⦙ film set

@❀ namgung hae ᵇᵒᵈʸᵍᵘᵃʳᵈ As he stood on his mark, he fixed his expression and emptied his head. Work was work. And he needed to focus in spite of all the chaos of that day. He took a deep breath and exhaled, and after nodding at the PD to signal that he was ready, the director called out.

It was supposed to be an easy take. He played the role of the male lead's friend, who involuntarily falls for the main female love interest. His character was friendly but very protective of both the leads. Something he, as an actor, knew only how to portray. His straight face suddenly seemed warmer and friendlier on camera, but there was a problem. Or more precisely, the writers and directors had a problem with how the subtle romance between Yibo's character and the female lead was supposed to look.

The PD called for a cut after a good while of smooth filming. He called Yibo aside while announcing a break for everyone else. With the same writer lady from before, they huddled off-scene, and their lectures began. Both of them had a bit of an issue with how Yibo portrayed the flirtation in the script. In their eyes, he seemed insincere. According to the two of them, it appeared almost as if he was annoyed by having to flirt with the beautiful girl his character was secretly in love with. Yibo tried to oppose those claims, but he was quickly shut down. "You walk in here with a glaring hickey and you want to tell me that you don't know how to flirt?" The writer lady flailed her arms in frustration. "Get it together," the PD added and they both, fairly agitated, dismissed the actor.

Yibo didn't sigh. He didn't do anything. He walked off to his dressing room and just from the way how he opened the door and let it shut behind him, everyone could conclude that he was pissed. Upon arrival, he kicked the side of the sofa and flopped down on it, holding his head in his hands.

@❀ namgung hae ᵇᵒᵈʸᵍᵘᵃʳᵈ Before he could actually respond to the bodyguard's questions, to which he *really* wanted to retort. It felt a bit cold to be scolded by a bodyguard, and all he did was show interest. However, two could play that game. He closed his mouth, looked past the bodyguard and the junior writer. He thanked the stylist, finally able to stand up straight and he walked off without a word. Without a word, but with a not so friendly glance at the bodyguard. He was in a tip top condition on his own terms, and he, believe it or not, valued every job and worker there was. If she thought he was weak, she was wrong. If she thought he was slow, she was wrong. But there was no time or point discussing, because he was already on the set, in the spotlight, standing on his mark, waiting for the cue...

@❀ namgung hae ᵇᵒᵈʸᵍᵘᵃʳᵈ Yibo hummed as he learnt a new information about the job of a bodyguard, finding it unusually tough in that field of work to be pristine clean when it came to wounds and bruises. After all, they put their well-being and life at risk to protect others. "Interesting," he muttered, giving the female a once-over just to have a better picture of what it meant to be a female bodyguard. "So, do you also have a hand-to-hand combat training?" he asked, almost too quietly and hesitantly, as if he was asking for the national secret. What she didn't know, was that Yibo truly really wanted to at least once play a character that has a lot in common with her profession. He wanted the action, the fighting, the bravery, the heroism. All that.

@❀ namgung hae ᵇᵒᵈʸᵍᵘᵃʳᵈ "No violence," Yibo muttered to the bodyguard, frankly, amused by her determination to harm the writer lady. It was truly uncalled for, the judgement, but at the same time, he was also supposed to be careful and professional. And the career of an actor or any other person that makes money off of their looks should be mindful of how they present themselves.

When they reached the stylist station, the stylist quickly started applying some colour-correcting pallet of makeup and powder over his neck. He could already feel the strain in his muscles as he held his head cocked sideways. "You're both lucky you don't have to deal with this," Yibo muttered, trying hard to check his phone while the make-up was being applied. "Your bosses don't make a fuss about you having bruises, do they?" he asked, blinking up at the bodyguard.

@❀ namgung hae ᵇᵒᵈʸᵍᵘᵃʳᵈ The actor watched her professionalism and in short, he was impressed. He swallowed down all of the misery and nodded, looking in the distance to compose himself as well. "Your discretion is very much appreciated," Yibo added, just to not sound as a complete after the meltdown. He turned towards the voice that called out for him. The writer lady waved her script at him to come over, a junior writer timidly stood behind her. "Let's go then," he fixed his posture, cleared his throat, and put on his completely ironed out mask. Not a single emotion creased his face and he liked it that way.

When he approached, he made sure his assigned bodyguard was not too close, but not too far either. He looked over his shoulder to make sure before diving into the world of his character and the drama with the two writers. There was not much to say on his side. He was just the second male lead, the typical hopeless case if a friendzoned loser. He diligently nodded, not letting anyone know about his displeasure. Although, when it was time to start shooting again, the writer lady turned to him with a look of a disappointed mother, and smacked him on the shoulder with an opened script. "Oh my, get that monstrosity covered up! It's showing again," she said and ushered him away. He immediately looked at the bodyguard, and nodded his head in the direction of the stylist so she could follow him. He was like a poor kicked puppy. Especially after he heard the writer lady talk to the junior writer about "today's youth" in a disappointed fashion. It made him roll his eyes and shoulders slump even more.

@❀ namgung hae ᵇᵒᵈʸᵍᵘᵃʳᵈ Yibo opened and closed his mouth as he stared at the reflection of the woman in the mirror, wanting to complain. But no words were coming out. Instead, he turned around in his chair, and as his neck craned, he quickly remembered last night's events and the horribly embarrassing morning. "That was what I was afraid of," he sighed. "It's you... from last night," he said again, watching her from his seat. "You... You're a bodyguard? Uh, forget it. Today's not my day," he sighed heavily, his eyebrows furrowing in dismay. Dejectedly, he got up from his seat and checked his phone one last time. "You can't imagine how much trouble I got into for your artistic work," he whispered in passing as he walked past the woman. "Anyway, let's just... not mention it? Not bring it up at all? I think we can survive today on those terms, right?" he turned back around to face the woman and asked, trying his best not to sound like a complete jerk.

@❀ namgung hae ᵇᵒᵈʸᵍᵘᵃʳᵈ Since his management announced that some fields of the agency are understaffed and that some people he will work with won't be consistently around him, he didn't really bother making meaningful connections. Although, there were some that he grew fond of. Especially in the sphere of his personal bodyguards. Getting the news that the last one was reassigned and Yibo was getting a new one, along with a very difficult morning full off yelling and disappointed finger wagging, left him in a bit of a bitter mood. It reflected on his heightened attitude.

When the new bodyguard approached him at the set, he did not lift his gaze away from his phone. "Yeah, hey. Don't take the shadowing too seriously, I don't need you stepping on my heels. But your services are welcomed and appreciated," he looked up to shoot the new bodyguard a insincere, tight-lipped smile. The moment his eyes fixed on her face, and his gaze focused, even the fake smile dropped and he immediately went pale. "You?" he exhaled in a hushed panic.