Ji-won used her fingers to apply a shiny eye shadow primer on her lids before brushing on a shimmery taupe brown and applying to the outer edges of her eyes a dark brown.  She lined the inner corners of her eyes with a champagne and then lined her waterline with black and curled her lashes.  That was the finishing touch and she didn’t want to spend more time on her make up than she already had to.   

She wore the dress she had just bought for the reception.  In the morning, she made a mad dash to the store to look for a suitable dress.  Originally, she wanted to wear pants but decided against it because it was a reception after all and didn’t want to be the only person who dressed down.  It was bronze, strapless, and a trumpet like shape.   The dress was floor length, even after she put on her sandals.

Even though it was a formal evening, she still didn’t go glam all the way.  Her love for the quick and easy, still shone through.  Her hair was poofed just a little in the front and tied into a side ponytail, simple and easy.   

“Seung-ri and Tae-yang better not let me down,” Ji-won said aloud to herself to try to calm her nerves. 

Before they left she had practically begged them to find her a date for tonight, and they both said they had someone in mind.  Hopefully, that someone was going to make it in time.  They had assured her he was reliable so she let them hold her social life in the palm of their hands.  If he didn’t show up, the police were going to find their necks strangled and their bodies in the dumpster behind the apartment. 

“Are you sure he will be there?”  She made one last call to Seung-ri before she left for the reception.

“Yes.  He has confirmed it and will be there.  He knows what you look like, so don’t worry.”

“Okay.”  She grabbed her clutch and walked out the door.  She took the elevator to catch the cab; the driver had just phoned that he had arrived.

In the lobby, mouths dropped as those who always saw her in her business suits and pajamas realized who it was.  They finally saw what Ji-won never knew she was hiding, and still didn’t know she was hiding, underneath her tomboyish demeanor and playfulness: a y woman who exuded confidence and maturity.

“Omma, who is that?” a small voice from behind a middle aged woman asked.  They were waiting for a cab as well.

Ji-won was standing on the curb waiting for her cab driver who had lied that he was outside waiting.  She bent over a little to peek at who the little voice belonged to and recognized the little boy who lived below her.

“Khunnie, it’s me.  Noona from upstairs.” She smiled and pulled out a lollipop from her clutch.

Man, I am getting old if I can pull out candy like that from my bag for kids.  Yikes!

He shyly plucked the candy from her hand and tried to hide behind his mom.

Wow!  I must look horrendous if he’s so scared to look at me.  She thought this as her cab finally pulled up.  She closed the door and didn’t hear him whisper to his mother:

“Omma, she looks so pertiful.  Are you sure it’s the same noona?”

She arrived at the reception hall with only five minutes to spare.  Anyone who knew her well knew she was always late–8 p.m. meant 15 or 20 minutes after.  She rushed up the steps but walked calmly as she got inside, still a little breathless from the dash.

“Name, please.”

“I’m an employee of Phoenix Rose.  Is it okay if I wait for a little bit?  I’m waiting for my date.”

“Ji-won? Ji-won, it’s Yoo-na.”

“Yoo-na?  Oh my gosh!  I thought you were busy tonight?”  She had been so distracted from the fear of her date not showing up that she didn’t even realize who it was. 

“Sit here with me while you wait.  You can help me sign the guests in.”

“Yeah, okay.”  She opened up her clutch to check the time on her cell phone.  It was already ten past the hour with no date in sight. 

“Unnie, the reception won’t officially begin until 8:30 so you still have time.”

She waited for an hour with Yoona in the lobby to check the guests in.  Every time a single man came in, she would get up but to no avail, their date was in the restroom or following a short distance behind and then they would check in together at the table.  She saw the occasional glances Yoona and the young man sitting next to Yoona directed her way and saw the sympathy in their faces.

“Unnie, maybe he’s still coming?”

“I doubt it.  He probably took one look and left or whatever.  That’s okay.”

“Sorry I’m late.”

Ji-won smiled and extended her hand to shake his.  For an hour she had been sitting, deathly afraid her date had bailed on her and it looked like maybe Seung-ri and Tae-yang just didn’t give her phone number to him.  He was just running late.  She breathed a sigh of relief and Yoona smiled at her.

