Haedo pov:
The filming equipment lay scattered and ready in the crisp outdoor air, a silent testament to the day's work. I stood with the white-haired man, enveloped in my own thoughts, feeling the chill of the day and something heavier in my heart.
"Hey, Myeong," a voice cut through my quiet. It was her, the woman with the long brown hair, approaching with a smirk and a paper cup in her hand.
She smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Chilly, right? There's a coffee truck over there. Here, drink something warm."
I looked at the steaming cup she offered, the warmth already a welcome presence against the cold air. "...Thanks." The simple word felt inadequate for the sudden, unexpected gesture.
I took a slow sip, the bitter warmth a small comfort. The three of us stood there, a tight, slightly awkward group, the white-haired man beside me holding his own cup, the brown-haired woman sipping loudly from hers.
Then, she blurted it out, shattering the fragile calm. "Remember when we first kissed?"
...What? My eyes widened in shock. The coffee cup felt suddenly heavy in my hand. Beside me, the white-haired man didn't move, but I could feel the tension radiating off him.
"Why are you bringing that up now...?" My voice was strained, a tight knot forming in my chest. The embarrassment was a hot flush across my face.
She smiled, a knowing, almost predatory look. "It was probably bittersweet, huh?" Her voice was low, suggestive. "You had drank fruit soju at the time."
I didn't know how to respond. Her words hung in the air, a deliberate invasion of a memory I hadn't wanted unearthed, especially not now.
Trying to regain some composure, I took a step back. "...I'll get going now."
I gave a hurried, almost frantic nod in their direction, a small, involuntary bow of deference. "Oh! Yes..." I mumbled, and quickly turned to leave, needing to escape the suffocating presence of their shared history and her provocative reminder.
I felt the closeness of her body as she leaned in, her gaze intense, forcing me to turn my head slightly. A shiver ran down my spine, a mix of old resentment and current unease.
"...I don't think we had an amicable enough break-up to be chatting like this," I stated, my voice flat, trying to keep my emotions carefully locked away.
She took a moment, a contemplative look in her eyes. "Hmm... Is that right?"
Then, she pressed even closer, her voice dropping to a low, intimate murmur that was clearly meant to be a provocation. "...Are you still smoking these days? Whenever I'd kiss you..."
"What? 'Is that right'?" I thought, frustration bubbling up. That smile of hers, so confident and full of herself, made my blood boil. "But what are we gonna do, Myeong? We have to kiss," she'd said, an unwelcome reminder of the script's demands.
She pulled back a little, throwing her hands out in a casual gesture. "I heard that from the writer. Doesn't it give you butterflies that our scenes are playing out just like they did before?"
I refused to let her see how much her words affected me. I looked at her, then away, fighting the urge to rub my temples. I hated the fact that she was here, and that the drama we were shooting was a mirror of our toxic past.
Then, her tone shifted, becoming surprisingly serious. I saw the look in her eyes change, a hint of something deeper beneath the surface. "If my actions in the past have hurt you..." she began, her voice solemn.
I stared, waiting. She completed her thought with a dramatic, low bow. "...Then I'll apologize. I'm sorry."
The gesture was so unexpected, so sudden, that a tear actually welled up in my eye, betraying my fragile composure. "If you're apologizing because of the drama, there's no need," I managed to say, pushing the emotion back down.
I shook my head, my jaw tightening. "It's not solely because of that." I took a deep breath. "I'm going to act, regardless of my personal feelings." It was a promise to myself more than to her—I wouldn't let her ruin my career.
She straightened up, a more genuine look of regret on her face, and offered a clarification. "I just want to be friendly with you again." She quickly added, sensing my skepticism, "Oh! Not like as a man and a woman, but as fellow actors."
I looked her in the eye, that familiar, unwanted sting in my chest returning. "Are you still mad?" she seemed to ask, though the word was unsaid.
I was mad, but I was also a professional. That was the only thing I needed to focus on. The rest of our past was just noise.
