"The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable, please leave a message after the tone..."

     The first few seconds were filled with silence while she tried to gather her thoughts. "Um... It's me, Hei-Ryung. I haven't heard anything from you for a while, so I was just calling to see if you were alright. I'm doing okay, I guess. A lot of things have been changing recently, but it's actually kind of nice. I don't know if you heard, but I made my first public appearance! It... didn't go so well, but I was having fun for at least a little while. I have an interview today that I'm really nervous about, but I promised myself and Youngjae that I would do a good job so I have to stay together. Oh, Youngjae is this guy who has been working with me to try and get me to be a little more normal. ...I've really been trying hard, but I guess you're tired of hearing that all the time, aren't you? I'm sorry for being such a nuisance, and I'm sorry for hurting you. I know that it must be embarrassing when you have to talk about me, considering how big of a mess I am. I promise I'm going to work hard to make you proud, though. So, when I finally do get straightened out, would you please answer my calls? I know that you don't want to talk to me now, but when I'm someone you can be proud of, do you think that then... I'm sorry, this is getting to be really long. Say hi to dad for me, okay? Tell him I miss him? And... I love you, mom. Bye."

     "You didn't find out about it until when?" Seulki exclaimed, pounding on the car's horn after the vehicle in front of them dared to hesitate for a second once the light turned green.

     "The day before yesterday," Hei-Ryung repeated, sinking lower in her seat as a hand appeared from the car ahead and formed an extremely rude gesture. "Seulki!" she cautioned, noticing that her editor was planning on returning the favor.

     "I can't believe they had the nerve to keep this from us until the last second! What kind of professionalism is it to spring something like this on us at the last minute? Honestly, if I get my hands on that newbie, I'm going to kill him! I am going to murder Yoo Youngjae!" Sighing, Hei-Ryung rested her head against the passenger window and stared outside, trying to block out her editor's ceaseless ranting. From the minute she had knocked on Hei-Ryung's door to now, the woman had been complaining about how last-minute the announcement had come, and how unfair it was for Youngjae to spring something like this on them. Granted, Hei-Ryung understood that Seulki was entirely justified- apparently, Youngjae had waited until Seulki was getting off work the night before to inform her- but that didn't mean that she wanted to sit here listening to Seulki complain. Righteous fury or just normal fury, Hei-Ryung wanted no part in it.

     "And then he has the nerve to not even come himself," still agitated, Seulki began rummaging through her purse for lipstick, and Hei-Ryung chose not to comment on the dangers of driving while applying makeup. Two years was long enough for Hei-Ryung to realize that the assistant editor's poor driving habits were never going to change, and that it was best to keep quiet and not become yet another distraction. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Lee, but I have a luncheon with some members of the board that I have to attend! I would go if I could, but Mr. Kang insists that I go!" Turning her head away so that Seulki couldn't see the smile growing on her face, Hei-Ryung tried her best to giggle quietly. Unless Youngjae's voice had suddenly changed from when she last spoke with him, Hei-Ryung was pretty sure that it wasn't an octave higher than Seulki's and gave the impression that it belonged to a hoarse fangirl.

     "Why Mr. Kang wants to make him the next CEO is beyond me," Seulki huffed before pursing her lips and hurriedly coloring her lips. "I wouldn't care, either, except that Mr. Kang is making me into his babysitter by insisting he try and help you out. All of them higher-ups think that they can do whatever they want just because I'm an assistant editor, but I have rights too! Honestly, I swear they all have it out for me!"

     Biting down on her lower lip, Hei-Ryung tried to take Seulki's comment as well as she could. "Maybe it isn't just her paycheck they're interfering with..." Hei-Ryung glanced at Seulki from the corner of her eye and noticed that the assistant manager was now attempting to screw the lipstick cap back on while simultaneously navigating the traffic they had suddenly found themselves in. Sighing, she held out her hand, and without a word Seulki passed over the lipstick. "Sorry," Hei-Ryung mumbled as she screwed the cap back on and replaced it in Seulki's bag, "I'm causing you a lot of trouble, aren't I?"

     "If we're late for this interview, I'm turning the car around and buying the both of us ice cream! It's not my fault they planned it during the worst traffic jam on the history of the planet!" Seulki snapped, thumping her hand against the steering wheel. Smiling, Hei-Ryung nodded pacifyingly before returning to ignoring Seulki, who had switched from complaining about the interview to complaining about the traffic.

     Fortunately for all parties involved, the two made it to the interview five minutes early- a fact that improved Seulki's mood immensely. Conversely to the previous crowded roads they had come across, the one the restaurant was located on was practically empty. This left plenty of space for Seulki to park the car, a task she managed to accomplish calmly, and reassured Hei-Ryung that this was not going to be the book signing all over again. At the very least, there were not nearly as many people here.

