the place under the spotlight | soogyu

Chapter Three

"What happened to your hand?" Taehyun, fully well and not showing any signs of hangover, asked Soobin as soon as he arrived.

"Just a paper cut."

"It looks painful though."

It feels painful, too. Soobin was crying a little bit inside from the tiny cut people can barely see, and it's far too embarrassing to admit out loud.

They both stand behind the camera, monitoring the shots taken just a few minutes ago as the actors wait by beautiful cherry blossom trees. The timing was spot on as they just bloomed recently and Taehyun was already taking pictures before they even began.

Yeonjun and Beomgyu were in the middle of the frame, between pinks from the flowers and yellows from the sun—Dohyun explains what cherry blossoms look like to someone who has never seen them before. A fairly simple scene, but it's probably the prettiest one yet.

Soobin takes a handful of petals and calls for assistance. "Let's end it with this."

"Should I call Dohyun?"

"Yes, please," The staff did as asked, and soon they were all huddled up in front of the camera. Beomgyu was gently playing with his bangs before shifting his eyes on Soobin with an anticipating look. "I'll shower you with petals. They'll fall slowly, so just look at them with gentle fascination."

"Gentle fascination?" Beomgyu's face contorted.

"Just look at it fondly," Soobin hissed in response. Nobody was fazed when he did.

Beomgyu shook his head with a soft laugh, in a great mood for a great day. His head filled the screen and his eyes glimmering with what was required.

And cue the magic.

Petals rained on Beomgyu; it was Soobin's favorite shot.

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They transfer to a new filming site: in a home, specifically, on a porch. Somewhere Taejun likes to spend his time looking at nothingness—and it's quite ironic when his sight is anything but something. Dohyun arrives with jokes and banters hidden in his pockets.

It's the rising action. Although they don't film in chronological order, it's still satisfying to watch everything align and create a story. Soobin yells "cut!" and he knows they're another step closer to seeing the biggest puzzle done.

Beomgyu was on standby when Soobin approached him. "You know what to do, right?"

"Walk to the porch, give him my jacket, then deliver the lines."

"Good job," Soobin gave a thumbs up.

Beomgyu snorts. "You've been praising me lately."

"You'll get to hear it more often if you keep up the good work."

"I always do great."

"The changes we had to make because of you said otherwise," Soobin cocked a brow. "Good luck."

"Don't need it."

As much as Soobin doesn't want to admit it, Beomgyu was right.

The movie had an overall melodramatic tone. It is shot in a way viewers will feel like they're seeing something they shouldn't, something intimate—exactly what Soobin desires to achieve. He wants it to feel as real as possible, and when Beomgyu's eyes seem to dilate whenever it lands on Yeonjun... he feels just that.

Soobin never sees Beomgyu through the camera.

"That was perfect," Taehyun beamed. He's monitoring the performance with doe eyes, obviously pleased.

"It's not that bad," Soobin whistled and life flashed before his eyes when Taehyun nudged him a little too hard. "I think you broke my shoulder and I didn't even ask you about Kai yet."

"Shut up."

Taehyun can be scary when he wants to be.

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Somewhere far, Dohyun lays on the road. Cuts and wounds bleed in his face, and he lost all power to collect himself up as soon as he broke down.

They wait for the sun to set. Soobin said that this was a chase between them and the darkness, and they trusted everything Beomgyu could do to the scene in less than an hour.

He delivers a painful groan and a helpless cry. Dohyun falls from the vehicle and laughs at his own demise—and somehow, it was still heartbreaking.

"I think Beomgyu does it best," Taehyun said.

Soobin does a timid nod. "He's great."

"Finally admitting?"

"Yeah," Soobin lost the game.

Beomgyu ran to where he could monitor his performance and watched the screen intently. One of the stylists wrapped him in a blanket, and Soobin remembers the cold air wafting against their skin.

"You did amazing!" Taehyun was hopping on his feet.

Beomgyu smiled, surprisingly not preparing for an argument. "It could be better," He shifts his eyes to where Soobin was standing quietly beside Taehyun, also monitoring even if he's done that a hundred times already. "How about you?"

"Great job. Keep up the good work," Soobin's dimples peaked out when he said. It made Taehyun poke one of them in adoration.

Beomgyu scoffed. "You sound like a dad."

"Is Kai around?" Taehyun asked, looking around.

"Yeah, he's in the car. You can go see him if you want," Beomgyu shrugged and Taehyun didn't bother asking Soobin for permission before taking long strides to where the manager was.

"Is that okay with you?" Soobin asked when Taehyun was out of earshot. "Taehyun and Kai."

"As long as Kai won't ditch me again like he did last time. Why?" Beomgyu throws the question back. "Are you one of those people that doesn't allow dating at work?"

"It can be a distraction, but I trust Taehyun."

"It's fun—dating at work."

"Speaking from experience?"

Beomgyu shook his head. "God, no! Last time I did that my career almost ended."

"So, you did date Yeonjun. It's not just this whole misunderstanding."

"You're an idiot. They caught us making out in the car and you think it's not true?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's a thing you both do. You know, for fun..?"

Beomgyu lets out a puff of air in disbelief. "So, you think I'll just kiss anyone for fun? That I'll kiss you because I think it's fun to kiss your pretty lips?"

"My pretty lips?!" Soobin gasped, eyes wide and round.

"They're tiny and you always talk in pout."

"What?"

"What?"