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He knew it was stupid. He knew it was pathetic. But he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't control it. He fell in love with a strange man, an actor he knew only from the screen. He fell in love with him just by looking at the recording. He fell madly in love, unable to get the image of him out of his head, even though he didn't know him. Even though he's never met him. He saw him on the screen. He saw him in his dreams. Just fell in love. He knew it was stupid, and he always claimed to be the smart one. He had always prided himself on his intelligence, but now he was doing something really stupid. He wanted him. He knew he would do anything to get him. He knew he would get him...
Ming knew how to manipulate things and make things work the way he wanted. So he persuaded his father to support the film agency where Tong worked - the man he fell in love with from the first sight. He persuaded his sister to go with him to an unarranged meeting with the star so that they could go together to see the film set. Everyone was lenient towards him and let him do whatever he wanted. They always let him. He was their favorite child, the youngest of the family. Always very withdrawn and rarely asking for anything. So everyone smiled and agreed to his plan, which they did not know in its entirety, but they would support him in implementing it regardless. He was their favorite, youngest child, always spoiled. And this time Ming was going to take advantage of it.
Everything worked out according to his plan. Except... when he first saw Tong he felt... nothing. Literally nothing. He didn't feel the same attraction he felt watching him through the screen. He felt nothing. Not even a little of the interest that had filled him before. But he forced himself to think it was his fault. He forced himself to believe that he had idealized his image by watching him in the movie. He forced himself to think that it was his fault, that the real Tong seemed less than perfect to him. He forced himself to smile at him. He forced himself to feel the same attraction as before. He forced himself to desire him. He forced himself to feel heartbroken when he saw him kissing his sister. He forced himself to suppress the feeling of relief that it wasn't him who was in her place.
He didn't know what was happening. Did Ming love him? He did not know. He had lusted after him for so long that now, seeing him so close and feeling nothing, he felt as if everything he felt was his own imagination. Being so close to him now, and yet he was so much more out of his reach than when he was just a character on the screen. Ming met him often, always in the company of his sister, on whom Tong focused all his attention. He doesn't suffer from it as he expected, he isn't filled with pain or longing.
He forces himself to suffer this loss. Because Ming loved him. He loved Tong, whom he met in his first feature-length film. He loved Tong, who was fighting, surrounded by flames with his chest bare. He loved that strength and power. He loved those muscles. He was in love with his shoulder blades and broad shoulders. Ming loved Tong. So he had to suffer because he couldn't have him. There was no other option.
He lingers on this feeling, watching Tong's videos again and again. Watching his movies again and again. He sees and watches how he gets better and better each time, how his body moves faster and faster with each video. He watches his muscles work under the fabric of his shirt. Ming is unable to take his eyes off this image. He can't stop. He feel so hot watching him. Ming loved Tong, but... only the one on screen. The real, live Tong he observes on set is nothing like the one on screen. Ming hates how much he loves him.
When Ming visits Tong on set again and mistakes him for Joe, he was more surprised than the stuntman. Feeling the heavy, hard muscles of his back and arms under his fingertips, Ming feels as if he has touched Tong. Not the real Tong. The one from the screen. The one Ming fell in love with…
He can't get it out of his head. So he follows his instincts and follows Joe on set. He thinks it's strange, but Joe seems more like Tong than the real and living Tong himself. Joe is nice to him. He smiles when he flirts with him and responds to the flirtation without embarrassment. From word to word, from smile to smile, on the same day they end up at Joe's apartment. He lets Ming strip him, kiss him and worship his muscular back. Joe is nice to Ming. He even lets him take him from behind, so that he can kiss, touch and admire his back, shoulders and shoulder blades all the time. He even lets him leave marks on his arms and neck. Ming bites into his shoulder as he comes, wanting to see proof that the man is real, that he can really touch him. Not like Tong in the movie. Joe is real, and Ming doesn't know how to make sure he doesn't disappear, that he doesn't fade away like a deleted movie.
Well, Mig is smart, he's always prided himself on it. So what's the easiest way to get a stuntman? Provide his actor with a long and exciting film that he will have to work on for many months. This is what Ming does. He hires a director and screenwriters and says he will sponsor whatever film they want to make, as long as Tong is in it and there are a lot of stunt scenes.
Everyone at the film agency was excited about it. Not a movie. The movie doesn't matter. They are excited that Mign is interested in their agency, that someone from his family has finally decided to take the first step in show business.
Ming doesn't care about them, he only wants Joe.
They meet many times, on and off the set. Ming visits on set whenever any scenes involving Tong or his stunt double are filmed. No one forbids him from doing so, no one can forbid him from doing so. Everything in this place is sponsored by his money. If Mign wants to observe stuntmen, no one has a say. And Ming watches, very carefully. He comes to all the Tong scenes… All the Joe scenes.
Finally, after months of silent spying, irregular dates that they haven't officially called dating yet, casual sex several times a week, and sharing meals together more often than not, Joe has had enough and forces Ming to talk.
- You do not understand.
Ming says when Joe accuses him of only being on set when they're filming scenes with Tong.
- So explain to me.
Joe demands.
- Why him? Why is him so important?
Ming grabs Joe's hand, forcing him to stop. He has a habit of thrashing and pacing aimlessly when he gets nervous, and Ming needed his full attention. He needed Joe to understand.
- I fell in love with him many years ago.
A wave of pain washed over Joe's face at those words. The pain was unable to quell the wave of anger that came a moment later, washing over him like a flood wave. He tried to pull his hand away from Ming's grip, but the younger one tightened his grip, refusing to let him go.
- So that's what I am? A replacement for him? A stuntman in film and in life? A replacement for the one you can't have?
