As he watched Amy hurriedly scribble line after line in her new prized possession, Zen couldn't help but chuckle.

"How are you not getting motion sick?" He asked as he leaned over in his seat and peered over her shoulder.

"Practice, I guess. Now stop distracting me! I have to write everything down before I forget it all!" Amy scolded him, her eyes never leaving the page as her fingers flew with the speed and grace of an eagle, writing down dozens of words in mere seconds. Curious as to what kind of masterpiece was forming in her head, Zen began to skim through what she had jotted down so far, being careful to also read the notes and marks written in the margins as well. His lips quickly curved into a smile as realization dawned on him.

"You're writing a play, Amy?" he cooed, making chills run up her spine.

"I-I'm writing the book first and then the play. Now stop distracting me!" Amy whined as she erased several dots that appeared to be music notes. Zen's eyes took on a mischievous sparkle.

"You know how to write music?" he asked.

Sighing in exasperation as her inspiration slipped away, Amy shut the journal and shoved it back into one of the many shopping bags at her feet.

"I'm trying to but everything I come up with sounds like a dying animal." she stated as she leaned back in her seat and gazed out the window of the taxi.

Another quiet laugh escaped Zen's lips.

"You know, I'm pretty good with music. I actually play piano and have written a few short pieces myself. I could help you." he purred sweetly, reaching for the bag containing her journal. However, his hand was quickly smacked away.

"I'll think about it. Also, don't touch my book." Amy replied, glancing over her shoulder at him. However, when she noticed the soft yet mesmerizing curve in his lips, she hastily returned her gaze to the passing scenery as her cheeks burned.

"Ugh, why is it suddenly so hot in here?!"

Soon, the taxi turned onto Zen's street and slowed to a stop in front of his house. Amy frowned in confusion when she noticed a young, brunette woman adorned in a navy blue dress standing on Zen's porch, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Zen, are you expecting company?" she asked uncertainly.

Frowning, Zen leaned forward and peered out the window, completely oblivious to the fact that his chest was pressed firmly against Amy's back. The girl quickly sank her teeth into her bottom lip to keep from shoving him off of her.

"Is that Echo?" Zen thought aloud as he squinted to get a better look at his visitor. By now, the brunette had noticed the the taxi and the annoyed scowl disappeared off of her face when she saw Zen. Grinning like a child on Christmas, she gracefully leaped off of the porch and skipped towards them, her eyes shining like stars, and Zen quickly got out of the car to meet her.

"Echo, what are you going here?" he asked as she ran up and embraced him.

"I was worried about you when you didn't show up to work today so I decided to come check on you and make sure you were okay!" Echo Girl gushed as she clung to the actor, batting her eyelashes at him and gazing up at him with pure adoration. "Why didn't you text me that you were alright? Don't you have my number?"

"Sorry, Echo, I didn't think of that. I'm fine though, I promise. Here, just let me go help my friend with her bags and then we can talk, okay?" Zen stated as he wiggled out of the brunette's grasp and grabbed the car door. Echo Girl frowned in confusion but her eyes widened in horror when Amy emerged from inside the cab, her arms laden with shopping bags.

"Zen, who's this?" She asked, the corners of her lips twitching as she forced herself to keep smiling.

"Oh, that's right! You two haven't officially met yet. Echo Girl, this is my good friend Amethyst Hall, but she prefers to be called Amy. Amy, this is Echo Girl; I'm sure you've heard of her. She and I are working together on a project." Zen stated, oblivious to the tension radiating off of the young idol.

"It's nice to meet you." Amy said kindly, offering a hand for the other girl to shake. Echo Girl merely glanced at her extended palm with a look of disgust before knocking it aside.

"The pleasure is all mine." she replied curtly, her teeth clenched together as her overly sweet smile returned.

"Well, should we go inside? It's getting pretty warm out; I wouldn't want you pretty ladies to feel uncomfortable." Zen cooed. Turning to Amy, he quickly snatched her bags from her arms. "Please, allow me to carry these for you."

"That's alright, Zen. I can carry them myself."

"But I insist. How could I call myself a gentleman if I let a lady carry her own bags when my arms are free?"

