As soon as she reached the elevator, Yuri received a sudden phone call from her manager, Sister Dan. She calmly answered while using the elevator's mirrored walls to adjust her hair. A great benefit of the building was the private elevator only a select few could use, which saved time and kept her current address a secret.
"Sup, Sis!" Yuri asked coolly.
"Hey, Yuri! Are you already on your way to the company?" Sister Dan asked.
"Sure am. What, you think I'd back out?" Yuri joked.
"No, of course not. There's just a change of plan. Can you go directly to KBS station?" Sister Dan asked.
"I can. Why?" Yuri asked, suddenly confused.
"Well, The Singer-Songwriter show is having a quick meeting with all the guests at exactly noon, so there's no time for you to stop by the office. I'll bring the contract termination papers so you can finalize both joining the show and leaving the company at the same time. Does that work for you?" Sister Dan explained.
"That's better! Saves me a trip to two different places," Yuri agreed, privately thrilled she didn't have to face anyone at the company just yet.
"Great! Do you want me to pick you up?"
"No, it's okay. I can manage," Yuri refused.
"Alright, stay safe."
"You too. I'll meet you there," Yuri replied, then hung up and let a smirk spread across her face.
As the call ended, the elevator stopped at the basement. She happily skipped to the parking lot where the original Yuri had parked her old car. As soon as she got in, she drove off toward the KBS station.
...
September 16, 2013, in front of the KBS Broadcasting Station.
The sky was streaked with golda beautiful sunrise, but everyone was rushing through their morning business.
A short distance from the main entrance, a group of reporters with cameras and clipboards stood watch. These journalists often camped outside, hoping to catch a popular star or scope.
"Hey, I thought you were covering an exclusive this week. Why are you out here?" a middle-aged man asked a younger guy with round eyeglasses, who was slumped against his camera bag.
"Don't even start, I just get mad thinking about it," the young reporter sighed. "I thought it was a huge exclusive, but it was just a giant waste of time."
"Why? What happened?" the older man asked, curious.
"The information I got was completely false. That old-timer actor, Joo-won, intentionally spread it, pretending it was a major announcement. Turns out it was only a gender reveal party! And he'd already announced the baby ten days ago! These old stars will seriously do anything to grab attention," he ranted.
The older man suddenly laughed. "See? I told you to stop chasing those small-time stories. You should be focused on finding the hottest artist right now."
"Who, Kim Junyeong? That's why I'm here. They say she might come for a new show today," the younger man replied.
"Not her. I'm talking about Lee Yuri! If we just knew where she was right now and could get an exclusive interview, we'd hit the jackpot," the older man quickly corrected.
"Oh, her? Yeah. It's been a couple of months, and no one has seen her. But you're right, she's so famous, the news about her is still everywhere."
"I know! I bet she's already hiding or abroad and probably won't step out again. If only we could squeeze her dry before the public completely loses interest," the older guy lamented.
Just then, a sleek black car stopped right in front of them, and the window slid down. A girl wearing sunglasses leaned out.
"Excuse me, can I ask which way is the parking lot?" the girl asked politely.
The two reporters were stunned speechless by her striking beauty.
The younger reporter, however, subtly clicked the camera he was holding. The older one could only stutter and weakly point out a direction.
"Thanks!" The girl flashed them a bright smile, then started the engine.
The sudden encounter left them hypnotized. They hadn't recovered until the car drove smoothly away.
"Wow! Who was that?" they both exclaimed in unison.
"Dammit! We forgot to ask her name! Are you even a reporter, not doing your job properly?" the older man suddenly snapped at the younger one, earning a sharp glare.
"Is it a new artist? Daebak! I think I just saw my goddess," the younger man gushed, immediately checking the pictures he'd just taken.
"She looks familiar, but I can't remember where I saw her," the older man said, trying hard to place the face. "But you're right, she's really pretty. You got a picture, right? Let me see!" He quickly grabbed the camera.
