lights, camera, action! | c.bg
PART I. BEAUTIFUL STRANGERS
SYNOPSIS. rockstar!beomgyu is left with no choice but enter a pr relationship with actress!yuna where a showmance that's not really for show unfolds. served hot with a dash of painful yearning and sweet, electrifying tension in theaters near you!
PAIRING. choi beomgyu x kang chaeyeon aka yuna (female oc)
GENRE. pr relationship, fake dating, famous/famous, miscommunication, one-sided turned mutual pining, jealousy
WARNINGS. stalking (sasaeng fans), substance abuse, anxiety, smut, 18+
WORD COUNT. 8k words
AUTHOR'S NOTE. she's here and she's imperfect (but my baby nonetheless). so excited to share this first part and lay the groundwork!!! a little unclear if i want to make this a slowburn or have the main couple's chemistry take front and center right from the get go, but with the process of building the story behind the scenes, letting it all go as i continue writing is something i really really missed. i hope you enjoy and i hope i wont take too long to post the next parts HAHAHA (no promises, my apologies </3) ENJOY !! ♡
TAGLIST. @gyuhaze @kkyubear @kyleigh-reagan @jaehunnyy @losermylover — comment or reblog to join taglist!
MASTERLIST | SPOTIFY PLAYLIST | WRITING TRACKER
“Let’s get moving, people! We don’t have all day!”
BEOMGYU was startled by the sound of Soobin’s voice.
He lost track of time, swore he couldn’t have dozed off for more than five minutes. Opening his eyes and watching as his stylists swarmed around him, Beomgyu noticed that his hair and makeup were almost complete.
He can see Soobin, his manager, in the mirror taking off his jacket, now warm with all the bodies cramped inside the makeshift dressing room. He paces back and forth, something he does when restless or stressed.
This morning, Soobin was both.
Beomgyu yawned as he reached out for his iced americano. With his chair sitting a bit too far from the table, his fingertips kept dancing around in search of his cup. His line of sight was blocked by an assistant fixing his smudged makeup. Soobin grabbed the watered down coffee and handed it to him.
“Jooyoung-ah, check with the staff if everything’s cleared,” Soobin pointed his head to the direction of the lobby. The assistant director took his cue and left without responding.
The older one sighed quietly, taking off his hat. Soobin rubbed his eyes, adjusting the brightness of the vanity lights against his vision.
He opened his eyes to Beomgyu offering his drink to him, “I think you need this more than me.”
“Just finished my second cup- the caffeine will kick in soon,” Soobin shook his head.
Beomgyu thanked his team before getting up from his seat. He grabs the iPad from Soobin and skimmed through today’s agenda. He looked at the time.
7:45 AM.
He narrowed his eyes towards Soobin, “There was enough time to get started by 8:30 AM. Tell me why I was up at 3 in the morning today?”
“We had to drive back up to Pyeongchang,” his manager replied, unamused.
“But-”
“-and who insisted on staying the night in Busan despite my never-ending warnings that this would be a very early schedule?”
Beomgyu bit his cheek, quietly protesting, “I couldn’t miss Taehyun’s birthday. Yesterday’s the last time we would be complete for a while. If I missed it, I would never hear the end of it.”
Soobin took the iPad back from him, “I know, kid. We made it happen, anyway. That’s what I’m here for.”
“Ugh, hyung..”
Beomgyu watched as Soobin walked away, laughing. He tries to walk after him but his stylist stopped him in his tracks to fix his outfit.
“I knew you were gonna start complaining about me calling you kid.”
“I’m 27.”
“Whatever- I’ve known you since you were 15.”
Beomgyu froze in shock with his mouth open.
He was not in any position to argue against his manager, who at this point, he had spent more time with than his real older brother. Still, he turned to his stylist wearing a wounded look to try and gain sympathy.
Beomgyu was being his playful self, a sight his staff has been accustomed to since his rookie days. But as expected, he was met with an apologetic look from the staff, “Sorry, kid. I’m with Soobin on this one. You know we’ve all been working together for a long time.”
“Unbelievable.” Beomgyu accepted his defeat, clutching his chest. Silly boy, he heard him mumble.
Sipping the last bit of coffee from his cup, Beomgyu left a ring of lip gloss on the straw before tossing it away. He walked closer to the sliding doors, getting a better look of the balcony.
The morning sun was partly hidden by the clouds, but its rays already illuminated the fresh sheet of white snow.
Beomgyu replaced his indoor slippers with outdoor ones as he stepped out the glass doors. His team picked a two-story cabin up the mountain, enveloped by the gorgeous views that the resort had to offer. Even from a distance, it was easy to spot the bustling hotel staff and tourists with their skis despite the early hour.
Beomgyu realized the day had started for them too.
He heard Soobin’s voice behind him, “Wear a coat. Don’t rely on the balcony’s heating, it’s freezing out here.”
Beomgyu complied and put on the coat he’d brought him, looking back at their team preparing their shoot for the day. He studied the look on Soobin’s face, unfortunately looking drained before anything had even started. He didn’t need to ask his manager more questions to figure out that something was wrong.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing- I was trying to find Jooyoung about what I asked him earlier. Their staff said everything’s ready.”
