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Unless you have experience being on the receiving end of the seemingly endless flashing lights cameras, beaming stage lights and the heat emanating from film equipment. People struggle to rationalise the perpetual pink flush that lingers on the skin of those that perform, namely one Kim Soleum, the current IT girl of Hollywood.
Carrying the typical rags to riches success story acting agencies love to give to their talents while simultaneously hiding the not-so-glamourous bits behind a careful balance of smoke and mirrors, Kim Soleum clawed her way to the top of the entertainment ladder. Starring in movies, TV dramas, cover-girl of magazines, honored guest at talk shows- you name it. Everywhere you look, her face is there. Drawing you in, ensnaring you with her otherworldly charm and magnetic charisma, that is Kim Soleum.
Directors and producers beg for even a sliver of an interaction with her but rarely do they ever receive a response, much less the green light. Rumor has it a certain anonymous respected senior within the same industry has been filtering the letters she receives, to ensure the quality of Soleum's portfolio of course.
The brightest stars burn the fastest and Soleum is the northern star of Hollywood. It’s best to preserve that light as much as possible before she slowly fizzles out into the black and white scenes of a preserved VHS. A pretty face on yellowed paper and silver screen.
But of course, there is one person who Soleum would never turn down. Her dearest benefactor and most loyal friend.
“Friend! Oh how I’ve missed you, how is my little starlet doing these days?”
Crisp and clear, Braun’s voice echoes throughout the studio. Her voice held delight in tone but was tinged with a hint of concern toward the end of her sentence.
A tall body clad, in a brown suit and red tie -Both pressed to perfection- make an appearance from a side door. Polished leather shoes could be heard making their way toward Soleum.
Soleum could barely even utter a word to the figure before hands covered with white gloves move to wrap Soleum in a hug so tight it was as if it was their first meeting after an era of separation.
Having grown used to the casual touches between them, Soleum couldn’t help but feel a deep-seated fondness for the person embracing her. Before she knew it, the warm scent of oakmoss and amber had already mixed together with Soleum’s own delicate blend of orange blossom and vanilla, red flush darkens on her skin as she brings her nose closer to Braun’s neck.
Soleum tenderly reciprocates her friend’s affection by wrapping her arms around Brauns waist.
“I’m doing fine friend, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m not as vulnerable as I used to be, you know this,” The reassurance does little to ease the tenseness in her friend’s shoulders but finally, Braun moves her hands away from their current position to the small of Soleum’s back, guiding the actor further into the studio.
"Braun, I have everything under control." Stated Soleum, who glanced up to meet Braun's eyes.
Confident steps falter, “I know Ms. Roe Deer, but you’re the shining star of an era- a talent never to be seen again, I can’t help but worry about you darling,” the two turn a corner and the environment starts to change from scattered wires and camera lenses to an ornate hotel-like corridor.
“They worship you like a goddess Soleum dearest, and that’s what scares me the most. Who knows what those people could do with their obsession!” Braun continues, her words filled with a unmistakable discontent as she thinks back to her own experiences with over-enthusiastic fans and paparazzi.
Way back when Braun was still new to showbiz, when she still lacked the money and influence she had now. Too many incidents had occurred only for it to be attributed to an infuriatingly vague statement such as 'coming with the line of work', food of untraceable origin left on her personal changing room vanity, backdoors that were sworn to be locked mysteriously opening, unknown faces in the crowd of her shows when she had personally gone through each and every audience application. Braun can only hope that if something akin to those situations were to happen… Soleum would trust Braun to handle it for her.
Soleum only lets out a soft hum as a response, letting her friend to interpret it as she pleases.
Red carpeting and shiny wooden walls with posters showcasing various pieces of media of differing eras line the hallway, Soleum felt like she saw a familiar face in one of them but wasn’t quick enough to pin it down. Before long, the pair reach a wooden door akin to the other ones they passed by on the way here but with one difference, a shining gold nameplate.
Braun
Keys jingle against each other as Braun takes them out of the inner pocket of her jacket. Click, the pins of the lock slide into place and with it an outward swing of the door is made.
Braun’s waiting room is dark, the only thing preventing the room from dropping into pitch black darkness being the soft yellow glow from four moderately-sized lamps strategically placed around the room and the cool fluorescent lights of the illuminated vanity. The record player seems to have been playing for a while though, the low voice of a baritone singer's love-filled melody softly floating around the room.
“Braun, could I ask you a question?” Hesitantly, Soleum calls out to Braun as she is guided toward the seat in front of the mirror, to which she obediently sits down in. No use in fighting it after all.
Soleum’s reflection is dazzling, the pinnacle of a classic film beauty. The long length of lustrous hair falling down neatly down precisely to the cut of her red gloves, the glow enhanced by the strong lights in front of her that mimics the heat of entertainment she had long grown accustomed to. Cool eyes that hold a seductive yet bright glow to it, ensnaring those who behold her in both mind and soul, her gaze vivid even after the audience leaves the theatre.
“Of course my dear, you need not hesitate when it comes to this Braun!” Braun is more than happy to converse with her friend, Soleum knows this for a fact but still thought it would be the polite thing to do to ask for permission first. Just in case fate dictated it to be not the right occasion.
Soleum at first stays silent, trying to pick out the best words. Only the sound of smooth saxophone and cello filling the air. Luckily, Braun allows Soleum the time to think as the host preoccupies herself with brushing the film star's hair, gently tugging away the knots and smoothing it down with the boar bristle brush that lay atop the vanity.
