Chapter Text
Hyunju loves her job, her fans, her work that she does more than anything.
Being a successful actress was the best thing that has ever happened to her. For the longest time in her life, she has been wanting to share her talents and passion with the world, and she wouldn't trade it for anything.
But sometimes...she admits she loathes the price she has to pay in exchange. Walking down the street with her head down, buried in clothing just to get somewhere wasn't easy. And even then, she would get recognized sometimes.
The bad kind of recognized.
The kind where she'd get slurs yelled at her by random transphobic men, which then brings everyone's attention to who she was. It would then usually be followed by a massive crowd storming towards her, and she'd have to fight for her way back to her car.
On this particular day however, everything seemed to be going fine. She manages to walk through a busy street and go in and out of stores completely unrecognized.
As she walks down the street to get back to her place, ready to crash the second she gets home, she suddenly feels a soft tug on her sleeve.
Hyunju freezes, turning around slowly.
It's a young girl. She looks like a student, and as she opens her mouth to speak, Hyunju prays in her mind that she's not one of those "fans."
"Um...are you by chance Cho Hyunju? I really love your movies, could I uh...get a picture with you?" the shy girl whispers.
Hyunju looks around at the busy street filled to the brim with people, silently panicking that this might end in yet another mess.
"Not here. Let's go somewhere else."
Hyunju takes one final look around before leading the young girl to the side of a quiet mall. She takes off her glasses and lets down her hood, fixing her hair and smiling at the young girl, "Sorry about that, it's just that sometimes getting spotted in public causes a huge ruckus."
The girl nods excitedly, "I understand! Of course, I just...I can't believe it's you. I love you and your movies so much."
Hyunju beams. It's because of these kinds of people that she's able to love her job so much.
"It's always the sweetest thing in the world hearing that. Thank you so much. You wanted a picture?"
"Yes please!"
After a minute or two, the girl leaves skipping away, leaving Hyunju there alone at the side of the mall.
She breathes a sigh of relief. No one caught her.
She decides to go inside the mall for a minute. It wasn't an accident that she had led the girl there. It was a decently sized mall, but barely anyone had gone in or out of it for as long as she could remember. Most of the stores had been closed down for years so there wasn't reason for anyone to.
But it was one of Hyunju's special places she liked to go alone.
She carefully opens the door, scanning around the place. No one. Perfect. She decides to keep her hood up for caution as she walked her way up a few floors.
Same empty stores. Same buzzing lights. Same broken elevators.
She walks her way up to the 4th floor, peering through an old store where a beauty salon used to be. She shoves her hands in her pockets, casually looking around for nothing in particular.
Then she looks up. She squints, confused for a moment as she stares at a long set of stairs that she has never seen before.
There's another floor? How did I not see it all this time? Am I blind or stupid?
She blinks, slowly approaching the stairs and walking up. She looks around once she arrives at the top floor. Nothing too new.
She looks down, placing her steps to the pattern of the carpet when a slightly lit window on the other end of the hall catches her attention. It wasn't completely opened, but it was enough to see the light in the room creeping from the outside.
Her eyebrows shoot up in the air in shock. Something's open here?
She fast-walks over to the door, lightly pressing her ear up against it, trying to hear for any noise.
I don't hear anything...Oh wait!...oh never mind...wait a moment, I hear shuffling....there's definitely somebody in here.... I need to hear better....are those footsteps?...they're getting closer-
Hyunju shrieks as she falls forward to the ground as the door suddenly opens, the man who opened it clearly startled by her. He jumps back in fear before taking a hard breath, his hand over his heart.
"What the- Geez you scared me! What were you doing right outside my door?" he asks.
"I'm sorry.." Hyunju mutters, holding her head whilst standing up, the embarrassment of it all consuming her.
The man sighs, rubbing his eyes, reaching out a hand her her to grab onto, "You fell hard...did your head take any of the fall?"
"Sorta?" Hyunju mumbles, seeing the room starting to get fuzzy.
"Okay." the man says, gesturing her to a chair nearby, "I have some ice in my fridge, just sit down and I'll go get some for you."
You have a fridge here? Is what Hyunju wanted to ask if she could think straight, but he takes off without another word and comes back in a second with the ice.
Hyunju flinches as he pulls her glasses and hood off. She doesn't look up as he sets her glasses next to her.
The man squints in confusion, "You know the light in here isn't going to give you a sunburn right?"
Hyunju does a double take. He doesn't know who I am?....Oh thank goodness.
She manages a laugh, "I know...I'm just being careful."
"Um....okay?" he says with an awkward chuckle, "It's just you and me in here. I promise you I'm not a serial killer or anything."
