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There were rumors going around.
Steven doesn’t mind it most of the time. People like to gossip. Gossip runs the entertainment industry. And the entertainment industry pays him.
“I heard he went into her dressing room this morning,” The assistant producer whispers to the sound engineer beside her. Steven's right eye twitches.
The sound engineer gasps, he whispers back, not as quietly as Steven would like, “And I heard she invited him in, citing—" shifting closer to her, “—better angles for her.”
Steven hears exclamations of ‘oh my god’ and a few other ‘ands’. Steven might strangle someone, so he chooses to walk away from their voices and continue with observing the set.
He makes sure the natural lighting from the sun illuminates the shot perfectly in the camera. Yells a few instructions for the set designers to place the fake bushes in the place. Instructs the camera crew on the placement of the secondary shots. He nods approvingly when they follow. Now he just needs the cinematographer's opinion on these. Steven smiles for the first time this morning.
And just on time, Park Han enters the set, his assistant rambling on the list of shots they went over yesterday. Han nods, then turns his eyes to Steven. Han smirks, tilting his head as a greeting. Steven grins back, nodding to the camera, the silent communication between them easing like water.
Steven feels himself relax, his face softens, and his smile genuine. He nods at Han when he non-verbally points at the furthest camera to check the view.
But his grin falls the moment he hears that graveling voice enter his ears.
“And I had an amazing time!”
Steven tries not to roll his eyes as he heads back to the director's seat.
“Oh Park Han-ssi!” The actress, Kim something, Steven doesn’t fucking care, calls Han. “Is this a good angle?” She asks, batting her eyelashes like a broken windshield as she enters the center of the set. Steven fights off the scoff as he turns his eyes to Han.
Han smiles brokenly, face contorting in a way you can’t know if he likes to do it or not, so he just raises his thumbs up.
The actress giggles.
Steven keeps a straight face through this all as he picks up his mini megaphone and yells over it. “Okay, set clear, let's get started on Scene 25!”
It was the end of the day. 13 hours of shooting and 13 hours of Steven gritting his teeth with the actress non-stop flirting with his boyfriend.
Steven is a secure person. He believes in his capabilities. Loves his boyfriend unconditionally. And he knows Han loves him the same.
They were not public, well, they didn’t have to be, they worked behind the scenes. Handling camera angles and lighting conditions is what they do. It's what they love. Shouting out to the staff, they have been living with each other for over three years, which doesn’t come with the job description. And it's not like they haven’t worked on the same project before.
They first met for a short series for a streaming platform, and started dating on the second series they worked on. This was the fifth project and the first movie they’re employed in. They didn’t have to announce it then; there’s no reason to announce it now.
But Steven is losing his mind.
Actors and actresses flirting with one of them are common. Some are due to kissing up to them for more scenes or shots. But not as persistent as this actress.
(Steven is still refusing to name her; she doesn’t even deserve a codename.)
Blank had called Han over multiple times, even for non-shooting-related things, to talk to him. Brushing up his arm like a leech and leaning in like a predator ready to bite.
Steven can bite for her if she likes. He did so last night, so Steven does understand why Han looks like a scared mouse if he smells her perfume from a mile away.
So the director just laughs at this, leaning his back next to the front entrance of Studio 9. It's a good plot to have for this next movie. An actress flirting with a gay cinematographer, not knowing he’s having sex with the director. Box-office hit in his books.
“And I promise you, he likes me!” The same voice cracks the atmosphere as the same actress Steven has been dying to kill walks out of the studio. “And I have a secret to tell you guys. But you have to keep it to yourself!”
Steven raises his eyebrows at this, keeping his body hidden but his ears open.
The actress pulls the two people she’s with, her long manicured curling on their arms, before whispering loudly, “We’ve hooked up.”
Steven feels the anger in his body boil. His jaw clenches, and his hands grip his bag strap tightly. The phone in his hands vibrates but he ignores it.
“That’s why Han-ssi’s wearing a turtle neck,” she says, her squeaky voice turning thinner with every word. “He’s got all my hickies on his neck.”
The two people she’s with gasp, probably her stylists for the day. Steven just scoffs.
Loudly it seems.
It makes the group of people turn to him in alarm. The actress looked the most shocked, almost afraid, as they landed their eyes on Steven.
