Jisoo's POV

I was already late by the time I woke up.

No surprises there. I'm always late for important things.

Like when my friends needed me most.

Punctuality has never been my forte, although when I graduated from the Police Academy I had some semblance of time management. But that all went down the drain when I took up the job at the office. I don't want to brag but they kind of overlooked this particular fault, provided I produced stellar work in exchange.

Which I must have, because I still toddled to the same old stuffy and mildewed cubicle within a nondescript building in uptown Gangnam for the past 8 years.

I skidded down into the kitchen to grab a bite of toast and some coffee when I heard Jennie from the doorway.

"And where exactly do you think you're going dressed like that?" She was looking at me with her lips curled in disapproval, hands on hips, just like my eomma.

Dressed like what?

I looked down at my outfit: black leggings, sneakers, black hoodie and a denim jacket on top. Certainly not on last season's runway catalogue but comfy enough for me.

To be completely frank I never really cared that much for fashion, unlike my friends. 'Obsessed' wouldn't do them justice: they drooled over anything to do with fashion. They talked about it, gazed at it, pored over it, created it, wore it, breathed it.... even the boys. All of them poured their heart and soul into their dream of making it big in the fashion industry as designers or producers or models.

"How many times do I have to tell you, we are in New York and looks are EVERYTHING here," Jennie fretted, practically tearing her hair out, "and don't give me crap about being late: you're not getting out of this house looking like a dog's breakfast or I'll die of humiliation in your place"

So saying she tugged me out of the kitchen, ranting about "first impressions" and "nonexistent fashion sense" and uttering other colourful words. Thankfully, Joo-hyun was already at playschool.

"Hey, this face was on magazines before doesn't that count for something?" I countered but she was too busy rummaging through her wardrobe(s) to hear me.

An hour or so later I stumbled out of the taxi at my destined location and immediately went into the prestigious Plaza Hotel, where my target had been holding a presentation for his latest contract to represent a cosmetics company, as an ambassador of beauty.

I was right at the back of the audience who was listening with rapt attention. I was too short to see, even though I was wearing Jennie's special heels. I tried standing on tiptoes even more and ended up almost knocking over some old gent.

"...and thus, to conclude this event, ladies and gentlemen, I hereby extend Mr Kim's contract as our brand ambassador for this year's revolutionised Young Forever line of skincare products. We just cannot afford to let him go now can we? He is indeed too valuable. Come up here, my man."

Amidst ear-splitting applause, the most gorgeous Asian man joined the speaker on the podium, both shook hands vigorously and posed for the blinding cameras to snap their pictures.

He hasn't changed one bit. Even if he has dyed his hair, those eyes and nose and lips and cheeks and that goddamn jawline, I'd recognise them anywhere.

I felt the pulse pounding in my head.

"I look forward to continuing our collaboration for the brand's promotion, sir," said Mr Kim with effortless English, switching on that dazzling smile that had my heartbeat fluctuating violently. I watched as some of Manhattan's social elites swarmed to greet him once he went down from the podium, held back by body guards.

He greeted them graciously one by one, posing for photos and signing autographs. I recognised the mayor of New York speaking with him. There was also a frog-faced man who looked like a Wall Street commentator from TV and some other important-looking people with their noses stuck in the air.

I noticed several haughty-looking dames with double chins wrapped in expensive furs who were practically drooling all over him. They were particularly clingy and although he addressed them politely, I could see him twitching nervously, a habit of his when something made him uncomfortable.

Now might be the time to act.

I walked over to them confidently. "Seokjin!"

"Hey there, back off!" warned a bodyguard, "you can't speak with him unless we've seen your pass and--"

"Jisoo?" He appeared behind the guard, his eyes widening.

I almost leapt in joy weren't it for the heels. He still recognises me.

"It's okay, I know her. In fact, I'll take my leave here--"

"But sir!"

"Go with plan B, Shaver, I'll meet you in ten at the back" Jin called over his shoulder as he pulled me away from the crowd.

"Let's go, we don't have much time" he said urgently.

"Sure but where are we going?" I asked befuddled. He winked.

"Somewhere I can put on my disguise first and then we'll have our escape car waiting at the back....only used it two times before but this calls for an emergency" He looked excited at the prospect and tugged me impatiently after him.

"Well now that was unexpected" he chuckled later as we walked down the avenue. He was a beanstalk beside me, even in my heels.

We had made it outside, with him wearing a new outfit and a cap and mask, just like idols do in Korea. Nobody paid us attention and I relaxed.

"You sure it's ok for you to be out here? Your bodyguards might be worried."

"It's all good, Chu. I finally have some alone time. And it's with you." His eyes crinkled. "It's been a while huh?"

