Be Ra pressed the doorbell forcefully one more time. She huffed, annoyed that no one was coming to answer the door. She fixed her push up bra and quickly checked her reflection in her pocket mirror. When she had received a text message with the address of where her acting crash course was to take place, Be Ra had her daddy’s assistant look it up. It turned out that the address was this very exclusive apartment complex where only politicians and high profile individuals live in.

After Be Ra had ranted to her therapist on the rude treatment received from the director, Be Ra came up with a game plan. She was a little grossed out by what she had to do, but it couldn’t be helped. If her “crash course” was to take place in the director’s apartment and not in the theater, it could only mean that the director wanted to get in her pants. Thinking about the old man coming on to her almost made Be Ra gag, but she pursued her lips in determination. Indulging the old man was just a tiny rung in the ladder of success and Be Ra wasn’t about to let it stop her. Why else did the old director give her the role if she was a terrible actress, according to him? Be Ra wasn’t stupid. She knows how attractive and fit she is, and she is not surprised the director would lust after her. Dressed in a tight red dress that barely covered her bottom and a light blazer thrown on top, Be Ra had walked into the building’s lobby haughtily. The well-dressed guard behind the counter barely spared her a glance. She wondered why no one had stopped her if this was such an exclusive complex, yet she figured the old director had let security know she was coming. She shuddered, wondering how many girls like her had had to take a “crash course” in acting from the director in his bed sheets before.

She had taken the elevator to the last floor, 27^th, and was greeted with the sight of a hallway that seemed to stretch for miles when the doors dinged open. Said hall was submerged in darkness, only dimly lighted by some unknown light source that seemed to come from the walls’ crevices. She had fearfully walked straight ahead, her strappy high heels making a dull echo in the carpeted floor. Be Ra wasn’t one to be impressed by displays of wealth, her daddy owning half of South Korea, but the director’s affluence could not be taken lightly. The whole floor seemed to belong to him, and Be Ra was sure this wasn’t the man’s only residence. She had chanced upon the door after walking almost blindly down the hall for what seemed hours.

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Be Ra’s thoughts were cut short as she finally heard footsteps approaching the door. She took a deep breath and put on her most seductive face. She had sprayed on a lot of perfume, and it was now making her dizzy. The door swung open slowly and a bored looking albeit devastatingly handsome Kim Junsu appeared in front of her. Be Ra almost dropped her bag in surprise and hanged slightly open. Junsu looked mildly confused and slightly annoyed.

“I am sorry,” he informed her, “I think you have the wrong address. I have not asked for,” he stopped and dragged his eyes up and down her body. Be Ra squirmed, uncomfortable and suddenly self-conscious. “I have not requested a lady friend. Good day,” he carefully said then dismissed her.

He made a move to shut the door when Be Ra’s hand suddenly shot out and held the door open. Be Ra wasn’t sure what had possessed her to act so rashly but her indignation caught up with her fast.

“I am not a lady friend as you so gallantly put it,” Be Ra acidly retorted, “I am here to see Director Cho in a work-related issue.” The man in front of her had the nerve to again look at her up and down and raising an eyebrow at her outfit while smirking. Be Ra flushed even more.

“I am sure it is a work-related issue alright,” the man laughingly conceded, his eyes crinkling in amusement. Be Ra wasn’t sure if she should slap the man or stare stupidly at his beautiful face. She chose neither and instead tried to push her way past the door.

“Woah woah woah,” Junsu blocked the door with his body, holding his hands up in front of him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Be Ra backed off as if Junsu’s hands were iron hot. She didn’t want to touch the man if she could help it. The actor was probably the most attractive guy she’s ever encountered, but that made her hate him a little (a lot). Be Ra could not understand how she, who had mingled with the it crowd – celebrities, politicians, models, and businessmen – all her life could be so starstruck with an actor.

She got a grip on herself, and flipped her hair in what she hoped was a nonchalant way. “I told you I have to see Director Cho. I can’t keep him waiting.”

The actor looked at her as if she was stupid. Be Ra was again riled up and was about to snap at him when his phone rang. They both glanced at the device. Junsu seemed to mull something in his head and held the door open for Be Ra.

“Come in,” he indicated with a jerk of his head, “I am not going to have you stand outside. It’s late.” The actor answered his phone and turned, walking into the apartment.

