Muted Freedom

"Oh my, sweetie. Don't be silly." The woman tapped me gentle against the shoulder. She acted like there wasn't any big deal; like I were a normal person, and she made the atmosphere light and fluffy when she joked. It put me at ease, slightly, but I couldn't give a stranger my trust at an instant. She herself knew that I couldn't. She knew she was going to have to gain it.

She messed with the lanyard around her neck until she could hold up the ID card that was clear as day behind the plastic case. Her hand was offered out to me to help me up. Seeing it remain empty for seconds too long made me empathetic. It explained how I've felt all my life and something about it called out to me. I took it, dusting myself off, but let go as soon as possible once I realized what I've done. She went on to introduce herself. "I'm Connie Jung, the president's secretary."

"And that's supposed to reassure me that you're not gonna kill me?" I meant to make the question rude, to show her that I'm not someone to be messed with even after I fell into letting her help me stand, but with my breath lodged in my throat, the words came out hesitant and shaky. Every inch of my vulnerability was laid out like a players deck of cards that shouldn't be seen. I was out of strategies. I was seen right through.

"I guess that doesn't help much, does it?" She giggled. The dim lighting of the walkway put spotlight on her perfect teeth for a quick millisecond, that she covered with her hand as her laugh lasted longer than the brightness was willing to show. Typical. She's a 100 percent-er like everyone else. "I have my own kind of history that makes me different than the other people living today. Believe me. You're a diamond in the rough. I already know that. You're a gem in a world like ours."

The so-called Mrs. Jung turned to unlock her door. I didn't respond. Not because I didn't want to, but because I didn't know how.

Of the entire neighborhood I had to wonder if the one I had chosen to break down in front of would be for my own benefit or be for my worst, but it was resonating with me that she might be my only possible solution. If I'm locked outside or she wants to kill me, I have the same outcome either way. I should be begging for her help.

I didn't expect that I didn't need to.

"Come inside. It's pouring out. You'll get sick." Connie gestured to me by the consistent flick of her fingers that would stop just before they'd fold over her palm. She did it until she saw by my expression that I would obey. It seemed that if I didn't, she would've came back for me to drag me in herself, and it's because of that that I decided to listen.

At each step, debate was filling my head. Whether this was a dream or a death wish, it's as if I was too delusional to tell the difference. I could only plunge in and hope for the best.

The house was huge and fancy with aesthetic decor up against the walls, but no matter how beautiful it was, it seemed empty if she was the only one who lived here. I waited patiently for others to appear, like it was expected to be that way, and I wasn't necessarily wrong.

Connie was already looking for someone the moment she came in. "Carmine! I'm home. Did you boil the water like I told you? Because I swear, if you didn't, I'll smack you right off the grid. It's a simple order, it's not even—."

"Jeez, Mom." A man's voice interrupted her, as his head appeared around one of the corners. He fully revealed himself soon after, dressed in a loose fitting sweater and some sweatpants, but his body proportions were still shown off despite it. Long legs and a tall figure. He was holding a cup of tea exaggeratively to prove that he's done what she must've asked him. Steam flew up from the tea, but it couldn't be hotter than him. I have to say.

I knew exactly who he was. Carmine Jung. The rising actor of the year. The one with the must humble of beginnings compared to almost any other one out there, who failed up to eighty auditions before he even landed a minor role in a film. He was flourishing now and he's all over TV. He's not even from the States, but his skills couldn't be resisted anywhere, so it seems. Why in the world is he here? In America?

I live under a rock more than anyone else does, and even I know who he is. Not only do I know it, I've admired him since I've been able to see him on the television sets that showed up by the windows of restaurants and miniature shops. Small glances over time is what brought me to fall for his expressions. In fact, he's the only one out there that made me believe somehow a human can be over the 100 rank. He was way more than ordinary, and definitely way too much for me.

"It's not like I'm here all the time. Where's the 'it's nice to see you'? I haven't failed to boil a quick few cups of water since the the time I came home from the flight, was recovering from jet lag and accidentally fell asleep. I didn't do that out of defian—." Carmine complained. He put every ounce of his energy into his argument until he caught sight of me. It stopped him altogether. I felt uncomfortable as he looked me up and down, in the messy condition I was in, and as if he forgot I was standing here and could hear him, he faced his mother. "Who is she?"

Like a fool, I was still infatuated with him even though he didn't treat me like I amounted to anything. Then again, I didn't expect him to. Connie on the other hand, urged me to answer the question he had myself. She didn't know my name either, after all. We hadn't gotten that far yet.

The introduction wasn't quick to come out. Somewhere along the way it formed a lump in my throat. Only eventually, did it make it up to my tongue that fought the silence. "I'm Arizona. Arizona Yu."

