Melting Point — Chapter 8

HEY, HOW'S IT GOING SO FAR?

OH, THERE YOU ARE. RYU IAN IS THE GOODS, HON.

HE STUMBLED A LITTLE AT FIRST, BUT HE GOT THE HANG OF IT PRETTY QUICKLY.

HE'S BEEN ABSOLUTELY NAILING IT EVER SINCE. HE REALLY GETS THE CONCEPT.

LOOK HOW FIRED UP THE PHOTOGRAPHER IS.

CAN YOU HOLD YOUR COLLAR WITH BOTH HANDS, NOW?

THAT'S IT! KILLING IT!

AEROS MUST BE OVER THE MOON, HUH? A STAR LIKE THAT FALLING INTO YOUR LAP.

YOU'VE GOT YOUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU, HON.

EXCUSE ME. I'M WITH AEROS.

HUH? DIDN'T YOUR MANAGER GIVE YOU MY MESSAGE?

YOU'RE LATE.

SOMETHING CAME UP AT THE LAST MINUTE-

HELLO.

MY CONTRACT COMES FIRST.

YOU’RE ALL MINE WHEN YOU’RE AT WORK, SUNBAE.

YEESH...

DON’T TALK ABOUT ME LIKE AN OBJECT.

HERE, DRINK THIS.

JUICED IT FOR YA THIS MORNING.

YOU HAVEN’T EATEN ANYTHING ALL DAY, HAVE YOU?

YOU MADE THIS FOR ME?

WHO ELSE?

I CALLED YOUR MANAGER TO ASK WHAT VEGGIES YOU DON'T EAT, OKAY?

LOOK, IT'S NOT POISONED.

YOU ARE SOOOO PICKY.

NO CELERY, NO BROCCOLI, NO CARROTS EITHER...

DO YOU LIKE IT?

YEAH. I FORGIVE YOU FOR BEING LATE.

GEE, THANKS.

BY THE WAY, YOU HAVEN’T SEEN MY HANDKERCHIEF, HAVE YOU?

WHAT HANDKERCHIEF?

THAT DAY WHEN I WAS PICKING UP EUNPA...

I TOOK IT OUT TO CLEAN HIM UP BUT THEN I LOST IT SOMEWHERE.

IT DIDN’T FALL INTO YOUR BAG, I SUPPOSE?

NOPE.

WEIRD. I CAN’T THINK OF WHERE ELSE I MIGHT’VE LOST IT.

ALL DONE! LET’S DO YOUR BODY, NOW.

OH, I’LL WAIT OUTSIDE, THEN.

YOU DO IT FOR ME, SUNBAE.

WHAT? YOUR MAKEUP?

AW, ARE YOU GETTING ALL SHY ON ME NOW?

YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR SHIRT OFF IN FRONT OF EVERYONE, ANYWAY!

HE'S IN SUCH GREAT SHAPE ALREADY, YOU DON'T NEED TO DO ANY CONTOURING.

JUST A DAB OF CONCEALER WHERE HE NEEDS IT, OKAY?

OKAY...

A STAR LIKE THAT FALLING INTO YOUR LAP... YOU'VE GOT YOUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU, HON.

GO STAND AGAINST THE WALL OVER THERE.

BE HONEST. I BET YOU GO TO BED SCHEMING HOW YOU'RE GOING TO TORMENT ME NEXT, DON'T YOU?

NAH, I THINK MOST OF THAT STUFF UP ON THE FLY...

NOT WHEN I'M GOING TO BED.

OH, SHUT UP. TURN AROUND, WILL YOU?

IS THAT A TATTOO?

YEAH.

YOU DON'T NEED TO COVER THAT UP FOR US, YOU KNOW. WHAT IS IT, ANYWAY?

DON'T.

I PUT IT ON, OKAY?

'CAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO SHOW IT TO YOU.

THAT BAD, HUH? WHAT IS IT, A DRAGON? A TIGER?

GET BACK TO WORK.

YEAH, THERE'S STILL ACRES OF YOU.

YOU'RE EVEN BIGGER CLOSE UP.

IAN...

WERE YOU JUST LIVING ON PROTEIN SHAKES, THEN...

BECAUSE OF THIS SHOOT TODAY?

NOT REALLY...

JUST TIRED OF ROOM SERVICE, I GUESS.

THAT'S ALL YOU EAT?

YEAH.

WAIT, YOU'RE STILL STAYING AT A HOTEL?

BUT IT'S BEEN AGES SINCE YOU GOT BACK.

I HAVE TO MOVE INTO THE ATHLETES' VILLAGE NEXT MONTH, ANYWAY.

BUT THAT'S STILL MORE THAN A MONTH AWAY...

YOU SHOULD COME OVER AND EAT WITH US NEXT TIME.

IT'S NOTHING FANCY, BUT I HAVE TO FEED EUNPA EVERY DAY ANYWAY, SO...

DON'T EXPECT-

M'kay.

I'LL COME.

CAN I COME EVERY DAY?

HELL, NO.

EVEN IF I HAD INVITED YOU EVERY DAY, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TAKE ME UP ON IT JUST LIKE THAT. I'M NOT RUNNING A-CAFETERIA.

IT'S JUST EUNPA AND ME, BY THE WAY.

I'M DIVORCED NOW.

WHAT HAPPENED?

NONE OF YOUR BEESWAX.

I'M JUST TELLING YOU NOW BEFORE YOU COME OVER AND WONDER WHERE SHE IS.

HOW COME YOU'RE NOT MORE SURPRISED? DID YOU KNOW ALREADY?

NO, I DIDN'T KNOW.

SORRY, WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF COMING IN RIGHT NOW.

DO YOU MIND IF WE PUT THESE HERE FOR THE MOMENT? I KNOW IT'S A LOT...

OH, OF COURSE! RIGHT OVER HERE IS FINE.

KEEP GOING.

THERE'S JUST ONE MORE...!

ACK-

OH! YOU OKAY?!

OH...YEAH, I'M FINE.

TH-THANKS. YOU CAN LET GO NOW-

HEY! WATCH WHAT YOU'RE-

WATCH OUT YOURSELF, YOU ALMOST GOT HIT.

ACK!

W-WAIT...! STOP PUSHING!

THEY KEEP COMING IN. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?

Oops.

YOU TWO STILL IN THERE? I THOUGHT YOU'D LEFT ALREADY...

COME OUT THIS WAY, I'LL MAKE SOME ROOM.

UH...

LOOK, I...

LET GO!

I'M GONNA GO TELL THEM YOU'RE READY.

OH.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING I CAN CONTROL, OKAY...?