I'm Fried... Totally Fried...
The next morning, the VIP lounge at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
“Haa...”
Seo Eun-seong let out a deep sigh, rubbing his tired eyes. His reflection in the mirror was a wreck. Dark circles hung hollow under his eyes, and his gaze was blurry, unfocused like someone who'd lost their soul. He'd pulled an all-nighter.
Was last night even real...?
His mind was flooded with memories of the previous evening. In the dimly lit outdoor poolside lounge bar at the hotel, he'd been sipping cocktails with Kim Na-yeon. The recollection was still vivid—the sway of her hair brushing so close to his nose, the sweet cocktail scent wafting subtly, the soft, warm touch on the boundary between his cheek and lips.
“This isn't in the script, Eun-seong. I'm serious.”
And that shy smile.
“Uwaaah!”
Seo Eun-seong nearly tore at his hair and screamed without realizing it. At 22, a lifelong singleton, it was his first time ever feeling a woman's lips on his face. And the woman was none other than Korea's top actress, Kim Na-yeon. He'd always seen her as a caring senior, a comfortable noona—nothing more. But last night's surprise peck had shattered his perfect “oblivious fortress” into pieces.
That was when it happened.
“Eun-seong? Good morning? Did you sleep well?”
The familiar, fragrant voice came from behind him.
“Y-Yes? Uh?”
Seo Eun-seong startled and turned awkwardly.
“You were out late last night, so I was wondering if you'd gotten any rest.”
Kim Na-yeon approached with a radiant smile, wearing a floral dress and sunglasses perched on her head. Gone was the shy girl who'd fled in embarrassment the night before. She looked even more vibrant and pretty than usual.
“Uh... uh...”
Seo Eun-seong's brain short-circuited the moment he saw her. No, the instant he glimpsed those red lips, the sensation from last night revived vividly, and his heart started pounding. He felt blood rushing to his earlobes, burning hot.
“What's with your face? Didn't sleep?”
Kim Na-yeon leaned in playfully, peering at him with mischievous eyes.
“I-I slept fine! Senior... no! Na-yeon noona?”
Seo Eun-seong shot up from his seat, stammering incoherently.
“Eun-seong? You're acting weird today?”
Kim Na-yeon covered her mouth and giggled at his flustered state.
“Anyway, you're just so cute.”
She beamed at him, eyes crinkling like she might melt from adoration.
Cute! So cute!
Yes. Her bold straight pitch last night had paid off. He'd always kept up that iron wall, but one little bit of skinship had broken him like this. Kim Na-yeon savored the moment, feeling her sincerity had finally reached him.
Meanwhile.
I'm fried... totally fried...
Seo Eun-seong stared into space, cold sweat dripping down as his perfect singleton circuits fried completely. That was his current state.
The evening Seo Eun-seong arrived back in Korea.
“Eun-seong oppa... the pad thai's almost ready...?”
“Ah! Smells amazing! Can't wait for bro's skills!”
The Siren members, fresh from their Bangkok concert, had predictably invaded the living room of his apartment.
“Y-Yeah! Almost done, just wait a sec!”
Seo Eun-seong was cooking pad thai from scratch with ingredients he'd bought in Bangkok, channeling the trip's vibes.
“Ow, hot!”
Sizzle!
He flinched as oil splattered onto the back of his hand while tossing the wok.
“Oppa! Be careful!”
“Sorry! You okay?”
Thankfully, Seo Ha-rin's shout from the kitchen snapped him back. But that wasn't the only issue.
“Bear Doll. Isn't that a salt shaker in your hand? This pad thai's gonna turn into salted Thai flats.”
Choi Eun-jin barged in too.
“Huh? Oh yeah? Thought it was sugar. Sorry.”
Seo Eun-seong panicked, hastily adding broth and adjusting the seasoning. This was far from the “maman” who usually fed the five gluttons without a hitch. He spaced out, missed timings, and botched the cooking repeatedly.
And the Siren members, with their hyena-like instincts, weren't about to miss the weird vibe.
