The Accidental Star

ALLY

JI CHANG WOOK

" There you are, " Daniel said when he saw me standing by the seashore. " I've been looking all over for you. "

I sucked the cigarette on my hand and dragged the smoke through my mouth before exhaling.

" I wanted to get some fresh air, " I told him as I took another drag of my cigarette.

" Ironic when you're out here smoking, " Daniel commented.

I ignored the remark and continued to look out the sea.

" The crew is here? " I asked and gave my talent manager a sidelong glance.

He nodded at me.

I took one last drag before flicking the cigarette butt into the sand.

" Let's go, " I said and turned towards the direction of the hotel.

" It's postponed, " Daniel said quickly. " Jake postponed the shoot today. "

I stopped in my tracks and stared at Daniel.

" He did? " I raised an eyebrow.

Daniel chuckled. " Looks like you hit a nerve. "

Daniel was referring to the row that Jake and I had last night. After safely dropping Anne to her room, I went to have a word with her cousin, which ended in a shouting match that probably kept the Spotlight's CEO awake the entire night.

The sight of Anne so scared and vomiting her guts out made me very angry. Something just snapped in me when I saw her sprawled on the ground, throwing up everything out of her stomach.

It didn't sit well with me that she was coerced to doing something that she feared. I've been seeing it happen again and again ever since she joined Spotlight. What irked me even more was Jake's apathy towards the situation.

And last night, when I went to his room unannounced, I said that straight to his face.

--

" Why did you let her jump? " I demanded angrily as soon as Jake opened his room door.

" Chang, " he said in surprise. " Would you like to come in? "

I pushed past him. As soon as I heard the door closed, words started flying out of my mouth.

" She was scared to death. She couldn't make that jump if her life depended on it. " I snapped angrily. " But you didn't care, did you? "

Jake raised an eyebrow at me.

" But she did, " he said calmly as he walked over the bar counter. " She's stronger than you think. "

" She can hardly walk when we landed! " I shot back, my anger fueled with his frigid calmness. " Didn't you see how frightened she was? Didn't you-"

" Where is this anger coming from, Chang Wook? " Jake cut me off as he looked at me curiously through his glass of whiskey. " Where is this conversation headed? "

I felt another surge of anger shot through my body and I sucked in my breath.

" I don't know how you can stand watching her endure all these, " I told him hotly. " She's been through a lot ever since she signed up with the agency. I don't understand how you can just sit there and watch her get frightened or hurt. She's not just your talent, Jake, she's your damned cousin too! "

I saw Jake's nose flare and I knew then that I hit a nerve.

" You don't know anything so I don't owe you or anyone else an explanation, " he said in a cold low voice. " And as far as I can recall, you're the one who got her almost killed with that stupid stunt that you pulled in Jeju. So don't come here accusing me of that when you're the one who got her hurt. "