Beomgyu knew there was more to it, Soobin’s eyes said it all.
“But?”
Soobin pointed at the couch, telling Beomgyu to sit down before he walked to the glass doors and closed them.
“Before planning this shoot, we decided to stay local to prevent flight details from leaking like it did before. With driving, it was easier to hide,” Soobin fidgets with his hands as he explained, “You didn’t know this but we even canceled the salon appointment we were supposed to have today. Three days ago, we found out that their part-timer was selling our information to make extra cash. We’re looking for a new shop.”
Soobin paused, hesitating whether he should share what he had to say next, “Just be careful out there. I saw some familiar faces out in the lobby this morning. I- I don’t know how the fuck they found us this time.”
Familiar faces. Sasaeng fans. Stalkers. They all meant the same thing in their coded language.
At once, everything finally clicked. The long drive with minimal staff, staying at a domestic resort, starting early to set it all up on-site—his team was trying their best to keep his private schedules under wraps.
But, the threat of his incessant followers was always looming over them. They keep looming over him.
Soobin continued explaining what the rest of the day was going to look like. Beomgyu couldn’t recall when his mind started drifting. His gaze reached far, beyond the busy morning crowd he was observing a moment ago. Beomgyu couldn’t help but wonder if one of those faces was only up this goddamn early just to see a glimpse of him too. He turned his head and looked down on the floor.
Soobin noticed Beomgyu was silently taking in the information he just dumped on him. He stopped talking for a second, testing to see if Beomgyu would notice he was no longer speaking. Just as he guessed, he didn't notice.
They remained so quiet, he could hear Beomgyu tapping his fingernail against his phone screen. The older one lightly flicked the back of his wrist.
Beomgyu stopped when he felt it, then flexed his hand.
Open, close. Open, close.
“Don’t worry too much, I’ve already coordinated with hotel security to block the trails leading up to this cabin for the duration of our stay. Thank god- we remembered to include the security detail when we signed the contract to film here.”
“Are we staying the night?”
“I don’t know how long we will take, so we’re assuming we’ll be here until night time. You’re not staying in this cabin, though. There’s a separate suite reserved for you, but it won’t be ready until after lunchtime.”
“Okay, where is it-”
Soobin slapped Beomgyu’s knee using his glove.
Beomgyu didn’t notice he had been shaking his right leg all this time. Closing his eyes for a second, Beomgyu started instinctively patting his pockets searching for his cigarette case.
He stopped after realizing it was not on him at the moment.
“Don’t even think about smoking right now,” Soobin pointed his finger at him.
“I wasn’t,” Beomgyu lied.
“The smell is gonna stay and I don’t want to pay for the dry cleaners,” Soobin cocked his head, “That’s Dior, head to toe. I would tell you if they were gifts, but today they’re loaning those for the shoot.”
“I won’t,” he meant it this time.
“Can’t find your pen?” Soobin raised his eyebrow.
Beomgyu shook his head, “I don’t smoke vape anymore,” he said, chuckling at the reason why. That clearly piqued his manager’s interest, wearing an expression that asked Beomgyu to explain why.
“Jenna broke the pen in my pocket when she threw my pants across the room-”
“-Ohh, okay. Hold the details, cowboy-” Soobin interrupted Beomgyu, massaging his temples in response.
“Well, I was not the one ridin-”
“Choi Beomgyu-” Soobin firmly protested, though he didn’t say it with any real authority. He sounded more like an annoyed sibling who knew too much about his younger brother’s personal life.
Unfortunately, it was his job to know too much about his younger brother’s personal life.
“Isn’t she back with…?”
Soobin was blanking at the name of the famous singer linked to the popular idol-actress, Jenna, a couple of headlines ago. They made quite the splash announcing their relationship with marriage in mind. Beomgyu shook his head, understanding who he was referring to.
“That night was a parting gift,” Beomgyu chirped with an innocent smile. The irony.
“If you really need an explanation then, for your information, that was two months ago. I heard they were on a break for a while. She was honest and wanted a clean break from whatever... situation we found ourselves in. Maybe those two finally woke up, realized they loved each other, and decided they wanted to work on their commitment issues like normal people- I don’t know?”
Soobin wanted to point out the invisible quotation marks Beomgyu put around normal people in the way he said those words. He didn’t, but his smile definitely did.
“Oh, right- and you obliged with said parting gift. Makes sense. You’re far from normal.”
“Precisely,” Beomgyu shrugged his shoulders, “That’s why I didn’t give her too much shit for breaking my last remaining- also my favorite pen.”
“I’m guessing you got tired of ordering new pods, new charger, new pen- so you went back to the old-fashioned cancer sticks?”
Soobin reached inside his coat and took out a familiar silver case.
“You took that from my bag!” Beomgyu gasped, trying to snatch the case from Soobin’s hand. The older one was faster and moved it far from Beomgyu’s reach.
Soobin started wiggling the case in the air, taunting him.
“You should have picked a better hiding spot..and while I’m at it, I’m taking this too,” Soobin took Beomgyu’s phone and stood up from the sofa.