“Ok Taecyeon from One Korea and one guest.”

Ji-won tried not to turn the smile upside down but continued to extend her hand to him, which he finally took. 

“Nice to meet you.  Kim Ji-won from Phoenix Rose.”

“Phoenix Rose?  We’re collaborating with you on a project.  It’s nice to meet you.”

Like all the men in her life, he walked away with a beautiful girl on one arm and left her standing at the table.

“Yoo-na, I think I’m going to go in.  My co-workers are probably waiting for me.”

"Don’t worry.  I’m sure he’ll be here.”

 "One hour is long enough already.  I’ll be back here to help you if you need it though.  Just text me.  You should have texted me that you were going to be here so I wouldn’t have looked for a date.”

With her head held high, she walked down the hall, and it felt like a hall of shame.  She walked down the hall holding on to no one’s arm and it felt like hours.  Upon opening the door, she found the room full of glitz and glamour, not the most comfortable environment for her. 

This year, the reception received an upgrade because of the high profile philanthropists who were in attendance.  She could have been walking into the Dae-Jung Awards for all she knew.  There were a multitude of tables with women in evening wear and men in tuxes.  With all the lights shining, it was hard to see where the company’s table was.

“Ma’am, where to?”

“Phoenix Rose.”

“Right this way.”

The usher took her through twists and turns.  She bumped into a couple of chairs along the way and apologized to people who glared at her in return.

“Unnie, unnie!”  Hyo-ri waved at her from the table and pointed to the chair next to her. 

She quickly sat down as another award was being presented.  Looking beside her, she saw no one had saved an extra chair in the case she did have a date.  No one made a statement about her lack of one as well, and she was thankful but a little perturbed because it seemed they didn’t expect her to have one. 

“Unnie, we saved two chairs but Ji-hoon oppa brought two dates so we had to give an extra chair to him.  Where’s your date?” Hyo-ri whispered. 

“Oh, he canceled on me at the last minute so I didn’t have a chance to find a replacement.”

“Unnie, you should have called me!  I have a brother who would have gone with you.  I’ve been meaning to—”  Hyo-ri was interrupted with shushing from Hyun-bin.  Apparently he was paying attention to the award winners.

Time passed award after award: an award for marketing and communications, an award for excellence in fundraising, an award for just about everything. Too long an evening with too many lights was beginning to make her temples throb.  Even after the last award, there was still the final honoree, Lee Soo-jin.  Her boss was being presented with the lifetime achievement award for her contributions to the community.  Ji-won decided that after that final presentation she would leave; that was the only reason she came anyway. 

“Ladies and gentleman, I thank you for this recognition.  I do not know if I’m deserving of such a title, lifetime achievement, but know that I will treasure it and it will encourage me to continue to pursue my passion.     

“For the past two decades I have been battling injustices and the encroachment of the government on civil rights among our nation’s poorest and none of this would be possible without the assistance of my staff.  The list is quite long but I just want to name a few very instrumental individuals:  Kim Ji-won, Lee Hyo-ri, and Song Hyun-bin.  Thank you.”

“Please do not leave.  We have an excellent string orchestra here and lots of room for networking and dancing.  You know what they say: it’s not who you know but who knows what you know!”

Laughter penetrated the hall at MC Koo's clever remarks, and it made her headache just that tad worse.  Chopin’s Sonate Por Piano et Cellobegan to surface from the noise of shuffling chairs and chattering couples.  People started dancing, including just about everyone from the organization. 

“Unnie, do you want one more glass of wine?” Hyo-ri asked.

“No, she can’t really hold her alcohol.”  Someone from behind Ji-won interjected before she could answer.

Hyo-ri’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets.  Ji-won thought for a moment she might have to pick them off the ground and give them back.  Ji-won felt the little hairs on her neck rise, and could see Hyun-bin a little uncomfortable from Hyo-ri’s reaction.  He pulled her up to dance and left Ji-won alone.

* * * * *

“Tae-yang, I don’t know about this.  She might kill me.”

“Forget it!  Let me do it.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Seung-ri shoved Tae-yang aside, “She’s calling me.”   He was struggling to put his shoe on and so hopped to his phone on the bed.