He still uses my nickname.

"10 years..." I replied and his hand brushed against mine but neither of us pulled away immediately.

"Let me treat you. Have you been here long? Where are you staying?"He asked curiously, tilting his head.

"With Jennie. I just got here yesterday. And don't worry, I actually woke up late and had breakfast so it's okay--"

He burst into that warm laugh that I only heard in my dreams. "Woken up late? You haven't changed a bit!"

I swatted at his arm and he leapt away, chuckling and carefree as if he were still the same teenage boy I fell in love with years ago.

He bought me some chicken skewers, like the ones I had been craving and devoured them as we wandered around the streets. He shook his head when I offered him some.

"Gotta look after my skin" he said with that slight New Yorker accent, and wouldn't budge.

"Oh my, those heels must be hurting you," he said at length, noticing I was limping slightly.

I just gave him a tight smile. But immediately, he whipped out his hand and hailed a taxi.

"We'll go to this cafe I know, people won't bother us. We have a lot to catch up on" he added. I nodded, hoping I looked enthusiastic enough, although I was disappointed we didn't go to his residence. I might have gotten a better chance to sneak around.

As we rode through the towering skyscrapers practically hugging the sky, I just hung my head out of the window, absorbing all the dazzling signs and billboards high above the traffic. Blown-up pictures of beautiful models lined the avenues, all posing ily or holding accessories. Their beauty looked unearthly--it was enough to make one feel insecure.

And then I grabbed Jin's arm and pointed excitedly like a kid.

"What?"

"That's you!" I said, gob-smacked. He peered up nonchalantly at the billboard as we passed by underneath it and chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm pretty AND famous. You ain't seen nothing yet."

He was right.

His soulful eyes pierced my skin as he posed sensually in front of a silver metallic hunk of a car and his whole body screamed 'HAVE ME'.

My toes curled as he stood next to an impossibly gorgeous woman, pressing his bare chest to her back, staring straight at us with his smouldering gaze.

He was suave and elegant in a tuxedo in the next advertisement featuring hair product, with his trademark smile.

On a fourth billboard, the sight of him wearing Ray-bans with an open white shirt showing off his sculpted abs on a sun-drenched beach had me hyperventilating. I wished I could have seen more of that tanned body.

The final promo of Jin was an infomercial of him applying cream on his face in the mirror and then smiling at us, resting his chin between his thumb and index finger. "I use Young Forever--the only quality brand that my skin needs! Use Young Forever, and you too can look like me!"

I turned to look at him as we passed by. "You've come a long way, I'm so happy for you" I said sincerely. I had no idea he was so popular and sought after.

I expected him to smile but he seemed lost in thought and didn't hear me. I was about to look back out of the window when Jin spoke up.

"Why did you really come here now, Jisoo?"

He sounded...distant?

What had gotten into him all of a sudden?

I summoned a smile. "I'll tell you as soon as we arrive, araso? Can you wait until then?" I teased.

He smiled faintly, closing his eyes. "It's been a while since I heard someone talk to me in Korean."

"I guess it's a nice change from hearing English all the time--"

He shook his head no. "I want nothing to do with that country," he said darkly,"this is my life now, my home. And in this country, we use English."

I could only stare at his profile as he stayed with his eyes closed for the remainder of the journey.

I knew Jin was angry for the way our country failed us and so many other youths. But does that warrant him not wanting anything to do with it? Didn't our childhood memories mean anything to him now?

Does my presence here remind him of bad things? Am I...unwelcome after all?

I decided to make an effort and speak English--you'd think after years of study I'd be speaking it like a native but I still had that nasal foreign accent.

I glanced over at Jin again. Maybe my efforts will reap fruit by helping him to ease back into being himself around me. I needed to know several important things from him....

When the corruption scandals were leaked, rocking the very foundations of the nation, the stock market crashed as international shareholders bailed out, and the economy plummeted. Millions were out of jobs. Many youths' dreams were dashed. A mass exodus ensued, and continues to this day as the once 10th largest economy in the world now lay crippled and trampled in the dirt like an old beggar man.

Our group of friends were some of the first to leave for America, seeking a better life. Jin's father had been amongst the hotshots involved in the corruption racket and Jin all but left his hometown penniless. But with the support of our group, they managed to turn their fortunes around.

We lost touch, although Jennie still rang me up at times, but our neighbour happened to be Jin's aunt and she told us how he had taken up modelling. Jennie had also told me how the girls and the rest of the boys even jump-started a company under Jin's directorship, and things had been working out well. She had asked me several times to join them, but I always declined.

Until now.

