Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“CUT!”    

Mina yelled for the last time. “That’s a wrap everybody!” Claps from the staff could be heard from all over the studio. “Thank you for everyone’s hard work. Everyone did a great job!” She got up from her chair, walking to her manager to make sure everything was all set and she could head to her trailer to get her things. 

She was immediately swarmed by people congratulating her and praising her on the work she did. Mina can’t even deny that she felt proud in moments like this, it feels good to know she has done a good job and people can see that as well, it’s not just her ego talking.  

She can’t lie that it feels a little bittersweet to finally finish directing this latest movie, but Mina was happy with the results, and that’s what’s important for her. To be completely honest, she would classify this movie as one of her favorite works. Which was a very high expectation to put on the movie, but at this point in her career, Mina knows exactly when something is good and when something is bad. 

Mina was nothing but dedicated to her work, she loves directing more than anything and she puts her heart and her soul into every movie, so it’s fair to say she is proud of all of her works. But for this one to become one of her all time favorites, it means she sees it as one of her best works. If not the best one. 

She had a great time directing it, the dynamic of the studio, the staff, the actors, they all played a part as well. That’s why this feels so bittersweet, while she is happy to be done and excited for this movie to be released, she will also miss all of this. Still, Mina likes to believe that her best work is always the next one. 

Regardless, her work here is not completely done. At the studio, sure, with the actors, this staff. But the movie still has to go through the entire post production process. There’s still many steps they will have to go through before this movie is actually out for the public to see, and Mina is looking forward to it, she always is.

Mina has become a well known name in the industry, people looking forward to her new projects and what she’s working on. She knows this movie had potential to be big as well, they all do. Though she is not entirely sure if people will like it as much as she does, or even get it like she does. 

She can’t deny that there’s quite a community out there that will watch and enjoy no matter what she does, but that doesn’t mean that Mina wants to deliver something with no quality, or something she’s not proud of. She’s very serious when it comes to her work and what she does, it’s her passion, the thing she loves the most, and she takes it very seriously.

After 10 years of being a director, Mina can safely say she has some experience in the industry and with the job. She worked hard to get where she is, chasing her goals, working day and night to achieve her dream. 

Mina can’t imagine herself doing anything else, and the more time passes the more she is sure about the path she chose. Things weren’t easy, at all, even more so in the beginning. The industry is not easy to begin with, still, she pushed through, her dream above anything else.

It paid off, it really did. People know her name, people like her movies. They know who she is and follow her work closely. She can release pretty much anything and she knows people will watch it because it’s from her, truly, she’s living a directors dream. 

Mina knows just how much some directors work to get any form of recognition. Something she got somewhat early in her career. She’s grateful for everything she was able to achieve, her hard work paid off something that doesn’t happen often in this career path. She was truly against the odds.

Though to be completely honest, her goal was never to be famous. She wanted to be well known, sure, but famous is something else entirely. Mina is in love with the art, with everything that comes with directing, her goal was just to show the world through her own eyes. To show people her vision of things, her side of things. 

She does like to believe that her movies portray that side of her, the beauty she sees. Getting where she is right now wasn’t easy, only Mina knows the hard work she put in, and she’s proud of herself. Every time she gets called to a new project, she gets happier and happier.

Mina’s first movie was already a hit. If she said she expected it, she would be lying. Even though it had been her hobby long before it actually became a job, she wasn’t too sure what she was doing when she directed her first movie. She would consider that movie to be her sloppiest job, not bad, just not as good as her most recent ones.

Which does make sense, she was inexperienced, she had never done it before and even with guidance it wasn’t easy, it wasn’t something she was used to doing yet. Still, it became somewhat popular overnight, something Mina didn’t expect at all. When she realized, her name was being thrown around like it meant something, like it carried a weight. 

It was a good thing, of course. The industry knew her, people knew her. Doing big numbers on her first movie was outstanding, it was bound to draw some attention to her, and it was something that came as a surprise.

Truly, directing was something Mina started because she genuinely enjoys it, she loves it even. A lot of people praise her when it comes to that, they can see that what she does is not for the money, for the fame, but because she adores it. Maybe that’s what made her stand out at first, and what keeps her going. 

After her fourth movie Mina had already won countless awards. Though the first one didn’t really get any nominations, from the second one forward they all did. She made herself known worldwide, and people started looking forward to her movies, following up with her projects and asking about it, talking about it. 

However, with everything happening in her life, it did lead to something that Mina wasn’t exactly looking for, or expecting really. Being well known came with a price, and that price was fame. Her goal was never to be famous, not in a celebrity kind of way anyway. 

Maybe it was something Mina should have thought about before. The fact that it happened so soon in her career didn’t help either, perhaps she wasn’t exactly prepared for the fame that came with her first movie doing numbers. 

But just like that people started recognizing her in the streets, brands starting contacting her to work on deals. She was no longer just a director, people wanted her to act, to model. That wasn’t Mina’s goal when she started this, and while she was grateful because it did bring her more work, she brought something else entirely she didn’t like at all. 

Mina never wished for fame, the popularity side of it anyway. She just wanted to do what she loved the most, show it to the world, put it out there and hope people liked it. And of course, make money out of it. She did have to eat and support herself after all. 

At the end of the day, it’s a weight she is willing to carry, but not one she enjoys. Mina feels like things happened the way they should, at the time they should. 

“What are you doing later?” Jihyo wondered, walking side by side with her towards her trailer. Trying to match Mina’s pace, who was walking somewhat fast.

Jihyo was not only one of her best friends, but she was also her manager. The first person to believe in Mina and actually give her a chance, something Mina had been trying to do since she started university. 

They met over ten years ago, when Mina was in her last year of college. She had a project in which she needed to do a short film, something she was used to doing by then. And as some sort of coincidence, the same day she was presenting, was the day that Jihyo so happened to be invited to watch the class, one of the advantages of being friends with a college teacher. 

Honestly, Jihyo had no real reason to be there, at the time she was already working for the company that Mina works for now and she had a day off, so she figured she might as well watch some short films of her friend’s students. Those were always entertaining. 

When she watched Mina she immediately knew she had potential, it stood out from the other students and it really surprised Jihyo that someone so young would do something so good. She immediately wanted to give her an opportunity, approaching Mina after class to talk to her about maybe getting her spot on her company.

An opportunity that Mina immediately took. JYP was a very well known producer company, Mina never thought she even stood a chance to try applying for a spot there. Since then she has been incredibly grateful to Jihyo, how could she not be. They’ve been close ever since. 

“Resting, playing video games, watching a movie.” Mina shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure yet.” She was truly just looking forward to not stressing about the next recording day or overthinking scenes. “I really just want to take a break from everything.” 

“You know…” Jihyo started, smirking at her. “The crew is throwing a party to celebrate the movie and all that, like they usually do.” Mina knew exactly what she was suggesting. “It’s going to be something small, just for the staff, crew, actors.” 

“It’s never something small, don’t try tricking me.” Mina laughed at her attempt. “Just for the crew we had at least 100 people.” She augmented. “Besides, words get around fast. Someone on the staff invites their closest friend, who invites their closest friend who mentions to someone and now it’s a huge party.” Mina paused, starting at Jihyo. “You know how I feel about big parties.” 

“I know how you feel about being a public person in general and I know you don’t like big gatherings, but it would be nice.” Jihyo looked at her with pleading eyes. “The staff really likes you.”

“It’s a good staff.” Mina knows that these days it was something rare. “I talked to them, they came to greet me, we talked for a bit.” She sighed. She knew sometimes she lacked in the social part, but going to a party was something else entirely.

Mina wished she was the type to like those sorts of things, but she never did. After parties and social events, it’s just something she doesn’t like. She avoids them to the best of her abilities, and it will continue to be that way, no matter how much Jihyo insists. 

Jihyo didn’t say anything, just looked at her the way she does when she wants Mina to give in, to accept what she’s saying. Sometimes it works, after so long working together she does give in sometimes. But it would be the first time she would accept to go to an event like this on her own accord, without the company forcing her to. 

“I just want to rest.” She whined. “Sit on my couch, open a bottle of wine, enjoy the peace and quiet. And the fact that the entire world doesn’t know where I am, who I’m with, what I’m drinking, eating, talking to-” 

“Okay.” Jihyo sighed. “I get it.” She pouted regardless. “It would be fun to have you there though.” She nudged her, trying once more, just to make sure, trying to convince her. Mina stood her ground tho.

“I know you love me very much and you want to see me everywhere all the time.” She joked as they finally arrived at her trailer. “Maybe next time.” She opened the door, walking inside, waiting for Jihyo to follow behind her. But she heard someone screaming her name. 

“I’ll get you next time, Mina.” She smiled, waving goodbye before rushing to whoever was calling her. Mina knew she would try, but it would take a lot to make her accept, she can’t imagine a circumstance in which she would actually attend one of those.

Mina can’t deny that being famous has it’s good and bad parts. As much as she hates the exposure, money does come with it. Mina wins well, she lives a good life. She really can’t complain about it, but at the end of the day, she is a very private person, and the biggest downside of being famous for her is the lack of privacy that comes with it. 

Sometimes she even avoids going out to do groceries because she doesn’t want people taking pictures of her, or eating at a restaurant. She doesn’t mind people coming up to her and talking to her, taking pictures with her, even signatures. But having dozens of articles written about you just because you’re outside seems a bit excessive. 

You’d think that with time Mina would have grown used to it. She has been in the industry for a while now and this has been happening for years. But the truth is, each time doesn’t get easier than the last, not when Mina works so hard not to get used to it. She doesn’t want to give up her privacy. 

People seem to understand that, for the most part. At least the people close to her or the people who actually enjoy her work. They try not to pry on her life and they respect the fact that she likes things like that. 

Mina can’t deny that this has ruined some opportunities for her. Unfortunately in this industry, connections matter a lot, and those connections usually happen at parties or screenings, and if Mina is not obligated to attend those she simply doesn’t. 

Thankfully her manager does attend a lot of them, and she has made a name for herself. Nowadays all her projects are people approaching her or pitching in something to the company and the company liking it. It doesn’t require much networking from her, that’s the good thing about being part of an actual producing company. 

She does get scolded plenty of times, Jihyo tells her over and over how all of this is important and how it would make things a lot easier for her. Mina knows that, but she is stubborn, and even when she doesn’t like it, the company does make her attend a few things that she despises, so at the end of the day she does feel like they balance each other out. 

With that Mina spends most of her time at home. Either working on projects, writing, searching for new opportunities, whatever it is, she just tries her best to keep her private life as it is, completely private. 

She can’t deny that she likes it, laying low, spending her days enjoying her own company. Mina keeps herself out of the spotlight as much as possible, which isn’t a tough quest for her. Most often than not Mina actually dreads the times she has to leave her apartment. Unless it’s for a shooting or something important like that, she tried her best not to. 

Being a director does allow her to live this lifestyle. Maybe if Mina was an actress, or a model, things wouldn’t be like this. Yet another reason why she is so sure about her job and what she was born to do. She likes this, she lives a good life, a happy life. 

That brings her to the most recent movie they recorded. Usually when the movie is about to come out is the time where she gets the most exposure, the spotlight is completely on her and she can’t even escape it. They need to promote it, talk about it, so all eyes turn to her. 

At this point in her career, people expect things from her, they look forward to her movies and they talk about it for months before it comes out. Even before that, when they announce that they started working on it, she feels like people are already more focused on her. Though it’s nothing compared to the period of time between them finishing the shooting and the month after the movie release. 

Mina was determined to enjoy her peace and quiet to the best of her abilities until everything was announced. She had a small window of time, a couple of days maybe even a week, after that her dedication would turn completely to the movie again. 

She spent all that time thinking about the post production. Mina likes to follow closely everything that they do, she knows that sometimes during editing they can do a little much and that ends up changing the entire movie. It used to happen a lot more often before, now the producers know how Mina likes things, but still, she likes to make sure. 

Sometimes if Jihyo is in a good mood she keeps her updated, sending pictures of what they’re working on, telling her what they’re doing. But sometimes Mina doesn’t really get to see the finished product until the first viewing. 

It’s been a while since she was able to just sit on her couch, enjoying her own company. Mina has the bad habit of completely putting herself into her work, oftentimes neglecting other things in order to focus on her current work. 

Whenever she’s in between movies her life gets very settled, which is something she does like a lot. Mina enjoys both sides of it, the quietness after and before she finishes a movie and the hecticness that it is when they’re filming. It’s a good balance for her.

Mina spent the next couple of days catching up on everything. House chores, her favorite shows, even buying groceries. Right now it was mostly a waiting game, post production usually takes months, but after around a week she can see the pieced together unedited version. She usually looks forward to it.

The call came around a week later. Mina wasn’t expecting it, really, when she saw Jihyo on her phone screen she answered without thinking much about it. “Hello?” She immediately got up from her couch, not being able to sit still when she’s on the phone. 

“Hey, Mina.” Mina could hear the excitement in her voice. “How’s your time off going?” She didn’t give her time to answer. “I have some news to share with you.” 

Mina laughed. “Things are going well, I've been catching up on stuff. How is work?” She wondered, Jihyo’s work never stopped, she was always up to something. “What news do you have to share with me?” 

“Work has been…” She paused. “Busy as always.” Mina could hear her sigh through the phone. “But nothing too bad.” Mina knew better than anyone that Jihyo was good at staying busy. “So, good news, the movie is officially in post production. They estimate it will take at least four months to finish the post production and all, but-” 

When Jihyo paused, Mina immediately knew that call had a different reason than what she imagined. “But what?” She took a deep breath when Jihyo didn’t finish the sentence. 

“We’re working on getting it finished by the middle of May." Mina frowned, that was in three months, usually movies take longer than that to get to the finished project, she didn’t really see any reasons to rush to get it done so quickly.

Unless… “No, Jihyo. Really?” She sighed. “You didn’t tell me we were applying to it.”

“The movie got approved just this morning.” Jihyo let out the air she was holding. “This is a really good opportunity, Mina, you know that. We will still do a good job in post production, we’re just going to rush it a little to get it ready in time.” She reassured her. 

“I believe the team is going to do a good job.” Mina really trusted them. “But if you’re calling me about it I know what it means, I know what happens in May. Just break the news already.” She sighed.

“You’re going to be the one attending the Cannes film festival.” Jihyo finally broke the news to her. Silence came after that. 

Mina didn’t say anything, and she didn’t have to. Jihyo knew exactly how much Mina disliked going to film festivals, she knew exactly how she would react which is why she took so long to break the news. But there was nothing to be done, this was part of the job. As much as Mina dreads it, she was going to have to attend. 

Chapter Text

Mina sat on her couch, staring at her TV. She stood still, the same way she has for the past 10 minutes, ever since she hung up from her phone call with Jihyo. The TV was off, all Mina could see was her reflection. 

Jihyo thought she was being dramatic, something Mina figures most people would agree with. And perhaps she is being a little dramatic, but the truth is that no one really understands just how important her privacy is to her. Mina doesn’t want to be in the spotlight, she doesn’t want all eyes on her. Going to Cannes is going to do just that. 

She thought about it for a while, this was still her job after all, this is what she signed up for. Being a public figure comes with certain exposure, she knows that, she did expect it to a certain level. The issue is that it's easy for it to get out of control. 

Whenever there’s a new movie coming out Mina needs to be extra careful, about what she says, where she goes, what she does. She hates that, she hates having to hide having to watch her mouth. People don’t understand the difference between getting to know her better and completely invading her privacy. It was a thin line that they never respected. 

Maybe it was worth it for her to call the studio, try negotiating it. Mina goes almost every year to the Cannes Film Festival and everything always goes the same way. She walks the red carpet, gives interviews, panels, and then for the next foreseeable future her life is not hers anymore. 

She takes a step to the left, there’s an article about it. She buys a new shirt, there’s an article about it. It goes on for a couple of months after the movie comes out, after that it does get a bit better, which is where she is right now.

Just recently she felt like she earned her privacy back, and even though people were talking about her because of the new movie she’s directing, it wasn’t the worst. Mina really enjoys her peace and she doesn’t want to give up on it. 

Eventually Mina decided that it was worth the try. She would call the CEO herself, but that felt a little excessive, so she decided to call her manager instead. “If you’re trying to negotiate going to Cannes, tell me and I’ll hang up.”

“Not even a Hi?” Mina sighed, laying on her couch. “What if I’m calling you to catch up? And you’re treating me like that.” She fidgeted with the cushion, trying to distract herself. 

“I know you.” She heard Jihyo scoffing. “But I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, sure. Let’s start over.” She laughed, cleaning her throat. “Hi, Mina. What’s up? How are you?” 

“Awful.” She pouted like Jihyo could see it through the phone. “Can we negotiate this Cannes thing? At all? I can even do interviews outside of it, I don’t mind them. You know how it is.”

“See, I knew you were calling me because of this.” Jihyo laughed. “No, by the way. Non negotiable. The boss said specifically he wants you there because your pictures always go viral and the fans love to see you there.”

Mina sighed. She tried arguing with Jihyo, which turned into a two hour conversation about the event itself, and at the end of the call Mina lost, Jihyo couldn’t give in, and she knew it wasn’t her choice either, so she didn’t want to push her. It seemed neither of them had a choice. 

Jihyo told her very clearly that as the director, there is no better person to be there answering questions about the movie. It’s her work and she should represent it, which Mina does agree with. 

Whether she liked it or not, Mina can’t deny that this is her role. As the director, as the person who worked so hard on putting this movie together. Jihyo also brought up just how much the press likes Mina, her pictures and interviews always go viral and that’s probably one of the main reasons why her privacy gets invaded whenever she attends those things. 

People are curious about her, wanting to know more about it. Mina gets it, the studio loves it, it’s very good for them and it’s also good for the sales of the movie. It brings them more money and there’s nothing they love more than that. 

At the end of the day, her going is good for everyone, even for her career. As much as her private life takes a toll after it, it’s just something she’s going to have to deal with, even if she’s going to be annoyed about it for a while. At least for now she gets to enjoy the peace and quiet her life is. 

For the next couple of days Mina was able to get back to her quiet routine. The one she has whenever she’s not directing a movie. For once, her mornings were a lot slower. She took her time brewing some coffee, weighting the beans she brought from overseas, while getting her espresso machine ready. 

She watched as the machine worked, creating what for her, was the perfect coffee. Mina sat cross-legged on her kitchen island, watching the steam coming from her cup as she turned on her laptop, ready to get caught up on the news. 

And doing so for the next hour, before scrolling through a couple websites, looking for inspiration, or just whatever was going on in the movie scene, Mina liked to be up to date with the industry. What movies were about to come out, what actors were currently popular, or just anything that spiked her interest really.

By 10 a.m, she was ready to wander outside. Making her way to the local farmer’s market. The one where she found a lot of the decorations that are currently sitting on the shelves in her living room. Mina didn’t get the chance to visit it at all when she’s working on a project, morning times are usually when she’s the busiest. 

Some days she would head to the park after visiting the market, some days she would head to the groceries store to pick up some ingredients for lunch. Today she decided to soak up a little more sunlight, so she decided to people watch at the park, taking advantage of the weather that wasn’t so cold anymore before heading home and getting started on her lunch. 

Afternoons were almost sacred to Mina. That’s when she’d retreat to her home office, a room in her apartment she reserved specially for times like this, where she feels like working on her projects, reading, or just enjoying her time, really. The room was filled with bookshelves, framed movie posters, and a desk that always seemed to have more notebooks than surface area. 

For hours, Mina would write out ideas, tear pages out. Look for inspiration on books or other works. And whenever a new project would bore her out, she would go back to an old one. Until she decided she had enough of it.