The night before Ji-won had asked Tae-yang and Seung-ri to find her a date for an awards reception she had to attend.  Neither had the heart to say no because she sounded so desperate.  After they left her apartment, both had a conundrum on their hands and both had also individually decided what to do after their dates were over but neither had informed the other.   

“This is your chance to show her you’re not the little boy next door, and if you’re scared, I’m not afraid to let you know that I’m the better dancer.  I’ll do it.”  Tae-yang had a tux bag ready to go and was already heading for it before Seung-ri could answer.   

“Move aside.”   He shoved Tae-yang one more time, who then fell onto the bed and immediately fell off it.

“Punk.”  Tae-yang dusted himself off . 

Seung-ri stepped in front of the mirror and slipped on his tux jacket.  He would have preferred to go without it and wear just the white button up shirt with the vest but Seung-ri thought Ji-won would appreciate something more formal.  He had even decided to forgo his sneakers for a pair of dress shoes just for her.

“I hate to admit it but you’re looking very slick.” 

"I always do.” 

“I heard the door close earlier, and I’m sure she’s already on the way there.”

“Yeah, I told her he would meet her over there.  Do you think she suspects anything?”

“Just hurry up because if you don’t, I’m going to go for you.”

“Okay. Okay.  You can stay here but keep my things clean.  My bedroom is off-limits.  Use the guest bedroom if you absolutely have to.”  Seung-ri grabbed his keys on the kitchen counter and left Tae-yang behind in the bedroom.

“I like the way you think!” Tae-yang called after him.  Tae-yang’s finger was already scrolling through his multitude of numbers. 

Seung-ri dashed through the apartment lobby and waited for valet to bring his car.  He was getting impatient as his watch struck 8:00 because he should have already been there by now.  He had allowed her ample time to get there first but she was always running late which made him even later. 

“Sir, it looks like your car won’t start.”

“What?!  It was fine last night.”

“We’re not sure what the problem is but we can get you a cab if you’re in a hurry.”

“Yeah, yeah that’s good.  I’m running late.”

The doorman waved over for a cab and the five minutes it took for the cab to arrive felt like an hour to Seung-ri.  He was going to be extremely late if they didn’t hurry.  He jumped in and pulled out the invitation to give to the cab driver. 

“It shouldn’t take that long, right?”

“Maybe ten or fifteen minutes at the most.”

“Good.  As fast as you can then.  I’ll pay you extra for each minute you get me there earlier.”

Thirty minutes later they were stuck in traffic and still at least a mile from the reception hall.  The cab driver claimed he was taking a short cut but it was already double the time he had originally estimated they would arrive. 

Seung-ri was getting fidgety and finally made up his mind. 

“This is good enough for me.  I’ll go the rest of the way.”  Seung-ri looked at the meter, gave the driver his fare, and jumped out the door.  Traffic was stalled so he started jogging through the street and onto the side walk. 

Ji-won is going to kill me.

People stared at him as he ran through the streets in his formal attire.  It was likely one of the most embarrassing moments in his life but something more important lay on the line, Ji-won.  He was running out of breath but determined to make it there for her.  After ten minutes of running through the streets and jumping over bushes and avoiding people on the sidewalk, the hall was finally in sight.

He stopped outside the doors to catch his breath and walked in as calmly as he possibly could, even though he felt like he was going to collapse.  He knew he was perspiring but it was the sacrifice he had to make.  From the corner of his eye, he saw a bronze dress pass into the ballroom and figured that was the location of the reception  

“Oppa, I thought you weren’t coming.”  Someone stopped him before he could budge.  It was Yoo-na.  Last night she had asked him to her to the reception but he had lied and said he was busy. 

"I wasn’t but I’m supposed to meet someone inside.”

“Oh!” 

“Kim Ji-won from Phoenix Rose.”  

“Why are you so late?”  Yoo-na glared at him.  “She waited her for an hour and you didn’t show so she went inside.  She thinks you stood her up.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose.  I was on time but there was traffic.  I just ran over a mile to get here.” 

“You kind of smell too.  Here.”  She took out her mint breath freshener and sprayed it all over him.  “That should mask your body odor.  Hurry up.  She’s already inside.”

“Thanks, Yoo-na.  I owe you one.”