"Oh, I see you're still eating! Great! I'll join you" a voice said.
Noelle turned and saw Mi-Suk. The girl's face instantly shifted, her expression turning worrisome.
"What happened? Are you okay?" Mi-Suk asked.
Noelle was bewildered. Was she supposed to share what happened? She was desperate to discuss it with somebody. "Um... Yeong Ye-Jun came in here and asked me to leave" she confessed.
"Ye-Jun was here?" Mi-Suk was flustered. Noelle told her everything.
"Oh no... He's begun already?" Mi-Suk pondered when Noelle finished. "Sorry I didn't join you earlier. If I was here..." she added.
"It's not your fault. I'm not sure how to handle this. On one hand, I want to disappear since I don't want to be unwelcome. On the other hand... I... want to yell at him. It's crazy..." Noelle said.
Mi-Suk smiled kindly. "I completely understand. Let me tell you my story. I went through the exact same thing when I started working here". She began narrating. "The core team, as you know, is Chloe and Sang-Jun. Ye-Jun has known them forever and trusts them completely.
"When Chloe realized she needed help with social media, I came along. It was a very strange interview. I was told that if I was selected, I could only visit the company offices on specific days and hours. I didn't know it then, but I was only supposed to come when Ye-Jun wouldn't be here. I got the job, and that crazy schedule began. I thought he was a total snob! How was I supposed to manage his videos and accounts for someone so difficult?
"After a while, Chloe filled me in. She had mentioned to Ye-Jun that she was going to hire someone new, and he was clearly against it. She said I would meet him when he was ready. Don't think he welcomed me with open arms at first. But soon, we got along. And ever since, I can honestly say I'm very happy I got this job. It's great working with him!" Mi-Suk concluded with a big smile.
Mi-Suk's story was amazing—and totally unbelievable.
"You were also 'hidden'?" Noelle asked in disbelief.
Mi-Suk nodded.
"How long?" Noelle asked.
"Around... seven months," Mi-Suk estimated.
"Seven... I don't have seven months!" Noelle cried out.
"Hey, it's not the same. You're an intern. Chloe will talk him around more easily," Mi-Suk said.
"And you like working with him?" Noelle wondered, needing to be clear.
"Yeah! He's very professional and also fun! Okay, he gets crazy from time to time and does things without thinking, but that's what makes it exciting! Figuring out how to protect him from himself. We quarrel all the time!" Mi-Suk explained. Noelle was now concerned about what Mi-Suk perceived as "professionalism".
Still, Noelle felt a little lighter. She finally ate her meal with Mi-Suk. On their way back, she gave herself a firm peptalk.
You are not easy to break! You are strong and committed. Don't you dare flicker when you're near him again! You will be cold and indifferent—strictly professional.
Back in the office, they saw someone inside Chloe's office.
"Oh no! What is he doing here? Did he have an appointment with Chloe?" Mi-Suk said. Noelle realized who it was.
Shit... Seeing him again? So soon? I haven't practiced enough yet.
They sat at their desks, and Mi-Suk continued the training. Noelle, from the corner of her eye, spied on the office. No aggressiveness; everything seemed cool. Mi-Suk's phone rang. It was Chloe.
"Wait a minute, I'll go see what they want" Mi-Suk said, standing up.
When Mi-Suk returned, she was practically vibrating, struggling to stay silent. Noelle had already figured out that Mi-Suk wasn't good at keeping secrets. "Let's get back to our training..." she said, rubbing her legs. It was obvious she was about to burst. "But before that... let me just say this! He came here for vocal practice. Why on earth is he planning vocal practice with no concerts or recordings scheduled? And he thinks it's time to do a flash performance with Mi-Ok at some event. Why now, of all times, does he want to add this to his schedule? Do you see what I mean? We never get bored with Ye-Jun!" Mi-Suk said, all in one breath, nodding like a bobblehead figure. "Now, click here" she added, seamlessly returning to work.
Noelle was processing she was being taught, but half her attention remained dedicated to the office. Everything was still civilized.
After a while, Ye-Jun left Chloe's office and walked past them. Out of the corner of her eye, Noelle saw Mi-Suk exchange a glance with him, but she avoided looking his way. He stopped by their desks and said to Mi-Suk: "Chloe said to go for it, so come when I call you".
"Alright, sir" Mi-Suk responded. "I wish I knew what they're up to..." she muttered under her breath.
Time passed, and around noon, a guest appeared. A beautiful and striking girl opened the door, looking around over her big sunglasses. An older, slightly stressed-looking man followed behind her.
"Oh... no!" Mi-Suk whispered. "Don't say a word, no matter what" she advised Noelle.
