The day began to pass slowly, but Director Ahn still hadn't captured a proper scene featuring Min-Jun and Yeong-Su. Yeong-Su's constant mistakes were beginning to frustrate him. The only reason Director Ahn refrained from yelling was the presence of Min-Jun on set; otherwise, he would have unleashed his fury on Yeong-Su long ago.
After countless retakes, Min-Jun, who seemed unfazed by the chaos around him, was starting to feel exhausted. Feigning a fight while suspended upside down on a rope wasn't an easy task, and his patience was wearing thin. He couldn't feel unconcerned anymore and so he decided to lend a hand. He offered Yeong-Su some pointers on how to execute the stunt properly.
As he watched their unexpected interaction, everyone on set was taken aback as Min-Jun was typically reserved and rarely initiated conversations, let alone offered tutoring. Zee watched in confusion, her thoughts racing. Min-Jun appeared genuinely kind, just as he did in interviews, so why had he acted so differently toward her? Was it because she was somehow different? Was her skin color that repulsive to him? The questions swirled in her mind.
Fortunately, Min-Jun's tips seemed to help Yeong-Su for a brief moment, but it wasn't long before he began stumbling again. Frustrated, Director Ahn finally called for a break.
"Everyone, take fifteen," he announced through the megaphone, his voice echoing throughout the room.
Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. The set workers quickly unfastened the ropes from Min-Jun and Yeong-Su's waists, and the two descended from the stage, heading back to their respective stations.
Min-Jun sank into a recliner, and Zee quickly grabbed a bottle of water from the pile in the corner of the room. She handed it to Si-Woo, who obediently passed it on to Min-Jun, following her instructions. This was the only way she could keep the twelve-inch distance from him. Thankfully, Min-Jun gulped down the water as soon as it reached him, not bothering to ask where it had come from. She doubted he would have accepted it if he knew it was from her own hands.
After finishing the bottle, Min-Jun closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, his fingers instinctively moving to massage his temples. Zee noticed this and realized he must be suffering from a headache. Since she didn't have any medication on hand and so she decided to run to a nearby pharmacy.
Just as she turned to leave, someone called out, "Zee."
The sound of her name caught Min-Jun's attention; it was different from the usual names he heard. He looked up to see Yeong-Su approaching his supposed personal assistant with a bright smile. Of course, that ridiculous name would belong to someone like her. Though she had mentioned her name repeatedly, he hadn't bothered to remember it, convinced it wouldn't matter much since she wouldn't be around for long. He rolled his eyes at the pair and returned to his relaxed position
Zee's brow creased in confusion. How did he know her name? The only people she had told were Che-U, Gui-Jin, and Si-Woo. Had he learned it from one of them? If so, why?
"You are Zee, right?" Yeong-Su asked as he approached her, his smile wide.
She nodded, her curiosity piqued. "How did you find out my name?"
He laughed, brushing off her question. "I'm Kim Yeong-Su. It's nice to meet you," he said, extending his hand.
Zee hesitated, noting that he had avoided her question. But that wasn't the only reason she withheld her hand—he was the cause of Min-Jun's headache.
"I'm kind of in a hurry. Can I help you?" she asked, striving to keep her irritation from seeping into her voice.
Yeong-Su beamed at her. "Let's be friends."
Zee stared at him, taken aback. Everyone stared weirdly at her but yet he approached her, seeking her friendship. But he was the last person she wanted to befriend, especially given the lingering grudge in her heart.
When she finally found her voice, she snapped, "Stop making Kang Min-Jun do the same scenes over and over again. You should be using this time to practice." With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.
Zee didn't care that he was a top actor working alongside Min-Jun. If he wasn't contributing and was just causing him stress, she had no interest in a friendship.
"It's a deal then!" she heard him shout after her, but she didn't bother to respond.
Yeong-Su stood there, grinning sheepishly as he watched her go until she disappeared from view. He then turned around, his gaze lingering on Min-Jun for a brief moment before he made his way back to his seat.
