It took a little bit of haggling, pleading, coercing, threatening, and a lot of yelling between her and Hanee, but Jung Woo finally got the permission from the doctor – and Hanee’s grudging blessing – to get back to work after two days of bed rest.

Jung Woo at work was a force to be reckoned with; she brought forth this massive bout of creative energy, inspiring and pushing those around her to be as meticulous and perfectionist as her. However, near-deadline Jung Woo after two days out of touch was a different kind of maelstrom.

Five pairs of eyes watched as Jung Woo's frown got deeper and deeper along with the piling up of rejected concept boards.

“Spring concept: flower. Groundbreaking.”

She took one look at one particular concept board and threw it back to the table, not bothering to explore further. It didn’t bode well for her set designers when she channeled her Devil Wears Prada idol and started quoting the movie. She sighed, tilting her head to look at her set team one by one, her voice was eerily calm in comparison to the fury that sharpened her features.

“Guys, look. I know that we have to work on a very limited time and not only that you have to transform the space into something immersive and fit the concept, it needs to be Insta-bait. I get it, I really do. But these substandard, half-cocked, uninspired, lazy, predictable concept designs were far beyond what I expected to get after two days.”

She looked at Hyo Won and without words simply pointed at the scrapped ideas, disappointment evident in her brown eyes and the Art Director heaved a sigh, “I’ll think of something.”

“We only have 2 weeks left.”

“KayDay is selecting the models, go check on the fit-out. I promise I’ll think of something.”

“I want something by tomorrow.”

Hyo Won nodded tersely and motioned slightly with her head toward the door, asking Jung Woo to kindly leave the room because right now she could cut the tension with a knife and it was suffocating, to say the least.

Everybody released a collective breath and Rosy was literally on the floor when Jung Woo finally left the room, her legs, pierced by pins and needles of nervousness during the whole tirade, finally unable to support her body.

“What did I tell you? I said the exact same thing!” Hyo Won paused and rubbed the back of her neck tiredly, “Okay maybe not word by word, but I told you! And now, you heard the Boss, she wants something by tomorrow. So, go, get inspired.”

Hyo Won dismissed them all with a wave of her hand and groaned out loud once the meeting room was cleared out.

She, too, needs to get inspired and stay the hell away from the head in charge.

***

“Unnie, why did you turn on the lights on the living– Oh, Miss Jo.” Ji Hye bowed when she found the Art Director in Jung Woo’s office.

Hyo Won looked up from what she was looking at and greeted the younger woman with a smile, “Oh hi, Noze, right? Are you looking for Jung Woo unnie? She’s still at the office,” she looked at her watch and cringed when she realized that half her day had already gone to smoke, “probably not going to get home anytime soon.”

“Oh no, I was on my lunch break, thought I would drop by to pick up my stuff, I left my drawing book and…”

“Hold up. This is yours?” Hyo Won showed the confused Ji Hye the book and nearly screamed when she got an affirmative nod.

Rounding up the table, Hyo Won grasped both of Ji Hye’s hands into hers and looked straight into her eyes, “Wait, wow, you are even prettier up close.” Shaking her head to keep her focus, she tried once again, “I have a proposition for you and I pay really really well.”

At the flabbergasted look on the younger woman’s face, Hyo Won realized her stupid mistake and laughed, “Omo, not that kind. I mean, if anyone ever propositions you like that, kick them in the balls. You. Are. Talented and I desperately need a set designer if I still want to be alive tomorrow. So, how about coffee?”

“Coffee?” Ji Hye was used to randomness, but Hyo Won’s ability to jump from one thing to another was on another level.

“Come on, let’s talk in the kitchen. Have you eaten? No? We’ll order, I don’t cook. I once defrosted chicken for Jung Woo unnie and it was a disaster, she scolded me for HOURS.”

Hyo Won sauntered over to the kitchen counter and lifted a quarter filled pot of drip coffee, hands busy finding another mug for Ji Hye.

“Maybe we should just eat and forget coffee…” slightly worried just how loaded up the Art Director was with caffeine.

Looking at the pot, Hyo Won slightly cringed, “You’re right, so, what do you want to eat?”

“Tteokbokki?”

Hyo Won beamed and quickly make an order, “A woman after my own heart, great choice.”

As they waited for the food to arrive, Hyo Won gave Ji Hye a very redacted albeit animated version of what Jung Woo told her set team and the timeline. “I thought I could get inspiration from her notes when I saw your sketchbook in her office. This, I don’t know what, but my gut feeling told me that this would work perfectly with what she had in mind.”

Ji Hye smiled when she saw the drawing that the Art Director chose, “It was her favorite.”

Slapping the table, Hyo Won yelled out, “I knew it! Woah.” She paced the length of the kitchen before giving Ji Hye a long searching look.

“Noze-yah, how about doing this unnie a favor? Fourteen days, that’s all I’m asking. In a way I could just ask to buy this design from you, but…” she smiled softly, “I believe you would want to be there just to make sure that it would be exactly what you envisioned when you designed this. So, what do you think about joining the team?”

