« Oh. Hello, Shuhua. What are you doing so early, here? »

 

« I have rendezvous with Soojin. »

 

Yong frowns, she looks at her notes and fails to see any rendezvous with Shuhua written down in Soojin’s schedule. She looks back at the actress, the woman is leaning against the front desk as the guy behind the counter has started a conversation with her a few minutes ago.

 

Yong observes for a second how the actress asks for the meaning of a word the guy behind the counter just used. It takes a moment before she understands, and then the two go back to their conversation.

 

Suddenly it hits Yong.

 

« It is Wednesday today! Soojin won’t be here before the afternoon. Are you sure she told you to come by this morning? »

 

« Yes. She sent me a text last night. »

 

« She must- »

 

« Soojin! »

 

Yong turns around to see the agent getting out of the elevator, and walking in their direction. She frowns another time when she sees what she is wearing, and that Remy is right behind her. The two are ready for a run, yet they are at the company.

 

« Hello, Yong. Shuhua, come with me. »

 

Soojin passes by Yong and offers her a nod as a greeting while walking toward her office followed by Shuhua. Remy stays at the front desk with Yong, explaining the situation in a few words.

 

« Since you have your lessons, I won’t be long. »

 

Soojin doesn’t sit behind her desk, she just opens a drawer while leaning over, and gets out a paper that she gives to Shuhua. It is a schedule for her next month as her shooting for the MBC drama and the pre-production for the movie will be happening at the same time. Soojin checked with Yuqi to make a schedule for the actress where she could do the two without being overwhelmed.

 

It is important for her that her actresses have time to breathe a little even if they are busy, plus Shuhua is a bit special as she still takes Korean classes. She needs a schedule, even more, to be able to plan.

 

« Okay, if you need anything, you call Yuqi or me. Okay? »

 

« … Will you come with me for the meetings and pre-production? »

 

Shuhua looks between the schedule and Soojin, waiting for her answer. The truth is, that Shuhua isn’t comfortable doing this part of her job. The pre-production is a crucial part to make the movie happen. Most of it doesn’t involve the actors and is more oriented around the budget, the locations, the timetable, the storyboard, and the last script’s changes.

 

The last part of the preproduction does involve the actors, with the rehearsing, the costume fitting, the hair and make-up, and the schedule planning which is given to them. Shuhua always has a hard time, it is a moment when she meets a lot of people at once, and where she has to be really focused for long period and take a lot of decisions. It is a stressful moment just before they start to shoot and it always makes her anxious.

 

« I won’t always be available. »

 

« Please. »

 

« Look, when I can I will come and when Yuqi can she will come. One of us will always be here, okay? »

 

« Okay. »

 

« Good. »

 

Soojin briefly rubs Shuhua’s shoulder, the gesture comes naturally, and Shuhua leans in the touch. Soojin rarely initiates physical contact, and Shuhua is too shy to touch the agent out of nowhere. The actress beams from the action.

 

Her eyes look at Soojin’s hand on her shoulder, then follow along the arm before ending up on the exposed tummy. Suddenly she feels a rush of blood coming to her face, and she has to blink a few times because of what she is seeing. Soojin is only wearing tight running clothes, except with the warm weather, she dropped the shirt and now only wears a sports bra and a pair of leggings.

 

« You… Have… Sport? You? »

 

« Hum. Remy and I run together. If you don’t need me anymore, then I will go. I’ll see you soon. Okay? »

 

Soojin walks Shuhua out of her office, the actress is still very distracted by Soojin’s outfit, and seeing her stater, the agent naturally rubs Shuhua’s back as they walk toward the front desk.

 

Shuhua feels goosebumps riding up her skin since it is rather warm outside, she is only wearing a light shirt, and she feels Soojin’s hand on her back as if it was skin to skin. She tries to focus on something else, like breathing but it only makes her realize Soojin’s smell is all around her. The same fresh and vibrant note of last time.

 

« Well, have a nice day Shuhua. Yong, I’ll see you later. »

 

Soojin squeezes Shuhua’s shoulder as a goodbye and walks away with Remy. Shuhua watches as Remy leans toward Soojin to tell her something, and the agent chuckles lightly before entering the elevator.

