ONCE (JoongNine AU)

Chapter 7

Joong

I held my breath and turned away from looking at Nine. I was ready before him, and now that he's done, the look took my breath away. The makeup was light, but it enhanced Nine pixie-liked features well. The soft cheeks, the pink lips, the lightly rolled hair. The overall appearance was light and fresh. Liked a doll. The thought that I had at this moment, just liked before; he was so pretty, for a guy. How come he looked lovelier throughout these years? So contrasting with how I looked though. Where he was soft, I was edgier and defined. The director was so please with the artist's work. He said we looked too good together, contrasting, but good. The whole room made to look ready to welcome a couple for honeymoon. Flower petals, soft lighting, scented candles that matched with the pastel setting.

"You both ready?", the director P'Sai asked. We gave him the okay sign and then the shoot started. After a few minutes, P'Sai cut the shoot and directly said to me, "Joong, please move closer, you're almost out of screen". We started again, and a few minutes later, P'Sai cut the shoot again. He came closer to face both of us. "Nine, Joong. This is a romantic setting, yeah? So, please act a bit chummier than how we used to shoot the other packages before. I'm not forcing you to act liked a couple, just feel liked two people who liked each other's presence is enough. Joong, your face looked too tight, nervous?". I just looked apologetically at P'Sai.

"Sorry na, P'Sai, could I talk with Joong for a second?", Nine asked P'Sai, which surprised me a bit. P'Sai nodded and gave us 5 minutes. The crew needed to set up the burnt down candles and do a few touch ups to the setting again for a better cinematography. Nine asked me to follow him to a corner near the small living room's space that was away from all the crews that stay inside the bedroom.

"Joong, were you nervous? Why? We did this a few times already. Was it your back, it's still painful?", Nine asked in almost a whisper. No words left my mouth. How could I tell him that I was nervous because of him. He suddenly touched my hand, and that almost made me jump.

"You're nervous! I was just testing. Please, allow me to help, I won't smack you, silly", he said when he saw my questioning face. I remained unmoving, and he stood in front of me, massaging my shoulders with firm pressures, and then down to rubbing my arms. His actions brought up a long-forgotten memory, of him doing the same thing to calm me down for our first kiss shoot. I looked forlornly at that sweet face, as if he was the same Nine, at the time, before everything went amiss. Without realising, I raised my hands and cupped his face, caressing his cheeks. Nine's hands had stopped moving, but he was not flinching away. Time was arrested again. We looked at each other, seeing a younger version of us, that were so fond of each other. I slowly bent down, angling my head, moving closer to even felt his breath.

"That's it!", the sudden voice of P'Sai caused both of us to jump apart, the magical moment lost, just liked that. We looked at P'Sai, dumbfounded. He was so happy coming near us, "I want both of you to keep this method acting throughout the shoot, alright? Gosh, the feeling was marvellous, well done. Come back into the bedroom again, don't waste you current in the mood feeling. Nine, your face still blush beautifully, Joong must be a good partner for you, just liked in your series before, the chemistry...".

Nine moved ahead of me, we had no time to calm our nerves, or thought about the almost kiss again, because the shoot in the room, went on 3 hours straight, until dinnertime. We busied ourselves to not have the time to think about an arrested moment, that border on dangerous attraction and... excitement. Yes, my heart that started off nervous, was now as giddy as when I was eighteen. Though I knew, it was just one sided, nothing the harm, when the other person couldn't have known, or wouldn't care.

Nine

I knew Joong was not himself in the moment it happened. I could see the faraway look he had, liked he was looking beyond me, into some space of memory which also played on my mind. It didn't matter. Which one of me he kissed, it didn't matter. I had longed for that kiss, for years. Although, the last kiss of ours, ended roughly, yet I longed for another still. If P'Sai didn't budge in, I would readily accept the kiss, or would be the one who go for it. Now, sitting at the other end of the dinner table, thinking about the almost kiss, made me feel devastated again.

"Nine, are you not feeling well? You're so quiet", the cameraman P'Ang who was sitting beside me asked in a quiet voice. "Just tell P'Sai, say you need to go back to the room early, the shoot for today ended already, it's alright". I shook my head and smiled. It was not nice to skip eating with the crews. It showed an air of arrogance, to not appreciate the time you had with them when everyone had worked hard to make sure the job was done successfully. "I'm okay, P'. Actually, yesterday, I slept too late, so, today just a bit tired, after the journey and shooting". P'Ang nodded.

Suddenly he smiled sheepishly and said to me, "Today shoot is the best, Nong Nine. The past shoot, not that it was not good, but you and Nong Joong seemed liked work partners. But, today, P' could feel the adoration right through the camera lense".

"Really, P'?".

"Oyy, of course, why would P' lie. Nong eyes were shining, Joong's eyes, uh, burning. P'Sai was too happy, said to me, that's why it's easier to work with actors, because of this, they could get the right feeling for the mood, in a short time too".

After hearing the words of P'Ang, I raised my head and looked at Joong who sat across from me at the other end of the table. Joong must had sensed he was looked at, and moved his eyes from his plate to look back at me. Suddenly, I felt liked giving him a smile, so I did, brightly. My tired heart, suddenly felt a surge of energy. Joong blinked his eyes liked in a trance, or confusion, and immediately looked down again, suddenly more interested in his piece of meat rather than me. Burning, he said? Why did that word made me feel powerful and shy at the same time? Yet, for the time being, Joong was shyer than me it seemed...ah, this is...interesting.