Her nights were reserved for catching up on her favorite shows, or watching a movie she had been meaning to watch but essentially had no time to do it. And if neither of those things seemed interesting enough, she would just play video games until she was tired enough to sleep. 

As much as she loves her job, Mina can’t deny how much she enjoys this routine.She loves directing new movies and working on new things, but it’s nice to take a break after months of recording. Months of going to sleep late and waking up early, of late nights at the studio and worrying if things are going to turn out well. 

Now Mina can lay in her bed and not worry about the time she has to wake up, she can do whatever she wants with her day, if she doesn’t want to be productive she doesn’t have to, if she doesn’t feel like doing anything she doesn’t have to. 

Those days were really good for Mina to keep herself distracted, even more so when it’s been so long since she had a true break like that. Her last two movies were recorded back to back, and between them she only had a week to rest, now she’ll get a couple of months. 

To be completely honest, as much as Mina was distracting herself, every once in a while she would catch herself thinking about Cannes. She wasn’t exactly upset over it still, just dreading it really. She knew it was part of the job, so she just accepted it, though she wished she could get it over with already. 

It was early afternoon when Mina’s phone buzzed across the kitchen counter, startling her. Mina squinted at the screen, half expecting a spam call or some sort of propaganda through text. But instead the text came from Jihyo. “Meeting tomorrow. Cannes prep. 11 a.m. Don’t be late.”

No greeting, no emoji. Just the kind of message that made Mina sigh audibly into her salad. She knew her friend meant business, but she could at least ask how she was doing. Regardless, she responded with just an emoji, then placed her phone back on the counter, pretending like she didn’t just see the text. 

Mina didn’t really mind preparing for Cannes, she knew it was coming, they always did that before the actual thing. It helped her know what to answer and somewhat know what they were going to ask. It gave her a little more control over the actual interviews, which Mina did appreciate. 

She just felt like time was passing by a little too fast, Jihyo had called her a couple of days ago to catch her up on the post production of the movie. Things were going well and they were progressing quickly on it. Only then did Mina realize that the film festival wasn’t as far as she thought it was. 

The next morning, Mina dressed in her favorite blazer and threw on a pair of sunglasses that were just big enough to pretend like she didn’t see anyone she didn’t want to talk to. Though to be fair whenever she was at the company she was as nice as she could possibly be. 

The meeting was being held at the studio’s downtown office, which wasn’t too far from Mina’s house. Normally she would walk, preferring to get her exercise in. But today she decided to take her car. 

Jihyo was already there when Mina walked in, leaning casually against the edge of the table like she owned the studio herself, coffee in hand, phone in the other. Her expression was the perfect mix of her manager persona and her best friend Jihyo. 

She looked at her clock, frowning. “You arrived earlier than usual.” Jihyo teased, raising an eyebrow. “Are we feeling okay? You’re usually extremely punctual. Did I scare you too much with that text?”

“I wanted to get a head start on my suffering.” Mina joked, sliding into the chair across from her. “Rip off the Band-Aid, you know?” She paused. “I just took my car today and I was scared of running into traffic so I left earlier.” 

“Traffic when you live 5 minutes away?” Jihyo laughed, tapping her fingers on the table. Mina shrugged, she lived in one of the busiest parts of town, she didn’t want to risk it. “Alright, shall we get started then?” She offered. 

Mina frowned, looking around. “Is it just the two of us? I thought someone from marketing or production would be joining us.” These days they rarely had meetings with just the two of them. 

“Honestly, everyone is super busy these days.” Jihyo sighed, Mina wasn’t at the company building these days so she didn’t really get to see. “Everyone is rushing to get this ready for Cannes, right now marketing is working on posters and social media posts. Production is doing something else entirely, so today is just us.” Mina nodded, but didn’t say anything else. 

Jihyo opened her laptop and turned the screen toward Mina. “Here’s the current lineup. You’ll have three panels, two about the movie, one general about women in film. A press event, after the red carpet. Two major interviews and the premiere, obviously. And we’re still waiting to hear back from that French talk show you hate.”

Mina groaned. “I hate that talk show. They never ask important questions about the movie, they never even really know the plot, they just ask about my personal life and if I’m dating anyone. Going on and on about it.” She rolled her eyes. 

“Which always goes viral because of your answers.” Jihyo grinned, pointing it out. “People loved it. It gets them going, which in return is amazing for movie sales. I know you only signed up for the festival, but this talk show really helps us.”

Mina took a deep breath. She knew Jihyo was right, she knew she had a point, it didn’t make things easier for her regardless. Mina let out the air she was holding and leaned back in her chair. “Okay, so it’s a full schedule. I can do it, I just…” She chewed on her lip. “Promise me I can disappear for at least three weeks after this.”

“Four, if you survive the talk show,” Jihyo said, her face dead serious. “You can be completely away from the media, we’ll even have your groceries delivered if you want.” Her best friend knew exactly how much she dreaded this, and she made a deal Mina simply couldn’t refuse. 

“You’re too good to me,” Mina said, still thinking about how the schedule was going to be so hectic “But seriously, are you sure there’s no way to cut a few things? I’m down for the panels, you know I like those, it’s the interviews that are a little… overwhelming.” She sighed. 

Jihyo gave her a sympathetic look. “I’ve tried. Trust me, I know how much you hate this part. But the studio knows the potential of this movie. Your name is already being considered for at least another two awards, Mina. You showing up, looking straight out of a magazine, which you know people love, makes them look good too. Makes you look even better.”

Mina knew she was right. The more she gets out there, does interviews, talks about the movie, the better the movie does on sales. They love when she talks about it, when she’s out there. And Mina despises it

Mina stared down at the computer screen, her schedule neatly organized. “Fine,” she said finally. “I’ll do it.” At least at Cannes it wasn’t so bad. Most people there were actually just interested in her movie, which she did love to talk about.

Interviews could get a little more personal, but over the years Mina has gotten used to dodging the personal questions or giving very cryptic answers. The interviewers hated it, but Mina found it entertaining. 

“Alright,” Mina said, standing and pushing in her chair. “Let’s go sell this movie, annoy some journalists, and pray I don’t get asked who my male actor crush is at that talk show yet again.”

Jihyo laughed. “It’s funny how they’ve done it every time you’ve been to the show and you still hope that the next time will be the time they won’t do it.” Mina scoffed at her, she could only dream in situations like this. 

To say Mina prepared a lot for Cannes would be an understatement. Whenever she does something she likes to do with perfection, even more so something so big and so important for not only her, but her career as well.

She rehearsed for interviews, not only alone but with Jihyo as well. She went over every possible question they could ask, thinking about every possible answer she could give. To the point where Mina was ready for anything. 

In the meantime she also got her dress, and got the confirmation from the people that were going to do her makeup and get her ready for the event. All while staying posted on post production, even convincing Jihyo to let her participate a couple of times, which gave her a better idea of the movie's finished product. 

Mina was busy during those weeks, always working or doing something, trying to keep herself busy. Being productive, trying not to be too nervous about the film festival while actively preparing for it, which wasn’t an easy task. 

Still, by the time the actual day arrived, Mina didn’t feel like she was ready enough for it. All the rehearsals, that practice she had before, it didn't make her feel secure at all. Mina actually felt incredibly underprepared, but duty called and she had to do it anyway.

Mina arrived at the hotel room she would be staying just the night before. She flew in with Jihyo, the rest of the staff were already there. She would only be staying there for the days she would be attending the festival, thankfully. 

She was so nervous that she barely paid any mind to what was happening around her, the flight, the car ride to the hotel. It all felt like a blur, and by the time she arrived at the hotel it was late, so Mina didn’t really have time to do a lot of thinking. Deciding it would be best to just sleep instead. 

She woke up before her alarm, it was surprising she was even able to sleep at all. There was a brief moment, maybe a minute or two where she lay in bed staring at the ceiling, wondering if it was possible to blink and have it all be over. But then her phone buzzed with a calendar notification, and the spell was broken.

The hotel room was quiet, Mina debated between using the coffee machine they had there or having someone deliver her some coffee, the second choice sounded a lot better. The different sounds coming from the window kept her distracted for a while, at least until Jihyo arrived with the makeup team. Sharp at 6:30 in the morning.

After that it was completely hectic. They got to work immediately. The room quickly got filled with palettes, hair tools, and debates about eyeshadow tones. All while Mina sat in the makeup chair, eyes closed, letting herself drift in and out of thoughts while someone curled her lashes. 

They worked around her as she sipped on a small coffee that Jihyo had brought her, every once in a while she would open her eyes and look out the window. It was calm, peaceful. The night before she couldn’t see the view at all, now it was hard to take her eyes off of it. 

She was expecting them to take their time, still, that didn’t make it any easier for her to just sit in that chair and wait as they worked around her. In the meantime Jihyo did rehearse with her some more, which she can’t deny helped her a lot. Made her feel slightly more prepared. 

And by the time they were done, Mina barely recognized herself in the mirror. The first day look was a bit more natural, even if they spent hours working on it. Her hair was loose, framing her cheekbones perfectly. Her makeup was soft and elegant, exactly how Mina liked it.

Using Jihyo’s words, they didn’t want to "overdo it" on the first day. Which is why they opted for something less heavy. Truth is, Mina’s looks caught everyone’s eyes normally. She didn’t require much at times like this. Her natural face was enough. 

Her dress was a custom one, made by a brand that closed a deal with the studio, and it was made specifically for Mina, fitting like it was sewn onto her skin. Long, white, yet dramatic enough to make a statement the second she stepped onto the red carpet. It was just as elegant as Mina looked. 

She took a deep breath before getting in the car, her nerves at an all time high. Even if she knew there was no reason for it now, she was almost there already, she could get through this. 

Mina arrived just before sunset. The sun casting a golden glow, the type that left Mina at awe, and the entire place already buzzed with the usual chaos of Cannes paparazzi shouting names, fans waving posters, and flashes going off, something Mina was definitely not a fan of.

And then, she stepped out of the car. Almost instantly, there was a shift. Cameras turned towards her. People leaned forward, pushing each other. Her name echoed up and down the press line.

She took a breath, placed one hand lightly on her hip, and walked up the carpet like it was the most natural thing in the world, like she wasn’t nervous at all. Mina walked confidently, looking flawless. All flashes in her direction, there was no turning back now. 

Chapter Text

Mina blinked once, twice. Her eyes slowly got used to the cameras flashing in front of her. She heard her name being called left and right, nothing out of the ordinary. Still, she kept her head straight and she walked down the red carpet. This wasn’t the first time, Mina knew exactly how this worked. Every couple of steps she would pause, let the photographers take pictures of her, before eventually moving along. 

The first interview happened five minutes into her getting there. There was a makeshift line, one that artists, directors, or whoever else was there instinctively respected. One after the other getting interviewed by the same people. Talking about their clothes, their movies, and whatever specific questions there were for them. 

As much as Mina hated it, she was somewhat used to them. More often than not they asked the same questions, talked about the same things. Mina already had the whole dialogue rehearsed inside her head as well, the answers coming out of her mouth almost automatically, desperate to get this over with while at the same time maintaining the warm smile on her face.

She knew how to endure it. Even with the awkward questions, with how uncomfortable she got at times. Walking just a couple of steps only to be stopped again, and repeating the same thing she just did. It was exhausting, but Mina took a deep breath and moved along. There was no reason to whine over it right now. 

“We are here today with Myoui Mina, a world renowned director who is about to release her new and highly anticipated movie Quiet Distance.” The interviewer spoke to the camera before turning to face her. “Mina, it’s so good to see you here another year, how are you feeling tonight?” 

Mina put on her same rehearsed smile. “I’m doing well, thank you. It’s always a pleasure to be here amongst all these great talents.” 

“Now let’s talk about the film.” Thankfully the interviewer skipped straight to the point, jumping all those awkward personal questions Mina hated. She was there to promote her movie afterall. “Quiet Distance is set to premier at the festival, what can the audience expect from it? What can you tell us about it?”

“Well.” Mina said with a practiced tone. “It’s about moments, the kind you don’t really realize mattered until later. It shows how choices can affect you, and what you can do with the results of it. It’s less about what happens and more about how it lingers.” She spoke word for word of what Jihyo had rehearsed with her. 

She’s not allowed to exactly give details about the movie, so she has this script she must follow, that is supposed to say something, without really saying anything. Making the plot mysterious and at the same time to keep people interested. Mina is not entirely sure if that works at all, but if her company thinks it does then she’s fine with it. Usually she’s allowed to be a little more detail oriented in panels, but interviews are as vague as possible.

“That sounds very deep. What drew you to this particular project, was it something you were involved in from the beginning like your other movies or was it something else entirely?” She wondered, eyes darting between her and the camera. 

“Like all my other projects it was something I was involved with from the get go.” Mina nodded slightly. “Just like the rest this movie is something I put my heart and soul into.” They loved when she spoke like that, and it was completely true. “It’s not loud, or flashy. It’s intimate. I wanted to explore how much emotion can exist in the smallest scenes. The silence, the glances, the decision we make without even realizing it.” Again, while this was completely true. It was also a rehearsed answer, shaped to make the people interested in seeing the movie, to make people curious. 

“Alright Mina, one last question.” The interviewer looked down at her phone before facing her again. “I’ve seen the names you’ve worked with in this project and there are some very talented people. Can you tell me a bit about how it was working with them?” 

“Honestly I was very lucky with the cast and crew.” She paused. “Everyone was incredibly talented and dedicated. They all brought something personal to their roles, which was exactly what I was looking for. It felt collaborative from the beginning. As a director it was the best experience I could have.” 

“That’s very nice to her.” The interviewer turned back to the camera. “This was director Myoui Mina, talking a little about her upcoming movie Quiet Distance, set to premiere here, at the Cannes Film Festival. Thank you, Mina.” 

Mina thanked her back and moved on, the next person already waiting behind her for their interview. Next was more pictures, followed by more pictures. Eventually Mina gave up on smiling, her face hurting from it. The pictures would look regardless, she knew that, so it didn’t really matter. She just kept posing for photographers, stopping to give interviews. The same thing over and over again.

She ran into some familiar faces, like usual. After attending for so many years you start making connections. Not to mention that in her line of work, having connections was one of the most important things. Mina was well known, she knew a lot of people as well. It was only a matter of time before she ran into them. 

It did make things a lot easier, but Mina felt her social energy falling more and more. She talked to a few more people, took a few more pictures. Once she was inside she caught up with Jihyo to talk about everything, making sure they were also on schedule. 

“How are you feeling?” Jihyo wondered, accompanying her a little further away from the people she was just talking to. “How did the red carpet go? I was watching you from afar, I think you did great.” She was quick to reassure her. 

“I’m okay.” Mina was truthful. “The red carpet was as busy as always.” She sighed. “The same questions, people wanting to know more about the movie, nothing out of the ordinary. And thankfully they mostly stayed out of my business. Mostly.” 

Mina knew the red carpet was going by a little smoothly, they didn’t ask her any personal questions, they mostly talked about the movie and asked how she was doing. She was tired, but she didn’t feel uncomfortable. Until the last interviewer. “It was the last guy, right?” Jihyo immediately knew, looking visibly annoyed. “I knew by that smirk on his face he was asking something he shouldn’t. What did he ask?” 

Mina took a deep breath, compared to other interviews she had in the past, this was not that bad. “He asked how I was, then immediately started talking about my dress, which he wasn’t the first so I just brushed it off. But the look on his face annoyed me, like he was undressing me with his eyes.” Jihyo nodded, she actually noticed that as well. “After that he asked about the movie which, again, is normal. Then he said.” Mina cleaned her throat ready to imitate him. “Mina from what we’ve heard you’ve been single for a while, is that still the case or has someone finally managed to catch your eye?” 

Jihyo scoffed. “Why? Did he think you have a chance or something?” She would make sure to talk to his superior later, because Jihyo knew that there was a script they had to stick to, and she was almost sure that this wasn’t one of the questions. She felt annoyed again at his face. 

“No clue why.” Mina shrugged. “I tried my best to keep a smile on my face, and normally I wouldn’t even care about his question. It was just the way he said it in the look on her face.” She felt goosebumps down her spine. “It’s whatever, you know?” Mina has developed a tough skin for things like this. She would rather not keep thinking about it. 

Jihyo noticed that Mina would rather she changed the subject. “So, right now we’re within schedule.” She started. “Actually we’re ahead, the interviews and red carpet went a little faster than I thought it would.” She grabbed her phone to show Mina. 

They went over her schedule once again, Jihyo told her what she was missing for the day, the people that were there that Mina had to greet. It was mostly people that were important for Mina’s career, so she didn’t mind it. And any other updates she had for her, which thankfully wasn’t anything that would cause any issues. 

Still, eventually she needed a break. Jihyo was kind enough to point her towards a direction backstage that would be a lot emptier than the rest of the place. Mina had a small window of time before her first panel, so she could take a break. She needed to slow down a little, she was starting to feel a little overwhelmed and it was mostly a waiting game now, so she could take a step back and rest for the time being. 

Mina sat down backstage in a small room. It was open, but secluded. There were a lot of people walking past it, but no one seemed to notice that opening. She was hiding in plain sight, which was perfect because she didn’t really want anyone stopping to talk to her, but she didn’t want to go hide somewhere either. This was close to the stages, but secluded. 

The backstage was just as busy as the main floor, if not more. A lot of people were running around, from one side to the other, probably making sure everything was set and ready to go. There were multiple panels, multiple premieres, showings, it was a lot of work and the people backstage were the ones helping make all of that happen flawlessly. Mina looked up to them, it was an exhausting job, and everything had to be perfect. 

Mina took a sip of her water. She was starting to get hungry, but she wouldn’t get to eat until later. Maybe she should’ve asked Jihyo for a snack. Too late now. She sighed, she could feel herself getting tired, but her day had barely started. Mina thought about everything her studio taught her when it comes to PR.

Her posture, her smile, how she must look flawless. Keep an image, a front. She needed to be perfect in the audience’s eyes. Which sounded irrealistic, because she was just as much of a human as they were. Though she understood where her studio was coming from, one wrong step and they have to deal with it. As fans, you should just realize that the person you look up to is just as human as you are. 

But Mina has been in this industry for long enough to know that this is not how things work. More often than not they would rather have this perfect view of her, than to realize that she also has feelings, she also has frustrations, she also gets tired after interacting with hundreds of people. Regardless, this was her job, and she was going to do it right. Above everything, Mina is professional. 

That doesn’t mean that keeping this front is easy for her. She understands it’s necessary, she respects it, still, all Mina wants is to be her authentic self. Which, she is. When they see her in the streets, or when they’re prying on her private life. That’s the real Mina, the version of herself that attends these film festivals, and interviews. It’s a more shaped, controlled version of herself. One that is fit for the general public. 

At the end of the day, Mina is quiet, reserved. She doesn’t mind interacting with people and getting to know them, but she’s not the most outgoing person in the world. She wouldn’t consider herself to be an extrovert, quite the opposite really. Jihyo has commented many times that for someone that is such an introvert, she can get by very easily when it comes to making connections. And she agrees. 

Maybe because her job depends on it, it’s a big part of it after all. That doesn’t mean that it’s easy for her, or that she enjoys it. She gets by, and so far it’s been good for her, for her career. She was able to make it, even with her real personality being like this, reserved. The quiet makes her think, and that’s something she enjoys. 

She took a second to take in the area around her. Backstage was probably Mina’s favorite part about things like this. Everything looked so perfect on the main floor, even with how busy it was, people there were dressed up, they had to look good for the camera, they had to sit straight, to smile. You couldn’t risk someone catching you on a bad moment. 

