This Is How We Met (Yumji)
GFriend One Shot Series
It was a rainy day and Yewon was still sitting in the coffee house where she usually visits, busy with the laptop she brought along together. She stared at the screen for 15 minutes, typed 5 minutes then drowned in another staring, having writer's blocks this time her agent had called her a few times regarding her new book progress but her draft remained blank. Yewon was frustrated as every time she looked at the due date, the last book did have good feedback made needed to put more effort to not disappoint the readers.
"Evan, I know it. I'll try to raise the ratings." the person with a cap and thick frame glasses, the length of bangs almost covering the eyes and hung her head low, tilting a bit too stable the phone between ear and shoulder as her hands were busying to take out the notes from the long purse. The slender fingers pointed at the A2-sized menu placed on the counter and showing a finger indicated the quantity she needed.
"I promise to you, if the ratings did not rise within a month I'll close the segment and follow what we had discussed earlier at the previous meeting,"
"..."
"Yeah, yeah," the person walked to a seat that she assumed was available and sat down, reviewing the backstage statistics and brainstorming the content for the upcoming talk.
"Excuse me?" Yewon raised her head as hearing the chair's screeching sound come in front of her and the person seemed not to know the seat is taken. She did not like interruptions during her work.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I do not know it is taken," the capped girl apologized and was shocked about her impolite actions.
"Yeojelyi!" the barista yelled and she went to the counter to redeem her drinks. She planned to go back to her studio but the rain did not stop yet pouring heavier. Her radio live will be started in 30 minutes and the route taken from the coffee house to the broadcasting station needed around 15 minutes and 5 minutes to herself on the floor.
"Holy!" the Yeojelyi-girl cursed under her breath and when back into the coffee shop, hoping the rain will get smaller. As the time was getting nearer, she had no choice but to run to the station with her drink in the rain.
Yewon turned the radio louder after entering her car, aiming the duration between leaving the shop to her car, the radio segment just start right which hosting by the DJ she love the most since the DJ's first appearance on the show. Yewon had accidentally found that the DJ's sound was able to cure her insomnia which had bothered her for a few years. She finally had a good sleep and felt refreshed every morning after she woke up.
But things never went easy for her this day, the insomnia was coming back as her favourite DJ was not on air for a few days and the DJ who replaced her for a while had told the audience that she had a fever and sore throat giving difficulty to her to speak and the doctor advised her to take rest as she needed to get back her original voice.
Yewon's eye bags were darker compared to the last time she met with her agent. "Tell me the truth, are you facing any difficulties these days? Still trapped in the writer's block?" asked him who was now sitting in front of her.
"Sleep deprivation."
"Maybe this invitation will overcome some of the obstacles, the radio station needs a fixed guest for a month, maybe you can give it a try to gain some inspiration from it. "
"Jay, you know that I'm not good at facing the public," Yewon dropped her shoulders after hearing her agent's words.
"But if you keep dragging it like that, we'll lose the track, Yewon-ah."
"Okay, okay. I know it. I know it."
"Just let me know if you want to give it a try."
Yewon playing the name card from Jay.
XXX Broadcast Station.
Yewon was kicking the small pebbles on the pathway while her mind was still thinking about the offer from Jay. Maybe the poor brightness as the distance between lampposts was big, Yewon was not aware someone was coming, in the same way, coming from the opposite direction.
Of course, they fell together as the coming person was not able to brake herself to avoid bumping into Yewon.
"Are you okay?" The person asked as she managed to get help herself and stretch her hand out as if Yewon needed support to stand up.
Her voice was calm as Yewon found the familiar vibe to the radio DJ but could not confirm that 100 % the person was. With the help of the hand extended, Yewon stood up and shook off the sand particles adhered.
"Thank you."
"Are you new to this neighbourhood? I've been jogging here every evening but this is the first time I'd see a new person."
Yewon was embarrassed as she was staying here for a long time and this was the first time she stepped into the neighbourhood's park. She remorse that she should come here frequently but she knew her homebody personality would not bring her outdoor once aimless.
"Oops, I'm sorry if I sounded offensive. By the way, I'm Yuna, I can be your listener if you need someone to if we meet next time. Your face told me that you need it so much. Bye!"
The person named Yuna continued her track after telling Yewon such info while the latter was still in a daze as she tried to absorb all the things beyond her capacity in a short time.
Changing into comfy clothes after coming back from the coffee shop, Yewon took out her laptop from her backpack and continued writing progress. She put the smartphone aside after switching the device to tune in to the radio she was listening to on the way back. Thanks to that Yuju was returned after recovery.
She still struggled with building new characters to make the plot more interested, sometimes she would think about whether she wrote purposely what readers favour or her passion. Swapping the note blocks and opening numerous tabs to research the materials, trying to create an immersive experience for the readers.
The preliminary concept of the new characters was added to enrich the story arc by building the sub-plot. Yewon lurched backwards to the chair as looking at the plot sketching for her novel, satisfied with the significant progress.
