As sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window, disturbing my restful slumber, the boy in my arms squirmed and snuggled closer into my embrace. Finding him adorable, I stroked his black hair. Soon, perhaps sensing my touch, he looked at me with sleepy eyes and smiled.
"What time is it..?"
"It's not time yet, let's go."
"yes"
He fell asleep again in my arms at my words. He is a small and precious being.
He is my eternal little bird.
"under..."
Jimin sighed. It seemed to hold a lot of meaning. Jimin was an unknown actor. And he was barely an extra. After four years, Jimin grew tired. He wondered if he was going too far. But he couldn't let go. Because it was Jimin's dream, and because there was no way back, Jimin couldn't give up.
"Jimin, the boss is calling."
"Yes, I'll go soon."
Jimin went up to the president's office, trying to clear his head. With each floor the elevator went up, Jimmy's worries grew. Was he really going to get kicked out this time? Jimin had already received a warning from the president once. His heart almost thumped when he heard that if he continued like this, the company would no longer be able to accept him, so Jimin couldn't help but feel even more uneasy.
Ding
The elevator arrived, and Jimin took one step at a time to the sound of his pounding heart. When he opened the door to the president's office, he saw the president sitting there with a cheerful expression on his face, contrary to his expectations.
"Jimin, come sit down."
Jimin sat down in the seat in front of the president, and as soon as he sat down, the president took out a drama script. Jimin looked at the president, wondering if that was true, and the president nodded as if he was sure.
"I failed the audition I had last week, but the writer there liked you and said he wanted you to play a supporting role."
"Really..?"
Jimin was overwhelmed with emotion. Finally, his first supporting role. While not a lead role, it was a significant role for Jimin, who had only ever acted as an extra. Seriously, the audition he'd seen last week had been for a famous writer. He knew without even opening his mouth that a work he'd written would be a hit. He knew this was his chance.
Jimin took the script, left the CEO's office, and walked around the agency for a while in a dazed state.
Since Jimin didn't have any plans anyway, he went home, sat down on the sofa, and opened the script. He read it like a maniac, and as he read, he was so immersed that he was completely absorbed.
"Wow... This isn't a dream, is it..?"
Jimin read and read for a long time. The sun set and rose again, and only when he greeted Jimin did he finally manage to tear his eyes away from the script. Jimin immediately made a phone call after reading. The lively sound of string instruments rang out from the phone.
"The child is not old enough to do something like this..."
"Honey"
"Tae-Tae"
"Ah, it's been a while, our Park Jimin."
Jimin thought it was still the same. The person who Jimin had purified was Kim Taehyung, a top actor who was currently doing well. Taehyung was originally famous for being playful, and they were high school classmates and had maintained a relationship until now.
"No matter what happens, it's annoying"
"I'm doing a drama?"
"Really? That's great."
"That too as a supporting role"
"Eh! Really? I succeeded, I succeeded~"
"What are you talking about when I haven't even taken the picture yet?"
Taehyung seemed delighted, as if he'd just landed a role in Draga, and Jimin thought it was time to call him. Taehyung, a top actor, never looked down on others or thought of himself as superior. That's why Jimin could consider him a friend. Even the closest of friends, especially if they're successful in the same industry, can easily feel a sense of inferiority. But Jimin's easygoingness and bubbly demeanor helped him overcome those feelings.
"This drama is also receiving generous support."
"What kind of support?"
"This drama is supported by BT Group. So I heard the company is really excited about it?"
BT Group. The company that everyone aspires to be the most desirable job. It was a company that carried such a reputation. But that wasn't important to Jimin. What mattered more to him was the fact that he was appearing as a supporting actor in a famous author's work.
"Oh, that group director is going around hitting on a lot of women."
"What do you mean by hitting me? Hit me."
"They say that because he's handsome and has a great body, not only women but also men are attracted to him?"
"I've never asked."
"Tch, even if you tell me a funny story, it's still annoying."
"I'm not interested?"
"Yes, yes. I have to go film. I'm hanging up."
Taehyung hung up the phone saying that he had to go to work because he was filming a drama. I picked up the script again and read it, thinking about the bright future ahead of me.
Without even knowing that this drama was the starting point of an unbreakable relationship.
***
I'll take the shot!
Action!
This was the filming set. The filming set was filled with a strange tension, akin to the lead actor's mood. It seemed to stem from five failed attempts. But Jimin, unconcerned, waited for his turn, revisiting the script he'd been reading and rereading for the past week. Finally, with the "okay" signal, the scene shifted, and Jimin's first filming day approached.
After exchanging greetings with his co-star, Jimin began filming and began to act out the lines he had read and said dozens of times.
"I like you, senior."
"...Heemin"
"I know what you're going to say, but just listen to me this once."
Jimin immersed himself in the role and acted as if he were the character himself. It was a scene where he smiled and cried after a passionate confession of love, and anyone who saw it couldn't help but feel their heart ache along with him. After all his lines were finished, a few seconds of silence passed. All Jimin could think was, "Oh, my goodness." As Jimin was internally frustrated, the "cut" signal sounded, and when he looked around, everyone seemed to be immersed in the lingering emotion of Jimin's performance.
The director called Jimin. Jimin quickly ran to the director and stood in front of him with an upright posture.
"I thought this was your first supporting role?"
"yes"
"Hmm.."
What? Are you not satisfied with something?
Just then, a staff member came running in, panting, as if trying to whisper something to the director. But it didn't get through. Why?
"Hello, Director."
A neatly dressed man spoke to the director, and when the director saw him, his eyes widened and he quickly got up to greet him.
"Oh my, what is the director doing here..."
“Because it’s a drama we manage, we have to be careful.”
"Oh, of course. But who is this?"