"So how have you been?" I asked when we were settled at our table later. For once, I'm so glad for Jennie's fashion sense--the little cafe he had taken me to was too posh and elegant for my taste, with silver cutlery and fancy napkins but thanks to Jennie's wise choice of clothes, I didn't feel out of place.

A ghost of a smile fluttered across his face. "Let's cut to the chase, Chu, I've been swell. Now, what are you doing here?"

"I though you were pleased to see me"

"Yes and no. I needed to get away from those repulsive wrinkly grannies, "he said, shuddering, "you provided me an escape and for that I'm grateful. But you being here...do you perhaps need something from me now? After all this time?"

I needed to be careful, or else I could get entangled in my own words.

"As a matter of fact, oppa, I do" I began but he held up his hand.

"Oppa?"

"I used to call you that"

"I know, before..."

"Yeah" I said, eyeing him closely. He rubbed his neck.

"I'm not sure about you calling me that again,"he muttered, "for now. You should wait for a bit longer. Unless you're planning on running back to your stepmom?"

"She's my mom, Jin" I said a bit sharper than I intended. I didn't like when other people pointed out we weren't biological relations and he knew this.

"Whatever" He muttered. His mood seemed to have darkened in a blink. He picked up a spoon, studying his reflection and running a hand through his rusty pink-tinted locks. The colour would have looked bizarre on someone else but on Jin, it looked natural. He really could pull off any hue, a true model.

"So, to answer your question, no I'm not running back to my mom. I'm staying here for a while. I want to find a job. And I thought you could help. You'll help out an old friend right?"

Not just any old friend.

"Oh? Jennie finally convinced you?" he replied instead.

"Well that, and things are getting a bit harder at home. My office work isn't enough to support us. I intend to get a job here and send the money back for eomma...I mean Mom and the helper."

"Helper?" He questioned. We paused the conversation as the waitress came bearing my Ceasar salad. For Jin, it was just a glass of water. He pulled out a sachet of vitamins and emptied the white powder into it then gulped the contents down in one breath.

"Carer?" he asked again, after wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"You wouldn't have known...but eomma....Mom... had a nasty fall some years ago. That's partly why I couldn't come here sooner...so I could look after her. She's getting old now, and I had to do groceries and chores around the old mansion. We couldn't afford a housekeeper or a carer. But now...."

"Things are tighter" he nodded in understanding. Those dark pupils of his, and those thick lips--they spelled trouble. If I focused on his beautiful face for too long, I was in danger of forgetting why I was here for.

And that was bad. But he had always had this effect on me and I'm not ashamed to admit that. Jennie knew, and my superiors knew too, but they trust me.

"So...what job are you looking for then?" he asked nonchalantly. His gaze hovered over my face then dropped to the (rather deep) neckline of the top I'm wearing. His pointy tongue slipped out and his bottom lip.

"A modelling job," I said firmly. His gaze snapped back up to meet my eyes.

"And I thought you could help me so I came to you, oppa" I muttered, poking at the limp green leaves. Regrettably, there were no pieces of chicken left.

He didn't bother to correct me. "Modelling? Now? Why?"he demanded, his eyes twitching and blinking rapidly.

"I thought with your contacts, it would be easier to get into the line of business. And seeing as I have a little experience, it was natural for me to try out for it. Wouldn't you agree? If only I had been here earlier, the girls and I would have formed a model group" I laughed.

He was sitting very still, his expression unreadable.

"Jin, what is it? Don't you like my idea..."I faltered as he sighed, holding his head.

"It's cut-throat world out there Chu, are you sure you're up for it? Do you even know what pains your body has to go through to look good? You can't just eat anything you set your eyes on. Forget about chicken skewers. Do you know the fear every time a pimple appears, or you break out with blotchy skin for no reason?"

He looked up, his face pleading. "New York is nicknamed the Big Apple, did you know?"

"I heard," I said cautiously.

"Well, the modelling industry I work in is like a shiny red, juicy apple on the outside--all glam and fabulous and beautiful. But rip away the facade and you get to the rotten core--the reality is it's ugly. The atrocities and back-stabbing that goes on behind the scenes...to survive, you become like them..." He gripped the empty glass tightly, his knuckles turning white. "I don't want you to dirty your hands. So please, Chu, I'm begging for you to reconsider....maybe I can get you some secretary position...."

"The rest of our friends got into modelling with you," I pointed out, intrigued by his reaction.

"Yeah but that was before I knew. I'm...kind of glad you didn't get up into this--"

"Would you have chosen differently?"I interrupted him. He looked me straight in the eye and the answer he gave me sent shivers down my spine.

"No," His eyes were suddenly icy and a smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth. "I wouldn't change a thing..."