Shotgun K

The key slipped into the lock and with a small flick of my wrist, the sound of the deadbolt sliding out echoed into the silent space. I pulled the door open and stepped inside the empty residence, my footsteps sounding my arrival. The heavy front door closed behind me with a hefty thud before the luxury loft returned to its still silence.

I took a look around, taking in the neat and orderly space I called my home. But clearly, my mind was elsewhere, thinking back to the events that had made up the day, how bizarre the day turned out to be---
And then my mind went on to thinking of a certain person, how she smiled, laughed---
I felt the corner of my mouth twitch into a ghost of a smile.

Realizing I was just standing there and taking up space, I cleared my throat and emptied my mind of the nonsense. I took a few wide strides forward, getting me across the living room to get to the kitchen. I shrugged out of my jacket and threw it over the back of the couch.
The keys clattered against the dark granite as I deposited them, my cell phone and my wallet on the kitchen counter as I passed. I was on autopilot as I pulled the refrigerator door open and reached for a bottled water.

I was about to open the bottle when the familiar ringing of my cell phone broke the silence. An unexpected phone call…
Curiously I stepped away from the fridge and walked over to the counter. I picked up the phone and looked at the caller ID.

Private Number

A frown found itself in its familiar place. Who was calling my phone? How did they get my number?
I flipped the phone open and brought it to my ear.
“Yeoboseyo?” I answered.
“Ah, Han. Sorry to call you this late,” the caller said. “It’s Dr. Kwan calling.”
Growing confusion, slight dread.

I coughed a bit to clear my throat, and shook the confusion out of my head.
“Dr. Kwan,” I greeted. I didn’t know what to think, never mind what to say. What did my doctor need…

“Han…I don’t know how to say this…” the doctor was saying. “There is a problem with the test you took in the last check up…”
Bewilderment. Cold rush. Weak.
“…What?” I murmured.

The doctor was saying something, but I was no longer listening.
Loss. Helpless. Devastated.
My hand dropped from my ear, and the phone fell loose from my grip. The only thing to break the silence was the phone crashing against the wood flooring---

“CUT!! Okay, that was good, Jae-Sung!”

I relaxed and let out a breath as the crew members started bustling around, and the set was once again in motion. I walked to the edge of the living room set and hopped off.
“Director Oh, was that really okay?” I asked. “It was only my first take.”
Director Oh looked over to me and motioned me to approach.
“Come take a look for yourself, then.” he said.
He turned back to the monitors and asked the technician to replay the last scene. I stood on the side of the Director’s chair and watched.

I saw myself enter the loft, shut the door and take a look around. As I stared, a small smile found its way onto my face. It looked strange, almost as if I didn’t know how to smile. But seconds later, I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts. I saw myself push my shirt’s sleeves up as I started across the room; I didn’t realize I had done that.
The scene itself was short, and ended with one of the cameras focused on the phone hitting the floor. The director turned to me.
“I thought it was good.” he said. “You’re very good with expressions.”
I just smiled.
“Well, I just wanted to see how that scene looked from the outside.” I said.
I thanked him and left to go to my dressing room. That was it for today and I got to go home. Strange, normally we would be filming for a good few hours, mostly because of NG scenes. But in that last scene, it was the initial check, rehearsal round, and then the first take and I was done. It’s not everyday I get to leave a set in one shot.

“---Man, did you watch Seo Jae-Sung’s solo scene?”

I stopped, hearing voices just around the corner. Male voices, though from where I was I couldn’t see them.
I was still on the set, just heading back to where the dressing rooms were. I had to round that corner to get there.

“Yea, of course I did! I have to study how my future rival does his work, right?”
The other guy laughed.
“Future rival? Dude, you’re just an extra!”

I found myself slipping behind a pile of props and equipment cases, hiding from sight just in case they came my way.

“I’m not an extra! I have lines!” the guy shot back defensively.
“Yea, as a nameless waiter that shows up once.” the first guy teased. “But you’re still lucky; you got to be on the same set as that Seo Jae-Sung!”
“Lucky? What the hell? It’s depressing.” the second speaker shot back. “I’m practically invisible just by having him stand five feet away.”
“You’re invisible with him being a mile away.” his friend teased. The guy ignored him.
“He’s a special talent! He clears most scenes in one take, and he doesn’t even look like he tries! The female staff here loves him…” the guy let out a frustrated sound. “It’s annoying how cool he seems, even to a guy like me. You know that my girlfriend is obsessed with this guy?”
“Yea, but I bet he’s arrogant and into himself.” the first guy argued. “Just look at how confident he always seems, and how he smiles. It must be nice to get everything easily just by looks.”
What the hell? What’s wrong with them? I should just walk right up to them and let them know---

“Yea, no wonder why the entertainment goddess, Kang Yun dumped him. She was way too good for him.”
“No kidding, someone should come along and knock down his ego.”

Ouch. That one actually hurt. Never mind; I can’t approach them after that one.
I waited until the guys’ voices faded before I stepped out from where I was hiding. Now I wasn’t even in a good mood.

Whatever; they were just a few jealous guys. Of course they would envy me; I had the talent, I had the looks; they said it themselves. I’m not arrogant or into myself. It doesn’t bother me in the least bit.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and walked back to the dressing room, pretending all that didn’t happen.
Arrogant…really. Into myself? What?