The show had come to the end and Yewon suddenly remembered that she had promised to guest that segment. She searched the email to which the broadcast station had sent the script attachment to her and needed her approval by the latest this week on whether an amendment or adjustment was needed to the question they'll ask.
"Do you want me to fetch you there this Friday or do you want to go by yourself?"
The message popped out in the middle of her work. Yeah, Yewon still needed another job to maintain her living costs. Her published work did some but still lacked a bit. That allowed her to experience different environments and cultures, which inspired her.
"Fetch me, please. I don't want to be there alone. You know how scared to talk with strangers.😭😭" replied Yewon then slipped back her phone into her pocket, and arranged the stock from the tray she pulled up in front.
"The part-timer there, can you help me to the counter, the queue is long," the stall owner of the exhibition yelled across as the crowd of visitors ensured the person she called was heard.
"Where do you want me to fetch you? Your house or the coffee shop?"
"Coffee shop"
"Fetch you at 10"
At this time of every day, Yewon was light heart as her favourite DJ was on the air soon but today she was absolutely absent-minded and unable to concentrate on the script opened to show on the laptop screen.
Despite the intervals between, she accepted the task and the actual broadcasting date had almost two weeks, the self-confidence she built these days was still insufficient to face the public even though only her voice was on the air.
Yewon was on pins and needles yet Jay was beside her, the station manager, staff from the planning department, and a total of 5 people in the lounge. The silence filled the void as they still waited for the host of the segment. The meeting couldn't start as the main role was not here.
"I'm sorry" the door panel slid open hastily and a girl with a baseball cap stumbled into the room hugging a pile of bound documents. Yewon was over the moon when she heard the sound coming from the door, she could see the owner behind the soothing voice she heard to sleep finally every day.
"Hello, Umji. You're quite early today," Yuju entered the waiting area outside the studio where the show will air and found the novelist was earlier than her and working on her laptop.
"O-Oh, yes, I am coming early since the weather forecast predicts rain tonight," Yewon responded stuttering and reorganizing her words in response to the intervention of her favourite DJ.
"Your book is great, I'm looking forward to the sequel," Yuju's eyes blink as she read through all the books other than the serialised.
"Th-Thank you," Oh my gosh, not to stutter again in front of her, Kim Yewon.
"Is the weather cold today?"
"Uh-huh?"
"Your cheeks look redder"
Help me please. Screaming in her brain, Yewon just ... wanted to ... wanted to swallow right into the ground now.
"Have your troubles been solved? Yuju is here ready to help you up," Yuju winked after speaking out loud her signature intro during the radio show.
"Can you really help me out?" half-joking she asked, keeping her laptop back in her backpack as she found the topic was getting interested.
"Not a hundred per cent but there is always a solution behind it. Isn't it?" she chirped in.
"You're optimistic," she smiled wryly.
"Because we just live once, treasure every little precious we meet and let bygone be bygone. Let's go, it's our session soon."
Yewon was impressed by her words and wished she could have a friend like Yuju to be the light of her life.
Why doesn't she remember me? Aren't my hints obvious enough? Perhaps she really did not recognize my face? Oh, gosh, Yuna, you're stupid. You introduce yourself as Yuna, not Yuju. There were hundred people who had the same name tho...
Thought Yuju after talking to the novelist, they had met before the latter was introduced as the guest of the segment she hosted. She had made up her mind as if they met somewhere else the third time not because of working together, she was sure to befriend Umji.
Yuna slid off the mixing console and stretched after hours of sitting on the chair, taking the authentication photo to wind up the cooperation with the guest she worked with for the month and posting it on the social network.
As Yuju had regained her senses, Umji was left and only a few night-shift staff were there. Ensure the equipment was rearranged neatly and the power switch was off, she glanced once more and closed the door. She hoped this was not the last time she used this room.
Wait a minute... Holy! I forgot to exchange her numbers. Maybe we really need to depend on our fate this time...
On the last day they worked, their lives became parallel, without a single possibility of crossing each other. Months later, the last book of the Utopia series had been published with an announcement to not write until winter was over. She decided to have a long rest and tour the country village she found on the Internet. The news of her favourite DJ resigning causing insomnia came back to her.
"Umji?" a familiar sound came from behind. Yewon turned as she heard someone calling her pseudonym with a firm tone.
"You're?"
"DJ Yuju or Yuna for now, I haven't been a radio DJ for a long time," Yuna smiled.
"I'm sorry to wake you at this moment," Yewon was in the bed half awake and snuggling into a more comfortable position as Yuna tucked herself in next to her. The latter tried to minimize the sound as she entered but still awakened the novelist who was already in her deep sleep. Yewon just hummed in response as her body was not fully awake.
"It's ... okay... I miss your voice too... I can't sleep without you... my sleeping balm ... my muse..."
"Do you have any idea for your next book title?"
"This ... is How We Met."
Author: Queendom 2 Finale in an hour !!!
