Beauty and the Beast | Chapter 3/?
Beauty and the Beast
Author: love_cassiopeia
Summary: Jung Yunho - a gifted and successful actor. Kim Jaejoong - Yunho's biggest fan. After receiving the task to interview Yunho for his journalism assignment, Jaejoong realizes that his favourite actor just might transform him from a "fan" into something much more.
Rated: PG-13 ~ NC-17
Disclaimer: I don’t own the five members, I’m simply borrowing them.
Warning(s): NC-17 material, language
Genre: Romance/Comedy
Pairing(s): YunJae
Chapter 3: Actor Jung Yunho-sshi
3.
Actor. Jung Yunho-sshi
Seoul, Korea - Paris, France
As the next morning rapidly approached, I could feel my head fill up with innumerable amounts of questions toward my crucial mission. What would Yunho think of me when he first sees me? What questions would I ask him for my journalism assignment? And most of all, how should I approach him when I first meet him?
I felt that it was utterly impossible to drive these thoughts out of my mind, even when I arrived at the airport to depart Seoul. I left Junsu with a few hand-cooked meals and a note telling him to take care of himself while I was in absence. I was the one responsible for taking care of Junsu ever since he moved in, and leaving him by himself was putting me in deep anxiety.
I told myself to stay calm as I stepped onto flight A-305, my continuous flight from Seoul, South Korea to Paris, France. Not only was I ecstatic to see Jung Yunho, but my eyes were also impatient to see the aesthetic city of Paris as well.
The long flight left me feeling a bit ill, making my appetite abruptly disappear. I told myself to go to sleep, but my thrilled psyche refused to follow my commands. I listened to a few of my favourite songs from my Ipod, and eventually fell asleep due to the fleeting melody. By the time I woke up, I had already arrived in Paris. I stared down upon the lustrous city through my small window and let my eyes widen as I saw the beautiful sight below me.
The city appeared to be covered in gold-an illusion which the many lights made upon the dark background of the colossal buildings. As our plane headed closer and closer to the ground, I could recognize a few monuments such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
I was more than eager to leave my uncomfortable seat on the airplane. My heart was beating faster than ever, making my mind go blank. After the plane had safely landed, I left my seat to arrive in the Paris Airport-a large one, considering all of its tourists. In Dr. Lee’s email, he instructed me to meet with a Korean man named Shim Changmin at the International Airport who would direct me to Yunho’s hotel. I looked around for him, and sighed of relief when I saw an Asian man waving towards me.
“You must be Kim Jaejoong.” The man appeared youthful but rather tall. “I’m Shim Changmin, Jung Yunho’s manager.” He held out his palm politely as I shook his hand absentmindedly. He appeared congenial and at ease, the complete opposite of how I expected him to be.
“Nice to meet you Changmin-sshi.” I replied him, a smile on my face.
“You must be here to write about Jung Yunho.” The tall male guided me through the airport and towards the baggage claim area. I recognized my only black suitcase almost immediately and picked it up eagerly. “You must be quite overwhelmed, having an assignment as difficult as this.”
I laughed, holding onto my suitcase and following him to exit the airport. “No, not at all.” I denied. “I was overjoyed when I received my assignment. He’s one of the few actors whom I really admire these days.” I followed him as he led me to the door of a black limo. “He’s very talented. You should be proud, being his manager.”
The man named Changmin opened the car door for me with a bright smile. “I’m glad to hear that.” He replied. “You’ll get along with him just fine, I guarantee you.”
I let a nervous laugh travel through my lips, not exactly sure how to answer the manager. Would two people get along if one was completely intimidated by the other? I doubted it.
The taller man took the passenger’s seat of the car as I glided myself-along with my luggage-into the back seat. The limo driver, who appeared to be French, began driving as we both settled in. My eyes broadened immediately as we left the airport grounds and headed into the sights of downtown Paris. I kept my eyes open and alert, trying to take in as much of Paris’s nightlife into my intellect as possible.
My mouth unexpectedly let out a gasp as we cruised by the Eiffel Tower. It was covered in millions of lights, all of which shone vibrantly. A smile came across my lips as we passed the many cafés and museums which inhabited Paris’s town square. Paris was a city as beautiful as it was aged. It had fused together the best of the past and the present into a pleasant mix, leaving the tourists amazed and breathless.
It was impossible not to overreact as my eyes sailed through such a beautiful city. Changmin snorted and turned around, his face filled with brightness as he glanced at me.
“It’s a beautiful city, isn’t it?” He asked, also looking out the window in amusement. “A big difference from Seoul.”
I nodded, completely agreeing with him. “It’s refreshing to be out of Seoul for a while.” I remarked. “It feels energizing to leave my problems there and have a fresh start here, in Paris.”
