I sat nervously tapping my fingers on the glass table of the meeting room, of which only three chairs were occupied. Two were by Ji Hye and I, the other a rugged man in his early thirties with thick framed glasses and hair that looked like it needed cutting. He had introduced himself as Jung Sung Ki, a few minutes ago, as one of the main editors of Style Magazine whose very headquarters they were at now. Silently he went through the stack of papers he had brought into the room with him, and placed a few pages in front of me which were highlighted and neatly tagged with post-its.

“We’re so thankful that you could answer out request. Seeing your company’s first response towards our invitation I was beginning to think it was impossible,” he said very kindly.

“Oh, no. It should be us thanking you for showing interest in Erika,” Ji Hye gracefully responded. I just smiled and continued to bite my lip out of pure habit. I was still trying to settle my anxious heart.

“This basically outlines what we hope to get from you, which mainly consists of interviews and photo shoots.” He flipped the page and used his finger to point to another highlighted section. “This is the payment and the rest is basically the usual legal stuff. Have a read through it and see if you’d like to change anything.”

Ji Hye skimmed through it, clearly familiar with the content, and after a couple of questions she urged me to sign it; my first project. Dates were set up for concept meeting, shoots and interviews then within two hours or so, we prepared to leave.

“I’m lacking in experience, but I’ll do my best. I hope for your future guidance,” I told Sung Ki-ssi and bowed right before we parted ways. He gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

“You better start getting used to this. Bigger things will come your way, I’m sure of it,” he said.

The meetings didn’t end there; the both of us went out and about Seoul for the entire day, coming in and out of food and fashion companies, broadcasting stations and the like. They really were going to start putting my face out there.

“We have to strike while the iron’s hot. Get your face out there first, while we work on your acting and modelling,” Ji Hye explained in the car at the end of the day. I barely saw the clear blue skies since we were always indoors, and now the darkness had taken over with the city brightened only by man-made lights.

“I wonder what the people at my old work will think. Their newly recruited HR employee in a commercial, that’s got to be a first,” I mumbled. I was going to hand in my letter of resignation tomorrow. “But acting? I thought I would only be a model?”

“It’s always nice to learn a skill or two, and plus it’ll help you in photo shoots. Trust me.”

“Ah, I see.”

“By the way Nam Gook oppa called me a while ago, telling me to drop you off at Ji Yong oppa’s house.” I was tired, but that brought a smile to my face.

“Good, I want to see him as well.”

“Ah, unni! I’m so jealous of you,” Ji Hye exclaimed as continued to make her way through the busy streets of the city. “I’ve never seen someone so… comfortable around oppa. I’ve known him for a while and I still freak out sometimes.”

I laughed at her little fan girl outburst. If only Ji Hye knew what was going through my head and my heart beneath the cool exterior. I was anything but calm.

Ji Hye left after I told her to drive home safely, and I made my way up towards my fiancé’s apartment. The amount of security that that title brought me was simply immeasurable. We didn’t need a piece of paper to tell us that we belonged with each other; that was just icing on top of the cake. But it was always good to follow tradition. I beeped in the code, and the familiar tune followed, signifying that the door was unlocked.

It was strangely dark inside, and I was quietly thankful for the automatic light in the foyer where I fumbled to get my wedges off. I was just about to turn on the living room lights when I saw the single lamp in the blackness which shone down onto the leather couch, illuminating Ji Yong’s sleeping figure. He was sprawled there, head comfortably on a cushion and a single notebook lay open on his stomach, pen still between his fingers. Ji Yong must have waited for me for a while, and a part of me felt apologetic.  Cautiously I approached him who was peacefully breathing, lifted the notebook and pen out of his grasp, and then lay beside him. Naturally, he shifted his body to face me and then threw his arms around my waist to pull me in closer. I nuzzled my head into his chest and it was there that I fell asleep.

I awoke to the most pleasant of sights that morning; Ji Yong’s loving eyes and warm smile watching me affectionately. He must’ve thought the same.

