Chapter 27: Promising Couple

Third Person's POV

Dara wakes up early because she has a morning plan for today. Lizzie arrives to pick her up, and since Dara is already ready, they leave immediately.

When they arrive at the shooting location, not everything is set up yet, so Dara gets the chance to eat breakfast.

Lizzie already brought sandwiches while on their way, so they already have something to eat.

"Hey, Lizzie, can I take a day off next week or whenever I'm available?" Dara asks.

"Wait, let me check," Lizzie replies, taking out her phone to look at Dara's schedule for the month. "Hmm, your schedule is full this month, but you have three free days in the first week of next month," she says.

"Okay, that works for me," Dara agrees.

"Great, I'll mark those days as your rest days," Lizzie says, marking the three days. "What are you planning to do during those days? Do you have any plans?" she asks curiously.

"Yes, actually! Eli talked to me last night. She said I should take a break once in a while because I'm always working. I thought about it and realized she's right. Maybe I do need to rest, even if it's just for a few days," Dara explains, feeling relieved that she'll finally get some rest after 2 years of working full load.

"That sounds good," Lizzie said, nodding understandingly. "You accept every offer that comes your way," she comments.

Dara laughs because what she said is true. Before, she told her manager to accept all offers, even if it meant no rest for her.

"By the way, what time are we going to the office later?" Dara asks, changing the topic.

"2:30 pm," Lizzie replies. "Mr. Uriah will be there too, so you'll see him," she adds.

"Really? That's great! We haven't seen each other in ages," Dara says excitedly.

After their conversation, the director called them and the shooting began. This time, the shoot finishes quickly since there aren't many scenes with Dara, so they could leave early.

After having lunch on set, Dara simply changes her clothes into a simple white shirt, and pants before they leave the area.

Dara and Lizzie leave the shooting site early since Dara has no more scenes for today. They head to Ms. Aye's office at Star Company.

"Ms. Aye?" Dara calls out as she knocks three times on the door.

—Knock, knock, knock— goes the door.

"Come in," Ms. Aye responds, so Dara enters.

Inside, Uriah is already there, coolly sitting on the sofa. He is wearing black sunglasses, a black leather coat, and shiny pants.

"Hi, my lucky star," Ms. Aye greets Dara with a smile.

"Hello," Dara replies simply before spotting Uriah. "Hello!" she exclaims, unable to hide her excitement.

Dara smiles widely when their eyes meet.

"Uriah! It's been so long!" she exclaims, walking over to greet him.

Uriah stands up and takes off his sunglasses, revealing a warm smile.

"Dara! It's great to see you again," he says, giving her a friendly hug.

Ms. Aye watches them with a smile.

"It's good to have both of you here. We have some exciting projects to discuss," she says.

Dara and Uriah take their seats, eager to hear more about each other. The atmosphere is filled with anticipation as they look forward to what's next.

"How have you been? It's been so long since we last saw each other," Uriah says happily.

"I'm doing fine. How about you? How was your movie shot abroad? You were gone for quite a while," Dara responds.

"I'm a bit tired. We just finished shooting, and I got back home last night," Uriah says coolly.

As the two catch up, Ms. Aye watches them as she reminisces about the event in front of her.

"It feels like just yesterday when I talked to you both about your first project. But look at you now, you've both come so far," Ms. Aye remarks.

Dara and Uriah smile at their manager's words. They never imagined their dreams would come true in just a short period of time.

Now, Dara is a famous singer and actress, while Uriah has become a renowned model and actor. He was even voted the top 1 most handsome man in the world. They both came up to the ladder pretty fast.

"Oh, come on, our manager is getting sentimental. Are we going to cry now?" Uriah jokes.

"If it weren't for your hard work and care, we wouldn't have become this successful," Dara says with a smile.

"No. It's because both of you are just incredibly talented," Ms. Aye replies happily.

"Ok?," Uriah intervent. "Before we start crying here, why did you call us today?" he asks, breaking the moment.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot," Ms. Aye says, coming back to the topic at hand. She takes a folder from her desk and hands one to Dara and one to Uriah.

"What's this?" Dara asks curiously as she opens the folder.

Uriah does the same and starts reading. Both of them are surprised and look at each other in shock. Ms. Aye laughs at their reaction.

"There's a new project offered to both of you. They want you two to act as the leading character in this romance drama," Ms. Aye announces happily.

"OMG! We're going to act together again!" Uriah exclaims, excitedly hugging Dara.

Ms. Aye looks a bit awkward at the sight, her expression showing mild disgust.

"Uriah!" she calls out. "Calm down."

