Our Story - Binjin

Chapter 14: That Night after filming ends...

Author's Notes: This is going to be the last chapter around "The Negotiation filming" time period. In this story, our leads grew to respect and admire each other both professionally and personally during this time. They feel the special click but this is clearly not the right space and time. Instead, they will cheer on each other as friends.

I hope you have enjoyed the story so far, as much as I have imagining and writing it :)

Chapter 15 will see the start of the next time period, basically the next 10 months or so from the end of The Negotiation filming to when they meet again to re-film some scenes for The Negotiation. I hope you'll still follow the story! Take care!

The Night when filming for The Negotiation completes

Ye-Jin's Apartment

Ye-Jin tossed and turned in bed. It was almost 12 midnight and she has been trying to sleep for the last hour. She sat up in bed, was she too wired up? The last seven weeks had been a whirlwind of activities. Filming had been challenging and packed, but then again, it was the same with all her other projects. She always puts in 110% while filming and once it's completed, she's usually so exhausted both mentally and physically that she can sleep for 24 hours if she's allowed to.

Why is it different tonight? She wondered. She got off the bed and went to the kitchen, maybe a hot drink will help. She subconsciously picked up the box of chamomile tea. She smiled as she placed the sachet in a mug of hot water. This was Hyun Bin's recommendation when they talked about drinks for relaxation and he passed her a box a couple of weeks ago.

She didn't realize it earlier as it didn't fit his image, but he could almost qualify as a professional nagger. He had been nagging at her for weeks to cut down on her caffeine intake, threatening even that he'll get the coffee flow on set removed if she didn't restraint herself. As if he could, she had grumbled, but limited herself to two (and the occasional three) cups a day after that.

Ye-Jin sat on her sofa and looked out into the twinkling lights in her garden, in a pensive mood. In the peaceful silence of the night, all the thoughts she had subconsciously suppressed over the last seven weeks started to emerge. Was she oblivious to the strange aura between herself and Hyun Bin? Of course not, she's an actress and it was a basic requirement to be sensitive to details. Now that filming was over and in the safety of her own thoughts, Ye-Jin was honest with herself.  She had felt it from the first day they met at the script reading. Their eyes met when they shook their hands and she immediately felt a quickening of her heart rate and yet an oddly comfortable warmth when he held her hands. As they worked together the past seven weeks, it was clear to her they enjoyed a rapport and chemistry that was unique and rare.

What was it? Ye-Jin had no idea as well. She had worked with many talented actors and never once experienced this. Why did she not acknowledge these thoughts until now? There were many logical reasons. One, she is a professional. Her first duty is to the movie and she didn't want to complicate filming. She had made use of their unusually good chemistry to its full advantage. Any change in her mindset can have a huge implication on their performance. Two, there really was nothing to acknowledge. This could be just a natural phenomenon between two individuals. It's not as if they were in a romantic relationship. He had a publicly acknowledged girlfriend and looked happy.

She sighed as she finished the last of the tea. Maybe it could be the seeds of something so much more. But, Ye-Jin has learnt through the years, everything has its time and place. Unfortunately, this was definitely not the time for them. It's best to let nature take its course and be content.

Hyun Bin's Apartment

Across the city, Hyun Bin was also unable to sleep. He had gone to bed at around 12 midnight, expecting to be tired enough to sleep through to morning. After 5 minutes, he left the bedroom and went to his study. He was strangely wide awake. Maybe he should try a cup of coffee? Even though it contradicts everything he (and the rest of the world) knows about caffeine, Ye-Jin swears that coffee can help her sleep during one of the debates they had on her excessive coffee drinking habits. He shook his head. She would probably laugh at him if she knew he even contemplated trying her recommendation.

He smiled to himself as he pictured her reaction. Son Ye-Jin really is an enigma. Her public image had been a little dark and dramatic and she was a well-respected senior actress. He had expected her to be cool and maybe even aloof. Instead, the Son Ye-Jin he met was warm and friendly, incredibly talented yet humble. She was one of the most grounded people he has ever met. She treated the director, senior actors, junior actors and even the most junior production staff with the same respect. Her smile could light up a room.

He usually took time to warm up to people, but with Ye-Jin, he had felt comfortable almost right from the first meeting, when she shook his hand and overlooked his confusion over how to address her. When their eyes met that day, he felt something stir in him, something like a primitive urge to protect – although he had no idea why he felt like that. Over the last seven weeks, he had been amused, impressed, puzzled, surprised, entertained, by her. Every positive emotion in the dictionary has probably been evoked at some point in time. He was strangely tuned into her every emotion and felt most at ease and happy when she was smiling. His chest felt tight every time he saw her tears, even when he knew it was part of the script requirements. 

Hyun Bin frowned a little as he looked back. He didn't think too much about his feelings earlier as it had felt very natural but now that he looked back, this is definitely not the normal behavior for a co-star. Where did all these emotions come from? Ye-Jin was a beloved co-star whom he admired but that was it. There was nothing else in their relationship. He can't even use the excuse of being still stuck in character – they were enemies in the movie. He has to be crazy, that was the only reasonable explanation.

His mobile phone vibrated, interrupting his thoughts.

[Sora] Bin, I heard you're done with filming today. Congrats!

He suddenly realized that he has not spoken with Sora for at least two weeks. The last time they spoke, they agreed to have dinner once he was done with filming.

He sighed and shook his head. What was he doing, he really had to be crazy.