"There. Now you know." The secretary shrugged, but Carmine was utterly confused. It might've answered the words of his question, but the meaning behind it included so much more. Something along the lines of what I was doing here, and why I would show my face before him. The answers to those questions, I didn't know either. We're almost in the same boat when it comes to knowledge in that criteria, but Connie has the answers to all of them. "You'll be here for three months to film for the rest of that series of yours, right son?"

Holy crap. The Carmine Jung is here in the States to film? He's famous and he's only going to become like famous-famous the more of these roles he takes on. Wow, he's actually so amazing. What the literal frick? How though?

"Well, yeah? It's 93 days or something until I head back to Korea." His confusion wasn't fading, and it became more clear when he rubbed the back of his neck. He hasn't moved much from the spot he stood at unless you counted taking sips from his cup of tea every so often. Neither of us understood why when he was going back had anything to do with me. At least I wasn't alone, I guess.

"Perfect. So while you're here for the next ninety or so days, she'll be your roommate alright? You'll watch after her until she can get back onto her feet, until I can get the government to make it safe for humans like her or until you have to go back. Teach her how to blend in with us while she needs to in formal lessons for at least ten minutes a day, and make sure she doesn't get into trouble." She delivered it in a way that was so firm I think just about anyone would know that it wasn't something they had choice of 'yes' and 'no'. It was a demand, and it was set in stone.

"What?" Carmine was shocked. He had taken a bigger gulp of his cooling tea and had nearly spit it out when he heard. He was usually very sweet to his admirers and knew how to give them fan service, but a setting like this was new to him. He couldn't hide that. Of course, people like me don't pop out everyday.

Connie ignored him to look at me. "You see, Arizona, Carmine here has a hidden house by a lot of vegetation that's not easy to find. We built it there so that he could have an easier time hiding from the paparazzi when he started building a fanbase, so you'll be safe staying there. Nobody will find you and he'll take care of you very well." She clenched her teeth when she glanced back at her son. "Right, Carmine?"

"Mom—." The actor dragged it out, sweeping through his black hair. It stood up for a second until it fell back in line with his hairline. He stared at me out of the corner of his eye, and I saw the first hesitation out of him since I met him in person, but he didn't allow it to stop him. "Why would I? You found her. Why don't you take care of her? I have a project to give my attention to! It's not like I'll be able to prioritize her!"

Okay, ouch. I'm a burden they're playing hot potato with and that's it. I zipped my lips. I wanted to disappear. Not as much as that time back then I stood atop of the wet dirt that was almost mud in the middle of a forest, but it was making its way up there.

"Are you stupid, Carms? I work for the government. I have officials in and out of here at unexpected times. We can't risk her getting caught. She's life. Do you want to watch her struggle for the worst? Do you not have a heart?" Her strategy was guilt-tripping now, and based on the change in his expression, it was on its way to working. She knew that too, and she didn't give up on the progress she made. "I didn't raise you to behave like that. All you have going for you is a pretty face. Just standing there looking sexy. You give me high blood. Every single day, Carmine! Goodness!"

"Mom, it's not like that. It's just—." He paused, looking me up and down again. Then again, and then again once more. If he was taking pity on me as he looked at me, I wouldn't be surprised. I really do look like a lost cause, I know that very well.

His shoulders were tensed when stress climbed up his spine, but the longer he kept his eyes on me, the more he slowly allowed himself to soften up and release his muscles back into relaxation. He let out a final sigh before he gave in.

For the first time, he shuffled his feet over to get a closer look at me, moving from the spot he's been all along. "So California, it looks like I have 93 days to make you pretty."

Connie passed him a death glare by the way he put it, but she didn't say anything. She dropped it when she noticed I saw her, apologizing in his behalf.

I curved my lips up into a smile, and crossed my arms as unbothered as I could appear. I was bothered if I'm honest. Just because I know I'm not the definition of beautiful in the current day, that doesn't mean I like to hear it from other people, but I couldn't admit that out loud. On top of it, he's purposely screwing up my name like he owns it. What could I do about that?

"Yeah, Carmine." I tilted my head to the side. As irritating and blunt as he could be, his eyes had the power to draw you in. Some sort of magic spell was behind those pupils. No wonder why he could grow a fanbase so diligent in their love for him. He's hypnotizing.

Not that I'd tell him. All I would do is agree with his rude approach by repeating his phrase because that's all the freedom I had. He was supposedly on my side but I couldn't know, so it's probably better I don't argue, nor admire. Remain neutral and only neutral.

"You have 93 days to make me pretty. Get to it."