33 The event 1

Sun Young-mi was a sweet little canary among a bunch of hawks. Surrounded by people she didn't know, the young woman bore the staring and whispers that followed her entrance as Seung-ho's partner.

Dan-bi, who was talking to the wife of the esteemed director, stared in disbelief at the sight of Sun Young-mi arriving with Seung-ho.

"I'm sorry I didn't get what you just said," She responded to the woman whose words had gone unheard while she was trying to process her shock. How could this be happening? Her agent was supposed to be watching Sun Young-mi so he should have informed her by now that the annoying bitch was with her Seung-ho.

Her conversation partner looked in the direction that Dan-bi was staring.

"Is that Sun Young-mi?" She asked Dan-bi curiously.

"Yes," Dan-bi bit out.

"She's prettier in real life, isn't she?" The woman said, not realising that she'd just tossed a bomb into a live volcano that was barely being suppressed.

"I don't think so," Dan-bi replied, her tone coming out harsher than she'd intended. "Seung-ho pities her because she has a nasty reputation but acts like an angel when he's around. I wouldn't be fooled by her face."

The director's wife was an amicable and intelligent woman. She could sense the bitterness in Dan-bi and questioned the source of it. If Seung-ho really only pitied the girl then there was no need for such animosity. The actress's feelings for her co-star was no hidden secret though she never made any overt gestures to hint at it. Her behaviour right now pointed at something deeper than what she was implying.

"Let's go talk to them," Eun-jin, the director's wife, lightly suggested. Seung-ho hadn't struck her as the sort of man who frivolously played around with women. Seeing him bring a lady partner instantly made them both objects of intense curiosity and gossip.

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"Seung-ho, you cunning fox! you didn't tell me you talked to girls who weren't your co-stars!"

Ji-ho turned to look at the boisterous sounding voice that dared to approach the actor so freely. It was none other than Nam Do Hyun, the man who played a charismatic villain and childhood friend of Seung-ho's character. His peach blossom eyes narrowed in a smile as he regarded Ji-ho with as much curiosity as she had for him.

Perks of the job, Ji-ho praised. Meeting all these hot men really raised her blood pressure but in a good way.

"Hello, Sun Young-mi. I'm a big fan," he winked at her. "My ringtone is your voice singing wildflowers."

"Really? I'm also a fan of you," Ji-ho responded with enthusiasm. She was feeling a bit flattered about becoming someone's ringtone. "I've watched the entire catalogue of action movies that you acted in."

Do Hyun placed a hand over his heart and made an expression like he was overwhelmed by Young-mi's confession.

"If you two are done, let's find seats," Seung-ho told them both in an amused tone, but before they could begin to leave, Dan-bi arrived with the director's wife.

"Oppa," Dan-bi lightly placed a hand on Do Hyun's arm and pouted. "You didn't even say hello to me when I got here." She was determined to look anywhere but at Seung-ho. How dare he bring someone like Sun Young-mi to this party when he could have just stuck with her as they were supposed to be a pair. She hoped he would get jealous that her attention was going to someone else, but Seung-ho remained unmoved by her efforts.

"Dan-bi, aren't your hands greasy from eating too much finger food?" He accused in a light-hearted manner. Ji-ho was surprised by how totally opposite he was from the villainous and serious roles he took. For his joke, Do Hyun received a playful smack from Dan-bi.

"Seung-ho, you should introduce your lovely partner to us," Yeon Eun-Jin said as she smiled warmly at them both.

The actor respectfully spoke to her, Ji-ho observed. As he introduced her to Eun-jin, she felt Dan-bi's disgusted glare pin her in a silent stare. Ji-ho glanced at the actress for a second and was surprised by the pure malice with which the actress regarded her. How the hell had she pissed her off this much? Ji-ho wondered. Oh yeah, she was with Seung-ho, the man that Dan-bi was laying claim to.

"It's a surprise I must say," Eun-Jin told Seung-ho. "I thought you were gay. No, don't look at me like that. You're a young hot-blooded young man who should be dating people and causing a few scandals here and there-"

While she was teasing the actor, her husband showed up already having had a few glasses of alcohol. A red flush glowed high on his cheek as he smacked a hand against Seung-ho's back.

"What's this? You've finally brought a date. What's your name, young lady?"

"Sun Young-mi," Ji-ho answered with a smile.

"Ohh I know you."

Ji-ho prepared herself to hear him mention one of her old scandals.

"You're the one that Lee Tae-Hyun wouldn't stop talking about. Miss wildflowers."

And like a funny follow up to it, Do Hyun's phone began to ring and it was exactly what he had told her, Sun Young-mi's version of wildflowers. The director began to laugh like it was the funniest thing that had happened to him all day. But then he was already drunk and merry so Ji-ho didn't hold it against him.

"Send me that ringtone," he told the Do Hyun as the actor tried unsuccessfully to converse with the caller.

In her corner of the group, Dan-bi had her arms folded against her chest as she pasted on a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Sun Young-mi was stealing her thunder. This was supposed to be the night that all her co-stars fawned over the main pairing of the series. It was supposed to be the night she confessed to Seung-ho. Why did Sun Young-mi have to come here and ruin everything like she had done on her birthday? A thousand schemes rushed through her mind as she began to think about how to separate the two of them.

"Since everyone is here, let's get on with the program. We'll chat after that," director Yeon told the others.

Dan-bi, who was the first to walk away, watched Ji-ho pick a table close to the swimming pool and she was struck by inspiration.