invisible

Chapter One

The cheers and applause from the crowd filled up the atrium.

Kim Chaewon looked up at the audience who were standing up for her. They looked happy and excited, holding some papers in their hands with messages. She thought the papers read how much the audience love her, but she wasn’t so sure. She was too busy basking in the glory to notice. Some of them even cried for her. It was understandable, since they all adore the perfect her that much. So she pretended a few drops of tears to please them.

She held hands with the rest of the cast members of the musical and bowed for one last time. It was the last play for their successful musical, Mamma Mia. She’d like to think that it was mostly her credit. With her name in the cast alone, it had attracted ninety percent of the audience. The rest of the cast are lucky enough to share the same stage with her, she thought.

The red curtain fell, and she flashed her bright smile until the curtain covered her face.

As soon as the audience was out of her sight, she let go of her hands from others.

“Good job, Chaewon!” said the male lead actor who worked with her during these 3 months.

Chaewon looked at him and nodded, “Yeah, great show.”

She heard more congratulations here and there from the cast members whom she didn’t even notice their existence. She thought it wasn’t her fault that they all looked the same. Some of them played more than one character in the play, making her confused. And they were too insignificant to remember. So she just smiled and nodded at all of them.

She walked straight to the lead actress’ dressing room. She opened the door and was greeted by more people who cared about her.

First, there was Ahn Yujin, a childhood friend who was already like a real sister to her.

“Hey, great job unnie!” she said as she pulled Chaewon for a hug. She grinned and hugged her back, and they twirled a few times like little kids.

“I did great right?” Chaewon asked proudly.

“As always!” she said, letting her go from her embrace.

Chaewon sat on the chair in front of the mirror and let the staff remove the make-up from her face. She hardly did it herself.

“Are you going to join the rest of the cast for the after party?” Yujin asked suddenly.

She scoffed, “You think? Of course… not. I’m not wasting my time with them. There’s a meeting with SBS producers to discuss about my drama debut role tonight.”

“I thought so. But I’m a bit worried since I heard they’re considering Chaeyeon too.”

“That Chaeyeon? Oh come on, she and I are like the earth and sky. She got nothing on me.”

One of the staff was scrubbing Chaewon’s cheeks with a cotton puff and her finger accidentally poked the corner of her eye.

“Hey watch it!” she yelled.

She bowed her head to apologize, “I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

Chaewon glared at her, and then she rolled her eyes.

“Get out of here. You’re fired.”

The staff looked at her, shocked.

“F-Fired?”

“What are you looking at? Didn’t you hear me? Get out!” Chaewon shouted as she slammed her hand on the vanity desk.

The female staff looked down and clumsily grabbed her things before leaving. Chaewon saw her wiping her eyes, but she didn’t care. She brought it upon herself, she thought.

Chaewon saw Yujin staring at her from the mirror.

“What?”

“That was too harsh.”

“She almost poked my eye. Do I have to wait till I’m blind?” she retorted.

Yujin didn’t say anything. She looked away and sighed. She knew she could never win Chaewon in an argument.

Chaewon picked up the puff and wiped away the remaining makeup on her face. She got up to change her clothes when the door suddenly opened.

A beautiful young woman entered, and the room was brightened with her presence.

“Minjoo baby!” Chaewon said, excited.

“Chaewon unnie!” Minjoo said as she walked towards her. She threw her arms around her and planted a quick peck on her left cheek.

They broke the hug and looked at each other.

“You were amazing,” she said.

“Aren’t I always?” Chaewon asked with a chuckle.

She laughed.

Chaewon threw her arms around the younger girl’s neck. She glanced at Yujin and the younger quickly locked the door. After making sure the room was secured, Chaewon pulled Minjoo’s face closer and pressed her lips to hers. She could feel Minjoo’s grip around her waist tightened as they continued to kiss. They broke the kiss after a while and they smiled at each other.

“You missed me right?” Chaewon asked.

Minjoo laughed and nodded, “Like crazy.”

Yujin faked a cough and they both glanced at her. She looked uncomfortable with them making out though Chaewon thought she had already gotten used to it by now. Yujin was the one who introduced Minjoo to her at a fashion show after party early last year. Back then Minjoo was one of the models who walked the runway and Chaewon was instantly captivated by her looks. She was younger than her so she hardly opposed to anything she said. She likes Minjoo that way.

“We should get going. You said there’s a meeting with the SBS producers, right?” said Yujin.

“Ah right. I’m gonna go change first. Call my driver to standby. I don’t want to be hoarded by fans while waiting.”

“Okay, I’ll wait for you outside.”

“You want me to wait outside too?” asked Minjoo to Chaewon.

Chaewon grabbed her hand.

“What? No. You’re gonna help me get changed,” she said with a smirk.

Minjoo blushed madly.

Yujin rolled her eyes and quickly left the room. Minjoo and Chaewon looked at each other and chuckled.

“Looks like you’re the one who missed me more,” she said.

**

Chaewon and Minjoo walked hand in hand as they left the dressing room. Minjoo was leading the way to the back exit door where Chaewon’s driver and Yujin would be waiting for them. But when they opened the door, there was a group of fans waiting for her.

“Chaewon! We love you!”

“Unnie! You’re so pretty!”

“Kim Chaewon is the best actress!”

Chaewon was sick and tired of the screaming clowns telling her things that she already knew. Couldn’t they just leave her al