Beauty and the Beast | Chapter 20/20 [Part 1] -LAST CHAPTER-
[ P a r t O n e ]
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 20: roue de ferris
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20.
Part 1:
roue de ferris
Eiffel Tower. 2:35 AM Paris, France
The chill of the enamouring breeze sighs upon the two lovers, causing their lustrous strands of coffee-coloured hair to sail throughout the vast ocean of affection. The outrageous height of the Eiffel Tower provide the two with a sensation of danger and haste-both very important elements in the intricate field of filmmaking. The lights meandering from the romantic city of Paris looms upon the attractive visages of the lovers, making sure every single emotion would be clearly displayed through their vibrant pupils.
Yes indeed, the Eiffel Tower was a spectacular place to shoot the crucial scene of the couple’s kiss. It provided the director and screenwriter with a vast range of mediums to work with, allowing them no borders for their wild imaginations to meet. The gorgeous actor and actress would perfect the atmosphere, bringing the height of emotion to even the most soulless of audiences.
It was supposed to be easy for the actor. After all, he had gone through this process a million times before-it would be relatively habitual and customary by now.
In this particular situation however, Yunho felt as if he was going to shatter into a thousand fragments if he ever came close to meeting his lips with the actress’s. He couldn’t focus; not with the sardonic surroundings and the familiar yet haunting concept of love.
“Cut!”
His manager Changmin, along with the rest of the disappointed (and worn-out) film crew all groaned in dismay, furious at the sudden mistake. The crew positioned their glares to Yunho: the one responsible for the continuous errors.
“For fuck’s sake! How difficult is it to just look into her eyes and kiss her?” The director rubbed his temples repetitively, infuriated at the actor’s distracted attention. “Focus Yunho, focus!”
“All right, all right!” The actor responded, disturbed by the director. He gazed into the actress’s eyes once again, hoping to find a cue within her pupils this time.
The director rolled his eyes once again, stepping between the actor and actress. “Why are you staring blankly into her eyes, Yunho?” He questioned-demanded. “There’s supposed to be compassion in your gaze, not bitterness!”
Yunho turned away from the actress, Na Young, and gave the director a cold glare. He didn’t offer himself any chances to reply the director’s demeaning comment. After all, there was no point in wasting your breath over something you didn’t care much about.
“You’ve been doing great all night! Why mess up all of a sudden?” The director was at it again. “You take her shoulders and stare into her eyes with warmth… I thought you were an expert at that!”
“I guess my ‘passionate’ is not enough for you.” He remarked bitterly. “Perhaps you should find someone else to push around on set.”
The director stared upon the beast with incredulity. “Excuse me?”
Yunho scoffed, painting a fake smile across his lips. “Either work with what you’ve got or find someone else.” He stated apathetically. “It’s that simple.”
Before the director was ready to lose his temper, the peacemaker Changmin got to his feet, making sure a tangled conflict wouldn’t arise with the actor and his director.
“Excuse him, director Kang… he’s just… a bit tired, that’s all.” The astute manager disclosed.
“I don’t care if you’re tired! You’re supposed to be completely ready for this.” The director noted. “Take five!” He yelled, lividly allowing the cast and crew a much-needed break.
Flashing an awkward smile, the manager pushed the actor aside into an isolated corner before putting the genuine wry expression onto his features. An arm around his shoulder, he led the actor to a secluded portion of the tower, making sure no one would hear him as he lectured the stubborn man.
“What the hell is wrong with you today?” Changmin asked, searching through Yunho’s vacant eyes, looking for a feasible answer. “Tell me you’re not still mad over our argument yesterday… I thought we resolved that already!”
The actor sighed heavily. “No Changmin… I-it’s not that…”
“Then what in the world is it?”
Yunho hung his head, showcasing his unconditional melancholy and failure. “I think by now, Changmin, you should know what’s been bothering me.”
Furrowing his eyebrows, the manager uttered the magical keyword silently, almost as if it was a cursed term. “Jaejoong?”
The actor eyed him bleakly, and then sighed, approving of the manager’s assumptions.
“Still?” Changmin raised an eyebrow. “How come after all this time, you still can’t find the strength to forget him?” He exhaled in irritation, a bit upset with the actor. “For goodness sake, it’s just a film. You just have to look the part for the kiss, you don’t necessarily have to feel anything.”
Yunho rolled his eyes irreverently. “You make it sound so easy, Changmin.”
