Chan emerged from the house, a bit disheveled from spending the night away, and began his walk through the bustling streets, exchanging greetings with familiar faces as he headed back home. Unbeknownst to him, a rack of tabloid papers displayed grainy images of Y/n on their front pages, accompanied by sensational headlines like 'Y/n Stunned' and 'It's Definitely Her!'
Upon reaching home, Chan made a beeline for the bathroom, indulging in a much-needed bath or shower and tidying up his appearance. Just as he finished cleaning around the flat, the doorbell rang unexpectedly.
Rushing to answer it, he half-expected to find Changbin, who had a habit of forgetting his keys. To his surprise, standing before him was Y/n, sporting dark sunglasses. "Hi. Can I come in?" Y/n's sweet voice stirred something within Chan, his heart quickening at the sight of her.
"Y-Yes, of course! Come in." Chan ushered her inside, taking note of her disheveled appearance and red, tired eyes, evidence of recent tears. He guided her to the living room and prepared some fresh hot tea, eager to hear what had happened.
"They were taken years ago... I know it was..." Y/n's voice quivered as she struggled to explain the distressing situation. Chan offered her an encouraging smile, realizing this might be the first time he had seen her break down. Despite her usual strong demeanor, she seemed vulnerable now.
"...well, I was poor, and it happens a lot... that's not an excuse... but to make things worse, it now appears someone was filming me as well. So, what was a stupid photoshoot now looks like a porno film. And well... the pictures have been sold and they're everywhere."
Chan shook his head in sympathy, unable to imagine the ordeal Y/n was facing. "I don't know where to go. The hotel is surrounded." / "You're safe here," Chan reassured her, grateful to see her offer a tearful yet grateful smile.
"Thank you. I'm only in London for two days... but, with those papers, it's the worst place to be." Y/n stood up, visibly shaken, prompting Chan to lend her his full attention. "These are such horrible pictures. They're so grainy... they make me look like..." A few tears escaped her eyes, but she seemed stronger now compared to their emotional reunion.
"Don't dwell on it. We'll figure it out. What do you need... food... bath...?" Y/n took a deep breath, regaining her composure, her playful smile returning, the one Chan had missed dearly. "A bath would be great."
Chan directed Y/n to the prepared bath while he busied himself in the kitchen, preparing a light meal.
Meanwhile, Changbin entered the house, engrossed in the newspapers featuring Y/n's pictures. "Christ alive... brilliant... fantastic .... magnificent..." He ascended the stairs, unknowingly walking into a surprising encounter.
Opening the bathroom door, Changbin found Y/n immersed in the bath. Startled, he quickly retreated, trying to regain his composure. Eventually, he peeked back inside. "You must be Changbin." Turning in shock, Changbin hastily exited the bathroom, silently thanking the heavens for the unexpected encounter.
After her bath, Y/n borrowed Chan's clothes—a large black hoodie and a grey sweatshirt—tying the latter twice to keep it from slipping. Chan and Y/n sat at the kitchen table, enjoying toast together. They fell into an easy rhythm, reminiscent of their time together before, exchanging glances, giggles, and conversation.
For Chan, this moment felt perfect, and he wished for time to stand still.
Between their comfortable silence, it came down to her. Y/n frowned for a moment, feeling the need to apologize once again. "I'm really sorry about last time. He just flew in... I had no idea... in fact, I didn't even know if he'd ever fly in again."
"No worries. It's not every day one gets to serve breakfast to a major Hollywood star. It was quite a thrill for me." Y/n laughed, her smile widening as Chan spoke. She chewed on her toast while he continued, "How's he doing?"
"I'm not sure. It got to a point where I couldn't even remember why I loved him. And you... and love?" Chan stacked the plates, preparing to take them to the sink once Y/n finished her meal. "Well, that's a question with no easy answer."
A comfortable silence settled between them as they sat at the table, leaning in close with small smiles. "I've thought about you," Chan admitted with a slight cough, then quickly diverted, "Oh, sorry... I don't think you want to talk about that."
"I understand completely... Is that the film you're working on?" Chan's heart fluttered at the mention of her project but tactfully changed the subject, "Yes... I start filming in L.A. on Tuesday."
"Would you mind helping me rehearse my lines?" Y/n's eyes lit up with excitement. "Would you? It's mostly dialogue."
"Sure thing. What's the basic plot?"
"I play a difficult but brilliant junior officer who, in about twenty minutes, saves the world from a nuclear disaster." Chan raised an eyebrow at the plot but nodded approvingly. "..WOw. Well done to you."
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