     There was nobody around, actually. Leading the way, Seulki entered the vacant restaurant and began looking around for the magazine employees. Hei-Ryung was left to her own devices during the time it took Seulki to track down the restaurant's hostess, and she took full advantage of it by completely ignoring what was about to happen. "Sitting around fretting won't accomplish anything, after all," she thought, almost convinced that she was just here for a pleasant meal with Seulki and not a nerve-wracking interview. She didn't quite reach her happy place, though, because in a moment the door had opened again and a woman who could only be described by the word "overdone" and a man with a camera weighing his neck down. Sidestepping out of the way so they could pass, Hei-Ryung had to hold her breath to stop herself from gagging at the heavy perfume her interviewer was wearing. If she had to guess, Hei-Ryung would hazard to say that the woman had tripped in a perfume store not too long ago, and was still suffering from all the broken bottles that had fallen on her. At least, Hei-Ryung hoped that what the woman had done to herself was an accident.

     As the interviewer and photographer moved further into the restaurant and found a booth for themselves, Seulki returned from searching the bathrooms and spotted them getting comfortable. "Mrs. Park?" Upon hearing her name, the interviewer turned to Seulki and grinned broadly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Park. My name is Lee Seulki." As the introductions were made and all three shook hands with one another, Hei-Ryung sidled over and stood beside Seulki. "This is Ms. Kang Kae Yeon, the author you've come to interview," as she introduced Hei-Ryung, Seulki rested one hand on her shoulders and gently guided the reluctant girl into the seat across from Mrs. Park. Taking his chance, the photographer his camera and would have gotten a nice shot of Hei-Ryung except for the fact that the girl, noticing his camera pointing towards her, quickly held her hands in front of her face.

     "A little camera shy, are we?" Mrs. Park chuckled, sitting opposite of Hei-Ryung. Biting down on her lip, Hei-Ryung nodded and peeked through her fingers at Seulki, silently pleading that she do something about the camera. "Don't worry, dear, he's very talented. You're guaranteed to look like an idol if Jang In Ho is the one taking the pictures!" Grinning broadly at her photographer, Mrs. Park gestured for him to take another picture with one hand while using the other to try and gently pry Hei-Ryung's hands away from her face.

     "Please, no pictures," Seulki insisted, stepping between Hei-Ryung's and In Ho's camera. Looking up from the EVF, In Ho turned to Mrs. Park for some support of his own.

     "You can't expect us to print the interview and not have pictures accompanying it!" She exclaimed with exaggerated incredulity, picking up on In Ho's request. "Haven't you seen our magazine before? In Ho's pictures cover everything!"

     "I only read established publications," Seulki responded, not missing a beat.

     "You should give us little guys a chance- we're often the only ones telling the truth." Neither woman stopped smiling at the other, but the looks in their eyes could kill. Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, Hei-Ryung reached down into the bag she had brought along with her, glad that she had the forethought to come to the interview prepared for anything. After rummaging around for a moment, she pulled out the mask Youngjae had loaned her- she still needed to return that to him- and hurriedly put it on before the conflict escalated.

     "Will this be alright?" She asked Mrs. Park, catching the woman's attention. She appeared surprised to see Hei-Ryung wearing a mask all of a sudden, but it didn't seem as though the fashion statement was all that atrocious an idea to the woman.

     "Yes, that will be fine. Ms. Lee, if you wouldn't mind taking a seat?" Mrs. Park and Hei-Ryung had both occupied the booth's end seats, so it was impossible for Seulki to join them, and when Hei-Ryung went to move she was stopped by Mrs. Park resting one hand on her arm. "You can sit in the booth behind us," the interviewer suggested, nodding to the booth in question. Smiling tightly, Seulki nodded her head and complied. Sitting stiffly, she made sure to pick a spot where she would be able to watch everything that happened without interruption.

     Gathering herself together, Mrs. Park began pulling out various items from the handbag she carried; a tape recorder, pen, and paper pad were among them, and were the ones that got the most attention from her. "Now, let's start easy, alright?" Hei-Ryung nodded and shifted uncomfortably in her seat, worried about what "easy" suggested about the later questions. Clearing , Mrs. Park pushed the record button and then prepared her pen and pad. "How do you feel about the success of your writing? Did you expect to be so well-received when you first became published?"

     "Not at all," Hei-Ryung admitted, smiling comfortably because of how simply her answer could be. "I never expected to become as popular as I am, and I still have a hard time comprehending that it's my name on all those books. Most writers my age don't meet with such success, after all."

     Mrs. Park smiled and jotted down Hei-Ryung's answer, while the recorder grated quietly in the background and took notes as well.

     "It is true that among successful writers, you are perhaps one of the youngest. Do you ever feel intimidated by the gap in experience?"