Not back here. It was different, it was people doing their jobs, getting the panels ready, going over something they were working on. They paid attention to themselves and the jobs they were assigned to do. Not a single person so far even took a glance at Mina, and she knew that even if she was out there, in the middle of where people are walking past. It would be the same thing. 

Mina was so lost in her own thoughts she almost didn’t notice her phone getting a notification. She grabbed it from her purse after a second, struggling to get it even if it was the only thing sitting inside of her tiny bag. “Where are you? Your panel starts soon. I thought you’d like to go over everything one more time to make sure you’re prepared.” Jihyo texted her. She knew the best after all. 

She placed her empty water bottle inside a nearby trash can, unlocking her phone right after to answer Jihyo before she texted her again. “Meet me at the place we were, so that way is easier to find each-” 

Mina was in the middle of answering the text when she bumped into someone. She was being careless, she will admit. She was so focused on her phone and quickly answering Jihyo that she didn’t even see where she was walking, or who she was walking towards. The impact was a bit strong, since not only were they distracted, but it seems that the other person was also walking fast. It was backstage after all. 

She didn’t have much time to process what was happening, being completely distracted with all the papers flying around the room. It looked like a movie scene, the ones where love interests bump into each other in the hall and make eye contact, falling in love at first sight. It was a little ironic, since not only was Mina a movie director, but she always had found that scene a bit too cliche. No one falls in love at first sight, even less when there’s so many papers flying around and they’re desperate to try catching all of them. 

Mina helped her grab the papers, she would never be the type to just walk away without helping someone. Even if it wasn’t her fault, which, in this case, she will take fifty percent of the blame. Until after a few seconds when she looked up, finally making eye contact with the person she bumped into. 

The girl looked young, almost too young to be there. But Mina was never one to judge people by their looks, maybe she wasn’t as young as she seemed. The next thing Mina noticed was how desperate she looked, the eyes wide and a faint blush on her cheeks when she realized she had made eye contact with Mina. 

She rushed around, trying to gather all the paper scattered around the floor. Mina didn’t see the stack she was holding before, but by the amount of paper now laying on the floor and the time it was taking them to gather them all she figured that it was probably a little too big, therefore a bit hard to cary. 

Mina helped her, of course, doing her best to do this as fast as possible. She needed to go meet Jihyo, her panel was soon. By the speed that they ran into each other it seemed that the girl in front of her had somewhere to be as well. She didn’t want them taking longer than they should. 

The girl did look a little desperate, like she just screwed up badly. It took her a second but she finally spoke up. “I’m so so sorry. I- I didn’t see you in front of me.” Her voice was strong, but still soft. She stuttered, looking at Mina like she was mesmerized. “I’m really sorry.” She sounded apologetic. 

It was an honest mistake, Mina would never be mad at someone for accidentally bumping into her. Even more so when it was her own fault as well. “It’s alright. Don’t worry.” She waved her off, helping organize the stack of papers now back in her arms. “Are you okay?” She quickly wondered, just to make sure. The stack of paper looked a little heavy, but she seemed to be managing. 

The girl nodded, but didn’t say anything else. She rushed to get out of there, clearly late to something or very determined to get somewhere. Mina didn’t know which, she didn’t mind either. They both had places to be, there was no need to stand there and apologize to each other for minutes on end. Mina straightens her dress, grabbing her phone again to finish texting Jihyo. “Sorry, heading your way right now.” 

Mina didn’t overthink what just happened, once the girl was out of her sight, it was like she was out of her mind as well. As much as it was an unusual interaction, she had other things in her mind right now. Like finding Jihyo, rehearsing, doing her panel, getting all of this over with. Anything else just went to the back of her head. 

She made her way towards Jihyo, who was already waiting for her. “Where were you? I saw you typing for ages but you never sent the text.” She wondered, looking at her clock. Mina could tell that she wasn’t mad, most likely just worrying about the time. “We have like 5 minutes to go over the questions.” She warned Mina. It was a little less than what she’d like, but it would do. 

“Sorry.” She offered her an apologetic smile. She knew that she had no reason to apologize, but Jihyo’s tone sounded a little worried. “I was leaving backstage when I bumped into someone.” She shrugged as they walked towards somewhere with less people. “I just helped her really quickly to get her things from the floor before getting here, that’s why I didn’t send the text before.” She explained herself. 

“Oh!” Jihyo studied her. “You’re not hurt though, are you?” She looked her up and down, even comically lifting one of her arms to make sure she was intact. “You’re our money maker, you can’t get hurt.” She joked. 

Mina laughed, playfully rolling her eyes. “I’m fine. I’m okay.” She paused, looking down to her dress to make sure. “The money maker is indeed intact.” She joined in Jihyo's joke. “I was just a little shocked at first but it wasn’t a big deal.” 

“Okay, that’s great.” Jihyo nodded. “Let’s head to the bathroom to put a little more lipstick on you and we can start rehearsing, is that okay?” Mina nodded, knowing they had to rush a little more now. “Perfect.” She handed Mina the lipstick. 

They walked around the venue, towards the bathroom, then later towards the panel. During that time all they did was rehearse and make sure Mina looked flawless, which wasn’t too hard. Jihyo couldn’t understand how even after hours and after bumping into someone, Mina still looked like she had just arrived. 

Backstage was as busy as before, people walking, all the staff, it made Mina slightly more nervous. She could feel her stomach twisting every once in a while. In the meantime, she did her best to control her breathing. There was no reason to be nervous, she rehearsed this, she knows exactly what to say, this should be a breeze. Jihyo stood next to her, reassuring her that it was going to be fine. 

Mina kept a straight face, of course, no one but her and Jihyo knew how nervous she was. She took another deep breath. “Mina, you’re on in 5.” One of the staff approached her. Mina and Jihyo nodded back, thanking the staff right after. The first panel was always the most nerve racking, she knew that the minute she stepped on stage she would be fine. 

First panel of the event, her first time talking about the new movie. She could do this, she has done this many times. At that moment, Mina felt ready. 

Chapter Text

Nayeon stood at the doorway of The Cannes Film Festival. Thinking about every single step she took that led her here. 

She has always been interested in movies, ever since she was a kid, watching behind-the-scenes documentaries instead of cartoons, rewinding DVDs to watch her favorite scenes over and over again. 

Even back then, she wasn’t dreaming about being on screen. She wanted to be behind the camera, where the stories were built, where the magic actually happened. Nayeon wanted to help create it, she wanted her input in it, she wanted to bring her own stories to life. 

That’s what she worked towards her entire life. Sure that this was what she was meant to do, even when people gave her a weird look when she told them what her dream was, she pushed on. She chased her goals, thinking that one day it all would pay off, she would prove everyone that didn’t believe in her wrong. 

High school had been the first real test of her dream. In a place where most people were more focused on grades, popularity, and what majors would land them stable careers, Nayeon felt like she didn’t fit in. 

Teachers praised her creativity, tried supporting her dreams, while at the same time trying to lean her towards something else. Her friends never really cared much about what career path she chose, each of them a little too focused on what they had going on themselves. Regardless, to Nayeon it was clear, people didn't really understand her dream.

There was a time in her life where she was a little ashamed of telling people her actual dream. For around a year, whenever someone would ask she would say she was still trying to decide, when in reality, she already had a long time ago. 

Film school was everything Nayeon had dreamed of. During those years Nayeon was completely sure of the career path she had chosen. She was sure she would like film school, but she didn’t think she would like it this much. She didn’t expect to fall so completely in love with the process.

Even with it’s ups and downs and some difficulties along the years, the late-night shoots, the stress of deadlines, the chaos of coordinating a fake set, she thrived in it. Every script breakdown, every editing session, every team project lit her up in a way that nothing else ever had. 

It wasn’t easy. There were moments of burnout, creative block, and the occasional feeling that maybe she wasn’t good enough  but none of it ever made her doubt her choice. If anything, it somehow made her even more sure of her choice. 

She learned to take criticism and turn it into creativity. She learned the difference between having an idea and being able to communicate it clearly on screen. She learned how to lead and when to step back and listen. But more than anything, she learned that this wasn’t too far from no longer being just a dream, it was becoming her reality.

Now, Nayeon is a recent film school graduate. Full of ideas, hungry for some experience. She graduated with honors and student awards, but the moment the cap came off, reality set in. Getting a job wasn’t easy, even less so in this industry. Thankfully for her, she worked so hard during her university years, that it took her only a couple of months for someone to take a chance on her. 

That’s how she ended up working for this small production company. In total, it had around 30 workers, and while it had been in the industry for a couple of years, they were nowhere from being a big company. They all worked hard to make their company name known and to Nayeon it was the perfect first job.

It wasn’t glamorous, it wasn’t one of those companies you often see in Hollywood, but it was real. With real projects, deadlines, pressure to do a good job. Nayeon could tell they were all just as passionate about this as she was. So she showed up every day with the same attitude, eager to learn, willing to help, always doing her best. 

Nayeon sent her resume to multiple studios, with the hope that one of them would eventually reach back to her. This one was the only one willing to give her a chance, so she had to prove to them that she was worth it. It didn’t take too long for them to notice just how valuable she was now, they’re willing to trust her with a lot more. 

All her hard work finally paid off when the studio decided to put her in a project to help at the Cannes. Nayeon could hardly believe it when her manager handed her the envelope with "Cannes" printed in bold across the top. For a moment, she just stared, scared that it would be gone as soon as she blinked.

They weren’t actually presenting any movies, they were just helping backstage. Their studio was the one holding a few of the panels, so her work would be mostly technical, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t looking forward to it. Nayeon was willing to do anything. 

There was no red carpet, nothing too prestigious like that. But Nayeon was happy and more than willing to help even with technical things, setting up the panel, working on the script, the questions, anything. She felt like this was the chance she needed to make connections, to meet people that would make her chance at this even greater. 

Even more so when finding out exactly what panel they would be holding that she would be helping with. Myoui Mina, the famous director. Mina was one of those people Nayeon has just always looked up to. She was one of the reasons why she decided to pursue this career and it felt a little surreal that she was actually going to meet her. 

She was nervous, of course, excited, a little scared even. Mina had a name in the industry and if Nayeon was going to meet her, work with her, she wanted to impress her, make her mark. This was an opportunity and Nayeon didn’t want to miss it. 

Nayeon knows Mina is a reserved person, so her idea was never to push herself onto her. She tried keeping her expectations low, if she got the chance to talk to her, she would, if she didn’t. Then that was fine as well, the thought of meeting her already brought enough excitement for her to lose sleep over. 

This also meant that Nayeon was giving her all with this project, trying to be as involved as she possibly could, helping even more so than what she usually did, even after work hours. She was going all out to make sure everything turned out perfectly. Nayeon was really hoping it all paid off.

There were moments where she felt a little overwhelmed, though she figured that was normal. It might sound a little foolish, since she’s just assisting with all of this, but at the same time, she was hoping that her involvement in all of it would make people talk about her. How she’s such a hard worker and how she can be trusted. 

The weeks leading up to the trip were a blur of logistics, research, and last-minute revisions. Though she was technically just a production assistant, her responsibilities weren’t easy. Organizing meetings, prepping presentations, even helping the interviewer by rehearsing with him. Everyone was trusting her. 

During all of this Nayeon was so focused on making sure everything was ready that she wasn’t even that nervous about actually meeting Mina. She prepared herself to meet the right people, to take big steps on her career, this was the opportunity she needed. 

Nayeon never worked so hard like she did during the months leading up to the Cannes. The best part of it was that she didn’t even feel tired about it, all she felt was excitement, she looked forward to it, she was happy to be a part of this. 

It made people in the studio happy as well, the more she talked about it the more they looked forward to it too. She was bringing their energy up, even if they were so tired of working non-stop to make sure everything was perfect for the event. 

This also made her feel very valuable, she knew her input on this project was important, she knew she was making a difference. While before her job was still as important, it didn’t feel like this one does. She felt like before they had taken a step back with her, maybe not knowing her full potential. 

Nayeon understood that, to be completely honest. Not only was she new in the studio, but this was also her first official job, her first chance to prove herself, to really show the world that she was ready.

She would always be grateful for this opportunity and she knew she had to prove herself to them. She didn’t mind that, really. Even more so when she genuinely enjoys this work, she is willing to put in the effort, the hours. 

The day before their flight, Nayeon sat alone in the studio, looking out the window. This has been her dream for as long as she can remember. It hasn’t fully hit her yet, but this is really happening. Her heart raced, her nerves were high, still, she felt ready, she has been working towards this for as long as she can remember. It’s time to put her name on the map. 

Their flight was during the night, and they would get to the venue early in the morning. The entire day would be full of preparations, not only logistics but actually setting up everything at the location. Nayeon was willing to help with that as well. 

She rode the van with the staff, some of them went back to the hotel, but Nayeon went straight to the place. She was with some people from the studio that had done this before, so for the most part she was following them and doing whatever it was they asked. 

“Nayeon.” Minho called her from behind the curtain. “Can you bring those cables, please.” He pointed to the jumble of cables next to her. She nodded, quickly making her way over. “What are you working on right now?” He wondered. 

“I was finishing counting the chairs for the panel, making sure they match the layout we thought of.” She scratched the back of her neck. “There were a few missing, so I was about to talk to the venue staff to see if we could get some more.” 

Minho nodded, smiling. “Good catch. That’s something we might’ve missed since everything is so hectic, we don’t need any surprises like that when the time comes. Thanks for staying on top of that.” 

“Of course.” Nayeon smiled, happy to show good work. “I figured it was best to double check everything and make sure everything is where it should be. I was going to check with lights and sound to see if they needed anything.” 

Minho frowned. “You’ve been running around since we got here, are you sure you’re okay? It’s fine to take a break every once in a while, I know we just got off a flight and you might be a little tired.” 

“It’s okay.” Nayeon shrugged. “I got some sleep during our flight.” A lie, she was too excited to sleep. “I can rest later when everything is ready, right now I’d rather make sure everything is ready and good to go.” 

“It’s your first time here, right?” He wondered. Nayeon nodded. “You’re doing well.” He praised her. “Everyone is noticing your hard work, that’s very good. The way you’ve been handling everything, amazing.” 

Nayeon appreciated his words, honestly there were times where she was scared she might be doing too much, but to see that her hard work is paying off, she had no words to describe the feeling. “Thank you, it means a lot. I just want to do a good job.” 

“You’re on the right path, kid.” He sighed, looking around. “There’s lots to do still, you’re primarily working on Mina’s panel, right?” He questioned, looking at one of the papers in his hand. He laughed when he saw the smile on her face. “You’ll love her, everyone loves hearing her talk and all her ideas, she’s truly amazing.” 

“I believe you.” Nayeon has seen countless interviews with her, and she was truly a fan of her work. “I hope this time around will be just as good.”

 “I’m sure it will be.” He waved her over. “Now come on, we’ve still got a long way before the panel starts.”

For the rest of the day, she barely had a moment to breathe. From the second she stepped into the venue, it was nonstop. An endless checklist of tasks, one after the other, with no room to pause. She checked everything once, twice, making sure it was all perfect. 

She moved through the chaos, navigating it to the best of her abilities, even if she struggled at times. Everyone seemed just as busy as she did, everyone all chasing the same goal of making sure this ran as smoothly as possible.

Nayeon truly had no idea so much preparation and so much work went behind all of this, now she has a slight idea of how hard these people work. Always ready to move to the next thing, to fix whatever needed fixing.

The excitement she had about the festival had been swallowed by the reality, time wasn’t on their side. Misplaced equipment, sometimes broken or even missing. They had to rush to set everything up as quickly as possible, while maintaining the quality. 

They were cutting close, a little too close. Everything needed to be ready to go by the time the red carpet started, but the more time passed the more Nayeon felt like it wasn’t possible. But she refused to let that stop her, she just kept working, trusting that there would be enough time. 

There was no time to look around and take in the venue, no time to sneak a glance to what other people were working on or who else might attend the event. No time to even eat a proper meal. But it all paid off.

Nayeon had waited her whole life to be a part of this world, not just the glamour, the spotlight but this as well. She knew what came with the job and she was ready to do it. Happy even, and by the time the red carpet started, they were finished. 

It felt rewarding, to be completely honest. Nayeon was expecting this to be hard, she was expecting to work a lot, but she didn’t expect it to be a little overwhelming. Maybe it was because she felt like there was not enough time to get everything done in time, what she does know is that she can’t wait to just sit and watch the panel. 

She was able to watch the red carpet from afar. She can’t say she was able to see much, from where she was standing everyone just looked the same, with different clothes. Still, she kept an eye out, trying to see if she recognized anyone. 

Nayeon slowly felt the tiredness leaving her body the fuller the venue got. She was sitting at the back of the room, resting for a bit before asking the staff if they needed help with anything. 

And then she saw her. Mina. The director walked into the venue with quiet confidence, smiling and greeting whoever came her way. Nayeon was in awe, she was elegant, beautiful, and everything else she hoped for. 

It felt surreal, seeing her in person. Not on a screen, not in an article or video, but there, in the same roof as her. She didn’t move closer. She didn’t say anything to anyone. She just watched from afar as Mina listened to people talking to her, smiling, keeping her posture.

At the time Nayeon didn’t feel tired anymore, excitement taking over again. Mina left her sight as fast as she arrived, in a blink of an eye she was gone, the venue was full so Nayeon didn’t overthink it, while she did wish she could watch her for a little longer. 

She looked at her watch, the panel would start soon enough. Nayeon decided to head backstage, see if there was anything else she could do to help them. The studio was holding another panel for a different director, on the other side of the venue, since Nayeon was done helping with Mina’s, she thought maybe they would need a hand there as well. 

Backstage was just as hectic now as it was before, since some panels were a little later, they had a little more time to set up, so there were a few still working on getting everything done. Nayeon spotted Minho from afar, deciding to approach him to check if there was anything else she could do. 

As soon as he spotted her he rushed towards her. “Nayeon!” He stopped in front of her, a stack of papers in his hand. “Thank god I ran into you, the staff put all the sheets of questions together, for all panels. I’ve been running around trying to get them to the right people, can I give you Mina’s so you can take it there?” He spoke almost in one breath. 

“Yes, of course.” Nayeon nodded, feeling bad for him and at the same time feeling a little guilty. That was the one thing she forgot to check, she doesn’t even remember seeing it on the checklist. 

“Thank you so much.” He handed her a stack of paper. 

Nayeon immediately started rushing towards the other stage. The venue was big, but thankfully it wasn’t too far. She took the route backstage, thinking it would be a little easier to maneuver rather than the floor full of people. 

She was so focused on finding the right hallway backstage, hugging the stack close to her like it was a piece of her soul, that she didn’t notice the person stepping out from the side corridor. Nayeon didn’t even see her coming. 

Her mind was racing thinking how could’ve she forgot about this, what a disaster it could have been if they didn’t notice until the panel actually started. That’s when she crashed into someone with enough force to jolt the papers straight out of her arms.

For a second, she didn’t even register the fall, just the sound of papers scattering around the floor. Her breath caught in her throat, heart skipping a beat in panic as she dropped down, already muttering apologies. “I’m so, so sorry. I-I didn’t see you in front of me.” Her hands shook slightly as she gathered the papers. “I’m really sorry.” She repeated.

Only stopping to actually look up when the person that bumped into her started helping her gather everything. And when she looked up, there she was. Myoui Mina. It took everything in Nayeon not to immediately freak out.

Her eyes might betray her, but her mouth wouldn’t. She didn’t want to risk ruining this, she already screwed up enough by bumping into her. She had imagined meeting Mina countless times, but never like this.

Mina didn’t hesitate in helping her. She didn’t look upset. In fact, she seemed calm. Collected. Professional, but not cold. Something about her demeanor actually managed to help her heart settle just a little.

