12 Days To Christmas

Five Golden Rings (Melanie POV)

New day, a new shoot. It was getting colder and colder with each passing day, but I was thankful to be getting a pause on the birds for once. My mind played images of the different shoots with all the different sorts of birds when my manager pulled away from in front of my apartment building.

"We're going to a normal set today"

"Seriously?"

"Yes, just reminding you to be prepared for the rush"

I felt a wave of relief run over me for some reason as I watched out the window with the subtle joy of not having to stand in the cold in a short dress for an hour in who knows where. As joy took over me, I asked a small question I normally don't.

"Can we go get coffee this morning?"

My manager looked at me through the rearview mirror, then shrugged his shoulders and started on the way to Starbucks. As we pulled into the drive-thru, I relayed my order when I noticed inside the building a guy who looked to be Hyunjae, my partner for the day, as the order was seeming to go. 

My manager had already pulled away from the order station and was headed to the window when Hyunjae was walking outside to head to his ride. 

"Here," My manager said and handed me my warm mocha latte, which I took a sip of and was hit with the comforting feelings of Christmas. 

We drove away and I watched out my window as we drove down the highway. The warming feeling of the latte in my hands was getting to me the more I drank it. My eyes were feeling dazed, and I put my cup in the cup holder in my door, but that didn't suffice the feelings. I tried to resist. I quickly failed though, and fell succumb to a deep slumber. 

***

"Wake up Mrs."

I felt the gentle shaking of my arm as I cracked my eyes up to see my manager's face. 

"We're here"

I sat up at the sound of his voice and looked to see we were in a parking lot outside a building similar to the one where these shoots started. It had a white exterior and was literally just a warehouse off the side of the road. I stretched to wear the sleepiness off when I realized we were the only ones in the parking lot.

"Where is everyone?"

"They'll be arriving shortly. The director gave me a bit more information about this set too."

"Well?"

"You will be working with a few extras today. They won't be here for a while however. The set is almost done being set up inside, and Hyunjae should also be here quite soon"

I've worked with extras before, but it's been a while. 

"Was I going to be acting with any of the extras"

"One, but the conversation is quite short"

"Okay"

I grabbed my mocha latte, which was still warm, and took a sip of it as another car pulled into the parking lot. Hyunjae had arrived. I could tell through the window that he was on his phone, possibly listening to music or playing a mobile game. He also had a Starbucks cup in his hand, sipping on a warm drink.

I finished another sip of my latte and tried waving to him through the window, but he didn't see me. I waved again, and this time he looked, smiling and nodding off at me, cup in hand. I motioned for him to roll his window down, and he did so. I rolled my own window down and tried to start a conversation with him.

"Your Hyunjae right?"

"I am, and you must be the reputable Melanie Smith"

"I'm not that famous," I mumbled, and sipped my drink shyly.

"You're a household name. Most of my group members have seen some of your stuff"

I don't know why I felt a snake of heat creep up my face in my sweater at that comment.

"That's...good to know"

Hyunjae's smile grew a little bit, before he started smirking.

"Do you know all the members of my group, besides me?"

"Yeah. There's Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, You, Juyeon, Kevin, New, Q, Haknyeon, Sunwoo, and Eric" I said, listing them off from memory.

The look on Hyunjae's face was kind of priceless as he looked at me in awe.

"Most people forget someone, but you remember us all at the top of your head like that?"

"I'm working with all of you, am I not?"

"You are, you are"

"So it would be weird if I didn't remember"

"Well then, who's your bias?"

"That's a hard question actually"

I racked the question around my brain.

"Well, You and New's vocals are very good, but Sunwoo and Eric's rap skills are also absolutely amazing, but Juyeon and Q's dancing is so mesmerizing...I can't really pick anyone"

"Really?"

"Sorry, I can't pick"

"That's what they all say"

He looked at his phone for a brief second when a car pulled up beside him, and a few more crs pulled up beside me. A person got out of the car on his side and started walking for the door. 

The director!

I quickly got out, along with my manager and Hyunjae. The three of us were also being followed shortly behind by a bunch of staff from set builders to hair and outfit stylists.

"Sorry for the wait, I got up late this morning" The director explained, earning plenty of reassuring messages in return.

The door swung open finally and everyone rushed to their places, while Hyunjae and I just stood at the door.

"You guys go ahead to your dressing rooms, the staff will be there shortly to get you ready"

We set off on our opposite ways, each headed to our dressing rooms. The wait for a costume was not long at all, as I heard a knock and quickly let the person in. It was a short woman, who was wheeling in a rack with a dress, coated in a plastic cover, as well as a fluffy fur coat that to say the least, I wanted.

"Your makeup stylist will be here when you're done," she said and left the room.

I quickly got dressed and the coat was so warm that I couldn't help but wish to keep it. Then a knock came and I quickly let the person before sitting down in my makeup chair. The process went by quickly and I was then escorted to the nearly-finished set, where Hyunjae was already waiting in a neat white button up and black slacks, with black dress shoes to finish off the costume.

"You look very handsome" I complimented and he looked my way.

"And your looking quite gorgeous yourself" Hyunjae commented, rolling up the sleeves on his shirt.

The set was almost done and looked to be a shopping mall corner, with food stalls to finish it off. It was lit up with Christmas lights along every storefront with mini trees placed around sparsely.

"Places!" The director called and people started to line up on the side lines of the set.

"Got to go, see you soon" Hyunjae said before speeding off to his point on set.

He went through one of the store fronts and the people on the sidelines chatted away while waiting. I heard footsteps come to my side and saw a camera show up in my peripheral, meaning it was go time.

The cue went and I soared my way into the scene, as if going through the apparent force field of the scene. The rest of my scene went by fairly smoothly, even the part where Hyunjae's character flirts me, somehow. As the director called the end, I felt my cheeks go pink thinking back on the scene. 

"That's a wrap. Good work today everyone, and again, sorry for the late start" The director apologized once again.

He continued to receive reassuring replies as I went to go change and ask for the coat, which the staff agreed to, and I was out the door and headed home.