“Oh!” one of the stylists exclaims, “It’s you, Director Kim.”
Steven nods at them, pushing himself off the wall and walking to face them.
“We thought it was someone else,” the other stylist states, her body relaxing.
The actress laughs, face tightening on the edges, too tight to be genuine, “If you heard any of what I said earlier, Director-nim.” She giggles, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I hope we keep it to ourselves.”
Steven stares at her, almost stone-like, hard enough that the stylists beside her flinch.
“I would,” he chuckles, “If it weren’t a lie.”
Blank stiffens before laughing nervously. “What do you mean?” Her eyes looking around anxiously, making sure other people weren’t there to see her.
Steven wheezes, taking a step closer to them and pocketing his phone. “Miss Kim, this is a professional set.” He states, crossing his arms. “We do not condone rumors without proper proof or confirmation.”
The actress steps back and stutters, “How can you know I’m not lying?”
Steven smiles at her—this one feels sincere, albeit wicked, a true smile nonetheless. “Well..” he starts, taking another step closer to them. Menacing, like a true predator.
The three lean back, feet still on the ground, but posture retreating.
“I would know, because Park Han-ssi was with me last night.”
One of the stylists holds back a choke. The actress, caught in not knowing what to do, straightens herself. She bites back. “Well, how can you prove that?”
Steven cackles, head thrown back in disbelief before facing her again. “I distinctly remember biting the place right under his jaw,” He points to his own, proving his point with an intimidating glare, “as he fucked me on our couch last night.”
The actress is red in the face right now, fuming with invisible smoke. The stylists she was with are now running off from the scene. “I need to hear it from him then!”
“Consider it confirmed!” A yell from the studio entrance shocks them as they look over to see the man in question, with a large backpack strapped on his back and turtle neck collar lowered.
Marks scattered in the expanse of his neck, in different shades of pink and purple, but the most glaring mark is the bite near his jaw, clearly left by teeth.
Steven grins, opening his arms to welcome the man in a side hug as Han kisses his cheek.
“Why are you squaring up with the lead actress?” Han whispers to his ear, Steven leans into him, his palm sliding to grip Han’s waist, shamelessly staring at the woman in front of them, sending her a smirk.
“Just staking claim, baby,” Steven says, loud enough for Blank to hear.
The actress scoffs, looking close enough to cry. Figure cowering and phone at hand to call her manager.
“As I said, we do not condone fabricated gossip on the set, Miss Kim,” Steven says, stare unwavering and firm. “I did not have a say in you getting the role, that is the network's fault, but I will have a say in getting you off of it.”
Blank blinks, finally realizing the consequences of her actions. She nods enthusiastically before bowing and turning to head to her car. Phone on her ear as she screams for her manager to get her.
Steven laughs at her, watching her run, almost tripping on her heels as she does before turning to his boyfriend. Grin wide and proud.
Han gazes at him before kissing him square on the lips.
Steven smiles into it before Han pulls away. “Thank you,” Han says, squeezing Steven’s face playfully. “I did not know how to get rid of her.”
Steven chuckles, “She was a leech.”
“Very,” Han states, slipping his hand to clasp Steven’s and walking toward the direction of the parking area. “Her perfume was an extreme version of a baking factory and an overpriced flower shop. I almost gagged a few times.”
Steven wheezes, tightening his hold on Han’s hand. “Well, hopefully after, she won’t come close to you anymore.”
“I would love that.”
Steven grins, kissing the back of Han’s hand.
“So,” Han starts, pulling out his keys to sound his car. “There was a reason for your excessive biting last night.”
Steven pulls out his own keys, clicking them in time for Han to find his own. Their cars are always reserved next to each other anyway.
“Can’t believe I was marked like a dog.”
Steven chuckles, “Technically, dogs pee to mark territory.”
Han grimaces at the statement as he pulls his hand out of Steven's grasp and moves to place his things on the back of his car. ”I’m not into watersports, so don’t ever think of it.”
The older man laughs out loud as he closes his own trunk after placing his bags. “Noted.”
Han hugs the man from behind, arms wrapping around Steven’s slim waist and nose grazing on his nape. “Want me to bite you this time?”
Steven smirks. “Gladly.”