Almost

                                                                                 MARK

I just finished changing for the next scene. I went out of the tent and after a few seconds, Kris came out of her tent. 

I saw her and I was stunned. She was wearing a blue dress. That blue dress I bought for Angela. I stood there in shock. 

Is this another one of my dreams? How could this be a coincidence? It's just too eerie to be true.

I snapped myself out of it. 

"Earth to Mark," she was saying.

"You should change," I went back in my tent. 

"What?" she was on my heels. 

I ignored her.

"Yah, Mark Tuan," she shouted. 

I still ignored her. I didn't want to face her. Go away!

"What's your problem?" She pulled my arm to face her. "What's wrong with you?" 

"Nothing!" I turned my back again.

This time she walked up in front of me.

"You've been giving me the cold shoulder for the past few weeks," she was saying it to my face. 

I backed away, but she grabbed my hand and I was forced to stay where I was.

"Did I do anything wrong?" she asked. She's no longer angry. Concerned, maybe? "Tell me, please." she waited for me to answer. "Is there anything I can do? Am I being a nuisance to you?"

I bowed my head and looked at my feet. No, you're not. Just don't come any closer. I wouldn't be able to control myself if you do.

"I'm sorry, ok?" she said. "I'm sorry for whatever I've done. Just tell me what to do. I feel like ...."

"What's going on here?" Junior must have heard us from outside the tent. "Are you two fighting?"

"No, we're fine." I told him.  I loosened my arm from Kris' grip and went out the tent without another word. 

I found a dark, quiet nook at the side of the house where we were filming in. I saw an old wooden bench and sat without caring if it's clean or not. 

It's not your fault, Kris. Please don't be sorry. I wanted to tell her this earlier, but the words just wouldn't come out. 

This project started out to be an opportunity for me to be a better artist. I was able to learn a lot from Kris, music-wise. I didn't expect this great chance to torture me like this. 

What should I do? 

I looked up and saw the star-lit sky. Summer is here but I feel cold, confused and even lonely. 

________________________________________________________________________________

I just don't understand him. Why would he even vent out on my dress? 

I had to get some answers, so I followed him inside his tent.

"What's your problem?" I shouted at him.

I got no answer. I kept on asking him questions but still no answer. I even pleaded and said sorry....but still nothing. 

Is something bothering him? Do I make him upset? 

I really hate myself for not knowing, I hate myself even more for not being able to help. 

Junior interrupted us and stopped me just when I was about to say I wanted to help him. 

Mark went out of the tent. I was about to follow him, but Junior got a hold of my arm.

"No," he said, "just let him be for now."

"Do you know why he's acting like that towards me? Please! I want to know if I've done something for him to act like that," I urged him for an answer.

"It's not your fault, Kris," he tried to assure me. "It's just that...he's going through something right now."

"Then why is he only cold to me?"

"I think you should need to be patient with him," he put his hand on my shoulder. "I can't tell you the reason myself, it would be better if it comes from him. So, do me a favor, and just let him be, for now."

So, it concerns me. What did I do?

"Ok, I will." I sighed.

"So, do you need any acting tips?" He changed the subject. "I'm a pretty good actor, you know." 

I laughed. "Yeah, actually I do. I suck at acting and making emotions with my face."

"I can see," he teased. "Where shall we start?"

He was teaching me how to exaggerate the emotions on my face when one of the staff came in and told me it's time to shoot.

"Was my advice helpful?" Junior asked when I finished shooting my part. 

"Very," I gave him a huge smile. "Thanks Mr. actor-nim." 

We were both laughing when we heard the director on the megaphone. 

"Let's pack up guys. That's it for this location. Let's move on to the amusement park." 

"You better go change now," Junior told me.

"Yes, sir."

"You're driving right?" he asked me out of nowhere. 

"Yeah?"

"Do you need an assistant driver?" he offered.

"Sure," I accepted without second thoughts. "It gets quite boring driving alone."

We were on our way to the park which, I heard is an hour away. 

"Huuurrmmm...", I yawned. I'm a bit tired and we have to shoot non-stop. 