The Cost of Moving On
I looked at her. Her eyes held no lingering pain, no bitterness, no guilt. It didn't seem like she had any feelings left towards me. There was zero baggage whatsoever. She was entirely over it.
My own eyes burned. A single, silent tear betrayed the fierce front I was putting up. It was a humiliating realization: she was fine, completely unburdened. It was as if nothing had happened between us from the start.
Now it seemed like I'm the only one who's hung up on my past with him...
"Should I get on my knees?" she asked, a dramatic flourish in her voice, and without waiting, she went down on one knee right there on the sidewalk. "...!" I was stunned.
"Myeong? I'm really gonna get on my knees." Her eyes, looking up at me, shone with an almost pitiful desperation, yet there was a sparkling theatricality to it.
I couldn't help a small laugh escaping me, the absurdity of the situation finally breaking through my tension. I bent down and grabbed her by the shoulder, pulling her up. "Fine...! No use in being angry anymore."
She beamed, a bright, genuine smile spreading across her face. "Thanks, Myeong."
"It's all in the past, like you said," I replied, a small, wry smile on my face. It was easier to agree, to simply close the door on the resentment.
She threw an arm around my shoulder, an overly familiar gesture that still made me stiffen slightly. "That means next time, we have to see each other with smiles on our faces, okay?"
"...Okay. But can you let me go, first?" I asked, indicating the heavy arm she had draped around me.
"Oh, sorry!" she said, immediately stepping back, a small wave of air following the movement. I watched her glance around, suddenly realizing what her grand apology was really about.
It wasn't a confession of enduring love or even true remorse for a bad breakup. It was entirely practical. Haedo only brought up the past because he was afraid I wouldn't be able to concentrate on my acting. She wasn't trying to win me back; she was trying to ensure a smooth, professional work environment.
A faint sigh escaped me. It was disappointing, yet strangely...clean. This was the true state of things. And I had to accept it.

Haedo waved brightly as he walked away, his earlier confrontation already dismissed from his mind. "See ya later!" he called out, cheerful and entirely unbothered.
As he walked off, I observed his back. He paused, performing a deep, professional bow to someone out of frame before continuing on his way.
He's always been like that. It's hard to know what he's thinking, but it's clear to everyone that he's serious about acting. That's why he is where he is now, I thought, acknowledging his talent and dedication despite our history.
I sighed internally, the residual tension easing away. I'm embarrassed by myself for whining like that. My mind flashed back to a moment of weakness, a moment I'd allowed myself to indulge in the hurt: I never wanted to see that punk again... I remembered my own harsh words from before, words I had uttered without thinking. Then I had the audacity to act tough: "If you're apologizing because of the drama, there's no need. I'm going to act, regardless of my personal feelings."
It felt foolish now. He was an accomplished actor—one of the country's top actors. My personal feelings mattered little against the demands of the work, and seeing him completely move on made me realize I had to do the same.
A New Face
My thoughts were interrupted by a bright, young voice.
"Meanwhile, I'm..."
A young woman with light hair, dressed in a fluffy pink jacket, appeared and bowed low, her voice full of energy. "Hello, Myeong Sunbae!!"
I was startled by the sudden, enthusiastic greeting. "Oh, hello... Lily..." I replied, catching my breath.
Lily noticed the coffee cup still in my hand. "Oh, you got some coffee!"
"Yes. Thanks to you," I said, a little warmth returning as I remembered Haedo's surprisingly nice gesture.
Lily's smile widened, radiating cheer. "Heh, it's nothing. I'm glad! ❤️" She clapped her hands together. "Would you like to have lunch together?"
"Right now?" I asked, surprised again by the sudden invitation.
"Yes! " she confirmed enthusiastically.
We walked over toward a food truck with a bright yellow sign reading "FROM YOUR FLOWERS - SWEET SANDWICHES".
"I've been wanting to have a meal with you!" Lily chirped. She grabbed a sandwich and drink, turning back to me. "Here, Sunbae."
I looked at the simple meal and the young actress's open, friendly face. After the intense emotional turbulence of the last few minutes, the normalcy of an easy lunch was a welcome balm. Maybe being a professional could be simpler than I feared, thanks to the kind people around the set.
