I knew it as soon as I woke up: today was going to be different.

It's a strange but liberating feeling; you wake up feeling nothing but optimism when you have no reason to. My insight was telling me something and I knew it.

I woke up an hour and a half early. I wanted to go for a walk, but the gates were locked. I stood behind the high bars, feeling like I was in prison. Once again, thoughts of running away filled my mind. I glanced behind me, the building silent and asleep. I could do it.

Without further hesitation, I ran back to the dormitories, tiptoeing as I passed the girl's dorm. As long as she doesn't hear me, I'm fine.

I packed my few essentials into a small bag, gathered my money, put on my favourite outfit and pulled my hair into a bun. I stood staring at myself in the mirror, adjusting my bangs. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of leaving. I'd never have to see Dahyun or any of the other interns again. I'll never know the girl's name, but never mind.

I rushed back out to the gate, scanning for any way of escape. I could try climbing the bars, but how would I get down on the other side? I'd surely injur myself. It's not a short fall. I looked at the row of bushes, perpendicular to the gate. I could burrow my way through there...would I even fit? But it was probably my best option.

I approached the bushes, slowly bending down, ready to stick an arm in.

'What are you doing?'

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of a voice. A voice I didn't recognise. It was soft, quiet. It sounded like my head voice and I almost didn't believe it was real.

'Seulgi?'

I felt too afraid to turn around. My blood ran hot at the prospect of being seen like this. I forced my head to turn and gasped.

It was the girl.

She stood outside the dorms, her arms wrapped around herself in a purple dressing gown. Her long black hair blew back softly in the morning wind. Her face was scrunched from the brightness of the day after sleep.

I stood up slowly, never breaking eye contact. I couldn't believe I allowed myself to get caught.

'What are you doing?' She repeated, calmly. I wasn't used to hearing such a soft voice.

'N-Nothing...' I said, knowing how ridiculous that sounded. Here I was, all dressed up in my own clothes, bent in front of some bushes. With a backpack on my back.

'Are you running away?'

My body stung. I just wanted the ground to swallow me. 

How could I explain this? How could she understand?

She cocked her head. Every movement made me feel more afraid.

'Were you running away?'

'I.....'

She took a few steps closer. 'Seulgi? You.... you shouldn't.'

I stood still and rigid, as if I was being interrogated by my school principal. That's what it felt like. Being interrogated by your boss. I felt like a victim.

'Trust me.'

I somehow felt I could. Something about her gaze. Her voice, the softness of it.

She began to walk away. Before I lost my chance, I called out.

'Hey!'

She turned back at once. 'What?'

'What's your name?'

She smiled, like she was expecting it. 'Joohyun.'

I nodded slowly. Joohyun. It felt right.

She continued smiling kindly. 'Go back to bed, okay?'

Then she was gone.

And I breathed.

-*-

Every time I saw Joohyun that day, all I felt was nerves, but I always gave her a smile, and she nodded one back. It was the same, except now I knew her name. And her voice. And I was smiling. I can't really remember the last time I did.

During lunch break, Dahyun had an announcement for us.

'Interns, something special is happening today. Park Brands Institution has organised an 'Open Day' for every intern and employee in the near radius for the first time ever.'

Immediate chatter chorused amongst the interns. I was also surprised. Park Brands was never open to the public like this. They're so secretive you have to make a secure appointment to get in, and to get a job there you have to have an interview and an 'audition'; and then nobody gets in on the first try.

Dahyun shouted for silence and the chatter stopped at once. 'I wouldn't be letting you if Mr Park himself hadn't ordered us personally and every other company to visit.' She held up he hands in sacrifice. 'That's the only reason why you can go.'

Of course she doesn't want us to think they're just letting us go just to have the chance to be inside that building.

'It's at 2 o'clock. You aren't children anymore so I expect you to be able to take care of yourselves.'

I glance at the clock hanging on the wall. That was less than 40 minutes away.

As soon as she left, the chatter was back like a canteen of high school students. This time, I listened to them.

'Are you going?'
'Yes, duh. You think we'll get another chance like this again?'
'I want nothing more to leave this dump and work there instead.'
'We get the chance to set foot in the biggest company in the country, and a chance to get out of here for a mere few hours.'
'I wonder if we work there, we'll still be together?'
'Yeah, 3 months and I'm going for my first interview. Hopefully you get in too.'
'I just hate it so much here.'

