Chapter 147: 멋진 인생 (Cool Life)

Happy New Year everyone! Sorry for being so slow... my resolution for the new year is to update more often and quickly! So let's all hope I keep to it. Hehe!

It's been a great year, and I'd like to thank my loyal readers for staying with me all this time. I will continue to write good fictions and work towards living my dream! I LOVE YOU ALL!!! MWAH!!!

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“Need a lift?” Jae Wook asked me after our shoot had concluded for the day.

“I’m going to the recording studio, wouldn’t it be out of the way for you?” I asked.

“Not if you’ll have lunch with me,” he smiled.

Jae Wook and I had gotten friendlier since the drama progressed. I’m still a bit shy around him, especially when we have to do intimate scenes, but I was really thankful for his guidance throughout the filming since he was a sonbae, and I was totally green when it came to acting in a drama. Music videos don’t really count. It wasn’t every day that we exchanged words or ate together, so the few occasions we did were actually quite refreshing.

“You were shaking earlier,” he teased, as we drove out onto the main street.

“It was cold,” I joked.

“I make you feel cold?” he asked.

“Sometimes,” I laughed, and he pretended to look offended.

“Will your boyfriend be watching that episode?” he asked.

“He’s watched most of it,” I said.

“So he’s fine with 2 hot guys manhandling you?” he joked.

“Part of the job,” I smiled. “He’s done it too, so he should understand.”

“Good to hear,” he laughed. “Working till late, I guess?” he asked.

“It’s close to the awards season. The company is pushing for us to put out albums as quickly as possible so that we don’t miss out.”

“And this is your solo debut, right?”

“Someone’s been catching up on the news,” I teased.

“Hey… I know you personally now, so if I do hear stuff being said about you, I’d pay some attention to it,” he laughed.

“It’s my solo debut, and my band will also be releasing an album.”

“Won’t that cause a clash?”

“I don’t know how the company planned it, but this is what they’re doing. I suppose they don’t see a big clash. Skye and Shoei have their own fan base, and I have my teeny-tiny fan base to compete. I’m only grateful I’m collaborating with someone for the title track, then I can ride on his fan base,” I said.

“Collaboration? With whom?” he asked.

“Can’t tell yet,” I smiled. “Press release is next week.”

“Ya… I’m your leading man. How can you keep secrets from me?” he joked.

“I’m sorry… I have to guard the secret with my life, or my company will disown me,” I laughed.

“No leaks, huh?” he said.

“No…” I shook my head. “Unless I’ve been directed to leak it,” I added, and Jae Wook laughed out loud.

“I guess it happens,” he said.

“So when are you releasing an album?” I asked him.

“Me? I’m an actor, and I model. You think I’d make a good singer?”

“Well… it’s always worth a shot. I think most people would at one time in their lives harbor dreams of being a rock star,” I said.

“Hmm… I’ll ask my manager,” he laughed.

We decided to grab a quick bite somewhere near the studios, since I had to be there in about an hour.

“I’ll have the pumpkin soup and a Caesar salad,” I told the waiter.

“Are you on a diet?” Jae Wook asked me.

“No… I can’t eat too much before a recording session,” I explained.

“But you’ll have another meal later, right?” he asked.

“Of course,” I laughed. “I don’t starve myself.”

“Then how do you maintain your great figure?” he winked.

“Exercise, of course,” I said, proudly.

“Right…” he laughed.

“I’m considered fat for this industry anyway,” I said.

“It’s always nice to see some flesh on a girl. I’ve seen my fair share of waifs on the catwalk and film sets. Those are not really the kind of women guys would want to bear their children,” he smiled.

“I have heard this line often enough, and yet these girls do get married off, and they marry well too.”

“Those are trophy wives,” he said.

“You’re just trying to console me,” I laughed.

“You own one of the most eligible men in the K-Pop industry. What are you worried about?” he joked.

“I do not own him,” I said.

“How many years has it been? 2?” he asked, and I nodded.

“A long relationship between 2 young celebrities lasting so long is as close as you can get to a marriage.”

“Is that supposed to be a positive comment?” I laughed.

“However you want to see it,” he shrugged.

Jae Wook dropped me off at the studios half an hour later.

“Thanks for lunch,” I said.

“Anytime,” he smiled.

“I’ll buy you lunch another day,” I said.

“No need,” he replied. “Just give me a free copy of your new album.”

“Okay,” I laughed. “Naeil pwayo.”

“Naeil pwayo,” he replied, and drove off.

Another long day in the studio awaited me. Today we were going to do ‘Make Me'. The mood of the song was playful and rebellious, which made it feel a lot like Ji Yong’s character. But of course, that was only natural since he co-wrote it.

“Ready, baby?” he crooned.

“Yeah, baby!” I winked and made shooting actions with my hands.

I’ve learnt to match his wit and tone in the past week. By now, we were interacting freely and comfortably during our recording sessions.

“Music cue!” he said, and the music flooded the earphones.

