When he was done, he rushed out, hoping his destination would be cooler. Indeed, the main station where the other actors and extras were preparing was situated beneath the trees and equipped with several fans, making it much more bearable. He loved the privacy his trailer offered. Stepping out of its door always made him feel exposed. It wasn't that he wasn't used to being watched—he just preferred to be out of sight whenever possible. 

Another thing that annoyed him was that Mi-Suk was usually hanging around that area. And today, she wasn't alone. That mysterious girl was haunting him. What if she noticed Chae-Youn's behavior? She would have even more material to sell. 

When he got there, Mi-Suk was unpacking her stuff and talking with some of the production crew. The intern stood next to her, looking like a fish out of water, smiling nervously and watching everything carefully—probably gathering material for whatever she was preparing. He had to give her that; she looked quite innocent. As if she were innocent... 

Mi-Suk noticed him and fixed her gaze on him. He really liked her. She was funny and sweet, but she never feared to speak her mind. That had led to a million fights, but they were good fights. It was their thing, like bickering with a sibling—not that he could be sure, since he'd never had one. Sang-Jun was always so reasonable, Chloe was commanding, Dan-Bi was protective, and Kang-Dae never objected. 

Out of all his trusted partners, only Mi-Suk treated him as a sort of peer. And he loved that. But today, she would have to put up with his bad manners. He would explode if he kept everything in. He didn't feel much regret about it, either. Wasn't she the one who had brought the intern along? She hadn't even bothered to warn him. 

Ye-Jun, while reaching the makeup station, looked at her annoyed and mumbled a silent 'what?' to Mi-Suk. She just kept looking. He saw with the corner of his eyes that the intern turned to take a look at him, but she swiftly turned away. Correct. She should be afraid of him. 

"You can sit here, we kept the spot for you," Su-Jin said when he saw him, showing a chair that was facing the direction of Mi-Suk and the intern. 

"Oh... Isn't the light a bit harsh here? How will you be able to work with so much of it?" he said, trying to find a reason to change seats. 

"No need to worry. The lighting is perfect everywhere. I selected it because there is a fan close and will help you chill," Su-Jin said. 

What else could he say? He smiled and sat down. He tried to sink in his chair but it wasn't that easy. The mirror in front of him was too short; he could still see the fixed-on-him eyes of Mi-Suk. 

The wig was to be placed first. His hair was carefully brushed and covered with a wig cap. He hated wigs; they ruined his hair and made his scalp burn. But it was part of the job, so he would endure it patiently. 

While the girl—who he still could not recall her name—was working with the wig, he could sense Mi-Suk's eyes on him. He held out, refusing to meet her stare, but that didn’t last long. His gaze met hers. Yes, she was observing him. He had all the pretenses to start a fight, to channel his vexation directly at her. When the wig was all set, he raised his hand and beckoned her over. Mi-Suk rolled her eyes and slowly approached. 

"Did you summon me, sir?" she said mockingly. 

"Yes, I did. Since you're so clearly free of chores, let's find something productive for you to do."

"I know exactly what to do, thank you!"

"Someone could easily gaze at me for hours—I understand, I'm perfect—but Chloe isn't paying you for just that," he taunted. 

"Mr. Perfect, I am not a fan. No matter how much someone pays me, I wouldn't waste a minute looking at your pretentious face."

"Yes, you told me before, I'm not your type. But cut the crap. What are you doing here today?" Ye-Jun asked, his attitude shifting to something more serious. 

"Are you having amnesia, like that guy you played two years ago who forgot everything for four full episodes? I've been coming to the set twice a week. For the past five months. The question is, what are you doing here, out of your trailer?" 

"Excellent remark. The air conditioning broke down. It's hell in there. So, can you be of any use with that?"

"Sorry, pal. That's a production issue. Not my department," Mi-Suk replied, not sounding sorry at all. 

"I wish I didn't have to deal with you right now. I am not in my best mood today. I have a difficult scene. Why can't I get some... privacy?" Ye-Jun cried out.  

"Privacy? You've got like fifty people around you."

"Irrelevant. Chloe is always saying stuff about resources and now I can see that she is wasting not one, but two of them," Ye-Jun said. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned the intern, but he got an idea. It would be good to show everyone that he was cool with her. 

