Heart and Seoul (The Seoul Series Book 1) Read online

  They moved with the crowds off the subway and up to the street where a sleek office building glinted in the sun. A stiff-faced man in uniform opened the door for them when they arrived.

  “Hale Tessa-ssi?” A petite woman approached them, heels clacking against the floor. Her hair was cropped to her shoulders, and she was dressed in a smart black blazer and pencil skirt combo.

  Tessa nodded.

  “My name is Kim Ha Yun. Welcome to Elite Studios.” She introduced herself in rapid Korean. “Oh—” she switched to English, “—I forgot to ask. Will you be needing an interpreter?”

  “I don’t think so? I’m mostly fluent, so I should be fine.” She sent up a silent prayer to her grandmother for only speaking Korean to her growing up so she’d learn.

  “Excellent. That will make things much smoother.” Ha Yun turned her attention to Kelly. “Will you be joining us?”

  “No.” Kelly shook her head. “I just brought Tessa. She’s staying with me while she’s in Seoul.”

  Ha Yun nodded briskly.

  “I’ll head home. Call if you need anything.” Kelly nudged Tessa forward.

  “Stay?” Tessa whispered, already panicking.

  “I can’t go to a business meeting with you when I have nothing to do with the drama. That would be like taking your mom to a job interview.” She gave Tessa a tight squeeze. “You’re going to do awesome. Love you, Tess!”

  Anguish roared through Tessa as Kelly retreated from the building, leaving her with this stranger. Worry over her ability to hold her own in a professional setting gnawed at her gut, but she was trying to be optimistic.

  Her stomach twisted into knots, and she shoved shaking hands into her pockets.

  The interior of the building was immaculate and intimidating, shining marble floors, tall windows, and high ceilings. Ha Yun waved her along and led her to the elevators. They rode up to the top level and disembarked into a pristine white hallway. Cast photos of previous dramas lined the walls, and Tessa recognized more than a few faces.

  “This way, Tessa-ssi,” Ha Yun urged her onwards.

  Tessa followed obediently, emerging into a room where every eye turned towards her. She scanned the attendees, noting the plethora of people in suits, before getting to a few that were more casually dressed. One of them turned towards her and stopped her heart instantly.

  Holy. Shit. It’s UpBeat!

  Chapter 2

  Tessa

  He sat there, watching her, with his perfectly swept and styled black hair, flawless pale skin, and full lips that she definitely needed to stop staring at. Right. Now. She dragged her gaze up, zeroing in on golden-brown eyes she knew too well. They were framed by thick lashes that made her envious in insecure moments. He’d been her bias, her absolute favourite idol of any K-pop group, for the better part of eight years.

  Somehow he was even more beautiful in person.

  Her pulse buzzed in her ears, a steady drone that narrowed the world down to him.

  “Hale Tessa-ssi.” Ha Yun’s voice snapped her back to attention.

  Tessa’s fingers itched to text Kelly immediately, to express some of the silent scream rapidly building in her throat.

  Ha Yun went around the circle, introducing the staff, director, producers, and designers before moving on to the actors. “This is Brooks Lily-ssi who will be playing our female lead, Bridie Murphy.”

  Lily smiled at Tessa. Her sandy hair was cropped by her ears, blue eyes bright with excitement.

  Tessa’s eyes burned dangerously. Lily exactly matched what she’d imagined for the character. Her name was unfamiliar, but then it wasn’t entirely common for white actresses to get leading roles in Korean dramas.

  Tessa turned to the idol, scarcely able to breathe.

  “And this is Baek Eun Gi-ssi. He will be playing our male lead, Lee Do Yun,” Ha Yun said, pointing out the man responsible for Tessa’s internal crisis.

  She’d seen all the names in the email they’d sent her once casting was confirmed, but she’d never in a million years thought it was that Baek Eun Gi. At best she’d assumed it was an up-and-coming actor whose information had been drowned out on her searches by the idol’s popularity.