The filming equipment lay dormant and stark in the cold outdoor air. I stood quietly with the white-haired man, holding a paper cup, trying to focus on the work ahead, when the world tilted.
"Hey, Myeong," a voice cut through the quiet. It was Haedo, my ex-boyfriend and now co-star. He approached, a smirk playing on his lips and a cup of his own.
"Chilly, right? There's a coffee truck over there. Here, drink something warm." He offered me the steaming cup.
"...Thanks." The word was strained, the sudden warmth a confusing counterpoint to the growing chill between us.
I took a slow sip. The three of us stood awkwardly, Haedo, the white-haired man beside me, and me. Then, Haedo didn't just speak; he blurted it out, a casual bomb dropped in the tense silence.
"Remember when we first kissed?"
...What? My eyes widened in shock. The question was a blatant invasion. Beside me, the white-haired man remained still, but I felt the tension spike.
"Why are you bringing that up now...?" My voice was tight. The embarrassment was a hot flush.
He leaned in, a knowing, almost predatory look in his eyes. "It was probably bittersweet, huh? You had drank fruit soju at the time."
I couldn't respond. His words were a deliberate, calculated provocation. I took a step back. "...I'll get going now." I gave a hurried, involuntary bow to the white-haired man and turned to leave, needing escape.
The Apology of an Actor
But Haedo moved fast, stepping in front of me, forcing me to turn to face him.
"...I don't think we had an amicable enough break-up to be chatting like this," I stated, trying to keep my voice flat and distant.
"Hmm... Is that right?" he mused. Then he pressed even closer, lowering his voice. "...Are you still smoking these days? Whenever I'd kiss you..."
What? "Is that right"?! That cocky smile, full of self-assurance, made my blood boil. "But what are we gonna do, Myeong? We have to kiss," I remembered him saying about the script, his voice mocking our past.
He pulled back, throwing his hands out. "I heard that from the writer. Doesn't it give you butterflies that our scenes are playing out just like they did before?"
I fought to keep my face impassive. He heard that? The irony was thick.
Then, his tone shifted. His expression became serious. "If my actions in the past have hurt you..." He began, and then dropped low into a deep bow. "...Then I'll apologize. I'm sorry."
A tear unexpectedly stung my eye. He was over-the-top, but it was a genuine gesture. "If you're apologizing because of the drama, there's no need," I forced out, quickly wiping the tear. "It's not solely because of that." My voice hardened with resolve. "I'm going to act, regardless of my personal feelings." Then I had the audacity to act tough, my mind mocked.
He straightened up. "I just want to be friendly with you again. Oh! Not like as a man and a woman, but as fellow actors."
I looked at him, searching his eyes. "It didn't seem like he had any feelings left towards me. There was zero baggage whatsoever." He was truly over it. As if nothing had happened between us from the start. I realized with a painful sting that "Now it seems like I'm the only one who's hung up on my past with him..."
He dropped to one knee. "Myeong? I'm really gonna get on my knees." His eyes shone with a theatrical plea.
I couldn't help a small, choked laugh. I bent down and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him up. "Fine...! No use in being angry anymore."
He broke into a wide, relieved smile. "Thanks, Myeong."
"It's all in the past, like you said," I replied.
He threw an arm around my shoulder. "That means next time, we have to see each other with smiles on our faces, okay?"
"...Okay. But can you let me go, first?"
"Oh, sorry!" He quickly stepped back. I watched him glance around, and the realization hit me. "Haedo only brought up the past because he was afraid I wouldn't be able to concentrate on my acting." That was it. He wasn't apologizing for me; he was apologizing for the sake of his work. I watched him walk away. "He's always been like that. It's hard to know what he's thinking, but it's clear to everyone that he's serious about acting. That's why he is where he is now. He's one of the country's top actors."
A Glimmer of New Friendship
I shook off the heaviness of the encounter. I'm embarrassed by myself for whining like that. I never wanted to see that punk again...
"Meanwhile, I'm..."
