Capturing My Demon King Costar

MY COSTAR ASKS IF I'M COMPETITION

Yao Shen grabs some food on autopilot, picking up whatever he can reach first, and dumping it in his tray to follow quickly after Xin Hulei.

Bi Jialu accompanies him all the way to the trailer, carrying some of his stuff with her, but Xin Hulei stops her at the door. "Thank you, we'll be fine now."

She gives Yao Shen a worried look but he nods reassuringly at her. "It's fine, thank you for your help."

Her disappointment seems to hinge on the fact she won't be able to listen in on whatever Yao Shen and Xin Hulei will discuss ahead of the media segments, but she masks it with a look of sisterly concern.

"Please be ready within one hour, laoshi. Wearing the costume is fine, so there's still time to eat your meal." She peers into Xin Hulei's trailer over his shoulder, unable to stop her curiosity, and then leaves the same way she came.

Yao Shen steps inside, grumbling under his breath. "Even my assistant is your fan."

Despite his protests, Yao Shen is glad for this seeming return to normalcy. The murky waters of the entertainment business he knows how to handle -- at least in theory.

Xin Hulei helps him carry his tray to the counter in the cramped kitchenette and sits across from him, pouring boiling water from the electric kettle into a styrofoam bowl of instant noodles.

"Not cooking today?" Yao Shen asks, being unpleasantly reminded of Xin Hulei's apartment, and the food he made for the two of them. When he thinks about that day now, he feels like there's a warm film over his memories, as if he's recalling the scenes of a movie, or looking at an old photo album.

What an odd thought. Yao Shen lowers his eyes into his tray of food, trying to distract himself with the sight of bland noodles and overcooked vegetables.

"What does your agency want us to do?" he asks, stirring the food with his chopsticks aimlessly.

Xin Hulei is eating his own food leisurely, one arm folded nonchalantly on the countertop. "They want us to ignore any questions regarding our alleged relationship, say only 'no comment', and neither try to disprove the rumours or say anything that could be interpreted as confirmation."

Yao Shen nods. It's a reasonable request. Yao Shen himself hasn't heard from his agency in some time, they're probably waiting fro the drama to finish shooting to wash their hands off him. They're probably thinking they should have done it long ago.

"Your agency? Do they know you're a uh...a demon?"

He doesn't know what prompts him to ask that question, only that there's so much he doesn't know about the supernatural world, and Xin Hulei feels like the only person who'll give him some answers.

Xin Hulei gives him an amused half-smile, the corner of his lips rising just barely. "I'm hardly the only demon working in this industry. Like I said before, it has some advantages for us, enables us to continue accessing our powers."

Yao Shen grows tense, this is a good opening to ask the question that has been rolling around in his mind since last night. "Where do demons come from? Do you just end up here..."

He's making the question sound vague so that Xin Hulei doesn't notice how much he already does know. He feels disingenuous and guilty, and can't quite look Xin Hulei in the eye.

It takes Xin Hulei some time to reply, and when he does his voice is a little gravely. "It's complicated, we come from the Underworld," his tone turns bitter although his expression remains unchanged. "But it's a little crowded at the moment."

Because of the Ghosts? But weren't the Ghosts there first? Actually, Yao Shen isn't sure, maybe demons precede humans.

"Why all the questions?" Xin Hulei asks, and Yao Shen feels the intensity of his cold gaze boring into him.

He shrugs. "Just curious."

They fall into a sort of tense silence after that, each eating their food quietly. Yao Shen doesn't really have more answers, if anything, Xin Hulei's usual cryptic nature only gave him more questions.

"Jincan asked about you," Xin Hulei says suddenly, getting up from his tall bench to dump the used styrofoam cup in the trash. "I think he likes you."

That makes Yao Shen snort, despite himself. "He doesn't like me, he wants to marry you. He just asked to make sure the competition wouldn't be around."

He wants to take the words back as soon as they leave his lips, but knows from the look that flashes in Xin Hulei's cold eyes that it is too late. Like a stalking predator he makes his way towards Yao Shen, boxing him in against the counter, lowering his shoulders so their chests almost touch.

"And are you?" His warm breath hits the side of Yao Shen's exposed neck and makes the fine hairs on his skin stand on end.

"Competition?" Xin Hulei asks.

Yao Shen closes his eyes and tries to slow down the frantic beating of his heart. He can't think with Xin Hulei this close to him.

Like a caged bird looking for an escape route, Yao Shen drops down and hunches under the arm Xin Hulei has brought around him, breaking free of the cage of his body.

"We should get going," he says, trying to sound casual, hoping the makeup disguises the heat climbing up his face. "Bi Jialu will pop a vein if we aren't there on time."

Xin Hulei nods, coming away from the counter as if nothing happened.

Yao Shen is making his way to the door when Xin Hulei holds him back by the elbow. "One last thing," he says, "My agency still wants us to push the fanservice angle, but to keep things ambiguous. That's where the real entertainment for the fans is."

He lets go of Yao Shen and leaves the trailer first. He stands at the foot of the steps with the door open, waiting for Yao Shen to climb down too.

Yao Shen thinks things can't get much more ambiguous than they already are.