     "I suppose I do, but I don't think that experience necessarily comes with how many years you've been alive. Talent and skill, too, come with practice and hard work, not a number. The older a person is the more time they've had to refine their talents, though. I'm confident in my abilities as a writer, but I do know that there are those better than me out there. Rather than intimidated by those who are more experienced than me, I admire them and hope to one day be as good as them."

     "She's good," the comment was made by In Ho, who quickly coughed into his sleeve to cover it up. Beaming proudly, Hei-Ryung straightened up and waited for Mrs. Park to finish writing so that she could ask the next question.

     "When do you expect your next book to be finished, and can you tell us a little about it?"

     Hei-Ryung pursed her lips thoughtfully for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders a little sheepishly. "I've only just started writing, so it will most likely be another year or so before it is ready to be published. I do have a good idea of where I want to take it, of course, but that is subject to change as I make progress with the book. New ideas for the story come to me at all points of the writing process, after all. However, it is a romance novel," Mrs. Park, catching Hei-Ryung's attempt to be humorous, forced a small chuckle, while Seulki groaned inwardly, "and will deal with amnesia. It's rather cliche, but I hope to take a cliche trope often found in this genre and give it a fresh breath of air." Nodding, Mrs. Park mouthed the words 'fresh breath of air' while scribbling them down.

     "Where do you go and what do you do if you find yourself lacking inspiration while writing?"

     "I didn't used to have a strategy for combating writer's block and would usually just sit around my apartment and worry, but recently a friend of mine started taking me on walks around town to try and give me some ideas. He always says that a change in scenery is good for generating new ideas." Catching the gender of the friend Hei-Ryung had mentioned, Mrs. Park instantly perked up and began flipping through the pages of her paper pad to look for one of the later questions. Swallowing nervously, Hei-Ryung hoped that things didn't suddenly being to grow difficult or uncomfortable.

     "You write so wonderfully about romance, that I can't imagine you've never been in a relationship. Do you have a boyfriend currently?" In Ho snapped a picture of Hei-Ryung, forcing her to keep her expression neutral.

     "N-no."

     "Did you have a boyfriend in the past? Why did you two break up?" The insinuation that she did have a boyfriend in the past before Hei-Ryung had even managed to answer rubbed her the wrong way, but she kept her feelings in check and tried to remain calm. After all, Seulki's livelihood was on the line. If Hei-Ryung didn't behave herself and face the difficult questions, then she would be causing a great deal of trouble for Seulki.

     Shifting nervously in her seat, Hei-Ryung lowered her gaze and tried to find her voice. "I-I've never had a boyfriend," as she stammered out her answer, Hei-Ryung felt her heart ache slightly. "I mean, I've had male friends... well, more like just one, but we were never romantically involved. We never really got the chance," fortunately, Hei-Ryung's voice had steadily grown quiet enough that Mrs. Park, despite leaning in until she was practically nose-to-nose with Hei-Ryung, could hear. Biting down on the inside of her cheek, Hei-Ryung forced back the bad memories and tried her best not to cry and to stay planted in her seat, instead of running away.

     "Really?" Disappointed, Mrs. Park scratched one or two words onto her notepad before moving on to the next question. "Your parents must be extremely proud to have such a talented daughter. What are your parents like, and how have they reacted to your fame?" Behind her, Hei-Ryung could hear Seulki move to get up.

     "I'm fine!" Spinning around in her seat, she forced herself to smile reassuringly at Seulki, who was already getting ready to leave. "Really, it's fine. We can stay." Her editor was obviously not convinced, but Seulki chose to keep shut and slowly sat back down, though she kept her gaze fixed on Mrs. Park. Turning back around in her seat, Hei-Ryung slowly exhaled and tried to come up with an appropriate answer. "My parents don't live near Seoul, so I don't get to see them much. They're both very nice, and enjoy literature. Having grown up with them, it was natural for me to take an interest in writing."

     "Naturally," Mrs. Park agreed, jotting down more notes. She flipped the page. "There have been rumors going around that you are writing under a pen name. Is this true?" Hei-Ryung nodded mutely. "Can you give us your real name?"

     "Unfortunately, no. That would defeat the purpose of the pen name, after all," Hei-Ryung chuckled weakly, her smile turning pleading as she risked a quick look at Mrs. Park. Conveniently, the woman was focused intently on writing down the answer, and didn't take notice of how increasingly miserable the girl who gave it was becoming. In Ho snapped another picture as the sun peeked out from behind the clouds and shone on Hei-Ryung's hair.

     "During your last public appearance you disappeared before it was finished. What was the reason for this?"

     "No comment," Seulki answered for Hei-Ryung, her voice as cold and unmoving as a stone. Surprised that the assistant editor was speaking, Mrs. Park fixated her gaze on Seulki and raised one eyebrow. "I was under the impression that this interview was to be used to bolster Ms. Kang's reputation, not rehash old problems," Seulki explained, unfazed by the look Mrs. Park was giving her.

