Choice and Chances

VI: Met Again

VI

2020

"Cut!" the director announced. He stood up from his seat as he clapped his hand to bring everyone's attention to him, "It's a wrap for today." He waved both hands to tell them they were free to go. "We'll resume filming tomorrow. Thank you, you can go now."

Hong Chul immediately ran to him together with his stylist. The stylist changed his coat with the casual one he loved to wear on normal days. "Hye Sun's manager wants to see me; can you go home by yourself?" His manager asked. Je Hoon's brows slightly furrowed and asked out of curiosity, "Hye Sun's, why?" Hong Chul shrugs both shoulders as he himself don't know the reason yet, "I don't know."

Je Hoon nodded his head once, "Good then." Upon hearing his response his manager stared at him sharply, as if warning him not to do anything stupid. "Hyung, I'm just going to have a walk," he defended himself before Hong Chul could blurt out what he has on his head. He looked elsewhere to the village straight ahead as he continued, "to unwind. I fell so stuffy lately."

Hong Chul could tell he was and acknowledged that he does need some time to clear his thoughts and maybe a time for himself would do him great. He nodded his head, backing off from possible debate; he willingly surrendered even before an argument could start. "Okay, but... don't be gone too long."

Je Hoon gave him a nearly faint smile, thankful for his understanding.

They went back to their tent where his team was waiting for them. "You guys can go ahead," he said as he took some make up wipes from his stylists' things and wiped away the thinly applied make up on him.

"How about you?" they asked.

"Don't worry," he said holding up a cap to show them. "I can take a cab."

His stylist offered him a mask, "Don't get anyone's attention."

He nodded and took the mask with him as he went ahead.

Bowing his way out of the set and finally got his self somewhere quiet. He slowly puts both ends of the mask behind his ears as he wandered leisurely in a small village he found himself in. Seeing how empty the neighborhood was, he pulled down his mask under his chin. The wind blew and it brought in a smell of the freshly baked bread. He sniffed it following the direction where it came from. With his eyes looking straight ahead he suddenly stopped his tracks. Few feet away from him, was a woman who hasn't noticed his presence yet. A woman he knew so well; someone he missed so much for so long; someone he worries about. It's been long, Chae Won, he recited in his mind.

* * *

In the Café Chaewon have been just this morning and the day with Hyo Joo, she and Je Hoon sat across each other on the same table she had a while ago. "It has been long," Je Hoon started hesitantly.

"It is." Chaewon gave her short response.

A short pause before Je Hoon could say another words. "How have you been?"

"Good," she lifted her gaze from the table as she returned him the question, "and you?"

"Just..." he couldn't find the word to describe how he was. He doesn't even know to which span of time he should evaluate. From time since they have separated? When he got married without really getting married? When she got married? Or when the scandal broke out? Because those hits differently to him. All in all, how was he? He didn't even have the time to ask himself that. "It was," he was then interrupted by the arrival of their drinks, and he felt he was saved from saying what was real or lie of how he really was.

The server placed their drinks on their table then excused herself when done and once again silence dominated them. She cleared her throat and this time broke the silence first. "What were you doing here?"