The Kpop Otaku's Dream 109 Queen Of Melodrama

"You are..." I stammer, dumbfounded, "Son... Ye-jin?!"

She smiles, enjoying my shocked expression as she gestures to the words "Ding Dong Deng! You got it right!"

Still a little stunned by the sudden turn of events, my mind draws a blank.

'How blind must I be to not recognize Son Ye-jin?!'

It's the 'Queen of melodrama' Son Ye-jin! Reigning over the cinemas and TVs since 2002! One of the remarkable few actresses to enjoy staggering box-office sales and appeal among both men and women on both the small and big screens.

The actress, best known for her roles and performance in the 2003 movie 'The Cla.s.sic' and, 'A moment to Remember', has built a stellar career studded with commercial success.

"You're the 'Queen of melodrama'? Son Ye-jin?" I ask once more; trying to confirm my thoughts.

She laughs at my question "What is that? 'Queen of melodrama'?"

I nod my head ferociously, "Uh, yes, it's the nickname they gave you in the news."

"Which one?" She asks as if intrigued.

"Um... all of them."

"Oh really? So you're telling me this 'Queen of melodrama' wasn't recognized for a full ten minutes?" She inquired playfully at my lack of awareness.

I laugh in slight embarra.s.sment, "Consider me momentarily blinded by your beauty," palming my forehead, I cast my gaze towards her, "my brain must have temporarily entered a meltdown."

"Meltdown? Well, aren't you just slow?"

"Oh, please; I'm a student at SNU. Don't let my das.h.i.+ng looks fool you as I'm quite the smarty-pants." I brag and gloat.

"So, you are aware you are quite good looking? Isn't that quite arrogant of you."

"Hey, weren't you the one telling me to have confidence in myself?" I copied her pose from the past, and in my cutest, nasally-sounding voice, I mimicked her phrase: "Fighting!"

"Hey, I don't sound like that!" She throws a cute fit at my impersonation.

I use my "excellent" vocal mimicry to impersonate her: "I don't sound like that!"

"It's disrespectful to make fun of your elders. Where are your manners?" She teases and nudges me back.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I will behave myself," I glanced at her "ajumma." I stuck out my tongue, with knowledge of my sweeping victory.

"Hey! Who are you calling an ajumma! I-I'm only twenty-nine this year..."

In natural succession, we talk for a bit more about work and life after the playful exchange. I must say, my impression of her is undoubtedly natural. She doesn't seem like one who puts on a show of pretences and artifice. It's beyond refres.h.i.+ng.

Time does, in spite of entertainment, fly by and before I know it the plane lands in Jeju Island. I acknowledge Einstein's words were right: "Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute."

"I guess this is where we get off." I smile, "It was really nice speaking to you, noona. The time simply flew by, pun intended."

"You need new material." She jokes and shows an amused expression.

I grab my carry-on bag from the compartment and offer to carry hers too. We then take a walk together to the baggage reclaim for our luggage.

After the long wait, we stood side by side in silence. Not really knowing what to do, it developed into an awkward situation when we were joined by both our staffs. While my team consisted of three, Son Ye-jin got enough to sign up for a soccer team.

I find myself absorbed by the sounds of our surroundings; the ambience and chatter of the airport distracting me. I fall in silence and follow her lead like a robot.

Unlike the time spent on the flight, time seems to have slowed down here. Unpleasantly, if I may add.

We stood by until our bags arrived and exchanged a few pleasantries to each other and the staff. Thankfully, the weather turned out to be nice today and aided our small talk in order to pa.s.s time.

When our staff appeared with our luggage, it confirmed the reality that we had to part ways. I really feel like this chance meeting has come to an end. Just before we reach the exit, Ye-jin stops me in my tracks and spoke, "Dylan, can we get some s.p.a.ce for a second?"

Looking around, I signal for Yuri-noona and the others to give us privacy. Seeing the s.p.a.ce around us emptying, I speak up, "I actually wanted to speak to you too."

"Hmm? About what?" She cutely questions, her eyes showing signs of expectation.

I clear my throat before answering, "It was...um... nice to meet you." I start, before breaking out in a sweat.

"Why are you so nervous?" She asks, poking at the obvious awkwardness.

"I don't know! Like, how am I supposed to say 'goodbye' to a Hallyu Star?"

Son Ye-jin laughs humorously before asking me, "How would you greet a girl you just met?"

"If she's pretty, then I'd probably ask her number."

"Then, why don't you try asking me for mine?" She issues a challenging look at me.

"Oh, so you think you are pretty... So much for being the 'humble beauty'." I poke fun at her in retaliation, "But, here goes anyway," with a cough, I changed the bright timbre of my voice to a darker, seductive one, "excuse me, before you go, I'm going to need your number."

"What will you be using it for? How do I know it won't be used for nefarious purposes?" She responds in fake doubt.

"I promise to only use it for the betterment of mankind." I hand her my cell phone and she takes it from me, enters her number and hands it back.

Not wasting any time, I start typing on the keys and press send. Right then, Ye-jin's phone sounds out in alarm and she excuses herself to check her phone.

She sees that it's from an unfamiliar number and opens the message. Surveying it, she beams and reads out loud in a cheeky and flirtatious manner:

"Hey, it's Dylan. The future king of melodrama ;-)"