Uriah, slightly embarrassed, sits back down properly.

Dara bursts into laughter at the whole situation.

"HAHAHAHA," Dara laughs.

"Fanny?" Uriah says sarcastically. "You're laughing too much."

"So- sorry," Dara says, still teary-eyed from laughing. "I just can't help it," she explains.

"Oh, Uriah. You're called the most handsome man in the world, yet you act like this. I'm worried that one day people will find out that the top 1 most handsome man in the world is actually gay," Ms. Aye lectures.

Back when Dara and Uriah were still unknown, Ms. Aye discovered Uriah was gay because of his pink neckerchief. She didn't get angry or judge him that time but thought it might affect his image as he was just starting out in the industry. So, she agreed to keep it a secret until now.

"You're right, Ms. Aye. He was so cool sitting next to me, but the moment he got excited, he lost all his composure," Dara agrees, still chuckling.

"It's not my fault!" Uriah protests dramatically. "I never wanted to be the most handsome. If it was most beautiful or most goddess, that'd be fine, but handsome? Yuck," he says, acting prissy.

"Hahahaha," Dara laughs. "You can't do anything about it, Mr. Top 1 Handsome Man in the World," she teases.

"Hehe," Uriah gives Dara a fake laugh. "Very funny," he sarcastically said.

"Oh my. Stop it before you two start fighting over this again and might be the reason for this project to be cancel," Ms. Aye warns them.

They often argue and have disagreement on some point but they never end their friendship because of this.

"It's her fault," Uriah points at Dara.

"What do you mean me? It's you," Dara responds.

"Enough," Ms. Aye scolded them again. "Anyway, back to where I was saying. So, what do you guys think? Are you both in?" she asks, clarifying their approval for the drama.

"I don't have any projects lined up, so it's fine with me," Uriah answers.

"Hmm. I'd like to, but when is the first day of filming? I'm not sure but I'm afraid it might conflict with my schedule," Dara says, a bit hesitant.

"Don't worry. The pre-production isn't finished yet. By the time filming starts next month, I'm sure you'll be done with your current project," Ms. Aye reassures her.

"Oh, that's good then. I'm in," Dara agrees.

"Great," Ms. Aye says, setting aside the series topic. She has one more question. "Are you both okay working together on this? I looked at the storyline, and there's a kissing scene. Is that okay with both of you?" she asks, concerned they might be uncomfortable since their past roles didn't have intense kissing scenes.

"Yes, it's fine with me. I know Uriah well and we're friends, so I'm sure this role will be easy for me," Dara answers confidently.

"Same here. I'd rather have Dara as my leading lady than any other woman. Eww," Uriah says, making a disgusted face.

"Alright, alright! We're settled for this drama series. I'll keep you updated on any changes, but for now, enjoy your schedules," Ms. Aye says with a smile. "Especially you, Uriah. Get some sleep when you get home. Avoid buying more beauty products, and please, don't go to any bars looking for new boyfriends," she warns.

"Ugh," Uriah mutters in disappointment. He had planned to shop for a new makeup set and hit the bars after their meeting.

'But she won't know,' Uriah thinks mischievously.

"Don't even think about it!" Ms. Aye says, her eyes widening at Uriah.

'Can she read my mind?' Dara wonders.

"I have eyes in the back of my head. If I find out you disobey, I won't give you any new projects," Ms. Aye threatens.

"Fine," Uriah reluctantly agrees. He's scared Ms. Aye might actually follow through and leave him without work. If that happens, he won't be able to buy makeup or go to the bar.

The three of them continue talking about their schedules and catching up until evening comes. They discuss various upcoming events, sharing stories and laughter. Dara feels a sense of relief knowing she'll have some time off soon. Uriah, despite his playful complaints, is genuinely happy to work with Dara again.

As the night deepens, they wrap up their meeting. Dara and Uriah thank Ms. Aye for her hard work and guidance. They leave the office, feeling a mix of excitement and exhaustion.

"Ready for our new adventure?" Uriah asks Dara as they walk out.

"Absolutely. It's going to be fun," Dara replies with a smile.

They both head home, looking forward to the new project and the chance to work together again. Dara feels grateful for the support of her friends and manager, while Uriah secretly hopes he can sneak in a bit of shopping without getting caught.

As they part ways, Dara reflects on the day. She's excited about the new project, but also determined to make time for herself. She knows the importance of balancing work and rest, and with friends likeEli, Lizzie, Uriah, and the guidance of Ms. Aye, she feels confident she can handle whatever comes her way.

The night ends with you chapter, flipping for her.

~To Be Continued~