Instead of the continuation of the story, the page now displayed a message, written in the same elegant script as before:
"Yoonah, go and buy the book. I need to earn money, you know. I'll text you the address to find it."
Her mouth dropped open slightly. She blinked a few times, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her. "What the—" she murmured, leaning closer to her phone screen.
Before she could process what was happening, her phone vibrated, the sudden buzz making her jump. A notification appeared on the top of the screen. Swiping it open, she found an address and a second message:
"Go to the reception and tell them your name. You'll be face-to-face with me. Don't forget to bring the book. :) "
Yoonah's grip on her phone tightened as her eyes scanned the words again. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, the strange situation sending a chill down her spine. This felt too personal, too deliberate.
As if that wasn't unsettling enough, another notification appeared:
"I'll see you tomorrow at 8 a.m. :)"
Her stomach churned. This was getting creepier by the second.
"What the— Now I'm scared!" she blurted out.
Yoonah stared at her phone, her heart pounding. The cryptic message on the screen had already thrown her off, leaving her in a haze of confusion and unease. Her mind swirled with unanswered questions—who had sent it, how they knew her name, and why they wanted her to meet them so specifically. The sudden notification and direct instructions felt far too personal, like something out of a thriller novel she'd once read.
She couldn't shake the feeling that something strange, maybe even dangerous, was going on. A knot formed in her stomach as she tried to make sense of it. She glanced back at the phone, half-expecting another message to appear, but the screen remained still, its eerie silence only amplifying her unease.
Just as she was debating whether to ignore the whole thing or start investigating, her phone rang. The sudden sound startled her, making her jump. She quickly picked up, her voice slightly unsteady.
"Hello?"
"Director, we have an issue. We need you here," her assistant said, their tone filled with urgency.
Yoonah's brows furrowed as she tried to shift her focus. "What's wrong?" she asked, concern creeping into her voice.
"There's a dispute between the two actors," her assistant explained quickly, the frustration in their voice palpable.
Yoonah straightened in her seat, her instincts immediately kicking into professional mode. "A dispute? What kind of dispute?"
"It started over a scene. One of them wanted to change the lines, and the other disagreed. It was a minor disagreement at first, but it escalated. Now, neither of them is willing to shoot the scene, and it's holding up the entire production," the assistant said, the stress in their tone making the severity of the situation clear.
Yoonah closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Just what she needed—drama on set while her mind was already reeling from the bizarre message.
"Alright," she said, keeping her voice calm despite the storm brewing inside her. "Are they still arguing?"
"No, we've separated them for now, but the atmosphere on set is tense. The crew is getting frustrated, and we're running out of time."
Yoonah quickly got up from the bench, brushing off her skirt as she briskly made her way back to the shooting site. Her mind, though still buzzing with thoughts about the cryptic message, now shifted to the task at hand. Diffusing conflict on set was never easy, but it was something she had become adept at over the years. She took a deep breath, straightening her posture and mentally preparing herself for the inevitable confrontation.
Actors could be notoriously difficult when tensions ran high, but Yoonah knew that a calm and authoritative approach usually worked best. As she approached the set, she could already feel the heavy atmosphere. Crew members stood around awkwardly, pretending to be busy with tasks while occasionally throwing nervous glances at the two actors in question. Their heated exchange was impossible to ignore, the raised voices cutting through the usually organized chaos of the production floor.
Yoonah sighed and quickened her pace. The last thing they needed was for the conflict to escalate further and derail the entire day's schedule.
When she arrived, the situation was exactly as she'd imagined. The two actors stood a few feet apart, locked in a glaring match, their frustration evident in their body language. The younger actor, a rising star with a well-known temper, had his arms crossed, his jaw clenched as he stared down his co-star. The actress, a seasoned professional with years of experience, looked equally annoyed but kept a calm exterior, as if trying to prove she was above the argument.
Yoonah took a deep breath, putting on her most authoritative expression as she stepped between them. "Alright," she said, her voice calm but firm. "What's going on here?"
