Off Camera

Chapter 57

Tee POV

Knock. Knock.

I bolt out off the couch and scurry towards the front door. My heartbeat quickens. Jane said she has gotten some new information but wanted to talk to us face to face and not over the phone. I couldn't tell from her voice, though, if it is good news or something bad.

Silently, I pray it is good news and something we can work with, like the stupid event that was scheduled again is now off. That would make my day.

Unfortunately, Tae and I have had to put our plans to go on a little vacation on hold. Maybe this is going to be good news, and the vacation is back on with only a slight delay. That would make my day.

I slide to a stop in front of the door and whip it open. "Hi, Jane."

She gives me a curt nod and walks past me like she is on a mission. A dark cloud follows her into the apartment and hovers over all of us.

I don't like this.

Timidly, I make my way back to the couch and sit beside Tae while Jane sits in the nearby chair. I nervously wipe my sweaty palms on my pants and swallow the lump in my throat.

Tensions build as the deafening silence continues.

My heart pounds in my chest and echoes in my ears.

Tae breaks the silence and clears his throat. He tentatively asks, "What is it? Were you able to cancel the event?"

I frantically nod. "Yeah. Or did you find out why the event suddenly was rescheduled. It seems so odd for the event organizers to suddenly demand it be put back on the schedule after they had agreed to postpone it."

Jane stares at Tae and I with a blank face.

We fall back into an awkward silence.

Tae and I look expectantly at Jane, hoping this will all end soon.

She looks between the two of us, before she turns her focus back to Tae and sighs. "First, you can ignore all my messages regarding the event that I sent you yesterday. The event is still going on, but other things have come to light which I've had to inform the agency's executives about. They are currently working through everything and trying to come up with a decision. We are on hold until then."

My heartbeat quickens. What in the world could have happened for this to turn into such chaos?

I wipe my sweaty palms down the front of my pants again.

Jane continues. "For some unknown reason, the event organizer suddenly demanded a changing room in the mall for Tae. You know our policy of never stopping after an event. We want to get our actors out of there as soon as possible. Plus, the sponsors don't pay for the actors to stay around, relax, and chit chat. Everyone's schedules are packed, and we often have other things scheduled to run off to next."

"So, you can imagine my surprise when I was informed of the changing room where they instructed me Tae would go after the event. As Tee said earlier, something doesn't smell right. I had already alerted the company's executives, but I happened to get a phone call before the executives had made a decision. If the information was correct, the crazy stalker had paid the sponsor and event organizer to demand the event go on as planned. The person who called me didn't have all the details, but she thought the crazy lady was going to try and do something to Tae in the changing room after the event. This information was also passed on to the executives, and I demanded we refuse to go. This is a clear sign Tae's wellbeing is in danger."

She shakes her head. "I'm not comfortable forcing Tae to be at the event when we know his mental health is already rocky. If this information is correct, this could severely harm him. I don't want to take the risk."

My foot bounces as I nibble on the inside of my lower lip. How could someone be so crazy to think something like this is fine?

I glance to my side at Tae, and my heart skips a beat. All color has drained out of his face, leaving his tan skin about as white and pale as me.

I slide closer to him and wrap my arm around him. "Hey, babe, we aren't going to let anything happen to you. That crazy bat isn't going to get near you. We will go to the police and report her for stalking. Whatever it takes, we will do it. Alright?"

My heart twists as he stays frozen with a lost and dazed look in his eyes.

I gently kiss his cheek. "I'm not going to let her get near you. If I have to call in every favor I have with everyone I know, I will. She isn't going to lay a finger on you. I won't allow it." My voice holds a determination which I seldom use but it lurks under the surface just waiting to be pulled forward.

I look over to Jane. "You are planning to go the police, right? There is no way this doesn't constitute stalking and isn't breaking some laws. We need to put a stop to her. Isn't there something they can do about the people supporting her and going along with her crazy plan? There has to be. Throw them all in jail. I don't care!"

My frustrations pour out with my words, and my voice gets louder the more I say.

There must be something we can do. At this point, I don't care about the cancelation fee. My man's sanity and life is hanging in the balance, and I'm not going to let anyone destroy it for some weird fun and enjoyment.

Jane's blank expression doesn't change, except for her eyes. Sympathy and anger flash through them.

I plead with her. "We must do something. I don't care if the agency won't. I'm sure me and our friends can come up with something."

My mind races through everyone we know, making mental notes of everyone who can help, including Kimmon.

***

Tae POV

My mind in blank and is still stuck on what Jane said earlier. This whole nightmare with this stupid event has been a scheme by the crazy looney to get me alone.

Her shrill voice echoes in my head, while her crazed look haunts my thoughts.

Tee's warmth is the only thing keeping my breathing slow and steady, but everything else fades away into dull background noise. I can't make out anything being said.

The crazy lady's shrill voice drowns out everything else.

Frozen, my body won't listen to me or move.

With every last bit of energy I can gather, I struggle to move slightly and lean into Tee's comforting touch and his caring arms. But no matter how hard I try, I don't move. Not even an inch.

Black dots dance across my vision.

I want to blink but my body still won't listen to me. It is as if it is stuck in some weird limbo.

More black dots dance in front of me.

Is this what I'm going to be reduced to the rest of my life?

Darkness suddenly engulfs me.

Published January 9, 2023