"Who was that?" asked Joy who sat on the now empty chair, soliciting a condescending tone.
Snubbing the woman who interrupted her conversation with Lisa just as it was getting more interesting, Roseanne craned her neck to check if the artist already reached the door while still deciding whether to chase after her or not. It occurred to her that her logical mind was not functioning properly when it was supposed to be up and running as her default system.
What to do?
Her default system could have easily dictated no. Roseanne Park never chased anybody. Roseanne Park was the one being chased. Everybody naturally gravitated toward her and she always floated in the opposite direction. Yet with Lisa, it was as if her oceans were coming alive.
Something felt wrong.
There was an error in her system.
"Wasn't that the artist who painted you nude?" Joy prodded, sounding the least bit curious about the woman Roseanne had been eyeing but more amused at how the supermodel was acting.
Think.
Think.
Think!
The interrogation carried on. "Is she your new fling?"
Roseanne finally decided to pay attention to the woman who kept spilling whatever. "That was, uh, sooo ruuuude?"
Joy scoffed while unbuttoning her suit. "What did I do? That didn't look like the best conversation you were having so I did the saving."
Roseanne eyed Joy crossly. "You don't know a thing about that conversation."
"Wow." Joy leaned closer to Roseanne, her face inches from the supermodel's, and whispered, "I'm pretty sure I can paint your naked body faster than she could because it's ingrained in my mind when she's only seen it once and didn't even get to experience it."
Roseanne turned her head to the side, muttering, "Get lost." She was about to take her leave when a pair of long arms abruptly pulled her into a back hug.
"I've been lost in you since I met you." The tall woman's lips tickled Roseanne's ear. "How much more of me do you want to get lost in you?'
The blonde tipped her face away from the sensuous lips and freed herself from the arms that trapped her midriff. She faced Joy, pushing the latter on the chest, her eyes sternly not asking for any more touches. "I'm done with this."
The woman in the white suit wore a huge grin. "I missed this play. You always say that but end up on my bed the next night."
Roseanne's thinking system acted fast in reminding her not to get distracted. There was an artist that was about to leave and a decision that was still pending. She caught a glimpse of the statuesque artist glancing back in her direction before completely disappearing behind the door.
A decision had been made right then and there.
She was going after Lisa.
And fuck the rest.
Joy found it amusing. "Now, now. Looks like your new heart wants a new plaything."
Without replying, Roseanne was heading back to the booth when a hand caught her wrist. That play had never been fair. Despite being almost the same height and gait, Joy was always faster. It was that speed that thrilled her before. But not anymore.
"Rosie, when you're done with your new toy, you know where to find me."
The blonde freed her wrist from Joy's clasps and made a run for the booth.
Catching her breath, Roseanne grabbed her purse hurriedly.
"Rosie, what happened?" Ashley stood up, a look of concern on her face.
"What happened was," Roseanne paused and smiled victoriously with one eyebrow raised, "I'm getting something from your Cartier collection," then she pointed to Irene, "and you're kissing your watch goodbye."
"You are not?!" Irene reacted, in denial that MLA did not ask to go out with Roseanne.
"I am, babes. I am." Roseanne turned on her heel.
Irene followed up with a question, "But where are you going?"
"Ah, with Joy, of course," Ashley grumbled.
Roseanne turned to respond, walking backward. "Nope! I won the bet, so I guess there's nothing fun to do here anymore. Ash, favor?"
"Yeah?"
"Get Hyeri drunk. I'll be back to pick her up, I promise. Au revoir!" Roseanne blew flying kisses to her two best friends.
Sitting back down, Ashley started with lips pouted, "Baechu."
"Don't say it!" Irene snapped, annoyed at losing a bet she was so sure she would win.
"You called the wrong deal there. Rosie's the one whipped for the artist! Damn, Rosie girl played us."
Irene could only let out an irritated puff. "Let's just get Hyeri drunk so we can get ourselves drunk after."
"Pretty idea."
"Oh no! It did not land safely! It crashed! It fucking crashed!" Bam freaked out; his palms pressed to either side of his head.
Eyebrows furrowed, Jisoo looked at Bam repulsively. "Jesus, Bam! It seemed Lisa handled it well until Joy came to interrupt."