"Ugh, fine but give me your keys so I can get the door for you." Amy said, shaking her head at the male's persistence as he dropped his keys into her open palm. As she slipped past Echo Girl, she thought she saw the starlet scowling at her but when she looked back the brunette was all smiles. Shaking off the uneasiness she felt, she hastily inserted the key into the lock and opened the door so Zen could carry her bags inside before the handles cut off the circulation to his arms.

"Thank you so much, fair maiden." he said, flashing her a wink as he passed by. Echo Girl hastily followed behind him with her nose in the air and her shoulders tense, not bothering to show any gratitude to the woman at the door. Amy frowned and raised a questioning eyebrow as she slipped inside behind the idol and closed the door.

"What's her deal?" she wondered to herself as she stared at the long, wavy, silky, brown hair that swayed from side to side as Echo Girl walked. "Also, why the heck is she wearing those heels?! It's the middle of the day!"

After setting Amy's bags down along the wall of the living room, Zen turned to his guests with his hands on his hips. "Now, are either of you ladies thirsty? Could I interest you in some tea or water?"

"We're good, Zen. Thank you. However, do you have any painkillers? My feet are dying." Echo Girl whimpered, grabbing Zen's arm and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'll go grab some. Feel free to sit anywhere you want." Zen stated and then hurried into the kitchen, leaving Echo Girl and Amy alone.

Once the albino actor was gone, Echo Girl sighed loudly and flopped down onto his cushy loveseat, her eyes boring holes through Amy's chest. Amy frowned at her.

"What? What are you staring at?" she barked somewhat defensively.

"Oh nothing, don't worry about it." Echo Girl cooed. However, her voice had a poisonous tint to it.

Raising a suspicious eyebrow, Amy bent down and grabbed her bags off the floor.

"I think I'm going to go unpack." she mumbled just loud enough for the starlet to hear as she walked past her.

"Don't bother getting too comfortable. You won't be staying long."

Amy immediately froze mid step and turned to stare at the brunette with wide eyes. Echo Girl, who had pulled out her phone and was scrolling through one of her many social media pages, glanced up at her in annoyance.

"It's rude to stare you know." she scolded her before returning her eyes to the screen in front of her like nothing had happened.

"Did I just imagine that?" Amy wondered to herself. "I could've sworn she just spoke. I guess the heat is affecting me more than I thought."

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Amy hurried to the guest bedroom and placed the shopping bags on the bed before slipping into the bathroom. After tying her hair back in a ponytail, she turned on the sink faucet and splashed some cold water onto her face in attempt to wake herself up. However, as she dried of with a towel, Echo Girl's words continued to echo in the back of her brain.

"Did she really say that? She did seem to be acting rather strangely. She was stuck standing outside in heels forever though; that is bound to make any woman agitated. However, what woman in her right mind wears heels all day?! Maybe I'm looking too much into this. Should I bring it up to Zen? Perhaps I should wait and observe a little longer before I make that decision."

Taking a deep breath, Amy left the bathroom and headed back down the hall. However, as she entered the living room, she stopped in the doorway and stared at the sight before her. Zen was now sitting on the loveseat next to Echo Girl, the young beauty's face inches from his own as one of her palms rested against his forehead. Zen's face was the color of a cherry as looked at her with wide eyes, sweat pouring down the side of his neck.

"Zen, are you sure you're not sick? Your face is all red and your skin feels hot." Echo Girl cooed, knowing full well the true reason for the actor's flushed cheeks.

"I-I'm positive. It's just the heat, that's all." Zen stated as he pulled free from her touch and took a deep breath to calm his racing heart.

Before either of the stars saw her, Amy hastily ducked back into the hallway and pressed her back against the cool surface of the wall. She didn't know why but her stomach was churning nauseously as a sensation like liquid fire scorching her insides raced through her veins. Her chest felt tight, making it hard to breathe, and each time her heart beat, a sharp throb followed.

"What's wrong with me? Why do I feel so...angry?"

Hearing Echo Girl sigh loudly, Amy found herself listening closely to whatever was going on in the next room.

"Zen, I wanted to talk to you about your....friend. That's all she is, right?"

To her surprise, Amy instinctively held her breath as she strained to hear Zen's answer.