"Ah, I'm actor Park Jimin. Please say hello quickly."
Jimin rolled his eyes, trying his best to grasp the situation, when the director quickly ordered him to say hello. Jimin responded with, "Hello. My name is Park Jimin." The man stared at Jimin for a moment before introducing himself as Jeon Jungkook, the director of BT Group. Only then did Jimin recall the conversation he had with Taehyung a week ago.
"You haven't eaten yet, have you? I called a food truck, so please eat and go."
"Wow, thank you for your concern."
"Let's go eat."
The director was about to bow to Jungkook and go to Hyangryo to eat, but Jungkook stopped and looked at Jimin. He looked at Jimin so hard that it made him feel uncomfortable, and then opened his mouth.
"Let's go eat together."
"Ah.. I'm with the manager.."
"Let's eat together."
The director standing next to Jungkook was looking at him like he was telling him to get lost, but Jimin couldn't refuse, so he followed them. As they left, the staff member loudly announced that they were going to eat and then start filming, and only then did the filming staff and actors who were scattered all over the place head to the food truck.
Oh, it's uncomfortable.
As expected from a famous group director, the food truck handed out steak rice bowls, and the director, Jungkook, and Jimin were gathered at the same table eating. Their conversation went like this: the director talking to fit Jungkook's metaphor, and Jungkook just responding. It would have been less uncomfortable if it had ended there, but Jungkook's gaze was fixed on Jimin. Jimin felt like he was going to get really sick because of that.
"That's what I'm saying. At that time..."
"Jimin, you don't seem to talk much, do you?"
As the director continued to talk to Jungkook, Jungkook interrupted the director and asked Jimin a question. Jimin was momentarily flustered. He didn't know that he would be the one talking to him.
"Ah...yes"
Jungkook smiled at Jimin, and Jimin forced a smile to match. In fact, there was another thing that was troubling Jimin: the lead actors—the top actors in charge of this drama—were scrutinizing him. It was understandable, because it was quite ironic that a supporting actor, not even a lead, was having a meal with the director and the drama's sponsor.
When the meal was almost over, Jimin wanted to get up first, so he ate some rice and chewed a large amount of rice before opening his mouth.
"I'll get up first."
"Okay, okay"
"..."
Jungkook just stared at Jimin. Jimin, who thought he knew what to say, got up before he could. Feeling unwell from indigestion, he headed to his van to rest. Arriving at the van, his manager was there, and he asked him to buy him some digestive medicine. Jimin closed his eyes and tried to calm his rumbling stomach.
After about 10 minutes, the car door opened with a creak.
"Hey, bro, give me some water... I'm so dizzy I think I'm going to die."
"I'm not your brother"
Jimin looked out the car door in panic at the unexpected voice, and saw Jungkook standing in front of the door, holding a extinguisher and water. Jimin wondered, "Why is he here?"
"Was it that uncomfortable being with me?"
Jungkook naturally climbed onto the van and offered Jimin some antacids and water. Jimin was taken aback by his natural behavior. It was a constant state of confusion. Jimin looked around Jongkook twice, looking for his manager, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"I sent it, manager."
"yes?"
"I sent it because I wanted to be alone with Jimin."
Jimin was dumbfounded. He couldn't help but be dumbfounded when someone he'd just met wanted to be alone with him. Jungkook sat there, grinning, watching Jimin sip his digestive medicine. Jimin, watching Jungkook's reaction, drank the medicine and coughed a few times. It was a sort of signal to leave.
"I like that Jimin."
"...?"
"What about Jimin?"
No, of course he didn't have any feelings for her. It was the first time I saw her today. Jungkook didn't know Jimin was feeling that way and when Jimin just stared at him, he suddenly thrust his phone into his hand.
"Give me your number."
"yes?"
"Please give me the number."
Jimin was flustered, but he wanted to send it quickly, so he dialed the number and handed the phone back. Jungkook didn't lose his smile, as if he was so excited and happy, and he accepted the phone and put it in his pocket. Jimin just wanted this leech-like being to fall off.
“Shouldn’t you go and see it?”
"why?"
"Because you're busy..."
Get out
"Oh, I wish I could go?"
"..."
"I'm usually the one who gets hit on by guys."
Jimin suddenly had this thought.
What do you want me to do?
Tododok Dodok
The sound of a cell phone typing echoed inside the van. Jungkook started playing on his phone as if it were his car, and Jimin, dumbfounded, could only stare at him. Isn't that right? If he talked back to him, he didn't know what would happen to his precious drama.
Jimin's stomach, which had been churning and rumbling since taking the digestive medicine, felt like it was churning again. Resigned, Jimin leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, hoping that his stomach would calm down. With that, Jimin slowly drifted off to sleep, the leech beside him.
"Wake up, Jimin."
"Uh, yeah?"
When Jimin opened his eyes, his manager was next to him, and Leech, no, Jungkook was not there. The manager said that they had to start filming again and that he had to get ready, and Jimin quickly got out of the van.
As filming was wrapping up today, a call came in from an unknown number. Jimin didn't answer calls from unknown numbers, but they persisted. And then a text message was sent.
[I'm Jeon Jungkook. Answer the phone.]
It was a strangely commanding text. When the phone rang again, Jimin accepted the call, and Jungkook's voice was heard over the phone.
"This is my number, save it."
"..."
"Would you like to have dinner together?"
"yes?"
“Since you have to come anyway, come to the address I sent you.”
"..."
"No answer?"
"yes..."
"Then I'll hang up."
Jungkook knew his relationship with Jimin well. It was a strict A-B relationship, and if he refused, the drama would be in jeopardy, so Jimin had to leave. Jimin frowned and thought, "I really don't like this..."