“I promise, you’ll get your smoke break before you change to your next outfit. We’re starting soon.”
Beomgyu plopped back on the couch and leaned his head against the wall.
“Also, don’t worry about…” his manager looked out the balcony, trying to give him a weak smile, “We’ll be keeping an eye out for you.”
Beomgyu heard his manager close the doors, leaving him alone with his thoughts. His worries lingered in the air as it creeped in again, his hand started shaking ever so slightly.
He took a deep breath before entering back inside.
God, I need a smoke.
YUNA steadied herself with one hand on the wall, the other on her right foot.
The thick, thermal material of her sock bunched up in her boot. It’s fixed though it felt ambiguous, it was good enough. The thought of taking her shoes off, pulling her socks in place, after she had already put on all her layers was too much. She didn’t want to bother at all.
Yuna rushed to the door the second she heard the door click.
“Eunchae, How do I look?”
When Eunchae turned around to face Yuna, her eyes widened in surprise.
“Looks like you need another layer,” Eunchae commented sarcastically, pinching the padding by her arm, and earned her a glare from her cousin.
Yuna’s coat was so thick that Eunchae’s hand was only able to feel her clothes. She walked to the mirror by the suite entrance to examine if the outfit needed another scarf or not. Eunchae took the scarf from her hands and hung it back in the closet.
“You’re gonna find this thick scarf annoying. Just zip your coat all the way up or find a smaller one you can tuck inside your sweater.”
“Oooh, spoken like a true seasoned ski instructor,” Yuna teased her, but listened to her advice. She fixed her messy hair under the beanie and put her gloves in her pocket.
“I just know you too well.”
The bedroom door was open, but her bed was clearly untouched. Yuna hasn’t slept since she arrived at midnight.
She texted Eunchae about her short stay at the resort, but this trip did not come as a surprise at all. Her cousin has been making the same weekend trip every year for the past four years, no matter how busy her schedule got.
Yuna’s luggage was sprawled open in the living room. Only one bag this time too, Eunchae noticed. This one and the last, Yuna came alone.
Eunchae placed a bag of food on the kitchen counter, “You’re not eating?”
“Not hungry.”
“I knew you were gonna say that, so I brought enough until lunch. You’ll be starving.”
Yuna peeked inside the bag and took a bite from one of the steamed buns, “You are an angel!”
“It’s not free, pay me 20 bucks.”
“You’re no fun,” Yuna muttered, putting her half-eaten bun back in the bag.
Eunchae took her phone back but before she exited the app and turned off the screen, Yuna had already scanned the QR code to pay.
50 dollars, Eunchae gasped when she read the notification.
She didn’t actually expect Yuna to pay her back for something as small as a simple breakfast, having said that as a joke. Still, she should have known Yuna was going to pay for it and more.
The public knows her by her screen name, the beautiful and talented Yuna, but her loved ones know her by Kang Chaeyeon. Her cousin who’s a little goofy, clumsy—truly, the most generous person Eunchae knows.
Yuna giggled at her cousin's quiet squeal and flashed her a knowing smile.
“You’re going up the mountain at this hour?” Eunchae handed Yuna her half-eaten bun before putting the rest of the food away.
“Mhm, I am.”
Then, she stopped in front of the fridge door, closing it. She pulled out her phone and checked the email her supervisor had sent to the whole team. Recalling the announcements or their morning round-up, Eunchae showed Yuna her phone and let her read the email.
“Bad news if you’re trying to get to your favorite spot- you were planning to go there right?”
“Huh,” Yuna moved closer, reading the email, “Why? I checked the forecast, the snow wasn’t too bad last night. It won’t be that bad this weekend either.”
“They would have told us if it was because of the weather. This could only mean one thing-” her eyes flickered with excitement, “I think I know the reason why.”
Yuna slowly blinked her eyes, she was thinking. Unknown reason, closed trails, security detail.
“Did you tell them I was coming?” she flipped her hair, smirking.
Eunchae looked straight at her with a deadpan face, “No, Yuna-ssi, we would not be closing that trail for you.”
“I know that,” she rolled her eyes, turning her attention back on the email, “but it’s so secretive.. must be a celebrity, huh? Can you let me know who?”
Eunchae took off her beanie as she walked past her, messing up Yuna’s hair again, “You get excited over celebrities as if you’re not famous yourself, you’re so weird.”
“Why not? Trust me, we get excited all the time. You never know what hot gossip you stumble upon in these small circles. Plus, this weekend, I’m not Yuna, the famous actress.”
She wiggled her eyebrows, wrapping another scarf around her neck. It was a smaller one this time.
“And who are you then?”
“Today, I’m Chaeyeon. Look, look… I’m incognito!” she twirled around, showing off her complete look.
With her coat reaching down to her boots, hair tucked under her beanie, and scarf covering half of her face, it was hard to tell her real identity from afar. However, up close, her eyes are so expressive that those who knew Yuna well would be able to recognize her right away.
On top of that, once you hear her speaking, it's already game over.
“I dressed so casually today and I’m so bundled up. Nobody will recognize me.”
