Yujin (2)

The filming set was much more complicated and chaotic than I had thought.

Dozens of lights hung from the ceiling, and wires were tangled like a spiderweb on the floor.

The staff were coming and going nonstop, each absorbed in their assigned roles, and the sounds of walkie-talkies bursting here and there along with instructions filled the air.

There, I was seated on a folding chair in the corner of the filming set.

Yujin's bag was squeezing me on my lap.

I still hadn't finished grasping the situation even after coming from the shop to the filming set.

What kind of situation is this right now?

Did she give it to me on purpose even though she knew there was a remote in the bag?

For what reason?

The questions chaining one after another only made my head hurt more.

I slowly lowered my hand and brushed the bag on my lap.

The smooth leather texture touched my palm.

It was a very small and light bag, but right now it felt heavier than a dumbbell to me.

If there really is a remote inside this...

I cautiously looked around.

A few stylists were organizing hangers in front of the waiting room, and the filming director was checking the lighting angles in front of the monitor.

And the Yujin in question had gone to change clothes.

In other words, there was no one paying attention to me.

Should I open it now and check.

My fingertips touched the lock on the bag.

I just need to check if there's only the remote inside and close it.

Secure the remote, and the moment filming starts.

Mix in with the staff and slip out.

If I can just get outside the building...

Whether I catch a taxi, run into a convenience store, or grab a passerby and ask them to report it, there are ways.

I held my breath and put strength into my fingers.

The bag's lock moved just a little.

Then.

"Oppa, what are you doing right now?"

A voice that settled coldly from behind is heard.

When I slowly turned around, Yujin was standing there.

The corners of her mouth were clearly raised softly, and her eyes were curved prettily as usual.

It was the perfect smile of an idol about to film, no matter who looked.

But strangely, the moment I saw that face, I couldn't breathe.

Her cold pupils were looking down at me.

Her gaze was fixed on my fingertips.

My fingers stopped on the bag's lock.

I tried to pull my hand away reflexively, but the thought that it was already too late came first.

Yujin slowly walked towards me.

Only then did her outfit come into proper view.

It was a photoshoot outfit centered on black.

The short jacket with a sharply defined shoulder line cut off right above the waist,

Inside, a satin material top that received a subtle light was neatly attached following the body's lines.

A thin belt was wrapped around the waist.

The short skirt continuing below that shone black or dark gray depending on the lighting whenever she moved.

And on the side of her thigh, a black garter belt that looked like a costume decoration was wrapped.

The thin metal decorations swayed slightly in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠time with her steps.

Even that small sound was heard strangely clearly.

The image of Yujin that people knew wasn't this kind.

Bright, lovable, and a bit mischievous idol.

At fan signings, she laughs loudly even at a single word from fans, and in variety shows, she lightens the mood with unexpected answers.

That was the Yujin the public knew.

But the Yujin standing in front of me now was different.

Black jacket and short skirt, garter belt decoration wrapping the thigh, even the metal accessories sparkling coldly under the lighting.

All of that made her look like a completely different person.

Rather than lovable, it was dangerous.

Not a beauty that makes you want to approach, but a beauty that seems like it would bite your nape the moment you get close.

If in front of the camera, people would call this a 'radical concept'.

They would chatter about it being mature, or chic, or a new charm.

But I knew.

That wasn't a concept.

At least not in front of me.

That cold gaze too. The smile with only the corners ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the mouth raised. That persistent gaze looking down at my fingertips too.

All of it was real.

"Oppa."

Yujin stopped in front of me and was still smiling.

"I asked what you're doing right now."

I couldn't say anything.

My fingertips were still stopped on the bag's lock.

Yujin's gaze touched there.

And very slowly, it rose back to my face.

"Were you curious?"

She whispered small.

"What's inside."

She slowly scratched the back of my hand with her fingernail.

"If you want to see, it's okay to look."

Yujin's voice was strangely affectionate.

It was a way of speaking different from the gaze that had been sunk like ice until just now.

Yujin slowly withdrew the hand she had placed on the back of my hand, and turned her body as if nothing happened.

"Yujin-ssi, are you ready?"

When the filming director's voice was heard, Yujin smiled brightly as if nothing had happened.

"Yes! I'll go right away."

Different from the voice that had been whispering in front of me until just now,

She walked towards where the staff were with a bright, idol voice that everyone knows.

When Yujin stood in the center of the filming set, the staff moved all at once.

The lights all focused on Yujin, and attention concentrated.

"Filming starts!"

***

Shutter sounds burst in succession.

She slightly tilts her head, or lowers her gaze, and slowly looks at the lens according to the photographer's instructions.

It seemed like the atmosphere of the filming set changed with just her movements.

"That gaze is good."

"This time, just a little forward with the right shoulder."

Voices mixed with admiration from the staff were heard here and there.

Yujin received all those gazes as if nothing.