Shaking his hands that sweated profusely, Bam shot question after question. "Then what do we do? I should follow my sis, right? Comfort her and tell her she should start moving on or—"
"Will you fucking relax!"
"How? This is going to be sis' first heartbreak in a long while and—oh, wait!" Bam looked up as if seeing the light, his clenched fist landing on his open palm. "I will help find her new muse while I'm on a break!"
"Forget it. There won't be any other muse. It's Roseanne or no one! Besides," pausing, Jisoo draped an arm over Bam's shoulder and gestured at where the supermodel was running off to. "Where do you think she's going?"
Bam gaped. "What? That doesn't—no, no, no. That only happens in movies—she's probably leaving with Joy now."
Jisoo tipped Bam's face to where Joy was.
He saw that Joy was still seated at the bar, watching Roseanne go before she paid attention to another model. "Is that—really? Are you serious?! Is Roseanne serious?!"
Jisoo grinned proudly while patting Bam's shoulder. "If you're telling me that's not Roseanne chasing after your charming sister, then you have to treat me to lunch next week."
"I'm still a student!"
"Whose allowance can afford to rent this penthouse overnight."
"Don't lay it on too thick!" exclaimed Bam, unsure if what he just saw had sunk in.
"Now will you relax?" Jisoo pleaded, giving Bam's shoulder a squeeze.
"I'll just make sure." He motioned for the door.
Jisoo shrugged and started walking away, hands jammed in her front pockets. "Do whatever you want. I'll pencil you in for Tuesday lunch."
"Ugh!"
The loud house music escaped the opened door and died down upon its closing. Lisa's eyes widened upon seeing who came out and was on her way toward where she was standing.
"Bored of the party already?" Roseanne was breathless as she slowed down from a run yet still managed to smile at Lisa who was waiting by the elevator.
Lisa blinked quite fast, unsure if it was only her imagination playing tricks on her. She had to check again behind her if there was someone else Roseanne was speaking to.
The supermodel laughed at the reaction. "Lisa, I'm talking to you."
Nodding, Lisa smiled sheepishly.
"Can I come with?"
Certain at last that Roseanne was talking to her, Lisa asked with narrowed eyes, "Are you sure?"
"Is where you're going more fun than this unexciting party?"
Lisa chuckled. "You didn't seem bored back there."
"I got bored the moment this artist who was supposed to give me her number just walked away." With an eyebrow raised and a smile creeping up to her lips, Roseanne caught Lisa blush.
"Is this about that? Do you really want my number?" Lisa wondered what she had done right back there. For all she knew, it was stupid.
The elevator doors opened, and Roseanne stepped inside when Lisa gestured for her to get on first. "Only if this place passes my standards."
"Of course, it won't. I bet you don't even go there. I was planning to just walk but..." Lisa pressed the floor to where she parked her car.
The supermodel dared the artist. "Can I defend myself?"
"Go on."
"I walk. And I meant not just the runway, but I don't think you'd want to wake up tomorrow morning with your face and name all over the biz headlines and the social media." Roseanne explained. The usual smile she wore whenever she won an argument formed on her lips.
Lisa shrugged. "Fair enough."
When they reached the parking, Lisa checked one more time, "You can still change your mind."
"Okay, at least give me a hint?"
"It's the only place with the best makchang (Korean dish made from beef innards) in the whole world."
Roseanne's eyes sparked. "Makchang! God, I haven't eaten that in so long!"
"I'll take that as a yes, then." Lisa opened the car door for Roseanne.
***
Hidden within the alleys of the bustling nightlife of Seoul was one pink tent that stood along the street of blue and orange tents. As Lisa and Roseanne entered, the grandma and her granddaughter cheerfully greeted the artist.
"Lisa-unnie!"
"Kid!"
The artist bowed low in greeting. "How's it going tonight, Granny, Nabi?"
"Always busier in autumn, kid." Granny's eyes shifted to Lisa's company. "You have a very beautiful company tonight!"
Roseanne smiled timidly, bowing.
"I have." Lisa gazed affectionately at Roseanne who blushed instantly.