     "Like I said, Ms. Lee, it's the little guys that give the truth. We won't be as easily bought off as some of the bigger publications."

     "I hate politics," Hei-Ryung thought, sinking down in her seat.

     Pushing a loose strand of ebony hair from her face, Mrs. Park returned to the interview with a taught smile. "Last question, Ms. Kang. Your books often have happy endings, but we all know that life can't be sunshine and daisies all the time. Would you mind telling us about the hardships you've had to overcome in life, and how you managed to do it?"

     And, with that, something in Hei-Ryung snapped. "I haven't 'done it', though. When it came time to overcome my hardships, I didn't, and because of that it can be a struggle to just get out of bed in the morning. Some days, I don't get out of bed. I just lay there and think about all that is wrong with my pathetic excuse for a life, and I realize that I am an absolutely worthless waste of space. If I were to lay down and die right now, nobody would care in a few days. I make zero impact on this world, because I spend all my time hiding and never doing anything with myself. And I hate it! I hate feeling worthless, I hate being worthless! Just once, I want to do something meaningful with my life, like ordering my own damn orange juice!" The room went silent as Hei-Ryung slammed her fist on the table and began crying. "But I can't. I've let myself become so messed up, that I can't even do that. And then, when I finally do drag myself out of bed, instead of resolving to be better I've convinced myself that it's okay for me to be worthless. Somehow, I rationalize my irrational life and make it so that I can bear the absolute insanity I've found myself in. And then I keep living- if you can even call this a life," wiping away the tears from her face, Hei-Ryung folded her hands in her lap and looked Mrs. Park straight in the eye with a calm, dead expression; the kind you find in slaves or death row convicts who have resigned themselves to their fate.

     "That's everything you wanted to know, correct?"

     In Ho's finger hesitated to press down on the shutter button and capture this once-in-a-lifetime expression. After a moment, he turned the camera off and let it hang limply around his neck. "Y-yes. That's everything, Ms. Kang," Mrs. Park agreed, carefully resting the pencil and pad on the table and trusting that her recorder had caught everything that had just spilled from Hei-Ryung's mouth.

     "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be interviewed by your magazine. I look forward to reading the publication," Hei-Ryung was simply going through the motions as she rose to her feet and bowed to Mrs. Park and In Ho. "Have a good day," for a brief moment, the tough exterior she had tried to put up to protect herself cracked, and Hei-Ryung's voice choked up. She was quick to get a hold of herself, though, so that by the time she turned to Seulki- who had her things and was ready to go whenever Hei-Ryung was- you couldn't tell that anything was wrong with her.

     "Good day, Mrs. Park, Mr. Jang." Nodding to the two in turn, Seulki wrapped an arm around Hei-Ryung's shoulders and quickly guided her out to the car.

     The ride home was uneventful, and dead silent. Hei-Ryung opted to sit in the back instead of her usual spot in the passenger's seat, and Seulki didn't argue. Instead, the assistant editor kept her eyes fixated on the road and her temper in check, trying to keep from jarring Hei-Ryung any further. By the time they reached her apartment, the atmosphere in the car was stifling.

     "Would you like me to walk you to the door?" Seulki offered as Hei-Ryung quietly let herself out of the car. Shaking her head, Hei-Ryung weakly smiled at Seulki and waved goodbye, then shut the door. Sighing, Seulki didn't press the matter, and headed back to the company to return the car.

     "Some days, I don't get out of bed..." wrapping her arms tightly around her waist, Hei-Ryung slowly made her way into the apartment complex. "If I were to lay down and die right now, nobody would care in a few days..." she pressed the up button and waited patiently for the elevator to come. "But for some reason, I keep living- if you can even call this a life." As the elevator let her out on her floor, Hei-Ryung felt her shoulders begin to shake uncontrollably. Squeezing her eyes shut to fight back the tears that threatened to spill over, she hurried to her apartment door and unlocked it with some trouble. Her hands just wouldn't stop shaking.

     "Just what am I doing with myself?" Closing the door behind her, Hei-Ryung hesitated to let go of the door knob for fear that it was the only thing keeping her on her feet. Which turned out to be the truth, because the moment she turned to move further in, her knees buckled and she began sobbing.

Author's Note

I couldn't wait to get to work on this chapter, so I figured I would crank out two in one day. Plus, I really was not happy with chapter 15. It was so BORING!  This one wasn't, though. Stuff actually happens in this one! Sad stuff... ugh, poor Hei-Ryung. I really feel mean doing this to her...

Oh, and I meant to keep my language clean in this fanfic (if you read Jelly Beans, you'll see just how crazy I can get), but that one little word slipped in there and stuck, because there really isn't anything else she could say.