Part 1

Siwan spent her days with her nose held high, balancing precariously on stilettos and glancing jealously at people eating.

The life of a fashion model was not where she had intended to end up when she first began Fashion College. She had always dreamt of the life of an artist, an inventor, a designer. Someone behind the genius that brought the fashion industry as much fame and money, love and hate as it receives from the public eye.

Instead she found that with her face and bone structure, she was able to be a quite sought-after model; that her life would revolve around jutting her chin up at just the right angle, vodka and diet coke as a staple diet, and the petty gossip that surrounded her colleagues.

She tried to become a designer. Sending out resume’s every week, and trying to sound intelligent in front of the designers that dressed her. Nothing seemed to work. Siwan was doomed for the never ending walk of a runway, being blinded by camera flashes.

Siwan sipped a non-fat, soy milk, skinny latte with no taste, no flavour, but enough caffeine to keep her on her heels for the rest of the day. The Great Gatsby was open and dog eared on the Starbucks table in front of her, pencil marks underlining her favourite parts. Siwan wasn’t reading it. She didn’t really need to, she knew it so well. Instead she lazily watched the busy London office worker scurry in and out of the doors. Men in suits with beer bellies and phones attached to their ears, harried looking working mums holding important documents in one hand and their child latest, greatest achievement in the other, concerned about whether raising a kid in the city was a good idea but not wanting to give up their glittering careers. Of course, there were always the teenaged girls, skipping school and trying to start an affair with the nearest business man for the money to purchase more Starbucks coffees, because they were getting pricier by the day.

Siwan did a double take as she watched a familiar face push their way through the café doors. Siwan raised her book in an attempt to hide her obvious staring as she watched Jung Heechul trot up to the counter. She turned a page, biting her lip. Heechul picked up a mug and Siwan hurriedly looked down at her book.

“Excuse me, is anybody sitting there?” A silky voice.

“No.” Siwan looked up and blanched. Heechul stood above her smiling. It didn’t help that the sun was shining through the window, hitting her brunette hair, making it shine.

“Thanks, this place is really full!” Heechul laughed and sat down, making herself comfortable. “Is that The Great Gatsby?”

“Uh, yeah. One of my favourites.” Siwan nodded and smiled, wide eyed and very confused as to whether this was a dream or it really was reality.

“Oh I love it too. Have you seen the film yet? I haven’t but I’m planning on going next week!”

“No.” Siwan laughed at Heechul’s enthusiasm. “I haven’t had time yet.”

“What do you do?”

“Uh, I’m a model.” Siwan grimaced, embarrassed. “But really, I want to be a designer.”

“Wow that’s so cool! I’ve always wanted to go to a fashion events. I wanted to be a model, but my parents wouldn’t let me.” Heechul grinned, sipping her steeming coffee. “So I became an actress instead.”

“I thought I recognised your face!” Siwan tried not to let any sarcasm seep through. She didn’t just recognise the face across from her, she had it practically memorised. “I must have seen you in something.”

“No way!” Heechul looked so excited. “Down in broadway? That’s fantastic. I’ve never been recognised before.”

“Yeah, I frequent the shows quite a lot.” Siwan blushed. “Look, if you’re interested in fashion, I can get you a ticket to fashion week if you want?”

“Seriously? That would be awesome. Hey, I’ll give you a couple of tickets to my show!”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that!” Siwan didn’t want to mention that she had already seen the show that Heechul was currently starring in more than three times.

“No, I want to!”

“Alright. Let me give you my number then, and we can swap tickets sometime.”

“Fantastic!” Heechul laughed. “This is just the best day!”

When they had swapped numbers, Siwan sipped her coffee, only to find that it was cold. “I have to get going, I’m going to be late, but give me a call sometime soon.”

“Of course.” Heechul gave a small wave and Siwan stood up. “I can’t wait.

Trying in vain to control her grin, Siwan hurried out of the coffee shop and out into the busy London weekday.

I'm currently in the middle of my exams, but this wanted to be written. One part I wrote a long time ago, so the style or feel might have changed slightly to sorry!