"You've noticed her!" Mi-Suk said with pretended excitement. 

"Am I blind?"

"Yes, in many cases," Mi-Suk replied. 

"Enough with you two. I can't believe you're always fighting like cat and dog," Su-Jin said, smiling as she stepped between them. She greeted Mi-Suk with a light hug. "Alright, it's time for makeup." 

"Su-Jin, be careful. He is in a bad mood today," Mi-Suk told her. 

"Bad mood? He's never in bad mood," Su-Jin said. 

"I'm in a bad mood only with you," Ye-Jun complained toward Mi-Suk. She didn't bother to reply, but just gave him an annoyed grimace. 

"Mi-Suk, who is your friend?" Su-Jin asked, nodding in the direction of the intern. 

"Oh, Noelle. She is a new girl at the office. I brought her along to see how things are rolling here," Mi-Suk replied. 

“Intern,” Ye-Jun corrected Mi-Suk. 

“Why don’t you call her over?” Su-Jin suggested. 

Mi-Suk froze, looking around as she tried to figure out what to say. At least she had the sense not to bring the girl too close to him. But her suggestion was the perfect opening for his plan. 

“Call her,” Ye-Jun reassured her. Everyone on the set would see that he was cool with her. They would all report that back to Chloe. Step by step, he would ruin her. 

Indeed, Mi-Suk looked both surprised and pleased. She would definitely report this. She rushed over to where their staff was stationed, and Ye-Jun watched her talk to the intern. The girl seemed startled—even shocked—shaking her head as to state a desperate no. But Mi-Suk insisted. 

“Please look to your right,” Su-Jin asked him. 

As he turned his head, he lost sight of Mi-Suk and the intern. By the time Su-Jin had finished, the intern was following Mi-Suk in his direction. This would be fun… 

“Su-Jin, this is Noelle,” Mi-Suk announced. 

“Nice to meet you,” the intern said, her voice quite timid. She wasn’t relaxed yet, probably still stressed from what had happened. Exactly as she should be. 

“Nice to meet you, too!” Su-Jin said, extending her hand for a handshake. “You have great pronunciation! Where are you from?” 

Yeah, yeah, flatter her and ask her questions. How unnecessary. She'll be gone soon!

“Thanks... I’m from France,” she replied. He watched her take a step back, seeking cover behind Mi-Suk. 

“Oh la la!” Su-Jin exclaimed. “I spek French a bit. Like ‘bonjour’ and ‘je t’aime’!” 

“Su-Jin, everyone knows those. Are you sure you know French?” Mi-Suk said mockingly. 

“Bien sûr! I tried learning in school because I thought about working in Paris. For obvious reasons. But it was too difficult,” Su-Jin said, applying powder to his face. 

“It is a bit...” the intern agreed quietly. 

“Oh! I remember now! That’s why your name sounded familiar! Joyeux Noël!” Su-Jin said, excited. Ye-Jun was trying his best to remain neutral and indifferent to the conversation around him. 

“What does that mean?” Mi-Suk asked. 

“Merry Christmas!” Su-Jin announced. “In French. Am I right?” 

“Yes, that’s right...” the intern murmured, apparently not too pleased. 

“Your name means Christmas?” Mi-Suk asked. 

“Kind of... It’s derived from Christmas. It’s spelled differently,” the intern tried to explain, but it was too late. He couldn't help himself. 

“Why... why did your parents name you Christmas?” he asked her. 

He was finally looking directly at her, weighing her reactions. Her fists were clenched, and she was obviously gritting her teeth. 

“Does it matter if they named me Christmas, Easter, or Spring Break?” she asked, her voice thick with annoyance. 

He had just asked a question, an innocent question. Why was she getting so angry?

Hehehe... 

“Well, there has to be a connection,” he said coolly. 

“Ye-Jun, let Su-Jin finish her work,” Mi-Suk interjected, trying to change the subject. 

“I’m just curious... that’s all,” he said and retreated. He felt he had won this first battle. 

“Su-Jin, we’ll catch up later,” Mi-Suk said as she walked away, taking with her... Christmas, who had turned a vivid shade of red. 

Bullseye.