Soundtrack: Applause by Lady Gaga, covered by Hanbyul

As Scarlet was coming back from buying her first groceries in Korea she spotted a young woman leaning against the wall of her complex.

She was well dressed but not for the rain and was obviously struggling with one of her shoes, whose heel had snapped off. Nearing the bedraggled young woman she noticed that she was swearing to herself in English. Finding another English speaker was such a pleasant surprise after a day of her broken Korean speaking so she  immediately offered the woman help. Girls had to look out for each other’s wardrobe malfunctions afterall.

“Excuse me?” The other woman turned around and she saw that they were about the same age, perhaps she was a little older although it was hard to tell. “Um, I don’t mean to pry but if your shoes broken I only live in there” she pointed towards the looming apartment block. “and you could have a cup of tea until the rain stops?”

The other young woman seemed a little surprised at the suggestion, “Tea huh?”

“It’s just, I’m sorry that was horribly English you’d probably prefer coffee it just looked like you were having a crap day and there’s that thing about the kindness of stranger-“

The other young woman interrupted her babbling “Tea is fine, it’s cute. Very British.” She was attempting light-heartedness despite the obvious similarities between the terrible weather and her mood. Getting to her feet she hobbled along next to the girl on the way back to her apartment.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get your name, I’m Amy Lee.” No matter how depressed she was feeling, with a broken shoe and a missing purse she was still a very friendly person. “Oh! I’m sorry, how thoughtless of me, I'm Scarlet. Scarlet Wilson.” having given her name she asked “Your English sounds fluent, did you live abroad?”

“Yes, I was born in New Jersey and came to Korea on my own after high school.”

“Wow, that’s so brave of you. Well actually I suppose I’m on my own as well but I’m a bit older than I guess you were.” By this point they had reached the front door of the building and she used her residents password to let them in. Walking across the foyer they left a noticeable trail of drips behind them. There was silence on the way up to the seventh floor, as the lift doors dinged open Amy limped out and her raincoat clad saviour followed. She let them into the apartment and switched on the lights, illuminating the unlived in space. Wrestling off her boots she offered to take Amy’s sodden jacket to hang in the hot water cupboard with her own.

“If you want I can lend you some dry clothes as well, there’s nothing like wet clothes to make a crap day worse.”

“That would be very nice, thank you.”

“I’ll find something for you then and put the kettle on for tea.” As her hostess trotted off to find a spare outfit Amy looked around the extremely tidy apartment. “Have you just moved in?”

“Yes! It was actually my first ever Korean grocery shop I was coming back from. Here you go.” Handing over the items with a smile Amy saw that along with a plastic bag for her wet things she had been given a soft grey t shirt, a cosy looking oversized blue jersey, a pair of jeggings and some slipper socks.

“The bathrooms on the right, I think it is anyway, if you want to get changed.” Amy just nodded. She was beginning to shiver from the summer rains cooling effect.

She got changed and dried her hair a little, washed off the last of her smeared makeup which had been artfully applied earlier in the day. She already felt a hundred times better than she had done in the rain, recently pickpocketed, broken heeled and soaked to the bone.

She had jsut come out of a meeting with her managers, who had been trying to persuade her company to give her more endorsemnet deals. Her makeup had been carefull constructed to give her a natural and approachable look but her boses had refuses, again. After the 'scandal' a year after her debut there had been a shadow over her dealings with the company. Although they had been very helpful they had still been furious that it had happened at all despite the fact that 'Ailee' had still been the young and trusting Amy when her relationship with Daniel Lee had taken place.

After the meeting she had left on her own but discovered when she eventually made it to the subway that she had been pickpocketed. Her money was missing, and she discovered soon afte that her phone was out of battery. In her anger she had walked to a part of the city she was unfamiliar with and was only becoming increasingly drenched by the rain. The final straw was when the heel of her beautiful shoes snapped clean off and she was left leaning against an apartment blocks courtyard wall on the verge of tears.

She literally shook herself, reminding herself of her good fortune.

 It was the slipper socks though that really brought her out of her bad mood. They were like fluffy sunshine warming her tired feet. She had noticed when she came in that her host didn’t appear to own more than a single pair of chunky Chelsea boots in the way of heels. Maybe she was into taking care of her feet, these socks certainly lent credibility to such an idea.

