« So… Nothing is decided yet. »

 

« I am well aware. Everything will be settled with tonight’s dinner. I just needed your approval, before pushing it further. »

 

Soojin is sitting in Minnie’s office, Park Jiwan’s script laying on the desk between them. Minnie read it too, and she agrees with her agent, the script is Soojin’s occasion to achieve her dream. But she is also cautious, there are many things to take into consideration, especially if Soojin plans to bear the project on her shoulders.

 

There are more things to worry about than Soojin might think. Even if her agent is strong and capable, Minnie worries.

 

« I trust you, Soojin. »

 

« Thank you. »

 

Minnie thinks about her next words. Her fingers reach for the script, and she opens and turns the pages, without focusing or searching for anything in particular. She is just trying to put her thoughts in a coherent sentence that won’t trigger Soojin’s rebellious side. She needs to make sure, despite her worries, that Soojin understands she is a hundred percent behind her.

 

« Tonight, you will meet Park Jiwan, right? »

 

« Yes. Lee Sanghoon will be here too. »

 

Minnie nods, she isn’t worried about Lee Sanghoon’s influence on Soojin. The man promised her to never put Soojin in a position where she has to choose between him and NYA’s interests. Minnie made it a legal, binding document they both signed. Something Soojin isn’t aware of, nor does she need to know about.

 

« I understand and respect your dream, Soojin. I want you to know that I entirely support you on this project. »

 

« Don’t do that. Spill it. »

 

« I think of the company’s interest before anything else. »

 

« What kind of contract will I have to make Park Jiwan digest? »

 

Minnie smiles. Soojin knows her well after all these years.

 

Minnie and the legal department of NYA are like sharks. They see everything, every problem, and they always manage to make contracts that serve their interest more than the opposite party could even understand.

 

Soojin negotiated her contract with NYA for about two months before signing anything. Minnie got a headache from the woman, and it may be one of the only contracts where the winner is not NYA. The amount of special clauses for Soojin is ten pages long, Minnie had to bow in front of such skill.

 

« I want you to think carefully of how much of yourself you will put in this movie. You represent the company, don’t forget that. »

 

« I thought about it already. »

 

« Okay. »

 

Soojin nods a few times, before standing up and walking out of Minnie’s office with the precious script under her arm.

 

Her conversation with Minnie changed nothing about her vision for this movie. She knows exactly how much she can get out of this movie for herself, but also her company. One thing is sure, all the actors are going to be from NYA. But most importantly, Soojin plans to have her name on the credits of the movie, not just NYA’s.

 

---

 

« I am sure Minnie talked with you before tonight. »

 

Lee Sanghoon, Soojin’s mentor, laughs at his own words. The one time he met Minnie as the CEO of NYA, he immediately understood what kind of person he had in from of him. Someone meticulous, who serves her interest before anything else. Unlike Soojin who serves the cinema before anything else, Minnie has a high sense of business.

 

« I am lucky she didn’t pull a contract out of her drawer. »

 

« She trusts you. »

 

Soojin knows, she can’t fail. Not only for herself but for her company.

 

Minnie is smart, using Soojin’s loyalty to get the woman to act in consequence is something she is used to doing. Everyone has something which can be used for negotiations, and tonight it is Soojin’s mission to find it.

 

« I trust you too, Soojin. »

 

Soojin nods, it seems like everyone does.

 

On paper, it is a dinner for Soojin and Jiwan to meet and discover more about each other while talking about Jiwan’s next movie. In reality, it is Soojin playing her life, and Jiwan… hitting on Soojin. Soojin refuses to get out of this dinner with her only angle of attack being Jiwan’s attraction toward her person.

 

Jiwan’s attraction for Soojin is hard to miss, and Sanghoon is having a great time watching his little protégée trying to be professional while being hit on so vigorously.

 

The flame in Soojin’s eyes is the same as when she started under Sanghoon’s mentorship. She has her prey and refuses to let go, she will stay at this table until she gets what she wants. Even if there is currently a foot caressing her calve.