Despite being used to compliments, Roseanne blushed profusely. It sounded so different coming from Lisa wearing that warm look as if she was the only beautiful woman in her world. Lisa then led her to a table in the corner, touching the small of her back and without asking, taking off her coat and placing it over her shoulders.
"Thank you. Won't you be cold?" she asked Lisa who was only wearing a black cotton sleeveless top with a mid-low neckline. And hot at that, she thought.
"The food will warm me up."
"Are you getting the usual, kid?" asked the grandma.
"Yes, please, Granny." Lisa turned to Roseanne who was checking the menu. "Is there anything else you want?"
"Hmm. What's your usual?"
"A bowl of ramyeon, spicy stir-fried cartilage, egg rolls, and makchang. We can share cos Granny always gives me more than I can eat."
Roseanne entertained the idea, knowing she could not eat too much. "Let's share. Can we get a soju?" She needed alcohol, just a bit, to get her system a quick fix. Blushing around Lisa was not a good sign of sorts. If there would be more blushing around the artist, she better cover it with alcohol.
"Uh, okay but she won't let me drink any."
"What do you mean?"
Lisa gestured Roseanne would find out. "Granny, we're adding a bottle of soju, please." She gave a toothy grin that Roseanne found cute.
"Only for the beautiful lady, kid! You are not drinking and driving! You're still driving her home, aren't you?"
Lisa nodded with puppy-like eyes. "Yes~"
Roseanne could not help but be mesmerized seeing that side of Lisa. She would not have thought this was the same serious-looking artist she met months ago. And being with Lisa was giving her a different kind of normalcy that felt more in touch with reality. "She's adorable. She loves you. And as if you weren't getting soaked in whiskey back at Jisoo's."
Lisa scratched her eyebrow shyly. "I'm sober enough. You make me sober. Anyway, I love her and Nabi too. You know," she recounted, "when I was just starting my career as an artist, on my fifth rejection, I went here randomly and got super drunk. Granny usually sends drunkards out of her tent but that night, she brought me home with her and took care of me until I could drive safely back home the next day."
Roseanne rested her chin on her palm, listening intently.
Lisa continued, "Granny encouraged me to go to my sixth, seventh, and nth rejection and told me to just come back here every time. And I did. I kept coming back until I was no longer rejected."
"That's really sweet."
"Yeah. Do you have that kind of place?"
Roseanne had to freeze a moment. It was a kind of question nobody had ever asked her before. Nobody ever tried to make her think about those things. In the industry she worked, nobody paid attention to feelings, more so talk about them. It took a moment before she could recall anything. "None, but I've always wondered about the places I couldn't go to because..."
Lisa nodded, getting what the model implied.
"That's why I like looking out the streets whenever I travel by car. I'm curious about the many places I'm missing, and the experiences others are collecting in those places that I couldn't. Just the other day...," Roseanne stared at the table as if the story was there. "I saw this kid ask her mom to tie a string of balloons around her wrist at the park. I wonder if every kid experienced that, and I was the only one who didn't."
Lisa instantly placed her hand on top of Roseanne's hand, surprising the model. It was not the contact but her body part. Usually, people went for Roseanne's lips, neck, waist, or leg, skipping her hand.
Lisa spoke quietly, "Hey, I'm pretty sure you aren't the only kid who missed that experience. Sometimes we think that one experience could've changed things but if it did happen, you wouldn't be here sharing that bittersweet memory with me."
Roseanne was touched by the thought. "Then you wouldn't have an excuse to hold my hand?"
Lisa looked at their hands and smiled. "Thanks for sharing that, though." She gave Roseanne's hand a squeeze before pulling it back to her side.
The supermodel slightly frowned at the warmth of Lisa's hand leaving abruptly. Okay, her stupid mouth could stop talking now.
"I'm really happy that you seem fine now, Roseanne."
"Chaeyoung."
"Hmm?"
"Can you call me that instead? That's my Korean name and I just feel like if nobody ever calls me that anymore, I'm afraid that child might just slip away." Roseanne's system was breaking down and it was apparent in the shake of her voice.
This was the fuck the rest part, wasn't it?