Changmin looked at me a bit skeptically. “Really? That’s what Yunho-sshi told me earlier.” He shook his head as he realized his small mistake. “…not the exact same thing, but he did mention that he wanted peace and quiet from the press and commotion in Seoul. I figured that the movie in Paris was something that could distract him from it, and surprisingly, it did!” He laughed, and then returned his vision to the front of the vehicle.
“Well, I hope I’m not causing the staff too much trouble by coming here.” I commented a bit guiltily.
I couldn’t see it, but I knew the familiar smirk had appeared on Changmin’s face once again. “Oh no, you’re not any trouble at all.” He consoled, laughter in his voice. “Thankfully, they didn’t send in a crazy fan-girl to interview Yunho. Now that would be a bit complicated.”
Crazy fan-girl? Didn’t I act like that most of the time? The voice in my throat hitched as my eyes widened in shock. I let out a nervous laugh once again, hoping to pass by such an awkward moment without any added embarrassment.
As Changmin’s conversation with me went on, the driver brought us to a large hotel on the edge of the town square. The hotel had the words Hotel de Crillon (whatever that meant) engraved upon it. I glanced up at its fancy arches and towers and sighed in awe.
I stared upon the extravagant hotel in bewilderment as Changmin urged me to depart my seat in the limo. Being a gentleman, the manager got a hold of my luggage, and carried my single bag into the hotel as I followed closely behind him.
He motioned for me to sit in one of the sofas located in the main lobby while he went up to the desk to book a room for me. “I’ll go check in for you.” He informed me as he left me with my luggage and long trail of thoughts.
I glanced around the hotel in wonder. Never have I been to such an extravagant hotel in my entire life! Everything around me appeared to be manufactured from gold and silver, making me feel as if I was in a royal palace. The chandeliers above me lighted up the lobby with its subtle colours, and the fireplace provided a nostalgic feeling for my mind. The hotel was dim overall, but I could swear that I almost went blind due to all the luminous furniture.
I forgot about the hotel immediately as I began to ponder over my journalism assignment. I was in the same hotel as Jung Yunho, and it was impossible to keep my body from shaking wildly. It would only be a matter of time before I see him. In a couple of minutes, I would finally be allowed permission to lay my eyes upon his handsome, gorgeous, face…
“Jaejoong-sshi?” I finally found the energy to escape my daydream as Changmin waved a hand in front of my face. “Are you all right?”
I laughed nervously, lecturing myself about when and when not to go into daydream mode. “Yeah, I’m okay.” I lied, my body still shaking. “I’m just overwhelmed by this wonderful hotel, that’s all.”
He smiled compassionately. “Oh yes, I know what you mean. Paris is such an amazing city, it’s a bit easy to get carried away sometimes.” He explained, still wearing his innocent grin.
“You have no idea.” I replied between breaths. It was getting harder and harder to breathe, especially knowing that Jung Yunho was in this building.
Changmin’s genuine grin morphed into a frown as he began speaking once again. “I’m afraid that there are no more rooms left in the hotel.” He announced forlornly. “The man at the check-in desk informed me that they’re fully booked for today and tomorrow.” His expression turned pensive. “This is one of the best hotels in Paris, and I’m afraid that every tourist wants a chance to stay here. I guess we were just too late in the end.”
I sighed. Maybe I wasn’t gong to be so close to Jung Yunho after all. “So where will I be staying?” I asked curiously. “Will I have to go find another hotel?”
“Oh, no no no!” Changmin denied, shaking his head. “You can share a room with Yunho of course-considering you’re both males! All the staff members for this movie are jammed together in small rooms, and Yunho is the only one who lives by himself in a large room. I’m sure he won’t mind. He’s a generous guy, after all!”
Once again, my lungs refused to respond as my brain signaled for me to take a breath. Sharing the same room? With legendary actor Jung Yunho? Was such a thing even possible on this planet?
I coughed awkwardly. “Are you sure it’s okay?” I questioned, my words a bit too eager. “Do you think he will be disturbed by my presence at all?”
Changmin giggled, thinking my words were a wonderful joke. “Distrubed? Yunho?” He laughed yet again. “That guy is by himself all the time, he needs some company.” He grabbed my baggage once again, a sign to me that he was ready to head on upstairs. “This way, you can study about him a bit more, and write sensible articles about him.”
I nodded my head, trying to keep a straight face as I stood up from the couch. I had no idea that I would end up here in Paris, France for a class assignment, and never had I thought that I would eventually be sharing a hotel room with Korea’s most illustrious actor. The thoughts were too much, and it overwhelmed the weak Jaejoong which had hidden away deeply inside me. I yearned for it to emerge to see Paris, but it had refused due to fear.