“...”
Seo Ha-rin and Choi Eun-jin exchanged glances.
When the pad thai was finally done and they sat around the table.
“Oppa.”
Seo Ha-rin set down her chopsticks and stared at him intently.
“Huh? What? Not tasty?”
“It tastes fine. But taste isn't the issue. Oppa, what happened in Thailand?”
“Cough! Cough!”
Her straight pitch nearly made the pad thai in his mouth go down the wrong pipe.
“W-What are you talking about? What happened?”
“Don't lie. You're acting weird. You've been spacing out alone, almost burned the food.”
“Just tired? Haha?”
Seo Eun-seong brushed it off vaguely. Then Choi Eun-jin narrowed her eyes.
“Bear Doll. You've been fiddling with one cheek nonstop. Something on it? Or did someone slap you?”
“...”
Seo Eun-seong reflexively hid the hand rubbing his cheek under his thigh. Unconsciously, he'd been touching the spot where Kim Na-yeon's lips had brushed last night.
“Eun-seong oppa... why's your face suddenly so red? What really happened?”
Even Lee Ah-hyun joined in, eyeing him with equal parts worry and suspicion.
“What is it? Spill!”
Kim Chae-yeon piled on.
“Uh, th-that? Guess I got bit by a bug in Thailand?”
Seo Eun-seong rolled his eyes, squeezing out an excuse.
“Thai bugs are super venomous. Bit my face, it's itchy. Haha?”
He forced a laugh, scratching his cheek vigorously.
“A bug? For real?”
“Probably? Think it was at the night market.”
“Night market? You went again at night? With who?”
Seo Ha-rin shoved her face right up to his, starting the interrogation.
“Not with us, but another night market at night?”
Choi Eun-jin narrowed her eyes too.
“Who with, Eun-seong oppa?”
Lee Ah-hyun chimed in. In seconds, five hyenas circled him like they were about to tear into prey.
I'm screwed... If I tell the truth, I'm dead.
Cold sweat poured down his back.
“Haha... who else? Just a quick trip with Manager Oh Ji-yeon, that's all.”
Seo Eun-seong gulped his cola with trembling hands, vowing to keep last night with Kim Na-yeon a total secret.
A few days later, on the set of the drama The Three Sisters of Jang Pharmacy.
“Everyone, focus! Hospital scene today!”
At PD Lee Han-bit's shout, the set buzzed into action. Today's shoot: Kim Young-woong (Seo Eun-seong), who saved citizens from a bus fire and collapsed, now hospitalized. Jang Seo-ah (Kim Na-yeon) visits and nurses him.
Seo Eun-seong lay in the hospital set bed, dressed in patient gown with an IV drip.
[Setting: Young-woong lies in bed, trying to sit up. Seo-ah rushes over to support him. Their faces draw close enough to share breaths, and Young-woong feels a strange tremor from Seo-ah's warm touch.]
The script direction was straightforward. The old Seo Eun-seong would've nailed it without a second thought. But now?
“Eun-seong? How's your condition?”
Before shooting started, Kim Na-yeon approached with her script and a bright smile.
“Y-Yes... f-fine! Senior... no! Na-yeon noona!”
Just her nearing triggered the dizzying softness of those Bangkok lips in his mind.
I'm losing it? Can't even look straight.
He yanked the blanket up to his chest, heart hammering like a broken pacemaker.
Then.
“Shooting! Ready! Action!”
Slate clapped, scene rolled.
“Hoo...”
Seo Eun-seong groaned, trying to sit up.
“Stay still! Patients can't strain themselves!”
Kim Na-yeon as Jang Seo-ah rushed over, supporting his back and shoulders. Her pale, slender hands touched his body.
“Don't push yourself, Young-woong. Okay?”
Her face filled his view, deep worried eyes melting into his. And her signature sweet perfume.
“...!”
He flinched, shoulders hunching. He had lines, but Bangkok memories overlapped, blanking his mind white.
“I-I'm... uh... f-fine...”
He mangled the dialogue badly.