 

---

 

« So, how did you end up working for NYA? »

 

« I got hired by Minnie. Well, Remy recommended me to her before, and then I had several meetings with them. It was a long process. But I got the job. »

 

« You always spoke Korean? I don’t think you learn on the spot. Did you? That would be quite impressive. »

 

Yuqi chuckles, joined by Soyeon. The two women are enjoying an ice cream after their walk near the Han River. It is something like their fourth or fifth date together. Soyeon has a lot of work with her new drama and Yuqi is busy with her talents, so it is only when they find a clear space in their schedule that they manage to meet.

 

Yuqi likes their moment together, Soyeon is very curious about her, and Yuqi finds that the woman has quite a sweet personality. While at work, the woman is always very high in energy, with a lot of smiles, and a lot of encouragement, she takes care of her actors and the crew whom she works with. It seems as if she will take care of any problem without ever getting frustrated or angry.

 

Yuqi likes this part of Soyeon, and she can’t help but compare it to Soojin’s energy. While the agent is ready to fight with her fists to make things work Soyeon will always use a diplomatic way without ever losing her smile.

 

Soyeon outside of work is quite different. She is still very sweet and caring, but she feels colder. She never lets her words dig very deep into her thoughts, and while Yuqi is very curious about her, she can feel that the woman is not yet ready to open up.

 

Yet, Yuqi can’t help herself from looking forward to the next time she will get to spend time with the woman. She isn’t stupid and she can see there is a mutual attraction between them, and she plans to enjoy whatever is happening.

 

« I learned it when I was a kid. I was home schooled, and I had personal tutors. To be honest it wasn’t always fun. »

 

« I can only imagine. »

 

« My parents… run a big company. Since they are expanding abroad, they thought it would be great for me to speak more than one language, and Korea is a big market so… I learned it. »

 

« I see. But that doesn’t explain how you met Remy. »

 

« You know him? »

 

« Not really. Well… Just, how did you meet him? »

 

« At a party back in Taiwan. We were both there for work, and we started to talk. I made fun of his accent, and he explained he was Korean, and then he told me about his job. I told him how much I wanted to be an agent just like him, and he helped me. »

 

« So you were an agent back in Taiwan already? »

 

« Yes. Thanks to him. »

 

« Then… Why did you come to Korea? »

 

« … I think… I wanted to dream bigger. »

 

« China is quite a big market for the film industry too. »

 

Yuqi grimaces before nodding to Soyeon’s words.

 

Yuqi was born in a wealthy family, a really wealthy one; her parents are at the head of one of the biggest companies in the country, a company which is even considered among the biggest in the East Asia market. Their influence is huge, and Yuqi… Yuqi is a beautiful child. She is the most precious possession of her parents, after their company.

 

The woman received a home school education from the best tutors in the country, she learned more than expected as she finished the official program way before her sixteenth birthday. Yuqi has always been a brilliant kid, with exceptional intelligence. Her parents never expected less of her. Among her classes, she had many lessons concerning the management of a company, business, and diplomacy. Yuqi quickly understood and made hers everything which was taught to her. Except, the beautiful child had a different heart from her parents.

 

The child spent all her free time searching for more to learn, never having enough, and one day she met with the beauty of cinema. She then spent her nights, and an early morning watching everything she could find. There was something so captivating in those movies, in the stories taught on the screen. Nothing came close to the emotions which went through her heart as she was watching those movies.

 

The year of her eighteenth birthday, she left China for Taiwan. She finished her university studies there while continuing to search for a way to come closer to this industry which was a total mystery. She needed to understand how those emotions were made. Eventually, she found her way around and started to work for a small producer. It wasn’t nearly enough, but it was a good start to seeing more of this mysterious industry that had managed to captivate her.

 

Meeting Remy was a real blessing.

 

Yuqi was ready to follow her path, to dream even bigger every time she took a step in the good direction. Eventually, it brought her to Korea. Korea was nothing like before. For a moment, it was almost overwhelming. And then, there was Soojin.

 

Soojin was nothing like anyone Yuqi had met before. The energy coming from the woman was beautiful, it was unapologetic, powerful, and firm. For a second, Yuqi almost thought of giving up, she believed Korea was too big of a step for herself; but Soojin didn’t even let her think about it.

 

It was like she was caught in a tempest but everything was fine at the same time. Everything was going very fast, and Yuqi was so focused on trying to catch up with the pace forced by Soojin that she couldn’t think about anything else. And before she knew it, here she was.

 

Happy and safe. Right at her place in the world.