“It’s alright. Don’t worry,” Mina said softly, handing her pages. Nayeon couldn’t even bring herself to breathe properly. Mina’s next words pulled her back to reality. “Are you okay?” She looked with what Nayeon assumed was a little worry.

Nayeon quickly nodded, but didn’t say anything else. She forced a tight smile, clutching the folder tightly now that it was back together. She didn’t dare explain where she was going or what the papers were. She felt like if she opened her mouth again, she might say something stupid.

Mina looked down to make sure they gathered everything, and Nayeon took the opportunity to bow slightly, silently thanking her before walking again. She didn’t want to risk screwing things up with her even further, so she just rushed away. Mentally cursing herself for not paying more attention. 

At the same time, Nayeon was still in awe. Mina was in front of her. She felt like she just dreamt all of this, she was having a hard time staying grounded. She was completely starstruck and at the same time a little embarrassed. 

Her first time meeting the person she looked up to for years and she fumbled it. Nayeon was trying hard not to feel like a fool, she can’t lie she was overthinking it. And this interaction would be something she would think about for the rest of her life. 

Chapter Text

Nayeon knew meeting Mina would be unforgettable. It was sort of expected, given that she had been a huge fan of hers for a long time. But she truly didn’t expect to be so drawn to her, even more so after what happened. 

Maybe she should have expected it, though to be fair, after bumping into her Nayeon tried forgetting about it. Admittedly it wasn’t her proudest moment, she felt embarrassed, and thinking about it only made her relive the moment over and over again. So she tried avoiding it. 

Over the next few days of the festival, Nayeon is completely curious about Mina. There’s something magnetic about her, something that makes her feel more drawn to her, something more than just admiration for her work, she knows which panels she’ll be at, which screenings she might attend. 

Nayeon finds herself watching whenever Mina walks into a room, eyes following her with quiet awe. She watches the way Mina talks, the way she walks, even her expression.Like she’s always deep into her own thoughts. It fascinates Nayeon, the way she’s so private, the way she portrays herself. It makes her wonder what Mina is like when no one’s watching.

There’s something about her quietness that Nayeon really likes. Not that Mina looks shy or anything like that, just self-contained. Like Mina enjoys keeping things to herself, completely untouched by the noise of the festival. She speaks when spoken to, answers thoughtfully but never more than necessary, and disappears the moment a room begins to crowd. 

She finds herself wondering what Mina does when she’s alone. Whether she listens to music when she writes, if she’s the kind of person who can’t work unless something is very specific. If she cries during movies, or if she just watches in silence, simple things, but that makes Mina unique. 

And maybe that’s why Nayeon hasn’t approached her yet. It’s not just fear of rejection, it’s the sense that Mina is someone she doesn’t want to bother, and doesn't want to overstep with her. Like if she were to say the wrong thing, even once, the door would close for good.

Still, the longer the festival goes on, the more Nayeon wants to know her. Not just the director, not just the public figure but the woman beneath it all. She wants to ask her what is her favorite thing to do when she’s not busy. What her favorite comfort movie is. Whether she’s enjoying her time there or not.

But for now, all she can do is watch from across rooms, holding onto her curiosity. Nayeon attends every panel Mina’s on. The festival is still buzzing, even if it’s been a few days, full of familiar faces and interactions, but Nayeon’s focus is only on her, every time Mina is in the room she can’t look away. 

Nayeon is not shy. She’s never been. She’s comfortable around people, good at reading a room, good at stepping into a conversation. But with Mina it’s completely different, she feels nervous, hesitant. It wasn’t even a product of their first meeting, to be honest whenever she thought about meeting Mina, talking to her, she felt this nervousness at the pit of her stomach.

There were multiple moments where Nayeon had the opportunity to get closer, to strike a conversation with her, but she never did. The moment stretched too long, and then Mina walked away. And Nayeon lost the opportunity yet again. 

Mina is always quiet. Composed. She doesn’t stay after panels, doesn’t make small talk with strangers. Even when she laughs, it feels contained, private, like it’s not meant to be shared. A quietness that Nayeon feels drawn to, time after time. It only makes Nayeon want to understand her more.

At panels, Mina answers questions with elegance and like she rehearsed that same answer over and over again. Her voice is always calm and measured, her smile warming. Outside of the formal events, it’s even more noticeable.

She nods politely if someone greets her, but rarely initiates anything. People don’t seem to bother her much, perhaps thinking the same as Nayeon, that she would rather not bother her. The only people that seem eager to approach her are the ones that already seem familiar with her.

Nayeon tells herself that her curiosity is normal. She’s admired Mina’s work for years and this would be the first time she has seen her in person, the first time she’s even remotely close to the director.

But it’s also frustrating. Nayeon wants to talk to her, not just as a fan but as someone genuinely interested in her work. She wants to talk to her about her work, about her life, anything and everything. 

Mina is her inspiration after all, and she hoped that this might be an opportunity for her to get closer, get to know her as a person. As much as she knows how much of a private person Mina is, she can’t help but to hope.

She had just finished watching another panel of Mina’s when Minho poked her in the arm. “I hear she’s attending a fan Q&A after this panel.” He smiled. “You should go, they always answer as many fans as possible.” 

Nayeon scoffed, feeling a little shy that he noticed her admiration for Mina. “It’s fine, I saw her around a couple of times. I feel like other people would have more interesting questions.” She left out the part where she felt a little too nervous about Mina noticing her at all. He didn’t know that they ran into each other backstage either. 

“Nonsense.” He rolled his eyes. “Did you get the chance to talk to her?” He wondered, making conversation. Nayeon immediately thought about the meeting they had backstage, but she quickly buried it deep inside her thoughts.

Nayeon shook her head. “No. Not yet.” She admitted, her voice soft. “I was going to… a few times, actually. But I don’t know. She just has this presence about her. It’s not intimidating, exactly.” She pause. “I just second guess myself every time, like I’d be interrupting her. I guess I get shy.”

Minho gave her a curious look. “You? Getting shy? I haven’t known you for that long, but you are very outgoing, you talked to everyone like they were old friends of yours, even if you just met them.”

She let out a small laugh, almost embarrassed. “Yeah, well. It’s different, it’s work related. I have to be outgoing, I can’t be shy about this sort of thing. With Mina, it’s something else entirely. Admiration, I guess...”

“You really like her.” He said, not teasing, just pointing it out. “Or her work… Either way, you do, I can tell.” He shrugged.

“I admire her.” Nayeon nodded. “A lot. I’ve followed her work for years, but seeing her here, in person, it’s not exactly what I expected, but at the same time it’s not just that.” She sighed. “ She’s quieter. Harder to read. It makes me want to understand her even more. And at the same time I don’t want to cross a line. You know? I don’t want to bother her.”

Minho nodded, thoughtful. “I talked to her once. Briefly.” He smiled, like it was a good memory. Nayeon wondered if there was a single person in that festival that didn’t like Mina’s work. It sounded unlikely.

Nayeon’s eyes widened slightly. “You did? When?” She wondered, curious. She knew there were plenty of people in the studio that had worked with directors before and by the way he had talked about her earlier, it sounded like he had met Mina before. But she wasn’t too sure about it.

He shrugged. “Yeah, just something quick, a panel from a couple of years back. I was working closely with the interviewer, so he introduced us. It wasn’t long. She was nice, really polite, and even smiled a little. But she was very quiet, collected. Like she was watching the room even while we talked. It kind of felt like she was somewhere else in her head, not in a bad way.”

Nayeon listened closely. “That’s how she seems all the time to me.” She paused for a second “She seems very private, and deep into her own thoughts.”

“Exactly.” Minho agreed. “Not cold, just private. Like she has this world inside her that she doesn’t let many people into, I can respect that to be honest. But she was nice, I really can’t say she was rude or anything like that, and I know most people have similar experiences.”

Nayeon nodded slowly, her gaze drifting again as if she might spot Mina going through the crowd. “I’ve been trying to find the right moment to talk to her, but every time I get close to it I feel like I’m overstepping.” She admitted. 

Minho shook his head. “You shouldn’t worry about that, the next time you get the chance you should approach her, she’s very nice.” He tried encouraging her, which Nayeon did appreciate. 

She smiled at him. Nayeon wished she was as bold with Mina as she is when it comes to talking to quite literally anyone else. She never had any problem with approaching anyone, she has never felt shy about it either so this is completely new to her. 

Yet, everything she learned about Mina. Every time she sees anything about her, anytime she talks to anyone about her. It just makes her more curious, talking with Minho about her didn’t help with that either. 

After attending Cannes for so many days, learning so much more about her work field and everything related to it, she can’t help but hope for one day to work with Mina. Maybe then she would have the courage to actually befriend her, talk to her. She would have to, and Nayeon is nothing but serious when it comes to her work. 

She imagines what that would even be like, working with someone she’s looked up to for so long. It wouldn’t be easy, she knows that. Mina still has a reputation for being very particular about her films. She has her demands, and Nayeon would have no issue with following them. She wouldn’t mind the long hours, the revisions, the details. She’d thrive in it.

If anything, she feels like she’d learn more from one project with Mina than a hundred panels or masterclasses. And the more time passes, the more she’s sure about her career, about what she wants from it. And how she made the right choice when she picked this.

The industry is full of distractions, of people looking only for success, for fame, but Nayeon isn’t here for any of that. She wants to make work that matters. She wants to be around people who make her feel something. Who pushes her. Inspire her.

And Mina provides her exactly that. Everything about her, the way she speaks, the way she works, her moving, it all makes Nayeon want to become better. Not just professionally, but creatively. Emotionally. She wants to be the kind of person who understands why silence can say more than dialogue. How a scene can change an entire movie.

Maybe one day, she’ll be able to prove herself to everyone. Work on something she will be proud of, something that will make numbers because it’s good, something that will touch people’s hearts.

The thought alone makes Nayeon feel even more sure in her decision. She used to worry about whether she had what it took to stay in this industry, whether she was good enough, smart enough, driven enough. She has always wanted this, at the same time wondering if she had what it took.

But not anymore. Being here, being near people like Mina, has changed that. The uncertainty left her, even more so after this experience. She wants to be a part of this world. And maybe, someday, she won’t be just another girl in the room watching Mina from across the space. Maybe she’ll be standing beside her, working together, no longer nervous or uncertain. 

On the last day of Cannes Nayeon felt a little down. This has been the experience she has waited for her whole life, and while she knows she’ll be able to attend the upcoming years, she doesn’t want this to end either. She feels almost nostalgic about it already. 

“Are you excited to head back home?” Minho wondered. “Today is our last day here.” He looked around, while the place still had a lot of people, it wasn’t nearly as many as the first day. 

“Not really.” Nayeon laughed. “I do miss home, but being here is completely different. I like it, I don’t really want it to end.” She was honest, making Minho laugh. 

“Did you get the chance to talk to Mina?” He wondered. Nayeon made a face that made him laugh even harder. “Why not?” He questioned, crossing his arms. “This was your best opportunity, I have no clue when we’ll see her again.” 

“Have you ever seen her outside the festival?” Nayeon wondered, she hasn’t been working at her studio for long enough to know. 

“Sometimes.” He nodded. “But it’s well known that Mina avoids the press as much as she can, and that includes most events. She attends a few whenever her studio demands her to, for the rest of them she just avoids it.” He shrugged. “You have to be a little lucky to catch her at an event.” 

“Oh yeah.” Nayeon sighed. She knew that about Mina, that’s why she was kind of hoping that Cannes would be her opportunity to talk to her. “I’m not even sure if I’ll attend other events myself.” She was honest. 

“That’s why you should use this opportunity.” He bumped her shoulder. “You don’t even know when you’ll get the chance again, it might be months from now.” He pointed it out. 

That’s something Nayeon had thought about as well. Maybe the next time she sees Mina is only next year at Cannes again. She really shouldn’t let this opportunity slip. She told herself that if she saw Mina today, and she looked available, she would approach her, putting aside all her nervousness and shyness.

She knew it was easier said than done, still, she was determined. Nayeon has waited for this opportunity for a long time, and having Mina so close to her felt unreal, she was still having a hard time grasping the idea, even if they already bumped into each other, even if she already had the chance to talk to her.

By the time Cannes was over, Nayeon still hadn’t spoken to Mina. She had imagined so many ways it could happen, bumping into her on the main floor, sitting beside her by chance during a smaller panel, even just sharing an elevator, but none of those imagined moments happened. And when they almost did, she hesitated. Again and again.

It’s not that she didn’t have chances. She had a few, actually. But something always stopped her. Mina always seemed just out of reach, close enough to see every detail, but never something she could touch. Or at least didn’t have the courage to do so. On the last day, when she finally gathered the courage, she only saw her from afar. 

It felt a little unfortunate, she thought of ways she could maybe approach her, but the entire time Mina was surrounded by people, or she didn’t look approachable at all. Nayeon likes to think that in other situations she would have approached her. 

Still, she doesn’t dwell on it, at least she tries not to. She throws herself back into work the moment she returns home. Resume her projects, catch up with emails. She meets with producers, helps in any way she can around the studio. Anything to keep her busy.

Still, there are times where thinking about her is inevitable. She remembers the way Mina spoke during the panels. She remembers her answers word for word, like it happened just a few minutes ago. 

Sometimes, late at night, Nayeon catches herself wondering what it would’ve felt like to just ask something. Anything. To hear Mina answer her directly. Talking to her, having just a normal conversation. Something completely different from all the panels she did. 

Not talking to her isn’t exactly a regret, it’s more like a quiet hope. She doesn’t let herself think about it too often, about how close she was at times, about their encounter backstage. About the opportunities she missed.

But maybe one day, they’ll meet again. Not in the same setting as Cannes, with Mina presenting a panel and Nayeon helping. Or randomly running into her on the floor and not wanting to interrupt something.

She imagines sometimes what it would be like to sit across from Mina at a creative table, working together. She wonders if Mina would remember her at all. Parts of her hope that she doesn’t, she wants a new chance at impressing her. She wants Mina to like her for her work.

But the truth is, that still feels so far away. Her studio is small, while Mina works at one of the biggest. Mina is established. She has a name, she doesn’t need to prove herself. The people she works with are award winners, famous writers, people whose names carry a weight. And Nayeon is still just starting, trying to build a name for herself.

And because of that Nayeon keeps going,  keeps working and doing her best. She’s constantly working, not only in the studio but on her own side projects as well. And even though a status like Mina’s feels so far away, she believes that every step she takes might bring her closer.

Nayeon doesn’t exactly look for fame, she just wants people to recognize her for her hard work. She wants to impress the people she always looked up to, she wants Mina to see that her work made a difference in someone’s life. In this case, Nayeon’s. 

Chapter Text

Nayeon’s life was supposed to return to normal after Cannes. She planned on resuming her projects and moving on with her life, continuing to chase her goals, and move forward with her career. She felt inspired, excited. Attending an event like that only made her even happier about her career.

Still, one thing remained on the back of her mind. Mina. Saying that the director changed her life sounded a little dramatic, but truthfully that’s how Nayeon felt. Her entire career was being inspired by her, and after seeing her so up close, she can’t deny that the feeling was stronger. 

Nayeon didn’t think that would change any time soon, and she didn’t mind it either. One thing she noticed on her first week back was that her projects had gained a new light, she learned a lot with the festival and she was starting to show it on her projects. 

Her studio seemed happy with her as well. Nayeon could notice that they trusted her more, they were assigning her to bigger projects, more important ones, even if she remained just an intern. She knew it was only a matter of time before she moved up in her career or some other studio invited her to work for them. At least that’s what she was hoping for, working towards. 

What she could also notice was that the studio gained a lot more visibility after Cannes. Maybe it was the panel with Mina, or all the other things they did that. Nayeon could only observe from afar, but she could see that they were working with new people every single day, more important clients, bigger projects. 

It was a few weeks after Cannes when Nayeon noticed something was going on at the studio. The day started off normal, she arrived early, went directly to the coffee station. What she immediately noticed was the people whispering, looking around the office to make sure no one noticed. Except everyone was doing it. 

Nayeon frowned, she wasn’t exactly the first one to hear news, being just an intern she was usually the last one to hear any major news. The times that she heard something early were rare. 

She was curious though, and like every other person in the office, she tried her best to get the information, but all she learned was that they might be working with a high profile studio. Which was exciting, though it didn’t explain why they were talking about it so much. 

Over the next few days Nayeon watched as countless meetings took place in the office. She would see high profile people coming in and out, and for some reason those faces looked somewhat familiar, even if Nayeon couldn’t exactly pinpoint why. She would only find out the real reason for such commotion days later, after she felt like everyone in the office was caught up except for her. 

The project was a little more secretive than others Nayeon had experienced. At the same time that everyone in the office knew something was happening, only the people that was actually going to work on it knew the details, and they weren’t being very open about it, talking about it. 

To be fair, it made sense. Whenever they worked with a higher profile studio, which wasn’t often, they would treat it a little more seriously. Nayeon had been curious if it was someone they worked with before, if it was a collaboration or just someone agreeing to make a project with their studio. 

When she was called for a meeting on a Wednesday morning to talk about helping with a project, Nayeon had no idea what was coming for her. If she knew, maybe she would've prepared herself more for the news.

She wasn’t the only one in the meeting, and she didn’t look like the only one that was confused either. Everyone was gossiping to each other wondering what was this about, and Nayeon just felt lost. Curious. But what caught Nayeon’s attention the most is that even though this looked like an important meeting, it was only her and a few other coworkers. 

Usually in big projects like this more people were involved. She knew there were some people in the office that were aware of it already, still, this felt different, nothing like any projects Nayeon had been a part of so far. 

“People.” Her boss walked in the room, his tone strong, straight to the point. “I don’t really have the time to sit around here and talk to you for too long, I’m sure you all noticed lately that things have been a little hectic and if you’re here right now there’s a reason for it.”

Nayeon’s heart dropped. Right now she felt like she was about to get fired, everyone around her seemed scared as well, all looking at each other with panic in their eyes. But what was weirder to Nayeon was that these were good workers, people that got praised daily. Including herself. She thought she was doing a good job, why would they fire her. 

“We have been preparing to start a new project-” He was interrupted by the door opening and someone walking in, someone Nayeon recognized. She remembers seeing her with Mina at Cannes. It was Mina’s manager.

Her jaw dropped, after that it was hard to pay attention to what her boss was saying. He introduced her to everyone, Jihyo. Announcing that they would be working together with Mina’s studio right after. Honestly Nayeon only picked up a few words here and there, she tried her best to pay attention, but the idea of working with Mina made her feel euphoric. 

It was hard for her to sit still, hard to hide the smile on her face. Her boss talked about the project with Jihyo, apparently after Cannes he tried his best to get in contact with them in order to work together, and it paid off. Working with a big studio like Mina’s would do wonders for them. It would put the studio on the map.

“Nayeon.” She finally stopped thinking and started listening to him instead. “We see your potential and we believe in you. Jihyo will talk to you after the meeting, you were assigned to be Mina’s assistant on set.”

She almost choked on air. Nayeon stared at him for a second, wondering if she actually heard him right, but when Jihyo smiled at her she immediately knew. Still, it was hard to believe this was really happening. She would be working side to side with the person she looked up to for years. 

The next few days were a blur of information and preparation. She had been in contact with Mina’s manager and the studio staff, though she hadn’t met her yet. Honestly, she felt nervous. Just as nervous as she was during Cannes. The idea of meeting Mina and actually working with her sounded insane, even after some time passed. 

Nayeon tried her best to focus on everything going on, but she’d often find herself daydreaming about meeting Mina. About actually working besides her. Still, nothing prepared her for the day it actually happened. 

It had been around 5 days since Nayeon heard the news. By that point, they were already preparing everything. She would be meeting Mina at her studio with the rest of the staff to go over a few more details before recording started. Going over the script, meeting the actors, stuff that by now Nayeon was getting used to. 

