other peoples problems

Part 2

Kim Rok Soo wanted to move.

"You're Lee Soo Hyuk's dongsaeng, right?" His smile was just as obnoxiously bright as it was in photos. Kim Rok Soo winced. "How is school going? I always see you studying so diligently."

He really did seem rather glib.

Normally the background actors didn't eat lunch near the venue was small and due to a mixup by the PA's, Kim Rok Soo found himself crammed in between the two actors on set who he least wanted anything to do with.

Cale, luckily, hadn't said a word to him yet. He just took another swig of his 'coffee' and hiccupped with a disgusted frown. "This tastes like shit."

Kim Rok Soo ignored that prelude to broken dishes and answered Alberu's question as short as he could without appearing rude. "It's going well."

Alberu was undaunted by Kim Rok Soo's undaunted response and continued to chat up everyone at the table, noticing little and interesting things about even meaningless background actors that really made him seem like a person who really took an interest in others.

Kim Rok Soo thought he was just a try-hard.

And was it just him, or did he sense an impending explosion coming from the person on his other side?

Ah, he really wanted to move. He eyed a spot in the corner longingly that was a table with only background actors and some of the miscellaneous staff.

He didn't want anything to do with these dramatic stars...! At the very least, he would like to be seated next to Lee Soo Hyuk but his sunbae was all the way on the other side of the room from his current position.

The noise. The impending chaos. The obnoxious amount of information he knew about them.

"You really are a kiss ass."

Oh lord, it was starting. Kim Rok Soo resisted showing any reaction, he definitely didn't want Cale knowing he understood English.

"Why don't you suck their cocks next?"

Alberu's smile remained undaunted as he turned and answered with a voice as calm as the afternoon breeze. "I'm sorry that socializing with my coworkers distresses you so much, perhaps you would benefit from getting some air?"

Kim Rok Soo wondered when foreigners would figure out that English was a commonly learned second language in South Korea. Everyone here had probably at least taken a class or two in High School and some of them would have some actual proficiency with it. It made the awkward 'private' arguments just so much less private and it was hard to ignore.

At the very least, there probably wasn't a single person who couldn't recognize commonly used swear words like 'fuck' or 'shit'.

"You're so fucking full of shit." Cale sneered and Kim Rok Soo reflected that Cale probably wouldn't care even if he knew that everyone understood the aggression in his words. Considering the level of aggression in his voice alone, no one needed to be bilingual to understand that. "What 'distresses' me is having to listen to you spew bullshit while I'm trying to fucking eat."

Did they have to argue with him between them? It would be easier if he was short and they could argue overhead but no they seemed intent on arguing through him.

"Were you planning to eat? I wasn't really sure. You spent a lot of time complaining about the taste of the food so I assumed you didn't intend to eat it."

Maybe he should quit? It was a good part time job, sure, but, was it worth this? Would it be too obvious if he just walked away?

Just then, Kim Rok Soo caught the eye of a crewmate from across the table and wondered, for just a moment, how he didn't notice her sooner.