Thanking Changmin for carrying my luggage, I followed him to the elevator and willingly stepped in. He pressed the number twenty-two with his index finger, and we were momentarily escalated to higher grounds.
Shut up, I told my pulsating heartbeat. My heart had throbbed so loudly that I was afraid if Changmin had heard it or not. Like an idiot, I put a hand next to my chest, trying to quiet it down.
It was amazing how one could act so idiotically just out of excitement.
My heartbeat had reached its climax as the elevator stopped on the twenty-second floor. Changmin departed the elevator with my luggage as I followed closely behind him, fixing my hair a bit as I prepared myself to meet the man of my dreams.
Changmin led me to the end of the hallway and rapped on a particular door impatiently. My mind completely shut down as I realized who was actually behind the door. I took a few breaths, constantly reminding myself to calm down.
“Yunho-yah, you there?” Changmin shouted into the room, his hands still knocking onto the wooden door. “We have a visitor here to see you.”
I felt a sharp pain in my ears as I heard the familiar voice escape from inside the room. “Yeah, come in.” His masculine voice answered nonchalantly.
I was on the verge of dying and going to heaven as the door of the suite gradually opened. There, right before my very eyes, stood the tall and slim Jung Yunho, wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants.
As unexpected as that was, I couldn’t help but let my eyes skim over the lean contours of his bare chest and abdomen. The Yunho I expected to be behind the door was fully clothed and striking, not shirtless and slipshod. However, I couldn’t find a nerve in my body to complain; my eyes were enjoying every inch of what they saw.
Breaking my vision away from his state-of-the-art body, I let my eyes travel up to his flawless face. I could recognize his set of vibrant eyes immediately, one of which I saw through his many movies and photos. His lithe nose glided over his tan skin impeccably and hovered over his stunning red lips. I could recognize the small beauty mark which lingered gently above, and smiled distortedly as my mind imagined his lips meeting with mine.
Changmin was the one to wreak apart the awkward atmosphere. “Yunho, this is Kim Jaejoong.” He pushed me into the room swiftly as Yunho stared upon me with interest. “He’s here to interview you for the Seoul Times newspaper. You mind if he stays here in your room for a few weeks?”
A smile lighted up on Yunho’s visage, completely blinding my vision. “Of course I don’t mind.” He scanned among me from head to toe, making my cheeks turn bright red. “My suite is large enough to accommodate five people. It’s a bit frightening living in this empty space all by myself.” He offered me his hand for a handshake. “It’s nice to meet you, Jaejoong-sshi.”
I couldn’t dare to sever my eye contact with him as he held my hand in his, giving it a slight shake. His touch was warm, carrying messages of kindness and hospitality as it met mine.
“I’ve afraid that I’ve got some errands to run.” Changmin indicated from the back of the room as he set down my diminutive luggage onto a nearby armchair. “I’ll leave you two here to get to know each other better.” I shivered as he said those words, not knowing how to deal with the award winning actor. “Remember, Yunho, you have a filming in half an hour. I’ll be back here soon, so please prepare yourself.”
The stunning actor nodded as Changmin waved good-bye to the two of us. “Thank you Changmin-sshi!” I yelled after him, appreciating him for all his efforts of helping me settle down in Paris.
The tall and sophisticated manager closed the door as he departed, leaving only Yunho and me together in the deluxe hotel room. We stared amongst each other once more, both our faces filled with total bewilderment. Yunho was reluctant to break eye contact with me, and that only made my cheeks redden, if only a little more.
He laughed as I forced my eyes to depart his, my embarrassment overwhelming me. “Sorry about that, I didn’t know anyone was coming.” He let his masculine voice carry all of his messages. “I’ll usually be in reasonable clothing for an interview, but I guess I wasn’t today.” He glared at me once more with those piercing eyes. “Feel free to write about my sloppy lifestyle-it’s completely true.”
I giggled nervously, still staring at his contoured chest. Snap out of it, Jaejoong! I told myself, my whole face turning uneasy.
The half-naked actor stared at me curiously. “Are you okay, Jaejoong?” He asked, a bit of worry painted over his features. “Is anything bothering you?”
I shook my head immediately. “No, not at all!” I denied, a frail smile upon my lips.
He looked back at me in worry, probably wondering what a complete dupe I was.
I started unzipping my suitcase to pass by the gauche atmosphere which I had created. In astonishment, the first thing I saw in the suitcase was the glossy magazine picture of Yunho. Ignoring my hesitation, I grabbed the photo and a dark ink pen and headed straight over to the shirtless Yunho.
“Can you sign this picture for me please, Actor Jung Yunho-sshi?” I bowed my head to him, handing him my pen and photo with two hands.
He laughed at my ridiculous words, and received the functional utensils for his autograph. “You can just call me ‘Yunho.’” He replied as he signed the photo, his signature big and bold. He handed it back to me with a large grin. “This for your girlfriend?” He asked, referring to the autographed photo.