"Stop the car," Junior said. "Let me drive."

"Thanks, I was actually waiting for you to say that." I smiled at him.

"Junior?" I asked. 

"Uh?"

"What is Mark like?" I wanted to know. I don't know why, but I just want to know more about him.

"Mark?", he thought for a second. "Well, I've known Mark for quite a long time now. He's really hard working."

"I can see that," I remember how focused he is when we worked on the song.

"He doesn't talk much, but there are times he would try to say more than two sentences. During those times, we celebrate." He laughed.

"Yeah, I noticed."

"You see, he doesn't want to show anybody his weak side, so he usually doesn't want to open up."

"Are you the closest to him? Does he open up to you?"

"Well, let's just say, he's close to all the members especially Jackson. Since they were together longer and they share a room. But when it comes to serious stuff, he comes to me."

"Oh."

"Which is very rare, of course. He is very secretive."

"Does he have a girlfriend?" Why do I want to know?

He looked at me, surprised. 

"Sorry, I shouldn't be asking that." I said. "Tell me how the group, GOT7, started."

He started telling me how he and JB debuted first and when they started training as a group.

"We're here," he said. He parked near the director's car.

___________________________________________________________________

                                                             MARK

Junior sure is having a great time with her.

I was watching them chat and laugh from where I was sitting.  They're eating on a table near the food cart. The crew are setting up the lights. 

"Don't be scared. Just don't look down." I could hear Junior telling her in his most soothing voice. 

Junior came here for a reason, and that is to distract me from her. It turned out, he is distracting her while I'm left here watching them. 

"Hey, Junior," I called out to him and signaled him to come over.

He signaled me to wait and whispered something to Kris. Kris smiled up at him and nodded.

What did he tell her?

"Hey," I hit his stomach, "what was that about?"

"Why, hyung?"

"You should be distracting me, right?"

"Oh, sorry. It's just that she's too fun to be with. I forgot I had a mission to do." He smiled at me apologetically.

"So, what did you talk about? It was an hour drive to here. You must have talked about something." I was curious.

"Hmmm....Secret." He laughed and started running.

I ran after him. "Yah, Junior, you little brat. You come back here."

"Am I distracting you now, hyung?" he was saying while running and hiding behind a tree.

"Don't let me catch you, you ....."

"Gather round now," the director shouted.

"I'll get you later," I pointed at Junior and he put out his tongue to mock me.

"In this scene, I would want both of you to meet here." He pointed a spot near the entrance of the park. "You," he pointed at me, "will be coming from the left. And Kris, you'll be coming from the opposite direction."

We positioned ourselves.

"Cue," the director shouted.

We started walking towards each other.

"Cut," the director shouted. "I want your faces to show how much you miss each other. Show more emotions. Got it?"

We both nodded.

"Action!"

After only about 4 steps, I heard the director shout again. "Cut, cut, cut." He was waving his hands. "I said more emotions."

"Sorry," I said.

"Again!"

"Okay, that's better, good, good, good." "Okay now, look at each other's eyes." "That's it." "A little closer."

Our faces were just inches away from each other. I was looking at her eyes and she was looking at mine. I could hear her breathing. Her familiar scent entered my system. I can hear my heartbeat became faster. I raised my hand towards her cheek and brushed it with the back of my hand, with my eyes still fixed on hers. I inched closer and I could see her tense up. I raised my other hand and put it at the nape of her neck. Gently, I pulled her closer to me. Her cheeks are red now. She slowly closed her eyes.

"Okay, cut!" "That was perfect. I love it." The director was shouting.

She opened her eyes and quickly pulled away, still looking at me. She looked baffled. She backed away even further.

"Ehermm..." I cleared my throat. What was I doing?

I walked away and sat myself at an empty chair near Junior.

"Wow, hyung. I didn't know you were such a great actor." He said.

"I wasn't acting."

"Uh-oh..."

"Shit, when would this be over. I need to get far away from her as soon as possible." I covered my face with both of my hands.

"Don't worry, you only have one scene left to shoot."