Chapter Text
The blackout curtains were tightly drawn, blocking out the bright sunlight that was threatening to stream into the dark bedroom. This was a cosy and obviously feminine space. The walls were washed in pastel colours, and they were bare, save for a painting of a little girl by the beach that was hanging above the queen sized bed. The bed was dressed in emerald green sheets and a summer duvet that was tucked primly around a slender, slumbering woman.
Moon Chaewon could hear the birds chirping loudly, likely feasting on the delicious fruit borne by the persimmon tree in her garden. It had roused her from the deep sleep that she was in and she stretched her limbs lazily under her covers. She cracked open her heavy eyelids to check the digital clock that was on her bedside table.
09:30 am.
She really should be getting out of bed.
Instead, she burrowed deeper into her comfy cocoon, relishing the smooth and cool feeling of the sheets against her bare legs.
Chaewon was finally done with her latest project, Flower of Evil, and was getting the rest she knew she definitely deserved. They were put on a gruelling schedule, and she barely got any sleep in the past month as they pushed through long tiring days to get the filming out of the way before the summer heat hit the country.
Now that filming had finally ended, she was trying her best to sleep in, but to no avail. Her rigid body clock had made sure of it. Still, she relished the feeling of lazing in bed and allowing her mind to wander.
The past two weeks were filled with a deep sense of emptiness. Chaewon missed the buzz of energy from the production crew, the fast paced days and endless nights. More importantly, she missed the warmth of her little make believe family.
From little Seoyeon-ie's sunny smiles and Joongi oppa's deep baritone voice, to Heejin eonnie's calm advice and Hyunwoo's shy jokes, Chaewon missed them all. It was not easy to go back to the quiet days and her silent home.
But Chaewon was used to this by now. It was all part and parcel of being an actor.
With her thoughts lingering on her fellow co-stars, and a fond smile on her lips, Chaewon blindly reached for her phone on her wooden bedside bench. She squinted when she turned the screen on.
Song Joongki - 1 new message.
Chaewon shot up from her lying position, surprised by what she saw on the notification panel. Her finger hovered across the screen for a moment before she opened the message.
Chaewon-ah, congrats on completing your latest project
I heard you did really well - good work!
Her heart started to race without her permission. This was the first time Song Joongki had texted her in a long while, and she did not know how to respond. Chaewon took a shaky breath as her fingers hovered over the keyboard.
Thank you, Joongki oppa. I had a good time working on it
Yeah?
How was your experience working with director Kim?
I'll be joining him for my next project
Oh really? A melodrama?
You interested in that?
Yeah, it had been awhile since my last melo
And like your project, it has a dark element to it
Eo, am happy that you've finally picked another drama project.
I just watched your latest movie, Space Sweepers and it was amazing!
But definitely missed you on the small screen
Ah-ha
Our Chaewon-ie had been keeping tabs on me, haven't you?
Ah, she had forgotten what a tease he could be. Despite the smile creeping up her lips, Chaewon chose to ignore his comment. Just like how she would have responded in the past.
Director Kim is great at drawing out emotions between the actors, Oppa
Plus he is also very gentle and patient
Yeah? That's good.
I was kinda worried actually.
Yeah, I had such a good time working with him.
Don't worry, Oppa
I'm sure you and your co stars will work really well together to produce amazing piece of work
Ooh, sounds like you really had a good time, eh?
How was working with Lee Joongi-ssi?
I heard he's the type that really brings a lot of fun to the set.
He definitely did.
Having filmed Criminal Minds before, Chaewon knew that even before they started on Flower of Evil. He had always been an affectionate and friendly person - not just to her but to everyone else on set. He seemed to be able to generate a dynamic energy that infected everyone else around him.
Yet, he was always balanced as well.
This was one of the reasons why she dared to take on a role with such emotional depth. And was deeply grateful for the amount of chemistry that she shared with one Lee Joongi. He was skillful and delicate with emotions, and she was grateful for his guidance in ensuring that their characters' emotional arcs were always in sync. Throughout their filming process, she came to admire his ability to grasp his character's inner world almost instinctively, his micro expressions always on point.
This was especially fascinating for her because Chaewon, on the other hand, was the conscientious type. She had to really put in the time and to study her characters in order to respond well in every single scene.
There were some people who were just born to do this. Lee Joongi was definitely one of them.
And Song Joongki was another such person.
Chaewon learnt that when she was filming Nice Guy with him.
As a newbie actor, she had made sure to work extra hard so as not to disappoint the people who believed in her. She would go into set with a script filled with notes, even going the extra mile to keep a pad of Post-Its with her to add information about her co-stars' interpretation of their characters.
Song Joongki, though, had such an excellent memory that he never needed to use his script in the first place. His understanding of the story was so advanced that it allowed him to respond flexibly and naturally to everyone else's interpretation of their characters.
Chaewon smiled as she thought of her younger self. The summer of 2011 was a beautiful one for her.