“This is a nice surprise to wake up to,” Ji Yong said, leaning down to kiss me softly.

“I’m sorry I got here so late last night.”

“What time did you come in?”

“Close to midnight,” I said, letting a yawn escape my lips. I looked at the clock on the wall that showed it was only six thirty in the morning. No wonder I was still tired.

“That late!? You should’ve gone home instead of sleeping on the couch.”

“I wanted to see you.” He caressed my cheek, and then tucked my hair behind my ears.

“So did I,” he agreed.

Despite both of us wanting to do nothing more than stay home with each other, work beckoned, and so Ji Yong dropped me off in front of my old company before going back to YG. It wasn’t really my old company, I had only been here for a little more than a week, but they had accepted me nonetheless and I was responsible for cleanly cutting my ties with them in the end. To be surprised at seeing my resignation was an understatement, the head of the department, the man who had interviewed me, was simply mind blown and just genuinely confused.

“Did something happen Erika-ssi?” he asked.

“You could say that. I’m sorry I can’t specify any more than that; it’s a little… private. But it’s impossible for me to come to work now,” I explained. A part of me was glad I signed those confidentiality contracts yesterday. Telling my boss that I’m going to work as a model would make for a highly strange conversation.

“Is it the wages? Or your colleagues? You were doing an extremely good job, your reports were perfect.”

“No, no. It’s nothing like that.” I waved my hands frantically at my attempt to prevent any misunderstandings. “I’m just taking a different path for now.”

“Something so sudden like this, for someone who’s still in their probationary period… I’m not sure what I can do about your salary.”

“It’s fine. Think of it as accepting an internship for a week. I’m so sorry for the trouble; I understand I’m being a terrible inconvenience.”

“Just be glad you haven’t signed a work contract with us yet.” He sighed and leaned back in his large chair. “Well, if that’s what you want, then I guess there’s nothing I can do.”

I got up from my chair in time with him, and then we shook our hands before I left the company for good. It’s only been a month, and I’ve already quit two jobs. Good job Ri Ah, fantastic. I prayed that three times the charm.

Portrait shoots, concept photo shoots, television interviews, magazine interviews, sound and video bites, advertisement shoots… I couldn’t believe how much I had to go through the next few days. Ji Hye couldn’t handle it all so a male driver by the name of Kang Hae Jin, who was my age, came to join us. My first shoot was for Style Magazine and they adorned me with dresses fit for the coming winter. It was nerve wracking to say the least. I was given a few pointers from the photographers and stylists but unlike the time when I was in Young Bae oppa’s video, this was a highly professional setting. Here, they expected to come through with photos worth their while.

I was attempting some mind control exercises during make-up when I felt the phone vibrate against the dressing table. Blindly I reached for my phone.

“I wish I could be there right now,” a soothing voice carried from the other end of the line. Immediately my heart gave out a huge sigh of relief, and I resisted the urge to start dancing around in happiness. What the power of a sentence can do.

“So do I, ba-.” I stopped myself and covered the last word with a cough. “Thank you for calling. I really needed it.”

“What are you doing now?”

“Make-up.” This was getting uncomfortable, I was scared of people overhearing us so I decided to switch to English and prayed that it might at least filter a few people out of the conversation. “Everyone’s working really hard, I’m scared I’m going to let them down. I mean I don’t even know what I’m going to do once I’m in front of the camera.”

“They’ll instruct you. Ri Ah, I believe in you. You’re absolutely amazing.”

“So are you,” I told him. “For supporting me in everything.”

“You do the same for me.”

“Am I going to see you today?”

“When do you finish?”

“It’s not looking good, really late I think. There’s a bunch of clothes and concepts to go through.”

“It doesn’t matter I’ll stay at your house tonight.” The promise of seeing him soon lifted my spirits, and I left the make-up chair feeling more energized and filled with confidence.

“Ri Ah, let’s get you changed and ready,” the stylist called, and I followed her to the dressing room. 

AN: Next chapter! Hope you guys like it, thanks again!