“Cut!”
PD Lee Han-bit called.
“Cut! Cut!”
He NG'd the same scene a whopping 12 times after.
Ah... I'm doomed.
Seo Eun-seong squeezed his eyes shut. Rookie pressure crushed him—no more NG's allowed.
“Eun-seong! Why so stiff? You okay?”
PD Lee Han-bit yelled through the megaphone. He'd been off today, despite nailing it as a newbie so far.
“Sorry...”
He apologized to the PD and crew.
Seo Eun-seong. Enough NG's. Get it together.
Slap! Slap!
He smacked his cheeks, rallying.
Shooting resumed.
“Stay still! Patients can't strain themselves!”
Kim Na-yeon supported his back and shoulders again. Her pale hands brushed his chest.
“Don't push yourself, Young-woong. Okay?”
Her affectionate, worried gaze and perfumed breath washed over him.
“I-I'm fine... Seo-ah...”
He still fumbled, avoiding her eyes. Peak loser mode.
But.
“Cut! Perfect! Eun-seong!”
“Y-Yes...?”
Expecting another NG, he looked up confused. It was good?
“What was that? Not looking at Seo-ah straight, all shy? Spot-on! Eun-seong?”
PD Lee Han-bit at the monitor beamed with pride, not irritation. Staff reactions matched.
“Whoa... Eun-seong's detail game is insane? For real?”
“Right? Cool, aloof Young-woong gets shy and lost around his crush—nailed so delicately.”
“This scene's gonna melt hearts.”
Yes. The crew mistook his tension-fried fluster for high-level acting: Young-woong flustered by Seo-ah.
“How do you and Na-yeon keep building better chemistry? You'll snag Couple of the Year!”
PD Lee Han-bit praised nonstop. His shyness read as fresh melo vibes, chemistry exploding.
“Haha... I'll keep the emotion like that, PD.”
Seo Eun-seong grinned awkwardly, relieved inside.
Break time in the waiting room.
“Eun-seong? So cute today? Making mistakes you never do?”
Kim Na-yeon giggled behind her hand, loving this.
“Focus on acting. Not like that night— no real kiss, so why so jumpy?”
She whispered, lips brushing his ear.
“Cough! Cough!”
Her teasing hit hard; his face exploded red.
“Hehe. Rest up? Guess I should give you space?”
She winked and left.
“Haa... totally fried for real.”
Yes. Seo Eun-seong was putty in Kim Na-yeon's hands—baked, boiled, done.
Morning shoot wrapped; resting in the waiting room.
“Eun-seong! Na-yeon! Writer Jeong's here!”
“Oh! My lovely actors! Congrats!”
PD Lee Han-bit and Writer Jeong Eun-young burst in grinning.
“Huh? Writer? Congrats for what...?”
Seo Eun-seong, barely recovered, looked up.
“Yeongseo couple's topping national buzz! Qupflix East Asia #1—to celebrate, boosting your melo scenes big time!”
Jeong Eun-young handed over fresh revised scripts.
“Poured my soul into these edits. Your emotions explode. Check 'em.”
“Ah, thanks for caring, Writer.”
Seo Eun-seong skimmed politely.
Then.
“Uh...?”
He froze reading the revisions.
[Episode 12, Scene 24. Hospital Rooftop Garden.]
Young-woong hears Seo-ah's heartfelt confession. Unable to hide his feelings anymore, he pins her against the wall and kisses her deeply on the lips.
“...?”
Seo Eun-seong blinked in disbelief. Originally slated for Episode 25-ish, a light peck. Fan frenzy pulled it to next week's shoot—with “deep kiss,” bold and intense.
K-Kiss?!
His heart thundered.
A real... kiss?
For singleton Seo Eun-seong, impossible difficulty.
But.
“Oh! Writer? Scene's so pretty. I'll give it my all.”
Kim Na-yeon smirked victoriously.
What do I do?
He panicked. Ha-rin and crew would riot. But biggest issue: himself. Bangkok lips on his cheek revived vividly.