Énouement (n) – The bittersweetness of having arrived here in the future, where you can finally get the answers to how things turn out in the real world.  

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“Ms. Kim, it’s an honor to finally meet you,” Sejeong smiled gracefully as she smoothed out a few wrinkles on her tan-colored blazer and slipped effortlessly into the etiquette of a professional interviewer.

“Hello, fellow readers of Resonance, I’m Kim Doyeon!” The charming model flashed her signature smile as she waved at the camera, her bright energy so contagious that the cameraman could not help but to grin back.

“For our viewers who don’t know – although I highly doubt that – Ms. Kim here started as a model long before she was a CEO,” Sejeong continued, “So, what got you into modeling in the first place?”

“Well, it surely wasn’t planned” Doyeon chuckled at the memory, “I had a few friends who photographed me in college and posted my photos to their social media accounts…”

Yoojung leaned against a wall not too far away from where the interview was taking place and finally let out the breath that she had been holding in since they entered the office suite. She did not expect to see Doyeon so soon, especially not when she is still trying to wrap her head around what happened a week ago. In fact, there is no real reason for her to be here today as the graphic designer of Resonance’s latest issue. Isn’t she supposed to be sitting behind her drawing pad and locked away in the office until she finally meets her deadlines? Yet, here she is, right in the middle of the action.

“We work a little differently here,” Sejeong had explained to her during their first few meetings, “Some of our clients are a little…picky…and prefer to work directly with our designers to ensure that the graphics used in the magazine truly brings them out.”

“Just treat it as shadowing,” Sejeong had said again on their car ride here, “See if you can find some inspiration by observing her at work.”  

Picky.

She tried to reflect on past instances where Doyeon had been picky. The girl was not picky when she allowed Yoojung to select any ice cream flavor for her; she definitely was not picky when they won several toys from claw machines and Yoojung got first dibs on which one to take home; nor was she picky when…

“Doyeonnie~ do you have any food that you don’t like?” Yoojung had once asked, struggling to tie the strings on her apron while gesturing at her best friend with a spatula.

Doyeon, sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor across the room, looked up from the cards that she had been stacking on the coffee table in front of her. A gentle breeze snuck into the warmly lit kitchen, tousling Yoojung’s hair into buoyant curls. It carried with it a sweet and steady sense of joy, and Doyeon felt her heart flutter.

“No…” she whispered, as if afraid to disturb the moment, before picking up her voice in embarrassment, “No, I don’t! I’ll eat anything you cook!”

So no, there really is no reason why Yoojung needs to be here, or so she thinks.

“We heard that your fiancé, Mr. Cha Eunwoo, invested heavily in your new company,” Sejeong’s voice drifted back into Yoojung’s ears, “What’s it like to have an added role to your relationship?”

Doyeon had anticipated the question, for she knew the cost of being engaged to the heir of a prominent enterprise. The engagement was not entirely arranged, but it was also not her idea. Still, she played the part of an elegant lady for the camera, knowing that she had gotten the fairytale ending that many girls dreamed of since childhood.

“Eunwoo and I have worked together for a while now,” Doyeon’s smile did not quite reach her eyes, “He was my modeling partner during my very first case.”

As Yoojung watched Doyeon offer an impermeable response, she thought to herself that there is a part of growing up that is genuine. For Yoojung, it meant learning how to forgive and forget. She learned early on that bitterness only hindered her ability to move forward. She accepted the flaws of those she held dear and weaved a cocoon around her heart. She told herself repeatedly that she must embrace the changes in her life, to never stop growing.

Yet, a few feet away from where she stood was a woman who was like a snapshot out of time. Yoojung could still hear their echoing laughter and excited footsteps the day they skipped class, their youthful faces turning toward the sun as they emerged from the underground tunnel. Now, those childlike features that used to frame Doyeon’s face were replaced by a more defined jawline and eyes that were fierce rather than doe-like. There was an earnestness in her gaze as she maintained eye contact with the interviewer, the occasional hesitation in her body movements made her seem all the more perfect. Doyeon had always been pretty, but now she was the epitome of elegance. Yoojung looked down at herself, a crease forming among her eyebrows. Is it only her who has been marching at the same spot all along?   

From the corners of her eye, Doyeon caught sight of Yoojung whispering to another staff member before slipping away silently. She did not hear Sejeong’s attempt at asking her to elaborate – something among the lines of “so it didn’t feel like too much of a change to go from coworker to lover.”

“Ms. Kim?” Sejeong pressed further for a response, her voice marked by a questioning yet gentle tone.

“Uh…I’m so sorry,” Doyeon smiled sheepishly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, “What were you saying?”

“That’s all right,” Sejeong waved a hand casually after getting the cue from the cameraman, “Let’s take five!”

Immediately, Doyeon’s make-up artist and hairstylist swooped over for touch-ups only to be gently brushed away by the star of today’s show. Sejeong smiled reassuringly, a little hesitant to make any comments. After all, this was their first time working together, and a solid impression can last for miles. Still, she did not miss the sorrow in Doyeon’s eyes when her facial expression sank faster than a penny in a pond.

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“What are you doing here?” Yoojung asked as she exited the elevator and jogged towards Rocky.

The latter broke into a grin and shortened the distance between them. He grabbed Yoojung’s hand and dragged them both to a couch nearby before handing over the milk teas that he bought from the mall.

“I haven’t really heard from you since last week,” Rocky explained as he poked a straw into Yoojung’s drink.

“I’m so sorry,” Yoojung responded guiltily, “I’ve just been really busy trying to adjust to the new pace at work.”

“I know,” Rocky chuckled, “I heard you got put on a big project.”

Yoojung nodded as she took a sip from her milk tea. An odd silence that stretched past what seemed to be appropriate ensued. Yoojung shifted uncomfortably in her seat, nibbling at the tip of her straw until s