  Baek Eun Gi, or UpBeat, as he was more commonly known to his fans, had the voice of a goddamn angel. She’d discovered his music during a particularly difficult period of her life and had followed his career ever since. She loved all of his group, 24/7, as was only proper, since they were all talented, hardworking, and beautiful. But UpBeat… He was special, and being face to face with him now eroded her ability to be a reasonable human being.

  “Hale Tessa-ssi, are you well?” Ha Yun set a gentle hand on Tessa’s shoulder.

  Tessa bowed quickly and muttered an apology, accepting a glass of water from one of the assistants. She sipped it carefully, hands shaking.

  “Thank you for joining us, Hale Tessa-ssi,” the executive producer said, organizing a stack of papers. “Was your flight pleasant?”

  She had grown up speaking Korean with her father and grandmother, but exhaustion and jet lag had her brain working overtime to decipher the words.

  “Yes.” Tessa nodded. “It was, thank you.”

  “You said you had no concerns with the script when you read it. Is that still your opinion?” the executive producer asked.

  “The script is fine,” she replied. “The writers did a wonderful job.”

  He nodded, apparently satisfied.

  Other voices mixed together, discussing the fine details of what was to come. Tessa wasn’t all that familiar with most of the business vocabulary and missed too much to get a grasp on what they were talking about. She caught filming and Busan, vaguely recalling that there would be on-site filming in the southern city long after she’d arrived back home. Ha Yun said something about emails and schedules, but the explanatory words eluded her.

  Yawn after yawn was stifled. So much ice water had been consumed to keep herself alert that her bladder threatened to burst. She blinked her burning eyes rapidly, trying in vain to be fully present, to overcome the jet lag. It was a losing battle as she tried to listen for her name just in case, but after an hour or so of it not coming up, she became less diligent. Every time her attention drifted she noticed UpBeat all over again, and it sent a spike of adrenaline zipping through her.

  They toured the studio with Tessa trailing behind her leads. She’d never been to a film studio before, and stared in wonder at the intricate lighting and camera systems. Several sets had been constructed, including the trade ship interior and the inside of a hanok.

  Ha Yun kept close to her side, so she didn’t have a chance to pull out her phone and spam Kelly. The overhead lights blazed, seemingly growing brighter the longer she was there. She rolled her shoulders to release some of the tension there, but it didn’t help.

  UpBeat paused in front of the costume rack. Hanbok and Georgian-style clothing hung in neat rows of bright silks and sturdy, plain cotton. His gaze flickered back to her, and she froze, heart whipping like a pinball. Tessa wanted to talk to him, to smoothly introduce herself, and have a story to take back to Kelly, but every time she worked up a fractional amount of courage, her tongue turned to lead in her mouth and nothing came out.

  She was hopeless. The opportunity of a lifetime stood in front of her and she couldn’t even form a sentence.

  If she had a little less dignity, she might have managed, but she decided that silence was infinitely safer than making a fool out of herself. She wished Kelly were here. Her bestie had no barriers at all to this sort of thing and could have helpfully paved the way to Tessa having an actual conversation.

  Tessa imagined it in her head. She would offer a charming smile, warm and sweet. He would be intrigued, asking her about her home and her writing. She’d provide witty commentary, and he’d laugh. She loved his laugh.

  A low, pulsing sensation climbed up the base of her skull, interrupting her fantasy.

  Her dreams of avoiding a migraine were
dashed. She should have expected it with the jet lag and the stress, but somehow she’d hoped it would skip tormenting her, just this once. Nausea and more pain than she could tolerate would come along in a timely manner, as it always did with her migraines. It distracted her from UpBeat’s proximity, which was likely for the best.

  “Reservations for dinner are in twenty minutes,” the executive producer said as they reached the end of their tour. “We can all walk over together.” Everyone moved to follow him, and Tessa focused back in a moment later when Lily rested a hand on her shoulder.

  “Not quite over the time change?” she asked, blessedly in English.

  Tessa shook her head. She wanted nothing more than to tip over and fall asleep on the couch. “Not quite.”

  Lily chattered away in her charming British accent while Tessa half-listened, following along with the group as they headed down the street to a restaurant.

  Tessa checked her phone and sent a message to Kelly.