"Yeah, she's my friend." Zen replied, though his usually suave voice sounded a little shaky.

A sharp pain ripped through Amy's chest.

"Why...Why did that hurt so much? We ARE just friends, that's all. What else was he supposed to say?" She thought to herself.

"Well, and don't take this the wrong way, but should she really be staying with you if she's nothing more than a friend? You know how the media is. They take what we say and do and twist it to mean something else entirely. Why give them more fuel? You have a reputation to unhold; don't throw away over someone like her. I'm sure she has other friends who would be more than willing to let her stay with them." Echo Girl continued, her voice soft and seductive like the song of a siren.

Zen remained unusually silent as a mighty tension loomed in the air like a thick fog. To Amy, the silence was deafening, drowning out even the thunderous pounding of her heart as it pounded against her chest, trying to break free.

"Echo, if that's all you came to say then I think it is time that you leave. I need to help Amy unpack and get settled in." Zen's voice finally replied rather coldly.

"Zen, I'm just trying to look out for you-"

"And I'm touched by that. However, I've made my decision and I've agreed to deal with the consequences, regardless of what they are. Case closed."

Amy's heart leaped in her chest as a broad smile stretched across her face. Standing up and straightening to her clothes, she casually sauntered into the living room as if she had just come from her room and was completely oblivious to what had just occurred between the two celebrities. She was happy to see that Zen had migrated from the loveseat to a recliner only big enough for one, and out of the corner of her eye, she drank in the priceless irritation painted on Echo Girl's face. Her eyes sparkling mischievously, she strutted over to Zen and placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention, an action that caused the brunette to go stiff.

"Zen, I'm having some trouble with my stuff. I'm not sure where I should put it all. If you're not too busy, do you think you could help me?" she purred, smiling down at him.

Zen seemed to relax beneath Amy's touch and a look of relief flooded his features.

"Of course. In fact, I think Kyungju was just about to leave." he said.

Amy's brow furrowed in confusion. "Who?"

"Zen, I told you I don't like being called by my real name!" Echo Girl whined, her face red from a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

Snickering internally, Amy turned to Zen and continued, "Actually Zen, before we start, could I have some of that water you offered earlier? I'm feeling pretty parched. I can show your guest to the door for you."

Zen raised a questioning eyebrow at Amy, who winked in reply before practically waltzing over to the flustered Echo Girl.

"Echo, do you want to borrow a pair of my shoes? Those heels can't be comfortable." she cooed with the same artificial sweetness the starlet had gushed when they first met.

"I'm fine, thanks. My feet are suddenly feeling much better." Echo Girl replied curtly as she stood up and brushed past Amy, purposely hitting her shoulder. Smirking, Amy hurried after her and hastily grabbed the door, holding it open for the starlet.

"Oh, I have a word of advice for you before you go, Kyungju. Worry less about Zen and more about yourself from now on." she stated smugly as the girl started to leave.

Echo Girl immediately stopped and turned to glare at her.

"You should heed your own advice, Amethyst Hall, because this is far from over." she growled before storming off the porch.

Satisfied, Amy shut the door and turned to go back to the living room only to jump at the sight of Zen standing behind her.

"So you were listening." he said, his lips curving into a knowingly smile.

Amy rolled her eyes and brushed past the actor before he could notice her red cheeks. "I was not, and even if was, you can't prove it."

Chuckling, Zen reached out and wrapped an arm around Amy's waist, causing her to squawk in surprise as she was pulled against his chest.

"You don't have to worry, Amy. Kyungju and I will never have a relationship like this one." he cooed in her ear.

"Zen, let me go!" Amy shouted as she pushed down on his arms, squirming frantically in his grasp.

"There's no need to be embarrassed, Amy. You can admit you're jealous." Zen teased.

"I am not jealous!" Amy exclaimed before stomping down hard on Zen's foot and pulling free from his grasp when his grip slackened.

Zen laughed warmly despite the sharp throbbing in his foot. "The fact that you are denying it so profusely only serves to confirm my suspicion."

"Whatever. Just grab my water and then meet me in the guest room." Amy snapped before barreling down the hall, informing the actor's chuckles as they echoed behind her.

"I am not jealous! I am NOT jealous!"