jieun rolls her eyes but it’s all affection, the kind carved from years of late-night conversations and shared auditions. “please. if anyone should be showing off their pilates gains, it’s me.” she says, stretching out her legs like a cat and giving yein’s calves a pointed look. “and don’t act like you weren’t wheezing after ten minutes your first week. i have the voice memos to prove it.”
she leans back in the makeup chair, letting the stylist finish brushing out the last few strands of her hair. the buzz of the set is starting to rise outside — walkies crackling, crew shouting about lighting. soon, they'll be back in character, slipping into other lives. but for now, it's just them, suspended in this little pocket of normal. “anyway, they’re probably saving the big fight scene for the next script. the one with the warehouse lights and dramatic slow-mo," she says, picturing that scene in every action/suspense drama, and the thought alone makes her wanna laugh.
“or maybe it's because they know we'll laugh.” she means it as a joke, but there’s a flicker of something else underneath, that weight of being seen a certain way. professional. controlled. above reproach. jieun exhales through her nose, grabs her script and asks with a smirk, “how does it feel to play a cop?”
yein doesn’t answer right away, she just makes a face, rolling her eyes at jieun. if they weren't so close, she might be offended by the way her friend said that, but since they are close, she laughs it off. “it's not about the journey, but the destination” she says finally, drawing out the last word. “and i think my destination ended up pretty good.”
her tone is light, but she tilts her head thoughtfully before continuing. “i think the badge makes people nervous. even when it’s fake.” and it’s true. she’s seen the way people straighten up a little when she walks by in uniform. and even she's sometimes started by it when she looks in the mirror “sometimes i feel like i’m borrowing someone else’s life when i wear it.” but she's always liked this aspect of acting, getting to jump into a character and be in a situation she wouldn't be otherwise. and she's always thought it would be fun to play a detective in a drama, so she has no complaints.
she shrugs a shoulder, not trying to sound too deep about it. “but i like boah. i get her. she works hard, but she's compassionate.” yein smiles, easy and bright again, turning the conversation back around. “plus, i get to chase you around and look cool doing it, so really, no complaints.”