She looks up at the man she was talking to. She's taken aback for a moment. He's...really handsome, around her age. Tanned skin, well balanced features, healthy hair. He looks like he could be a celebrity himself.
"So....is now a good time to ask you why you were leaning on my door?" he smiles.
"Gosh, that's so embarrassing.." Hyunju mutters, "I come around to this mall a lot and I didn't know there was a 5th floor, let alone an active store here, so I was trying to hear for anything I could and then...you opened the door on me."
He tilts his head, "Huh...I've never seen you around here before."
"Yeah...that's because I've just discovered this top floor today."
"Oh, right."
Hyunju does a mental face-palm. Stunning but stupid. Noted.
She looks around the store clearly for the first time. She nods in awe. The room is filled top to bottom with beautiful artwork of people and nature. There are shelves of different figures and crafted jewelry, and a desk with a computer in the very corner of the room.
"Beautiful place you've got here. Is this all yours?"
He proudly smiles, shrugging, "Yeah...I've made everything in here over the past twenty years...so it's basically a tiny museum of my work."
"You made everything in here?!"
"Yup...all me."
Hyunju readjusts the ice on her head as the man starts organizing the shelf next to her.
"Is any of this for sale?" she asks.
"Of course. I have a few regular vendors who buy my work and sell them for more, but I haven't sold anything crazy."
He turns around, furrowing his brows at her, "Why? Did you want to buy something?"
Hyunju laughs, "I mean...maybe. Everything you have here is beautiful. Priceless. It's a shame you sell these for less than its worth."
He shakes his head, clearly flattered by her words, sitting down across from her on the floor and leaning against a shelf, "Thank you...I don't get that very often. From anybody. Except maybe my daughter."
Daughter?! So he's already married. Shame.
"Daughter? How old is she?"
He grins, "She's turning 7 in a week."
"Oh wow...who are you celebrating with? Just you three?"
"Um...no. Just us two."
A pause.
He nods, closing his eyes at the flooding memories, "Her mom isn't around anymore if that's what you were thinking."
"Oh...gosh, I'm sorry about that."
"Oh, don't be. She left on us without a word, so I'd much rather for her to just leave us alone."
"Well, thank you for being a good father to your daughter. Mine never was."
He flashes a warm smile at her crossing his arms, "What's your name?" he asks.
Oh, how Hyunju loves this question. She hasn't heard it in so long.
"I'm...Hyunju." she says, beaming with joy, "And you are....?"
"Hyunju....that's pretty. Gyeongseok. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise."
Gyeongseok finds himself staring at her a little too hard, but he snaps out of his daze before his mind goes anywhere else, "How's your head doing?"
"Oh. Right. It's...all better actually. So I can go if you need me to."
"Do you need to?"
"I mean...I don't but if you're busy then-"
"Then stay a little longer."
"Oh. Okay." Hyunju blinks, "Do you mind if I take a look around?"
"Not at all."
As Hyunju looks around, making tiny gasps and comments every time she sees something she likes that he had made, it makes Gyeongseok feel like the most special person in the world.
He's never gotten anyone to appreciate his art to this extent. He laughs as she rants on about a flower painting he made, gushing about it for minutes on end.
"What's this?" she asks, holding up a beaded marble necklace, with every bead being a unique shade of dark pink or green. The beads ran down until the flower pendant on the very end.
"That's my favorite piece of jewelry I've ever made. It's beautiful huh? It definitely catches everybody's eye, but I haven't sold it to anyone yet."
Hyunju nods, carefully setting the necklace back down in its place. She places her hands behind her back, walking around the room for the hundredth time, trying to spot for anything she might have missed.
He watches her from the corner of his eye while at his desk, trying to not let her see the pure happiness that was spread across his face, "So...what do you do?"
"Hm?" she asks.
"Are you an artist yourself?"
"Oh no...I uh do....um...film."
"Film? Like...you take videos?"
Hyunju laughs. It shouldn't be this fun talking to someone who doesn't know who she is.
"No, I'm in the films."
"Ohh...so you're like an actress or something?"
"Or something." Hyunju giggles.
"What have you been in?"
"Nothing you would've heard of."
Gyeongseok raises a brow in amusement, "You're very vague you know that?"
Hyunju shrugs, "I guess so."
He chuckles, "At least you're pretty."
He tries not to let it show, but Hyunju can still spot the slight flush growing on his cheeks.
Ugh Gyeongseok get it together, he thinks to himself while fumbling for something else to say.
But like a gift from Heaven, Hyunju's phone starts to buzz. She walks over to where it was and picks it up.
She looks up at Gyeongseok's curious face and shakes her head, "It's just my manager." she whispers as the phone rings, "Hello?"
Gyeongseok can hear shouting from the other side of the phone. Hyunju's face gets seemingly more annoyed as the call continues.