Having finished picking out her words to the best of her ability, Soleum asks in a quiet and shy tone, not unlike that of a maiden in love from the days of chivalric plays.
“Have you ever been in love, friend?”
The brushing stutters then continuing in its practiced motions and before coming to a stop entirely a few moments later. Braun’s grip tightens slightly on the section of hair in her hand, gliding her thumb up and down it as if to savour the feeling, before slowly sliding her hand down the entire length and letting go.
Soleum observes the look of Braun’s face in the mirror and sees eyes filled with fondness, admiration, and perhaps an inkling of hurt. The brush that was held and used so tenderly before now had cracks in it.
“Of course, Ms. Roe Deer. I would even say that I am an expert in matters of the heart, how may this friend of yours help you?” Soleum’s ears who were long accustomed to the strong, confident tones of Brauns voice was taken off-guard by the strained voice. Her hands started to sweat underneath her own red opera length gloves, feeling instinctively that this was a situation that needed a bit of clarification.
Beating around the bush would only make the matter worse, Braun might do something drastic if left to stew in the brewing misunderstanding. Soleum shuddered to think back to that incident with a fellow actor, Lee Jaheon.
Taking a deep breath, Soleum says “Braun, can I ask how I might go about confessing my love to another person who is working within the entertainment industry and may or may not also be a… woman as well”
There, Soleum cannot think of any other way to say it without directly saying ‘I love you’, she can only hope that Braun caught onto her meaning. Surely she did, right? There is literally no one else with that exact description.
Braun spins Soleum’s chair around to face the wide-eyed expression on the host’s face. “Soleum dearest, you don’t mean that…” The actor braces herself for the response.
“I’m so touched that my friend has trusted me with this information! No matter what, Soleum dear, I will always support you in any and all matters.” What?
“Oh! We should celebrate this occasion Ms. Roe Deer, what do you say? I can snag us a reservation at La Dolce Vita right away, but if you’re not in the mood for Italian- How about a round of drinks at the Formosa?” Wait.
Braun’s voice is bright and cheery, hands clasped tightly around each other as if in inexpressible joy. Eyes crinkling and shiny at the edges. Is she crying?
Braun quickly takes Soleum’s hand and leads her out of the doorway, not even bothering to turn the music or the lights off. Braun’s strides are large and quick, almost making it seem like they were legging it down the hall from something.
Step. Soleum’s left heel accidentally steps onto the bottom of her dress due to the pressure to keep up with her friend, almost sending her tumbling to the ground but when the hard crash didn’t come, only then did she realise that her feet were no longer grounded.
Arms wrap around her shoulders and the back of her knees, body held close to the host’s chest as Braun kept walking -Though at a slower pace- as if nothing happened.
“About the other part of your question, friend.”
“…Yes?”
“Sometimes telling the audience directly what you meant, is the best way of getting the message across”
The giddiness in Braun’s voice makes it abundantly clear what her motives are. Soleum’s face gets redder by the second before obscuring the blush entirely using her bangs by tipping her face down. Not that this manages to hide the hotness of her ears though.
…
Fine, if Ms.Host demands it. Who is Soleum to say no? It’s not like she can hide it anyway. Judging by the way things are going, Soleum’s feelings are most definitely reciprocated anyway.
“Braun”
“Yes?” The host responds with a slight lilt upward on the ‘s’ playfully.
“…I..Love..you…”
“What was that dearest?”
‘Fucking hell’ Soleum’s face burns an even brighter red.
Soleum closed her eyes tightly, “I love you! Ms.Host, please take me on a date!”
Braun doesn't respond and for a second, Soleum's heart dropped. 'Braun, don't tell me... please don't let this be a mistake', Soleum tightly shuts her eyes and tries to calm her overactive mind down. She focuses on her senses, what does she hear? Braun's heartbeat, her heavy footsteps, her short breaths. The smell of Braun's perfume trails their steps and lingers in the air, Soleum is suddenly very aware that she is still clinging onto Braun, reluctant to part not because Soleum fears falling but instead the possibility of a permanent separation. The bitter taste of tobacco on her tongue becomes an unbearable craving.
And last but not least, sight. Braun’s steps come to a halt and that is when Soleum finally decides that it is the time to open her eyes.
At first a burst of white light is all that fills her vision, lasting for a few seconds before her eyes begin to adapt. 'A spotlight?', It's one of the many that Braun uses when hosting her beloved quiz shows, to put focus onto a moment, a single contestant and their words only. Everything and everyone else slowly fades into the background, leaving only them in center stage and finally does Soleum lock eyes with Braun and in this moment, all of Soleum's doubts and worries have been dispelled.
"I love you too, dear Soleum." Though her own eyes remain dry, Soleum could feel something wet drip onto her shoulder.
Soleum puts her hand on the back of Braun’s neck and pulls Braun down as Soleum herself leans in. Their foreheads touch, then their noses and finally their lips meet. The kiss lasted no longer than a few minutes but from the feverish look in their eyes, it feels as if they had promised an eternity to eachother. If only they could stay in this moment forever and reenact the scene again and again as if it were a play, carved into the hearts of the audience forevermore.
Braun snaps her fingers and the studio is plunged into darkness. Leaving only the faint flicker of a flame as a message to whomever it may concern.