There was a likely possibility that indeed, Chaeyoung had to break out of her shell. The last few days she’d spent walking to her work place and going back home was punctuated by new faces. Of course, her natural shyness made it almost impossible for her to step in front of someone’s sight and just begin a simple chit-chat but she was almost there.

Two days ago she got a call from her mother, delighted to learn that Chaeyoung was doing good and already became one of the best business employees in town. Despite her tendency to seek for beauty and poetry, Chaeyoung’s heart was proud to build itself a shield. In this business world, a woman wasn’t always welcomed but her voice and logical mind made it past the mockery and started to impose respect.

But it was putting colossal effort into one field which made her exhausted once a foot outside her work place. It was the start of an ordinary life, it brought comfort but there was something missing. Chaeyoung recalled about her escapade with Momo Hirai in New York, then the party inside Gatsby’s mansion. Even if it seemed out of place, definitely too different from what she used to experience, Chaeyoung wanted to feel the adrenaline she felt those two times, again.

Therefore, the joy that spread through her chest – when she received a letter at home, was nothing compared to winning lottery. Gatsby’s name was written in italic and golden letters on the envelope and when she slipped it out its content to read, she felt a rush of adrenaline.

It was a personal invitation to meet the Gatsby. She couldn’t believe she had been chosen. Chaeyoung looked up from her porch and looked towards the tower she used to meet eyes with Gatsby. There was no one this time.

*****

A surprise meeting unsettled the young businesswoman. The D day, Chaeyoung woke up early to put on her best clothes, not too manly nor too girly. She wanted to give a strong impression to the woman everybody talked about. The stress was at its peak. Her thoughts couldn’t stop flooding. Being so full of stamina, Chaeyoung even cleaned her bungalow until it shined. There was one more hour left before meeting Gatsby and she just couldn’t stop to breathe and focus on words she could use to introduce herself.

The surprise meeting was no one else but Sana Minatozaki knocking at her door. Chaeyoung checked the time on her watch and sighed. She counted until three and opened the door to be blinded by the blondie’s smirk. As if the sun came in accordingly to Sana’s timing.

“I asked in the neighborhood about you, I hope you don’t mind. Your place is lovely ! Can I come in ?” But she already was looking around, taking off her hat.

“Something’s wrong ?” Chaeyoung asked, hoping it had nothing to do with her friend – Mina.

“Nothing is wrong. I came in to say hello, I have a friend living two miles away so I made a little stop.” Sana turned around, meeting Chaeyoung eyes. “I thought about you as soon as I woke up today.” It made Chaeyoung blush but she stayed silent. “And I wondered how you’d survive in the West egg. I know it is none of my concern but believe it or not, you gave me a good impression last time we met.” Sana finally sat on a chair, her elbow elegantly pressed against the edge of the kitchen table.

“Thank you for your concern but I’m doing just fine.” Chaeyoung didn’t know what to think about this sudden burst of care but she also felt small. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling. “Is that what you came for ?”

“Today is a nice day, isn’t it ?” Sana looked through the window.

“Yes, it is.”

“Your place is clean.” Sana noticed, still looking away.

“I’ve cleaned it earlier this morning.” Chaeyoung said.

“You are dressed nicely, with a careful taste.” Sana pointed out, looking with the corner of her eyes towards Chaeyoung.

“I got some important meeting very soon.” Chaeyoung scraped her voice. Sana stopped her investigation and stoop up, reaching the sink to fill a glass of water.

“I’m familiar enough with Gatsby to know that something is up.” Sana started while walking near an almost dead plant trying to survive in front of the kitchen window. She poured water inside the small jar. “World’s marvelous.” Sana paused. “Human’s less.” She put down the empty glass, dried her hands and met with Chaeyoung’s confused eyes. 

“I just wanted to be sure you were doing fine, we’re friends, aren’t we ?” Sana smiled and Chaeyoung nodded.

