Scene: 1 – In 2020
Interior – Daytime – Subway Café
(Kim Han-eun and Lee Min-juh are both seated, resting their chins in their hands as they intently watch the news playing on the TV. Just then, Park Chae-won arrives carrying a tray of ramen.)
Park Chae-won:
(Setting the tray of ramen down on the table) Phew! This is really hot. (Steam rises from the ramen.) You two are going to love this. Eat it quickly, or it'll get cold. (Chae-won looks at the two of them.) What are you two watching so intently?
Han-eun: *Sigh*
These news channels—they keep broadcasting even the most trivial things on TV. I have no idea what's so special about this particular story that they've chosen to air it, but I was bored, so I started watching it anyway. However, those aunties over there were making such a racket that I just ended up reading the headlines instead.
(But ChAe-won, ignoring Han-eun's rambling, was already happily enjoying her ramen; without truly listening to a word she said, she simply kept nodding along with a vacant "Yeah.")
Lee Min-juh: (Looking at Han-eun) *Sigh* I wanted to see what was so interesting about this news story too, but they aren't really showing anything special. Han-eun: Exactly! They've been showing the same exact footage for ages now—why even keep it on? They could have put on something decent instead! *Sigh* Lee Min-juh: Let it go, Han-eun. (Handing her a bowl of ramen) Just eat this; you'll feel better. Han-eun: Okay. (She begins to eat, but just then, Chae-won starts choking.)
Han-eun: (Patting Chae-won on the back) Slow down! What's the rush? The food isn't going anywhere—take your time and eat comfortably. (Lee hands her a glass of water.)
Lee Min-juh: Chae-won, are you okay? Drink some water. (Laughing inwardly.)
Chae-won: (Loudly) Yes, I'm fine! All of this happened because of you two! (Lee and Kim look shocked.)
Lee: What did the two of us do?
Kim Eun: (Raising her voice) What?! You were the one eating like a starving animal, which is why you choked! Why are you blaming us, you glutton?!
ChAe WOn: (Calming down) Sorry, but all of this *did* happen because of your guys' incessant chatter. You two were talking so much that—while trying to keep saying "yes, yes" in response—my food got stuck! Anyway, let's just drop it now and eat in silence. Otherwise, the food will get cold—and that wouldn't be any fun. In fact, I'm going to finish eating it right now before it cools down.
Kim Eun: Yeah, alright. Let's eat. Just make sure you eat properly this time. (Both begin to eat. Just as they are about to take a bite...) (Suddenly, Aunties group stands up, gathers near the TV, and shouts loudly: "Wow! Look how handsome he is! Oh... I wish I could meet him! Oh! I should introduce him to my daughter!") (Due to their shouting, everyone gets annoyed. The two of them get startled, and the food slips from their hands onto the floor. Wan begins to clean up the mess.) (eun gets angry.) EUn: "What is their problem?" Won: "EUn, keep your voice down! They won't let us off easy—do you understand?" (The aunties' voices continue in the background.)
(Lee looks over at them.)
Lee: "What on earth are they watching?"
(Won tries to get a look.)
Won: "I can't see anything from here."
Lee: "It looks like there's news about a clothing sale; that's the only reason girls get this excited and start screaming."
Won: "Oh, Lee! What are you trying to imply? Do you think girls only scream for sales?" Yoon: "That's quite enough!"
(eun stands up angrily.) (Lee and Che exchange glances, thinking: "Oh boy, what's going to happen now?")
Kim Han: "Quiet down!" (Everyone turns around to look at her, whispering amongst themselves: "Who is she? What's her problem?")
"Are you people going to sit down or not? We're here too, and we want to watch as well! You're screaming so loudly that you're disturbing everyone, so please—just sit down!" (The aunties whisper angrily to one another: "What a rude girl! She doesn't even know how to speak politely." They all grudgingly sit down. The others in the room praise eun: "Well done! You did the right thing.")
(Won claps for eun. Lee gives her a faint smile, and eun sits back down.)
Chae: "Wow, Eun! That was incredible! You showed so much courage—I could never speak up like that! Good for you!"
Lee: "Didn't you go a little overboard?" (Lee receives a flurry of text messages, but he ignores them.)
Chae: "She didn't go overboard at all! Eun..." "Good move; everyone was getting annoyed."
Lee: "Alright, have it your way."
Kim Eun: (Strutting proudly) "I know I'm amazing! I've been brave ever since I was a kid."
Lee: (Watching her with a smile) "Hmm, we know exactly what you're like."
Kim Eun: "Yeah!"
WOn: "Anyway, let me take a look too—what exactly is this news that had everyone going so crazy?"
(Today's News: Mr. Kang Han-jun—the son of Mr. Kang, the Chairman of Seoul's major fashion design brand 'Mixxo'—is returning to Korea from Paris. He had moved to Paris in his childhood to pursue his studies. Today, having completed his education, he returns as a young entrepreneur who founded his own company and successfully built it into the number one brand in its field.)
Eun: "So *this* is what everyone was losing their minds over?"
Chae: "Oh my God! Look how handsome he is! It's not just the middle-aged ladies—even the old folks are going to be swooning over him! And what a coincidence—he's *ours*!"
Lee: "You're getting a little too worked up there." (Lee receives another call, but he cuts it off and switches his phone to silent mode; turning to Eun...) "Anyway, it's getting quite late. We really should be going now. Don't you two have to get to work?"
Kim Eun: "There's still plenty of time..." (She glances at her watch and looks shocked.) "Oh no!" (She stands up abruptly.) (Hurriedly) "It *is* really late! Wan, come on—hurry up!" (She grabs her friend's hand and starts dragging her away.)
Chae: (Staring longingly at her food) "Wait! I haven't finished eating yet. I'm going to get hungry again once we get to the office!"
Kim: "Oh, come on! We're already running late, and you're still worried about eating? Let's go! We can always come back here another time."
Chae: "Aww..."Eun: (To Lee, as she leaves) Alright—will you pay the bill? Lee: Yeah, I'll take care of it. You go on—you're running late. You need to get there quickly; your company's CEO is arriving. Eun: Yes! Bye—I'll treat you later. (She leaves; once she is gone, Lee Min pays the bill and heads to the office.)