Woman On Top

Chapter 5

The set up in Hong Kong was fantastic. The promotional drama was in partnership with a new hotel and travel agency, and the hotel wasn't scheduled to open until the drama aired. That meant, all parties involved in the project got to be the first people to experience a luxury stay and had free, unobstructed access to shoot the drama.

The hotel was connected via a tunnel to the nearby train station which led right to the international airport. The sight made you awe the moment you crossed into the hotel. The mezzanine more resembled the courtyard of a palace that had been converted into a market square. There was a pool with a cabana bar and lots of places to lounge. There was a restaurant whose seating stretched out into the space as if it were a patio. There were a few small service booths which aesthetically resembled shops. There was even a small waterfall, lampposts, and a plethora of leafy, green plants and trees throughout. All of it was encased by the hotel rooms which stretched 25 storeys to the sky where they met the full glass roof. It was like being outdoors without having to be outdoors. Even the hotel rooms themselves had balconies that peered down over the pool, the shops, the restaurant and all the other activity, but the rooms themselves were protected by tinted, one-sided windows. It was more than just a hotel – there was

"I can't wait to see what set came up with," you said to the director as you snapped a few photos for reference later.

You dropped your bags in you room and drank in the view of the buzz below, before you returned downstairs to enjoy it. You still had a few hours before everyone arrived and the work began, so why not enjoy the pool side cabana and imagine you really were on a vacation.

Jungkook would have loved this, the thought slipped into your mind. He was there, of course... Somewhere... But his words about turning your trip into a miniature vacation made you a bit sad that you couldn't. As fate would have it, though, upon re-entering the mezzanine you saw who you had been thinking about. Jungkook was sitting on the restaurant patio with a cup of coffee and reading what looked like his script. He looked picturesque in his denim pants, a white, knit sweater, and his fluffy, shiny hair. You didn't realize you had been smiling at the image until he looked up and met your gaze, and a smile beamed across his face too.

You lifted your hand and waved at him. He raised his to wave but he wasn't the only one to wave back. You hadn't noticed him yet, but Kevin was sitting just a few tables in front of you. He must've thought you were greeting him.

That was awkward, you thought to yourself as you scrambled to play it off as if he was the one you were greeting all along. You approached his table, and the gentleman that he was he stood up as you did.

"You made it," Kevin grinned. "How was your flight?"

"It was great. No trouble," you smiled back. "Can you believe this hotel, though?" you gushed as you gestured around the room.

"It's something else, that's for sure. I was just about to order brunch. Would you care to join me?"

You paused – only for a second, before you said "yes." Your eyes had snapped up to Jungkook who was watching you intently over his script. You felt the recently familiar feeling of guilt stab your sensibilities. The week leading up to this trip had been so weird because of Kevin. But what else could you do? He was your peer and Jungkook was your secret.

You and Kevin talked while you waited for service – which took a little longer than expected (the hotel staff were still working out the kinks before opening day), but you couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Jungkook was a few tables over but the energy between you felt like magnets that were being held apart. Eventually, your brunch party was joined by two other men in suits which put you slightly more at ease for Jungkook's sake, but part of you still wanted to go over there and join him and reassure him of... something. But you didn't.