 

Soojin uses both her charm and her intelligence to get what she needs. She is less subtle than Remy, but she always finds her way around a problem. Eventually, the dinner comes to an end, but not before Jiwan gives her personal number to the agent.

 

« Congratulation. You are on your way to Cannes. »

 

« You could have told me. »

 

« I am sorry Soojin, I wasn’t aware of her liking. »

 

Soojin sighs. The dinner was a success, Jiwan liked every single one of Soojin’s propositions, and they have to meet at her office next week. Soojin also understood most of Jiwan’s worries concerning her second movie concerned losing her creative freedom to a big producing company.

 

It can happen, when a screenwriter makes such an impressive debut with their first movie, the producing company that signs to produce their second movie try to influence its artistic direction. They are just scared to be investing in a one-time wonder, and often ruin the second movie by wanting to make it look too much like the first success.

 

« Anyway. Thank you. »

 

Soojin bows her head to her mentor. Sincere words, with a low bow. Sanghoon pats her shoulder, he knows how the woman must be feeling right now. The excitement of starting the long road to your dream.

 

---

 

« Soojin! Remy! »

 

Soojin lets Miyeon brings her in a hug, but she doesn’t make an effort to wrap her arms around the woman. Remy answers Miyeon’s hug by squeezing her against him. Soojin rolls her eyes at the action but doesn’t comment.

 

« You know the rules. No work talk. »

 

Soojin smiles innocently, Miyeon responds with a warning glare before escorting her two guests to the living room.

 

There, Minnie is animatedly talking with some of her friends. Soojin and Remy know most of them well, this isn’t their first time at such gathering at the Miyeon and Minnie’s household. The two women enjoy holding dinners, game nights, and even small events with their friends.

 

« If your deductions are good, you should be even nicer to Miyeon. »

 

« If I become too nice, Miyeon will worry even more. »

 

Remy chuckles. Soojin walks toward Minnie while giving a suggestive look to the man.

 

Minnie greets her happily, excited, and already beaming from the perspective of the evening. Lisa, one of Minnie’s close friends, warmly greets Soojin, giving her a long hug; to which Soojin doesn’t even complain. She loosely wraps an arm around the other woman’s waist.

 

Bambam another one of Minnie’s close friends greets Soojin more formally. He is still very much impressed by the woman, despite not being their first meeting. He blushes every time he makes eye contact with her for more than a few seconds. At first, he even thought she was an actress,

 

Soojin searches Remy with her eyes and smiles when she sees him using his charms with one of Miyeon’s childhood friends he always found really cute, but who is already married.

 

« It is always Remy you are looking at. When are you guys making it official? »

 

« When are you making it official with your girlfriend? You aren’t fooling anyone. »

 

Lisa blushes. Minnie and Bambam laugh under their sleeve. Soojin always hits right.

 

« But seriously, who will you bring along once Remy is taken? »

 

Soojin locks eyes with Remy, and they both smile at each other.

 

The man might be Soojin’s favorite person, she trusts him with her life, and believe everything will get better as long as Remy is by her side. Yet, their relationship always stayed platonic. Despite everyone telling them they would make a nice couple, or the amount of time they got mistaken as one, their relationship never changed.

 

Minnie believes she got lucky. Soojin and Remy immediately got along with each other when they first started to work together. Remy often is the middle ground of Soojin and Minnie’s arguments. Without him, Soojin and Minnie might have already come to hand.

 

« Since everyone is here, we should head to the table. »

 

Soojin follows Lisa, the woman is telling her about her plan for her holidays, and why Soojin should definitely check out this place in the future. They end up sitting next to each other, and Soojin pouts when she realizes Remy is far away from her.

 

There are eight at the table, with Minnie and Miyeon at each end of the table. Soojin is at Minnie’s right, Lisa next to her, and Bambam is facing her. Remy is sitting next to Bambam, with Miyeon’s best friend, Sohee, on his left. Finally, on Miyeon’s left is sitting, Yujin, her childhood friend, whom Remy finds really cute.