Ji Hye blinked. Her brain still trying to process the offer presented to her. First, elation kicked in, just the thought of working alongside Jung Woo, to be able to get another glimpse into her world, to be able to see her (maybe) every day made her vibrate with nervous anticipation. Then, apprehension wormed its way in, doubt slithered into her mind, and uncertainness weighed on her.

“I… I never really…”

Hyo Won reached out across the table and engulfed the younger woman’s hands into her own, “Don’t worry too much. We have our own project site manager, art installation director, lightning, crew, the whole she-bang. All I need for you is just to direct them with your vision, and who knows, maybe learn a trick or two along the way.”

Ji Hye unconsciously felt an answering smile tugged at the corner of her lips at the reassuring words. There was just something about the Art Director that made her instantly like the older woman.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah.”

Ji Hye laughed when the Art Director screamed and gave her an overtly excited hug, telling her that she couldn’t wait to introduce her to the crew.

***

Jung Woo was not in the best of moods when she entered YB Coffee. Hyo Won’s unilateral decision to outsource their set design threw her slightly off balance. She wasn't used to working with other people aside from those that she already vetted and with confidentiality being an issue, she got even more paranoid. It didn’t help that Hyo Won asked her to meet up at the set workshop instead of their office for an introduction.

She was so distracted, she didn’t realize that she was already in front of the cashier until Dolla’s voice forced her out of her reverie, “Jung Woo-nim, the usual?”

“Ah, yes.” She smiled and gave her tumbler to the young woman before sneaking a glance at the service area, “Where’s Ji Hye?”

“Oh, she asked the boss for a month's break.”

If Jung Woo’s knitted eyebrows were any indication that she didn’t expect that answer, her next question cemented it, “A break? Why?”

“She didn’t say, just said that she needed to do something. Here’s your coffee, want some bagel to go?”

“No, just coffee. Thanks.”

She gave the part-timer a small polite smile and stepped out of the café, wondering whether Ji Hye told her anything out of the ordinary that she missed, but couldn’t remember any. Deciding to just give Ji Hye a call later on, she hurried over to her car, most of her thought already on the ticking clock and the impending showcase.

Jung Woo was about to enter the hangar-like workshop when a burly man hauled her up to his shoulder and slapped her legging-clad , muttering something about how her bony was too skinny for her own good despite her cursing him up a storm.

Putting Jung Woo back on the ground, his laughter boomed when she slapped his Buddha belly and glared at him, “You, are lucky I love you.” Her face softened then, happy to see her old friend, and stood on the tip of her toe to give him a peck on his bearded cheek and hugged him tight, “How are you Mama Bear? And thank you for helping.”

“Yeah well, who else would put up with you aside from me?” The Project site manager threw his arms around Jung Woo’s shoulder and once again grumbled, “I need to fatten you up.”

“Hush darling, she’s perfect as it is.” A lanky bald man sauntered over and gave Jung Woo a tight hug and a peck on her cheek, “Next time you miss me and my husband, come over to the house and we’ll cook you something delicious, a 12 days deadline is not how you should treat your oldest friend.”

Jung Woo laughed, “Yeah well, but then again, where else could I get a better art installation director beside you, mommy?”

“Truer words have never been spoken. Now, come, you won’t believe the little genius Hyo Won brought with her. Oh! The vision! And if push comes to shove and you need an extra model, honey, let me tell you, you could use her too!! Such an exquisite little doll!”

She let the couple drag her inside the workshop, still chatting up the storm when Jung Woo felt the change in the atmosphere and looked up to see the rest of the team, her eyes immediately zeroed in on one very particular very familiar face.

“Ji Hye?”

“Oh, you know our little genius?”

“Yeah, she…” she let her words drift away as she walked closer toward the conference table, her eyes lingering on Ji Hye, unable to look away.

“Hi.” Ji Hye shyly greeted her before schooling her expression and cleared , “since Jung Woo unnie is here, let me just explain it once again.”

The conference table was covered with a map of Olympic Park where a mock-up of a white Igloo in a shape of a gourd bottle was placed in a section of the park.

“I took inspiration from Niki de Saint Phalle mirrored grotto in the Herrenhausen Gardens in Hanover, but instead of mosaic, I was thinking mirror glass. That way, if we put the lighting from a certain angle, it would create a certain halo to the clothes and…”

Jung Woo couldn’t take her eyes away from the talking woman in front of her. This is a side of Ji Hye that she saw sporadically, just there under the surface but rarely shows itself. Calm, assertive, but not defensive, very sure about what she wanted, and stubborn enough to get people to see her vision and how she could make it happen. There were no traces of insecurity in her voice or in the way she moved around the 3D mock-up of the set, explaining the minute details of her design.

There was a weird warmth of pride blooming in Jung Woo as Ji Hye stood there and answered the rapid volleyball questions from the rest of the team, even from those that had more seniority than hers. Her easy smile when she pitched ideas around had charmed even seasoned veterans like Ki-Am Mommy, it was truly a sight to behold.

