3. Three years after
It's Me!
Chapter 3: Three years after
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"Still working?" she stopped the draping she was working on one of the dresses. She set the pins down and turned to see Joongki smiling from the door.
"Oppa!" she smiled happily, excited to see him there. They hug briefly, "Haven't seen you in weeks" she exclaimed, "You're getting busier and busier"
He beamed at her, all these years he had put a great deal of effort to really get to know her and be this close to her. He was really into her at that time for some reason, he wanted to see her always. And the fact that he wanted to protect her from getting hurt again. That fateful day when he found her crying inside the dressing room and it just happened that he was still there. He could still remember that moment, her tear-stained face pained him.
"How's the launch going?" he asked as he looked through the notebook she had on the table.
She sighed heavily, "I still have a long list to go" she confessed and then caught herself, "But I'm not complaining~" as she grinned sheepishly at him. She was really thankful that she had gone this far. And to think that she was already about to launch her own line, of course through the help of The Great Shin-ae and Joongki's support.
All throughout her college days, she had kept up with studies and remained on the top list. She also continued as an apprentice under Shin-ae's care and being the stylist for Joongki as her part-time job.
She loved designing clothes and it was her dream ever since she was young.
"How's the taping for the drama going?" it was her time to ask and he replied with a "It's tiring but I'm doing great, you should come by some time, I miss the old days" referring to those times when Yeongji used to be his stylist and they would always go to his schedules together. Those were the best times.
She smiled, reminiscing on the moments too. "Oh! Speaking of, I have something for you" remembering the outfit she had made the other day as she was trying to relieve her stress from all the planning.
Joongki followed her as she took out a paper bag from one of the closet. Her own office space was simple but elegant, complete with a big work table in the middle, high ceilings, a beautiful view of the city skyline, a small stage set with a big framed full length mirror specially delivered from Milan and rows of personally designed clothes, among other things. It's really a dream office for a budding designer and it's all thanks to Shin-ae.
"Here~" she handed it to him and he took out what seemed to be a tweed blazer. "Wow, you're really amazing!" he exclaimed as he scanned the clothing more closely.
She blushed a little at the remark, "Aniya~" she denied shyly, "Try it" pushing him lightly towards the mirror.
He put it on, and it went surprisingly well with the white Com des Garcon V-neck shirt that he had on. The black tweed blazer fitted him perfectly. She smiled happily to herself, "Waaah~! It looks good on you Oppa" she complimented.
"Komawo" he thanked her for the gift, she loved making clothes for him. This he learned over the years. At first, he thought that he shouldn't be receiving too much from her and it felt like he had to give her something in return. But eventually, he realized that she just loves making them for him because she considers him as one of his best friends, apart from Chorong of course. And so, giving things to each other finally became natural to them.
Joongki would always send her random things that she likes, especially when he goes out of town or abroad and finds amusing things that he knew she'd like.
A knock on the door got the two's attention as the door opened soon after. Shin-ae emerged, her signature leather clipboard at hand. "Oops! Am I interrupting you two?" she asked with a bit of a tease, more for Joongki though since she knew.
"Seonsaengnim!" Yeongji greeted, "No, it's totally fine" she answered as she went towards Shin-ae followed closely by Joongki.
"I just need to go over a few things with you before I head home" she informed her.
"So tomorrow, you have to go to Top Entertainment to do the contract signing" giving her a piece of paper with the Entertainment company's address. "They finally agreed to let the group do the endorsing for your clothing line" she said happily, "Congratulations~! You have your very first endorsers" congratulating her and this made Yeongji really thankful, one of the more pressing issues is finally solved.
"What group is it?" Joongki asked with curiousity. "Teen Top!" Shin-ae told them with an ecstatic voice, "They're adorable kids~" she added, obviously, she likes the idol group.
Upon hearing those words, Yeongji and Joongki exchanged looks. Joongki's concerned eyes was met with her anxious ones.
Of all the idol groups, it had to be Teen Top. The one group that she wished she wouldn't ever encounter. Or more like, the one person she wished she would never cross paths with again.
"After the contract signing tomorrow, we'll be pushing through with the photo-shoot the day after at our headquarters in Myungdong since our set there is more spacious" she went on. Shin-ae is a top designer who had already produced a lot of talented designers over the years. Her brand is already a signature luxury one and she is working closely with new artists to launch their own lines under hers. She's also one of the CEO's of Joongki's Entertainment company which explains why he gets his stylists from Shin-ae.
"I'm having the set prepared tomorrow so that it'll be ready by then, I have all the themes and color schemes you've done for the photo-shoot so if you have something to change just give it to me by tomorrow morning so that I could send it over to them" she instructed her, Shin-ae had always worked hands-on on everything, she believes that the higher your position is, all the more reason you have to oversee everything. Not just sit around in the office all day signing a bunch of paper work.
"I think that's about it" she breathed, "Do you have any more questions?" she looked expectantly at Yeongji and she shook her head with a smile.
"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow dears~" she bid the two goodbye, exiting the room grandly, her usual thing. "Don't stay up too late" again with the teasing, also her thing. She knew them all too well.
After she had left, Yeongji dropped herself to one of the chairs not taking the announcement quite well. Joongki pulled the chair next to her and sat facing Yeongji.
"Kwenchanha?" he asked, face etched with concern.
"What am I going to do?" she asked him. All this time, she was doing fine. She tried to move on but of course, all in vain efforts. She avoided the hallways when they're in the music stations especially when they were at sets that seemed to have idols as well. It was going great actually, she never had a problem from then on. Joongki helped her by asking the staff in passing to give him a list of all the celebrities that will be coming to a certain show or event just to make sure Yeongji would know when to be on alert or something.
Well, until now that is. Everything went down the drain. And now Teen Top was going to endorse her clothing line.
"So speaking of Teen Top, can I just have the five members endorse my clothing line, no need to bring L.joe along" she faked a sickly sweet and nice voice as if talking to the people from Top Entertainment. Joongki chuckled at her sudden antics, in turn she laughed as well.
"I guess I have to face him now" she stated, dreading the days to come.
"Maybe he won't remember you" Joongki offered and she shrugged, "I just hope it's like that but it would still be awkward for my part" explaining her concerns.
The following days to come would surely be a difficult one, that Yeongji was definitely sure of.
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TBC
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