 

« Seriously, Soojin. Remy and you could take the industry by storm. »

 

« Miyeon said “no work talk”, do you want to upset her? »

 

Lisa immediately shuts up. Miyeon can be scary, and she doesn’t want to be at the receiving end of her anger. Soojin chuckles, she finds it funny how Lisa is scared of such a cutie like Miyeon.

 

« Soojin, don’t torment my friends. »

 

Soojin rolls her eyes, it doesn’t go unnoticed by Remy who gives her a look, and they both smile knowingly.

 

Most of the dinner goes like this, Soojin and Remy exchange quiet looks which tell a story only they understand. Miyeon notices the two but says nothing. Minnie is too excited about the dessert to notice everything going on at her table.

 

Finally, when the dessert comes, Minnie and Miyeon stand next to each other, Minnie’s arm wrapped around the other woman’s waist, and a huge smile on her lips. Soojin finds them adorable together.

 

« We are engaged! »

 

« We are getting married! »

 

Soojin breaks into a happy smile and even lets out a small squeal at the announcement. It gets lost in the cheers of all the guess who stand up to congratulate the couple. Minnie smiles so hard that her eyes disappear, and Miyeon hugs everyone out of happiness.

 

« Come on, go and hug Miyeon. Be nice. »

 

Soojin sighs at Remy's joking tone, she walks to Miyeon and hugs the woman. She congratulates her, maybe three or four times, but it is all sincere, Soojin is truly happy for the couple.

 

---

 

« Yeah… Miss Kim and Miss Cho are getting married. Didn’t you hear- »

 

« Yong! Do I pay you to gossip about our CEO’s love life? »

 

Yong jumps, and immediately runs to Soojin’s office, leaving Siwoo laughing behind her. Soojin indicates her a pile of envelopes ready to be sent, Yong immediately takes them and brings them to the front desk to be sent. She still doubles checks each of them, before leaving them here.

 

Soojin has been in a changing mood these days. It seems her rendezvous with, screenwriter Park Jiwan, woke up different thoughts in her. The closer she gets to signing the contract with Jiwan, the more disastrous her temper gets.

 

« Soojin? »

 

« Hum… »

 

« I need a favor. »

 

« Hum… »

 

« Could you go on set to check on Shuhua? She is panicking as she has to give an interview. »

 

« Why do you think I am the good person for this job? »

 

« You aren’t my first choice. »

 

Soojin finally looks at Yuqi who seems almost embarrassed to ask Soojin for help. Soojin appreciates her honesty.

 

It is just that Soojin is Yuqi’s last chance, she has an important meeting to find funds for a new drama, and she can’t just cancel it. Remy is visiting a shooting taking place out of Seoul, and James is having lunch at the opposite side of where Shuhua is shooting. Sending Minnie isn’t even a possibility.

 

« Fine. Send me the address. »

 

Soojin closes her computer, takes her bag and coat, and walks off the office. She takes a cab and quickly arrives at the shooting.

 

Shuhua is currently shooting a romance drama where she has the second lead role. Her image is really cute and innocent, but her personality can be witty and teasing. A great combination in Soojin’s opinion. Not that she is a big fan of the actress.

 

« Where is Shuhua? »

 

A member of the crew indicates a small caravan in the parking lot. Soojin walks determinedly, she opens the door without knocking, ready to find a crying actress. Instead, she finds the woman eating snacks on the couch of her small caravan. With her school uniform, she doesn’t look her age.

 

« Yuqi sent me. »

 

Soojin sits down next to Shuhua and steals some of her snacks.

 

« So? »

 

« I don’t want to do the interview. »

 

« Why? »

 

« … »

 

Soojin takes her phone out, she types some memo for Yong as an idea just passed through her mind. While Shuhua continues to eat her snacks, Soojin takes the time to check her emails, before having her phone taken away.