"Okay bye." she groans, hanging up. She immediately pulls up her hood and puts on her glasses, making sure she's as disguised as possible.
"What did he say?"
Hyunju scoffs, "That he couldn't track my location and that he thought I was dead."
"Woah, dramatic much?"
"Yeah...he's a pain in the ass."
Gyeongseok watches as she looks in the mirror, trying to get every little piece of hair into her hood, "Do you really need to be wearing all that? It's not that cold outside."
"I know but like...it's cold to me."
Gyeongseok laughs as Hyunju grabs her bag, heading toward the door, "Okay well, it was really nice meeting you Gyeongseok and I hope everything goes great with you but-"
"Wait! Hyunju!"
"Yeah?"
Gyeongseok stands up, rushing towards the shelf where the necklace she was looking at earlier was. He picks it up, walking towards her and putting it in her hand.
"W-what?" Hyunju stammers, "What is this?"
"A gift. Duh." Gyeongseok smiles.
"Wait a second, I can't accept this. I- sure, I'll pay for it, I have my wallet here."
"But I mean that kinda takes the meaning out of the word 'gift' right?"
Hyunju looks down at the necklace, wondering how he was able to let go of his favorite piece of jewelry to someone he had just met. Without a price.
"Are you sure?"
Gyeongseok nods, "I have a feeling you'll appreciate this more than anybody who wants to buy it will. You made me really happy today. I haven't met someone like you before who made me feel this proud of my work."
Hyunju smiles warmly, clasping the necklace in her hand, "Thank you Gyeongseok."
"I'll see you around, yeah? Come by anytime. If you want to."
Hyunju feels over the moon. She has a new person. A new friend who doesn't just love her for her movies or fame, but for her character.
"Of course I will. I'll see you soon."
Gyeongseok waves as she dashes out of the room. He leans back, feeling his heart fluttering from just the thought of her.
Some random lady who he had opened the door on is making him feel this way. He felt silly.
He tries to take his mind off her by starting to clean around the room, picking up any trash or putting stray items back into their place, when suddenly, he hears his phone buzzing.
He walks over, picking up his phone.
(unknown number):
Hey, it's me Hyunju, I'm back home. I forgot to ask for your number so I found it on your business card. Hope you don't mind ㅋㅋ
Gyeongseok laughs, all the thoughts he had about staying calm instantly leaving his brain.
(Gyeongseok):
No problem ㅎㅎㅎ you got home smoothly?
(Hyunju):
Yup! I got here safely with only tripping twice on the way. That's a record
(Gyeongseok):
Maybe you'd trip no times if you didn't dress like you're a detective.
(Hyunju):
Har har
(Gyeongseok):
Only stating fax
(Hyunju):
Don't spell it like that. Please.
(Gyeongseok):
Isn't that what the kids say these days? I'm learning for when my daughter gets older.
Hyunju giggles while reading his text.
Gosh he's so old. This is why he doesn't know any of her modern movies.
(Hyunju):
How old are you again?
(Gyeongseok):
Wow. Rude.
(Hyunju):
😭 I'm sorry. Did I hurt your feelings?
(Gyeongseok):
Yeah you did. I'm crushed now. The only way you'd make it better is if you come stop by again this week
(Hyunju):
Okay okay, since you're practically begging, I will.
(Gyeongseok):
HEY! I'M NOT BEGGING
Hyunju laughs, smiling at her phone, too distracted to notice her roommate Young-mi walking in on her giggling at her phone screen.
"What are you watching?" she asks, walking towards her and reaching for her phone.
Hyunju shuts it off, raising it out of her reach, "Hey! Don't look at that!"
"Why? Are you talking to someone?"
"That's none of your business."
Young-mi freezes, tilting her head at the realization, "Are you actually talking to someone?!"
"No Young-mi! I'm just...talking to a friend I made."
"Uh huh...." she nods, unconvinced, "Well, if you want to get into a dating scandal just a few months before your new movie releases, then so be it."
Hyunju scoffs, "And so what? I get triple the hate my co-stars get already, so a little more won't hurt."
Young-mi sighs, "Just be careful, alright? I don't want you getting randomly murdered one day because of some crazy hater."
Hyunju sighs, "I get it. And thank you, but I promise I'll be cautious alright?"
"Alright, I believe you."
❀
Hyunju lays on her bed, still holding the necklace he had given to her hands, admiring every shape and color of it. She's going to treasure this forever.
She carefully places it on the side of her bed, staring at it before turning off the lights to fall asleep.
She's glad she had stumbled upon that fifth floor and bonked her head on the floor like an idiot because he opened it on her.
This random stranger was worth it.
And she's not planning to wait long before seeing him again...