- NO.
Mign denied quickly and firmly.
- Let's watch a movie.
He says after a while, already dragging Joe to the couch. Joe snorts, but lets him do it. It's hard for him to deny Mign anything. The TV turns on. Ming still holds Joe in one hand and scrolls through the movie with the other. Joe recognizes this movie without a problem. He worked on it. He even attended the premiere. This was Tong's first film. The first film when he became his stunt double, his deputy.
Ming stopped scrolling on stage, moments before the fight scene began. Joe remembered it very well. It was hard, probably the hardest scene he's ever played in his career. There were flames everywhere, he had almost no clothes on, so they couldn't use protective clothing to protect him from the heat. He remembered it. He could almost feel the heat on his skin just looking at the scene.
- I fell in love with Tong in this scene.
Ming said turning on the movie. Joe knew he should be looking at the screen, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from Ming. He knew what was happening on the screen, he knew who was there. It wasn't Tong.
Joe watched Ming for a moment, his eyes following the image on the screen with excitement. His face was so open and honest for the first time since he'd met him. His lips were set in a gentle smile. Joe couldn't take his eyes off him.
Finally, Ming turned his gaze to the screen, focusing entirely on Joe.
- Now do you understand? You're not his replacement, Joe.
He said after a while. His eyes were still honest, wide with excitement. Lips forming a smile. His delicate, angelic face expressed so many emotions that Joe couldn't read them all. However, he saw one thing without the slightest error - love.
- He was just a lie. I never loved Tong. I loved the one I thought was Tong.
He said with all sincerity. Joe inhaled loudly. It was complicated, but he think he understood. He guess he finally understood what Ming meant.
- Do you love this Tong?
He asked again, just to be sure.
- Yes, I fell in love with this Tong. In this fight scene. In his wide, muscular back. In the glow of the flames illuminating his arms. In the beads of sweat running down his neck. In his wide hips. I fell in love with this Tong. Now I know that this scene was definitely not played by Tong, who will soon marry my sister, do you understand Joe? It was you, it always was you. Although I didn't know about it...
They kissed and the old movie was still playing in the background. They heard Tong's voice mocking defeated opponents that he hadn't actually defeated. Joe didn't pay any attention to it. Tong could have taken all the fame and all the awards for a movie in which he actually only recorded a few scenes. Joe won the grand prize, the most important first place of his life, in a competition he didn't know he had a chance at. He won Ming's heart. He was better at something than Tong.
- And back to the movie...
Ming said as they lay curled together under the covers hours later.
- I have to throw Tong out of this project, he is a terrible actor, no one even likes him on the set. You've played most of his scenes for him so far. We'll re-record those scenes where you can see the hero's face and it'll be over.
- What? What do you mean, Ming?
Ming leaned down, kissing Joe on the shoulder. He was obsessed with Joe's back and arms and wasn't afraid to admit it.
- What I mean is that the main role is yours.
He said. Joe was surprised by this.
- We cannot do this. Tong fans…
- Tong fans and the entire world will know the truth regarding his involvement in the production.
Ming interrupted him. He smiled at Joe, but it was a different smile than the ones he had given him before. It was a smile that hid many dark plans behind it, but for some reason Joe wasn't afraid of it.
Ming wrapped his arms around him, although Joe was the taller and stronger of the two of them, he liked it when Ming hugged him from behind when they lay together. Joe saw evidence of Ming's obsession with his back, but he wasn't about to admit that he also liked how the younger always worshiped his back.
- I have enough evidence and materials to persuade him to give up his film career. He has been saying for a long time that he doesn't like it very much and that he is tired of acting in films.
Ming says with calm in his voice. Joe has no counter argument. He knows who Ming is and what his family is capable of doing. He shudders slightly at the thought of the Ming family. The younger one notices this.
- What's going on?
He asks. He could ignore it and pretend he didn't notice, but he figured they had already broken the terms of their agreement regarding non-interference in the affairs of another, so he might as well take full care of him.
- What will your family say about this?
Saying "this" he made a movement in the air pointing at both of them.
Ming thought for a moment, not responding immediately. He wasn't sure how to put into words what he should expect from his family. Everyone knew that he was the youngest of the family, a spoiled child who always got what he wanted. However, few knew that his family was really close and not much could influence their opinions.
- Well... Father will be angry that he's only finding out about it now, he'll have your history checked and he'll definitely have a lot of questions about your intentions towards me. He will be irritated later, but he will get over it if you are honest. Eventually he will throw the book at you once or twice, maybe threaten to kill you if you hurt me.
He says, stretching slightly on the bed.
- Mother... will like you, although you should be careful, she's a bitch in disguise. She will kidnap you and force you to replace your entire wardrobe. She will sign you up for school or some crazy courses to "make a proper young man out of you." I watched this with Tong. If this doesn't concern you, it's quite funny. Don't let her intimidate you, she has the ability and will manipulate you, you have to stand up to her and she will return to her corner.
He hugged Joe tighter to his chest. His arms barely wrapped around the Joe broader shoulders.
- My sister already knows. I didn't tell her, but she saw us together so she knows. My brother... well, I'm sure he knows, and he'll definitely come in with the shovel talk, but he's generally harmless. He will take you to meet his master, who is a bit strange and crazy, but he is a man of faith, he will read your aura, or soul paths, I don't know anything about it. You will drink tea with him, sit in a tree for a while pretending to meditate and gain his approval.
Joe let out a short laugh.
- You have an interesting family.
Ming kissed him. They didn't talk anymore that night. Surrendering to feelings.
They loved each other.
Everything will be fine. No more lies or understatements between them. Everything will be fine.
The future was for them.