Upon arriving at the filming location, Hyeyoon could see a waiting room that hadn’t been there until last week. It seemed like they had transformed an empty store in an old shopping building, as old as an apartment, into an improvised waiting room.

A place hidden from the outside with a white curtain. Although she had to take a few more steps to reach there, the sign that read ‘Waiting Room. No entry except for authorized personnel’ was clearly visible. It was written on an A4 paper with a thick sign pen, looking quite makeshift and cute.

“Shall I ask if everyone is okay for Wednesday?”

“Yeah, let’s eat lots of delicious food and explore Busan.”

“That raw fish restaurant we went to yesterday was good. I’ll see if there’s a better place.”

At that ambiguous location, Minju and Hyeyoon’s feet parted ways in different directions.

“Minju, I’ll quickly go and see Jiho’s face. There was something I didn’t hear properly earlier.”

“Oh, did he hang up without saying he loves you? Is our Hyeyoon disappointed?”

“Oh, really!”

That was the last conversation between the two before getting out of the car. Hyeyoon expected to be teased like this for a week.

“…Huh? If he’s not here, where could he be?”

Jiho, whom she naturally expected to be in the car, wasn’t there. Rather than figuring out his location by phone, she wanted him to appear unexpectedly. But she had no idea where he might be. So, she was about to brighten the phone screen. The moment the image of the shabby waiting room came to mind.

She was curious anyway. With a wandering step, happily, she headed there.

Clatter [Dash]

Entering and opening the door, the space looked similar to the one with the sign that said ‘Waiting Room.’ It was shabby, worn, and empty. There weren’t many people.

“…Huh?”

At the end of that empty space, she saw the back of a woman receiving the stylist’s touch. She had a slender figure, with most of her back hidden by her long and lush hair.

There was no room for questioning who she was. Since the back turned straight to Hyeyoon. The chair on which the woman was sitting turned round towards the waiting room door.

“Wow…”

At that moment, the surprised heart mixed with breath, and lips involuntarily let out a new breath. The chair held the most beautiful woman Hyeyoon had ever seen, sitting there. A languid gaze that could only be imitated by no one, focused solely in one place even in the gently tilting face.

It was an enchanting gaze that seemed intoxicating just to look at. Also, a slow voice that harmonized with it was heard. The voice, too, directed towards one person along with the gaze.

“Jang Hyeyoon… You’re the writer, right?”

A subtle confidence exuded from one side of her mouth that slightly lifted.

Ding [Dash]

Before she could answer her greeting, Hyeyoon’s phone made a clear sound. The news she should have heard an hour ago was now arriving.

[Today, I’ll overlap scenes with the writer and Jina. (2:05 PM)] [I’ll probably shoot together for an hour or two. I’m telling you because you might be curious. (2:05 PM)] Instead of replying, Heyoon nodded slightly. She couldn’t say, “I’m already with him now.” As she slowly raised her gaze, she noticed Jina passing by, awaiting a response.

“Oh, sorry for the delayed greeting. Hello.”

Hyeyoon slightly bowed towards Jina, who was sitting in a chair. Jina responded with a similar gesture.

“I hope you were surprised because I’m prettier than you thought.”

“Yes, you’re so beautiful… I was surprised.”

For a moment, a glimmer appeared in Jina’s eyes, which had been continuously exuding a languid aura.

Meeting Heyoon in person, who behaved similarly to herself but emitted energies entirely opposite to hers, made her more curious than before.

“Thank you. You’re just as I imagined. …Cute?”

Jina slowly stood up from her seat. She also moved the phone that had been placed on her thigh to the table against the wall. The phone screen displayed the paused teaser of “23 Centimeters.”

Jiho’s face filled the small screen. Heyoon glanced at the face for a moment but couldn’t help but look away quickly.

“Oppa, go out with Eunji for a moment. I have something to talk to the writer about.”

Because of Jina’s words that attracted everyone’s attention.

“Now?”

“Yeah. Make sure others don’t come in.”

Everyone saw her, but she had been looking at only one person all along. Heyoon also gazed intently into those eyes. Enormous curiosity collided in their eye contact.

“Jina, even if you’re shooting two hours later, the writer might have a schedule…”

“What time do you start?”

Even while cutting off the manager’s words, her eyes were still the same. It seemed unnecessary to include a subject in her speech.

“In about 30 minutes… Left.”

Upon hearing Heyoon’s short answer, Jina finally looked at the manager.

“Yeah. It’ll end before that.”

The pointed tip of her chin indicated towards the waiting room door, as if saying, ‘If you heard, get out, what are you doing?’