Date Started: 07/15/2020

Date Finished: 07/16/2020

 

 

Neon signs blink in and out of existence against the darkness within and without it. The cold air hits her with a certain premonition of what would welcome her if she dared to step in one of the doors below those neon signs.

 

She may look like a woman whose petite frame could be carried by a stronger wind, but her resolve had become more solid as ice in frigid weather.

 

She stepped in.

 

There was a spike in temperature. If she wasn’t shaking from the cold, the view before her would make the previous seem like an illusion.

 

A burly man stood in her way, “can I see your ticket?”

 

She was grateful this wasn't like the movies, where they require of a password and get thrown out when it’s wrong.

 

She showed the paper given to her. It’s more like a letter with a dry seal than a ticket. But she was told this is all she need to get in.

 

A look was shared between another man with an earpiece, “your arm please.”

 

His tone definitely changed. She was weirded out by it, but she placed her left arm on the man’s outstretched hand.

 

He stamped on it. [VIP GUEST] it read in small but elegant curls.

The other man with the earpiece stepped up, “this way, Ma’am”

 

———

 

Two men, bodyguards—she assumed, stood before the door she was guided to. She started to have a flight reflex, like this world she would  enter have no way out.

 

“Welcome! We thought you’re never going to come!” It was the man who have told her about this acting audition, Mr. Cho. “Do you still remember the scene and the character you’re supposed to play?”

 

She nodded at this.

 

Mr. Cho led her to a seat, “your acting partner will be here anytime soon. So I want you to get into character, hmm?”

 

She nodded, gave a brief look around to scrutinize the surroundings, and closed her eyes.

 

When the door opened again, and the few men in the room cheered, she was already another person called Reina. A master of her own world and destiny, a woman of ambition and passion, and a seductress.

 

She looked at the man who just entered with calculating eyes.

 

Mr. Cho threw an arm around the man, cue 1. Lead him to her seat, cue 2.

“Lucas, this is Reina.”

‘Reina’, Cue 3.

“Reina, Lucas.”

 

Lucas is the ‘target’ for Reina, then.

 

Another guy grabbed the mic, “let’s start this party!”

 

Lucas called to Mr. Cho, “Bro, I just came for the food.”

 

Mr. Cho smiled at him and winked, “We know...”

 

———

 

Lucas turned to her, finally. She had just placed her long wavy hair in a messy ponytail to expose her neck.

 

“Did you know that they’ve got the best snacks here? You can have it without beer and it would still be amazing!”

 

This had been bothering her. When he entered the room, she thought he would be this character who plays with the seductress. Right now, he’s not much different to a giant kid who loved food.

 

She tilted her head, ‘Is it some sort of twist? A jolly character or is it supposed to be the character’s facade?’ She realized she’ll be bad for improvised plays with all the second guessing. She mentally shook her head, ‘I am Reina.’

 

She smiled and playfully touched the exposed part of his arm. “Oh, aren’t you funny?”

 

She slid her hand to his shoulder and drew nearer. “Is the food the only thing interesting here?”

 

He looked shock, “You haven’t tried it yet?! You wouldn’t say that if you did. Here!”

 

He doesn’t seem shocked by her proximity, but genuinely shocked at her words. He was even placing a bite of his food in front of .

 

She ate from it as seductively as she can.

 

He just looked at her with these big curious eyes. “It’s amazing, right?!”

 

She covered , she went out of character when she tasted the food. It was really good! She closed her eyes to get back to being Reina. “Yes it is, but should we try som