“Well, I’m fine. But I also know how to take good care of myself.” The sun was gleaming, the calm waters meant no good for the sailing boats but it still was a good day. For Chaeyoung, that fought her whole life to be independent, listening to such words made her feel powerless. She didn’t go travel in Europe to end up being mothered.

“I know, of course. It’s just…” Sana pondered. “You’re new here.”

“It’s America, war is over, people are dreaming but I’m here, working, making a place as a woman and-” Her words flew but Chaeyoung stopped. She had no duty to explain herself. Something inside her heart was wild but calm, Sana knew it and maybe she wanted this lion to wake up before it’s too late. She knew things, she had secrets and most of all, she was a grown up woman. This was the first time she heard Chaeyoung using words with passion to defend herself.

“You’re doing good.” Sana’s smile became softer. A sigh escaped her lips, her brown eyes looking around one last time, as if finally, she was ready to let it go. Maybe she understood how uncomfortable it could make her friend feel. “I’ve never been excellent to entertain friendships, Mina is an exception. You know Hirai and something tells me you’d be stuck in between another kind of war.” Chaeyoung tried to understand what the point was, what all of this meant but she came to a conclusion: Sana was full of mysteries, she warned and then, your job would be to deal with it.

“Meeting Gatsby for the first time ?” Sana saw the envelope, it probably was the first thing she saw laying on the kitchen table. The gold ticket.

“Yes. I got… an invitation.” Chaeyoung quickly grabbed the letter making Sana chuckle.

“Now you know Gatsby is a woman, surprised ?” Sana’s eyes glinted, eyeing Chaeyoung from head to foot. “Nice choice of clothes.” Chaeyoung mumbled a thank you. The clothes hadn’t come cheap.

“I saw her once, back facing me. I knew she was a woman from the start.” Chaeyoung admitted. “I don’t understand the myth about Gatsby being a man ?” Now that the uncomfortable feeling was gone and that they ran out of time, Chaeyoung woke up. Sana may have the answer.

“World is changing, without war you wouldn’t be there today.” Sana was slowly reaching the door. For a moment, Chaeyoung thought she’d be left unanswered. “We have this wrong idea that men built the world, even yourself first thought Gatsby was a man, who else could own such a place ?” Chaeyoung was hanging on Sana’s lips, waiting. “The change is a façade, everything that is real might not always come as a truth.” Chaeyoung frowned.

“You’re new I said but if you’ll make it, you’d understand.” Sana smiled and bid goodbye.

Chaeyoung was almost late for her meeting with Gatsby.

*****

Chaeyoung didn’t need to knock. A butler came as soon as her feet hit the gravel. In silence, they walked across the hall, fresh wind passing through, the smell of roses waking up enjoyable senses. Her eyes never left the tall ceilings until she found herself in front of a balcony. A few feet away, Gatsby was looking at the bay. Chaeyoung recalled about that night, at the bridge. There was no green light anymore, just Gatsby with her long red hair.

When she turned around, she offered a smile that made Chaeyoung fall into a dream. It was one of those smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it that you may come across four or five times in life.

“Welcome, my dear neighbor.” Gatsby’s voice was nice to hear, delicate but held discreet power.

“I got the invitation, hard to hide my surprise.” Chaeyoung awkwardly bowed. Gatsby suppressed a laugh and stretched her arm to invite her on the balcony. It had enough place to convey a party. Easy to imagine a thousand of people gathering around, laughing and dancing, almost tripping down on the pool, not giving a single thought about what was a good or bad behavior anymore. Those people were the new rich, the ones from West egg.

“How impolite it would have been if I hadn’t made the first step to introduce you to West egg.” She started, breathing in the fresh air. She was wearing a purple long dress, she could dance on it, it had thin layers and it only covered half of her beautiful pale arms. Funny how she didn’t fit in with the new world. A butterfly, one of those we wish they never die to deliver the God’s a message. Liberty for humans, war is over, new or old rich, dreams can’t be destroyed.

“I am just nobody for now, you really hadn’t to go all the trouble to send me a letter.” Which made no sense at all, Chaeyoung bit her lip feeling embarrassed.