She lightly pulled the collar of the black jacket with her fingertips, put weight on one leg, and looked at the camera.

I swallowed dry saliva.

Her gaze is fixed on the camera.

In other words, no one is looking at me.

If it's now.

If it's now, I can open this bag.

I looked down at the bag on my lap.

The words she said a little while ago kept circling in my head.

If you want to see, it's okay to look.

Even though she clearly saw me trying to open the bag, she didn't stop me.

Is there something I don't know?

Even as thoughts increased more and more, my fingertips were heading towards the bag's lock again.

Even if this is a trap, I have to check.

I just need to check briefly and close it again.

I checked the bag right away without raising my head.

Because I thought I'd freeze if I made eye contact with Yujin.

I held my breath and opened the bag a little.

Dark lining was visible through the gap.

Lipstick, small pouch, folded schedule, perfume sample.

Each one brushed my fingertips. And below that.

A hard texture caught.

I slowly grasped it.

A small and flat size that would fit in my palm.

I lifted the thing with a cold plastic texture a little.

A black remote and a red button embedded in the center.

In that instant, my nape tingled.

The moment I saw the button, my body remembered first.

It's there.

It really was there.

I wrapped the remote in my palm.

My fingertips trembled but I didn't let go.

Now I just need to take this and leave.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

I immediately pulled my hand out of the bag and pushed the remote inside my sleeve.

I raised my head as if nothing happened.

Yujin was still looking at the camera.

"Good. Shall we try smiling a little this time?"

At the photographer's words, Yujin slowly smiled.

In that moment, it seemed like her gaze brushed my side.

I gripped the remote inside my wrist even tighter.

It seemed like I calmed down a little ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with the cold texture.

I slowly inhaled, and slowly stood up.

Without being noticeable to anyone, like someone going to drink water for a moment.

Move as naturally and ordinarily as possible.

I hung the bag on my shoulder as is.

Because taking it with me would be less suspicious than leaving it.

It would be fine if I look like a manager leaving his seat for a moment because he's not feeling well.

Shutter sounds continued to burst from behind.

I walked along the edge of the filming set with my head down.

The destination is not the main entrance but the equipment entrance.

The main entrance is wide open so I'll definitely be noticed.

But the equipment entrance is a door where large lighting cases and costume boxes keep coming and going.

Staff were entering and exiting nonstop, and the white lighting of the hallway beyond the door was faintly visible.

When I arrived in front of the equipment entrance, a staff member in black clothes happened to be pushing the door with a large box.

The door opened and cool air and a faint outside smell flowed in.

Not much left to the emergency exit.

I tried to naturally cross the threshold following behind the staff carrying the box.

"Oppa."

Yujin's voice was heard from behind my back.

My toes stopped right in front of the threshold.

It felt like my heart was dropping but I gripped the remote.

I must not stop. I just need to pretend I didn't hear and go out.

"Where are you going?"

The voice was affectionate as if taking care of a manager who's not feeling well.

Yujin standing under the central lighting of the filming set was looking at me.

Yujin was standing with the pose she was doing stopped.

A smile was hanging on her lips but her eyes weren't smiling.

And what her fingertips slowly going down to the side of her thigh showed was the black garter belt decoration.

The metal decoration swayed slightly under the lighting.

And from inside that, a very small red light was sparkling.

A remote with a red button.

The same as the remote in my hand.

No. That was the real one.

Then what I'm holding is.

"......"

I froze while gripping the remote inside my wrist.

The reason she said it's okay to look inside the bag.

The reason she let me take it and run away.

I understood it all at once.

It was bait from the beginning.

A small electronic sound rang from my nape.

Following immediately, a weak current brushed the inside of my neck.

My legs lost strength and I staggered in front of the threshold.

"Manager-nim, are you okay?"

The staff holding the door looked back at me.

I couldn't answer.

The moment I made a voice, it seemed like a scream would leak out.

"Oppa, are you okay?"

Yujin ran towards me pretending to be surprised.

"Oppa isn't feeling well today. I told him not to wander around alone."

A few staff looked at me with worried eyes.

There was no suspicion in those gazes.

No one knew.

That I was trying to run away right now.

That there's a fake remote in my hand.

That Yujin, while standing in front of the camera, stopped me as if pulling a leash.

No one knew.

"It'll be soon."

The hallway was still in front of my eyes.

The emergency exit sign was also visible.

It was a distance I could reach if I just go a little more.

But now that place didn't look like an escape route.

Yujin stopped in front of me.

In front of the staff watching, she grabbed my arm with a worried face.

"Oppa, are you okay?"

Affectionate voice and gentle touch.

But her fingers pressed exactly the inside of my wrist.

The place where I hid the remote.

Yujin slightly lowered her head.

And whispered small enough that only I could hear.

"If that was the real one."

Her fingertips dug into the inside of my sleeve.

"Would I have entrusted it to oppa?"