“It’s been twelve takes of the same scene! I’m sure all of your emotions would’ve disappeared by now.”
He chose not to ignore his manager’s words this time. He had a point, after all. It was because of his paranoia which prevented such a scene from occurring. Before he met Jaejoong, he would push all his genuine emotions to the back of his mind as he kissed the actress, providing the camera with a perfect act. His occupation was called acting, after all.
“I-it’s just…” His breath hitched in his throat as he began to confess. “Paris reminds me so much of him. It was in this city where I first met him, and everything I see here reminds me of him. It’s quite difficult, believe it or not, trying to kiss an actress while his face haunts your every move.”
Changmin placed a hand on the actor’s shoulders. “C’mon, just let him go, will you?” He convinced, sympathy within his eyes.
“I don’t want to.” He stubbornly replied. “It’s not like I can’t… I mean, I have all the power to let loose to kiss that actress once and for all. It’s just that I don’t want to let loose, I don’t want to forget about Jaejoong.”
The manager gazed about the actor in awe, marvelled at his sudden yet evident declaration. It wasn’t that the actor’s ideals were completely abstract to the manager. In fact, Changmin had the absolute knowledge to understand his every emotion. Although there was confusion in the air, even a blind man could tell that Yunho was quite predictable. His iron outer exterior did nothing to hoodwink the pain which loitered within him.
And who better to assist him in his troubles than Changmin, the man who had been through every single bit of turmoil fate brought along? The manager had heard the actor’s cries, tasted his tears, and felt the deep wounds in his heart. He and felt the vibration of his anxious voice echo throughout him on the day he had informed him of the inhumane paparazzi photo. And most of all, he had seen the regret expressed on his face as he was forced to let go of Jaejoong-the only man in the world who was strong enough to revive the love which was hidden deeply inside him.
Watching from afar was certainly not painless, at least, not for Changmin. At a distance, he could not only feel the individual pain showcased within each side of the conflict; he could feel both sides of the turmoil. That, at times, would turn out to be more pain than the actor experienced.
The insightful manager lifted his head, knowing there was nothing much to do other than offering Yunho a decision of his own. “What do you plan to do now?” He asked, hoping Yunho would be able to make a shrewd decision.
“Well, there’s not much I can do, can I?” Yunho replied bleakly, hinting his misfortune. “After all, I’m stuck with acting for another two years, and I’m disallowed to see Jaejoong in fear that the paparazzi will destroy our lives.”
Changmin nodded. “Right.” He assented. “We’d best not forget about the paparazzi and their influence on your career.”
“These bastards…” He uttered. “Their presence is even strong enough to influence the crucial kiss scene.”
Changmin let a light laugh travel through his lips. “I think Jaejoong was the cause for the suckish kiss scene, actually.” He confirmed. “The paparazzi really didn’t have any trace of guilt for that.”
Yunho sighed, leaning to the side of the tower. “Of course.” He agreed. “Jaejoong has to ruin everything, doesn’t he?”
The taller man joined the actor in his sightseeing, leaning on the edge of the tower to view the impressive lights. He placed a hand on Yunho’s shoulder, doing all that he could to comfort the man.
“Remember the night when you snuck out of the staff dinner to go sightseeing here?” The manager brought up, a mirthful smile embellishing his facial features. “Did that visit take a bit of stress away from you?”
Yunho grinned at Changmin in disbelief. “Are you kidding me?” He questioned. “I actually felt that I was free that night, for the very first time in my entire life.”
The manager chuckled in return. “Why not try it again… tonight?”
Yunho scoffed in uncertainty. “You’re kidding, right?” He remarked. “What kind of manager lets his actor escape during such a crucial scene?”
“It’ll take the stress off you.” Changmin indicated. “I’ll give you an hour to explore the sights of Paris, and then after you’re done, come back here and kiss the actress, passionately.”
The actor lifted an eyebrow. “You’ll give me an hour?” He asked disbelievingly. “Last time I checked, the director yelled a ‘take five,’ not a ‘take sixty!’”
“I’ll cover for you.” Changmin replied, not an ounce of worry within his eyes.
“Are you sure?” The actor questioned between laughs. “After all, I ‘disappeared’ for five or six times on the set of this movie. Are you sure they’ll want to hire me after all this commotion?”
Changmin smirked mischievously. “Of course they’ll keep you on the set.” He clarified. “To tell you the truth, this movie is nothing without you.”
