Matter of Desire || Oneus Xion

Encounters

The corridors of the broadcast are bustling as usual when I get my lunch break. I think about Seoho's words as I walk towards the cafeteria mindlessly. He is not wrong. I read many scripts for the past few years, nothing seemed to call to me. All of them felt cheap and overdone. Always two dashing men fawning over the simpleton female lead. The quiet thoughtful guy, the bad boy, the charming flirtatious guy, the childhood friend, the guy that fell in love with her at first sight, the ex-boyfriend. I stop at my track as I see who is sitting across from Seo, the ex-boyfriend himself.

"How?" I mutter to myself as I make a sharp turn away from the cafeteria and crash into the person behind me. I take a step back and rub my nose since it feels like I ran into a brick wall. When I meet the eyes of the wall, I find an awkward smile "Sorry, didn't see you there.."+ "...Leedo" I read from his name tag. "No problem, is your nose ok?" he asks with a deep voice, I suddenly feel the need to clear my throat "I- yeah- Uhm my nose is fine." "Leedo is an unusual name" I blab out pointing to his tag, "Yeah," he smiles "It's not my actual name, it's a stage name." I suddenly remember the reason for my abrupt turn into this tall man's chest, Keonhee sitting behind me at a table talking to Seoho casually. So I raise a hand awkwardly "Anyways Leedo, nice meeting you, see you another time." "But you didn't tell me your name." He calls behind me, I ignore him hoping Seoho or Keonhee won't notice me as I trot out.

Fifteen minutes later I am sitting at the stairs overseeing the river with a sandwich I bought across the street. The stairs are occupied more in better weather, today it's only me which suits me just fine. A good place to hide from Seo and Keonhee. It was strange they were sitting together, laughing about something. They never got along when I dated him. Seoho can be a doting friend at times and that was certainly the case when I introduced Keonhee to him. Remembering that evening makes me grimace.

I smile thinking about how I would look to an outside eye. A lonely woman sitting on the stairs by herself eating a sandwich and making a face. I would think she had a bad tomato in the sandwich. A hand taps on my shoulder and for the second time in so many hours I jump. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," says the culprit. I bite back a salty retort I prepared thinking this would be Seoho. Since I don't say anything, an awkward silence stretches between us. He sits down and starts talking in an excited tone "Right, you might be wondering, why did this guy I don't know tap me on the shoulder and I'll explain right away."

The way he speaks rapidly, ignites a small recognition in my head, I narrow my eyes "Do I know you?" I ask "No," he breathes, "Actually yes. Or no. Depends on how you define knowing someone really. We met once." I turn my face fully towards him to try and discern where I could have met him but I don't need to think too hard because he explains, although clumsily. "I am Hwanwoong, we met at a theatre four years ago, you were an acting student and..." "I remember." I do remember. The memories wash over me like a waterfall, those days seem like a far cry from how my life is now, I would never guess in four years I'd be a photographer instead of an actress. I remember my passion vividly, and then I recall the lines of that role, then the accident and the guy sitting beside me comes back. How he saved my life that day.

This time it's me looking at him in amazement "You saved my life." "I- I wouldn't say that." "I definitely would! How's your leg?" I point to his right leg and he instinctively pulls it back a bit. I feel his discomfort "I searched for you to thank you properly but you were transferred to another hospital. But look at our luck, we met once again! So let me tell you this, your wish is my command, I owe you a life!" I pull my phone out and hold it towards him "Here write your number, you can reach me this way." "Why are you sitting here?" he asks as he gives my phone back with his number typed "Isn't it a bit cold for a snack out?" I shrug "It's my lunch actually. And let's just say I'm trying to avoid somebody." I point to the company building behind us "You work there?" he says his jaw-dropping slightly "Yeah, it's no big deal actually, I was an acting student when we met but that's not what I do now." I mime taking a photo "I am a photographer."

"But, why?" he asks. I consider going into the dilemma of my life with someone who's practically a stranger to me for a second. Then I am telling him all about it "The roles that are offered to a rookie artist are, how to put it, sort of basic. I've read many scripts but it's never the right one. My manager gave up the second year, I have been on my own since then." He seems to be dwelling on my words, I offer him the bottom half of my sandwich out of instinct. He laughs at the offer "I'm serious," I truly am, I wanted to pay my debt to him for such a long time, sharing my sandwich would be the least I could do. He tears a small bit of the sandwich, probably out of kindness.

"Anyway," I go on "Today my friend came to offer me another role, he is a cameraman and the lead female for the drama he's working on suddenly bailed. I refused his offer to even audition but maybe I was being a bit harsh, I didn't even read the script.." I notice while I was going on my little monologue Hwanwoong went into a coughing fit. I hand him my unopened bottle of water "Are you good?" I ask but he ignores that.

"Is your friend- is his name Seoho?" "How do you know.." I start but notice I didn't ask him what he was doing here, I notice his name tag "You work for the company as well!" "Yes! Yuri, I know you refused Seoho but..." he stops for a minute "Can you audition for the role? I am the assistant director of that drama, Matter of Chemistry, and it has been a total nightmare looking for a good actress. I saw you act in that theatre, you are an amazing actor, so could you just give it a chance?" He puts his hands together and looks at me with puppy eyes, I gulp. Didn't I just think I would do whatever this man would ask from me? That it's a debt I wanted to pay for a long time... Refusing to audition would be doing the absolute opposite "You don't have to.." he says hesitantly. I can always refuse after the audition, I tell myself "I'll do it for you." "Really?" he asks grabbing hold of my hand in excitement "Sure. If it makes you this happy?"