Chapter 7

A round of coffee and a shared half eaten slice of strawberry shortcake lay in the middle of the table.  The clinking of glasses and silverware fill the air as the ambience of candlelight and dim fluorescent lighting glows off white table cloths.  At the front of the red carpeted restaurant a lineup of people wait and peek inside hoping to catch a glimpse of someone worth seeing.  In the corner of the glowing amber light sat two men revisiting their dessert.

“So let’s get this straight…” Minki pondered over an overly sweet mixed drink, “Your boss specifically told you to out of his affairs and stick to your job.  You’ve spent the last half hour of this dinner complaining about how overworked you are.  And we are here to discuss the thirty pages of models and almost idols so you can than disregard everything your boss has told you?” 

                Minki’s curious gaze was oddly trying to be judging but it ultimately ended up as amused.  Twirling around a piece of cake around on his fork, he eagerly gobbles up the morsel, eyes never changing from his amused state.

                The small candle in the middle of the table flickered as Ninomiya laughed at the idiocy of it all.  In a way he knew that it was stupid that he was actually doing this, and in hindsight this probably did more harm than good.  But as Ninomiya grabbed his coffee ending off his meal, his finger tapped his chin as he pondered the situation.

                “It’s really not because I want to disregard everything they are saying… it’s more like… being able to contribute more and creating something amazing.”  Ninomiya tried his best to explain as his fork impaled the other side of the piece of sliced cake, “I mean think about it.  I got fired because of not being aggressive enough in my creations.  It made it look like I didn’t even think of my own idea.  Plus you know as much as I do that I never make things easy for myself.”

                Minki tried his best not to choke as he stifled a laugh.  “Yeah I mean, you usually go around in circles before you come to my office to complain about how you could’ve taken one hallway to do all your work.”  Minki put his fork down on the table and sighed as his eyes glittered with the sparkle of mischief. 

                “It’s also been boring at Style without you heckling at people to get things done.  You know how sad it is that you scared people even though you were only working there a year?  I swear people thought you were a creative director or something.”  MInki retorted reaching down into his bag to take out a binder. 

                On the front of the binder was a glittery, bedazzled chunk of letters reading out the words “Potential”.  The dramatics on the front of the binder made Ninomiya click his tongue fondly.  He didn’t realize how much he had missed the switchboard operator.  It was hard to believe that they still maintained contact after Ninomiya got terminated.  It was just like yesterday that Ninomiya remembers going into his orientation to see the stumbling switchboard operator fall out of his chair and try to dictate what was supposed to happen that day.  The ex-Style worker walked up to the chair to help him up and realized that they were in the same year at the Seoul Fine Arts Institute before Ninomiya dropped out.  The two seemed to be inseparable since.

                “I mean what better way to pass my days then finding out what’s wrong with people that society thinks is pretty and deserve everything given to them.”  Minki happily opened the binder to reveal pastel pink and blue pages filled with pictures of aspiring young faces.  The irony of the situation was that in the sparkling silver gel pens used to write little blurbs underneath every photo was a long list of failures each one of them has gone through. 

                Ninomiya quizzically looked at the book and laughed.  “Only you would be able to delve into the lives of these people and find out every failure they have had in their lifetime.”

                “Hey…”  Minki slyly replied as he put his fork down, “…This is all professional work.  All the information I have gathered is supposed to help you make an informative decision on what these people can offer.”

                The KRTV worker moved the book closer to his side of the table and pointed to a line under Park Q-Ri. 

“Please explain how failing a math test in the 3^rd grade helps me in any way, shape, or form?”  Ninomiya pointed out this little tidbit of information scouring through the rest of the profile.

                Minki sat there grinning from ear to ear.  “You have to be thorough, Ninomiya.  Every missed bit of information could hit you guys later in the future.”

                Shaking his head from side to side, Ninomiya tried his best to conceal the smile pushing its way onto his face as he flipped through the pages.  It was hard to read through some of the texts because the amount of what was wrong with every candidate seemed to double in length compared to the pros. 

                “As much as I love the thorough work you’ve done, I would love an edited version of this later.  Preferably you being a bit nicer to these girls considering that we will probably have to work with one of them soon.”  Ninomiya perused the rest of the pages deliberately trying to ignore the long sections of imperfections.

