Chapter 71: My Neverending Story

Another week has gone by, and our schedules are not letting up even the slightest. We’ve been spending more than 12 hours in the studio, and some days we go for photo shoots for the new album sleeve.

Today, we’re on location, filming our new MV, ‘Connect the Dots’. It was an indoor set because they had many special effects to add in so that it suited the digital theme we had. We spent the whole morning dancing in front of the big green backdrop and now we’re being wired so that we could ‘glide through the air’.

“Yaaa…” Skye yelled like a madman as they swung him through the air on the wire.

“Skye,” the producer called out from below. “Can you please control your expressions? We don’t need all those funny faces you’re making to be on the video."

Shoei and I laughed uncontrollably when Skye was reprimanded. Skye pouted and planted his hands on his hips while he was still suspended in the air.

We each did our flying shots and then there was another angle to shoot. We had to stand close to the camera, so that it only took headshots of us, and sing our lines. You’d think that was easy, but since it was late by the time we got to that scene, we were already tired, and feeling lazy.

“Sierra,” the producer called out. “Can you lip-sync naturally?”

“Mian,” I smiled, and we had to start all over again.

My face was getting a little tired from trying to look expressive when singing my lines for the camera. When I was finally done, I walked off the set rubbing my cheeks as I went.

“What’s wrong with you?” Skye asked when he saw me doing that.

“My face hurts,” I said. “It’s sort of aching.”

“You overworked it, ne?” he laughed.

“I guess,” I laughed as I sat down and picked up a bottle of mineral water.

“How long before this shoot ends?” Skye asked.

“When Shoei’s done, I guess.”

Earlier today, reporters from Mnet came to interview us regarding the upcoming launch of our new album. Mnet was one of the largest broadcasting companies in South Korea and most of the time, they had exclusive rights to get first hand information and pre-launch interviews with SM artistes releasing new albums.

“Sierra-shi,” the reporter addressed me.

It was an informal interview since we didn't have the time to sit down together in front of the camera. The reporter went from one of us to another whenever we’ve finished shooting our scene.

“Ne,” I said, bowing a little.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve spoken to you. How have you been lately?”

“I’m fine. Thank you for asking,” I smiled.

“This is S-Cube’s 3rd album, any special feelings about it?”

“Well, we’ve come a long way since our first album. I think that, compared to our past albums, you will feel a stronger vibe emanating from the music.”

“Wow,” the reporter said. “Stronger vibes? Is this in the lyrics, the expression when S-Cube is singing, or in the beat of the music?”

“It depends on the songs. Some lyrics, like in the case of ‘Connect the Dots’, will sound a little angry,” I laughed. “And for this song, we might sing with a little anger too, so that we can express the lyrics well. As for the beat of the music, we aim to add a few more fast tracks to this new album so that we can reach the listeners who prefer upbeat music.”

“Any special things we should look out for in this new album?”

“We’re trying out new elements in our music. Among some of them are oriental instruments in the background of the songs, specifically the er-hu, a Chinese string instrument, which will be heard in the track ‘(Why Am I) Never Enough’.”

“Wow, sounds interesting,” the reporter said.

“Annyeong,” Skye waved as he walked past behind me.

“Annyeong,” the reporter waved back, laughing. “Skye-shi, can you join us for a moment?”

“Ne?” Skye said as he approached us.

“We’re just talking about special features in S-Cube’s upcoming album. Can you tell us what are the other special features apart from the new tough vibe and the addition of Chinese intruments?”

“Well, we have an impressive line of kasu collaborating with us this time,” he said.

“May we know who they are?”

“One of them is Hee Chul, from Super Junior, and that’s all I can reveal for now,” he winked to the camera.

“Ne,” the reporter said. “Kamsahamnida. Do you both have anything to add?”

“Yes… doesn’t everyone think our nuna is hotter than she used to be?” he said to the camera, as he pinched my cheeks.

“Yah!” I exclaimed and swatted his hand off, and the reporter, crew and Skye were laughing as they tried to wrap up the shoot.

“Thank you everyone for watching,” the reporter said while standing in front of us. “This has been an exclusive interview by Mnet with S-Cube’s Sierra, Skye and Shoei. A 30 second preview of their upcoming title track, 'Connect the Dots' , is now available on Mnet.com. Do visit us if you want to be the first to hear this hot new track by S-Cube. Tune in to our upcoming episodes for more exclusive information on their new album.”

After the Mnet crew had left, we waited around for Shoei, who was being filmed for the last shot of the day. By the time he walked off the set, Skye and I have already removed our makeup and changed out of our costumes.

“We’ll wait outside,” I told him, and he nodded.

We had a quick supper, and headed back home.

“I’m gonna drop you guys off and go to Hae Rin’s,” Skye said as he approached our apartment.

“You’re not coming back tonight?” Shoei asked him.

“Probably not.”

Hae Rin had recently moved to a newer apartment, and Skye was able to visit her more often now since there was no hostel warden to guard her every move.

“You should be careful, Skye,” I cautioned. “Ryu Ji Tae still doesn’t know about the both of you, and if he does, I don’t think he’d allow it.”

“I know,” Skye sighed.

Ryu Ji Tae and SM has invested so much on Hae Rin to debut her, they will probably not appreciate her having a boyfriend. If he found out, I’m positive that he will go through great lengths to make sure Hae Rin ends it with Skye.

Jae Joong and I were lucky that SM had turned a blind eye, probably because we were bringing in enough for the company, and our relationship had not affected our album sales. Even though our pictures fill the tabloids, we were never seen as a couple at official events, and that’s how the SM wanted to keep it. Even if Jae Joong had made a public statement about us, SM never confirmed it with one of their own.