 

« Again those sad eyes. »

 

« What? »

 

« I lost you for a second. What were you thinking about? »

 

« Nothing. I was just… thinking that I am very much happy right now. »

 

« How so? »

 

« When I left China, I only wanted one thing. To be away from my parent’s influence and to see the world for myself. And now… I don’t know I am just happy. Happy for eighteen-year-old me. »

 

Soyeon longly looks at the woman next to her.

 

Yuqi is looking right in front of her, she stands proudly in front of the Han River, there is something really beautiful about her, and Soyeon knows it comes from deep within the woman, it makes her shine under the afternoon sun.

 

Yuqi turns her head to look at Soyeon and she offers her an adorable smile. Surely the producer wasn’t expecting it and she can’t fight the blush forming on her cheeks.

 

---

 

« Don’t leave marks. »

 

Soojin shivers as a warm tongue her neck, she wraps her legs around the man’s waist to bring him even closer.

 

The agent started her night at the bar with Remy and Yuqi, except this time she had a goal in mind. She quickly found what she was looking for and after a quick goodbye to her two friends, she followed the guy to his place. Because Remy is always so careful of Soojin, her localization is on, and Remy can check at any moment where she went, and where she is.

 

Everything went well with this handsome stranger, ending up in his bed, her clothes thrown around the place, and their body burning against each other. Until now. Soojin hears her phone ringing from somewhere in the room.

 

« Don’t answer. »

 

Soojin locks their lips together, she moans in the pleasure of their body moving against each other. Her nails dig in the back, and there is once again her phone ringing in the room.

 

« I have to get it. »

 

Soojin lets the man gets off her, before walking with wobbly legs toward her ringing phone. It takes a few seconds, but she finds it under her pair of jeans. She doesn’t hesitate to answer when she sees the name of the caller.

 

« Shuhua? … I can’t hear you. Speak a bit louder, please. … Okay. I am coming. »

 

Soojin starts to search for her clothes, using the light of her phone to find them; the guy in the bed behind her is long forgotten. She briefly explains she has to go, that something for work came up and she is gone. She calls a taxi and rides to Shuhua’s place.

 

Soojin tries to fix her hair, and her clothes during the ride. There isn’t much she can do to look presentable with so little resources, and she arrives at Shuhua’s place less presentable than she likes to be.

 

« Shuhua? »

 

Soojin pushes the door open after entering the code, she gets rid of her shoes and walks inside the dark apartment. She quickly finds Shuhua by the balcony, looking at the little bit of city she manages to see between the many buildings dressed in front of her. Fortunately, she lives on a hill, and she can see more than expected.

 

Soojin walks to her, she naturally drapes the woman of her blazer as she is standing in the cold night air with only a shirt. Shuhua turns to her, and without hesitation wraps her arms around Soojin’s waist, she presses herself against the woman.

 

« Is it okay if I hug you? »

 

« Hum. You already are, anyway. »

 

Soojin wraps her arms around Shuhua’s shoulders, she doesn’t squeeze the woman closer, but she gently rubs her back. Shuhua presses Soojin even closer, she breathes in, and she is surprised to meet a different smell than the one she is used to. The agent definitely drank during the night, there is still the sticky sensation of sweat present on her skin, and Shuhua can also feel a perfume completely alien mixing with it. She moves her head, closer to Soojin’s neck and she relaxes when she can smell Soojin’s natural smell.

 

« Wanna talk? »

 

« Can you stay the night? »

 

Soojin sighs, she already knew her night was over when Shuhua called her, but she was still hoping to get home afterward. She nods her response, and Shuhua with her forehead resting against Soojin’s neck can feel the movement.

 

« Thank you. »

 

« What happened? Hum? »

 

Soojin’s voice is so comforting, Shuhua believes it is because of the night it is lower than usual, she squeezes herself even closer to the woman. She closes her eyes and takes a minute before answering.

 

« I couldn’t sleep. »

 

« Because of tomorrow? »

 

« Yes. It always makes me nervous. I… This time, it feels even more important. I don’t want to mess up. »

 

Soojin rubs Shuhua’s back, Shuhua feels how the agent squeezes her lightly.

 

« I am sorry I bothered you. I just- »

 

« It is fine. You didn’t bother me as you say. I wouldn’t have come otherwise. »

 

Soojin looks around her, the balcony is heavy with different plants growing left and right, and two chairs handing among the plants. From there, she can see a part of the city, with the light of the streets barely illuminating the lonely pedestrians of the late hour.