This project was actually something Nayeon was working on before as well, her studio had started it before offering to Mina’s to do it conjoined between the studios, which made her very familiar with it. Everything about this made her look forward to things actually starting. 

Nayeon walked into the office that day feeling ready. She wasn’t going to sabotage herself this time around, she felt ready to meet Mina, and looked forward to it. She did her best to not obsess over it, not thinking about it too much.

It didn’t take too long for people to start arriving. Jihyo walked in, Mina standing next to her. Even from a distance, Nayeon could tell she was focused, posture straight, expression calm but unreadable. They walked into the office, Nayeon only entered once her boss arrived as well. 

She kept her distance, trying to find an opening to talk to her. Maybe her boss introducing them, or just a moment where things were a little calmer. But as soon as Jihyo spotted her, she called her over. And Nayeon wasted no time before going over.

“Mina, this is Nayeon. She's going to be your assistant on set for this project” Mina looked up, her eyes landing on Nayeon. She didn’t really smile, her face remained neutral. But not in a cold, mean way. Just normal.

Mina extended her hand, still being polite. “Nice to meet you, I’m Mina.” Her voice was soft, Nayeon could notice her lips tugging up slightly. 

Nayeon quickly took her hand, she didn’t mind how serious Mina seemed. She kind of expected it already. “Nice to meet you too. I’m excited to work with you. I’m a big fan of your work.” She confessed.

She finally opened a small, almost shy smile. “Thank you. I appreciate that.” Mina cleaned her throat, glancing at the script, flipping some pages. “We’ll be starting rehearsals tomorrow. I’ll need you to track any script changes, make sure everything is in place before we start, handle communication with the production team and anything else I might need, is that okay?” She looked up back at her.

Nayeon nodded, ready to work on anything Mina might need. “Yes, I can definitely do that.” She waited for any further instructions from Mina, but she just seemed a little distracted with the script.

There was a short silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Nayeon shifted her weight from one foot to the other, wishing she could think of something better to say, now that they were introduced, she wanted to keep the conversation going. Though at the same time she didn’t want to just say anything. 

Mina was distracted enough as well, reading through the script, not bothering to fill the silence between them. Nayeon watched her carefully, her expression completely neutral. “Have you read the latest version of the script?” Mina finally spoke.

“Yes.” Nayeon nodded. “A couple of times actually.” She admitted, hoping Mina wouldn’t find her weird for it.

Mina looked at her for a second, studying her face. Nayeon looked away. “Good. Keep an eye out for me and if anything looks weird don’t hesitate to tell me. 

“Of course.” She agreed. “Let me know if you need anything.” Nayeon wanted to make sure Mina knew that if she needed anything, she was there to help. 

Silence was about to fall on them again when someone across the room called for Mina. “Jihyo will send you the schedule later and anything else you might need.” She gave her a final nod, walking away. 

Nayeon stood there for a beat longer, thinking about the interaction. She could feel her heart beating strongly inside her chest, she was doing her best to not overthink what she said or the whole interaction itself. 

She has no idea how she’s going to survive being Mina’s assistant without embarrassing herself, or worse, letting her down. Nayeon truly cares about her position and she wants to do a good job, she wants to leave a good impression with Mina. 

If she’s being completely honest, their first interaction wasn’t at all what she thought it would be. She knows Mina isn’t the most open person, and she hopes that this will change with time. Nayeon felt a little shy herself, she wished she spoke more, tried making conversation with her. But at the same time they’re there for work, so she understands Mina’s professionalism. 

They didn’t talk a lot during that meeting. They sat next to each other for some time, but Mina would only speak to her when it was absolutely necessary, and Nayeon didn’t want to bother her. Not to mention that even after already meeting her, she still felt starstruck, still felt shy. 

As the days passed, Nayeon could tell it wouldn’t be hard at all to work with Mina. She was very clear whenever she needed something, she was honest, focused and extremely professional. Nayeon could tell she wasn’t much of a talker. The only person she would talk a lot to was Jihyo.

While Nayeon was aware of that, she was kind of hoping that Mina would quickly open up to her. Everyone talks about how Mina is a little closed off and that despite that, she is very nice, though not the most talkative. Nayeon hoped that this wouldn’t be the case with her. 

The set was alive with movement. Crew members adjusting lights, cameras being wheeled into place, actors running lines in the corner. Nayeon watched as everything came into place, excited for the first day of actual recording. So far they have been preparing for everything, but now things felt a lot more real.

She stood near the monitors, headset on, clutching a clipboard filled with notes. She looked around the set, trying to find Mina to join her. Ready to help. Her head immediately snapped towards her when she saw Mina walking into the set, script in hand, eyes scanning the pages as if she’s memorizing every detail before shooting begins. “Did the props team finish setting the table for scene three?” She stood next to Nayeon, finding her and not the other way around.

“Yes.” Nayeon quickly answered, looking at Mina despite her not doing the same. “I checked about fifteen minutes ago and everything looks good.” She reassured her. 

Mina finally looked at her, giving her a nod of approval. “Good. Please keep double checking before each take. One wrong detail, and we’ll have to reshoot. I want to avoid that to the best of our abilities.”

“Got it.” Nayeon nodded, writing it down on her notes as well, even though she was sure she wouldn’t forget it. “I’ll make sure nothing’s out of place.” They stood there for a moment, watching the crew work. 

Nayeon glanced at Mina, wanting to say something more. She was still trying hard to make more conversation with her, while respecting her boundaries. At the same time she felt hesitant. “Are you okay with the lighting setup for scene one? I heard it was suggested to adjust it.”

Mina tilts her head slightly, looking curious. “You heard that?” Her tone wasn’t accusatory, just amused.

Nayeon looked down, avoiding eye contact with her. “I was… standing close.” 

Mina smiled, which made Nayeon feel proud of herself. “You have good ears.” She laughed. “Yes, I asked for a warmer tone. It fits the mood better. 

Nayeon nods quickly, a little proud she caught on. “Makes sense. It’ll make the actors look softer on camera, a complete change from before.” 

Mina paused, studying her for a second. “Exactly.” She nods, a smile on the corner of her mouth. “Stay close today. If I need something I’ll signal you.” Mina straightened her posture, glancing at Nayeon again before walking away.

Nayeon smiled back at her, feeling that Mina was warming up to her. “Right, yes. I’ll be right here.” 

Mina smiled at her once again before turning back toward the set, her expression calm but with the faintest curve at the corner of her lips. Nayeon exhales, already feeling that today might be the start of them finding a rhythm.

And she was right, the more they spent time together the more Mina began to open up to her. It was small things, her saying ‘Good morning’ first. Approaching Nayeon with random conversation about the project instead of only talking to her when it was strictly necessary. 

She would share more of her opinions, her choices. Why she was doing what she was doing, and just going into a lot more details. Not being brief, actually engaging in conversations with Nayeon.

Nayeon on the other hand loved it. She loved learning more about Mina’s thought process, why she chose the things she did. The thought behind it, why she was doing things in a certain way and not another. Nayeon always asked questions, wanting to keep Mina talking, wanting to learn more about how she worked. 

She truly felt like she was beginning to learn more. Her fascination for her growing as well. Before this started she was already so interested in Mina, and that interest is not going away, it’s only growing. Nayeon felt incredibly lucky to be in this position and to actually be able to learn a lot from Mina.

It seems that Mina was more than willing to teach her everything too, the more questions Nayeon asked, the last she needed to. As the days passed, she would elaborate more and more on her decisions. Walking her through every single step. 

By the second week, she realized that all Mina needed in the beginning was a little push. Was someone starting the conversation, asking questions. Nayeon can’t deny that she was a little shy in the beginning as well, which didn’t make things easy. But now things have changed. She’s not scared of talking to her, saying her opinion. And Mina listens to everything she has to say. 

Nayeon had lost count of how many hours they’d spent together. From the moment she arrived on set to the moment they wrapped for the day, she was always somewhere within Mina’s line of sigh. Sometimes right beside her, sometimes just a step behind.

She noticed that things began to change somewhere in the middle of the long shooting days, rushed coffee breaks, and in between checking the set. Not only was Mina talking to her, asking her opinion. She was now making small, unexpected jokes that caught Nayeon off guard.

It started on Tuesday morning. Mina had been flipping through the script when she glanced over to Nayeon’s extended hand, holding a water bottle. Her tone was almost completely serious before she smiled. “Are these those cheap water bottles they have for the staff or the good ones they save for the actors?” She joked.

Nayeon laughed, they had a conversation about one of the new staff buying water outside the studio just the other day. “The good one. I’d never risk giving you the cheap one, that’s how assistants get fired.”

Mina laughed, making Nayeon smile right after. “Exactly. You’re learning, very good.” She praised her.

By Thursday, Mina was openly joking with her in between takes. That afternoon, Nayeon caught a continuity error just before they were about to shoot. It was something simple, that only happened because of something else they recently changed on the script.

Mina read it again once, twice. “Careful. If you keep catching all my mistakes before I do, I’ll have to put you in the director’s chair.” She smiled, changing the script. “Thank you for keeping an eye out, I didn’t have the time to reread after we changed that thing.” She confessed.

Nayeon waved her off. “Don’t worry, that’s what I’m here for. And maybe in the future, for this project I’ll leave the director chair to you.” She smirked, making Mina laugh. The type of genuine laugh she only started giving her recently. 

And then there were the quieter moments between them, like when they were watching playback together and Mina leaned closer, lowering her voice so only Nayeon could hear. “Watch the way he picks up the glass. That’s the third take in a row he’s done it differently.”

Nayeon leaned in. “You’re right. It’s the kind of thing no one will notice until it’s too late.” She cleaned her throat. The proximity between them caught her off guard. Though she didn’t mind it, it was nice having her this close.

Mina’s way of speaking to her now was different from how she spoke to anyone else on set. With the crew, she was polite, professional, always to the point. With Nayeon, her voice softened. There was patience there, and something almost like trust. That made Nayeon relax too. The nervous energy that she had in the beginning is now fully gone. 

They still had a lot of work ahead, but now, when Nayeon walked onto set in the morning and saw Mina already there, she didn’t feel shy or intimidated. She felt at ease. Happy. Eager to go over and talk to her. 

But of course their growing connection didn’t go unnoticed. People started noticing Mina spoke more to Nayeon, smiled at her more. Her tone would completely shift when she was speaking to a staff member and when she was speaking to Nayeon. It was hard to miss. 

It made sense, they were closer, more familiar with each other. Nayeon had a completely different dynamic with Mina now, and she couldn’t deny how much she liked it. It was something she was looking for from the beginning, and now she can’t help but enjoy it. 

Chapter Text

“Good morning, Mrs. Nayeon.” 

Nayeon immediately turned around and waved to the delivery guy. Greeting the production team that was standing right next to him right after. All while walking a familiar path, two coffees in her hand and people smiling at her as she walked by. 

All of it felt so familiar she couldn’t help but feel happy. She walked by the actors rehearsing, the production team working on the scenario, people making phone calls, walking from one end of the studio to the other. Everyone was so busy to make sure filming continued to go as smoothly as possible. 

She knocked a couple of times on the familiar door before walking in, even if she didn’t get any answer back. As usual, Mina sat with her laptop on her lap, her phone on the other hand. Somehow Nayeon knew exactly what that meant. “What’s wrong?” She immediately asked, placing her pulse on top of the table and handing Mina her coffee. 

“What do you mean ‘what’s wrong’? Nothing is wrong… I’m just going over the script.” She continued to frown, still staring at her laptop. Nayeon sat next to her, thighs touching. The minute she landed eyes on her monitor she sighed.

“Again, Mina?” Her tone was almost scolding. “We went over this so many times already, I thought you were happy with the results the last time.” Nayeon understood she was a perfectionist, but this feels more like obsession. 

“You don’t rush perfection.” Mina rolled her eyes. “Yesterday I thought it was good, then this morning when I read it again I thought to myself ‘Wow, this is the worst thing ever’ so now I’m fixing it.” She shrugged, ignoring the fact that Nayeon rolled her eyes at her. 

“Did you talk to the writer about it? Maybe she can help you.” Nayeon felt like they were running out of options. Though they had time, this scene wouldn’t be recorded until next week, still, she knows Mina likes to have things ready way ahead. 

It’s been only a couple of weeks since they’ve been working together, but Nayeon already feels like she knows Mina very well. Or at least well enough for them to work great together. She could have never imagined that one day they would be this close. 

Even in her wildest dreams, she never had this. Being so close to her that she can simply walk into her trailer without announcing herself or waiting for Mina to come to the door to answer. Even the mere fact that they’re working together at all, while she hoped it would happen, she didn’t imagine it would be so soon. 

Mina is aware of that. After Nayeon grew comfortable with her it’s like she started talking and never stopped. She told her almost everything, and that included everything that happened at Canned, which did grant Mina making fun of her for being so shy, but she didn’t mind it. Mina did reassure her that it would have been more than okay if Nayeon had approached her and tried talking to her. 

Nayeon realized that while Mina looks unapproachable, and that sometimes she looks like she’s really not enjoying her time, or that she’s deep into her own thoughts. She is nothing but nice, and even if she’s busy, she doesn’t mistreat anyone. 

Growing close with her was probably the best thing that has happened in the past few months, and it’s right up there with getting such an amazing job opportunity. Nayeon has been learning a lot as well. 

“Did you work on that script you showed me the other day?” Mina wondered, finally closing the laptop in front of her and accepting that this might be good as it is, maybe she should focus on other things as well.

“Well…” Nayeon scratched the back of her head, awkwardly smiling. “I haven’t really had the time, if I'm being honest.” It took a lot of courage to actually show Mina something she was working on, and now Mina seems actually invested in it. Which is something she likes, but at the same time, she feels a little shy about it. 

Mina nodded, but didn’t say anything, she didn’t have to. She wasn’t pushing Nayeon for it, she knew very well that they were very busy these days, and Nayeon already knew better than to take her silence as something bad. 

She has voiced out already how much she enjoys working with Nayeon and how talented she thinks Nayeon is. It most definitely made her blush when Mina first said it, but she was glad that she did. 

Truth is, the first day working with Nayeon, Mina could already tell how talented she was. She has eyes for this sort of thing, and she can immediately tell when someone is going to be good to work with and someone is going to cause her a lot of trouble.

With Nayeon it was no different, even when they first met, when she still felt a little shy to say things, to give her opinion. Whenever Mina heard her saying something, suggesting something, it was something she agreed with. They worked well together, had the same vision. Later Mina would learn that Nayeon was a fan, which to her only made things more fun. 

She can tell that Nayeon has a bright future ahead of her. Her studio was nice enough to give her a chance, which is really hard when you’re first beginning your career. They made a good choice, Mina knew she wouldn’t be working with her otherwise. At least not this well. 

“What’s on your mind?” Mina wondered when she noticed Nayeon was a little too quiet. It was something they picked up between them, whenever Mina was quiet, that was normal, but Nayeon quiet meant she was thinking about something. 

“Just thinking about how far I’ve come, I still have a hard time believing this is actually happening, you know?” Mina nodded, usually a sigh for her to elaborate, so she did. “This has been my dream for as long as I can remember, working on such a big project, working beside you. I never thought I would reach this point so fast, not even in my wildest dreams.”

Mina smiled, “You’re talented, Nayeon. You deserve to be here, even if you haven’t been in this industry for too long at all. Trust me, there’s a lot of people out there who made it big that didn’t have half the talent you do.”

Nayeon blushed, being praised by Mina was something she didn’t think would happen, ever. Even when they started working together. The beginning felt a little rocky, but now she can fully enjoy it. 

She’s fully aware that the road ahead of her won't be easy, that this is just the start. But Nayeon knows that she’s already way better than a lot of other people that have been in the industry for way longer. Her career is starting off well. 

“It makes me happy you think that.” Nayeon was sincere. “I think this is the best opportunity I could have gotten, even more so since it hasn’t been too long since I started working.” She paused, thinking. “I know part of it is luck, and the fact that I was in the right studio at the right time. But I plan on seizing this opportunity, enjoying it as much as I can. And doing a good job.”

”If it's worth anything.” Mina smiled. “I do think you’re doing a good job, and if you keep this up I am sure studios will be fighting over you soon enough. It’s hard to find people as good as you and as new in the industry as you are.” 

They stared at each other for a second before a knock on the door startled them. Jihyo walked in immediately after. “Recording starts soon, I figured you two would be here.” She sat next to them. “What are you talking about?”

”Nothing.” Mina was quick to answer. “Did you take a look at the script I sent you?” She wondered, changing the subject. Nayeon knew exactly why she didn’t want to tell Jihyo that they were talking about her and her career, Mina usually avoided any personal subjects unless she was talking directly to the person. 

“I did.” Jihyo nodded. “I told you it was fine the last time you sent it, I don’t know why you’re trying to change it again.” She rolled her eyes. Nayeon has gotten used to Jihyo as well, her playfulness around Mina, the way they treated each other. “Anyway, I just came here to tell you that recording starts soon, I need to go talk to production, you two don’t take too long.” She pointed towards them before getting up and leaving again. 

“Shall we head out?” Mina smiled, getting up and extending her hand for Nayeon to grab. 

The minute they stepped outside they could see how alive the place was. There were usually a lot of people working, regardless of the time, but when recording was about to start there was a lot of rushing around, making sure everything was ready and in place. 

They continued talking, heading to their position. Nayeon usually spent most of the day next to Mina, unless she needed her to do something else. They were blissfully unaware of the eyes following her until Mina sat in her chair. 

When Nayeon looked around she could see people staring at them. She ignored it, when it comes to Mina she knows people can be very curious, always speculating or observing her. 

She doesn’t know exactly when it started. Maybe their closeness has been more and more apparent, and besides Jihyo, no one is really close to her. Nayeon only realized the extent of things when she would walk by in the morning and people around her wouldn’t greet her anymore. All she heard was whispers. 

Sometimes she would hear her name, sometimes she would hear Mina's name. She wasn’t sure what it was all about, she just knew people were gossiping about Mina and her. Nayeon tried ignoring, knowing Mina is a very private person, and she most definitely would not like this.

She was just trying to preserve what they had. Still, with no clue what they were talking about, what the whispers were about. Their friendship, or even something more, she didn’t really care, she didn't mind it, but she knew Mina would. 

Everyone was well aware of how private Mina was, which only made her mad. People didn’t even have the decency to not talk about them, to mind their own business, it was the only thing bothering Nayeon. 

But once she noticed she did her best not to be so open about how close they were when they were around everyone else. She wouldn’t laugh as much, talk as much. And it didn’t take Nayeon too long to figure out that all the rumors about them were actually rumors about them being together.

She wanted to avoid things spreading even more than they already had. Nayeon was actually surprised that Jihyo didn’t mention anything to her or to Mina, because it was very obvious people were talking about that. 

The worst part is that they were baseless rumors. They were friends, nothing was happening between them. She hated that Mina wasn’t even allowed to befriend someone without people talking about it and making up rumors. She knew Mina was a closed off person, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t allowed to make friends. 

Nayeon was mature enough to ignore the eyes on her, to ignore the whispers, but that didn’t mean they didn’t bother her. At least Mina seemed oblivious about the whole thing, she would interact with her normally, she didn’t mention anything and as far as she could tell, she didn’t notice at all. 

For a couple of days she really thought she had things under control. Nayeon made sure not to be too touchy around Mina, not to laugh too loud, she tried keeping things as normal as possible, while trying not to increase the rumors about them.

She didn’t expect things to escalate, but when they did it was a disaster. Nayeon’s day started off as normal as any other. She got up, got dressed, ate breakfast. It wasn’t until she stopped at her usual coffee shop that she realized something was wrong.