When Shoei and I got home, we went through our usual routine. I’d shower, then he’d shower and we’d both go to bed. We hardly talked at all since we were both so tired. Just before I slept, I’d send Jae Joong a quick text message. He was going through the same schedule as we were since TVXQ would also be releasing a new album soon, but the dates have been arranged so that our releases didn’t coincide in the same month.

Dying… going to ‘rest in peace’ now… =P Saranghae…

I didn’t get a reply immediately, so I assumed that he was already sleeping, still showering, or possibly, still recording in the studios. When I woke up the next morning, I Jae Joong had left me a message on my phone.

See you in ‘heaven’ =P Saranghae…

Today I’m recording my MV with Hae Rin, the concept was that we’d each be looking into the mirror, and we’d be each other’s reflections. In some scenes, there’d be a guy with our ‘reflection’ and that would act as a flashback to illustrate what we were singing in the song. The guy in question was Si Won, from Super Junior.

“Sierra,” he smiled, as he walked out of the dressing room where he’d just been fitted with his costume.

“Si Won,” I smiled back. “I didn’t know you were in this MV.”

“I was told last week,” he said.

“Are you sure you want to be the guy in this MV?” I asked him. “He’s supposed to be a jerk.”

“He is?” Si Won exclaimed. “Hae Rin didn’t tell me. That girl…”

“Too late,” I laughed. “You’re gonna be a bad guy again.”

“I thought once was enough, in Ri In’s ‘Timeless’. Now they make me the bad guy in Hae Rin’s video too. Am I like the choice bad guy for the MVs of debuting female singers?”

“I guess so,” I said. “After this one, you’d have established yourself in the market of MV bad guys.”

“Aishii…” he grumbled.

“But in this case, you’re just a bad boy, not really a bad guy like in ‘Timeless’, and girls dig bad boys, so don’t worry.”

“Alright,” he smiled. “If it makes the girls go wild, I’m all for it.”

“Oppa! Onni!” Hae Rin greeted us as she too came out of hair and makeup.

“Hae Rin,” Si Won said. “Wa… you look gorgeous.”

“Komawo,” she smiled.

We walked to the set, and there were two scenes set up. One was Hae Rin’s room, and one was mine. Hae Rin was dressed in a white collared top and short school-girlish pleated skirt, and her room was decorated in black and white. I was dressed in a red collared denim dress, which ended a few inches above my knees, and my room was decorated in red and black. Si Won was dressed in a smart black shirt and jeans. They’d left his shirt unbuttoned on the top and only 2 buttons buttoned in the middle. Hae Rin and I teased him mercilessly about the image they were giving him in the video.

We gathered around so that Si Won could listen to the song once, to give him a little idea of how the mood and scenes would be like. The song starts with the strains of an acoustic guitar, and Hae Rin sings the first part of the song with me backing up the bridge, and vice versa for the 2nd part.

Hae Rin: I used to sit and cry
People would as me why
Why did I bother to hurt myself
For someone who didn’t give a damn about me

You never cared about me
You always did as you pleased
You never gave me the attention I needed
Until I decided to leave

Hae Rin: You said to me
[Sierra: Baby please don’t go]
Hae Rin: I really love you so
[Sierra: I really didn’t know]
Hae Rin: You hurt me like hell
[Sierra: I wanna make it right]
Hae Rin: Don’t give me your crap no more
You could never fix this

Sierra & Hae Rin: I wanna be the girl, the girl of your dreams
Not some stand in while you wait for her
I wanna be the one, the one that you need
Not some temporary measure

Sierra: Now that you’re out of my life
I feel a sense of freedom
No more making a fool of myself
No more being a doormat for you

I hope you’re hurting now
I hope that you regret all that you did
Now you know how I feel
The pain, the loneliness, isn’t it eating you up

Sierra: You said to me
[Hae Rin: Baby please don’t go]
Sierra: I really love you so
[Hae Rin: I really didn’t know]
Sierra: You hurt me like hell
[Hae Rin: I wanna make it right]
Sierra: Don’t give me your crap no more
You could never fix this

Sierra & Hae Rin: I wanna be the girl, the girl of your dreams
Not some stand in while you wait for her
I wanna be the one, the one that you need
Not some temporary measure

Hae Rin: I wanna be the girl, the girl of your dreams
[Sierra:Woaaahh…]
Not some stand in while you wait for her
[Sierra: Wait for her…]
I wanna be the one, the one that you need
Not some temporary measure

Sierra: I don’t wanna be a temporary measure…

“Omigod…” Si Won said softly, as the song ended. “What kind of guy am I supposed to be?” he laughed.

“Heartless?” I offered.

“Cold?” Hae Rin added.

“Omigod…” he exclaimed again. “When this video gets out, I’m going to be hated by both your fans.”

“Yea…” Hae Rin laughed. “Our fans will pretty much hate you for hurting us.”

“Hyung!” Si Won said as he raised his hand to get the PD’s attention. “Can I leave?”

“No,” the PD replied, and we laughed as he pretended to look around for an escape route.

“I wanna leave,” he pretended to sob.

“Not a chance,” Hae Rin and I said, and we hauled him towards the set where the crew was ready to begin filming.

Si Won pretended to try and get out of our grasps, which honestly, would not have been able to hold him down if he had really made an effort, since Hae Rin and I were like wisps next to him. Still, we must have looked like we were going to kidnap him and have our way with him or something.

“Andoe…” Si Won yelled, and everyone just cracked up at the sight we made.