“Miss Carraway, everybody is somebody.” Gatsby started, hands on the marble, eyes on the sea.

“May I ask your name then ? I’m Chaeyoung, calling me Carraway makes it too… brutal for me.” Chaeyoung had this feeling that they were about to be friends, they had to. From the stares shared until now, the invitation and the sole presence of this woman made her curious and crave for more. How could it be ?

“Nayeon, Im Nayeon but Gatsby is…” Gatsby started, looking at the lonely boat drifting on the shore. “A long story.” A smile formed on her lips and their eyes met again. She detached herself from the marble.

“To be honest, people are talking and rumors that you killed a man are crazy.” Chaeyoung chuckled, wondering if it was a good thing to start with a gossip but Nayeon noticed the effort. There was no judgment in her eyes.

“People love stories, let them be. I’ll tell you the truth.” Nayeon whispered, walking away, leaving Chaeyoung in a dreamy state.

That woman was something else.

Together they reached the hall and soon, Chaeyoung was sitting next to Nayeon’s gorgeous car, driving towards the city. Once again, she met with Doctor T.J Eckleburg’s blue eyes, only eyes and no face, a dusty road, man from the ashes, metal hitting metal, it was another world.

“First, you may have guessed but I am Korean.” Gatsby laughed, hands on the wheel. “No German blood.” Chaeyoung listened.

“Mystery comes with money and women. I am rich and I am a woman.” The tires were biting the dust.

“It’s true, it has been a surprise for me to see how vigorously people think you are a man.” Chaeyoung smiled, eyes on Nayeon. This woman wasn’t only beautiful, she also made you feel at ease. You’d find yourself either lost in admiration or lost in love, flowers would bloom inside your stomach and if you stay long enough by her side, you’d learn how to love yourself too.

“I’m not against some mystery after all.” Nayeon’s voice lingered. The bubble popped, New York came in sight and Chaeyoung was baffled – just like the first time. She hoped they had no meeting, scared to find herself in a weird non-business meeting again.

“I may look like a fool but mystery scares me a little, I need to know where I step in. I need to understand, so where are we going ?” Chaeyoung blushed a little but didn’t fear judgment. She was true to herself. Passionate but careful, too careful sometimes.

“We’re buying clothes for a peculiar event my friend.” They got out of the car. Gatsby was fast, Chaeyoung almost had to run, pushing aside people. For a moment, she thought she had lost her for good, in between the new and the old buildings, the smell of soil making her wince. Not so far, chimneys were spitting fire, announcing a dark fate.

“A peculiar event ?” Chaeyoung asked out of breath, hands on her knees once she found Nayeon looking through a shop window.

“I need your advice first.” She pushed the door open and they disappeared inside. Clothes, wealth, pleasure through material. It was unfamiliar for Chaeyoung, she was building her life from blood, sweat and tears and never had the vanity to put a foot inside such a boutique.

“Sorry to disappoint, this kind of hobby is unfamiliar to me.” Chaeyoung excused herself but was met by a pair of eyes. Nayeon turned around, her red hair cascading along her delicate shoulders.

“Taste isn’t about how familiar you are with fashion.” Nayeon’s bright smile made Chaeyoung’s heart stop. She blinked and nodded. Maybe she could make it after all. Maybe she could trust Gatsby, believe in herself but those thoughts were blooming too fast. Sana warned her somehow, but about what ?

Each piece of clothes looked the same and expensive. Chaeyoung stopped looking at the price, wondering why people would put so much money into tissue. But looking closely, she felt a little rush through her fingertips each time she brushed one of those jackets.

“Pleasure.” Nayeon got out from a cabin. She was stunning, wearing the only colorful piece from the shop, a red one. The color did match with her red lips and red hair. “Working for pleasure and to please.” She closed the curtains again, unsatisfied.

“But the price ?” Chaeyoung spoke loud enough to be heard, standing awkwardly. The seller tried not to sneak a peek at her but hard not to when she felt so out of place.