Coming out to the kitchen she saw that her hostess had made a pot of tea and had prepared two mismatched mugs, one was apparently a souvenir Charles and Diana mug from the eighties and the other was patterned like the classic penguin edition books, but in pink. Sitting down at the bar stools against the bench she watched quietly as the colour of tea was carefully checked before being met with approval and poured into two mugs.

“How milky would you like your tea?” Scarlet asked, Ailee wasn’t sure it mattered.

“However much you’re having.” Nodding she finished the milk pouring and put it back into her now slightly better stocked fridge. Handing over the brew she took the other barstool and looked at her guest.  “Do you feel a bit better? It looked like you were having a bit of a rough day.”

Amy gave a crooked smile. “You could say that. I just had a fight with my manager and stormed out. I went out into the city but got pickpocketed, then it started raining, and then my heel broke and I just sort of wandered around for a bit trying to get back. And then you appeared. I love the socks by the way, did you bring them from England?”

She smiled. It was so nice to be able to talk to someone comfortably in English like this. The strain of constant translation and cultural customs had already been beginning to stress her out. “I did! Well Scotland actually.”

“You went to University there then I guess?”

“Yeah, well technically I’m still one of their students. I’m having a year abroad here to work in the Museums and experience a ‘different artistic code of practice’.”

“You do art?” Amy looked interested so she ventured a little more information.

“I'm a painter really, but I also do history of art which is where the museum work comes in.”

“So why Korea?”

“Um, well there’s this auction house in London and I’ve been doing placements with them for a while and I expressed an interest in the Asian art market so they’ve sponsored me for a year of study out here.”

“Wow, nice one!”

“Yeah” It came out a little weak. Truthfully Scarlet was already experiencing doubts about wether this had been the right descision. She had barely been here a few hours and she was already feeling lonely and homesick. They drank a bit more of their tea and eventually got talking about their shared interest in fashion. Amy confirmed what she had heard about Korea having a fashion focused youth culture. Eventually the conversation got onto the famously fun and artsy district of Hongdae and by extension the drinking culture. Amy was happy to explain all the different kinds of mixing procedures as well as her favourite drinks.

Another cup of tea later and they agreed to go out later that week, since she didn’t know anyone yet and Amy wanted to show her new friend a bit of the city.

“Have you met your neighbours yet?”

“No, haven’t really had a chance to I guess. It feels a bit funny living so close to complete strangers.”

“With any luck they’ll be idols or something.” Amy laughed but when she saw her hostess looking blank at she trailed off.

“Um, these would be different from pre-monotheistic icons of devotion I take it?”

“Sorry, I forgot that you’ve only just got here. An idol is a- well I guess it’s an Asian term for someone who’s a pop star but also goes on entertainment programs, although within that there’s a really wide range of styles. I mean-“  she paused but then carried on “I’m technically an idol as well, since I’m a singer.”

“Really? That’s amazing! It must be a good feeling to make a living by something so expressive.”

Amy smiled, “Yeah, that’s the general idea. Anyway, when I said an idol group that was basically code for hot guys.” They both laughed before she spoke again “I’ve heard that this area is pretty popular for dorms because the security is good and it’s sort of near the river, so there’s hope.”

“Wow, wouldn’t that be good luck.” They laughed again. Looking out the kitchen window Amy saw that the rain had stopped at last. “I need to get going, have to make up with my manager before he sulks himself into an early grave. “ Turning back to Scarlet she said “thank you for the tea, and everything else, really… I was having a really bad day”

Her new friend smiled, blue eyes bright. “That’s fine, I can’t very well say I believe in the kindness of strangers and not be one myself. What goes around comes around- besides you should never leave a girl behind, especially if her shoe is broken.” Hopping off their bar stools they moved towards the door. “Here, you can use the Uggs for getting home in and just bring it all back when I see you later this week.”

The fluffy sheepskin boots were another little treat for her stiletto tortured feet so Amy left the apartment in a good mood carrying her bag of sodden clothes with a promise to stop by in two days to show her around the city nightlife.

The tea drinking occupant of the seventh floor never knew but later that night the topic of Ailee’s comfort fashion and natural beauty were a trending topic on celebrity forums.

~~~~~~~~~

hayao miyazaki rain appreciation- every frame is hand drawn

second chapter my darlings!!! have any of you seen the wolf of wall street? I did last night and I would definately reccomend it to the over eighteens amongst you if you like dark humour >:)

ootd for you:

http://www.polyvore.com/applause/set?id=107931482

as well as for the mysterious Amy Lee/Ailee

http://www.polyvore.com/applause/set?id=107935948