So, his girlfriend showing up was probably not a good thing. Ha Mi-Ok was a diva. Dressed for a gala, her aura filled the room. You couldn't help but look at her, astonished by her presence.
Chloe was already up, ready to greet her. "Mi-Ok, darling. Good morning!" she said. "Mr. Chung, lovely to see you" she addressed the man, who simply nodded.
"Hello, Chloe," Mi-Ok greeted her indifferently. "Where is Ju-Ju?" she asked.
It took Noelle a moment to realize who she meant. Ju-Ju? She calls him Ju-Ju? She definitely hadn't wanted to know what the lovebirds called each other.
"Ye-Jun is in the studio, practicing. Should I let him know you're here?" Chloe asked.
"He knows. Lead me there" Mi-Ok demanded.
"Of course. Mi-Suk, please accompany Ms. Ha to the studio" Chloe said.
Noelle could feel Mi-Suk shiver, but she got up smiling. Mi-Ok glanced toward them. She hadn't taken any interest before, as they weren't her boyfriend. She problably knew who Mi-Suk was. But when her eyes met Noelle's, they narrowed just a fraction. Mi-Ok said nothing, staring steadily in Noelle's eyes for a long, uncomfortable moment.
"This way, please" Mi-Suk said politely and walked out. The two guests followed without a word.
Noelle was brimming with questions. She looked at Chloe, expectingly.
"That is Ha Mi-Ok. Ye-Jun's girlfriend" Chloe explained.
"Yes, I read about that" Noelle said. She'd read about it two months after arriving in Seoul, actually. Just a month prior, she'd heard on TV that he'd broken up with his previous co-star girlfriend. And within weeks, he'd apparently fallen for this new, snobbish vixen.
He has a very strange taste in women. And he falls in love so easily...
"Well, how could you not? It's all over the news" Chloe said with a smirk.
"She seems... difficult" Noelle said leniently.
"She is promising, and she is not down-to-earth. So she's quite demanding" Chloe said.
"Who was the man with her?" Noelle asked.
"Her manager. I know he looks like her assistant. He can't handle her. I've told him a hundred times to drop her, but he doesn't listen" Chloe said.
"Why drop her? If she's promising, he could gain a lot from her success" Noelle pointed out.
"Right. That's what he thinks, too. But a manager has a job, and an artist has another. When the artist interferes with the manager's work without knowing the first thing about it, mistakes happen. And guess who gets blamed?" Chloe explained.
"Oh, I see" Noelle said, wondering what other people she would meet there. Were all celebrities like this? So far, the two she'd met were major disappointments.
"Well, don't bother with Mi-Ok. You probably won't see her again. And frankly, we hope not to see her ever again. It was a mistake..." Chloe said, thinking out loud.
"A mistake?" Noelle asked.
"People make mistakes" Chloe said, and walked away.
Soon Mi-Suk was back. "She is the worst! Every time I'm around her, I feel like a worm! She likes to walk on the wrecked souls of her subordinates!" Mi-Suk whined as she returned, slumping into her chair. "Stay away from her!".
"I plan to!" Noelle affirmed.
"And that video he mentioned earlier? Do you know how much time this will take? She has to approve my edits!" Mi-Suk cried, thinking of the hardships ahead.
"Tell me if there's anything I can do to help" Noelle offered.
"How sweet, but no. I will protect you!" Mi-Suk declared.
After an hour or so, Mi-Suk's phone rang. The caller 'Master' appeared on the screen, and she picked it up with a sigh.
"Hello?" Mi-Suk said, her face immediately gloomy. "I'll be right there" she replied and hung up. "Bye, Noelle. It was a pleasure meeting you..." she said, her tone implying the opposite.
"Who was it?" Noelle asked, even though she already knew the answer.
"Ye-Jun. If it was just him, I wouldn't mind. But her..." Mi-Suk said, and hurried out.
Alone now, Noelle put in her earbuds and started writing. When she was focused in her work, she easily lost track of time. As she began drafting Chapter 3 'Research Methodology,' she stopped noticing her surroundings entirely. She was so absorbed that she startled when Chloe suddenly appeared in front of her desk.
"Noelle!" Chloe was saying as Noelle hurried to remove her earbuds. "I'm heading to a meeting. I'll be back around three o'clock if anyone asks."
"Okay!" Noelle replied with a smile.
Once Chloe was gone, Noelle continued writing, leaving her earbuds out since she was alone.
It wasn't long before she heard the door open and someone walk in. Noelle turned around only to see the last two people she wanted to see.
The lovely couple: Yeong Ye-Jun and Ha Mi-Ok.
They looked like royalty. They carried an aura straight from a magazine cover, a gleam brighter than any spotlight.
Two authentic Hallyu specimens.