                Minki sat on the other side of the table with a fake disappointed glare.  “You take the fun out of everything.  We used to have so much fun tearing models apart when they had to do shoots.” 

                “I mean we can still do that, but it’s not as much fun when you’ve done all the work.”  Ninomiya countered while ripping out a few pages. 

                A shocked gaze hit Minki but he didn’t seem to know if it was from seeing the violation on the book he’s taken so long to create, or the fact that he realized that there was no longer any cake left on the small plate that they were sharing.  A frown filled his face as Minki reached for his drink scrutinizing Ninomiya’s actions.

                “You know…” Minki pondered aloud as he took a sip of his drink, “… I realized that you are putting a lot more effort than you should in this demotion of yours.  I mean, why push yourself so far into the depths of work when you have been given a job that takes ten times less work but the same pay?”

                “Maybe because I like feeling like I earned my paycheque?”  Ninomiya regally replied still scouring the pages of females in front of them.

                “Don’t get me wrong I know you like doing this stuff, but it feels like you’re more eager to participate than I think should be needed.”  Minki stated.  Giving an aggravated sigh, Minki rolled his eyes grabbing the book out of the other man’s hands, “Give me that.  I know everything about these girls already so I don’t even have to be here.  I just kept some of these thinking that we would be spending the night uplifting my self-esteem.  Instead I actually have to do ‘try’ and ‘work’.”

                Ninomiya made a few indignant sounds as Minki roughly grabbed the book out of his hands.  The assistant watched as the switchboard operator separated the pages into two neat piles while scowling at some of the pictures. 

                “The pile on the right I think would be your best bet.  A lot of them have backgrounds in the big three performing arts schools and colleges in the region.  I’ve cross referenced them via Instagram, me2day, and Naver presence while considering talent with what little I could find of their past audition tapes.”  Minki yawned as if work like this was nothing and started to stretch.

                “And how did you exactly find all this stuff out?  I mean I worked on the article of past trainees and they never gave me information that extensive.”  Ninomiya questioned looking at the growing pile on the left wondering if he should really think about sending Minki a tape with a loop of ‘You’re gorgeous’, ‘You look fine’, ‘Stop poking yourself’.

                “You’d be surprised what one simple Google and Naver search can do with the right programs.”  Minki replied conspiratorially. 

                Looking down at the newly created shortlist, Ninomiya was impressed.  It was one of the reasons why he had approached Minki to begin with.  It was almost like befriending someone with multiple personalities.  When they were alone a snarky, well thought out being showed itself knowing exactly what they had to offer.  But when other people were around…

                Just as Ninomiya reached over for the shortlisted pile, the waiter approached them eyeing the empty plates and glasses on the table. 

                “Are you gentlemen finished with your plates?”  The waiter asked. 

                Minki sat there blubbering for a few moments looking between the waiter and Ninomiya.  Eyes glaring with indecision as to speak to the man or kick the studious Ninomiya under the table to address the man in front of them.  The minute it took Minki’s brain to process as the waiter questioningly looked at the couple wondering if everything was okay, Minki simultaneously kicked his right leg into Ninomiya’s shin while nodding his head.

                “YES!”  Minki shouted resulting in a large coughing fit.  A yelp could be heard at the other side of the table as the pile of pictures were jostled taking Ninomiya out of his reverie.  The clattering of dishes could be heard as Minki reached for the small plate clinking his glass oddly pushing it to the waiter’s end of the table.

                “…Finish…  Take…”  Minki sputtered not able to look into the waiter's eyes.  Looking around the restaurant like the ceiling had all the answers of the universe, Minki sat as Ninomiya tried his best to ensure that he hadn’t lost any pictures.

                The waiter grabbed the plates on the table confused by the interaction.  Pausing only a moment looking between the two diners, he took a step back and made his way back to the kitchen doors.

                “He’s not even that good looking.”  Ninomiya stated as he tucked the approved batch of photos into his bag not looking across the table, “It might have been a while, but I remember you only sputtering that much when the man you were talking to was at least someone you were attracted to.”

