The three of them walked in silence. Yuri, utterly composed on the outside, was deep in thought. She was mentally running through a dozen scenarios, contemplating exactly how to handle her first impression on the famous guests waiting. She just knew she'd be facing silent eye-rolls and quiet jokes, after all, her ruined reputation wasn't exactly a badge of honor. She planned out her responses, making sure her public image didn't completely fall apart the second she opened her mouth.
Eun-ae broke the quiet first, stopping them right in front of a big, serious-looking door. This was it, the meeting room.
Yuri took a breath, knocked three times, and pushed the door open. Immediately, several pairs of scrutinizing eyes greeted her. Just like that, she froze. She couldn't help it; even though she craved attention and spotlight, she wasn't used to this much focused attention. Without meaning to, she put one hand on her hip and tilted her chest out, her go-to move for looking tough when she was actually melting inside.
Eun-ae waited patiently for Yuri to say hello, to bow, anything! But the controversial star just stood there, completely still, looking more like a super-chic security guard checking for threats than a new guest. Eun-ae groaned inwardly, gave up on subtlety, and nudged Yuri hard in her side.
Yuri flinched. She looked over to see Eun-ae pointing her lips toward the room and making frantic, secret hand signals.
'Oh, right. Manners,' Yuri thought, realizing she was already making a mess of things. She mentally slapped herself and quickly spun to face the room.
She pasted on what she hoped was a sweet, friendly smile, clasped her hands together in front of her, and bowed deeply and gracefully.
"Hello, seniors! I'm Lee Yuri. Please take care of me," she announced, maybe a little too loud.
'Way to make an impressive first impression, Yuri,' she thought, slightly embarrassed by the stiff, formal line.
While her head was still down, she clearly heard a few light chuckles and a sharp 'tsk' from somewhere in the room.
Yuri slowly straightened, acting as if the earlier frozen moment and the rude noises hadn't happened. She was ready for the traditional industry scolding, the one where a senior would give her a long, dramatic lecture that she'd only ever encountered in a cheesy K-drama and novels.
But instead of a lecture, the room simply...rebooted. Everyone went back to whatever they were doing.
'Seriously? That's it? No boss battle?' Yuri thought, completely bewildered. The dramatic confrontation she'd prepared for didn't happen. She was just ignored. No warm welcome, but thankfully, no loud insults either. She was completely, utterly ignored, and she welcomed this fact with a relieved shudder.
Yuri didn't know they were actually all deeply shocked she was there. Even more shocking was that many were fighting hard to hide their silent, grudging appreciation for her stunning looks.
'Stop thinking you're the main character for five seconds', she scolded herself. She looked for her seat, finally taking in the room and the famous faces.
The room was the model of a modern world big office: neat, cool, and elegant. Instead of posters, one wall was a floor-to-ceiling glass panel showing a sharp city view. The other walls were clean white or pale gray, accented by a single piece of abstract, expensive art. The lighting wasn't harsh; it was soft, built-in LED strips that kept the room bright but sophisticated.
A large, sleek 'U' table dominated the center. It was minimalist, just slim water bottles and clean notebooks resting by individual name cards. Above them, mounted high on the walls and tucked into corners, were the small, black domed cameras common in reality shows, unsubtle reminders that everything was being recorded.
Around the table sat about eight top stars, dressed in casual but expensive clothes, designer knitwear, tailored shirts, and simple, chic denim. They offered polite, light smiles and made small talk about projects and news.
But underneath the easy chatter, a different game was being played. Their eyes quickly jumped around, secretly measuring each other's status and power. A casual movement to grab a water bottle became an excuse for a quick glance at a rival's face. A kind compliment felt more like a test. The elegant, minimal setting couldn't hide the quiet fight between these famous talents, who kept up a friendly act while playing a serious game.
Eun-ae said a quick goodbye as she headed to her own duties. Yuri found her name card and slid into her chair. Both seats next to her were blessedly empty. No one bothered her, and that was the absolute best welcome.