 

Shuhua in her arms starts to feel heavier, and she has to nudge the actress to wake her up before she falls asleep while standing. Shuhua leans most of her weight on Soojin on the way to her bedroom and she pulls the other woman with her into her bed. Soojin doesn’t have the time to map the room, she is immediately wrapped in Shuhua’s hold.

 

The woman wraps her arm around Soojin’s waist, and her other hand rests on the agent's shoulder as she immediately seems to find sleep. Soojin lays there, her eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room, she can distinguish the form of the different furniture around the room after a few seconds.

 

Yet, she doesn’t care about it right now. She wants to escape her thoughts, to rest her mind, but now that nothing is keeping her entertained, it is impossible. Unlike Shuhua, sleep doesn’t come to her before the early hours of the day.

 

Shuhua wakes up in her sleep, scared that Soojin went away. She finds the agents sleeping peacefully against her, and in the haze of her sleep, she brings herself to snuggle closer to the other woman.

 

---

 

« Why are you guys acting so suspiciously? »

 

Soojin drinks from her glass of wine, her eyes going from Minnie to Miyeon, as the couple is looking back at her with an unexplained smile. It feels like they are planning something against her, and even if she isn’t very worried about it, Soojin would love to know what is happening.

 

Miyeon joins her hand together while Minnie claps her hands, and Soojin chuckles because the two share the same mannerism at times. Miyeon breaks into a shy giggle, and Minnie follows. Soojin watches from the other couch.

 

It is one of that rare moments when she feels both happy and nostalgic. Seeing Miyeon so genuinely happy will never fail to make Soojin happy. For the first person who became her friend in Korea and who showed her so much, and who took care of her when she was still a kid inside, Soojin will always be grateful and wish for her happiness.

 

Soojin knows herself now. Miyeon is a big part of her life, she will protect Miyeon’s happiness, always. And this is maybe this entire devotion that lives in her that brings the second feeling. Nostalgia.

 

Soojin, too, used to share those intimate moments between two lovers. When with only a look at each other you understand the other. Often it is because this look pulls toward a past situation they both shared and remember at the same time.

 

Soojin doesn’t like remembering those moments.

 

Deep inside, she misses this intimacy. Of someone knowing her so well, they don’t need words, where everything feels so comfortable when they are here when the world changes color with them. The intimacy of being known.

 

Soojin bites her lips, and her eyes sting, she finishes her glass of wine and leans on the couch she is sitting in. Eventually, she lays down and she listens to nothing of what the couple is saying, she dives into her world.

 

« Jinnie. Are you with us? »

 

Miyeon is crouching next to her, naturally, she takes one of Soojin’s hands in hers and rubs her thumb on the back. Soojin finally listens.

 

« I wanted to ask you something important. »

 

« I am listening. »

 

Minnie is looking at the pair from the other couch. Something is endearing in the delicate way Miyeon handles Soojin. Like she is a fragile object which could break easily, Minnie believes Soojin is a little bit of that sometimes.

 

« Would you be our officiant? At our wedding? »

 

Soojin sits up, she looks at Miyeon, then at Minnie, and Miyeon again. She keeps looking back and forth for a long moment. Miyeon squeezes and rubs her hand while waiting for her answer, she has a smile already present on her lips, she finds Soojin adorable.

 

« Yes. Yes. How can I ever say no. »

 

Miyeon and Minnie chuckle, Soojin looks at them with shiny eyes she is trying to keep her tears inside. Miyeon brings Soojin in a hug, and Minnie quickly joins them, Soojin lets herself be hugged by the two women, and maybe one tear fall down her cheek.

 

« Jinnie, you don’t have to hide your tears. »

 

« I am not crying. »

 

« Sure. »

 

---

 

« Soojin! »

 

« Shuhua. »

 

Shuhua beams as she enters the office of the agent, as always she is welcomed quite dryly, but now she notices the subtle smile which joins her name. Shuhua sits down in front of Soojin and waits for the agent to finish with her work. It is only then that she looks at Shuhua and gives her the attention the actress wants.

 

« I am hungry. Let’s get lunch together, shall we? »

 

Shuhua nods, and she follows the agent toward the elevator, Yong greets her on the way out. She keeps looking expectantly at Soojin as they ride down, the agent doesn’t make any comment on it, not even when Shuhua grabs her arm as they walk out of the building.