Jung Woo blinked when she realized that all eyes were on her, waiting for her comments, “I… uh… yes, this is amazing.”

“So it’s a go?”

She gave Hyo Won a tremendous smile then. “Yes, my dear friend, it’s a go.”

The “YES!!!” that Hyo Won shouted echoed loudly around the space and people actually expected her to break into dance, but she simple gave Ji Hye a very loud high-five – that really classified as a smack by the sound of it – and clapped her hands together afterward, herding people around her, “Okay then people, you heard the boss. Green lights all around, no time to waste, let’s go to work.”

Throwing her arms around her Mama Bear and Mommy’s waist, Hyo Won gleefully ushered them to the other side of the room, knowing that Jung Woo probably needed some alone time with the new member of the team.

“Jung Woo knows the girl?” Myung Soo a.k.a Mama Bear gruffly asked Hyo Won who cheerily replied ‘yep’ with a distinct pop.

“Jung Woo knows a girl that age?” Ki-Am almost looked scandalized.

“Geez, oppa¸ you made it sounds like she doesn’t have any friends or something.” Hyo Won grinned at the couple and dropped the bomb, “Jung Woo went on a date with her once.”

“She what????” Ki-Am nearly shrieked and Hyo Won’s laughter peppered the air as the two of them literally dragged and pestered her with questions.

Jung Woo waited until the rest of the crew was out of earshot, her fingers trailed across the desk as she stalked closer to the suddenly quiet Ji Hye.

“So…”

“Hyo Won unnie said that I’m going to be very well compensated.”

A step closer.

“She did, huh?”

“Your partner was really convincing.”

Another two steps closer.

“Oh, I’m sure she was.”

“I signed a non-disclosure agreement and everything.”

Ji Hye flushed when Jung Woo stood just one step inside her inner space, “That. Was really impressive.” Jung Woo softly said as she gave Ji Hye a tight hug, “Welcome to the team, Ji Hye-yah.”

Stepping away from the suddenly mute younger woman, Jung Woo gave her a wink and a big smile before searching out her partner in crime.

Letting out a shaky breath, Ji Hye shook her head to get all of her scattered melted brains together again, cursing Jung Woo proximity that always managed to render her useless, “Right. Okay. Work. Now.” she tapped her beany-covered head – somewhat hard – and grabbed her notes before rushing toward the other.

A huge tent was raised in less than 24 hours since they finalized their plan to build everything directly on the set at the park to cut on delivery time.

All hands were on deck to meet the deadline, even Jung Woo found herself supervising the set nearly every day, sometimes simply checking on how the progress was going, sometimes bringing hot food and even hotter coffee for the over-worked and tired crew, and sometimes like in that particular moment, to ask for some changes on the spot.

Ki-Am’s eagle eyes were glued on the two women currently standing side by side, both were looking at the placement of the runway and the seating chart. His eyes narrowed when the Creative Director took a sip on her tumbler and passed it to the young set designer like it was already in their nature to share drinks, even more so when Ji Hye made a face due to the bitterness and Jung Woo laughed at her, cooing at her cuteness and ruffled her hair playfully.

“Are we sure they are just friends?”

“Hyo Won said so.”

“Well, Hyo Won could be wrong, I mean, since when did Jung Woo act like that?”

“Like what?”

“Caring!”

“Maybe she thought of her like her daughter or something.”

Ki-Am looked at his husband like he just grew another head, “Oh darling, you need therapy.”

Myung Soo scoffed gruffly and shooed him away, “Go mind your own business.”

“But look at our little tiger acting like a kitten in love.”

“If only you have hair, I would already grab it and drag you away, now go before I kick you off the set.”

Sticking out his tongue, Ki-Am sashayed away, grumbling something about the sofa and a very thin blanket.

***

It was D-3 before the show and the models that were brought in for technical rehearsal were whispering amongst themselves. The waiting gap between rehearsals can be pretty uneventful, but something, or more particularly someone, managed to catch their attention.

“What’s with the sculpted back? Seriously, girlie needs to choose between a pretty face or pretty body, it’s not fair that she has both.”

“Are you sure she’s not a model?”

“Did you see her arms?”

“Why did she look so y wearing that tool belt?”

When they first arrived on the set and saw the young woman with the black crop tank, black tights, black boots, wearing black gloves, and a tool belt wrapped around her slim hips, they thought she was a new model and that Monika was indeed out of her mind. All black sporty look for Spring? Laughable and guess the rumor was true that she had lost her touch.

Those thoughts went slightly to the left when the ‘model’ put her hair into a tight bun and started giving orders on the set, sometimes taking matters into her own hands and helping the other set crew with the heavy lifting, showing off her toned arms muscles beautifully.

The crowd got bigger as more models came in and wanted to know what the commotion was all about and why their fellow models were gathering around watching someone laying down on a wheel board installing cable under the stage until they saw the sculpted abs moved and revealed an equally sculpted face.

“Did you see her abs line?”

“Did you see her LIPS?”

Jung Woo was discussing the show rundown when she overhea