  Tessa:

  I AM WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE OF MY BIAS AND I’M DYING

  Kelly:

  WHAT?? WHERE? WHY? HOW? Did you ACTUALLY touch him? I need details!!!

  Tessa:

  He’s playing the LEAD! I’m going to get to see him every time I’m on set and I’m so awkward. We’re heading to the work dinner now and I just want to nap. My head hurts :(

  Kelly:

  Min Joo looked very concerned over the sound I just made XD

  I NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING! They’ll keep you out late, but call if you need anything <3 I’m expecting a much better update later so be prepared to spill every single impression!

  The endless supply of rice, pork belly stew, and banchan side dishes perked Tessa up a little as she mechanically lifted her chopsticks to her mouth. Unwilling to appear rude, she accepted a drink of soju from Ha Yun who sat to her left, and then another as Lily refilled her glass. She shoved down her natural reaction to shudder as the tang of liquor bathed her tongue, leaving warmth blooming in her chest.

  UpBeat passed her another shot, and she smothered a pitiful sound as their fingers brushed one another. She kept stealthily pinching herself under the table to be sure, for the hundredth time, that he was actually right there.

  Maybe next time she saw him it wouldn’t be so embarrassing.

  The evening lasted for three more hours, and several more shots, before people got restless about needing to head home. Most of them packed up quickly, eager to leave. Tessa was considerably more intoxicated than she’d have liked. She picked up her purse and excused herself to use the washroom, using chairs along the way to balance herself. The pulsing sensation in her head had slowly grown to a throbbing ache that squeezed her entire skull. Migraine auras flooded the periphery of her vision, an insistent swirling that blurred the world into static. She stumbled when she reached the doors and slipped inside, bracing her arms on the sink.

  Her stomach heaved, and she lurched into one of the stalls, emptying her dinner into one of the toilets. She whimpered. A waste of amazing food. Staggering to the sink, she splashed cool water on her face and dried it off carefully to avoid smearing her makeup. The gloss of pain and fatigue was heavy in her reflected gaze.

  Tessa fished through her purse for her painkillers. She cursed, remembering they were useless to her anyway since she couldn’t take them after consuming alcohol.

  A yawn cracked her jaw, and she swayed on her feet.

  Tessa turned back to the door, heading into the restaurant as a wave of nausea and lightheadedness knocked her flat.

  Chapter 3

  Eun Gi

  BAEK EUN GI STEPPED out of the men’s bathroom and tripped over an ornamental plant when someone collided with him. He steadied himself on the wall, one arm wrapped around the person’s shoulders to keep them from tumbling to the floor.

  “What on earth? Hey!” He jostled the writer a little. “Are you okay?”

  She didn’t answer, instead sinking to her knees, her hand pressed to her mouth. He kneeled next to her. There was sweat on her brow and no response save a quiet groan when he gently shook her.

  He hoisted her up bridal style and peeked around the room to find that the rest of their party had vacated the restaurant.

  “I was gone two minutes,” he grumbled. “How did they all leave so fast?”

  He sighed, shifting the writer in his arms. ‘What am I supposed to do with you?’

  Eun Gi flagged a waiter and awkwardly maneuvered the writer’s dead weight. “Can you find her a spot to rest for a few minutes? I have a car service on the way already.”

  The waiter bustled off to do just that. The restaurant was empty, and the waiter arranged a line of chairs for Eun Gi to lay her down. Eun Gi checked her phone and found it unhelpfully password protected.

  He phoned Kyung Mi. Their manager was a terrifyingly efficient woman, but Eun Gi had long since outgrown being intimidated by her. Female managers in the industry were extremely rare, and Kyung Mi took her job very seriously.

  “Eun Gi, what’s wrong?”

  “Why would you think something’s wrong?”

  “You don’t call me unless it’s important.”

  “I need to find out the writer’s address.”

  “Do I want to know?”

  Eun Gi flushed when he realized how creepy that must have sounded. “She’s with me right now, but not well. I have no idea where she’s staying.”

  “Let me do some digging, and I’ll get back to you. Stay safe.”

