Heejung was awakened by the ringing of her phone. After spending the night with Myunghui, accompanied by alcohol and funky music blasting through the surround sound system in the house, soon enough, all the unvoiced sentiments melted.
And Heejung, despite being befuddled herself, had to nurse the owner of the house, and the rest of the mess they made.
She realized she wasn't exactly up in the guest room, but sprawled on the carpet of the living room, inches away from the sofa that could've lessened the sore building on her back.
She grunted, squinching her eyes from the sunlight through the floor-to-ceiling glass window. Myunghui outdid herself once more. But Heejung noted to do the same for her own house.
The ringing didn't stop. And so, absentmindedly, she aimlessly searched for her phone. On the carpet. The sofa. The glass table.
On the glass table. She picked it up, barely read the user, and answered.
"Hello?"
"Hello? Is this Miss Kim? Kim Heejung?"
"Yes, who is this?" She stretched her legs and hung it on the couch as a yawn escaped her lips. She made sure to distance the phone from her mouth. Or else the lady on the other line would think she be mad.
"Good afternoon, Miss Kim. I'm Kang Shinhae from SM Entertainment. I was wondering if you're free this evening around 7pm for a dinner?"
"Kang Shinhae? SM Ent? Excuse me, ma'am. I'm not buying this! Please find someone else to coy."
The lady chuckled. "I apologize if I asked so randomly. I'm from the Management Department. I would like to talk about a... proposition for artist Kim Heejung."
"Artist, you say?" Heejung shot her eyes open, let down her legs that were propped and sat up on the purple, round carpet. "I'm sorry, did I hear that right?"
"Yes. Are you free 7 'o clock?"
She retracted the phone from her ear and looked for the time and found it was already half an hour before 6. Her senses woke.
"Yeah—yes! Where are we...?"
"I'll send you the location. See you, Ms Kim."
"Okay, yes. Bye."
"Heejung-a..."
She snapped at the voice that was calling her from upstairs, and found Myunghui crouching down on the glass railing. "What's wrong with you?" Her brows furrowed.
"I feel sick."
"Don't move. I'm going up." As soon as she rose up, and felt her feet plant on the floor, her world unbalance. She huffed, steadying herself. "Easy..." she said to herself.
Then, she ran up and helped Myunghui up, endlessly telling her to not throw up on her or else, she'll leave her there by herself. Thankfully, Myunghui listened. But she didn't exactly adhere.
Now Heejung sighed as she motionlessly watched the girl depend her frame on the toilet bowl, retching and heaving tired breaths that were too unpleasant to be face-to-face with.
She turned and left to the kitchen to prepare a soup for them. She drunk a glass of water before beginning, when Myunghui entered and took the same glass to pour water in it again for her.
"Who was that?"
"Who was what?"
Heejung put on the pot and filled it with water after placing the ingredients of a corn soup she learned in her dorm days.
"You were in a call earlier."
"Ah. It's just someone at work."
"It's the weekend, though?" Myunghui stood beside her and watched her work.
"Do you have to go today?"
Heejung bit her lower lip in contemplation as she stirred on the soup. She clicked her lips and faced the latter. "I have to go later at seven. Will you be fine on your own?"
"Of course. What's the matter?"
"I don't know. I'm gonna figure out later."
//
Halfway of putting on her short-sleeve, cropped, white cardigan, Heejung heard her mother announce she's home. She opened her door and yelled, "Mom, I have a meeting!"
"It's the weekend," her mother complained.
"I know."
"You're eating out?"
"Yeah."
Heejung went out and met her mom at the living room resting on the couch with the tv running. Judging by the worn out countenance, Ayeong must have had a difficult time in the office. She stood in front of her mother, blocking the screen behind her. "How do I look?"
"Is this a meeting or a date?" Ayeong narrowed her eyes at her daughter, suspicious.
The latter rolled her eyes as she scoffed. "It's business. It's a meeting with someone from the management, Eomma."
Ayeong's lips turned into an O-shape, brows raising in surprise. "Well then, Producer Kim. I hope your meeting goes well."
"Thanks, Eomma. I'll get going."
She kissed her mother goodbye and then, she went off to the restaurant Ms Shinhae sent her.
It was an Italian dining, a few blocks away from SM Building, which wasn't much of a surprise. Beforehand, she checked Ms Shinhae's profile in Kakao, Instagram, Google. The lady was true to her words. The friendly face was immediately waving at her the moment she entered the clean white-brown aesthetic place.
She strode through the almost empty restaurant, mesmerized by the marble floor painted in chess block, white and black, glistening from the yellow bulbs that are responsible for the warm ambience.
She could already tell that Ms Shinhae has good judgement.
She reached the table and bowed in respect, to which Ms Shinhae reciprocated. Ms Shinhae motioned her to sit on the black couch across the table in their cubicle.
"Sorry, I ran a bit late," Heejung said, bashfully smiling.
"No, you're right on time."
They ordered and waited for the waiter to be sure of it, before Ms Shinhae clasped her hands together and settled it on the table, a kind smile on her lips that caused Heejung to flicker her anticipating eyes on her.
"Am I in trouble?" Heejung kid.
Ms Shinhae crinkled her nose. "You kinda are."
Heejung's posture straightened, then she chuckled, brushing off the possible intimidation. "What did I do now?"
"Well, I learned that you were an ex-trainee in the company. Learned, too, that you were one of the aces of the group that should've debuted with Red Velvet in 2014. And, learned that you never mentioned it in your application as a producer, yet here you are, working under the management that could've helped you meet your dreams in your younger years."
Heejung blinked at the long monologue she heard. "Wow, I'm a criminal." Her words sounded more satire than authentic. "So? Are you going to arrest me or something?"
"I'm going to take you in as my talent."
"Excuse me?"
"Kim Heejung-ssi," she paused, confident. "I'll help you meet your dreams in your younger years come true."
for my filipino readers, i've published a story in my other account @necaia inspired by WandaVision and Hell University (KnightInBlack), so if you're interested, you can check them out in my profile. thanks so much! ily