, he had some unfinished business with the CEO. He reaches the headquarters of YP Entertainment.
Zeal moves through the corridor to the CEO's office and stops near the gate of the office. Outside the office, there was a plate with the words 'Do Hyun, CEO, YP Entertainment' inscribed on it. He stares at it for a moment. Takes a deep breath and releases it immediately. As he is about to knock, he hears something which he never should have.
"Finally, Cheers to NEXT!"he hears the voice of the COO. He hears clinking of glasses.
The CEO asks, "What about Zeal?" in a concerned voice.
"He's really making mountains of profits as soon as he is debuted." Some unfamiliar voice says.
"He is an innocent kid. He will soon notice the business and money in there."the COO says.
"When is Zeal's tour?" The CEO asks.
'Ok, a tour. Wait Zeal's....tour. My tour. Why haven't I been notified about that?'He thinks.
"2 months after the album release." Jeong , the COO says. "All the things are being organised in full swing."
He feels a small spark in his heart. It would be his first tour. His ambition was coming true. A small smile cracks his face.
"I dealt with Seri today." the unfamiliar voice says.
His ears perk up hearing her name. 'What about Seri? What did they do to her?' He thinks.
"She'll soon move back. Don't worry about her, Minsoo."The COO says.
"Where?..No..No..Not to the orphanage. She worked very hard to get into the school. You can't do that to her. She did nothing wrong. She just worked as a normal employee',he thinks.The short smile hsd diminished as quickily as it had appeared.
"Enough about Seri." The CEO asks.
"And did you find a buyer for the Songdo Street house?"
"Yes, there's a women...." and all after that came in hushed voices.
When the talk of the house comes, he whispers to himself, "They can't be selling my house. That's being against my wishes."
He presses his ear against the door when a sudden exclamation came.
"Cheers to Zeal! Cheers to Sua! Cheers to NEXT! Cheers to our great CEO! Cheers to the YP-Family!" People say. There's clinking of glasses once again. Zeal decides to walk into the office.
As Zeal enters the office, the people suddenly quiet down.This unusual behaviour of the staff makes him feel irritated but he hides his feeling behind a calm face.
"Oh Zeal! I've been waiting for you. Sit down." Jeong, the COO says. He ushers to the chair in front of the table. Zeal takes his place. The CEO continue ,"cheers!", he says and everyone takes a sip.
Zeal could feel the irritation boil his blood now. Anyhow, he stands up and leaves the office. As soon as he comes out of the cage, he release a deep sigh. He wouldn't want to think about Seri. If she would have been here, she would have consoled him.
Slowly, he walked towards his studio facing the big machines and instruments plugged in. He drifts towards the chair. He faces the blue screen, which shines upon his eyes. He types in the password resulting to the screen showing the producing software showing Seri's face made with recorded tunes. He missed her. Badly. Very Badly.
The blue light reflects the water in his eyes making it shine. He covers his mouth and buries his face in his hands.
How he wished if life was easy...