Proofreader/Editor: Kaima, Hwarang
Mason stood still, unable to breathe, watching Noah cry with eyes that seemed to shatter soon. Noah’s beautiful face was mess of tears.
“-…Noah,”
As Mason stuttered, Noah slowly stood up from under his feet.
“It’s okay. If you just think of it as showing mercy to a dying person.”
‘Don’t you think so?’ Noah spoke comfortingly to Mason. Even though the person needing comfort was not even he.
“Mr. Raycarlton,”
“No-,”
Noah grabbed his hand as if afraid to hear Mason’s words. Mason swallowed his dried spit because Noah’s hand was trembling subtly. His sweaty hand was cold.
“This is it for today. Because of alcohol-…, I’m not in a good condition.”
Noah slowly let go of the hand that he was holding.
“You’re probably thinking that you’ve experienced something horrible, but I hope you understand that it was a small compensation considering what could’ve happened for coming into a sleeping person’s room late at night.”
‘I could’ve shot you.’ Noah spoke lightly and pointed to his bed. The muzzle of a revolver protruded from under the pillow.
“Since you’ve already come in, you go to bed. If I sleep like this, I’ll have another panic attack anyway… I’ll just go and finish some work that I couldn’t do earlier.”
‘Phil will love it.’ Noah offered with an expressionless face and left the room leaving Mason alone.
Mason could neither stop him from leaving nor speak out.
“….-,”
Mason blinked and looked down at the palm of his hand. The feeling of Noah’s trembling hands and the texture of sweat still clung to him.
“….-,”
‘What was this about? Why did Noah tell me those things? Why cry and hold onto me?’ Mason couldn’t understand anything, but swallowed up a dry spit and stared at the door where Noah had disappeared.
His heart was racing horribly fast.
***
“Liz? Liz!”
Mason, who was dozing off, woke up with a start when Tony called. Ahead of him, Sophie who was doing his makeup stood with a perplexed face. Mason saw the contacts in her hand and quickly apologized.
“Ah…, I’m sorry. I didn’t open my eyes.”
“It seems like you are a bit nervous because it’s been a while since you’ve filmed outdoors?”
Gloria, who was passing by, said with an extremely tired face. Mason smiled bitterly and looked around the area that was filled with reporters.
Due to the sudden changes in Lizzy’s schedule, an actress whom Mason was shooting with today,
an outdoor shoot postponed to next week was now pulled forward. However, the spirited paparazzi and reporters were thankful. They sat close to the filming set and waited for Haley, who had shut his mouth about an incredible scandal, to say at least a word. Of course, Mason didn’t know anything about this scandal, though.
Mason, wearing black contact lenses, rubbed his eyes and yawned long. Tony looked at him with a puzzled face and asked,
“-What’s wrong with you today? Didn’t you sleep last night?”
“No, it’s not like that…..”
He did lie down to sleep, but couldn’t sleep. In fact, how many people can go to sleep after experiencing that?
“Why? Perhaps…., did something happen with Noah?”
Tony stared at Noah, who was holding an interview in front of the fountain for Mason.
“-….”
Something did happen…. Mason looked at Noah too. Just like any other day, Noah had dropped Mason off in his helicopter on time. When the filming was delayed due to the gathering of journalists around him, Noah even kindly helped out by saying he was okay with a few interviews as long as they didn’t bother the shooting.
In front of the reporters who seemed to have a crush on him, Noah was quietly interviewing with his usual bright and friendly face.
“…..”
‘Is this the guy who cried and begged last night?’ Mason thought he had been dreaming even if saw it with his own two eyes. Of course, Noah was beautiful and charming even yesterday, but now…. he seemed like a total stranger.
He probably felt Mason’s gaze, Noah slightly raised his head and looked up at him. He widened his eyes as if caught by surprise but soon smiled sweetly. With a bit of bustle, the flashes popped from all directions.
“Please refrain from using the flash!”
Gloria and the crew were running around, screaming with a deathly expression. Mason still scratched his cheek with a perplexed air.
Why did Noah act like that yesterday, Mason thought all night.
The only thing plausible was that, Noah remembered what happened when he was kidnapped at the age of seven. Actually, it was 20 years ago and they barely met for a very short while, but still. He couldn’t think any other reason why he was so special to Noah.
If that is the case… Mason rubbed his rough cheek.
‘Please say that you are Mason. -Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll shoot my head.’
“…….”
Mason unconsciously took Noah’s gun, which was under his pillow. Noah probably didn’t mean anything and if he really was trying to commit suicide, then this cannot be the only gun. However, Mason couldn’t leave that gun alone because it kept popping into his eyes.
Did Noah really think so specially of me? If that’s true, then all those weird incidents since their meeting in New York were mostly explained.
What was not explained was he thinking of Mason as special. He would understand, somehow, if he had a little affection, but he couldn’t understand Noah thinking of him as being special enough to cry about.
Yesterday, Noah’s words were more or less begging than an entreaty. He begged, if not for love, at least for sympathy.
Mason rolled his eyes again and stared at Noah. His eyes were dazzled by the bright smile beneath the fountain.
“…A man like that is hanging his neck for me. This is a misunderstand, right?”
Mason asked, and Tony replied in a curt voice, “…Wh, well, what’s wrong with you?”
“Either it’s a definite misunderstanding or he’s planning something else….”
….Probably not. Whatever was his purpose; there was no reason for Noah to show himself to Mason.
May be there was something else. That’s why it was so simple and unbelievable. Mason tried to mumble to himself, but Noah was so intense yesterday that he could not tell what he was talking about. He knew that Noah was mentally weak, but he never imagined Noah would look like that. Also, he held Mason, who had Haley’s looks, and said those kinds of things….
“I don’t know. I don’t know.”
Mason moaned. Looking at Noah’s clean and beautiful face, everything felt unrealistic.
But the fact that he was filming a movie with Haley’s body already didn’t make sense. What if this whole thing was something that he was fascinating while being dead? Yes, this whole thing could be a dream-,
“Haley! Check out the line! We are gonna shoot right away!”
Gloria shouted from afar, waving her hands, and Tony tapped Mason’s shoulder and encouraged by saying, “Get a hold of yourself. Okay?”
“…..”
Mason stood up staggering and looked around. An amazing director, Vick, and a well-known actor, Chase, who earned tens of millions of dollars per movie. Countless staffs were waiting for him and people were watching. Noah stood at the end. Mason felt a prick in his heart seeing Noah’s bitter glance on his sweet expression.
Definitely this is the reality… I don’t know, really.
Mason sighed long and said, “I’m going. Going,” and stood up.
“…_?”
“Liz? What is it?”
When Mason paused, Tony asked puzzled as he took care of his jacket. Mason waved his hands, “Ah, no. It’s not a big deal.” “Haley!” Gloria screamed again, and Mason glanced back again.
Definitely, it seemed like he saw Fred’s blue jumper, the one who worked with Zii. But then at that spot, there were only reporters wandering around.
“…Did I see it wrong?”
He was probably mistaken. He couldn’t be the only one wearing that jacket; it was an ordinary ready-made product. And what if it was him? This was a park, and a place where anyone could come.
Mason thought he was seeing things because he was feeling complicated and approached Gloria with a quick pace.
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Sorry for the late update! I'm REALLY busy this week... I'm not gonna be able to reply your comments until Monday....:( See you guys then!
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