I've always lived my life quietly. Eight years ago, when I had the chance to live a life different from what I was accustomed to, I ran away. The idea of leaving my family, my friends, and my hometown frightened me. Seoul, I believed, wasn't for me. So I stayed in Jeolla-do. 

I worked in the graphic designs for a small website that basically talked about everything in Korea: culture, food, fashion, music and celebrities, travel places, documentaries, drama reviews and all the likes. I mean, I graduated with a degree in Music, but that's cool working for graphic designs. Our team focused on music and celebrities though. The current trends, which artists were releasing an album and when, contacting small artists who would be willing to do a live video show on our website, etc. Some aspiring artists personally leave their CDs, or email us a copy - hoping to be featured. 

On the side, we also assist the Documentaries and Travel team, since they were new. It was a small company, but the pay was good enough for me to support myself and an imaginary child that I would need to raise until college. 

If I was a teenager, I would have loved being an artist. I would have made use of my degree. 

But at 24, I realized the attention would only disrupt my peace. I wanted to avoid talking to people and to be on my quiet space. Being a graphic artist gave me that comfort. 

We only had four people on our team. Me, the graphic artist. Park Seowoo, the writer... and also a graphic artist. Kim Kihyun, the intern who had talent with pretty much everything - very polite, outgoing, very creative and sentimental. And our manager, expert on writing creative content, Lee Seyong. 

I wasn't an obvious loner in our team. In fact, I was pretty liked by everyone (except the manager, but he always tried to pretend he didn't like everyone). I knew when to say something. I knew when to give jokes. (I said when, not what.)

But that was just because I've been with them (except Kihyun) for three years. And I didn't feel uncomfortable around Kihyun either, because he was younger than me - and he was really likable. 

Another thing that's likable was our office. It wasn't wide, but definitely bigger than it should be for four people. The walls were painted all pastel colors, or so I thought. We had four office tables facing each other on one corner. A few counters with a coffee maker on the other side. There was also a long couch with a shade of peach in the middle (and almost near the entrance), a gray wool carpet, and a circular coffee table. My favorite thing, (aside from the fact that my table was on the very corner and in front of Kihyun's) was the beige wooden floor which produced this chestnut liked sounds when I walked inside with my heels. 

The grid was making me super dizzy but motivated to finish, when I heard a tap on the glass covers that gave me privacy from Kihyun's vision. I liked that it was tinted dark blue. "Noona," he silently called over his table, leaning on his table, instead of standing with his long legs. 

"Yes?" I replied, with my eyes fixed on the computer screen, in between keyboard keys and cursor clicking. 

The whole office was quiet, but it always has been. Everyone was focused on their own work. 

"Lunch."

Kihyun was the intern, so it was his job to do the work-unrelated tasks like buying us coffee in the morning, or doing errands during break time. I didn't know since when was it part of his job description, but I used to do it, too when I was new. So it felt like a usual thing that didn't even need appreciation. I turned my eyes to Seowoo who was also focused on her work. She and I were the same age, although she worked a year earlier than me. 

"What will you have for lunch?" I asked, only because I didn't feel like thinking. 

"Ham-col."

I turned to Kihyun again. "Two Ham-col," I said with a smile. "With side fries, and energy support for our Kihyun." 

Kihyun chuckled. "Thank you, noona."

I already had a younger sibling, but I so wished I could have a Kihyun in my family. 

I watched him get outside the door, and I went back to work. 

I sighed gently as I finalized on the grids, and proceeded with the heirarchy of the contents. I didn't hate graphics designing, but there were many things I hated about it. Hierarchy was one of them. I couldn't seem to realize what's more important. What deserves to be on the second rank, what needs to be read first, etc. It was pretty basic, but I always asked Seowoo for her opinion. 

"Park Seowoo, I'm sending you something for sec-ops." Second opinion. 

"Okay." 

I talked about wanting to be alone, but Seowoo was actually more introverted than me. She wasn't good with giving jokes or joining bandwagon of jokes among the team. She tried a lot of times to join, and it was enough for us. "Thank you."

After a few minutes, Seowoo sent me her comments via email. I clicked it open, finalized the brandmark position and saved it for the manager's approval. "Manager, sending the IGA Travels file for approval.." 

I clicked send and it was lunch. 

Manager Lee never liked wasting time. Every lunch, we gather in the couch area to eat while talking about the upcoming projects, and we all got to decide what project needed more time, what project was a priority, what project would give us more opportunities for foreign advertisements. I normally would enjoy lunch by taking my time with it, but because of Manager Lee lunch felt like a time I shouldn't waste. And I liked that I became productive while eating food. 

"Kim Taeyeon and Lee Kihyun, you will team up for a big project this month," our manager, who was munching on the sandwich that he finally made himself in the morning, laid a folder on the coffee table in front of me. Kihyun was sitting on the carpet. "This came in my table this morning."

I took a sip on my cola and placed it on the coffee table located by the far end of the couch, because I wouldn't dare place it on the table with such important files. I held out my burger to Kihyun, who took the hint that I want him to hold it for me. I realized that was weird of me. But I was feeling nervous that I didn't think. I swiped the folder from the coffee table, and leaned towards my left so Kihyun could see.

GD X TAEYANG (GDYB) - Documentary Special

My mouth dropped. So was Kihyun's. And Seowoo's. 

Probably for different reasons. 1) Why would GD and Taeyang of Big Bang even consider our small website for this? 2) Documentary Special? Wasn't it supposed to be a show? Shouldn't they do this on TV? 3) Why GD and Taeyang, of all people?

And why me, of all people?