That day the sun was shining very hot. Never care about the people passing by on the streets have started to sweat. Like one of them, Park Jisoo.
She was one of the part-time workers at a photo shoot for the summer edition clothing catalog. All this time, what she did was run around because she was asked to bring this and that by the permanent staff there. Jisoo felt extremely tired, but she couldn't complain. She needs this job to be able to survive with her sick mother. Only work like this can be done, besides being a saleswoman in a coffee shop.
After all, Jisoo was happy to see top celebrities wearing fine and expensive clothes, polished make-up to look perfect, then stylishly in front of the camera. Her eyes always focus on how celebrities work, as if they have many pairs of hands, while their own hands need only be silent.
When will I be treated like a princess like them? When will I be famous? When will I have enough money so that my mom can just stay at home and not have to work?
The questions always crossed her mind. Jisoo sighed, now she tidied up dozens of shooting photo concepts, and accidentally read the headlines on the top sheet;
CNBLUE X KANGSORA X BANGBANG 2013 SUMMER EDITION
Ah, when will she is name be written on the concept of a large project? But, at least now she has managed to become a trainee at a large agency, a trainee as a model. She has been there for almost a year, but not even once have they given her the opportunity to be involved in any project.
Maybe later. Yes later. Jisoo was sure she would debut, become an ambassador for a well-known brand and then walk on the runway, admired by many people. Her face will be on the cover of a magazine. Look beautiful and happy.
"Jisoo! Can you deliver this to the top?"
The woman turned toward the voice, a staff member standing not far behind her holding a bag full of bottles of mineral water. "Yes, sure." She replied.
Then she going to stairs to the third floor where the shooting studio was located while carrying the bag of mineral water, which turned out to be quite heavy. By the way, the first and second floors of this building are actually quite fancy Italian restaurants, but apparently on the third and fourth floors there are studios that are often used for photography like today. Who would have thought that an Italian restaurant and studio would be in the same building? Even Jisoo didn't think she could actually go in there.
Because she had been too busy with her own mind at the same time admiring the interior of the stairs that seemed classic, without realizing Jisoo, the handle of the bag she was carrying just broke. Make bottles of mineral water fall. In a hurry, Jisoo took one by one the mineral water, making her have to go back down the stairs.
"Here. Why did it fall?" A tall, well-dressed man handed over the bottles he had picked up.
"Thank you." That's all she could say because she was still busy with the other bottles.
Unnoticed by Jisoo, the man actually paused there, paying attention to her hair which was limp due to sweat and her face was flushed from heat. Then the man went to a table not far away, opened one of the drawers and took out a paper bag that was still intact and looked strong.
"Put it in here." He said. Give the paper bag to Jisoo who looked at him confused. "Just put it in here." He said again because she did not answer.
Jisoo accepted it, then leaned in, "Thank you, hm, Ahjussi."
"Why call me Ahjussi? Do I look old?"
"Ah, no. I mean.. Sorry."
The man chuckled softly at Jisoo who was nervous. "Are you one of Bang Bang's staff?"
"I'm just a part time worker."
"Hm, I see. Nice to meet you." The man extended his right hand, "I happen to be the owner of this building. Choi Daehyun."
***
Jisoo arranged some shoes that would later be used by CNBLUE and Kang Sora for the next photo concept, while thinking of the sudden introduction with a man who claimed to be the owner of this building.
Is he really the owner? Why so young? She was always thought the rich people who owned the building were older people who were more than half a century old. Or is that man lying just to tease her because she just a part-time worker?
"Jisoo brought a few pairs of shoes here!"
"Yes!"
There, in the room Jisoo had just entered, she could see the four members of CNBLUE -who are currently very popular- were being styled by their respective hairstyles. And also there was Kang Sora, who smiled when she saw Jisoo bring some shoes for her to wear.
"You're Park Jisoo from YG, right?" Sora asked kindly.
Jisoo who was shocked because celebrity like Kang Sora recognized her, blinking repeatedly. "Yes."
"Are you part time here?"
"Yes." Jisoo smiled awkwardly, "How can you recognize me?"
"We've met before, when I was shooting with Lee Sungkyung. You were there too."