A bright, young voice interrupted my thoughts. "Hello, Myeong Sunbae!!" A woman with light hair, Lily, bowed low in greeting.
I was startled. "Oh, hello... Lily..." I replied.
"Oh, you got some coffee!" she noticed.
"Yes. Thanks to you." I said, remembering her kind crew gesture.
"Heh, it's nothing. I'm glad! ❤️" She clapped her hands. "Would you like to have lunch together?"
"Right now?" I asked, surprised by her cheerful eagerness.
"Yes! 🐷"
We walked toward the "SWEET SANDWICHES" food truck. "I've been wanting to have a meal with you!" she chirped, handing me a sandwich and drink. "Here, Seonbae."
"Oh... Thank you." I said, receiving the unexpected gift. A sticker on the wrapping read: "PLEASE TAKE CARE OF OUR ACTRESS LILY. Next time, let's go and eat at a restaurant together!"
"You can speak casually to me, Seonbae," she insisted.
"Yes! I really enjoyed your exhibition. Then I watched the movie you were in too, and I became a total fan!" she explained. "It's an honor to act alongside a Seonbae I'd watched before in a movie. So please speak casually to me."
"Oh... I wasn't in it for long, so there probably wasn't much to see..." I replied, a small, embarrassed smile coming to my face.
"What do you mean?!" Lily protested. "These kinds of formalities make me uncomfortable... Even if you're only in it for a short time, the acting in that moment is real." She smiled brightly. "It really helped me with my own acting."
She became a fan after watching some scenes I was in as a minor role? Am I being too apprehensive?
Looking at Lily's genuine smile, I felt the last of the bitterness from the Haedo encounter dissolve. Maybe this was what I needed—a fresh start, focusing on the work, and the new, encouraging friendships that came with it.
The filming equipment lay cold and exposed in the outdoor air. I stood quietly with the white-haired man, trying to ignore the chill and focus on my coffee.
"Hey, Myeong," a voice cut through the air. It was Haedo. He approached, a coffee cup in hand. "Chilly, right? There's a coffee truck over there. Here, drink something warm."
I took the cup. "…Thanks." I was still thrown by his presence.
Then, he dropped a casual bomb. "Remember when we first kissed?"
…What? "Why are you bringing that up now…?" My voice was tight with shock and embarrassment.
He leaned in, a sly, familiar look in his eyes. "It was probably bittersweet, huh? You had drunk fruit soju at the time."
I couldn't respond. The memory, the intimacy of the comment, made me desperate to leave. "I'll get going now." I gave a hurried, involuntary bow to the white-haired man.
But Haedo blocked my escape, forcing me to turn and face him. "…I don't think we had an amicable enough break-up to be chatting like this."
"Hmm… Is that right?" he mused. He pressed closer, his voice dropping. "Are you still smoking these days? Whenever I'd kiss you…" He was mocking me, referencing our intimate past and twisting it into a scene.
"What? 'Is that right'?!" That cynical, confident smile. "But what are we gonna do, Myeong? We have to kiss," he'd said about the script. Then he threw his hands up, a grand gesture of professionalism. "I heard that from the writer. Doesn't it give you butterflies that our scenes are playing out just like they did before?"
Then, the abrupt shift. His eyes changed, and he bowed low, his long hair falling forward. "If my actions in the past have hurt you… then I'll apologize. I'm sorry."
A tear stung my eye. "If you're apologizing because of the drama, there's no need." I wiped the moisture fiercely. "It's not solely because of that. I'm going to act, regardless of my personal feelings." Then I had the audacity to act tough, I thought, my mind stinging with the memory of past pain. I'm embarrassed by myself for whining like that. I never wanted to see that punk again…
He straightened, offering a hand. "I just want to be friendly with you again. Oh! Not like as a man and a woman, but as fellow actors."
I stared at him. "Fellow actors…" His eyes showed no lingering pain. "It didn't seem like he had any feelings left towards me. There was zero baggage whatsoever." He was completely unburdened. As if nothing had happened between us from the start. "Now it seems like I'm the only one who's hung up on my past with him…" I realized with a fresh ache.