“You know your drama is still airing, right? People will recognize you,” Eunchae shook her head, making her way out the door.
“I won’t get caught,” Yuna insisted, “You taught me the secret routes, remember?”
“Fine, do whatever you want. I won’t be available all day, so don’t call. I’ll come by when my shift is over,” Eunchae waved her cousin goodbye, hearing her voice across the hallway as she left.
Yuna locked the door, then heard her phone ring. She reached in her pocket before realizing she left it on the counter.
Arin’s name flashed on the screen after missing the call. It was about time her manager would come looking for her. Yuna knew she had to call her back but before she was able to press the button, Arin’s contact popped up on her phone again, calling her again. She answered the call without letting it ring.
“Unnie..” she mumbled.
“You cleared out your whole weekend,” Arin responded, flatly.
Yuna sat on the ledge by the door. She took her time responding. Arin did not ask her a question, but Yuna knew she was asking for answers. Somehow, the way she was patiently waiting, giving her the time to choose her words was more intimidating than if she demanded an explanation.
“I already checked in Director Park-”
“Chaeyeon-ah, I can see it was approved. I just- I.. why didn’t you tell me?”
Yuna should have told her. Not where she was going, but that she was going, again.
“I’m guessing you know where I am,” Yuna winced, her expression soured as if her manager could see it through the phone.
“It's the first week of February, of course I know. That and the fact that Eunchae texted me this morning and you used the company’s credit card and-”
“-that little shit,” Yuna whispered. She probably got me breakfast after tattling on me.
“Chaeyeon-ah,” Arin continued.
“Hm?”
“Did you- did you come alone?”
Time stopped when Yuna heard the question.
She stared at her heavy, dirty snow boots. Yuna realized she was wearing were the only pair of shoes she packed. Turning her head, she looked at the big suite entrance, bare and empty.
There was a time when their shoes were all scattered on the floor: their boots and their slippers, her heels and his dress shoes. They were bothersome, to say the least, having to watch her step every time she opened the door, yelling at him to move it aside before they tripped on them, and grumbling as she moved them herself because he was too stubborn to do it himself.
But she loved the mess, anyway. She missed it.
“Just me.”
She missed him.
Arin’s breathing sounded like a hum through the static, “You know what I'm gonna tell you about all this, right?”
“I do,” Yuna closed her eyes, nodding, “You hate that I keep coming back here, I know.”
Her hand found its way to her necklace, pulling the chain under her shirt and fiddling with the diamond pendant. Her voice trembled as she spoke, but neither of them pointed it out.
“I won’t stay for long, I promise. Think of it as a short break for me.”
Yuna switched her phone from her right ear to her left. Her hand felt damp as she wiped them on her pants. She said her goodbyes, trying to run away from this conversation altogether.
Arin stopped her for a moment, asking her to stay for one more question.
“Did you not tell me you were going there… because you were scared I would stop him from following you?”
But stopping him was not necessary. Yuna already knew he wasn’t coming. She knew he wouldn't be inside waiting for her. She knew it was over.
“No, I was scared that I would listen if you stopped me from coming here.”
Still, Yuna wanted to hold on to that chance he was coming, that he was waiting inside, that he would tell her it wasn't over.
He knows where to find me.
A decade into his career, there are two things BEOMGYU is still not used to:
First, waking up at an ungodly hour for a schedule.
Beomgyu would rather pull an all-nighter than have his precious slumber interrupted which was highly discouraged by Soobin. Although, saying he “highly discouraged” the members from staying up all night is putting it nicely. (He banned it.)
And the second one is when there’s a delay during the schedule. Like what’s happening right at this moment.
Most times when he’s being told to wait, Beomgyu would already be dressed with his hair and makeup done. He needs to be careful when eating or drinking, think twice about going to the bathroom, but always be ready when it’s time to go.
Waiting wasn't always a problem for Beomgyu. During his days with the band, the boys used to fool around all the time. Whether it was talking, or playing games, or rehearsing—they kept themselves occupied, a little loud even.
Now, when he’s attending his solo activities, Beomgyu’s bored without his members. He can feel the stares from the younger staff, some of them are his fans who have quietly supported the band from afar, but are too shy to be friendly with him.
It’s bittersweet to see their respect and unfamiliarity go hand in hand. The distance between him and everyone else continues to grow each year that passes. Beomgyu has no choice but to learn to accept it.
He snapped out of his thoughts when the pen he was twirling fell to the ground. Beomgyu started looking around for Soobin then spotted him across the room.
“Hyung, can I have my phone while we wait-”
Soobin gets a call in the middle of his sentence. It looked to be an urgent one, given his reaction. He accepted the call while making his way out the door, “Hold on, I need to take this.”
“Ohh-kay,” he muttered awkwardly.
Beomgyu turned his heel and sat back in his makeup chair. His stylists were huddled around a laptop next to his vanity but his sudden appearance led them to scurry around to move somewhere else.
“No, please stay,” Beomgyu stopped them from leaving, “Just wanted to sit somewhere without creasing my clothes."
They paused for a second, unsure if they should stay. He looked at the laptop, a Netflix show was paused on the small screen. His team was worried the noise would bother him but Beomgyu repeated himself, reassuring them to keep the show playing.
