「🎬」
「Third Person's POV」
"3, 2, 1.. ACTION!"
Y/N ran down the steps and bursted out the door. His leading man and a set of cameras followed her from behind. With all the emotions she could muster, she turned with glassy eyes.
"I have done my part, Felix." She sniffled. "Don't expect me to come back."
"Yerin, you can't do this to me. The council needs you!"
"I can't afford to kill, Felix! You need to understand!"
Felix pocketed his hands and gave her a stern stare. "Now what? You're giving up your life to be a lowly nun?"
SLAP!
"Cut!"
The bell rang and Y/N gave an apologetic bow to her co-star. The man went to his seat while Y/N was surrounded with her manager and make-up artists.
"Great job, Y/N. We'll go through the scene one last time after the break." The director spoke through a megaphone.
Y/N weakly gave a thumbs up. The make-up artists fumbled around, retouching her features and hair as she walked. Her manager however rained her with stressful reminders.
"Tonight you need to be on a talk show, I hope you never forget. And tomorrow, your schedule will be pulled out for Wednesday since you'll be having a fan meeting in this mall in a few days. Do you get me?"
"Yeah."
Y/N flopped into her seat and desperately took a sip from her drink. Her manager didn't stop right there.
"By the way, I just received the papers from these entertainment agencies. You must sign them one by one to boost your promotion. And I've talked to Shi Hyuk regarding with your schedules for the photo shoot in two days. You're yet to receive an email."
"Greg, can you stop?" She rubbed her forehead.
"Vogue Korea needs your attention since they wanted to put you into their front cover for the spring issue. Y/N, here are the documents for the brand endorsements-"
"Greg! Stop!"
Her manager paused as she screeched. Y/N rolled her eyes and leaned back to her chair, exasperated.
"Did you just scream at me, Y/N?"
"I told you to stop yet you wouldn't!"
"I was out here informing you these essential things and your ungrateful ass are taking it for granted?"
"You've.." She curled her fists. "You've told me many times since we got here in Korea, Greg. You think I'm that forgetful?!"
"You're a star, Y/N. Things could slip out of your mind when you're busy!"
"Well, they didn't."
"Come on, don't be stubborn."
"I'm not being stubborn! Argh! Seriously, get away from me for a sec.."
Greg squinted his eyes before pointing a finger at her.
"You watch your mouth, girl. Don't forget the fact that I'm the one holding your contract."
Y/N just gave him a sideway glance and browsed her phone right after. Gred got no other choice but to walk away. Y/N could hear him cursing and muttering unpleasant things to the producers about her attitude but she was fine and used to it. She knew he was only after the money they'd make and never really cared about her well-being but she learned to adapt. After all, Greg did everything for her to get away with every trouble and she owes him her spot in the blockbusters. Without his dirty tactics towards the film industry, she wouldn't bloom as an actress.
"Paging Y/N L/N to come on set for scene number 14!"
She sighed. Barely 10 minutes after she sat and she needs to act again. It was never easy.
"Coming.."
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"And cut! That's a wrap for today. Well done, team."
Everyone began to scurry along, longing to get home after a tiring day at work. It was just their first week of filming yet too much exhaustion has been already felt.
"Wonderful act, Y/N." The director patted her back. "We'll see you tomorrow morning okay?"
"Sure."
Y/N gently dabbed a towel on her face to get rid of the sweat. Greg approached her and was about to say something but hesitated and walked away. She knew he'd be off reminding her again.
"I'll be out for a while!" She called out.
"Where are you going?!" Greg called back.
"Just in the lot. Call me when we're leaving."
With that, she exited the set to inhale the air outside. For the whole day, she was exposed only to lights and trapping heat inside the made-up set inside a warehouse. Now that she's finally out, the cool spring breeze and warm tones of the sunset sent pleasure to her.
"Hah.." She deeply sighed and toddled the empty parking lot.
"Never thought you'd come this far, Y/N. Clever.." She grinned. "So clever.."
Reminiscing her past, she was nobody else but a regular city girl dreaming of a big life on top of those towering condominium and blinding cameras. And when she met Greg, she slowly garnered recognition until Greg found ways to sneak her into Hollywood films. She started as background characters and slowly worked her way up to the main leads.
"Damn, mom would be so proud, wouldn't she?"
She sat on a large bump of concrete and stared at space. Her mom used to stand up for her but unfortunately, she had to bid her last goodbye before she could even make it to the big screen.
"I miss you, mom.. Life's tougher without you, I mean it.."
Indeed, it wasn't easy to be a star. A big star in a sea of fiction-filled worlds. Sometimes she couldn't just help but wish that she could go back in time and change things so she could live a normal life.
"Who's there?"
Y/N straightened. The dramatic feeling within her faded as she felt an uncomfortable presence lurking somewhere around the wide space.
"Greg? Is that you?"
She stood and looked around. No one. She hugged herself as the wind striked, making her feel even more anxious.
"I should get back.." She rubbed her cheeks. "You're hallucinating again, Y/N.. You need to rest.."
She could swear she heard footsteps in sync with the clicking of her high heels against the ground. Y/N turned again but saw no one.
"Hello?!"
She walked again. This time, faster. She practically broke into a run but just as she was about to reach for the door, a high-pitched scream resonated from a distance. She looked back and saw a girl charging at her while throwing tomatoes and eggs.
"DIE! BITCH! DIE!"
"AHCK-!"
Y/N failed to twist the knob and was trapped onto the wall. She held an arm out as a shield while the other desperately tried to open the door. It was locked inside.
"GREG!"
"DON'T COME BACK HERE IN KOREA! YOU DON'T BELONG HERE!"
"You're crazy!"
"YOU SHOULD DIE! FRAUD!"
Y/N closed her eyes as stuffs hit her. Eggs and tomatoes splat here and there when suddenly, she felt someone block her from aim. She kept her eyes closed, thinking that it could be the crazy woman but then she heard a yelp and when she opened them, all she saw was her terrorist running away. A man in a black hoodie and mask stood in front of her.
"Are you okay?"