"Should I get on my knees?" he asked, a hint of theatricality back in his voice. He began to drop down. "Myeong? I'm really gonna get on my knees." His eyes were shining, almost pitiful.
A small, surprised laugh escaped me. I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up. "Fine…! No use in being angry anymore."
He beamed. "Thanks, Myeong."
"It's all in the past, like you said."
He threw an arm around my shoulder. "That means next time, we have to see each other with smiles on our faces, okay?"
"...Okay. But can you let me go, first?"
"Oh, sorry!" He waved and walked away. I watched him go, a cold, clear thought crystallizing in my mind. "Haedo only brought up the past because he was afraid I wouldn't be able to concentrate on my acting." It was purely professional. "He's always been like that. It's hard to know what he's thinking, but it's clear to everyone that he's serious about acting. That's why he is where he is now. He's one of the country's top actors."
The New Generation
My thoughts of Haedo were interrupted by a high, energetic voice. "Meanwhile, I'm…"
A young actress, Lily, bowed low. "Hello, Myeong Seonbae!!"
I was startled. "Oh, hello… Lily…" I replied.
"Oh, you got some coffee!" she noticed.
"Yes. Thanks to you."
"Heh, it's nothing. I'm glad! ❤️ Would you like to have lunch together?"
"Right now?"
"Yes! 🐷"
She took my hand and squeezed it. "I really want to take this opportunity to get close to you!" Lily's hands in mine… were small and delicate… yet warm and strong. Oh… yes…
"Follow me!" she chirped, walking toward the "FROM YOUR FLOWERS" food truck. "I've been wanting to have a meal with you! Here, Seonbae."
"Let's go grab a seat!" she said, holding the drinks and sandwiches. "Call me Lisu. Lisu Lee. That's my real name!"
"Oh. I mean… Yeah, let's do that. Thanks, Lily," I replied, trying to match her energy.
I looked at her kind face and then at the lunch she'd bought. Haedo Kang, and Lily too… they're both true pros. While I was flailing around at the bottom… they've been walking this path for a long time. Through good luck, I've been able to work on the same project with them as a fellow actor and seonbae… but to me, they still feel so distant from me. When will I be able to catch up to them?
But as I sat down with Lily, eating a sweet sandwich, I knew I had to stop looking back. The past was Haedo's game. My focus had to be forward, on the work and the simple, genuine warmth of this new, professional friendship.
The set was cold and the camera equipment stood starkly against the wintry sky. I was standing with a colleague, clutching a cup of coffee for warmth.
"Hey, Myeong," a voice cut through the quiet. It was Haedo, my ex. He approached, holding out a paper cup. "Chilly, right? There's a coffee truck over there. Here, drink something warm."
"…Thanks," I replied, taking it. The awkwardness was immediate.
Then, he dropped a bomb. He blurted it out: "Remember when we first kissed?"
…What? "Why are you bringing that up now…?" I felt a hot rush of panic and embarrassment.
He leaned in, a knowing look in his eyes. "It was probably bittersweet, huh? You had drank fruit soju at the time."
I had to escape. "…I'll get going now." I gave a hasty bow to the man next to me and turned away.
He caught up immediately, making me turn to face him again. "…I don't think we had an amicable enough break-up to be chatting like this," I stated, trying to hold my ground.
"Hmm… Is that right?" he mused. He closed the distance again. "…Are you still smoking these days? Whenever I'd kiss you…" The audacity! The sheer familiarity of it was a violation.
"What? 'Is that right'?" I thought of his past words: "But what are we gonna do, Myeong? We have to kiss".
He backed off slightly, gesturing broadly. "I heard that from the writer. Doesn't it give you butterflies that our scenes are playing out just like they did before?"
Then, the sudden sincerity. He bowed deeply, his long hair falling. "If my actions in the past have hurt you… then I'll apologize. I'm sorry."
Tears stung my eyes. "If you're apologizing because of the drama, there's no need." I held my head high. "It's not solely because of that. I'm going to act, regardless of my personal feelings." I knew I was putting on a show: "Then I had the audacity to act tough".
