1.News

It was my first day.

I had to behave well. Had to think straight. And most of all - I had to be confident.

But how with all these people fuzzing around me, bumping into me mercilessly with their skinny bodies and bony arms I myself do not exactly own. But I should not really question all of this; it is a huge company with a huge building and huge people. Unlike me, the dwarf I am, walking through the thick crowd.

So I was on my way, searching for the “office alley” I had been called in a week ago. It was my second time being here, but last week it was completely empty with only a dozen of people walking around, most of them just workers.

I could not even properly look ahead of me when someone bumped into me.

Before I could fall on my back the person held me firmly, walking off when I was standing on my own two feet. I blinked a bit, looking lost, but I made my way through the pile of humans, finally seeing a long corridor with a lot of small rooms.

“Office alley.” I exhaled loudly and made a small run for it, but stopped abruptly. I tried to make my breath sound normal again before I headed to the sixth office on the left side.

I inhaled deeply for a last time before nodding, a USB stick and a file in my hands. I knocked twice and it sounded like a small, silvery voice speaking inside and I opened the gray door, hoping the voice speaking was for me.

Two people sat inside, I remembered the elder woman with her small wrinkles and thin voice. Right next to her sat a young, bald, but very good-looking man. Both stared me down like I was undesired here, but the woman just clasped her hands with a bright smile. “Soo Minjung, right? Good you came earlier! This is Jo Dongil; he would be your supervisor and boss as much as I would be. Please take a seat.”

I bowed to both politely and equally deeply before I took a seat. “Son Jinah,” I looked at her for a second before giving her the USB stick nervously. “All you asked me for is on this stick. And-“

I stared at the bald man. He had a small nose, almost as if he had a neat surgery, also his long eyelashes got me. He was wearing a bright red shirt, a gray bowtie tightly around his collar. Jo Dongil had his legs crossed and simply gawked at me, probably trying to find out my weaknesses to destroy me sooner or later.

Also, he was so beautiful - I was pretty sure he was as straight as a cooked noodle.

He stretched out his hand knowingly and I quickly bowed my head, giving him my file filled with my best shots. I fiddled with my fingers shortly as Dongil scanned every picture with a stern look in his eyes, glancing over to me from time to time that left me even more nervous.

I sat in silence for a minute when Dongil closed the file only halfway through it and I started to stutter slowly. “Th-there are great ones at the end, I was in Taipei that t-time an-“

He raised a hand, smiled rather forced. “I have seen people with less talent trying their luck here. You’re not the best I’ve seen though. Make me want you here the next days and I’ll look over your whole file again.”

Ew. His voice was adenoidal, almost completely nasal, but I felt he was just acting it out right now. He spoke gratingly too, but his manly yet rather high voice made you look at him in a higher spot, like you needed to raise your head, listening to him, because he is so way above you on the business ladder.

After zoning out for a second I nodded slowly. “I’ll show you my best, I promise. I’m very flexible with working times. I could even work at night, too sometimes, if models-“

Dongil stood up and gave me a camera. It was a brand new model and for high quality photos designed. “Show us. Here are some lenses, too. There’s a small setting with four models at the very back of the hall. Go to the end of the corridor and the door on the left will lead you there. Get some good shots and come back.” He sat back down and started to talk with Jinah right away.

I did not know how to act, just walk out or say goodbye for now? Jinah seemed to notice and flicked her thin wrists at me. “Go, go, show me the magic you talked of, Miss!”

I was not sure what scared and disgusted me more - the obnoxious glare of Dongil or Jinah’s venomous kindness. For now I did not take both for granted and just bowed, walking off. I held the small bag with the camera in both of my hands firmly and looked around. I made it to the door and trotted out to a small hall with a high ceiling. I looked up and awed at the beautiful lights, but then attempted to find the door on the left – because there were four, right next to each other.

I bit my lip and looked around as a young man approached me. Thank god, he could help me.

But before I could speak he sighed loudly. “Good, finally at least one. We’re all waiting. Where did the make-up designer walk off to? We’re sitting here for at least half an hour and wait to get our make-up done. Where did you get yours then?” his voice was husky and still modulated, but it felt like the man was about to explode of impatience. I also noticed that he was not that much taller than me - what surprised me. Most of the models running around were at least 180cm and higher in height, if he was to lean in, his lips would fall foul with the middle of my nose.

Damn, he was muscular. I blinked and swayed from side to side, looking at other models, male and female, sitting there. I then looked him in the eyes and shrugged. “I don’t know. They must be running around somewhere.”

“Mind to tell me where, please?” he crossed his arms and I could not resist a look at his biceps. I shook my head, looking back at his face. “Well, I did my make-up at home-“ I stopped when I realized why he was not stopping to bug me all the way.

“Wait- you’re not a- “ he mumbled, looking into empty air, almost embarrassed. Just the small blush on his cheeks was missing to make him look fully ashamed – or so.

“Did you think I was a model?” I suddenly laughed and held up the bag. “No, bro, sorry to pop your bubble. I’m just trying to find a shoot of four girls, I suppose.”

He just pointed to the second door on the left and I bowed my head minimally with a goofy smile before jogging off.

“Psh, idiot.” I opened the door and got inside. It was a bright setting with three big letters the girls sat on, posing professionally, but just two girls were gracefully placed on the “ABC”. There was a tall male photographer shouting encouraging, sometimes demanding words at them.

“Beautiful, beautiful! Trish, more to the left! Try to grab the edge on your left! Like that!” more sentences were thrown almost randomly into the room and I chuckled. After the door closed he looked back and waved me in quickly before continuing.

“I’ll take some photos!” I called over as I passed him, music blasting from some speakers to create good vibes among the set.

I found a good corner to start, taking four photos immediately, the photographer still seen on them, the models brightly smiling. As I checked the photos I started to grin as well. “They are good...”

I put the camera down as I walked up behind him, and snapped some different shots, making it look like you glance over his shoulders, trying to get a small glimpse at the set and the girls.

“Alright, break!” he shouted loudly and I flinched at the volume of his voice, jerking back. The models got off the letters only with help from other staff.

He turned around swiftly, literally beaming at me. His aura was breathtaking - he must have been made out of little smiles the way his mouth corners pulled themselves up. Before I could properly take my camera into my left hand he already shook my right one violently, making me laugh loudly. “Hi to you, too!”

He let go of me and chuckled sweetly. “Where are my manners? Timothy Angus Lee, please just call me Tim. I heard I have to show you every little inch of this company!” he had a small American accent and I smiled at him warmly.

I looked from left to right, the music had been turned down to a small whisper in the background and I giggled. “Oh, uhm, you do?” he just blinked and held up his left hand, after putting down his camera as if he was holding a bag at his elbow, slowly rubbing his middle and pointer finger against his thumb’s inner side. “Well, you are Soo Minjung...or not?” he raised an eyebrow inquiringly and I nodded eagerly. “I am, I am! I just had not been told I get someone like you, showing things to me and all. I was just told to take some nice photos here and show