Hey, you say, you say, it’s time for bed
Hey, you say, you say, don’t stay out late
Hey, you say, you say, don’t turn away
Hey, you say, you say, I’m talking to you

Every minute, every moment, you keep dictating
Every second, every hour, you gotta say
Something, something, to keep me in line
Well I’ve got news for you now, you can’t make me

I’d like to see you try… to make me
I’d like to see you try… to control me
No more, no more, I won’t toe the line
No more, no more, I won’t heed your cries

I say, no more, you hear me
From this minute on, you can’t make me

Hey, you say, you say, don’t run away
Hey, you say, you say, don’t you stray
Hey, you say, you say, only look at me
Hey, you say, you say, I’m your one and only

Every minute, every moment, you gotta speak
Every second, every hour, you drive me crazy
Seriously, shut up now, or you’ll regret it
You gotta learn right now, you can’t make me

I’d like to see you try… to make me
I’d like to see you try… to control me
No more, no more, I won’t toe the line
No more, no more, I won’t heed your cries

I say, no more, you hear me
From this minute on, you can’t make me

Oh no, no, no… Oh no, no, no…
You keep this up, for sure you’ll lose me
Oh no, no, no… Oh no, no, no…
From this second on, you won’t control me

Every minute, every moment, you gotta speak
Every second, every hour, you drive me crazy
Seriously, shut up now, or you’ll regret it
You gotta learn right now, you can’t make me

I’d like to see you try… to make me
I’d like to see you try… to control me
No more, no more, I won’t toe the line
No more, no more, I won’t heed your cries

I say, no more, you hear me
From this minute on, you can’t make me

The entire staff clapped as soon as I finished.

“Great energy!” Ji Yong said.

“Thank you,” I smiled and bowed.

“Are you feeling especially rebellious today?” he asked.

“A little,” I laughed. “And it’s all thanks to you.”

“Hmm… we’ll need to keep you in line then,” he said, and mimed cracking a whip, complete with sound effects.

“Yamete!” I held up both hands and waved them in protest.

I think as days went by, we got wackier and wackier. Ji Yong is bringing out the kid in me, and even Skye couldn’t do it to this extent. I’m definitely going to miss working with him once the album is complete.

After 3 strenuous days, I had a reprieve from recording. It was time for S-Cube’s album sleeve photoshoot. Not only that. They’ve decided to do a behind the scenes concept for the MV of our first single ‘Just a Feeling’. ‘L.O.V.E’ was initially planned as the first single, but since it was already featured on ‘Girls on Top’, and they had an MV made of clips from the series for it, they decided to release the ballad ‘Just a Feeling’.

The new album was a collection of love songs covered by us. The songs ranged from 70s to 90s favourites, and also some recent hits. What made the album more special to the three of us was that we got to choose each of the songs we wanted to do, except for the bonus track, which was supposed to be a publicity piece for my upcoming mini-album.

Since most of the songs were oldies, we were doing a photoshoot dressed in 70s, 80s and 90s inspired outfits. For the cover, we were going really glam. I had on a champagne colored gown with a fur stole, diamonds dripping from my ears, neck and hair, and I was made up with red lipstick, smoky eyes, and a sleek chignon.

“Whoa… looking like a laydee…” Skye sang when he saw me.

He and Shoei were both dressed in morning suits with their hair slicked back. They had top hats and canes to go with their outfit.

“Thank you, kind sir,” I curtsied.

“Places!” the production assistant shouted.

“The scene would be a Hollywood glamour photo session. The mood should be serious, and sort of romantic,” the director explained. “Sierra will interact with Shoei as a couple, and Skye will be the bystander in this photo.”

“Ne,” we answered in unison.

“Stills will be taken from our entire shoot today, so please keep your expressions right for the entire filming. The photographer here will also be taking your photos.”

There was a photographer dressed up like us and using an antique camera to shoot us. The stylist handed me a cigarette with a long filter attached to use as a prop.

“Do I have to smoke it?” I asked the director.

“If you do smoke, go ahead. If you don’t, just pretend,” he said.

“Ne…” I replied.

Filming started, and the song played in the background to help us get into character. ‘Just a Feeling’ is a song by the band, Breeze. The song is about a man who is losing his lover, and not wanting to face it even though he knows that she is leaving. This is most evident in the lyrics of the chorus when they sing “And if you love somebody else, would you still pretend you’re mine”.

Usually, Shoei would play the melancholy and jilted lover since he had that naturally brooding appearance, but this time, Skye had the honor.

I sat beside Shoei on the lounge they placed on the stage, half leaning against him. Skye stood beside it, his hand resting lightly on the backrest. For the first shot, Shoei and I looked at each other, his hand lightly touching my chin.

“Good expressions, Sierra and Shoei,” the director said. “Keep that longing look. Sierra… rest your hand lightly on his lap, maintain that cigarette filter’s position.”

I had to keep glancing back at the cigarette filter in case the ash from the cigarette fell on the dress, and I had to maintain eye contact with Shoei. Skye doing a good job, glancing down at us and back to the camera, pretending to notice but trying not to have noticed.

“Move closer now,” the director instructed. “Your lips almost touching.”

Sometimes I wonder what went on in the directors’ minds when they created scenes like this with the 3 of us. We were obviously like siblings, more than anything else, and it did feel a little incestuous when we did scenes like this. Of course, I still wondered how Shoei felt when we were put in such situations.