In Between the Lines | Completed

Chapter Three | First Impressions

Lee Young-min

"Lee Young-min, we're doing the first reading on Stage 3," Bu Seok throws his arm around my shoulder and smiles. "And make sure you just casually mention to the American lady how much you love working with me and how my writing is what will make you a fan favorite so I can get a nice fat bonus at the end of shooting."

I laugh, throwing my friend's arm off me, shoving him to the side, "Write well enough that I get another award to put on Eomeoni's mantle."

"If I do that, she'll just have something new to use to sell you off to the highest bidder."

I groan, hanging my head, knowing he's right.

"I know she wants me to get married soon; I finished school, did my military service, and I'm established in my career, but it's insane she thinks it'll take a blind date for me to find 'the one' vs meeting someone organically. I swear she's been obsessed with blind dates since I came back."

"Stop being the perfect son and there won't be too much of an issue in the future."

"An issue for who?"

"Me duh. Your mom keeps bragging to my mom about her perfect child and while I have no problems with them focusing on marrying you off before me, I'd like then to stop telling me to be more like you," Bu Seok chortles.

"Well in that case, make sure you tell the writer lady... wait what is her name again?"

"Gong Hoon calls her Vivian," Bu Seok sounds out the name, pronouncing it like 'violin.'

"Oh, so it's definitely not that then."

"Probably not. I call her Miss Jones as that's what Du Shin-Il calls her, but I'm sure she'll introduce herself."

"Ah yes, the big ball of pink yarn." I joke as I remember my friend's drunken ramblings.

Bu Seok rolls his eyes at the reminder, "Du Shin-Il said she'll be here for the first day of shooting tomorrow, so I guess we'll be meeting her sooner rather than later."

"I guess so."

Vivian Jones

Du Shin-Il directed me into a large building, pointing at various signs, doors, and people while making quiet introductions and remarks. He wasn't the chattiest of people, but I hoped that he was being accurate in his translations. Ever since he promised not to bring up Sammie, I had a small sense of trust in my new companion. I wasn't quite ready to call him a friend, but he was a candidate for one in the future.

"About 75% of the staff speaks conversational or fluent English so Gong Hoon has directed them to speak in English with you to make your time here as easy as possible since you don't have any background knowledge of Korean."

"Everything I know is from watching the K-Dramas I've been using for research once companies started to contact me," I admit.

"I will mostly be handling your day-to-day translation needs. There's a team who will handle translations for cultural purposes, but I am happy to act as a sounding board at your discretion if you need a second set of eyes. As for everything else, I am your assistant in every other way though. Please do not hesitate to ask for assistance with personal or professional matters. I will handle it all with the utmost discretion of course. Errands, to do lists, chauffeuring, bodyguard, etc."

I wasn't surprised at the bodyguard comment. His physique in and of itself was enough to tell me that he could take care of himself against a small army if need be. I look him up and down and my face flushes at the thought of someone catching me checking out my assistant.