I froze, looking at the signed photo in his hands. “N-no… I don’t have a girlfriend.” I truthfully indicated.
He handed the photo back to me. “Then who is it for?” He lifted his eyebrows.
It was for myself, was it not? However, I couldn’t find the strength to answer him frankly, so I was forced to make up a lie right on the spot.
“It’s for…” I trailed off. “My sister!”
He laughed. “Yes, of course.” He replied, searching through the closet to find a suitable shirt for his naked upper half. “I hope she’ll like it.” He added.
“Oh she will.” I lied, telling myself to stay composed. There was no way on earth that I would hand over such a precious item to my sister. It was all mine!
I immediately packed the signed photo into my suitcase, ensuring it safety at the bottom of my luggage. I began to unpack, placing my many shirts on the soft mattress and hanging them into a small closet. I was going to stay in this room with Yunho for one month, and the thought of it made my hands shudder with delight.
With amazement, I glanced around the high-class hotel room. My eyes flew right open as they glanced upon the single bed that lay in the middle of the room. There would need to be some explanation for this.
I looked to Yunho, who was still buttoning up his white linen shirt. Fuck, I can’t see his body anymore! My conscious reminded me, but I learned to ignore such a dirty part of my mind.
“Uh… there’s only one bed in the room.” I spoke up nervously. “What will we do?”
He pointed to the many sofas located throughout the room. “We can take turns sleeping on the sofas of course.”
“Oh.” I replied, sounding like an idiot. I wished I would stop asking unnecessary questions and making a fool of myself in front of Korea’s most talented actor. But what could I say? There were parts of me which weren’t as refined as the others.
After buttoning up his shirt, he sat down onto the soft mattress and took a long glance at me. He grinned yet again when I anxiously looked away from him, a blush on my cheeks.
This time, he was the one to ask the questions. “So… what are you here to interview me for?” He exhaled as he asked seriously. “There must be a topic about me which you want to report about.”
Finally! Something to bring me back to the real task at hand. “My professor requested me to write about your rumored love interests.” I explained as he frowned. “You know… to clear up those blurry rumors about you and those actresses.”
He smirked, a bit impishly. “Really.”
I nodded. “Yes.”
He rolled his eyes at me. “Well if that’s the case, then you can just leave now.” He remarked sourly, pointing to the door of the hotel room. “I don’t need reporters from Seoul interrupting me with such nosy questions.”
Worry slowly climbed onto my face as I heard the acidic words escape his lips. I looked to the hotel room’s exit. Was I really supposed to leave? The Jung Yunho requested me to, so…
“Reporters like you are only good for making up ridiculous stories about me.” He explained, refusing to look up at me. “If you’re here to make up more rumors, then you’re only interfering with my filming.”
I stepped back, feeling a bit guilty. I had so much to say, yet so little. “But-“
“I chose to come to Paris to escape those reporters… to escape the rumors.” The actor resumed his monologue, interrupting me. “If you want to continue the rumors, feel free to do so. Just make sure that I never see you anymore.”
A sharp pain of rage and frustration rose up inside me, making my body sweat hysterically. I had only been with him for what-five minutes?-and already I had angered him to his limits. Five minutes was considered the new record for me. Go figure!
As I prepared myself to leave the room-as he instructed me to-Changmin walked into the suite, flashing his brilliant beam towards me once more.
“Yunho, your filming is in fifteen minutes. We must arrive at the location immediately.” Changmin indicated as he stared at his watch.
Now fully clothed, Yunho stood up from the large mattress idly and walked in Changmin’s direction. He didn’t dare to link eye contact with me as he passed by me, making me feel a bit accountable. I was reluctant to admit it, but I was the one who brought such a look of misery onto Yunho’s striking features.
“Jaejoong, excuse us please. We’ll be back in about three hours.” Changmin exited the hotel room as Yunho followed closely behind him. I nodded, still staring at Yunho’s pensive reaction.
Still refusing to look at me, the attractive actor said one last sentence before he left.
“I never want to see you again.” Were the words he spoke, his voice dry and bleak.
I watched in utter dread as the two of them disappeared into the dim hallway. My heart felt guilty, and for the first time in a while-terrified.
Just what have I done here?
TBC
Yes! To celebrate Yunho's birthday, why not update this? Oh my, another cliffhanger? Sorry for ending it so abruptly, once again...
Jae better get himself in shape until Yunho garners even more hate for him... But being the fan-boy that he is, I'm sure he will!
Have you guys noticed my updating patterns yet? I always find myself updating Saturday afternoon. So the next update will definitely be at the same time as well =D
Please take the time to comment ^^ Thank you so much!
~Cindy
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4