At the camera store...

"Oh, you're from the nearby studio?" The store owner looked up from the camera lens that he was busy cleaning. "No wonder you have these cameras! They are top notch man. I wish I had one... But... Don't that big studio have a darkroom for developing photos?"

"Ahhh..." I flashed a smile, slightly embarrassed for I was about to share my mediocre skills with him. "There is, indeed... But the truth is I don't quite know the steps to developing photos in the darkroom yet hahaha... And we need the photos for submission tomorrow so..."

"Oh, understood! Will get it all ready by tomorrow morning." After cleaning up the expensive lens, he handed the cameras back onto my hands. "So all the photos in both cameras?"

"Hmm just these three in this one..." I replied while nodding, hands picking up the next camera. The camera that looked more exquisite then the one in my hands previously. This exquisite camera even had a silver star engraved right at the side of it. "And this..."

Hmmm... Which are the photos to develop from this camera though...

Wow...

They are all excellent photos!

Byul's skills are really good...

As my thumb continued to press on the tiny button, the pictures skipped from one to the next under my command.

I guess I'll just develop all of them.

It's better than there's none when you need it right!

Besides, Byul said to develop the photos and not specify which anyways...

"Yup, all of them in this one." Handing over the camera, I quickly took out my notepad to write down my details before passing it to the shop owner together with the camera.

"Oh? They are just scenery photos though?" The old man pushed his antique glasses up his nosebridge as he lazily skimmed through the photos that was about to be developed.

"Yeah, one or two of them are... But just develop them all!" I stood up from the stool, about to head towards the glass door.

"Oh... Sure..." With hastened footsteps, the old man emerged from behind the counter. He caught on to me before I could even leave through the tinted glass door. "Wait up! Here's the reciept."

"Thanks, will pick them up tomorrow~!" Happy that I have just completed my first entrusted task from Byul, I skipped while humming a tune the whole way back to the studio.

Back at the Studio...

I should greet her a good morning first~

And probably check if she's in a good mood just like last week~

Or maybe if she would like a cup of morning coffee~

With that thought up in my head, I left my bag on the office desk and proceeded to knock on the brown door which separated the personal assistant from her boss. Instead of sitting at her desk like how she does every morning, Byul was rummaging through the wooden shelf placed to the right of her work table.

"Byul, are you looking for something?" I asked, walking closer to her. Over the past week where she seemed to be much brighter in mood, I have also become more comfortable with her around that I had started to call her by her first name.

If I can cope, she should be able to...

And I am happy that she did.

"Great that you're back." Without looking up from the shelf, Byul sounded anxious in her reply as she continued to busy her hands with the search. "Did you see my camera? Not the usual one I use for work, but the one with my initials engraved on it."

Your initials engraved on it?

But it was a star?

Byul... 별...

Oh... Star...

"If you're talking about the one with a star engraved at the side then yes." I nodded, clueless at what was about to come after. "I brought the camera out to develop the photos, you instructed me to last week..."

"I was talking about my work camera. Not my personal one." Her tone was harsh and cold. The frustration was also further seen from her eyes that were burning in fury. Those words that came after were almost like screams. "Who even gave you the permission to touch my personal camera?! Besides we have our own darkroom, why do you have to bring my camera out?!"

"I'm sorry..." I stared at her, wide-eyed at the sudden outburst I received from her while taking a step backwards. "I didn't know how to use a darkroom yet..."

"I'm sorry for losing my temper. " As though she had sensed the fear growing within me, she immediately apologised. "So... Where is it? I'll go pick it up myself."

"The small local camera store located at the end of the street..." Picking up the pen on her table, I started scribbling the address of the store on the post-it at her desk. Before handing the the paper to her, I was reminded of the schedule she had in the day. Glancing at the wall clock placed in her office, I continued. "But... You have a meeting scheduled with the new model company director together with Hani in 10 minutes. I can help you to retrieve the camera instead..."

"It's okay, I'll pick it up before the meeting. It's just nearby anyways." Picking up her backpack, she started to head towards the brown door which I just entered awhile ago.

"Before you go... Can I ask something?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah?" She turned back, bringing a halt to her hastened footsteps.

"The next concept is fresh and lovely... So I was thinking that you already have a great model, so why would you need to scout for another?" Pondering over my words, I carefully stated my perspective so as to not show any disrespect to her professional judgement.

"If you haven't realised, all our current company models are more of the ier or girl-crush concept. Well, in the past we did have one... Not that anyone can remember though... Anyways, it has been long since we had a fresh or lovely kind of concept to work on so..." Byul shrugged her shoulders and started to head off once again.

"That's not true!" I cut off her sentence, confused at the words she spoke. "The model in your personal camera looks perfect for the job though... Pardon me for being rude... The last of the pictures are dated 15 March 2017... So if it goes by our company policy, where models have temporary contracts of 3 months... She should still be within the company?"

"You can see... Wh... No... I mean you can see the person in my photos?" With my words piquing her interest, she turned back and started heading towards me.

"Yeah, a very pretty lady in fact." My lips arched upwards having remembered that shining and unique smile I saw in the photos. "Her smile is really gorgeous."