 

They arrive at the restaurant where Soojin is familiar with the owner, she warmly greets the agent before placing them at a table. They don’t even order, the owner just brings them the food once it is ready. Shuhua sits next to Soojin, the agent doesn’t say anything about it, she hands Shuhua chopsticks and fills up her glass with tea.

 

« How was your first meeting with the whole cast? »

 

« Yuqi was with me thankfully. I had already met most of the cast through chemistry auditions, so it wasn’t too… Well, everyone is very nice to me. Park Jiwan is really… hum… How to say it? She is very… precise. »

 

« Precise? »

 

« Yes. During the reading she gave a lot of directions, and- Oh this food is delicious. »

 

Shuhua leans over Soojin to grab more, the agent brings the plate closer to Shuhua. Soojin even puts more meat on Shuhua’s plate, kindly sharing the food with the other woman. Shuhua naturally leans toward Soojin as they eat.

 

Soojin isn’t a big talker when she eats, nor in general. So she quietly enjoys the food, for her, it is important to eat well. Secretly as she doesn’t voice it, Soojin enjoys seeing the people she cares about to eat well. From the corner of her eyes, she watches as Shuhua brings more and more food to .

 

« I didn’t know you were still taking Korean lessons until recently. Yuqi told me as we were making your schedule. »

 

Shuhua smiles, she finishes her bite before giving more info, but Soojin feels she is careful with her words.

 

« Is this why you wanted the questions beforehand? »

 

Soojin didn’t forget the first time they interacted. This day, she didn’t think much of Shuhua, except that she was a bit annoying for such a new coming actress. Now that she knows the reason, she understands. Because one day, she was just like her. In a foreign country, and trying her very best.

 

« I feel more confident when I already know. I… I am working hard, and I know I will get there. »

 

Soojin sighs, Shuhua has this way of pulling on her soft cord; she can just see so much of herself in Shuhua. There is an ardent desire to succeed, Soojin isn’t very sure where it comes from, but it is present. This is the reason she caved in so easily for the casting, what she saw was too intense for her to keep being stubborn.

 

« I understand. »

 

« You know, when you helped me this day, I thought you were the coldest person ever. But yet… You helped me and didn’t ask many questions. You are really… helpful. »

 

« Helpful? »

 

« Don’t be offended. It is a compliment, I only mean that you did things for me even if you didn’t seem to like me. »

 

« Yuqi asked me and I agreed. »

 

« Are Yuki and you close? Like… are you closer with her than with me? »

 

Soojin chuckles, because the question is a bit ridiculous.

 

« Yes. I am closer with Yuqi than with you. Yuqi is my friend. »

 

« Really? Am I not your friend? »

 

« Hum… Not really. »

 

« Not really! Why? »

 

« Why what? »

 

« Why is Yuqi your friend and not me? »

 

« I can’t really explain. … Yuqi is someone I feel comfortable calling my friend. To be honest… »

 

Soojin looks at Shuhua next to her who is very attentive to her words. There is a slight frown on her eyebrows, and Soojin finds it adorable how the woman is working herself up about the matter.

 

« … Our relationship shifted not long ago. Before she was more like a junior to me. Now, I see her as someone on the same level as I am. I think she grew up, she is someone I trust and respect. This is why I consider her a friend. »

 

« So you don’t trust nor respect me? »

 

« No. »

 

Soojin tries to hide her smile from the actress, but her desperate face is too much fun and she explodes into a happy laugh. Shuhua watches as her eyes become crescents. Soojin even hits her shoulder as she keeps laughing and Shuhua doesn’t even flinch. She just watches as the beautiful woman makes fun of her.

 

Soojin is truly beautiful when she laughs.

 

 

---

I realized I have this tendency when I like a character, I write them through the eyes of the characters they are interacting with. This way we don't see much of their internal dialog but rather how the other characters feel about them at the instant. I don't know if it is a good thing, but I am... working on it.

Also, I recently read a lengthy article on Yuqi. I fell even more in love with her, and I plan to take even more care of her character which is not that far away from the way I see her IRL.

As for Soyeon, I read a tarot reading about her IRL, and... I don't know if everything is true, I don't think so. BUT it helped me build more of her character.

To end this note. I recently met a girl, and I have to admit, she occupies a bit of my time. :) And I still haven't figured out the number of chapters. :)