                Wide eyes were the reaction Ninomiya received as Minki’s face turned a nice shade of red. 

                “I wasn’t even looking at him.  Plus I am not like you, I don’t SEE boys, let alone TALK to them.”  MInki objected indignantly maintaining the bright shade of red as the waiter returned with their bill.

                Ninomiya gave a small smirk as he grabbed the cheque and put a few bills into the small plush booklet.  “It doesn’t help that you’re cooped up in that office of yours being the mysterious voice of Style’s operating system.  But would it kill you to leave your house every once in awhile so you would have an excuse to actually see ANYONE?” 

                Minki sat on the other side pouting, slumping deeper into his chair,  “Like I said, you make it sound EASY.  You don’t do stupid things when you meet new people.  And being a voice isn’t bad.  I can be anything people want me to be as a voice.”

                “True, but that leaves the question, what do YOU want to be?”  Ninomiya asked putting the crossbody strap over his shoulders placing his elbows on the table, “You finished your time at SFAI, why would you choose to be a switchboard operator instead of joining the industry?  You were a singer weren’t you?”

                “You really thought I was going to be a singer?”  Minki said bitterly remembering his time as a performer,  “Things changed, singers don’t just SING anymore.  They dance, they go on variety shows, they act, do anything to make sure they are relevant.  I can’t even talk to a waiter let alone do any publicity stunts.” 

                The thought of having to give up something that was once important to the both of them caught up to Ninomiya as he remembered that just like Minki, he thought he would be a performer one day as well.

Feeling the mood swiftly changing, Ninomiya gave a content sigh as he blew a piece of hair away from his forehead.  He took a look at the table while looking up at Minki with understanding eyes and reached over for the pictures of rejected candidates.

                “I think now is the time to shred these strange girls to pieces.”  Ninomiya stated as a huge grin passed through Minki’s face.

                Ninomiya took a breath of fresh air as he walked down the street a few blocks from the restaurant.  He had spent the last two hours with Minki finding the smallest flaws in the visual appearances to what could undeniably be very beautiful people.  The time they had spent probably would have been a lot shorter if Minki hadn’t brought along a few videos on his phone that had sent them on a tirade about technique and likeability.

                It was a horrible thing that making fun of complete strangers had made him feel better about himself, but Ninomiya couldn’t find the reason to care at the moment as cars whizzed past him as he walked.  For the first time in the last few days he was able to actually take a stroll and feel like there was nothing he had to be doing. 

                If he thought long enough, Ninomiya knew he should probably be worried about trying to contact the girls they had shortlisted and the emails that remained unchecked on his phone but at this very moment it was just him and the night scenery of Seoul. 

                There was something about being in a large city at night.  The black of the sky contrasted by the pollution of light from streetlamps and office towers were always something that calmed Ninomiya.  The serene feeling followed him as he made his way to a corner thinking that it was probably time to head home when all Ninomiya wanted to do was savor the moment just a bit longer.

                Trying his best to look around and hail a taxi, Ninomiya stared at the passing headlights of vehicles trying to spot the familiar yellow car with his hand up in the air. 

                Things happened in a flash as things seemed to go so wrong, so quickly.  Behind him Ninomiya could feel a breath hit his neck that wasn’t there before.  His left arm was quickly moved to the small of his back.  Ninomiya could feel a blunt, cold object brush against his left wrist as it aggressively smashed into a bone in the middle of his spine.

                Ninomiya took a deep breath in while panic started to make its way through his body.  The adrenaline streamed through his veins as he heard the words, “Give me the bag.”

                Trying his best to wave for help, his right arm which was placed up in the air to get the notice of a cab began to flail violently.  Before a scream could escape and try to be overheard through the zooming of cars and screeching of tires, a large hand covered Ninomiya’s mouth. 

                Breathing heavily through his nose, he felt his captor’s strength as he was being pulled away from the curb into the darkness between two tall buildings.  The feeling of impending doom started to mix with the past panic.  With every attempt to pull free, the truth of being weaker than whoever it was that was behind him started to become evident. 

                Kicking and screaming were quickly become futile as Ninomiya closed his eyes and hoped that whoever this person was didn’t do anything too drastic.