 

« Hey! Give it back! »

 

« You should be helping me. »

 

« I am! Why do you think I am here? »

 

Shuhua keeps the phone away from Soojin. The agent stands up, puts her hands on her hips, and looks at Shuhua dead in the eyes. Her face is unreadable, yet Shuhua doesn’t flatter under her gaze and looks right back at her.

 

« What’s your problem, kid? »

 

« I am twenty-three. »

 

« You are wearing a school uniform. »

 

« I play a student. Have you heard about being an actress? »

 

Soojin rolls her eyes.

 

« Give me my phone back. »

 

« Then help me with the interview. »

 

« What is the problem with the interview? »

 

« They refuse to give me the questions beforehand. »

 

« And? »

 

« I want them to give me the questions! »

 

Soojin sighs, she holds her hand out, and Shuhua gives her the phone back.

 

« I have things to do. Important things. »

 

« It is important for me. »

 

Soojin looks at Shuhua, there is something the woman isn’t telling her, but she doesn’t have the time for that. She gets out of the caravan and finds the interview team. It takes her five minutes to get the questions and even the general feeling of the interview from them.

 

The agent then comes back to Shuhua’s caravan and gives her what she asked. She explains to the actress a thing or two about the interview, and when she is sure everything is okay for the woman, she goes back to her office.

 

Cold, but helpful is how Shuhua describes Soojin to Yuqi once she gets to call her agent.

 

---

 

« What do you think? »

 

Minnie nods, she keeps turning the pages of the contract in front of her. Soojin did a good job with the legal team, they thought of everything. Minnie doesn’t comment on the special clauses Soojin put at the end of the contract. She just realizes the woman has learned well.

 

« I think I was right to trust you. »

 

Soojin has been part of NYA ever since the beginning, and Minnie is glad to see how far the woman has come. Her devotion to the cinema has never flattered and is always the base of her decisions, but now she also sees the financial aspect and is a tiny bit more reasonable.

 

« When is Park Jiwan coming? »

 

« In less than an hour. »

 

« How do you feel? »

 

Soojin grunts, and lets her head fall on Minnie’s desk. The woman laughs at such visual confirmation of her anxious state. It is wonderful to see Soojin takes every step toward her dream.

 

« Her lawyer kept sending us back the contract. I think I lost five years of my life worrying about it. »

 

« It is only the beginning. »

 

« Don’t mention it. »

 

Minnie pats Soojin’s hand. Soojin got herself on a long journey, and she plans to support her friend and employee all the way.

 

« I didn’t get to tell you this weekend, but I am very happy for Miyeon and you. »

 

« Thank you, Soojin. »

 

Minnie gives her a warm smile, they are still at the office so Minnie doesn’t break into a full beaming smile as she wished.

 

Soojin leaves Minnie’s office and decides to go for a walk outside before Park Jiwan arrives. She tells Yong to call her only if anything important happens.

 

This project with Park Jiwan is Soojin's golden ticket to Cannes. The perspective of achieving her dream makes her excited and worried. It feels like she has to climb a mountain that never ends, and at the same time, she is flying. The walk doesn’t lessen any of her worries, and she comes back to her office more anxious than when she left.

 

Remy forbids her from drinking another coffee, and she spends ten minutes running from one side of the office to the other, making everyone anxious around her. The whole floor sighs in relief when they see Park Jiwan arriving at the front desk, as the anxious Soojin will finally let them work in peace.

 

« Hello. Let’s go to my office. »

 

Park Jiwan follows Soojin, Minnie is already in Soojin’s office, and she greets the screenwriter and director warmly. Even if Soojin will be the one bearing the project on her shoulders, Minnie’s signature is also needed on the contract, plus Soojin asked her to be here.

 

Soojin leads the discussion, she explains again the contract, the view of NYA, and how much they will be involved in the production. She also mentions her involvement in the production as a person, independently from NYA.

 

Minnie only smiles while watching Soojin, she understands what Lee Sanghoon saw in her years ago. No one loves cinema more than Soojin. Not even Park Jiwan, herself.