Nayeon didn’t have time to check her phone until she was in line for the coffee. Only then did she see the amount of tabloids speculating about a romance starting between her and Mina. She almost gasped out loud. The claim was completely baseless. 

She went deeper, looking for what people were talking about them. She saw pictures of them laughing, drinking coffee together on set, things that were completely friendly, yet people were taking them out of context. 

Not only that, but they were eating it up. They were talking about them, making up stories, even rumors about them knowing each other for longer than they actually have. Pictures of them that Nayeon didn’t see anyone taking, moments they thought they were alone. A complete invasion of their privacy.

And the news didn’t even entertain the idea that they might be just friends, that it was a new developed friendship. They went straight for dating rumors. She was upset, mostly because she knew what this would do to Mina when she saw everything. 

Usually Nayeon wouldn’t mind people talking about her, gossiping, making up stories. She lived through that enough when she was younger, even if this is a much larger scale. Her only issue is that she knows Mina will hate this, which makes her hate it as well. 

Admittedly, she spent the whole time until she got to the studio checking what people were talking. The pictures looked cute, she will admit that. If someone showed those photos to her, and told her that they were a couple, without any context maybe she would believe so. Perhaps that’s why people were believing it as well. 

Knowing Mina wasn’t on social media, and probably wasn’t up to date with tabloids either. Nayeon didn’t know if she should tell her at all about what was happening. She was scared that it would ruin their friendship completely, that Mina would simply distance herself from her, over some rumors. 

She didn’t know Mina enough to know how she would react, to be completely honest. She just knew that she values her privacy more than anything, and as someone like that, she would most definitely hate people making dating rumors about her and talking about her even more so with nothing to back up their claims. 

Nayeon eventually decided not to say anything. The only problem was that people were really enjoying those rumors, which led to them talking more and more about it, which then led to news outlets talking about it, articles being written about them. 

She counted at least 3 that surfaced overnight. This was taking a much bigger proportion than she would have imagined, than she would have liked as well. Each article had new claims, each article claimed something more absurd than the last. 

That they were caught kissing on set, that they knew each other for years, that one of them admitted to actually be dating. At this point Nayeon didn’t really know what to do, this got completely out of hand and the next rumor about them was always more baseless than the last. 

That day when she arrived at Mina's trailer she immediately could tell that she saw everything. They were both silent, staring at each other. “I have no idea why these rumors started, and I know it’s not your fault.” Mina broke the silence between them. “But I do not approve of this, I do not enjoy this, I am talking to Jihyo to get all of this gone.”

Nayeon sighed, she could hear in Mina’s voice how upset she was with all of it. “I understand. I’m sorry this is happening. I know it's not our fault, but maybe I could have done something to prevent this.”

“It’s most definitely not our fault. And I’ve been in this industry for long enough to know that there’s nothing we could have done to prevent this from happening.” Mina closed her eyes. “I value my privacy more than anything, Nayeon.” She shook her head. “This will put me in the spotlight again, when I fought so hard to get out of it.”

Nayeon couldn’t help but to feel like it was partially her fault. Even if Mina claimed it wasn’t. She wished there was more she could do, more she could say. Right now she felt like her hands were tied. Maybe she should have cut the rumors off when they first started, she should have said something when she first heard them, now things are completely out of their control. 

Mina noticed her silence. “I really don’t blame you, please don’t blame yourself either. I don’t mind that the rumors are with you, you are not the problem at all. I just really hate when they talk about my personal life.” She sighed. 

Silence fell in the room again. Nayeon felt like an inconvenience in her life, and Mina didn’t feel good about people invading her private life. Now the past few days made a little more sense. The whispers, the people looking at her, she thought maybe she was overthinking things, but now she can see that she wasn’t. 

Mina took a deep breath, “It’s not our fault, again, these people love to meddle in anyone’s lives.”  Nayeon nodded, but didn’t say anything else, she knew Mina was trying to reassure her and she appreciated that. But she also didn’t have much to say at all. 

Thankfully they were interrupted by Jihyo, who didn’t even knock before walking in. “We should talk about this.” She sat down, pointing them to sit next to her. 

Honestly, Nayeon felt a little scared. But she knew Mina and Jihyo had experience with this. So she sat and listened, hoping that this would be solved soon. And willing to do anything to make sure these rumors go away soon.

Chapter Text

When Nayeon learned that she would be working with Mina she mostly imagined good things coming out of it. 

She was nervous, of course, hesitant. It would be her first time joining such a big project, her first time actually meeting the one person she has looked up to her entire career. Nayeon had high hopes, and she knew she would be able to do a good job, she had a lot of trust in herself. 

After the first few days Nayeon knew that this was walking towards one of her greatest projects. Working besides Mina, being so involved in everything, it was truly everything she had imagined. She looked forward to going to work, she worked after hours because she was enjoying everything a little too much. 

That was before everything went down. 

Nayeon sat in a little hidden corner, waiting for someone to call her so they would start shooting. A lot has changed in the past few days, a lot more than she would’ve liked to. She didn’t even have any control over it. 

While things were going really well, now it seems like it’s the complete opposite. Nayeon hates the fact that it was just one rumor, one article, one small thing that changed everything completely. Her routine, her work, her relationship with Mina.

Now she catches herself thinking if this was avoidable. If she didn’t ignore the beginning of the rumors, if she had stopped them before they got bigger, if she would be able to salvage what she had with Mina. If things wouldn’t have gotten ruined. 

She was so focused on scrolling through her phone that she didn’t even notice Jihyo sitting down next to her. The past few days had been weird, she didn’t want to avoid Mina, but she also wasn’t sure about how comfortable she felt around her. Whenever they interact things just feel a little off, even if neither of them have mentioned it. 

“Are you okay?” Nayeon was startled by Jihyo. “Sorry, I’ve been sitting here for a bit, I thought you noticed.” She offered her a sympathetic smile.

“Yes.” She smiled back, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m fine, just waiting for them to call us so we can start recording again.” Nayeon locked her phone, placing it back inside her pocket. 

“I wanted to talk to you.” Jihyo went straight to the point. They hadn’t talked so far, not one to one like this at least. “About everything that happened, you know. I’ve talked to Mina about it a lot, it’s been something we are dealing with but I never really talked to you. I wanted to know how you are. Things affect you and Mina differently, I’m sure you understand that.” 

Nayeon wasn’t quite sure what she meant by that, she knew Mina was a private person but the way Jihyo worded it sounded like she was mentioning something else entirely, something she didn’t really understand. “What do you mean?” She questioned, willing to listen to her. 

“I don’t want you to take this badly, I really don’t.” Jihyo sighed. “But you and Mina are at different points in your careers. Mina already has a very stable career, she can afford to have rumors like that about her, in fact, as much as she hates to admit, they sometimes can even be good for her.” She paused. “What I mean is that, for Mina, this won’t affect her career. She hates it, but it is because she’s a private person and she hates people talking about her personal life. Nothing else.” 

“Right…” Nayeon understood that, still, she had no idea what Jihyo was on about. She knew this was no big deal career wise, but she didn’t care about that. What she cared about was that Mina hated having her personal life out there like it’s happening right now. 

Jihyo realized that she didn’t really understand where she was getting at. So she was a little more straightforward with it. “You’re an intern, Nay. You’re still trying to make a name for yourself in this industry. And rumors about romance with the first big director you work with is the last thing you need. This could completely stain your reputation, this can ruin your career.” 

Nayeon paused, she never thought about it from this side. She was thinking so much about Mina that she didn’t take into consideration that her career was on the line as well. And Jihyo was right, she just hadn't seen it before.

She heard many stories before about people trying to make it, and ruining their change at their first shot. That was the last thing she wanted to do. She knew that this was her shot at making it big, proving herself, showing that she was of value. 

And rumors that she is dating Mina will only make people overlook the fact that she’s actually good, that she does a good job and genuinely deserves a chance. They’ll think that the only reason why she got the opportunities she did, was because Mina opened doors for her. Not because she earned it. 

Nayeon hated that. She worked really hard to get where she is, to even get the opportunity to work with Mina. And to think that her career might be over just because she befriended a director she looked up to was upsetting. 

It felt unfair, and it wasn’t even over the fact that Mina would never get the same treatment as her in the industry. It wasn’t because her career wouldn’t be affected as much as hers, but she thinks neither of them should be affected by it at all. 

At the end of the day, they’re still just rumors. There’s nothing to back up their allegations, and if something was actually going on between them, maybe she would feel guilty, maybe she would feel bad about it. But nothing is, they were always just rumors. It felt unfair for her future, her career, to be on the line over something they couldn’t even prove. 

Soon enough they were called over, but that the entire time this was the only thing on Nayeon’s mind. She tried her best to focus on work, to pretend like she was fine and nothing was happening. But it was hard.

Maybe before she didn’t quite phantom just how bad this situation was. How her career might be on the line now. She was mostly thinking about Mina and how this would affect her so she ended up overlooking the fact that it was her on the news as well. It was her people were talking about. 

It felt completely unfair. She likes Mina, she likes being friends with Mina. Her professional value shouldn’t be changed based on who she befriended. Who she became close with. Even more so because she’s working so closely with her, it would have been weird if they didn’t become friends. 

Nayeon was worried for the rest of the day. Things seemed normal enough but at the same time it felt like a storm was coming. She realizes now that this will most certainly have consequences, and she wasn’t looking forward to it. 

Everyone was pretending nothing was happening, Mina, the staff, the actors. While before there were rumors nonstop, now it seems that they don’t talk about it at all. Or at least not when she’s around. She can sense their eyes on her, but that has been happening for a while as well.

She only felt genuinely scared for her job when her boss called out for her as she was about to leave. Nayeon stopped in her tracks, waiting for him to catch up to her.  “Nayeon, would you be able to show up a little earlier tomorrow? We need to talk.” He was brief, there was no need to say anything more than that, she already knew what the talk was about. 

“Yes.” She nodded. “Of course. What time?” To be completely honest, she would much rather have this conversation now rather than waiting until tomorrow. But he didn’t seem to want that.

“Just get here 20 minutes before, it won’t take long.” He offered her a smile, though Nayeon could tell it was face. 

She sighed, nodding. Not waiting for him to say anything else before leaving. To say Nayeon dreaded this meeting would be an understatement. Countless excuses ran through her mind, hoping she would find something that worked just so she didn’t have to talk to him. 

She’s not looking forward to being scolded for bonding with the person she was assigned to be the assistant of. They should’ve expected that, they worked together all the time, talked to each other all day. It isn’t something so out of the ordinary. 

Nayeon knows that there were many things that led to those rumors, but it didn’t make the situation any better. It wasn’t like they got close with the goal of getting people to talk to them. It wasn’t like they planned it. It was just wrong for something like that to have so many consequences. Even more so when it happened unexpectedly. 

She spent the rest of the day thinking about everything. From the time she came home, to the time she went to sleep. Or tried to. Nayeon wondered if she would be scolded for ruining her own career, if they were going to fire her. She worried that she just threw it all away. Nothing made sense anymore.

The next morning Nayeon found herself sitting across from her boss in his makeshift office. She greeted him, sat down, and just waited for him to talk. She just wanted to get this over with, at this point she just felt tired.

Tired from overthinking this, tired of feeling like she ruined her career. Tired even over the fact that she genuinely enjoyed being friends with Mina, and that seemed to be ruined as well. Everything completely changed overnight, and it’s getting to her more and more. 

“I’m guessing you already know why I called this meeting.” He sighed, crossing his fingers on top of the desk. “I know this talk is a couple of days late, but it took us a time, as a studio, to really figure everything out and see how we would proceed with everything that has been happening.”

The way he spoke, almost made Nayeon think they would be proceeding with legal actions against everyone that was releasing false information on her. She knew Mina’s studio was in the process of doing that, maybe hers was too. 

“We’re really worried about how these rumors will affect the company.” 

The minute he said that, Nayeon started frowning. She thought they would be talking about her career, or how this would affect her, and her future, not exactly how this would affect the studio. She has read every article and every rumor she could, none of them mention her studio at all. 

“You know, this is our first chance at working with a big studio like Mina’s.” He took a deep breath. “It doesn’t exactly look good for us if the first time we do something like this one of our interns has a dating rumor with the director. It can ruin our reputation, make us look bad, and possibly ruin any future deals. We don’t want that, do we?” 

“We don’t.” She replied, though it sounded more like a question. 

“Right.” He nodded. “Exactly.” He avoided looking at her during the entire conversation. “This could completely ruin our chances to grow as a studio. This is the shot we need to make it big, and you wouldn’t do anything that would jeopardize it, right?” 

“I wouldn’t.” Nayeon agreed. What bothered her the most was how he was making it sound like all of this was her fault. Like she was the one to blame for everything. 

“That’s why I knew we needed to have this meeting. Clearly you have no ill intentions towards us. I know you don’t want to ruin this for our studio, after years this was our first shot and it’s to all of our best interest if things work out well, this will open a lot of doors for the studio.” He took a deep breath. “And of course, if you care about your career at all you will back off as well.” 

The last sentence left his mouth with a different tone, almost threatening, disguised as an advice, but that landed more like a warning. “What do you mean?” Nayeon was quick to reply, not really appreciating his tone. 

“I’m sure you’re more than aware how this could completely ruin your chances of making it big in the industry. And not only as your boss, but your friend as well.” He paused. “I would recommend taking a step back, not being as close to her, not engaging so much. Otherwise I would have to remove you from the project myself.” 

“What?!” Nayeon exclaimed. “What do you mean by getting me off the project? I’m her assistant, I didn’t do anything wrong.” She defended herself. 

“I know that!” He kept his tone, like he didn’t say anything absurd. “Like I said, It’s for your own good, Nayeon. You have an amazing, bright future ahead of you, just like our studio. I don’t think a small rumor should ruin it, that’s why if you don’t do anything about it, I will.” 

He didn’t extend the meeting for much longer. Nayeon left his office feeling defeated, like a truck just ran over her. If she was already having a hard time moving from this, now it’s ten times worse. 

She really doesn’t know what to do. She didn’t think anyone would put her in this position to choose between her career or her friendship with Mina, if that’s even a possibility yet. She feels stuck between two walls and no way to escape from in between them. 

Truly this is not a decision she wanted to make. She wishes so bad she wasn’t in this position in the first place. This is the career she has always wanted, the opportunity she always knew she deserved. 

She was living her dream, and now it all feels like a nightmare. She feels like there is no way to run, no way to make this work, to make this right. Whatever she chooses, it doesn’t sound like the best option. 

The worst part is to think that for a couple of weeks she had everything she has always wanted. An opportunity to show her skills, to work with a bigger studio, to work with the director she has always looked up to, and not only that, but to befriend her, to become close with her. Maybe it was all too good to be true, too good to last. 

It is completely unfair that she needs to make this choice in the first place. If she was anywhere else in her career, if she was any other role besides Mina’s assistant, this would probably be fine. She feels like she was caught at the wrong place, at the wrong time. 

Even more so because her and Mina are just friends, they were never anything more than that. How wrong is it for her to just be friends with someone. What she did was really that absurd to the point where her career is on the line? A career that has barely started? 

Truly, she feels lost, not knowing what to do. In her head it feels impossible to choose between her career, and to be close with Mina. Even if their relationship right now is a little rocky, she knows Mina doesn’t blame her, she knew that they could work it out eventually. 

But now she has to make a choice, either chase her, chase their relationship, their friendship. Or take a step back, and hope that these rumors don’t affect her career much, and don't jeopardize any future opportunities. 

To be completely honest, Nayeon feels lost. She feels like she needs some guidance, someone that has been in this industry for longer, that understands it better than she does. She lacks the experience she wished she had to make this decision, and right now the only person she can think of that might help her would be Mina. 

Maybe she has never been in this situation before, but she is on the other end and she has dealt with people meddling into her life other times before. She feels like the person that could help her. And at the same time she feels like she’s the only person she can’t talk to about it. 

There were many times before where Nayeon had to do something on her own, but she never felt this alone in a situation. Right now she feels like no one will help her, and no one has her back. 

She knows that this industry can be rough, it can be ruthless, and all the hardships she needs to go through on her own. Still, she feels completely alone in a situation that she didn’t need to feel like this. 

What makes her even more upset is the fact that she knows if she moves past these rumors she would have an amazing career ahead of her. She’s good at what she does, and people are starting to see it. 

This opportunity would look amazing in her resume, to be able to say she worked in a movie with Mina, and her studio. Nayeon would be able to grow in this industry even faster than she had imagined. 

It’s hard to grasp the idea that everything might be ruined right now. That she might not have the chance to grow and to evolve her career based on such a small thing, something that she didn’t even do. 

Nayeon knows she needs to figure everything out soon. Even more so when her career is on the line like this. Her future. At the same time, she wishes she could just close her eyes and pretend like everything is still fine. 

Just for one more night. 

Chapter Text

“Let’s take 5 minutes!” Mina yelled to the crew, sighing right after. 

She was frustrated. They’ve been recording for a couple of hours already, but nothing feels right. The scenes are off, the actors are off, even the staff. Mina is starting to think that the problem here might not be them. 

Mina looked to her side and noticed Nayeon wasn’t there anymore. That wasn’t a surprise, since everything went down she’s been acting more and more distant. Which she also can’t judge, because she feels herself pulling away as well. Things are weird, and she doesn’t think they’ll get back to normal anytime soon. If they do at all. 

It’s upsetting. Mina has been very upset. Jihyo has talked to her a lot about it and as much as she tries to not think about it so much, it’s inevitable. Even more so when she sees the consequences of it so many times throughout her day. 

When she gets to work, when she’s on her way home. It seems that no matter what she does, she can’t escape it. That’s what frustrates her the most, trying to detach her from everything happening but not being able to. Trying to move her life as normal but everything keeps her away from it. 

Slowly things seem to settle a little bit. She knows that it’s mostly because her studio threatened to sue anyone that kept talking about it, but that doesn’t mean the stares stopped completely. And that her private life went back to how it was before. 

The main issue with those types of rumors is that it opens a gate, and when it does, it’s hard to close it back up again. The last time this happened, the last time people were talking this much about her and were so interested in her life, it took months for it to go back to normal. 

It was months of people following her, paparazzi everywhere she went. Not being able to do something simple such as groceries shopping without someone writing an article about her. And now she’s back to it. That’s probably what annoys her the most. 

Not to mention how much Mina despises gossip and rumors. She thinks that even though she’s a public figure, she is entitled to her own private life, away from the spotlight. There’s already so much of her out there, she should be able to keep some things hidden from the public. 

She deserves to not have every single part of her life being talked about. Mina hates when people speculate about her personal life. Doesn’t matter if it’s something simple, or something completely out there. Some things are just hers, and she likes to keep it that way. 

And to be completely honest, her own life isn’t the only thing she worries about. There were two people involved in this, and after being so long in this industry, Mina is well aware of all the consequences a rumor can have. Both for her and for Nayeon. 

For her it is far less worrying. Her career is consolidated enough so she doesn’t have to worry about something like this. People will talk, her privacy will be invaded, and maybe she’ll lose a brand deal or two that she would normally get if she wasn’t involved in these rumors. 

But to be completely honest, it doesn’t affect Mina that much. She doesn’t need those brand deals, and her career is so stable that her studio will simply seek legal action after confirming with her that it wasn’t true, and that’s it. They’ll move on. They don’t care. 

She knows how unfair it is, the fact that just because Nayeon is an intern this affects her a lot more. If she was a director or simply just a staff member and not her assistant it would be a lot easier. That’s something else entirely that frustrates Mina a lot. 