"All right, Chaeyoung." Lisa wore a sweet smile upon saying Roseanne's Korean name.
And just like that, Roseanne's entire system collapsed.
It was a different night from all her other nights.
There was no talk about publicity stints.
No weight checks.
No fake friendliness.
No sealing off funny businesses.
Roseanne tucked the hair that framed her face behind her ears. "I think I owe you an explanation of what happened at your studio. A couple of months before that, I got a heart transplant and as soon as the doctor said I could start working again, I tried to fill my days with as much work as I could."
Lisa clenched her hands together as she listened.
"I needed a distraction because staying at home only made me depressed. Your invitation came at the right time but as it turned out, my body rejected my new heart and I had to be put back in the operating room, be like dead again for the next god-knows-how-many hours."
Lisa reached out for Roseanne's hand and this time, without the intent of letting go. The model let her hand be held delicately.
Roseanne swallowed a lump that formed in her throat as she continued, "To be honest, I was mad at you, thinking you didn't care about me. I had the impression that you were pissed at me that your masterpiece wasn't done."
"Why did you think that?" The way Lisa asked was not defensive but keen on understanding where Roseanne was coming from.
Tears welled up in the supermodel's eyes. "I was just so used to people getting so angry at me when I don't live up to their standards. Based on my experience, if I wasn't enough or even if I was too much, then I wasn't worth anything."
Lisa pulled her chair beside the model and drew the latter for a hug.
Resting her head on Lisa's shoulder, Roseanne let the tears fall. When was the last time someone cradled her delicately?
"Chaeyoung?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm not mad, okay?"
Roseanne nodded but what Lisa said only made her shed more tears.
"Also, I'm so skinny I don't think I can give you the best hug, but I swear, after eating makchang, we can try again?"
Roseanne laughed at Lisa's charming way of lightening up her mood. "Sorry for the drama." She sat up and before her own hands could wipe her tears, Lisa's hands were already there, cleaning them up. The closeness allowed her to see that Lisa was not a lonely artist at all. Something about her radiated so much light.
"It's okay. You're okay," Lisa said soothingly.
After Granny and Nabi served their food, Granny poked Lisa's head, surprising the artist. "Kid, why are you making the beautiful lady cry?"
"Granny?! It wasn't me!"
Roseanne teased, "It was her, Granny. She was being ridiculously sweet."
"That's too much, kid!" Granny exclaimed before leaving them alone.
Lisa was left with her mouth hanging open, unable to defend herself. When her eyes met Roseanne's, she chuckled before moving back across the model. She excitedly picked a piece of makchang and blew on it before feeding it to the model.
"OMG! This is—wow!"
"Told you. Best makchang, ever."
"It is. Oh my gosh!"
Lisa could not help but smile at that side of Roseanne. She never imagined she would be having makchang with Roseanne in any universe that could possibly exist but at that moment, she believed she was in the right one.
They continued to chat while eating. Roseanne talked about how a day in the life of a supermodel goes. Even at her status, sometimes she would still get very short notice on shows and appearances she had to attend. The part she hated the most was performing even if she did not feel like it because she was not allowed to be a real human being.
Lisa had her fair share of the universe's tests with the critics in the art industry and those who would always use their VIP cards to try to buy her art at a lower price, much worse, for free. She was lucky that her manager was one who was skilled in distinguishing those types of people. And no, socializing was not her favorite thing to do.
"Hey, before we forget, give me your number." Roseanne unlocked her phone.
"Yeah, so you can block it."
"No!" Roseanne laughed.
"I'm sure after tonight..."
Roseanne looked Lisa in the eye. "I'm sure after tonight." She handed her phone to Lisa.
Lisa looked deeply into Roseanne's eyes, finding fault, finding performance, awaiting someone to call the model a bluff, awaiting someone to call her mad. But nothing did. Nobody did. Except for the words of her manager that came rushing back to her at that exact moment.
"Once you have your muse, you have to be ready to accept that the power will no longer be in you..."
For Park Chaeyoung, Lisa's reasons became powerless as she took the phone...
"...and that she will have great power over you to the point that you will be capable of immortalizing her in your art."
...and keyed her number in.