Why Must My Heart Ache?

Chapter 9: Photo Shoot

    "Good morning, class! As many of you probably know, I've signed a contract with another company," she said to the students in Korean. They all moaned, and a few girls were crying. Minwoo couldn't even look at her directly.

    "I'll still be working here. You'll just have a long-term temporary English teacher to help Lee Kyung Mi-sunsaengnim. I'll be back before final exams if everything goes according to schedule..." she stopped as Mina raised a hand, using the other to wipe back tears. "Yes, Mina?"

    "But the show's scheduled to run into the summer, and the audience is supposed to affect the course of the show, like in Choose Your Own Adventure books. I looked it up, and I overheard that director talking to you, and it sounds like you'll be one of the main characters," she sniffled.

    Flora couldn't take much more. She was as thrilled with the job as her students were. She had to give them the one piece of good news that she had. "I'll let you all in on a secret," she said in a loud whisper. The class leaned forward eagerly. "As part of my agreement with Director Park, each of my classes will have a field trip on the set before my scheduled departure from the show."

    The whole class cheered. Director Park came in then. "Flora-ssi, are they that glad that you're leaving?" he joked. In response, her students all shouted, "Ahneeyo!" as Mina jumped up and hugged Flora. Director Park laughed.

    "I told them about the field trips," she explained as she patted Mina's back. He nodded his head, smiled at the class, and told her that the car was ready. Flora said her goodbyes to the class, promising to see them soon, and went down to the van with the director.

    Her heart started to thud as she realized that within a matter of minutes, she would be at the promotional photo shoot with her co-stars, which included.... Cho Kyuhyun.

                                                                                   .     .     .

    Kyuhyun sat in the dressing room with some of his hyungs as the lady did his make-up for the photo shoot. He couldn't help throwing glances at them. Heechul-hyung seemed extra involved today. He had volunteered coming along before the others, and had been actively engaged in conversations.

    Heechul walked to Kyuhyun's chair when the make-up artist was done and laid his hands on the maknae's shoulders. "I know who the rookie co-star is," he said suddenly. Kyuhyun looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "I helped the director find her, in fact," Heechul continued.

    Eunhyuk smirked at them knowingly, along with Jung Hoon, as Sungmin perked up his ears in curiosity. "Hyung, who is it?" he asked before Kyuhyun could.

    Heechul laughed a little darkly. "You'll just have to wait and see," he sang. They went out to the set and waited for the other stars and the director to show up. One by one, they drove on-site, the last being the director's van. Everyone held their breath as they waited to see the rookie for the first time. As far as anyone knew, only Director Park and Jung Hoon (and now apparently Heechul) knew who she was. They weren't announcing her name until the promotional posters were released.

    Then she stepped out. Sungmin winced as Kyuhyun grabbed his arm and gripped it tightly. Director Park introduced her, and Kyuhyun whispered her name to Sungmin at the same time the director said it. Oh! Wow, so his crush is now his co-star, Sungmin mused.

    "The stars of One Second Changes Everything are now all here! Your schedules for today and tomorrow are being handed out. Cho Kyuhyun-ssi, Park Shin Hye-ssi, and Flora Baker-ssi, meet at the main set for your concept meeting with the photographer and myself in ten minutes." He turned to Flora. "You need to go change and get make-up done quickly. Just show your designer your first schedule. She'll take care of it. Intern! Take Flora-ssi to her dressing room!"

    She followed the intern and continued pursuing her goal of avoiding Kyuhyun's eyes until she could speak to him privately again. She could hear someone cracking up behind her. Kim Heechul, I know you have something to do with this. I'll pay you back, just you wait!

    The designer helped her make the quickest change of her life. She barely had time to register that her outfit included a short white dress and high heels before she was sat down in the make-up chair. She had warned her make-up artist ahead of time that cosmetics never really agreed with her, so they had sensitive make-up all ready to go and went with a more natural look, which, lucky for her, went well with the character she was to play.

    She was finished just in time. The director put her in the chair next to his, across from Shin Hye and Kyuhyun. "Okay, so Kyuhyun, you're the star. As of right now, you have two love interests, Shin Hye's character, a good friend and almost-first-love, sporty, fun, but kind of clingy. You both are of the same social standing, middle class. Then there's Flora's character, the new girl at university, shy and introverted, yet sociable with everyone, elegant, and smart. She's upper class, but you bond with her through a language-learning partnership that you form," he rambled. They already knew this from their scripts.

    "Shin Hye, your individual shoot is first. Kyuhyun and Flora, while you wait, get to know each other a bit before the group photos," he ordered before walking away with Shin Hye.

    Kyuhyun spoke first. "I didn't expect to meet you again like this. How were you recruited?" He watched her face closely, looking for insight into her thoughts. He found none.

    "I didn't expect to be in this situation either, however your manager and Heechul-ssi brought Director Park to my school's play to search for talent," she said with a straight face. "I didn't want to leave my students, but my principal pressured me into accepting the deal."

    He believed every word of her explanation. It made sense, but for some reason, it made him feel hurt. Then he managed to put his finger on it.

    "So you didn't want to come act for all of Korea to see, or you didn't want to work with some of us?" he joked to mask his true question. Did she not want to work with me?

    "Actually, I love acting, but I enjoy teaching as well, and I didn't want to breach my contract. I guess that it's all working out. I was actually relieved when I saw who I'd be acting with. At least I already sort of know you," she explained. "That, and my favorite drama was He's Beautiful, so I look forward to working with Park Shin Hye-ssi as well."

    As she said that, she heard a giggle behind her. Shin Hye was standing close-by, having finished her shots already. "Call me Eonni," she told Flora, then she looked to Kyuhyun. "You're up next," she told him.