33. Theo
As soon as Theo sat down at the restaurant, he knew he’d made a mistake not insisting Sarah join them. Yu-jin seemed to take it as permission to act like they were in a relationship again. The tables were low to the floor, and everyone removed their shoes to sit on the tatami matting surrounding the tables. Yu-jin pressed in close to Theo’s side, but he subtly moved away. ‘Please don’t,’ he whispered in her ear.
She giggled. ‘You never used to complain about me getting close before.’
‘Well, it’s different now. And that was a long time ago.’ Theo barely even remembered their time together. They’d only dated for a month five years ago, and it was mostly a relationship of convenience while they’d been working in the same city. Once he’d returned to Australia, he’d forgotten about her—and he’d assumed Yu-jin had moved on from him too since she hadn’t tried to contact him in the meantime.
The photographer, an older guy called Takeshi, sat opposite them. ‘You two were amazing today. You’re the kind of models who make my job easy.’
‘When you have someone like Theo beside you, it doesn’t feel like work,’ Yu-jin purred.
Dan smirked. ‘If you’re able to maintain that level of chemistry for the drama audition, you’ll sail through.’
Theo frowned. He wished Dan wouldn’t act like everything was a done deal. And he resented that he kept pushing Yu-jin on him while ignoring the fact Sarah was in his life.
Yu-jin’s manager, a serious-looking Korean woman called Jin-kyung, smiled too. ‘I have a good feeling about this collaboration.’
‘Once this shoot is over, we’ll talk logistics,’ Dan assured her.
Several plates of food arrived, and Theo tried to focus on the food. It looked like art and smelled amazing. Not everything contained tofu, but the waiter explained the different cooking techniques for each dish. The centrepiece was a wooden box placed over heat. The box contained a soymilk mixture that would solidify after several minutes, resulting in freshly prepared tofu.
Theo really wished Sarah was around to enjoy this with him. Maybe he could bring her back for dinner tomorrow. Tonight was the obligatory networking event, but he didn’t think he’d have to sacrifice both evenings here. If the team suggested going out tomorrow, he’d pretend he was sick.
‘How do you feel about kissing this guy in a drama?’ Dan asked Yu-jin, flicking a thumb in Theo’s direction.
Yu-jin giggled again. ‘I’m totally fine with it. And I already know what I’m letting myself in for.’
‘We’ve discussed the possibility of leaking a few candid photos to the media,’ Jin-kyung said.
Dan rubbed his chin. ‘How do fans feel about their actors getting together these days? I thought they preferred them single.’
‘The exception is when they’re starring as lovers in a series. And as long as both have established positive images, it will practically ensure the success of the series. Of course, we’ll have to choreograph it properly…’
‘I’d rather not,’ Theo said.
Dan frowned at him. ‘Theo…’
‘Look, I’m fine with paid photoshoots and filming a drama, but I won’t blur the lines with reality. I’m not comfortable pretending to date Yu-jin just for a few extra viewers. And what happens if the public found out we were lying? It would be a disaster.’
‘We don’t have to confirm anything. Just release enough images to make everyone curious…’
‘No, thank you.’ Theo stood. ‘I’m sorry, but I’m not feeling well. I’m going to rest so I’m able to work again tomorrow. Please excuse me.’
‘Theo—’
Theo ignored Dan, nodded briefly at everyone else, and left the restaurant. He hated that his manager seemed to think his whole life was ripe for exploitation. Theo knew he’d have to sacrifice a sizeable chunk of his personal life as he became more recognised, but he didn’t think he’d have to give up everything. He shouldn’t have to hide Sarah or pretend to date someone else.
Theo pulled out his phone and called Sarah’s number, thankful he’d insisted on having her switch on international roaming, even if it meant a large phone bill when they got home. He would happily pay for the charges to maintain contact with her here.
She didn’t answer at first, and he worried something had happened.
But just as it was about to go to voicemail, she answered, sounding out of breath. ‘Hi! Sorry! It was loud at karaoke, and I didn’t hear my phone. How’s dinner?’
‘I left. I’m going to head back to the hotel.’
She was quiet for a second. ‘Why did you leave?’
‘I was tired.’ Theo didn’t want to tell her the truth, because he knew she’d feel guilty and try to make him go back.
‘Was Dan okay with you abandoning the dinner?’
‘I don’t care. My wellbeing should be his priority. How’s karaoke?’
‘It’s more fun than I expected. We have a private booth, and the others are really getting into it. I’m supposed to sing Whitney Houston next.’
Theo chuckled. ‘I’d love to see that.’
‘But if you come here, the others will find out you weren’t actually tired.’
Theo sighed. ‘You’re right. I should go back to the room.’
‘I’ll come too.’
‘As much as I want you to do that, maybe stay out for a little longer. It would look suspicious if you left early. The staff might mention it to Yu-jin or her manager tomorrow.’
‘But I want to hang out with you!’
‘I know. Just wait another forty-five minutes and then excuse yourself. I’ll wait up.’
‘You better.’
‘You know how to get back to the hotel?’
‘I’ll ask one of the staff for directions.’
‘Okay. See you soon. I miss you already.’
‘I miss you too.’
Theo hung up and looked out at the street. He’d walked halfway up the road to get away from the restaurant in case Yu-jin or Dan had followed him. He was glad Yu-jin didn’t have his number, so she couldn’t call. But Dan had texted during his conversation with Sarah.
Dan:
If you ever fucking behave like that again, you’re fired. From tomorrow, you do as I say until we leave. That includes acting like Yu-jin’s boyfriend if I tell you.
Theo almost threw his phone against a nearby wall. When had Dan gotten so aggressive? He’d picked the guy as his manager years ago because he’d been the only one who seemed to understand that Theo wouldn’t compromise on parts of his life. One rule was that he’d remain in Australia, even if it meant a lot of travelling. And another was that he’d be left to his own devices outside of work hours. In return, Theo promised to maintain an image that appealed to potential advertisers and entertainment employers. He’d be having words with Dan tomorrow to remind him of that second fact.
Theo hailed a cab and jumped in, directing the driver back to the hotel. He couldn’t wait to regain some control over his personal space.
And he couldn’t wait until Sarah returned either. Had asking her to be his stylist been a mistake?
He didn’t want to cause her any angst, but by having her here, he was forcing her into all sorts of uncomfortable situations.
He vowed to make it up to her.
Because he was quickly realising he couldn’t live without her.