Zee soon arrived at a pharmacy, determined to find a suitable medication for Kang Min-Jun. She opted for a more expensive brand that aligned with his taste but ensured it had minimal side effects since he was still filming. After reviewing numerous options with the pharmacist, she finally selected one and hurried back to the set.
Upon returning to the filming venue, Zee noticed that Che-U, Gui-Jin, Do-hee, and Si-Woo were nowhere to be found. Panic washed over her, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. How was she supposed to pass the medicine to Min-Jun without breaking the stipulated distance rule? Just then, a text from Che-U pinged her phone, informing her they had gone to lunch. Wait, how did she get her number? But that was the least of her concerns right now. She needed to focus on figuring out how to get the medicine to Min-Jun.
Frustrated, Zee gritted her teeth and ultimately decided to break the stupid rule anyway.
Meanwhile, Min-Jun, still massaging his temples, heard a sound nearby. He opened his eyes to find an unopened bottle of water and a rattling medicine container in front of him. His eyes widened in surprise as he recognized it as the same medicine he used for his headaches. He scanned the container closely, making sure it wasn't an illusion, and once it stopped moving, he realized it was real. Without a second thought, he quickly grabbed the medicine, tore off the cap, and swallowed a few pills with water.
Zee was taken aback by his reaction. She had expected him to scream at her, but he didn't even glance in her direction. It wasn't the response she anticipated, but at least it was better than him barking at her in front of everyone. She decided to use that moment to quickly slipped away before he could notice her. Yet again, things rarely went as planned.
Min-Jun after gulping down the medicine finally looked up to see who got the medicine for him only to see his hideous personal assistant sneaking away. His face contorted angrily. Did he just take something from her? Did she just defy his orders?
"Stop right there," he ordered.
Zee's shoulders immediately jerked in fear as she stopped right in her tracks. She gradually turned around to face Min-Jun's disgusted face.
"Take this with you," he said throwing back the medicine and water at her but then, the unexpected happened.
Once Zee caught them, the water uncorked and its content came spilling all over her face, drenching her blouse. She quickly steadied the bottle of water and fished out the cap that had fallen into her blouse using it to close back the water.
After gulping down the medicine, Min-Jun finally looked up, only to catch sight of his personal assistant trying to sneak away. Anger twisted his features. Had he just taken something from her? Had she defied his orders?
"Stop right there!" he commanded.
Zee's shoulders jerked in fear at the sound of his voice, and she froze in her tracks, slowly turning to face his disgusted expression.
"Take this with you," he said, tossing the medicine and water back at her.
But then, the unexpected happened. As Zee caught the items, the bottle uncorked, spilling its contents all over her face and drenching her blouse. Quickly, she steadied the bottle and fished out the cap that had fallen into her blouse, using it to reseal the water.
Min-Jun, who had been on the verge of shouting at her, swallowed his words as he watched the scene unfold in utter disbelief. His hands gripped the arms of the recliner, and he nearly stood up in agitation. Hadn't he closed the cap? Why had it come undone? Was this a stroke of bad luck for him, or was it hers? He decided it must be hers—after all, he was perfect, and the universe surely couldn't conspire against him.
Internally, he fumed. This incident would undoubtedly make the headlines by tomorrow. The little commotion had already drawn the attention of others, and Zee's subsequent reaction would only fuel it. Why had he been finding himself in such unpleasant situations with his so-called personal assistants lately?
Expecting a tantrum, he was taken aback when all he heard was her mumbling an apology before she quickly walked away, acting as if nothing had happened. Min-Jun blinked repeatedly at the empty space where she had been, confusion swirling in his mind. Why had she reacted so calmly?
As he continued to process his jumbled thoughts, Director Ahn announced that the break was over. Min-Jun quickly pushed aside his bewilderment and returned to the stage, preparing to be strapped back into the ropes once more.