Page 24 of Flip the Script

“Then what’s wrong?”

Bryan doesn’t answer. He looks at the ground, like it’s suddenly fifty thousand times more interesting than it was just a second ago.

“I don’t know,” Bryan says. “I guess I’m just too honest of a person to kiss someone who is playing hard to get.”

I almost can’t believe my ears.“Hard to get?”

“You didn’t want to hang out yesterday. And you didn’t even tell me why.”

Bryan looks almost sullen, and it takes all my self-control to not get mad at him.

“Why do I have to give you areason?” I ask. “Besides, you’re the one that put in our terms that we only have to go on a date together once a month.”

“Yeah, but that was before.”

“Before what?”

He looks intently into my eyes, and that’s when I realize. We only went ononedate. And that date wasn’t even real! ButBryan Yoon caught feelings.

I don’t like him back, at least not in that way. But now’s probably not the right time and place to tell him this. Notwhen we’re supposed to make out on camera in a few minutes.

I speak slowly, trying to be as placating as I can. “Okay, look. I had a great time on our date. But what happened afterward was really hard for me. All those comments. Death threats. The hashtag HowCouldYouBryan... It wasn’t easy, okay? Please don’t take it personally.”

“Oh.” Bryan blinks. “Sorry. Yeah, the Brybabies can get a little... intense.”

“Tell me about it. Fortunately, the ones I’ve met in person have been nice. So I don’t think it’s all of them.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Hana! Bryan!” yells Director Cha. “Ready to try again?”

“But yeah,” I quickly say, “let’s just get this kiss over with, all right? We can talk about everything else later.”

Bryan nods and follows me back onto set.

“Did you two get everything sorted out?” the director warily asks when we return.

I give Bryan a pointed look.

“Yes, sir,” he says as he gets into position beside me.

“Good.”

This time, Bryan’s like a whole different person. He not only delivers his lines seamlessly, but when it’s time for us to kiss, he reaches over to gently caress my cheek. Even though I don’t have romantic feelings for him, the tenderness of his gesture still touches me, and my heart speeds up as he leans closer. Everything feels so natural now, it’s hard to believe wehad so much trouble with this scene just a couple of minutes before.

“You are so beautiful, my princess.” Bryan delivered this line several times before, but now his emotions feel real.

Maybe they are, I think, remembering the way he’d acted just a few minutes ago.

All my thoughts and anxieties crescendo into a feverish pitch as Bryan, like the K-pop prince he is, leans over and kisses me fully on my lips.