  “Thank you.” Hanging up, he noticed that the car he’d ordered had pulled up. He shook the writer’s shoulder.

  She peeled open one eye.

  “Are you okay?” he asked again in English, figuring she might be too out of it for a foreign language. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

  “Migraine, and maybe drunk,” she mumbled. “I’ll be fine, just…need sleep.”

  She dropped off again.

  He chewed his lip. His home wasn’t far from the restaurant. If she didn’t need a hospital, and Kyung Mi couldn’t find out where she was staying, then he could always take her there. The car beeped its horn.

  Eun Gi muttered a curse.

  He carted the writer into the backseat and wrangled the seat belt into place. Eun Gi stared up at the starless sky in exasperation. Theoretically, it should be safe to take her home until he could get her to where she belonged, but he hated not being sure. She had clearly recognized him, but he was used to that. He’d been expecting her to do something, anything, but she’d mostly avoided eye contact, and hadn’t spoken a word to him directly. Surely the studio would have warned him if she were a sasaeng.

  His phone rang and he melted with relief when he saw Kyung Mi’s name.

  “Did you find it?” he asked.

  “No one I contacted knows the name of the person she’s staying with, and she’s not booked into any hotels that we can find. Ha Yun said she arrived with a woman, but they never collected her information.”

  “Great. I guess I’ll just take her home for a while then. I can’t leave her unattended like this.”

  “Why do you have to get into trouble when I’m out of town?” Kyung Mi sighed.

  “I’m not in trouble. It’ll be fine, probably. I’ll keep you posted on how things go.”

  Eun Gi slipped into the backseat and told the driver his address. He kept his gaze firmly out the window, and when they arrived, he sighed quietly before wrestling the writer’s uncooperative body out of the vehicle. She curled into his arms, fingers latching onto his shirt. He steadfastly ignored the warmth of her body against his. Ruffled and cranky, he hoisted her up and carried her inside, nodding to the doorman.

  The elevator ride seemed to last forever. He elbowed the doorbell, and his roommate answered.

  Hwan’s eyes widened as he took in the woman in Eun Gi’s arms. “What’s going on?”

  “Out of the way. She’s getting heavy.”

  Hwan stepped aside and closed the door, follow
ing Eun Gi into their apartment. After kicking off his shoes, Eun Gi crossed the white-carpeted living room and set her on the couch, draping a blanket over her before digging out her phone again. There was a single text from someone named Kelly, but he couldn’t reply to anything. Eun Gi diverted to the kitchen, opening then closing the fridge after seeing nothing he wanted.

  “Well.” Hwan crossed his arms, moving to lean next to him. “Are you going to explain?”

  Eun Gi did, briskly, agitation growing as he paced. Anxious energy buzzed through his body, and he shook his hands, as if it would shake out the energy too. He turned back to the couch. The writer’s dark-brown curls were a riot around her head, and thick lashes fanned over freckled cheeks. Her full lips part softly with each even breath.

  Hwan scanned her, hands on his hips, glasses balanced on his nose. His black hair was slicked back and styled to perfection. “I’m sure someone will be searching for her soon enough. If not, she’ll wake up eventually, and then you can send her on her way. The studio should have made sure she got home safely.”

  She stirred, and both men froze, but she only rolled over and settled more deeply under the blanket.

  Hwan looped an arm around Eun Gi’s shoulders. “I get that you’re not comfortable with her being here, but you were a good person helping out someone in need.”

  “I guess.” Eun Gi glanced at the clock on the microwave. It wasn’t too late yet, but he was drained. “Are you guys out tonight?”

  “Yeah. I can stay home if you want. We’re going to a club. I’d say you should come along, but I don’t think either of us want her to wake up here alone.”

  “It’s fine,” Eun Gi said. “I can stay. You go have fun with the others.”

  “You’re sure?”

  Eun Gi nodded and shooed Hwan away from the couch. “Have you eaten?”

  “Sung Soo ordered take-out and I stole some.” Hwan grinned, a dimple adorning each cheek. He pulled Eun Gi in, smacking a kiss to his cheek. “I need to figure out what to wear tonight. You have fun babysitting.”