I learned something about the interns that day. The interns who refuse to talk to me, the interns who bully me day by day. They're just like me. Hating their lives. Latching onto each other because it's the only way to survive. I just missed out on learning how to socialise on time.

By 2 o'clock, we were like excitable children, slowly piling out one by one and chatting away. Joohyun came and found me in the corridor.

'Seulgi!'
'Hi. Joohyun.' I smiled.
'You're going too? Oh, I'm so excited.'

We crowded out of the building and made our way down the street. It felt like we were children again, on a school trip. The sun was shining and the street was busier than I had ever seen it. Picture this: Park Brands was the Queen Bee and we were her swarming buzzing servants, eager to get close to her.

The doors of this company had never been opened like this. No on had ever been inside except the staff themselves.

'Ugh, this is gonna take forever,' Joohyun moaned. It took me a moment to notice she was hanging onto my arm and I started to feel faint.

I could see the interns staring at me. 

Irene. I don't even know her.

Does this mean we're friends? Do I even know how to have a friend?

I didn't have time to answer those questions because she suddenly started pulling me forward through the endless crowd of people.

'Seulgi, we might be able to get through if we just push through the crowd here.'

I allowed myself to be dragged because I wasn't even able to hold myself up properly, even though I was pretty sure we were supposed to stay in a group. I just wanted to leave already before I actually did faint.

Irene was right, soon we were near the very front of the crowd. We could now see the double doors and a peek inside the very building itself.

'Seulgi! Seulgi, Seulgi, look! Ohmygod!!'

I squinted to where she was pointing, at the entrance, and I would really haven fallen over if Irene wasn't still gripping onto my arm.

'That's Park Sooyoung! Ohmygod, I didn't know she was going to be here. She's the welcoming committee! This is insane.'

Irene was still talking in my ear but I didn't hear her. I stared at Park Sooyoung and I stared and stared.

Park Sooyoung isn't someone who shows herself to the public too often. She's like a celebrity, a national treasure, an untouchable idol. A mysterious figure. An unknowable regent. Inhumane.

And there she was. Standing at the door, personally saying hello to everyone walking through the entrance, with two huge security men standing either side.

Her smile was beautiful.

But Irene was too distracting with her voice babbling into my ear, her every excited jump touching my body as my arm seemed to feel less and less apart of my own body under her grip. I closed my eyes, the sun, Irene, the crowd, Park Sooyoung. It was all too much.

'Seulgi! Come on, we're nearly there.'

I opened my eyes again. The double doors were a mere 7 feet away. Park Sooyoung was a mere 7 feet away.

For some reason I felt so nervous I could throw up.

We climbed the steps, the next to be greeted.

I looked into Park Sooyoung's eyes, disappearing in her perfect eyesmile.

I smiled.

And then I fainted.

-*-

'Hey! Come on.'

Floor. Smooth. Squeaky.

'Are you awake yet? Aw, poor thing.'

My legs seemed to move by themselves, like I was a puppet being controlled by strings. Something held my wrist making it feel like my hand wasn't there. My head lolled on a shoulder.

'Here, sit down. No one can see you here.'

A thump. I was sitting down now. I tried to open my eyes but everything was a blur and the light hurt. Why does my head hurt so much?

'You're cute. Take a rest now.'

I tried to focus on the face. Her voice was so soothing, so comforting. I don't think she's... I can't remember her name. The girl. 
Her blurry smile looked so familiar.

I was so, so tired.

==

'I think she's waking up now.'

The black started to clear, replaced by blurred images. I squinted, the light hurting.

'Seulgi? Are you okay?'

The soft voice.

I opened my eyes and started to focus. Irene was staring right into my face with concern. There was a man I'd never seen before, also looking concerned.

I looked behind them. The room was dull and bare and bright.

'You were knocked out a good while,' Irene said worriedly.

I shook my head. It wasn't right. I felt strange. I was sure it was just a dream, that encounter. Or it was just Irene. I tried to remember but it made my head ache.

I was dismissed after they tested my memory to be fine and gave me some medication for my headache. Now I was grateful Irene was intent on holding onto me because I still felt a bit shaken up.

'We should go find the others,' Irene said, pulling me through corridors.

'Where... are we?' I asked . This didn't look like the company. I vaquely remembered walking on this squeaky grey floor.

'Park Brands, of course!'

'Of course...' I muttered. Of course Park Sooyoung had to have seen me fall at her feet at first sight and have to be dragged to the hospital. Park Sooyoung.....

'Ah, there's a talk on now for us about the company,' Irene said, reading off something. 'C'mon!'