I stepped into my dressing room to find my hair and make-up artists cleaning up. They turned when they heard me step in.
“Jae-Sung!” one of them greeted me cheerfully. “That was an amazing scene!”
“You were great, getting an okay from the director on the first take like that!”
“Thank you,” I said automatically, smiling…

“Just look at how confident he always seems, and how he smiles. It must be nice to get everything easily just by looks.”

I froze, my smile freezing half-way. I didn’t mean to react, I just…my mind went back to those two guys.

“Jae-Sung? Is everything okay?”

I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts. I mustered up a smile and put on a reassuring expression.
“Yea, sorry. I just remembered something.” I told the girl. “Excuse me, I need to go find my manager.”
With that I wheeled around and left my dressing room. I closed the door behind me and headed back towards the set.
I wasn’t looking for Mr. Park, I just wanted a place to chill for a moment. I found myself wandering onto Han’s loft set. There were still workers and assistants running around, moving equipment to the next site and setting up. But they left me alone, and no one said a thing to me as I stepped onto the floor of the living room.
I took a long look around my character’s living room space, and sighed. My place was nicer, but it was comfortable enough for what I was looking for at the moment.
I walked over to the wide couch and sized it up before I sat myself down. As I sat there, my mind went through the day’s events from the beginning to current time. I glanced down at the watch on my wrist.

4:06pm

Weird; why did it feel like it should be much later in the day? Assuming the watch was right, of course. But why was I so tired?
I woke up early, was out of my apartment by 6am, had a photoshoot, radio interview, CM shoot, the magazine interview and then the shooting of this drama in two different locations. So I guess it was okay to feel tired. But still…

I sighed heavily and laid myself down across the couch. I guess today was one of those days where I don’t come out feeling like a winner. My mind wandered to the other unnecessary stuff; the week old break-up, Yun’s careless statements, her date with Li Jin Ho, the two guys talking behind the sets… these were moments where I sometimes want to give out a NG and do over again. If my life was actually a drama, and I was the director, it would be easier.

I breathed in deeply, and blew out heavily. I closed my eyes and let myself relax. All this negativity was the stress talking. Come on, now. I’m a celebrity; I need to be used to constant stress. All I need is a moment…one little moment…

---Not bad. I was already feeling much better.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

My eyes snapped open, suddenly shocked by the abrupt voice that disrupted the nice silence…to see Woo Sun Hi looking down at me with a curious look.
“Nothing,” I told her, not making an effort to sit up. “I was napping.”
She let out an unamused snort.
“On the set?”
“It has a nice couch.”
The costume supervisor looked at me, studying my expression.
“Did I freak you out or something? Cuz when I asked you what you were doing, you jumped a little.” she said.
I scowled.
“Did not.” I said defensively. Finally, I forced myself to sit up. “Well? Did you need me for something?”
“No, nothing in particular.” she admitted. She then invited herself to plop down onto the couch right beside me. “But it would be nice to hear you admit that I won your challenge.”
I raised an eyebrow at her.
“That’s it? You came looking for me to tell you that?” I said incredulously.
She grinned at me like a brat and leaned forward so her elbows rested on her knees.
“Just say it, say it,” she egged on.
I sighed, shaking my head at the childish act. But I turned in my seat to face her.
“Woo Sun Hi, I admit defeat by your great and undeniable talent as the costume supervisor. I, Seo Jae-Sung, shall acknowledge your skills.” I said with heavy sarcasm, bowing down with my arms over my head dramatically. When I looked up, I found the girl staring at me again.
“Bwuh?” I demanded.
Sun Hi blinked at me.
“Wow, that was easy. It was sarcastic, but I’ll take it.” she said. “Wow, you’re definitely not normal.”

I sighed, growing tired.
“Yah, Woo Sun Hi---”
“There’s no need to call me by my full name every time,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. What she did next surprised me.

She stood up straight and reached her hand forward.
“Just call me Sun Hi.” she said, grinning.
I blinked at her for a moment, and then at her hand. I took her hand and shook it.
“Sun Hi,” I tested.
Hey, I guess it was easier.
“Then just call me Jae-Sung.” I told her in return.
“I already do.” she laughed. “Remember? Before your first take when I got the watch?”

Oh yea…

“Jae!”

I looked over to behind Sun Hi to see Mr. Park standing at the edge of the set. He was slightly out of breath, like he had been frantically looking for me. In his hand he had his cell phone, which was still open. His expression was…unreadable.
“Mr. Park?” I said, confused. “Is something wrong?”
“You have to come with me, Jae. There’s been an emergency.” he said.

An emergency?

I got up from the couch, bewildered.
“I’ll see you later then, Sun Hi.” I said.
“I hope everything is okay.” she told me.
I nodded before I hurried off the set and approached Mr. Park.

“So, what’s the problem?” I asked.
Mr. Park’s face was slightly pale, as if he was going to pass out on me. What the hell?
“Hey, what happened?” I demanded.

Mr. Park put a hand on my shoulder and started to push me towards the back of the set. This wasn’t normal. There was clearly something wrong…

“Jae, the agency just called.” he said. “We have an incident.”