“Money and numbers are the same.” Nayeon found another gown, less colorful but classy. “But your advice is what I need now.” She flashed another smile towards Chaeyoung that mumbled. Nayeon was too busy looking at herself through the mirror, making the latter speak louder.

“The red one. Red suits you the best.” The seller did approve too, hiding a little smile while Chaeyoung felt pride rushing through her veins.

“Is that so ?” Gatsby smiled. She was ready to change her mind, Chaeyoung felt noticed, important for a slight moment.

“I’ll take this one then.” A sigh escaped Nayeon’s lips. She looked one last time at herself through the mirror and took it off inside the cabin. Everything was going too fast, the way they got outside the shop, took the car and how quick Nayeon spoke. Information after information, Chaeyoung was listening, amazed. Nayeon seemed to be and feel lonely, that ; she noticed. Not once she mentioned about friends or family.

“You’re famous because of the parties you hold under your roof, but nobody ever see you. Why ?” Chaeyoung was eager to understand such a mysterious personality. Asking upfront such a mysterious part wouldn’t be easily answered for sure, but maybe now, they were close enough to share a secret. Chaeyoung noticed that anything that has been said to her were theories, none were real. The long list of people that accepted Nayeon’s hospitality knew nothing about her, really.

“Life makes you do things when you’re foolish.” Nayeon’s face was bathed with sunlight, her hair dancing with the wind, the car flying under the speed of light. She wasn’t driving cautiously, bypassing cars on the right, then on the left, tires screeching, both of them swinging under the movement.

“Foolish ?” Chaeyoung spoke louder, above the honks but Gatsby didn’t answered.

What Chaeyoung also noticed is that before that day she knew nothing about Gatsby and after that day ; she knew nothing about Gatsby too. Nayeon left all of her sentences unfinished, never showing her true self. If her family had nothing to do with the German conflict, where does she came from ? What has she done to become the new rich, the symbol of West egg ? She jumped from topic to topic, showing kindness but none of it made sense. It was refreshing but disturbing.

“What do you think of me ?” Nayeon spoked out of nowhere, harshly turning the wheel. Chaeyoung’s heart had its fair share of challenges today. Chaeyoung could only start with evasions and unclear thoughts. Nayeon chuckled.

“I’ve been studying at Oxford, I’ve spend some time in Europe back then.” They left the town, the road was free from cars and the ride became more enjoyable. “My family died long ago, I’ve made my own path, got some love for art, jewelry, paintings… All of it to erase a sad event that happened long ago, my friend.” Funny how Chaeyoung couldn’t picture anything at all. It was facts, only facts. She nodded nonetheless.

“Of course, this is lacking of some details but, you see what I mean.” Nayeon laughed and they reached her house. The car stop suddenly, Chaeyoung hitting her knee against the glove compartment.

“I guess…” The words coming out in a rush, her hand on her poor knee. She hoped it didn’t scratched the trousers.

“I have a request for you. Today you helped, I’m already thankful for this but-” Nayeon had her wrist on the wheel, eyes on Chaeyoung. This time, the youngest looked a bit annoyed. Indeed, Gatsby was intriguing but her mind needed rest. “Do you know about miss Minatozaki ?”

Chaeyoung blinked. “Yes ?”

“I saw her this morning, I believe you are friends.” Nayeon had eyes on everything.

“Are you in love with her ?”

“No, that’s not the matter. She’s friends with the Hirai’s from what I happened to know.” Nayeon started, looking away. Chaeyoung tried hard to get the point, the whole puzzle didn’t seem to fit at all, those pieces didn’t came from the same box. “Are you friend with them ?”

“We’ve known each other since we were almost kids.” Which was true but very unnecessary to point out. This conversation was leading to deep waters. Until now, Gatsby had never held an absurd speech even if it was always left hanging. Her long and thin fingers kept digging on the wheel, sometimes tapping nervously at the disc.

“What about you invite them at my next party ?”

A/N : I at being on time. I've stopped fooling around, now you have more details about Gatsby! Sorry, I'm always so so so late. Minayeon will be there next chapter. (Finally! T_T)