The sun peeked through the long, white curtains, casting shadows across the prestigious New Heights Academy. The greatness of the school was only rivaled by the elite students who roamed its hallways.
As the clock struck the golden hour, three figures emerged from the bottom of the staircase that led to the main entrance. A luminous white light embraced them, highlighting their handsome looks. At the side, there was Eli, a mysterious figure with a guitar case slung casually over his shoulder. His raven-black hair fell over his equally dark eyes, and from one look, you could tell that he smelled like the night sea. On the other side, with an intellectual sophistication, was Maxwell. A book was tucked under his arm, the foreign letters on the leather cover gleaming in the fading sunlight. In the middle of the duo, undoubtedly exuding the most charisma, was Jin. His blonde hair was slightly tousled, and his light brown eyes glimmered under the sun, making it appear like golden honey that you just wanted to sip. One strap of his bag dangled carelessly from his shoulder, symbolizing his nonchalant and cool attitude.
As the trio ascended the staircase, whispers swept through the crowd. The students of New Heights Academy couldn't help but gawk and fawn at the three captivating figures making their way to the school's bulletin board. A small smirk appeared on Jin's face, making the girls on the side nearly faint in amazement. June internally shook his head at the ridiculousness of the scene. Were popular guys really treated like this in high school?
Nonetheless, he actually enjoyed the attention. Maybe he has been hanging out with Zeth one too many times over the past week, or maybe he was reliving the high school experience he didn't get to enjoy. They finally arrived at the bulletin board where the rankings of the recent exams were displayed for all to see. The students gathered around the board, eagerly searching for their names among the list of academic achievers, quickly parted once the trio arrived. As Jin scanned the list, a triumphant smirk curled at the corner of his lips. There it was—his name—written at the very top. A soft voice interrupted his self-appreciation. "Why?" asked a pretty girl standing beside him. Naeyon, her soft brown hair tied up into a ponytail, showing off her smooth and thin neck, pursed her lips in disappointment. Then, Nayeon, noticing Jin's presence, turned to him with a profound glare. However, Jin merely smirked, even leaning closer to the pretty lady. "Better luck next time," he said with a playful tone before leaving the bulletin board with his two friends. "...and cut!" Director Nana's voice resonated in the hallway, making the actors snap back to their original personalities. June was still on the director's screen, and she couldn't help but exclaim as she observed his features. "We hit the jackpot with him, Bubbles! He's like the real-life version of the main character in the manhwa," Nana said. Bob Lee, despite being displeased with his nickname again, nodded in agreement. June truly embodied the main character of 'Hate To Love You' really well. Director Nana walked over to the two main actors, giving them both a pat on the back. "You guys did well for the first scene!" she complimented. "I was worried about your chemistry for a moment, but I definitely don't have anything to worry about! The two of you looked like you really hated each other's guts just now." June smirked while Arin subtly rolled her eyes. Oh, they definitely didn't have to act for that part.
"Well, we don't want to shock June with filming too many scenes, so we'll continue this tomorrow. I'm just glad we got your very first interaction. I can't wait for the other scenes!" "Sure, can't wait," Arin said through gritted teeth. "Well, off you go, then. You guys are free tomorrow morning, right? We'll shoot the pool scene then," Nana said. June nodded. "I'll only be available in the afternoon since I have to practice with my members for our upcoming performance." Arin sighed deeply next to him. "Of course," she muttered. "That's alright," Nana said. "We'll film the other parts while you're not around." "Thank you for understanding," June said. "No need," Nana said. "Just prepare yourself for tomorrow since we'll be filming until late at night." June nodded. "Got it." With that, the crowd finally dispersed. Arin quickly left June's side, still looking displeased. June looked at her retreating figure and shook his head. "Let's go. I'm hungry," Jay said, standing by his side. "Yeah. I'll just change, and we'll go." June went to the dressing room to quickly get changed to his original clothes before meeting Jay at the parking lot. "Let's buy some food for the boys," June said, bringing out his wallet. "My treat." "Eyy, you're finally getting that good paycheck, hm?" Jay teased while June merely shook his head. He was definitely earning better than he had anticipated, but it still wasn't as much as most people expect. "What do you mean you won't be able to get me?" a familiar voice exclaimed, not far from them.
"But it's snowing already. I can't go to the bus stop at this point," Arin said, appearing frustrated. June continued observing Arin before their eyes finally met. Arin's eyes immediately narrowed at June, causing him to shake his head.
"Fine. Go and tend to your other artists. I'll go by myself," Arin said, turning off the phone and walking away from June. June sighed as he watched her shivering figure. June knew the reason why they acted quite well together in the given scene was because their feelings for each other were genuine—they were both annoyed at each other. However, June also knew that those feelings wouldn't be beneficial in the end once their characters finally fall in love with each other. With that, June swallowed his pride and opened the car door. "Come in." Arin looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "Are you crazy? Why the hell would I enter your car?" "Look," June sighed. "I don't know what I did to you, but will you quit acting difficult for a second? It's snowing pretty bad, so I suggest you go in." "And if I don't?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest. June shrugged. "Suit yourself." He entered the car and was about to shut it close when he heard her voice once again. "Wait," Arin softly said, feeling the snow getting heavier
"Drop me off at Vista Apartment House."