Sadly, they had only managed to capture the girl's side profile.
The two reporters were still gushing over the stunning photo, completely unaware they had just met the "jackpot" they were hoping for. Meanwhile, Yuri, the girl at the center of their chatter, quickly found a spot for her car and walked back toward the main entrance.
...
Yuri finally reached the ground floor, carrying a hint of excitement beneath her polished exterior. She pushed open the heavy glass doors and stepped into the building's main lobby.
The lobby was already buzzing, typical scene of organized chaos where famous faces were common.
Then, Yuri simply stood there.
She hadn't meant to stop, but a wave of late-hitting nervousness suddenly made her pause, freezing her to the spot. To everyone looking, however, she stood perfectly framed in the doorway, sunglasses on, her posture radiating an untouchable, icy confidence.
Slowly, the noise began to die.
A manager paused mid-pitch. Idols stopped chattering. Within seconds, the large, chaotic lobby fell into a complete, eerie silence.
In this stillness, she utterly seized everyone's attention. Her high-fashion street look and completely unbothered air commanded a focus that no normal person could achieve. She looked less like a celebrity and more like a goddess who had accidentally paused her walk down Mount Olympus.
Feeling the intense, scorching gazes, which she definitely wasn't used to yet, Yuri's inner monologue went into full panic mode.
'Oh shit! Well, look at that. My entrance was way too good. Now they're all gawking. Seriously? I know I look incredible, I mean I planned this outfit for two hours, but is this amateur hour? You people work in the entertainment industry! You see beautiful people for a living! Get a grip!'
'Crap, my foot is starting to cramp! Any minute now and I'll completely crash this whole "untouchable diva" vibe I've got going. I absolutely refuse to shift my weight because that'll ruin the pose,' Yuri thought, her internal panic hitting a hilarious new high.
'Okay, girlie, deep breaths. They're just people. Expensive-looking people who are silently judging my baggy pants, but still, just people. Where did all your usual bravado disappear to?' Yuri silently scolded herself, struggling to maintain her frozen, confident pose.
Suddenly, two people approached her: a man holding a camera and a woman with pixie hair wearing smart, casual clothes.
"Excuse me, are you here for the show The Singer-Songwriter by any chance?" the woman asked politely, eagerness sharp in her voice.
Yuri was startled. She hadn't expected someone to approach her, and with a camera, no less.
"Uhm, yes," she replied, quickly taking off her sunglasses.
The moment her glasses came off, a collective gasp echoed across the lobby. Her beauty was the kind that simply stopped a crowd. Her face was exquisite, blessed with large, compelling deep green eyes and features that looked both soft and impossibly perfect at the same time.
The stunned whispers immediately erupted:
"OMG, she is so, so pretty!"
"Wait, she looks familiar!"
"Holy cow, I think that's Lee Yuri!"
"My God, it's really her!"
"She looks so different."
"Exactly! For a second there I thought a legendary newcomer had arrived."
"Why is she here?"
"Didn't you hear? She's here for that Singer-Something show."
"My God, she's really brave, coming out like this!"
"I don't care about that! Quick, take a picture!"
The room suddenly resumed its hustle, but now everyone was trying to discreetly take pictures while pretending to mind their own business.
The lobby had shattered its silence, but the intense focus on Yuri remained.
Ordinary employees whispered her name. To them, she wasn't just a star; she was a legendary figure now caught at the center of current scandals and public issues, and they marveled at her completely different looks.
Meanwhile, the few idols and artists in the area were doing something far more calculated: they were discreetly sizing her up.
One young star watched with a hint of mockery, clearly thinking Yuri's comeback was a joke waiting to happen. Another artist held a sharp look of raw competitiveness, recognizing a major threat standing just inside the glass doors.
Even after her fall from grace, Yuri's presence was a clear challenge to anyone dreaming of the spotlight. She was the one everyone talked about, loved or hated. And now, she was back.