She remembered the excitement that would course through her veins whenever she was due to work with him on set. The two of them, together with the silly Lee Kwangsoo, were close in age and built an easy camaraderie during the process of filming.
Chaewon ah
I'm sorry I took so long to get in touch
Ah, Oppa
Why would you think that? That's so random
And Oppa, I understand
I never held it against you
They had dated only very briefly.
It was so easy to fall for him, the handsome and ever attentive gentleman who made sure to take care of her during the arduous filming process. They established a deep connection fairly quickly, and the time spent talking to him about their hopes and dreams, their fears and anxieties were conversations that Chaewon came to treasure for the next few years of her career.
But even if he seemed to be the right person, they met at the wrong time.
He was shortly conscripted after their filming ended and they decided to break up. It was a mutual decision - it was not healthy for either of them to wait for each other, especially not at the start of their careers.
There was a yawning emptiness in her life after he left.
He rarely contacted her and Chaewon knew that it was him drawing the line between them, allowing both parties to move on. And Chaewon was never one to be proactive.
Then came Descendent of the Suns, and the rest, they say, was history.
Really, Chaewon-ah?
Oppa will take your word for it
Chaewon shook her head firmly, even as her heartbeat thundered treacherously in her ears. There was no point in dwelling in the past and the could-have-beens. She was happy and thankful for her life now.
Of course
I will always remember our good memories, Oppa
Thank you, Chaewon-ah.
Oppa is grateful to have you in my life
Speaking of good memories, I'm planning to meet up with the Nice gang next Friday evening.
Say you'll come?
Chaewon paused, she remembered the cast members of Nice Guy, and how they used to call themselves the "Nice Gang". It was a riot whenever they hung out together and it would be lovely to see them again. She had a photoshoot that day at the Namoo building, but was free after that. They had somehow managed to avoid seeing each other, especially after his widely publicised romance and marriage. It would be okay to meet him now, in the company of others, right?
Of course.
"And that was perfect! Good work, Moon Chaewon-ssi!" The lead photographer clapped her hands happily, and everyone around her followed suit.
Chaewon bowed her head deeply to the lighting crew and photographers. "Thank you, everyone. You've worked hard."
She had just completed her photoshoot for Vogue, and was pleased with herself. Her manager was waiting for her at the back and Chaewon started towards her with a smile, looking forward to a delicious meal. Her stomach had started growling in protest midway through the shoot and Chaewon was starving.
Before she could reach her manager though, she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
"Chaewon-ah, well done." She turned her head instinctively towards his familiar baritone voice, a delightful tingle travelling up her spine.
"Eo, Oppa! What are you doing here?"
She looked up to see Lee Joongi's smile stretched across his face, his eyes arched happily into dark crescents.
"To cheer my wife on, of course! I popped by for a meeting and heard that you had a schedule today at Namoo, so of course I had to come. As always, you looked beautiful."
He slung his hand casually over her shoulders and guided her towards her manager. Her body instantly responded to his nearness and butterflies started colliding into each other in her hungry stomach. But Chaewon knew this was merely the after effects of prolonged close contact with each other during filming, and did not let it bother her too much. She knew it would eventually fade with time.
"Oppa, stop teasing. You know we're now divorced, right?"
"What? Never!" Joongi exclaimed in mock outrage, "Jiwon and Hyunsoo are destined to be together forever!"
"But Chaewon and Joongi are not." She chuckled, amused. "Come to your senses, Oppa."
"Oof, how hurtful. Dashing my hopes so early into my game, my ever rational Chaewon-ie." He pouted his lips, and rested his head on her shoulder. "Can't you just indulge Oppa for a bit."
Her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly and Chaewon's face heated in embarrassment. She pushed Joongi's lanky frame away from her quickly before he could tease her. "Please, just pretend you didn't hear that, Oppa."
"Oh dear, you're just as I've guessed. Skipped your meals today?" Chaewon nodded lightly, accepting her phone and sling bag from her manager with a little nod in thanks.
"How did you know, Joongi-ssi?" Her manager asked. "Chaewon always does this before a photoshoot, her face gets bloated easily."
"Yeah, she does this for our close-ups too. It's terrible, isn't it? Our Chaewon is pretty just as she is, she shouldn't be starving herself." He patted her head for emphasis. "Come on, Oppa will feed you."
"Oh yes please, Joongi-ssi. Would be great if you could make sure she eats. Chaewon-ah, I have to go check in on something at the office. Don't wait for me, yeah?" Without waiting for her response, her manager waltzed out the glass doors to the lift lobby.
"Aish," Chaewon muttered under her breath. She was unsure what her manager was playing at - they had earlier agreed to go for some Kimchi stew - what was this about?
"Why, Chaewon-ah, not up for lunch with Oppa?" Joongi was watching her closely and Chaewon blinked rapidly at his intent gaze.
"Of course not, Oppa. Just didn't expect to see you here today." Chaewon protested weakly as she averted her eyes away from his. "Let's go, how about the Namoo canteen?" It was probably the safest place where they could spend time together without worrying about the nosy reporters.
"Call!"