“As long as you let me watch too?”
The mood lightens up and a small circle gathers around the small table.
“Beomgyu-nim, do you watch dramas too?”
“Not as much, I don’t know who’s popular these days,” he watched as they pressed play.
They were in the middle of an episode from a show Beomgyu vaguely recognized. Life of a Resident, he reads the title on the corner. The drama just began airing, but he knows it’s being promoted everywhere. He remembered seeing the main actress’ face everytime he logged on his account.
“Yuna-nim is so gorgeous, but she’s even more beautiful in person,” a makeup artist sighed, “Of course, the camera fails to capture her beauty.”
A couple stylists started chiming in with their own experience working with the actress. Those who work with celebrities are surrounded by pretty faces all the time. But once in a while, one person is widely recognized by their beauty. It wouldn’t take long for word to get around.
It’s one thing to be popular with the audience, it’s a different story when you’re also popular among the staff.
Beomgyu gets a little curious, Yeah, I guess she’s cute.
Jooyoung walks up to his chair. He nudged Beomgyu, noticing his odd smile towards the screen, “Someone seems to have a crush.”
“Me? No-”
Beomgyu reacted way too fast for it to not sound suspicious.
Every denial only got the crowd riled up, enabled by a select few staff members who have worked with him for a long time. It’s rare to see quite a reaction from Beomgyu, who tends to be the one poking fun at someone, so the rest immediately took the opportunity to tease him this time around.
“Okay, okay- fine,” to everyone’s surprise, Beomgyu folds, “She’s pretty. But, I wouldn’t be the first to say that, now am I?”
“You’ve met her before?”
“Can’t say I have.” I don’t date actresses, he smiled and kept that thought to himself.
It’s not odd for him and Yuna to not have crossed paths before. He doesn’t have many friends in the acting world. Staring at her now on screen, he wondered why he hadn't at least dated one. Maybe it’s time to finally come to one of Kai’s movie premieres after skipping one too many of them.
After the jokes calmed down, he stood up and gave the team some space. They continued watching the show, playing around as the waiting continued.
Jooyoung pulls Beomgyu aside for some updates. He asked him where Soobin went, noticing he had been gone for quite some time.
“Uhh.. about that. So, our photographer and his crew got into a minor car accident on the way here. Their driver dozed off this morning- he swerved away from incoming traffic and hit the guard rail. But, everyone's fine now, nobody got hurt- they’re just checking the equipment in case some got damaged. Soobin is out there fixing the schedule since everything got pushed, but I think they should be here in half an hour. We’re still trying to get some shots and filming done this morning before the resort gets more crowded.”
“Wow, okay- I’m glad no one got hurt,” Beomgyu shook his head in disbelief, trying to process what he said, “Thanks for the heads up. I’m sure he’s busy, but when you see him, let hyung know I’ll be at the back patio downstairs. I just need some air.”
He then reached for his back pocket, “Shit, where’s my wallet? We should order food for everyone, we’ve been here since five-”
The assistant director laughed, “It’s obvious you were practically raised by Soobin, huh? He already ordered food after he got off the phone with the director. Actually, the food should arrive any minute now- come on, stick around for the snacks.”
“Yeah, that sounds like him."
Beomgyu smiled at the comparison, then started making his way down the stairs, “I'm good, let them eat first. I’ll be back soon.”
When YUNA finally admitted to herself that she was lost, it was already too late.
The trails were already blocked last night, evident in the heaps of snow left untouched. Usually at this hour, the staff would have it all cleared out by daybreak. Yuna tries to remember the route Eunchae told her this morning—right, right, left— but without the help of the signs obstructed by last night’s snowfall, her confidence was slowly failing.
“Or was it- left, right, right..” she whispered, second-guessing her own memory.
She stops walking for a moment. Scanning the nearby hills, Yuna tried to spot the viewing range she was trying to reach. It didn’t take long for her to feel hot under her thick coat. Her cousin was right to question her decision to wear this many layers. Unfortunately, trekking to a hill that would have been a quick stroll otherwise was not in her agenda this morning.
Yuna was getting frustrated walking through mounds of fresh snow. She decided to take a detour, cutting through a steeper shortcut to use the height to her advantage. Only thinking of a way to escape the soft, billowy path, Yuna rushed to grab onto the nearest wooden fence at the top of the hill.
This is a private cabin’s backyard, the realization stopped her from jumping over right then and there.
“No wonder they didn’t focus on clearing out the trails, they worked on perfecting this whole yard,” she huffed.
Yuna looked at the patio and through the windows, hazy silhouettes can be seen from the outside, but there was no sign of anyone walking outside or close by. She was hidden by the foliage of the tree, her legs were surrounded by the huge piles of snow that were shoveled from the backyard, cleared out right in front of her.
Desperate to get some relief from being buried in the snow, Yuna entered the yard by lowering herself through the fence.
It wasn’t until she properly stood within the premises that she heard the balcony doors open, her back facing the person who just walked out the cabin. Oh, shit.
“Who are you?” It was a man’s voice.