He straightened up. "I just want to be friendly with you again. Oh! Not like as a man and a woman, but as fellow actors."
"Fellow actors…" I studied his face. "Are you still mad?" he seemed to be asking silently. "It didn't seem like he had any feelings left towards me. There was zero baggage whatsoever." It was as if nothing had happened between us from the start. The painful realization struck me: "Now it seems like I'm the only one who's hung up on my past with him…"
He started to drop to one knee. "Should I get on my knees? Myeong? I'm really gonna get on my knees," he insisted, his eyes sparkling, looking genuinely pitiful.
I couldn't help but crack a smile. I bent down, put a hand on his shoulder, and pulled him up. "Fine…! No use in being angry anymore."
"Thanks, Myeong," he grinned.
"It's all in the past, like you said."
He threw an arm over my shoulder. "That means next time, we have to see each other with smiles on our faces, okay?"
"…Okay. But can you let me go, first?"
"Oh, sorry!" He quickly stepped back and waved, turning to walk away. I watched him go, a clear thought forming as I glanced at him. "Haedo only brought up the past because he was afraid I wouldn't be able to concentrate on my acting."
He's always been like that. "It's hard to know what he's thinking, but it's clear to everyone that he's serious about acting. That's why he is where he is now. He's one of the country's top actors."
I shook my head. "I'm embarrassed by myself for whining like that. I never wanted to see that punk again…"
Part II: A New Professional Friendship
"Meanwhile, I'm…"
"Hello, Myeong Seonbae!!" a bright voice chirped. Lily bowed low.
I was startled. "Oh, hello… Lily…" I replied.
"Oh, you got some coffee!" she noticed.
"Yes. Thanks to you."
"Heh, it's nothing. I'm glad! ❤️ Would you like to have lunch together?"
"Right now?" I asked, surprised.
"Yes! 🐷"
She took my hand and squeezed it. "I really want to take this opportunity to get close to you! Lily's hands in mine… were small and delicate… yet warm and strong. Oh… yes…"
She was so open. "I really wanted to become friends with you."
"With me?" I asked, still doubtful.
"Follow me!" she chirped, walking toward the "SWEET SANDWICHES" truck. "I've been wanting to have a meal with you! Here, Seonbae."
"Let's go grab a seat!" she said. "Call me Lisu. Lisu Lee. That's my real name!"
"Oh. I mean… Yeah, let's do that. Thanks, Lily." I smiled, taking the sandwich wrapped with a sticker that read, "PLEASE TAKE CARE OF OUR ACTRESS LILY. Next time, let's go and eat at a restaurant together!".
"Oh… Thank you," I said. "You can speak casually to me, Seonbae."
"Yes! I really enjoyed your exhibition. Then I watched the movie you were in too, and I became a total fan!" she explained. "It's an honor to act alongside a Seonbae I'd watched before in a movie. So please speak casually to me."
"Oh… I wasn't in it for long, so there probably wasn't much to see…" I replied, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"What do you mean?! These kinds of formalities make me uncomfortable…" she protested. "Even if you're only in it for a short time, the acting in that moment is real. It really helped me with my own acting."
She became a fan after watching some scenes I was in as a minor role? Am I being too apprehensive? I understood why so many people love her.
Then she said, "Oh, Seonbae. I saw earlier that you're with Haedo Seonbae a lot… You two seem close."
I felt a slight flush of surprise on my face. "Oh. Can I ask what your relationship is?" she continued.
I took a deep breath. Both Haedo Kang, and Lily too… they're both true pros. I thought about the time I had spent struggling: "While I was flailing around at the bottom… they've been walking this path for a long time."
"Through good luck, I've been able to work on the same project with them as a fellow actor and seonbae… but to me, they still feel so distant from me." "How long can this luck last? When will I be able to catch up to them?"
But sitting here with Lily, eating a sweet sandwich, I knew I had to let go of the apprehension. I was here now, on the same project, and that was the only thing that mattered.