(1 year ago)

PD Lee and Writer Han looked through the photos before them.

"How about her?" Writer Han asked.

"What was she on? I don't think I recognize her."

"That's because she looks different with each role. I did research on her past work and she's really versatile. The projects she's done are not your typical rom-com drama." She answers as showed her file on Jang Gyeo-ul to PD Lee.

"Can she do action though? She seems too frail looking. Jeong-won would dwarf her."

"But that's exactly how I wrote the character. She's meant to look physically unassuming. That's why his character underestimates her. We can ask her to undergo some training. "

"Let's have her do a screen test with him then."

"She's your new trainee." Mr. Kim announces as he passes the dossier across the table.

His visceral reaction to the picture that greets him as he opens her file makes him frown. "You're not serious?" He asks.

The other man just stares back at him without responding.

"She looks like even a slight wind will blow her over." He growls. "And what's with the glasses? You know anything less than a 20/20 vision is a handicap in our world."

"She has perfect vision. That's what she looked like during her last training mission. She was sent in as a researcher in the lab we were trying to infiltrate."

He takes another look. "Can she fight?"

"She's not a physical fighter, obviously, but she got good marks in self defense training. She's expert marksman though. She can hit her target from 1100 meters away. And her knife skills are nothing to be scoffed at either."

He's impressed against his will. His range is only slightly better than hers at 1200 meters. He takes a longer look at her file and notes her other skills. Fluent in a couple of languages, high IQ, advanced certifications in first aid and defensive driving, top marks in memory and situational awareness tests, passable coding skills. Single, parents dead, one sibling — a brother who works as an engineer abroad.

"I want her in your team."

"You know I never accept anyone I haven't personally vetted."

Mr. Kim nods. "Where should I send her?" He asks in lieu of an order.

He sighs in acquiescence. "At the usual place. If she manages to tag me I'll consider your request."

The older man smiles at him. "It's not a question of if…it's a question of how soon."

"Not if I get her first." He relishes the challenge.

"We'll see."

The timer starts as soon as she reaches the plaza and it takes her exactly 36 minutes to spot him. Another 25 minutes to reacquire visual when she loses him in the crowd. Ten more to get herself in position so she's four steps away to be within tagging distance of his right flank.

She quickly makes her move.

One step.

Two.

Three.

Four.

They both freeze as they find themselves facing each other, her left wrist caught in his right hand.

The world blurs and seemingly slows down around them without a sound as their eyes lock and maintain contact.

And then everything comes back into focus as she whispers, "Tag! You're it."

It takes a moment for him to register her words before he slowly looks down to where her right hand moves to reveal the tag on his left shoulder. Likely aiming for his armpit, he thinks, but missing by a couple of inches, unable to compensate quickly enough when he reached for her arm. Then again, the fact that she tagged him with her right hand instead of the left - which would have been easier as she'd been coming at him from the side - indicates she has actually anticipated his move. The assessment takes less than a minute but he took his time before letting go of her wrist.

He takes a step back and schools his face to show no outward expression. "I guess I'll see you at the Center tomorrow at 8 then." He tells her, before he gives a slight nod and then turns to blend into the crowd.

She stands frozen, not quite able to believe that she's succeeded.

"I did it!" she whispers to herself finally. She made it! Not just to any team, 'the' team! His team!

She laughs and does a slight dance, uncaring of how she might look to others. Then she visibly controls herself and turns in the direction opposite his, blissfully unaware of the tag resting brightly, a little bit right of center on her back...

Just below her ribcage, where her liver should be.

He watched as the camera panned out before the credits started rolling and then clicked the browser off on his phone. He was supposed to be with them — the cast and crew — for a watch party to celebrate the high ratings they got for the premiere but there was a mix up in his schedule and he got double booked. Since the preparation for the concert took priority, he had no choice but to miss the gathering.

Are you done watching it?

What did you think about the episode? I just watched it myselfI read you interview.

I really wanted to see you be there. You looked great on that photoshoot by the way. I miss everyone.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Jeong-won?" He thought as he stares at the jumble of words on the screen as he kept on typing and erasing and retyping his message. He finally gave up and checked the time instead, hoping the others arrive soon before he succeeds in sending all that nonsense.

Their group was known as the '99s. Formed initially as a lark between friends when they were all struggling actors and needed a gig or two to literally put food on their tables, they unexpectedly gained enough success which, ironically, was what eventually got them through casting calls. First in musicals and then eventually, roles on the small and big screens. Now, twenty years after their last public performance as a group, they 'd agreed to stage a mini-reunion / charity concert tour.

Ik-jun and Song-hwa arrived together, which was to be expected since they just got married. Theirs was a slow burn love story that began two decades ago when they met at acting school, stalled and laid dormant for nearly a decade while they went through a marriage and subsequent divorce (his) and a failed long-term engagement (hers) to other people, and got rekindled when they (all 5 of the '99s) were cast in the same series the year before.

"Sorry, we're late." Song-hwa apologized as soon as they entered the studio. "We had to take Uju to his parents' house because the sitter cancelled."

"It's fine. I was just going through the proposed song list anyway." He lied, not prepared to get into what he'd actually been doing while waiting for them.

"Congratulations by the way!" Ik-jun offered as they briefly hugged. "We caught the broadcast the other night, it was really good."

"Thanks!" He smiled, pleased to hear the words. Their friendship was such that they were always brutally honest when assessing each other's performances or shows.

One of his phones buzzed just as Jun-wan and Seok-hyung arrived one after the other. Giving the two men a small nod, he walked towards the small room where the drum kit was set up before checking.

It was from PD Lee. Just a picture of her smiling, taken at the viewing party. The absence of an accompanying text already a message in and of itself.. He laughed quietly to himself. He didn't think he'd been that obvious but apparently he was wrong. He quickly saved the image in his private folder and sent the director an emoji message in lieu of words.

emojipedia-us. . thumbs/72/apple/237/face-with-finger-covering-closed-lips_