I can’t turn around now, Yuna thought, wrapping her scarf back around her neck and above her head.
“How did you get in here? The trails were closed- you shouldn’t be here,” the man’s tone sounded rougher this time.
“No one,” she answered without thinking. No one? Way to fucking go, Yuna. How can you call yourself an actress with these shitty acting skills?
“No one?”
She can hear the man’s footsteps, unsure of where he was heading, Yuna still refuses to face him. She starts inching back towards the fence. Running away makes her look guilty, but she was not left with a lot of choices either.
“You can go back inside, sir,” Yuna laughed nervously, her hold on her scarf tightened, “What are you doing here? It’s freezing outside.”
“No, what are you doing in my yard?”
“I-I’m just passing by, got lost, that’s all,” Yuna puts her foot on the wooden fence, “I’m leaving now-”
“You need to explain yourself, stalker-”
The man rushed towards Yuna. She quickly abandoned her idea of jumping over the ledge when he grabbed her arm, now heading the opposite direction of the cabin to try and get away from his grip.
I understand why he’s being so difficult since I am literally trespassing but I can’t let him see my face or else I’m gonna fucking die of embarrassment, Yuna cursed under her breath.
“I’m not a stalker!” she yelled, slipping away from his hand.
Yuna turns to see him scrambling to hold on to her again, barely reaching her scarf and yanking it off her head. Yuna freezed when she reached up her head and felt her hair. Seeing her in shock, the man took his chance to physically turn her around to face him.
“Who are-” he asked again, before he was struck by shock and at a loss for words.
“-Yuna?”
“You know me?”
“I- I do..” he answered, though he didn’t sound sure himself.
“-told you I wasn’t a stalker,” she rolled her eyes, running her hand through her hair.
“Do you know me?” the man threw the question back to her.
He definitely seemed familiar now that Yuna is looking at him up close. He’s standing with his back against the sun, Yuna’s eyes were a little blinded by the light. Once her vision focused, her eyes met his brown gaze.
His stare was as intense as it was beautiful.
“I’m not su-”
“Oh my god, Beomgyu oppa!”
The two jumped at the sudden shriek piercing through the silence. Beomgyu immediately looked up to spot the one shouting his name. A sasaeng fan was standing on the neighboring hill, pointing in their direction and yelling to the girls following her at the peak.
Yuna’s eyes widen, connecting the dots. She recognized the singer, Choi Beomgyu. She never had imagined how their first meeting would go, but meeting Beomgyu while he was being followed by his stalker fans was certainly not her first guess.
She was facing away from them, hearing the increasing pressure of a small crowd forming to get a glimpse of him. Beomgyu’s grip on Yuna’s arm loosened. Even in his frozen state, panic was displayed across his face. He was terrified.
Yuna grabbed her scarf from his other hand and wrapped it around Beomgyu's head, “Cover up before they start taking pictures.”
He was taken aback from her quick thinking, snapping out of his trance. Yuna put on her hood, covering her face away from them. Beomgyu instinctively walks back to the patio, but before he could take another step, he spots another group of fans walking down the hill.
They were making their way towards the cabin.
Yuna grabbed his wrist, “Don’t go back. They know that’s where you’re staying!”
“What?” he looked at her hand.
“I know a way.”
Yuna started walking back to the fence. He didn't ask another question as he watched her jump over the wooden ledge. Beomgyu followed her down the hill and noticed the traces in the path she had taken. She grabbed his hand again as they ran at the bottom of the hill.
Since they moved quickly, concealed by the trees and their use of the shortcut, the two were able to put some distance between them and the fans.
“Just follow my footsteps on the snow, we’ll make our way back…” Yuna said, marching away without hesitation.
“Where are we going?” Beomgyu complained, pulling on her hand that was gripping his own.
“To my suite.”
“Oh, woah- Yuna-ssi, we just met and you’re taking me back to your room already?” he smirked, having the audacity to crack a joke in this situation.
Yuna lets go of Beomgyu, forgetting she was still holding his hand. Her cheeks started to flush, unsure if it was from all the running or the fact she’s bringing this hot stranger back to her room.
Hiding him after being caught.
She glared at him, “Do you want me to leave you and start yelling, ‘Beomgyu oppa is here!’”
“You wouldn’t dare-”
“Try me.”
Being spotted by his stalker fans was already a nightmare, being spotted with a female celebrity was a recipe for a disaster. Beomgyu knew better than to make matters worse. He knows that following Yuna to hide from them was his best option now.
He bit the inside of his cheek, “Okay, you lead the way.”
Yuna flashed her triumphant smile. He quickly understood she was not joking.
“Thank me later, rockstar.”
The scarf had traces of something floral, perhaps rose or jasmine.
Beomgyu has been trying to figure out the scent he had been engulfed in for the past few minutes. With his eyes partly covered by the fabric, he couldn’t see much of his surroundings, scared to lift his head up and risk making eye contact with anyone.
Though his steps felt robotic, his legs continued moving. It’s amazing how his brain could rack through a million thoughts he can’t verbalize while simultaneously not giving him time to process a single one of them.
“Come in.”