 

Each of them signs the contract, and their meeting takes an end nicely. Park Jiwan shakes Soojin’s hand for a long moment. Her earlier attraction for the agent changed into respect after witnessing more of her burning passion for her job.

 

---

 

« Soojin. »

 

« Ah. Shuhua. »

 

Soojin briefly looks up from her phone. Shuhua isn’t wearing a school uniform, and she suddenly looks more mature. Something Soojin appreciates. The actress doesn’t go away, but the agent doesn’t care, she continues to answer her email.

 

« Yuqi’s office is further away down the corridor. »

 

« It is you I want to see. »

 

« I don’t take new talent. »

 

Soojin opens a drawer and gets out a blue file which she starts to look through. Something is troubling her about one of the pieces of information, and she needs to find the evidence, she is indeed right, and the person mailing her at their job.

 

« I wanted to thank you for the other time. »

 

« You’re welcome. »

 

« I don’t know how you did it… But it really helped me, I ha- »

 

« Okay, that is great Shuhua. Bye now, I am working. »

 

That’s Soojin. Conversations must have a point, once there is nothing more to say, the conversation ends. Unfortunately, Shuhua doesn’t seem to get the cue. The woman walks to Soojin and takes her phone away.

 

« Hey! Do you have a problem? Give me my phone! »

 

« Would it kill you to look at the person talking to you? »

 

« Give me my phone! »

 

Soojin stands up, she tries to reach for her phone over her desk but Shuhua keeps it away from the other woman’s reach which irritates Soojin even more.

 

Fortunately for Shuhua, Yuqi is passing by and sees the two women through the glasses walls of Soojin’s office. She immediately stops it from going out of hand. Soojin can be quite colorful in her words, and Shuhua doesn’t seem to have understood what kind of person Soojin is.

 

« Are you crazy? Why are you trying to anger Soojin? »

 

« I just wanted her to look at me while talking. »

 

« It is not because she doesn’t look at you that she doesn’t listen to you. »

 

« I just think she should be more polite. »

 

Yuqi groans. How naive can Shuhua be?

 

---

 

« Congratulation, Seo Soojin! »

 

Soojin laughs at the excessive singing from Remy. He even does a small choreography, and finally puts a small cake in front of Soojin with a candle. She blows the candle, but not before making a wish. Remy claps and puts down two beers on her desk.

 

« I thought you would be taking me out. »

 

« I thought about it. But seeing how much it matters to you, I decided it would be better for us to just talk. »

 

« You know me well. »

 

Remy smiles, the long dimple on his left cheek showing.

 

Soojin manages to cut the cake and gives Remy a bit. They fall into a comfortable silence as they eat the cake, and drink their beer. It is late already, and the floor is empty, except for them. Soojin likes the silence, and tranquility of the night.

 

Remy invites Soojin to come to the couch with him and they sit down next to each other. Eventually, Soojin lets her head fall on Remy’s shoulder. A long sigh leaves her lips.

 

« Already tired? »

 

« Not really. I am just thinking. »

 

« May I be of any help? »

 

« Now that everything has been settled with Park Jiwan. She is searching for her lead actress. I have to make a list of all the candidates, and I am thinking about who could fit the role. »

 

Remy nods, he drinks more of his beer.

 

Soojin closes her eyes, her brain going through all the actresses they have under contract at NYA. Soojin is the agent with the most actresses, the woman is very particular when it comes to her talent, and she barely has any man among her talents.

 

For Soojin, the script is also a way of putting one of her talents on the main stage of Korean cinema. She needs to choose well. Minnie told her to consider every single actress under NYA, but Soojin is sure to find a way for one of her actresses to take the role. There is no way she is leaving even one bit of this project to someone else.

 

« I am proud of you, Soojin. »

 

« Ah… I hope I will do well. »

 

« You can always count on me. »

 

« I know… »

 

 

---

The title gives it away, but this story has been inspired by the TV show "Call My Agent". Soojin's character has been inspired by Andréa Martel.