Work Text:
Ram glared at the blank page, as if threatening it to fill up with words. The only thing he knew he wanted for the plot was that it had to be nothing like his first BL. It had been the most empty-headed, cliche thing he had ever written. Naturally, it went viral.
Really, his whole dilemma started a few weeks ago, when his editor called him in for a meeting.
“Ram!” Manaow greeted him enthusiastically. “I have great news!”
Ram sincerely doubted that. “I’ve spoken to the company, and…” She paused dramatically.
“Yes?” Ram prompted.
“Bad Engineer is going to be adapted into a series! Can you believe it! You’re going to be famous! Everyone will buy your book!”
Personally, he would prefer being known for something he was actually proud of. “Is that all?”
“Ah, well,” Manaow fidgeted with her lipstick. Somewhere in the back on Ram’s head, an alarm bell went off. “The company wants you to write another BL.”
“What.” The question came out flat, as if his vocal chords were as shocked as he was. “You said I could go back to horror fantasy!”
“It’s just one! After this, you can do anything you want. I promise. Please?” She stretched out the last word like taffy, as if savoring its taste. Vaguely, it occurred to Ram that agreeing to this would be the writer equivalent of selling his soul for money.
“I’m going to need some time. I’m not good at writing BL.”
Manaow squealed. “ Thank you so much!” As he was walking out, Manaow added, “ Don’t forget the saucy scenes! I want them to make me scream!” Ram gagged.
Since then, he has made absolutely no progress on his novel. He has five months to turn in the manuscript, but still no plot. He filled a page with a keyboard smash, before erasing all of it.
Suddenly, an idea came to him. He moved his hands to write the first words, when- ring!
The doorbell went off, making his mind blank instantly. What was his idea again? The doorbell rang again, the grating sound piercing his eardrums. He walked sluggishly to the door. Upon opening it, it took all of his willpower to avoid slamming it closed. “Phu.” Ram gritted his teeth. “Did I not tell you to leave me alone for this week?”
Phu gulped. “Sorry, but this is urgent.”
“Well? What is it?”
“Ah- could we talk inside?”
Ram sighed. “One day, I’m going to hire a new assistant; one that follows my instructions.” Phu smiled awkwardly.
Upon entering, Phu ram headfirst into a pile of BL novels. “Wow Ram- if I didn’t know you were writing BL now, I would think you were a pervert!” Phu joked.
Ram grunted, not wanting to dignify him with a response. “What was it that was so urgent?”
“Oh. Right. Today is casting for Bad Engineer!”
“And this concerns me how?”
“The company wants you to help choose actors! After all, no one knows the characters better than you!”
Ram scoffed. “ Anyone could do that. Just get someone who’s read the novel. You’ve read it. You’d do as good a job as I would.”
“How could you say that! Of course the writer knows better than the reader. Besides, you don’t have a choice.”
“I have work to do. I’m not going, and that’s final.”
Ram sighed, as yet another candidate walked in. He wondered idly if he was the only sane person in the room. “I’m headed to the bathroom.” He whispered to Phu, who seemed entranced with the actor.
He got about halfway through the room, before he felt a hand clasp his arm. “Where do you think you’re going!” A voice boomed, low and menacing.
Ram turned, to see what was possibly the most handsome man he had ever seen. “Well? Did you think you could escape me?”
Ram froze, bewildered. “That mark I gave you is proof that you are mine. You cannot leave.” Ram had to stop himself from nodding, overpowered by the force behind his words.
Just as he was about to open his mouth to respond, he heard claps and cheering from the table. “Bravo! That’s exactly the acting we’re looking for!”
The man (King, Ram remembered from his application form) smiled sheepishly.
“Sorry, did I startle you?” Ram jerked his arm away in response.
“Thank you for being my acting partner!” King beamed. Ram was reminded eerily of a sun. How was this the same person that had been so aggressive only a few seconds earlier?
Ram rushed out of the room, scared to stay any longer.
After the auditions, Ram was dragged into a meeting to decide the main cast. The three picks were King (unsurprisingly), Green (whom Ram found rather irritating) and Boss (whom Ram would have thought annoying if he had not been preceded by Green).
By the end of the meeting, Ram had somehow agreed to attend another one in two weeks time. He blamed Phu.
As soon as he could, he rushed out of the room. Finally, the end was in sight.
Perhaps if he had been in less of a rush, he could have avoided running directly in front of someone else. The impact propelled his water bottle out of his hand, the drink rolling across the floor like a bowling ball.
“Sorry, my bad.” Ram apologized mechanically. The crew member gave him a dirty look, before walking off.
“I believe this is yours?” Ram’s eyes shot up. King stood in front of him, holding Ram’s water bottle in front of him. Ram nodded minutely.
“The director told me that you’re the writer of Bad Engineer. I never would have guessed! I was wondering, do you think you could explain some parts to my character to me? There are some things I can’t quite grasp.”
“What parts?”
“Oh, not now! I mean later. I look forward to working with you.” Ram gulped. This was treading into dangerous territory.
“How about we exchange numbers, so we can text each other if we need anything?”
King looked at Ram with pleading eyes. It seemed unnatural for a grown adult to be so cute. Every fiber of Ram’s being screamed for him to run, hide, and never talk to this man again. And yet…
As Ram scanned King’s ID, he couldn’t quite bring himself to regret it.
That night, as he sat in front of his laptop, he thought of King. Then he began to type.
Love Actor, Chapter 1.
I grabbed the man’s arm forcefully. He was a stranger to me, but for the sake of the audition I must pretend he is my lover…