                ‘Just give him the stuff…. Let the bag fall off your shoulder and give him your bag…’  Ninomiya thought as he tried to calm himself.

                The man behind Ninomiya tried to pry the bag off of his shoulder.  But for some reason Ninomiya wasn’t letting go.  Ninomiya knew that it was for the best but the hold on the bag tightened with vice grip as the man began to get hostile.

                The robber began to pull vigorously swinging Ninomiya back and forth in the process.  The need for the contents inside of Ninomiya’s messenger bag seemed to be reaching a level of desperation because with one last swing Ninomiya and his bag were let go, sending him head first into one of the walls of a nearby building.

                Ninomiya could feel a large pain which slowly started to ebb away.  The more he took his mind off the sudden pain that started at the base of his head he noticed that things started to slowly become darker.  But one thing was obvious to him, he had to hold on to his bag.  He didn’t exactly know why, he remembered thinking that he should’ve let it go.  But at the back part of his subconscious, he knew that he shouldn’t let go.  He just knew.

                Ninomiya woke up finding himself in a silk robe and laying in a large plush bed.  The only light radiating near him came from a lamp behind a digital alarm clock on a side table.  He could see a red leather chair in the corner and a television sitting atop a majestic set of drawers.  Trying to get up from his position on the bed, he tried his best to look around the room.

A quick throb of pain signalled to him that he was moving too quickly as he reached up to touch his head.  He felt a bump on the right side of head, and a slight sting as his fingers pressed against wet spot.  Bringing his hand back into his vision the dripping of red could be seen on his fingers.  A little distraught by the thought he looked down at his pillow to see a red stain across cream colored pillowcases. 

The natural feel of panic returned to him as he looked around the room once more.  He saw three doors on the right side of the room, and a view of tall buildings hidden behind crimson red curtains on his left.  Returning his attention to the chair in the corner of the room he noticed that his clothes from last night were neatly folded and seated in the leather.  The room overall seemed to give an aura of expensive taste. 

He didn’t really know what he was going in the room though.  Ninomiya wasn’t sure about a lot of things in the first few moments as he woke up.  But he was sure that things weren’t right.

Slowly, memories returned of his dinner with Minki and his walk around downtown Seoul.  He remembered his initiative of trying to be of help his new employers.  He didn’t even know how much time had passed by since he had out.

Ninomiya quickly patted himself down realizing that his clothes had been changed.  Looking up at the more familiar set of clothes across the room, the distraught boy quickly attempted to leave the bed.  In his hazy thought process it felt like the bed had grown the size of a football field as Ninomiya finally stumbled out of the bed running towards his clothes.

Finally reaching his destination at the corner of the room, Ninomiya quickly shuffled through his pockets looking for his phone.  A sigh of relief could be heard as he felt the hard rectangle bulging from the corner of his jean pocket.  Kneeling in front of the seat Ninomiya pulled out the small brick of safe haven looking at the time and date.

It was an odd feeling of content knowing that it was still technically the same day from what he remembered so far.  The injured man lay his head on the seat of the chair trying to remember what else had happened that day for him to end up here.

He was sure it wasn’t a date.  Ninomiya would like to give himself credit not to go to someone’s apartment after the first date.  And he did remember going to dinner with Minki and this sure didn’t look like Minki’s apartment.  The lack of the eerie blue light from a computer was missing.

‘Maybe I was drugged…’  Ninomiya thought as he looked down at himself.  The possibility seemed to be the most rational at the moment as he felt his bare skin hit the silk of the robe.  He was grateful to feel that his underwear was still in place.

Not knowing what to expect, Ninomiya was quickly brought out of his thoughts by a scuffling behind one of the three doors.  He didn’t exactly know which one it was coming from, but Ninomiya clung onto his clothes and was wondering if calling 911 would do him any good.

The door closest to him opened up revealing a surprised and puzzled Soohyuk standing in the opening holding a first aid kit.  Tilting his head to the side, and ignoring the obvious flow of distrust headed towards him, Soohyuk approached the other man calmly with a quizzical expression laid out on his face.

                “Well I am happy that you’re awake.”  Soohyuk said trying his best to put on a smile.  At that moment everything Ninomiya thought he knew went out the window.