Beomgyu was brought back to his senses when Yuna pulled his arm to get his attention.
“Oh- yeah,” he mumbled.
Yuna sat down to untie her boots but her clothes made it hard to reach down. She stood up to take off her layers, her temples were slightly damp with sweat against her knuckles. Yuna looked back at Beomgyu as she put away her coat, she noticed he had been standing in the same spot unmoving.
“Hey,” she softly nudged him.
Beomgyu blinked at her, not quite a response but more of a reaction. He pressed his lips in a straight line trying to hide a small smile. Laughing at the situation at hand didn’t feel appropriate but Beomgyu was still amused.
A moment ago, I was just watching you on the screen. Now, you're right in front me.
He handed her the scarf and fixed his disheveled hair. Frowning at his wet pants, Beomgyu ran his hand through his clothes and shoes covered in melted snow.
"I don't want to track my wet footsteps on the floor."
Yuna grabbed a pair of slippers from the shoe closet and placed it in front him.
"Just come in and close the door. Leave your shoes by the foyer- you really didn't bring a coat? Your phone?"
"I didn't exactly plan on running away from my stalkers in this outfit, you know? I was just taking a short break before…"
Beomgyu rolled his eyes before meeting Yuna's stare, but he took a thoughtul pause, reluctant to be too candid and snarky to someone he just met.
"-running into a trespasser in our yard."
"I told you, I was lost."
Yuna's tone was clear. She wanted him to drop the attitude. Regardless of how she ended up in that backyard, there was no going back. Left with no choice, they had to run away and hide together.
There was no point in arguing now, the two had already started on the wrong foot.
Beomgyu neatly tucked his shoes and socks next to her boots. His clothes, though nearly dried, were still damp and cold. He unbuttoned his jacket but stopped before taking it off completely.
"You need to change," Yuna pointed out.
She watched as Beomgyu peeked inside, his steps were cautious and careful. The suite was quite spacious for a single occupant. Full kitchen, private balcony, and a california king. He didn't say another word, but his quiet hum revealed his inner thoughts.
A couples suite. Interesting.
It was obvious he was searching for any signs of another person staying in the suite with her. Yuna clicked her tongue in disapproval.
"I don't have a change of clothes- unless your boyfriend brought some clothes I could borrow because I don't think I would fit in yours."
"No, I didn't bring any-"
Yuna didn't process what he had said until she answered. The question caught her off guard that she didn't think twice before replying. He raised his eyebrow in amusement, pleased with the effect of his pointed question.
"The boyfriend or the clothes?"
She refused to answer.
Beomgyu noticed Yuna's timid pause, examining her hesitant expression. She then walked in the room and searched through the closet. After a few minutes, she came back with a pajama set on hand.
"The suite provides an extra pair of pajama set. This one should fit," she gave the clothes to him, trying not to make her discomfort painfully obvious, "The bathroom's inside the bedroom. I- I'll be out here if you need anything. In the mean time, I can try to get in contact with your team."
Beomgyu was surprised at her thoughtfulness.
He felt a pang of guilt for probing into her affairs. Subtlety was not his forte but he didn't need to be that tactless. Whether or not she had come here with a someone else was none of his business. He coughed to mask his awkwardness, muttering a shy 'thank you' before disappearing into the bedroom and locked the door behind him.
Once she came face to face with the door, Yuna couldn't help but laugh at what she just witnessed.
Throughout her time in the industry, Yuna vowed to never take rumors at face value. Her first-hand experience was enough proof of how celebrities' reputations could reach such ridiculous extremes.
Yet, a part of her expected Beomgyu to act exactly like this, all thanks to the notorious reputation that precedes him—extremely charming smooth-talker, a huge flirt who enjoyed getting a reaction out of the other person.
Unfortunately for him, Yuna was used to dealing with guys like Beomgyu.
She often worked with actors who relied on their charm like that. Those who liked to push the limits of their chemistry with an on-screen partner, if it can go beyond what was captured by the camera. Years of experience taught Yuna not to crack under pressure. She found a new kind of satisfaction in watching men's reaction when she refuses to play their game.
However, Yuna was still unsure whether to feel slighted by Beomgyu's careless demeanor or amused by his coy response. She was leaning towards the latter, feeling particularly fond of the man's duality. She wondered how his boyish charm never carried through the rumor mill.
I guess, you could say he's adorable. A little annoying, but adorable.
Yuna felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She walked to the kitchen to answer the call.
"Eunchae? I thought you were busy?"
"You're not going to believe what I'm about to tell you."
Yuna snorted, "I'd love to see you try. Surprise me."
She can hear the confusion from Eunchae's voice through the phone who was unaware about everything that went down for the past hour.
"You said you wanted to know who the VIP was.."
Eunchae's voice was a little muffled because of what was happening in the background. Yuna almost couldn't make out what she was saying.
"Huh? Where are you? Are you outside?"
With the extra chatter and noise, her cousin's voice also sounded urgent, "Wait- hold on, I need to get away here first."
"Get away? Why are there so many people there?"
Yuna noticed the volume significantly decreased after Eunchae continued walking.
"Okay, I'm on my way-"
"On you way where? Do you know who it is?"