“That’s true.” He agreed, realizing the evident reality. Even after all these months, the crew was still willing to accept the actor despite the complications he brought along.
“But what do you want me to accomplish while I’m gone on the streets of Paris?” Yunho asked, a bit hesitant about his task.
“Find what you must.” The manager replied-a bit vaguely. “Just enjoy your life for a mere sixty minutes before stepping back into hell and kissing the she-devil, got it?”
Yunho rolled his eyes playfully, shaking his hands with Changmin’s. “It’s a deal.”
Changmin gave him a warm embrace after their handshake, insuring him the strength he would need to escape the flouting movie set. Although there was a grain of uncertainly within him, he was resolute to believe the actor, predicting that he would be able to find whatever he was searching for during his sixty minutes off set.
Even though they had a few rough run-ins, the manager and the actor had the appearance of two blood-related brothers. They would forever find each other within the vast world, saving their souls from whatever conflict that decided to pop up within their capricious lives as entertainers.
They owed each other terribly, after all.
Upon arriving at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the actor pulled his jacket closely to him, hoping he wouldn’t catch a cold during his spontaneous escape from the movie set. The harsh November winds hinted that snow was on its way, warning the inhabitants of the city to work their way towards warm fireplaces and steaming mugs of hot chocolate.
Yunho, however, felt that being out alone in the cold was like being on top of cloud nine. He had the entire city of Paris to himself-no interruptions, no complications. On the streets of modern day Paris, Yunho was able to acquire the sweet flavour of unspoiled freedom.
He even had a slight urge to skip around town, acting like an idiot as he strolled through the streets merrily. The constant glances of the French passengers however, prevented him from such a task, saving him from the utter embarrassment.
Instead, the actor let himself focus more on important things. Without much thinking, Yunho was able to choose which location he wanted to visit.
He would visit the Ferris wheel-the one which was situated at the heart of that sprightly carnival.
Experiencing an influx of déjà vu, he let the familiar surroundings guide him to the destination, having sudden flashbacks of the day when he ran through the town with Jaejoong’s hand in his.
Without warning, the memories guided the single incomplete puzzle piece closer to its partner, insuring that the puzzle would be fully complete, once again.
Les Jardins du Marais Hotel. 3:05 AM Paris, France
Time… what a strange thing it is…
It’s a precious thing, and I despise myself for wasting so much of it. But in the end, it’s the one thing that took everything I treasured away from me.
My eyes were fully closed, but that didn’t necessarily guarantee the fact that sleep found its way to my body.
I found it quite ridiculous actually, still refusing to sleep even after Yoochun had answered my questions and settled my many doubts.
It was hopeless, trying to forget the man who I had admired for so long. Although it ended in vain, my time with Yunho would obviously be classified as a ‘miracle.’ There was not a single nerve in my body that wished to forget the sugary sensation of being within a miracle.
It was certainly not a crime to cry, in fact, the tears were rather indispensable. The two conflicting parts of me refused to leave each other alone, creating a fight to the death inside my very mind. The myriad of tears were carried out by pure frustration; nothing less, nothing more.
I lay in the bed, motionless, afraid that my cries would be heard by the two sleeping figures resting within the other mattress. Junsu and Yoochun had seen enough of my pain. There was no reason for my cries to reach theirs at this point to wreck havoc in their peaceful state of minds.
Wiping my incoherent tears away with my dry fingertips, I sat up once again on the mattress, unwilling to fall asleep during my frantic state of dissatisfaction. I silently tiptoed across the room, finding a jacket inside my luggage and pulling it over my shivering body. I scanned across Yoochun and Junsu once more, making sure that they wouldn’t be awoken by my disturbing actions.
Letting a heavy sigh escape my lips, I decided to escape the small yet nicely-furnished hotel room. I couldn’t stay in the suite anymore, mostly because I couldn’t stand being trapped inside the uncomfortable atmosphere. Although I had seen most of Paris the previous day, I yearned to escape once more, meeting up once again with the city’s artistic midnight scenery.
It was considered thoughtless, escaping in the middle of the night and not informing your companions about it. But I couldn’t find a single nerve in my body that craved sleep, and that lead to the sudden influx of rapture and enthusiasm.
It was cooler than I expected outside the hotel. The moment I stepped into the streets of midnight Paris, I could see tiny snowflakes drop onto the sidewalk, indicating that winter was on its way to the municipality. I huddled my jacket closer to me, hoping I would get all the heat I needed to survive the inclement weather.
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