Be Ra didn’t hesitate and walked in after him, closing the door. She scoffed at the man now softly talking on the phone. How gentlemanly of him to be worried about her safety. She inspected the apartment as subtly as she could. She seemed to be standing in the apartment’s living room, but it appeared as if she had walked in into a king’s chambers. Every furniture on the room looked dark and regal, all velvet and dark wood. The whole place spoke of grandeur and wealth, and it reminded Be Ra of her dad’s studio back at home. Her observations were cut short when Junsu approached. She pretended to be picking her nails disinterestedly.

“This is all a big mistake,” he told her, clearly ruffled, “you are not supposed to be here.” Be Ra was about to tell him off when he touched her arm lightly. Be Ra’s mouth snapped close and she froze. His touch felt feather light on her.

“Before you say anything,” he continued, dropping his hand away. Be Ra was slightly disappointed. “This is not Director Cho’s apartment.”

Be Ra who seemed to be still reeling over that quick contact was silent for a couple of seconds until the actor’s words came through. “What do you mean this isn’t the director’s apartment? This is the address he gave me, I am sure of it!” Be Ra exclaimed flustered. Could she have made a mistake?

At this Junsu looked displeased, and he pursued his lips. “Yes, this is the address he gave you. He gave you my house address. He said that he wanted to train you but something came up unexpectedly so he send you my way,” he paused, “without letting me know of course,” he finished resignedly. 

Be Ra was done. “What a waste of my time,” she snapped. “I can’t believe this. If both of you would stop playing around we could actually start working on the songs and scenes for the play.”

Junsu looked at her straight in the eye and then burst out laughing. This served only to fuel Be Ra on. “I have never been treated so rudely in my life. First you make me audition again for a role that was already mine, you call me horrible stuff and tell me I’m useless which I know that I am anything but, and then you have me running to and fro between the two of you to probably amuse you. I cannot believe the nerve of you.”

Junsu sobered up. His expression lost all friendliness and he looked at her coldly, stepping uncomfortably closer to her. “I am sure, princess, that this is probably the first time in your sweet life where you don’t get to do exactly what you want. I am sorry that your daddy and all your maids and fake friends have told you that you can act because you cannot act to save your life; you are only embarrassing yourself and frankly, you might deserve to be humiliated. Maybe finally hearing the truth would give you the humbleness you’re lacking,” he paused, his face set in a sneer, “now, listen and respect your elders because we are the ones that will salvage some of your dignity after your dismal acting gets the reviews it deserves.”

Be Ra’s lip trembled and she held back tears. She couldn’t believe the words coming out of this man’s mouth. She felt very foolish and so very angry. It wasn’t a secret that she had a temper, but she seemed to be made out of marble, unable to react and yell at this guy. She didn’t realize what she had done until her hand was stinging from the impact and she saw Junsu cradle his cheek grimly. Her body was shaking and she realized it was because she was furious.

Junsu dropped his hand from his cheek. “Come back tomorrow at the same time,” he told her, “I will teach you and train you. By the time general practice with the rest of the cast comes around, I will have made you into a semi-decent musical actress.”

Be Ra gritted her teeth and fought the urge to slap the man again. “Never in a million years,” she spat out. “I don’t need your help.”

She made a beeline for the door, not wanting to stay a single second more in the presence of Kim Junsu. Hot tears trailed down her tears as she yanked the massive door open. She heard the man call, “Tomorrow, don’t forget!” before she slammed it shut and she was running down the hall. The darkness of the hallway didn’t scare her anymore; she would’ve been mortified if someone had seen her running out of the actor’s apartment sobbing. She wiped her tears carefully and reapplied the ruined makeup carefully while the elevator made its way down. She stepped out into the lobby and walked calmly out of the apartment complex. The man behind the desk again paid her no heed. She regretted her choice of dress when she felt how chilly it was outside. The yellow streetlights glowed like stars on the dark night, and the neighborhood was eerily silent. Be Ra felt very alone and everything that happened replayed in her mind. Junsu was right. She was not used to not getting her way, and she was not about to start to get used to that now. Her limousine pulled up almost immediately and her driver opened the door for her. She climbed in and wrapped the feather blanket she always kept in the back seat around her. She felt like crying again but she dug into her purse and took out her phone, checking her messages. She texted Soobin and leaned back against the plush seat. She was going to make that man pay for all the humiliation he made her go through, and she knew exactly how.