Yuna looked at the bedroom door. Thinking that Beomgyu would likely be occupied inside for some time, she set her phone on the counter and put the call on speaker.
Eunchae held her breath and stopped for a second. She started whispering but her voice was too soft to be audible.
"Hm? I can't hear you.." Yuna continued.
"It's Beomgyu, you know, TXT Choi Beomgyu! He was spotted here today!" Eunchae said, trying to avoid saying it too loud.
"Oh, I.. see."
"You don't sound surprised."
"No, I am. I am surprised," Yuna replied, lying.
Eunchae starts moving again. She was a little distracted, not realizing Yuna wasn't speaking over the phone. Eunchae looked back at the ruckus outside the shopping area, reminded of the sudden influx of online mentions that the resort has received on social media. All because of Choi Beomgyu.
"First of all, you're lying. You probably saw the pictures-"
"What pictures?"
"It's all over Twitter! Beomgyu was spotted by some fans. Not a lot of clear photos, they probably just found him when they started taking pics."
Yuna immediately picked up her phone and started checking her social media accounts. She searched Beomgyu's name and looked at the images circulating online. Most of them were blurry which didn't come as a shock, she was a witness to how those pictures came to be.
Yuna kept scrolling, scrutinizing each image, before she stopped at one of them.
"Here's the kicker. He was spotted with someone! The fans were saying he was with a woman, but they're wearing a huge coat so it's hard to tell."
Someone posted a picture of Yuna and Beomgyu.
"H-how can you be so sure that it's him? They can't even get a single clear photo," Yuna bit her lip.
"I was skeptical too… but the when these photos started spreading everywhere, his management gathered the security team and confirmed that it's him."
"The security team?"
"Well, uhhh- he's kinda missing at the moment."
Oh, god.
Yuna exited out of speaker mode and held the phone to her ear. She can hear rustling inside the room—Beomgyu was almost done changing.
"Eunchae, what do you mean he's missing?"
"His manager can't contact him. Something about his phone not on him or what not? Anyway, it’s a whole mess. They’re getting us involved in case he wandered trying to get away from his stalkers and gets lost."
"Okay- I need to call you back later."
"Yah.. you wanted me to tell you once I found out who it was and now you’re just blowing me off-"
"You’re clearly busy. I'll chat with you later. Okay, bye!"
Yuna sighed and tuned out her cousin's ranting by hanging up, sending her a text to explain why she had to go later. She closed her eyes in frustration. The situation was starting to get out of control and she needed some time to think of what to do.
There's a whole search and rescue team out there trying to find this man while he’s literally in my room, using my bathroom, changing his clothes.
Yuna opened her eyes to Beomgyu walking out the room.
He neatly folded the clothes he changed out of and placed it on a sofa chair. He went back to continue buttoning up his top, oblivious to Yuna averting her eyes from him. Half of the shirt's buttons were still undone.
"Hey…" Beomgyu started, "Thank you again for getting me away from all that earlier. I totally would have just panicked all by myself and not know what to do."
"It's all good," she lifted her eyes, "You know you’re considered a missing person right now?"
"I am?"
Yuna nodded, her face filled with concern, "It’s all over the internet right now."
"Can I borrow your phone? I should at least tell my manager that I'm fine."
She handed him her phone, "Oh yeah, of course. Go ahead."
Beomgyu punches in Soobin's number, he leans on the kitchen island, tapping his finger on the thigh. The phone kept ringing and ringing. Every failed attempt cornered them to a state of quiet panic. Yuna tried to focus on something else while waiting for the call to connect, but she couldn't seem to move away.
"Nothing?"
"No," he shook his head, "no answer."
Yuna glanced at the screen, nodding her head to point Beomgyu's attention to the pictures spreading online. He recognized her unspoken suggestion. The phone kept on ringing, waiting for Soobin to pick up, but Beomgyu started scrolling online to see the mess himself.
"I'm in them too," Yuna whispered, referring to the pictures that included her.
Beomgyu cursed through his teeth. He hated seeing those blurred images, but he also couldn't stop looking at them. Growing impatient, Beomgyu ends the attempted call and tries to send Soobin a message. He takes a deep breath. The message doesn't send.
"What the-"
Soobin blocked Yuna's number.
"Yah, did you forget to lock your door- JESUS! WHAT THE HELL IS CHOI BEOMGYU DOING HERE-"
Yuna jumped at the sound of her cousin's voice, turning around too quickly she nearly lost her footing.
Eunchae stood by the door with her phone in her hand. Her jaw dropped and her face went pale. Yuna runs to her cousin, shushing her before she starts again. They shared an urgent look and immediately ran to the door to close it.
“You better have a good explanation on what’s going on!”
“-I can explain,” Beomgyu starts, earning him a glare from Eunchae.
“-and are you wearing pajamas?!” She pointed at him.
Yuna and Beomgyu turned to look at each other.
They can see how suspicious they look from Eunchae's perspective and every second of silence that passed didn't help. Yuna bit her lip, thinking of a way to get out of this situation.
She looked at Eunchae’s phone.
“I have an idea.”
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