Arriving at the filming location, Min-Jun walked in with his entourage. The large hall was a hive of activity, with crew members setting up props and revamping the filming area. Some actors and actresses engaged in idle conversations, while others isolated themselves to study their scripts.
Zee, walking with gaited steps beside Kang Min-Jun, throttled now and then due to his fast movements while trying to maintain the twelve-inch gap between them. She felt their keen eyes on them. From the way the employees under Min-Jun acted, they were used to the attention, but she wasn't, especially when those keen gazes seemed to linger a lot more on her.
Aside from the nervous feeling she got from their gazes, Zee felt elated seeing some of the actors and actresses she only got to see on the screen sitting and discussing in one place. She looked around curiously, making sure her observant gaze wasn't too obvious. She noticed the servile attitude of everyone towards Min-Jun, who was treated with the utmost respect.
A stout, potbellied man made his way toward them, and Min-Jun bowed respectfully, which surprised Zee. He was the first person Min-Jun had bowed to since they entered the building. The man looked unkempt, dressed in an oversized short-sleeved shirt and brown pants—one leg rolled up and the other hanging loosely. His brown hair was spiked, and he was sweating profusely despite the air-conditioned hall.
"Min-Jun, you are just in time as always. Filming starts in an hour, you can use that time to get ready," the man said.
"An hour?" Min-Jun asked, raising an eyebrow as he wondered why the time was pushed back from the usual thirty minutes.
The man shifted awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "Uhm... Yeong-Su isn't here yet, and most of the scenes today involve both of you."
A slight frown appeared on Min-Jun's face. The man quickly added, "Don't worry too much. Yeong-Su called and said he was stuck in traffic. He will be here soon."
Min-Jun narrowed his eyes slightly before nodding. "I will be in my dressing room, Director."
Zee's eyes widened. Did Min-Jun just address the disheveled man as Director? Still taken aback, she noticed the man looking at her with interest, which made her feel uneasy.
"Jamkkannmanyo," Director Ahn called out, halting Min-Jun. "Min-Jun, who is she?"
Min-Jun's brow furrowed. He knew exactly who the director meant, and he had no intention of introducing her. Just as he was about to dismiss the question, Zee's voice cut through.
"Annyeonghaseyo, I am his new personal assistant," Zee interjected, even though the question wasn't directed at her.
She figured Min-Jun wouldn't answer and decided to step in to avoid any awkwardness for both herself and the director. Plus, she didn't want to leave the director hanging.
"Aha," Director Ahn said, his eyes lighting up with understanding. He broke into a smile. "Arasseo! Let me spare you from more of my questions."
With that, the conversation ended, and Min-Jun continued on his way, his gait now clearly conveying his irritation. Although he should have been pleased that Zee saved him the trouble of introducing her, he was more frustrated by missing the chance to embarrass her.
As they turned a corner, Zee heard Director Ahn's voice again, calling out, "Has anyone been able to get hold of Yeong-Su yet?"
"No, we haven't, Director Ahn," came the reply.
Zee wondered if the director knew they could still hear him.
Director Ahn was known for his relaxed and informal style. His unique look was different from the usual polished professionals. He valued comfort over formality. Despite his disheveled appearance, he had a reputation for producing highly praised films.
The walk led them to the elevator, and Zee gulped nervously, unsure of what to do. Staying in the same elevator meant breaching the twelve-inch gap rule. As the door began to close, the others looked at her strangely.
"Aren't you getting in, Miss?" one of the bodyguards asked her.
Taking it as an invitation, Zee quickly slipped into the elevator, moving to the far end and pressing herself against the wall. She tried to ignore the curious glances from Min-Jun's entourage. Min-Jun's frown deepened, but he said nothing.
When the elevator chimed open on the fifth floor, Zee exhaled a sigh of relief. Everyone else poured out of the elevator, and Zee was the last to step into the quiet, well-maintained hallway. The walls were decorated with black and gold signs indicating different sections: "Section A: Kang Min-Jun" among others. Zee noticed that this floor was dedicated to several top stars. She spotted Yeong-Su's name, the actor-director mentioned earlier, designated to Section B.
Min-Jun entered a door marked with his name, accompanied only by the makeup artist, Do-hee. The bodyguards took their positions by the door and elevator, while Zee and the others waited outside. Zee found herself the focus of attention from Min-Jun's team and she stood there awkwardly, wondering why they were staring at her.
"What is your name?" Che-U, the publicist, spoke up first.
"I'm Zee. Nice to meet you all," she replied with a smile.
"We noticed you avoided Min-Jun like the plague. Hope you are not here to cause more mess for me to clean up," Che-U said, scrutinizing Zee.
Zee was momentarily speechless, struggling to find a way to respond. After a moment, she decided that clearing up any misunderstanding was the best approach to avoid friction with her new colleagues.
"He asked me to stay as far away from him as possible," she said slowly.
The group exchanged skeptical glances, clearly not convinced.
"What did you do?" Gui-Jin, the stylist, asked.
"I did nothing," Zee replied, exasperated.
Zee knew it was because of her skin color but that explanation was irrelevant. She can't help being brown skinned so explaining about it was like blindly explaining why oranges are orange or why a coconut husk is brown.
The three of them eyed her up and down, gauging if they should buy it or not and they finally agreed on the later.
"Aigu! She hasn't even started and already Min-Jun hates her this much," Gui-Jin said, shaking her head.
Che-U clicked her tongue. "She wouldn't last a week."
Si-Woo, the runner who had been quiet up until now, finally spoke. "She is lying. Kang nim wouldn't hate anyone without them getting on his nerves first."
The other two nodded, looking at Zee as if she had betrayed them by starting a relationship based on a lie.
Zee frowned and stepped towards Si-Woo. "Ya! Judging by our ages, I'm definitely older than you. You shouldn't be calling your noona a liar."
Si-Woo looked so shocked and intimidated that he quickly hid behind Che-U. Zee couldn't be bothered with them anymore and sat down on a lobby chair. It was clear they didn't like her, but she didn't care. She only cared about what Kang Min-Jun thought. The three of them continued to stare at her in astonishment.
Few minutes later, someone came to announce that it was time for shooting. Min-Jun emerged from the dressing room, looking absolutely stunning in his makeup and black bodysuit armor. He had finally removed his mask and sunglasses, and Zee found herself gaping. Seeing her idol up close was the most incredible experience of her life, despite his apparent dislike for her.
Min-Jun was currently starring in a movie called Rival Hearts. It's about Joon-woo and Min-seok, two friends from military school, whose bond is tested when they fall for the same woman, Hana. While Joon-woo is the one Hana loves, Min-seok, her childhood friend, is secretly in love with her. Consumed by jealousy, Min-seok sabotages Joon-woo's missions to undermine him. As Joon-woo struggles to uncover Min-seok's schemes and protect his relationship with Hana, the tension builds.
The trailer for Rival Hearts had already garnered billions of viewers. Now, the movie was nearing its release, and fans couldn't wait.
Back in the large filming hall, Min-Jun moved onto the set while his entourage waited on standby, ready to assist if needed.
As Zee stood there watching everything with fascination, she also felt a sense of pressure from the many top actors and actresses around her as they continued staring at her. She knew she looked different, but the gazes seemed to be for another reason, and she really wanted to know why.
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Jamkkannmanyo—Just a moment
Annyeonyhaseyo—Hello
Arasseo—Got it/Understood
Aigu—Oh my
Ya—Hey
Noona—Older sister