The actors turned to her, relief flickering across the crew's faces as their director finally took control of the situation.
"He started it!" the actress began, pointing a manicured finger at her co-star.
"She's trying to rewrite the scene!" the young actor shot back, his tone accusatory.
Their voices overlapped in a cacophony of frustration, each trying to make their point louder than the other. Yoonah held up her hand, silencing them immediately.
"One at a time," she said, her voice sharper now, leaving no room for argument.
The young actor, clearly eager to state his case, spoke up first. "She's trying to change the scene! This isn't how it's supposed to go, and she knows it! The dialogue was written to show my character's anger, but she's completely twisting the tone. It's unprofessional."
The actress rolled her eyes, letting out a scoff. "I'm not trying to change anything. I'm simply suggesting a more authentic approach to the character's emotions. The way it's written doesn't feel genuine—it's too forced. My character wouldn't respond that way in the moment."
Yoonah's eyes darted between them, noting the glaring differences in their perspectives. The actress spoke with the confidence of someone who'd been in the industry long enough to trust her instincts, while the young actor's passion stemmed from his desire to stick to the script and prove himself. Both arguments had merit, but their refusal to compromise was clearly the root of the problem.
"Okay," Yoonah began, her voice steady and measured. "Let's break this down. First, this isn't about who's right or wrong. It's about what works best for the story we're telling. Both of you care deeply about your characters, and I appreciate that, but this isn't a competition. We're a team, and the goal is to create something authentic together."
She turned to the actress. "I understand your desire to make the scene feel genuine, and I respect your instincts. But we also have to respect the script and the vision we've all agreed upon. Deviating too much could affect the overall flow of the story."
Then she turned to the young actor. "And I understand your frustration, but we also have to stay flexible. Sometimes, small changes can elevate a scene and make it better than what's on the page. Let's not get stuck on what's written when there might be room for improvement."
Yoonah's words seemed to calm them both, though neither was ready to back down completely. "Here's what we'll do," she continued. "We'll try it both ways. One take with the original script, and one with the changes you're suggesting. Afterward, we'll review the footage and decide which version works best. Sound fair?"
The actress nodded reluctantly. "Fine. That works for me."
The young actor hesitated before sighing. "Yeah, okay. Let's do that."
"Good," Yoonah said, a small smile breaking through her serious demeanor. "Now let's get back to work. We've got a schedule to keep, and I'd rather spend our time creating something amazing than arguing about it."
With that, the tension began to dissipate. The crew quickly got back into position, the actors preparing themselves for the scene. As Yoonah stepped back to watch the monitors, she couldn't help but glance at her phone again. The cryptic message still lingered in the back of her mind, but for now, she had managed to restore order. One crisis at a time, she told herself.
Once she was certain everything was back on track, Yoonah took a step back from the set, letting out a soft sigh of relief. The actors were in their places, the crew was bustling around efficiently, and for the moment, the chaos seemed to have been subdued. But even as she tried to focus on the scene unfolding in front of her, the cryptic message lingered in her mind, a nagging thought she couldn't quite shake.
She pulled out her phone again, staring at the location pin that had been sent to her. It wasn't far—just a few miles from where she was now—but that didn't make it any less strange. Her thumb hovered over the screen, debating whether she should text back or simply delete the entire message and forget about it.
"Maybe I should just go and see what this is all about," she murmured to herself, frowning. The curiosity was almost overpowering, but so was the unease. What if this was some sort of elaborate prank? Or worse, a trap? Her mind raced with possibilities, each one more outlandish than the last.
She shook her head, trying to snap herself out of it. "Yoonah, pull yourself together. You can't just jump into this without thinking," she muttered, mentally scolding herself. "You don't even know who sent this or why."
"I need to discuss this with someone...let me text that useless Dahyun"
Useless 👻
Old person
Let's have dinner tonight
I'll pay🤚🏻
Oh my gosh!
Free food count me in!
See you at 8
Okayyy