That they don’t get seen as equals. That there’s different consequences to each of them, in a situation where there shouldn’t have any consequences at all. Everything said about them was a lie. 

“Why are you even quieter than usual?” Jihyo pointed at her salad, telling her to eat. But honestly, Mina wasn’t even hungry anymore. 

“You know why.” Mina didn’t have to elaborate much more, Jihyo knew her too well. Not only that, but they’ve talked about this a couple of times this week already. Now she doesn’t have anything new to say, so she’d just rather not say anything at all. 

“We’re doing everything we can from our side, you know?” Jihyo tried reassuring her. “Rumors have died down a lot, there are no more articles being made. And when it comes to social media we’re trying our best to keep the malicious comments as low as possible. But you know how it is.” 

Mina nodded. “I know, I know.” She sighed. “It’s just… I feel like right now the issue is closer?” She tried explaining herself. 

“What do you mean?” Jihyo looked confused. 

“We both know how bad this can be to her career.” Mina paused. “Some rumors made by people who don’t know either of us should not affect her career this much. Even less so when it just started. It makes me frustrated, mad. She didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t either. It’s unfair that we have to suffer the consequences of it.” 

Mina knew that the problem was in the industry. It was in the people who believed those rumors in the first place. And ever since everything happened she can see Nayeon pulling back more and more. Almost like she’s going back inside her shell. A shell that Mina didn’t even know existed. 

Nayeon used to be bright, happy. Outgoing, she knows everyone in the crew, and talked to all the staff. And even the actors, which some people are hesitant to try befriending. Not Nayeon, she talked to everyone like they were equals. 

Now Mina notices her talking less and less. Interacting less, being around less. It’s simply not fair for things to change this badly when they didn’t do anything wrong. They were friends, and even if they were something more. It shouldn’t have these consequences to her. 

The worst part is that Mina genuinely likes Nayeon. It’s not often that Mina befriends someone so easily. They’ve known each other for a relatively short time and she already felt so close to her. 

This sort of connection is rare for Mina to form. Mostly because she’s not the most outgoing and extroverted person, and people don’t really find her very approachable. But Nayeon did, Nayeon didn’t mind it. And they bonded a lot over the time they worked together. It upsets her that everything changed so quickly. 

It’s also extremely hard to form genuine connections in this industry. Even more so with the status that Mina has, being a situated director it’s often that people come to her out of interest only. Looking to grow their own career on top of Mina’s name or something along those lines. 

Mina understands it’s not easy, and whenever the person is genuine, like Nayeon, she’s more than happy to help, to guide them. She just hates getting used for that, when people do it out of interest only, and not admiration. For the fame, and not because they actually enjoy what they’re doing.  

That’s why she appreciated Nayeon so much, they instantly clicked and she could tell just how passionate she is. How she genuinely appreciates everything Mina has taught her and how she continuously learns. 

Which makes this much harder for Mina. The bond their share, it’s a bit hard to let go of it. She really does like the relationship she had with Nayeon and she would love to just pretend nothing happened and continue how things were. Move past that and just work on solving everything. 

But she knows she can. She knows her responsibility as the older one in this relationship, the more experienced one. This industry is ruthless, and Mina would never willingly ruin Nayeon’s career, or do anything to jeopardize it. 

She knows that staying close, trying to keep that relationship, can completely ruin Nayeon's career. A dating rumor with a director so early on makes people assume things, and therefore they’ll think twice, three times even before hiring Nayeon, before asking her to be part of a project. No matter how talented she is. 

They still have time to fix this, if this dies down, it won’t change much. Maybe her studio won’t be happy and they’ll punish her a little. But she still had a bright future ahead of her, she can move past this, make sure she has a good career. 

Mina can’t be selfish right now. She already made it, her career is more established than a lot of people out there. Not to mention that there were plenty of times where rumors were made about her, not only is she used to it, but her studio is as well. They deal with it differently, it doesn’t affect her career a whole lot. 

She has always been very responsible, and maybe since Nayeon is a bit newer to this world she doesn’t see the whole vision. But she does, and knowing the consequences this could have, she can’t allow this. 

Days have been a bit of blur to Mina if she’s being completely honest. She genuinely wanted to find some time to talk to Nayeon, clear up the air between them and maybe talk about how they shouldn’t act as close anymore. But the timing never felt right. 

She could tell she started to distance herself, and parts of her hoped that Nayeon wouldn’t notice as much. Things have already been weird between them and they only talk whenever it is absolutely necessary. 

But she can tell that Nayeon is still very confused, which is completely understandable. She can’t lie that she was expecting Nayeon to pull away very quickly. Even more so after her talk with both Jihyo and her boss. 

And while Mina can tell that something shifted, she can’t exactly tell where Nayeon stands right now. If she’s just waiting for things to die down, or if she plans on eventually trying to go back to how things were. She has no clue. 

Still, she is well aware of the conversations happening. Jihyo caught her up with their talk and how Nayeon seemed genuinely clueless that this could ruin her career. And on the same day Jihyo talked to Nayeon’s boss, thinking that maybe they had plans to let her go and she wanted to make sure they were on the same page. 

Nayeon’s boss knows how talented she is, and he had no plans of letting her go unless she presented herself as a threat to the company’s reputation. Which so far she didn’t, but he didn’t want things to escalate either. 

Mina doesn’t agree with the things he told her. If there’s anyone that should be showing her support right now is her studio. But at the same time she knows that the situation could be a lot worse, they could have just fired her, without her even getting a chance to speak up. 

Nayeon didn’t talk to her at all about what the meeting was about. Though she didn’t have to either. It was quite obvious what her boss had to say, regardless, she asked Jihyo about it. Mostly hoping that at least someone had Nayeon’s back right now. 

It wasn’t exactly surprising to find out that Nayeon’s studio was mostly concerned with their own reputation and how the rumors would affect them. While she knows her studio is seeking legal action, she expected Nayeon’s studio to at least try protecting her a little. Or at least guide her. 

But from what Jihyo told her, they didn’t care much for her, they just wanted to make sure she knew that not only her career was on the line, but if it backlashed more to the studio they would let go of her. 

That only made Mina sure about her decision. She cares a lot about Nayeon, more than she would like to admit. And for her own good, the only thing she can think of doing is distancing herself. That way she can protect everyone involved, and Nayeon still gets a chance to grow her career. 

Having made a decision doesn’t make things easier at all. Mina is not usually the type to overthink things and to be hesitant about a decision, but when it comes to Nayeon it seems that everything is not what she’s used to. 

It was hard to actually accept the decision she made. It was hard to actually do it, even if things had been off for a while now. Mina started avoiding any conversation with Nayeon that wasn’t absolutely necessary. 

She stopped asking her for coffee in the morning, or for her to go over the script one more time with her. Even if she made any changes. It didn’t take long for Nayeon to stop suggesting things to her as well, now she just reads them and doesn’t comment on anything. Something that took a particular toll on Mina.

But she knew deep down that this was for the best. They were both adults, they would get over it, move on. And eventually maybe they could try being friends again, maybe in another project. 

Mina knew that no matter where Nayeon’s career went, she would be a silent supporter of it. She would watch it, follow allow. All from afar, of course. Still, there to support her every move, helping with what she could while still maintaining a safe distance. All to make sure Nayeon got the opportunity she deserved. 

“I hate to mention.” Jihyo sat next to her. They were waiting for the staff to finish organizing everything so they could start recording. “But these days you’ve been looking more and more down. Also less approachable. I think the staff might start thinking you actually hate everyone.” 

“I don’t hate everyone.” Mina frowned, sighed. “I just look down because I am down.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t been feeling too well lately.” 

Jihyo nodded, pausing before saying the next words. “Is it because of a certain someone?” She wondered, even if she was almost sure of her answer. “I know you’re not too big on talking about your feelings, but you know I’m here whenever you do want to talk.” 

“I know.” Mina looked away. “And obviously it is.” She thought carefully about her next words. “It’s just a very frustrating situation and it makes me upset. And the worst part is that the one thing I know I have to do, it's the one thing I wish I wouldn’t do.” 

“Which would be?”

“Staying away.” Mina spoke like it was obvious. “I like working with her, truly. I think she’s brilliant, I think she has a very bright future ahead of her, and that’s why I can’t stay close. I can’t risk us ruining that.” 

“Are you sure this is about work?” Jihyo quickly wondered, and by the face Mina made she knew it was the wrong comment. “All I’m saying is, you seem more upset than usual. And I get it, but you’re usually not that… invested.” 

Mina shook her head and rolled her eyes. If there’s one thing she is passionate about it’s her work and anything that has to do with it. She loves her job, and being around Nayeon while doing it somehow made it even more enjoyable. She is allowed to be upset over losing that, it’s nothing crazy. 

Still, Mina thought about what Jihyo said for the rest of that day. Because she was right, normally she wouldn’t be this invested. Not only in relation to work, but while befriending someone in general. 

She’s not an awful person who doesn’t care about the people she interacts with daily or that doesn’t like her friends. But the truth is, no one has gotten this close to Mina in years. She wasn’t willing to go this far for someone in years. It was odd, and Jihyo was right. 

Only then did it become obvious to Mina what was happening here. 

Mina has only been actually in love one time in her life. She dated people, of course, but genuine love was only one person. In the beginning of her career. She was happy, things were good. Until they weren’t and she got her heart broken. 

It’s a while ago and truly, she doesn’t dwell on it anymore. But since then, love is always at the bottom of her priority list. Mina loves her work, her friends, her life. She hasn’t been in love in a while. 

The beginning of falling for someone, it’s almost completely new to her. It’s been so long, and at the same time that it’s like riding a bike, you still have to get the hang of it again before fully committing to it. And in this case, realizing it, admitting to herself. 

To be completely honest, it’s still hard. But Mina was never one to lie to herself, even when she wasn’t happy with her conclusion. Now, she knows she has to admit that she was starting to fall for Nayeon. 

It’s hard, because it’s scary, because she knows the implications of it. It makes sense why she was so upset, why everything hit so hard, and maybe she should’ve noticed before. Their situation remains the same. 

It only makes Mina even more sure about her decision to pull away, she knows she made the right choice of taking a step back and letting those rumors die. It’s good they stopped before things progressed any further, that way neither of them will leave this hurt. 

Upset, sure. It’s still an awful situation. But it could have escalated a lot further, Mina doesn’t know what could have happened, she doesn’t want to think about it either to be completely honest. 

Now all there is left for them to do is move on. Mina will still support her career, and will still cheer her on, from a safe distance. That’s how it has to be, that’s how it will be. And she hopes that Nayeon gets her chance to grow in this industry, because she deserves it. Truly. 

Chapter Text

Nayeon looked down at her phone. Checking the time before finally walking into the studio. She had been waiting outside for hours, not wanting to go in any sooner than she had to. There was no reason to do so. 

She put a smile on her face, the same fake one she has been wearing for the past week or so. Trying to pretend like everything was fine, like everything that happened didn’t affect her the slightest bit. Like she doesn’t get home and overthinks until she falls asleep. 

To be completely honest, she doesn’t even know if that smile is good enough to actually fool anyone. She doesn’t really care either. Things changed overnight and she knows she’s allowed to change as well. She just doesn’t want people thinking that what they did affected her this badly. And maybe if she fakes it for long enough, she’ll start believing it as well. 

There’s a few things that Nayeon noticed lately. First is that people are almost treating her with pity, or like she is fragile. They treat her like they know her deepest darkest secrets, and they feel bad that it’s out there. For the most part Nayeon doesn’t mind, these people don’t know her at all and it’s not like it’ll affect her future. 

But the reason why they are treating her like that upsets her the most out of everything that has happened. While things were a bit weird between her and Mina, they still had a conversation here and there. They still interacted somewhat often, their connection wasn’t completely gone. 

However, for the past week, that has completely changed. Mina is not acting as warm towards her as she was when they were friends, which is understandable, things haven’t been the same since those articles came out. 

Parts of her hoped that they could move past this and eventually, when they’re no longer working together, they could maybe reconnect and become close again. Nayeon can’t imagine things ever going back to normal now. 

Mina is acting much colder towards her. Even worse than it used to be when they first started working together. At least back then she used to look like she was listening to what Nayeon had to say, she would smile at her every so often. Now she acts completely detached. 

And not only it takes a toll on her emotionally, but it’s progressively becoming harder and harder to work next to her. Nayeon can’t help but think that Mina almost hates her now. Although she knew it was necessary that they pulled back from each other, it’s definitely easier said than done. 

She really thought she was moving past all of this, that things were getting better. But once Mina completely pulled away from her, everything just came crashing down all over again. While Nayeon hates to admit it, she’s been having a hard time accepting it. 

It feels unfair, even though she knew it had to happen, not only for the sake of her career, but for the sake of Mina’s privacy. They couldn’t risk anything, they couldn’t pretend like nothing had happened. This was for the best, but it was still hard for her to look at the bright side of things. 

Nayeon keeps telling herself that this is to protect her career, is to make sure she actually has a shot at making it and becoming as big as she wished. She wants people to know her for her talent, her passion, not because of rumors. Even more so dating rumors. 

She is doing her best to take what everyone told her, and just accept that this is to make sure things don’t go bad for her. She really liked being close to Mina, and right now she is most definitely not happy about everything that happened, but it’ll pass. 

It has to. And once everything is over, once they’re done recording and things settle, maybe then she will feel better. Nayeon knows nothing is permanent, she won’t feel this way forever, but she really wishes there was a better way of coping with her own feelings. 

At the end of the day, Nayeon knows they did nothing wrong. There was nothing wrong with becoming close with the person she was working with, even more so when they spent so much time together and when she had looked up to Mina for so many years. 

Nayeon doesn’t regret it. Being friends with Mina was the best thing that happened to her in a while, and it was good while it lasted. She knows it’s normal for her to be upset over losing this, but she's trying her best to keep in mind that they didn't do anything wrong. They worked so closely together it would be weird if they didn’t get close at all to begin with. 

What Nayeon can clearly notice is that her boss seems satisfied that they're not close anymore. If she was her boss she would be worried, because a director not being close to their assistant is weirder than the other way around. 

She tried understanding their side as well, but besides anything she feels like they should support their workers, which is not what they did to her at all. She knows her company is not evil and that they are genuinely worried for their future, still, nothing justifies the way they treated her. 

And Nayeon knows they don't regret it at all either. “Nayeon!” Her boss called her over one specific morning. She waited until the last minute to come in, like she has been doing, but he didn't care. 

“I just want to say that I’m proud of you for choosing the studio, and your future of course.” He paused, like he was waiting for her to say something, but honestly she had nothing to say to him. 

So he continued. “You are a very good worker, we really appreciate you here at the studio and we’re looking forward to the future of your career and your journey with us. Keep up the good work!” The conversation was so awkward he didn’t look like he wanted to continue it either. 

“Thank you.” Nayeon was nothing but polite, even if she still held a little grudge against him. 

Of course Nayeon knows his timing is not unplanned, the rumors have completely died for the past few days. People seemed to finally have moved on. She doesn’t see people whispering whenever she walks past them, she doesn’t see people looking at her weird whenever she’s working besides Mina anymore. They apparently don’t care anymore. 

It does make her glad that Mina’s private life is not being discussed anymore and that people are leaving her alone. At least something is somewhat back to normal, she knows just how much Mina cares about that, which means she does as well.

And even though they’re not friendly with each other anymore, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t care about Mina or that she would do anything to upset her. Nayeon still cares about her a lot, a lot more than she would even like to admit. 

She feels a little silly, but Nayeon really misses what she had with Mina. They weren’t close for that long she is aware of that, it should be as easy to let go as it was easy for them to become close. 

But it’s definitely easier said than done. Nayeon truly wished things didn’t happen the way they did. Not being close with Mina makes her feel like she lost a friend of many many years, that she will never get back. 

It’s not easy to accept and Nayeon is still working on it. Things are weird and everything in the studio feels weird as well, after all she’s supposed to still be Mina’s assistant. How can she do a good job as an assistant if Mina won’t speak to her. 

“Hey, Nayeon.” Jihyo approached her during their break. Jihyo has been talking to her normally enough, it’s not like they interacted a whole lot before, but with her and Mina not talking, she’s the only way for them to even remotely communicate. “Did you see the changes that were done in the script? I emailed it to you last night.” 

“I did, yeah.” If Nayeon wasn’t in the middle of this mess, she would even find it funny how they’re all trying to pretend like nothing happened, and how two grown adults need to have someone else be the bridge between them. “They look good, I think the changes in the last scene were necessary if I’m being honest.” 

“Okay, great.” Jihyo wrote something down on her phone. “Is there anything else you think needs changing? We’ve been going over the script again, I think Mi-” She paused, cleaning her throat. “I think we might end up changing something else, it would be good if you went over the whole thing and let me know if there’s anything else you think needs changing and would work better.” 

Nayeon nodded, not having much else to say. She hates this. “I’ll look through it, if anything I’ll email it to you. I’ll also make sure the staff is fully aware of the changes we make.” 

“Okay, perfect.” Jihyo offered her a warm smile. “Thank you for your help, Nayeon. I really appreciate it.” She sounded genuine. It made Nayeon slightly happier. 

She feels weird whenever she talks to Jihyo. It almost feels like things are fine, but whenever they’re done talking. Nayeon realizes she really lost something. It usually brings her even more down, no matter how much she tries for it not to. 

Maybe it was a natural progression for her to not enjoy going to work anymore. It actually makes her even more upset whenever she thinks about it. There was a while where the highlight of her day was to go to work. 

She loves what she does and working besides Mina really made her feel like she was working towards something, going somewhere in her career. She was happy to interact with the staff, she was outgoing, things were great. 

And now it’s almost the complete opposite. People don’t talk to her much, to their own fault as well, because she now feels like she can’t trust them. But it just became this very lonely experience, where nothing feels right anymore. 

More often than not whenever they’re not actively working Nayeon just excuses herself to somewhere quieter, with less people. Her phone has become her best company whenever she’s on set, and slowly she’s getting more and more used to it. 

Her focus is mostly to not make it seem like she’s miserable, which she doesn’t think she’s doing a good job with. Either way, it’s not like it matters, right now, it is what it is and there’s not much she can do to change it. 

However, it does make it easier that it’s their last week of the project. Their last week of recording. Nayeon thought it was going to be the hardest week for her before everything happened. She was dreading it, because she was genuinely enjoying working on it a lot. 

Now, she’s almost glad she won’t have to deal with this every single day. Maybe then she’ll finally be able to heal. Though it’s still slightly bittersweet, as much as things aren't good. She is going to miss at least seeing Mina every day. 

She likes to think that Mina feels the same way. She often notices her looking at her, she always feels her eyes on her. And whenever they make eye contact, Mina immediately looks away, like she was caught doing something she shouldn’t. 

Nayeon tries to ignore it, of course. It’s easier for her to pretend that Mina hates her, even though she knew they only did what was best for their career and their future. This way she doesn’t feel so sad when her eyes are on her. 

Their interactions on set feel almost as weird. Both of them try to avoid it as much as possible, but when they’re actively recording, it’s not like Mina can ask Jihyo to talk to her, they’re in front of everyone, and they’re still trying their best to pretend like everything is normal.

“Can I-” Mina pointed towards a bottle of water. 

Nayeon was distracted, she didn’t even notice she was standing in front of the table, completely blocking the water bottles. “Oh right, sorry.” She quickly moved to the side. 

She looked around. Nowadays, Mina would ask Jihyo to grab water for her. Staying as far away from her as possible. But when she looked around, Jihyo was nowhere to be found. Maybe she had something else to work on, she doesn’t remember seeing her at all in the set today. 

“It’s fine.” Mina spoke a little lower. Grabbing the bottle and immediately leaving, not giving any more room for interactions between them. That was the most amount of words they exchanged in a couple of days. 