"Ah, Sungkyung-sunbaenim." Jisoo recalled the time Sora said, then bowed respectfully, "How are you, Sunbaenim? Sorry I didn't-"
"It is okay." Sora cut her sentence, then still with the same kindness she continued, "Hey guys. This is Jisoo, she's still a model trainee, but I'm sure she will debut soon." She said to the four members of CNBLUE.
The men's automatically turned towards Sora and Jisoo, then greeted each other, including Jonghyun.
"Ji-Soo?" He asked pressing each syllable, ensuring the spelling of her name.
"Yes. Ji-soo. Park Jisoo." Clearly Jisoo.
Jonghyun nodded, then turned his head back, as if he didn't really care. In fact, without anyone noticing, through the mirror, Jonghyun still paid attention to her.
The woman had pale skin, glazed eyes, clear dark circles under her eyes made Jonghyun wonder how many nights she had not slept, her hair limp with sweat, her thin body was clad in only white jeans and a modest black t-shirt.
Oh, okay, Jonghyun knows that being a trainee is not easy, and doesn't make money, but, does Jisoo have to work so hard? Does she not get material support from her parents? Don't get his wrong, instead Jonghyun turned into an arrogant person because he was already famous, not like that.
Just seeing Jisoo's pathetic appearance reminds Jonghyun of his days of being a street busker, before being under a spotlight, before being on a magnificent stage like now.
When meeting with Jisoo, what he wants to do is support her. Tell the woman to always be enthusiastic, that one day she will surely achieve her dream. One day, there will be a result of every hard work she does.
Until a few months later, Jonghyun met her again. Amid the rain, Jisoo crouched on the side of the road not far from the CNBLUE dorm. She tightly covered her face using her palms, leaving her entire body wet with rain. Her shoulders shook slightly, indicating that she was sobbing, but the sound of her tears were defeated by the sound of thousands of drops of water falling from the sky. She cried, until she didn't realize Jonghyun had been standing not far in front of her.
Somehow, even though he only met once, even though her face is now closed, but Jonghyun knows she is Jisoo.
"Hey Park Jisoo!"
***
Park Jisoo saw her mother's cold, stiff body. The only family member she has now passed away. She did not know, after this, what should she do. What she have to live for, and for whom she lives. During this time, she worked hard day and night for herself and her mother, who had been suffering for years from kidney disease. Jisoo lives for her mother. And now she's mother is gone.
A few hours before, Jisoo had found her mother's stiff body in their cramped house, then found a small note that reasoned that she chose to leave early because she didn't want to be a burden on her daughter. So she chose to take dozens of tablets of medicine at once and over dosage.
Jisoo threw the note paper, then looked at her mother's pale face. Tears fell down her face, her heart ached excruciatingly, but at the same time she wanted to scream at anyone, blaming anyone for her chaotic life.
However, the reality that has already happened is often difficult to change. Jisoo can't make her Mom alive anymore, can't also exchange her life with other people for a better life. So after the funeral was over, which actually didn't have many people visiting because they didn't have another family, Jisoo tried to live as naturally as possible. Live life as usual. Alone.
But maybe, God still wants to be a little kind, when one day Jisoo comes to the agency's office to do a routine evaluation every month, and she is declared to be debuting soon. The decision has been taken that she will debut soon.
It feels like a rainbow suddenly appeared after a relentless storm.
After feeling the euphoria and getting congratulations from her fellow trainees, Jisoo returned home, walking alone from the bus stop.
Indeed, euphoria is only temporary. Because on the way to her small rented house, it rained and seemed to wash away the euphoria. Replace it with sadness. Feelings of sadness that always appear suddenly, remembering her mother was gone when she was about to debut soon, remembering her mother would never be able to see her walking on the runway, remembering her mother would never see her become a successful person.
Uncontrollably, tears fell, merges with rain water. Her legs felt weak, so she crouched on the side of the road, somewhere she did not care, and sobbed, again.
"Hey Park Jisoo!"
When raising her head, Jisoo saw a man. She blinked a few times so she could see more clearly. There, standing not far in front of her, under a black umbrella, with an ordinary facial expression, but a look in the eyes that was shady. Lee Jonghyun called her name.
***