text: Taeyeon had just finished redecorating the Christmas tree with Jungguk. They were now sitting on the couch. "Who's gonna go buy more candy canes?" Taeyeon asked. "How about we don't? I'd rather eat the fudge that Artemis gave us. Taeyeon sighed. "Whatever." Jungguk and Taeyeon had only eaten a few pieces of fudge when Taeyeon's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID. It was Korean. (Translations are italicized) "Yeoboseyo?" Taeyeon said. "Hello?" "Annyeonghaseyo, gimtaeyeon-ibnikka?" The voice on the other side asked. "Hello, Is this Kim Taeyeon?" "Ye. Nuguseyo?" "Yes. Who is this?" "Jeoneun yeonghwa gamdong-ibnida. ulineun sae yeonghwaui kaeseuteuleul mo-eugo issseubnida. ulineun dangsin-i uliui ju-ingong-idoegileul balabnida." "I am a movie director. We're gathering the cast for our new film. We would like you to be our main supporting character." "Jeongmal? Hangug-eseo?" "Really? In Korea?" "Salamdeul-eul tongjehago nugungaga yesanghaji moshan il-eul hal taekkaji geudeul-ihaneun modeun geos-eul algoissneun jeongbue gwanhan yeonghwaibnida." "Yes. It's a film about a government that controls it's people and knows everything they do until someone does something they didn't expect. "Maeu heungmiloul geos gatsubnida. Maenijeowa iyagihagessseubnida." "That sounds very interesting. I'll talk to my manager." "Johguna. sigan nae jusyeoeso gamsahabnida." "Alright. Thank you for your time." "Choedaehan ppalli yeonlag deuligesssubnida. Annyeong." "I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Goodbye." Taeyeon hung up the phone. "You should take the role!" Jungguk said. "But, if I take the role then I won't be able to hang out with you guys until the shooting is over! That could take months!" "I thought it was a movie?" "He didn't really say what it was. It could be a whole series! What if it takes a year!? What'll I do without you guys?" "Well, talk to your manager like you said you would. We'll talk about it with everyone once we get more information. * * * "I can't believe I'm on a plane right now. Actually, I can't believe I even let Jungguk talk me into this! What am I gonna do without everyone?" "You okay?" A voice next to him woke him up from his thoughts. He turned to look at a girl that must've been twenty or twenty-one. She couldn't have been much younger than himself. "Yeah." "Oh, good. You looked kind of worried." "Um. Where are you heading too?" Taeyeon asked, trying to start a real conversation. "I'm heading to Korea. I'm gonna be acting in a new movie! Where are you headed?" "I'm actually doing the same thing." "Really? What's the movie you're acting in called?" "Predicted." "Oh my gosh! I think we're acting in the same movie? Who are you going to be?" "They said I'm a main supporting character. I think I'm probably going to be the second lead or something close to that." "Cool! I'm the main! How long have you acted?" "I've been acting since I was young. You might have heard of me." "Oh! I totally forgot about names! My name's is Park Yumi. What's your name?" "My name's Kim Taeyeon. I've heard of you before! You were the main in Find Me! My friend loves that series!" "Well, it's nice to meet you!" Taeyeon shook Yumi's hand. * * * They had landed and checked into the same hotel. In fact, their rooms were right across from each other. Taeyeon had rented a car before he got to Korea and he offered to take Yumi to the first day of shooting. So, there they were, awkwardly sitting in the car, wondering who would speak first. After many minutes of silence, Taeyeon cleared his throat. "So ... How old are you?" "I'm twenty. What about you?" "I'm twenty-three." The car was once again filled with silence. Taeyeon was now hesitating to try to start a conversation again. He worried that he might be annoying her. Maybe she didn't want to talk. "Do you have siblings?" Yumi asked. "No. I'm an only child." "Lucky! I have a younger sister and she's always taking my stuff!" "I live with my best friend and we're about the same size so he's always taking my clothes too! He steals my candy all the time! That's what annoys me the most." "My little sister does the same thing!" The two laughed. The rest of the ride was silent but it was no longer awkward. The silence was light and comfortable now and it stayed that way for the rest of the ride. * * * Taeyeon had been sent a script but he had only skimmed over it. He was very confused when he found himself sitting in the makeup room for the next hour, getting interesting markings drawn on his face. As it turns out, he was the second lead but, he was with the evil, alien government. He wasn't very happy with all of the makeup but he was happy to find out that Yumi was having her make-up done right next to him. The enjoyed talking for the majority of the time and they went over lines together until their make-up was done. He then watched Yumi go first. "Mom. Why can't I do anything that I want to do?" "It's dangerous. You shouldn't even try! They know everything that you have done, are doing, and will do!" "But I want to be free! I don't want them to choose my life for me! I want to be able to choose what I like and who I like and love!" "That's dangerous! Please listen to me! They've taken people in before. If you even try to attempt to do something that they can't predict you'll be taken away and I won't ever get to see you again!" "Isn't there some way to stop them?" "They make sure that there isn't. And there won't be so, please listen to me. As your mother, I'm telling you not to make any bad decisions." Her mother stared into her eyes until Yumi's character sighed. "Okay, mom." "CUT! PERFECT!" The director said. Yumi complemented the lady who was playing the mother before stepping off of the set to find some water. Taeyeon walked up to her and tapped her shoulder. When she turned around he handed her a cold bottled water. "Thanks." "No problem. You were amazing up there!" Yumi was going to thank him but he was called up for his first shooting. "Well I'd better go. I hope I do good. This role was kind of unexpected. I've never been on the bad guy's side before." "I think you'll do great!"