Soon enough the last day of recording rolled around. 

It was probably the most hectic day they had so far. There weren't many scenes left to record but they wanted to get everything perfect to make sure this was actually the last day and things could go according to schedule. 

Nayeon wasn’t sure about how she felt. It was her last day seeing Mina, and she wasn’t exactly looking forward to that. But at the same time it almost felt like a relief, she would finally be able to distance herself from this situation. 

They were on their break when one of the girls from the camera crew approached her. To be completely honest, she was probably the nicest one out of all the staff, and the only one that has been remotely nice to her since everything happened, which is probably how Nayeon ended up in this situation in the first place. 

They sat at a bar. Not just her, or the girl, but the whole staff, everyone involved in this project. Mina included. 

Normally Nayeon would have said no, that she was too busy, that she didn’t want to. But she insisted, and Nayeon has a hard time saying no to people that are nice to her. She just didn’t expect Mina to be there as well. 

It was probably something Jihyo insisted on her doing, since she was there as well. Maybe it was good press, or just something nice to do for the people they worked beside for so long. But this did make Nayeon feel even more so out of place. 

Perhaps that’s what led her to drinking more than she normally would. Or maybe it was her trying to cope with everything. Regardless of the reason, Nayeon only realized she had one too many when she got up from her seat, and the entire bar was spinning. 

The place was loud, or louder than Nayeon was used to. Almost everyone at the bar was just staff, and everywhere she looked there were people talking to each other, having fun. She needed to make her way through a crowd just to get to the bathroom, which she wasn’t looking forward to at all. 

With her head still spinning she set herself out on this journey. She wasn’t too drunk, but she wouldn’t guarantee herself to not do anything stupid. Nayeon is well aware she needs to go home soon. 

She was walking past a group of people, she recognized a few faces, but she wasn’t even sure what departments they worked at. What caught her attention was that she heard Mina’s name as she was walking by. 

It made her stop out of reflex. She wasn’t sure what she heard, so she paused, to make sure. They didn’t notice her there at all, too caught up in their own conversation. “I mean, I know they denied they were involved, but have you seen Mina? If I looked like that I would be dating around like crazy.” 

“I heard this assistant was not even the first one. She has had some dating rumors before with the staff from another movie.” One of the girls mentioned while giggling. “Maybe that’s why she was so good at dealing with this, she’s used to it.” 

They all laughed. “I mean, to be completely honest I’d be down to fuc-” 

“Excuse me.” Nayeon jumped into the conversation without thinking twice. “Worry about your own sorry little lives before talking about someone you don’t even know. You should worry about your bills, about being a slightly decent human, and not talk about someone behind their back. Even more so when it comes to baseless rumors. Mind your own goddamn business, worry about your own fucking life. Neither of you are in a place to say a single word about her. I’m sure this is just coping because your lives are so boring and so sad you must comment on someone else's, but please, it costs nothing to not be an asshole. Be ashamed of yourselves.” 

They were all too in shock to even consider replying to her. Nayeon knew Mina didn’t need her to defend her. She knew that for the most part, what they weren’t saying didn’t matter that much, and they probably didn’t need this speech. 

Maybe it wouldn't even solve anything. It would come in one ear, and out the other. But the alcohol mixed with all these feelings inside of Nayeon, it made it impossible for her to keep her mouth shut.

There was much more she would love to say, meaner things, she would love to pinpoint and point out flaws on them, hit where it hurt. Say things that would probably actually scar them for life. But that was not who she was, she was not going to lower herself to their level. This should be enough for them to think twice next time. 

However, what Nayeon didn’t realize because she was too focused on defending Mina, was that the director was watching all of this from just a few seats over. Listening carefully to every word Nayeon said as she defended her. 

They both left soon after that. 

Chapter Text

Mina sighed, leaning into the hallway wall while she took off her shoe before walking inside her apartment. It was late, and usually she would put her shoes away immediately, but not tonight. 

Her body dropped on the couch, the ceiling spinning. She wasn’t drunk, at least not exactly. She would classify this as tipsy, though probably one sip away from drunk. Just a small detail. She isn’t much of a drinker, so it’s not like she had a lot to drink, she counted just two cups. Maybe more, she isn’t sure. 

Mina was going to leave as soon as she felt the alcohol hitting her, but Jihyo insisted she stayed. Awful timing she had as well, leaving with some random girl right before Nayeon said all those things in front of her. She wishes someone was there witnessing all that with her. 

Nayeon’s words still rang in her ears. At first she was questioning what she was seeing, but after looking at the other girl’s faces she didn’t question it anymore. It took everything in her not to head over and talk to Nayeon in front of everyone. Thank her, tell her that despite them not talking anymore, she still cares about her, a lot. 

Which would probably lead to a very tipsy Mina confessing her feelings to Nayeon. At a bar, with the staff that just messed up their lives not too long ago. So maybe it was a good thing that she just sat there watching. 

However, seeing Nayeon defending her did confirm that Mina indeed has feelings for her. Not that she was questioning it, at least not exactly, but after seeing that she is almost glad that their project is over. Except she is not. Because it means not seeing Nayeon at all anymore.

Though to be completely honest, seeing Nayeon almost makes her feel guilty. Mina is not happy with how things ended between them. Normally she is not the type to cut someone off and not tell them why or never talk to them again. She knew that their situation required that, but it doesn’t mean that she accepted it any easier.

It truly makes her feel bad whenever she thinks about it, maybe if she wasn’t in love with Nayeon or if she didn’t care about her things would be different. But that’s not the case, and after seeing Nayeon defending her, having her back, it only made feel like a fool, guilty.

She forced herself to get up from the couch. Mina has no idea how long she just laid there, thinking about Nayeon, about what she did for her tonight. It wasn’t foreign to her to think so much about her either, lately she has been the only thing on her mind. 

Mina can’t help but feel like she deserves some explanation, a talk at least. Just to get some closure, some peace of mind. Not just for her, but for Nayeon as well. She knows that if she was in her place she’d want that. And after what happened, she’s considering it more and more.

Mina jumped out of bed the next morning, completely startled. She was still asleep when her doorbell started ringing, making her immediately get up and head towards the door. No clue what time it was or who just woke her up. 

“Why do you look like you got run over by a truck?” Jihyo frowned, staring at her as she walked into her apartment. Two cups of coffee in hand, one for herself and the other one she immediately handed it to Mina. “Here, you need this.” 

Mina scoffed. “Thanks?” She took a sip. “I just woke up, that’s why I look like this.” Her words were followed by a yawn. “That, plus the alcohol from last night.” 

“Oh yeah,” Jihyo nodded. “Sorry I left by the way, I would tell you more about my night after me and that girl left together, but I don’t think you want to hear it.” She laughed at the disgusted face Mina made towards her. “Did you get super drunk? When I left you were still fine.” 

“No, you know I’m not much of a drinker.” Mina sighed, suddenly remembering what she saw last night. “I left soon after you did to be honest. I wasn’t really feeling it.” She lied. Choosing not to tell Jihyo about the situation with Nayeon.

There was the slim possibility that she already heard what happened at the bar, but Mina doubts it, maybe if she wasn’t distracted with some girl. Plus, she doesn’t think anyone involved or around them would mention what happened. 

“Anyway,” Jihyo took a step towards the door. “I just passed by because the girls' house was near your favorite coffee shop and I figured after I persuaded you to be social last night, which is the thing you despise the most, the least you deserve is something to cheer you up today.” 

“Thank you.” Mina appreciated it. Jihyo didn’t have to say it, but she knew very well that she stopped by to check up on her as well. One of the reasons why she didn’t want to go the night before was because she didn’t want to see Nayeon any more than she had to. It wasn’t so bad after all. 

“I imagine you don’t really have anything planned for the day?” Mina immediately shook her head. “Right, you always do a ‘detox’ after we finish filming.” Jihyo rolled her eyes as she did airquotes. 

Mina laughed. She wouldn’t qualify what she does as a detox. It’s simply allowing herself to have easier days now that they’re not actively filming. She knows it’s a small gap of time that she has before another project comes along, and she wants to enjoy the time she has to herself. 

Jihyo left soon after that. Today would be one of those days where she wouldn’t mind spending it besides someone. It’s been happening often lately, and working helps. Her mind just tends to overthink when she’s alone or not actively working on a project. Even more so after what happened with Nayeon. 

Mina was determined to at least try having a normal day. She didn’t want to overthink and she wasn’t going to. Everything was fine before they started this project, it should go back to how things were before.

Except things are not normal. And they haven’t been for a while now, even more so after she realized her own feelings. Last night's events played over and over inside Mina’s head, like it was her favorite movie. 

What Nayeon did for her, made her heart beat even stronger inside her chest. She didn’t have to defend her, not after everything that happened, not when it could still jeopardize everything. Nayeon should be doing everything she could to not be associated with Mina, yet she stood up for her. 

It makes her feel almost inadequate. She left without a word, she cut contact without telling her why. She just walked out on her. And still, Nayeon had it in her to defend her, to stand by her side, even if she didn’t do the same. 

Now the biggest debate inside her is if she should talk to Nayeon or just leave her alone. She can’t lie, she feels a little overwhelmed when it comes to her feelings. It’s a lot, even more so now, and Mina is completely lost, she doesn’t know what to do. 

She wants to be with Nayeon, she wants to tell her about her feelings, but at the same time she doesn’t want to. She knows it’s not the same now that they’re not working together, but what if it’s not the right time, what if Nayeon rejects her, what if she ruins the chance of them being friends again in the future. 

As much as she tries to ignore her feelings, or at least pretend like it’s less than it actually is. Now that she doesn’t have to act like she doesn’t like Nayeon in front of the staff, it’s hard to not think about it. To not want to act on it.

Mina did her best to distract herself. She cleaned her house, which was long overdue. Did some groceries that she was in dire need of, and even downloaded some new games to try out. Still, she did all of it while still thinking about Nayeon. 

When she lost her third game in a row because she wasn’t focused she decided that maybe she was trying too hard when it was completely inevitable. Perhaps what she should do is to think more about Nayeon, almost like reverse psychology. 

It obviously didn’t work either. Mina feels like the more time passes the harder it is. The more she wants to reach out, talk to her, the more she can’t stop thinking about her. She even came to the realization that even though working beside her and not talking to her was awful. 

It was much better than this, because she at least got to see her, she at least got to indirectly interact with her. Even when she was just observing her from afar. Now she doesn’t have any of that. 

Which honestly makes it even harder for her to find excuses to stay away. They’re not working together anymore, reaching out won’t ruin Nayeon’s future. They would have to be careful if things progressed, but that’s under the assumption they will. Mina can’t be sure of that. 

The only thing that she’s sure of is that she wants to talk to Nayeon. Truly, the only thing stopping her from doing it already is the fact that she doesn’t think it’s fair for Nayeon if she does that. 

She doesn’t want to be someone that comes and goes from her life. She doesn’t want to reach out only to have to pull back again eventually. It already happened once, and she has no idea what the future has on hold for them. It might be too soon, they might not be able to even go on a date together without rumors sparking up again, and if they do, Mina will have to pull back again. 

If Mina goes back to her life, she doesn’t want it to be for a short amount of time, she doesn’t want it to be temporary. She really wants to do things right, she wants to stay. But she has no idea if she’ll be able to. They have such a unique situation, that it feels fragile. 

Mina cares about her enough to think about this, to be determined enough so that if she comes back, she’ll do her best to stay. She’ll do anything she can to make sure she never has to leave again. Her only doubt is if this is the best just for her, or for Nayeon as well. She doesn’t want to make a selfish decision either. 

But after a couple of days passed, and Mina realized she wouldn’t live in peace if she didn't talk to her, she finally decided to do it. Not only for her own peace of mind, she finally realized that their talk didn’t have to be anything more than just that, a talk. 

A talk didn’t necessarily mean going back into her life, she wasn’t even sure if Nayeon would forgive her in the first place. She shouldn’t have any expectations on top of a talk. She could just apologize to her, come clean about everything, tell Nayeon her side, and move on. Maybe the whole reason why it’s so hard to do that right now is simply because they haven’t talked.

Funny enough, for someone that has been thinking about whether to do this or not for the past 2 days, Mina didn’t exactly think how she would get into contact with Nayeon again. She could call, she could text, but none of those things felt good enough. 

That’s when she decided, on a sunday night, to go knock on Nayeon’s apartment door. She had the address of it from back when they were close, Mina knew it might be too much, but she figured in this situation the best thing she could do is talk to her face to face.

Mina truly tried keeping her expectations as low as possible as she made her way to Nayeon’s apartment, completely taking into consideration that she was showing up there unannounced and that she might not want to talk to her at all in the first place.

The face Nayeon made when she opened her door was priceless. If Mina wasn’t in this situation she would probably laugh, she looked like she just saw a ghost, which made her question if she made the right choice by coming here, but now there were no takebacks. 

“Mina?!” Nayeon even took a step back. While she looked genuinely surprised she didn’t look upset or anything like that. “What are you doing here?” 

“I’m sorry to show up unannounced like this, I realize it’s not really my place and I completely understand if you don't want to talk to me at all I just didn’t like how things ended between us and I needed to talk to you.” She paused, waiting for Nayeon’s reaction. “I can leave if you-” 

“No.” Nayeon immediately interrupted her. “It’s okay. You can talk. We should talk, I completely agree.” She sighed. “Come in.”

Mina was still a little hesitant, but she walked in regardless. She didn’t spend much time looking around, her focus here was talking to Nayeon, anything else didn’t really matter. “I’m sorry to just show up unannounced.” 

“Really,  you don’t have to apologize, I’m just a little confused.” Nayeon confessed. “I just didn’t think I’d be seeing you anytime soon. I don’t like how things ended between us either, so please, go ahead.” She sat on a stool, waiting for Mina to start. 

Mina took a deep breath, thinking how to even start. “I know what happened was very unexpected. I wanted to reassure you that through the entire thing, I never blamed you for anything that happened, I knew it wasn’t your fault and I wanted to start off by saying that.” 

Nayeon avoided her eyes, but Mina didn’t want to let that stop her. “The minute we started working together I saw the potential you had, you’re amazing at what you do and I could immediately tell you had a bright future ahead. I didn’t want to be the reason why everything went down the drain, even more so in your first real opportunity.”       

Mina took a deep breath, trying to think what her next words would be. She thought about this a lot in the past few days and somehow she still wasn’t sure exactly what to say. “I realize that even though I was trying to look out for you, I didn’t do things right, I shouldn’t have just stepped away and stopped talking to you out of nowhere. The least I owed you was a conversation and I didn’t give you that, I’m sorry.” 

Nayeon looked hurt now, she desperately wishes she could read what was on her mind. “I didn’t want things to end on such a bad note between us, I didn’t want you thinking that you did anything wrong or that I don’t like you in any way. It was quite the opposite, really.” Mina took a deep breath. “You are amazing at what you do, Nayeon. You have such a bright future ahead of you. I wish you nothing but good luck in your career. It is truly unfortunate that the first time we worked together this happened, but I hope we can work together again in the future.” 

She waited for a second. Nayeon still didn’t look up at her, and honestly at this point she felt like she was just rambling. “Anyway,” Mina looked around. “That was all I came here to say.” She scratched the back of her neck. “Good luck with everything, I hope maybe one day we can reconnect again.” 

Mina was about to turn around to leave when Nayeon got up. She didn’t say anything, she just pulled Mina by her collar, and closed the gap between them. Their lips clashing together. They both just stood still for a second. Mina was still completely hesitant, and Nayeon could tell that. “We’re not working together anymore, Mina. We don’t have to fear anything.” She smiled. “I saw the way you looked at me, I know you feel the same as I do. Let’s not waste any more time. I’m tired of forcing myself to stay away when it’s not what I want.”

Honestly, Nayeon didn’t have to say anything else. Mina was barely processing the words coming out of her mouth. She was slightly confused but very aware of everything that was happening at the same time. 

Nayeon wanted her, that was very obvious. In the same way Mina had been desiring for a while now. She wondered when she realized, if it happened around the same time as it happened for her. Until it became painfully obvious that it didn’t matter. At least not right now, not at that moment. 

The lust in Nayeon’s eyes said everything she needed to know. She already had made the first move anyway, the ball was in her court now. Nayeon had reassured her what Mina has been repeating inside her head for days now. It doesn’t matter anymore, they don’t work together, they can figure everything out. 

But instead of overthinking like she had been doing the past few days, she decided to act on it instead, pulling Nayeon in, closing the gap between them once again. Kissing Nayeon was something she daydreamed about, but never thought it would actually happen. 

Everything about the kiss was soft, while they were both almost desperate, their touches weren’t rushed. Their tongues danced against each other, Mina’s hand buried on Nayeon’s hair, pulling her impossibly closer. 

Nayeon moaned into the kiss, her body melting against Mina’s. Clearly the both of them had been wanting this, Mina didn’t even know what to think right now and she didn’t want to either. Choosing to feel Nayeon against her instead. 

They took a few steps back, until Nayeon’s body hit the counter. Mina trapped her there, her hands exploring her body. Touching her waist, her ass, her arms. It felt almost surreal that she was in this position. 

Nayeon smiled into the kiss. Maybe they should stop, talk about their feelings, but they were honestly so obsessed with the feeling of each other that the idea of stopping kissing sounded foolish. Why would they stop now?

Mina noticed her body walking backwards, Nayeon guided them towards her bedroom. Their clothes getting scattered all around her apartment, one by one. Mina definitely didn’t go there with the intention of sleeping with Nayeon, but she is most definitely not opposed to it. 

Her body fell onto Nayeon’s bed when the back of her knees hit the edge. Her body climbed on top of hers, skin on skin. Mina was speechless at how beautiful Nayeon was. She wanted to touch everything, explore her body. 

Mina turned them around, determined to keep exploring her, this time around with her mouth. She kissed Nayeon all over, licking, nibbling on her skin. Nayeon squirmed under her, loving the way Mina was all over. Not neglecting a single inch of skin. 

Nayeon had no shame left in her anymore, she tried pushing Mina down her body, but the director wasn’t done teasing her. The smirk on her face made Nayeon roll her eyes. She couldn’t be more turned on, and Mina wasn’t anywhere near where she wanted her the most. 

As Mina made her way down, her breath started getting caught in her throat. And the moan she let out when Mina spread her legs was completely involuntary, though completely justifiable. Mina smirked, looking into Nayeon’s eyes as her tongue finally tasted her. 

Nayeon’s moans immediately got louder. Mina licked, sucked, worked her center with eagerness. She couldn’t even describe how good Nayeon tasted, how good it felt to have her under her like this. Squirming, moaning, legs wrapped around her face. She could barely breathe but she didn’t care, she didn’t stop. 

When Mina added two fingers into her Nayeon knew she wouldn’t last much longer. Her hand buried into Mina’s hair, pulling her impossibly closer, chasing her release. And Mina didn’t stop, her fingers curled inside her, her tongue flicking on her nonstop. 

Just thinking about the fact that it was Mina in between her legs turned Nayeon on even more. She knew she wouldn’t be able to last much longer, and she wasn’t holding back either. She wanted to finish in Mina’s mouth, she wanted to look into her eyes as she did it 

It didn’t take too long for that to happen either. A couple more licks and one specific curl of her finger hitting her spot and Nayeon tipped over the edge. She moaned loudly, staring into Mina’s eyes as she licked her clean, not stopping until Nayeon pulled her up to kiss her. 

They kissed for a few minutes, enjoying the feeling of each other before going at it again. Nayeon wasn’t done with her, and Mina was more than up for it. Though she had no clue this is where her day was heading, she’s more than happy that it did.