Daffodil's Sunshine

Chapter 7 - Falling Down

We're sorry, Areum, but we don't think you'd be cut out for this agency. Unfortunately, your style is very different from what we usually debut, and we do not think it will fit alongside our usual sponsorships. We hope you have better luck elsewhere, but please, if you know of anyone that may fit within our agency, refer us to them. Hope to hear again from you soon!

The words on her bright phone screen were ones Areum was much too familiar with. 7 different agencies, several different offers, and nothing ever came of any of them. Then there was her supervisor, who was constantly trying as well, with no luck. It was always the same news.

"Your style is very unique," he would always say. "And most people these days prefer to listen to mainstream bubblegum pop, ya know? Uh, actually, more precisely, most agencies prefer to promote groups of musicians, not individual young ladies like you. I'm not sure if it's a reputation thing or not but either way, don't give up!"

Areum stared at the shiny silver locket that hung around her neck. It was a simple thing, heart shaped, with a little treble clef printed in it.

But what mattered most was what was on the inside.

Areum's weak fingers opened the lock, revealing a small, but special picture, of her 6th birthday, May the 15th. She traced her fingers over the image, nostalgia settling within her heart like a smouldering flame.

There, as the candles flickered on her birthday cake which she had helped make, was her cousin, standing next to her. Her face was adorned with a wide smile as she handed Areum something she would treasure forever, her first guitar.

Hea. Her cousin's name slipped from her tongue like water as she smiled at the memory she held so dearly. As soon as Areum had pulled the guitar out of its case, she had asked excitedly, "Will you teach me how to play?". She had said that, so innocently, unaware that those guitar lessons would end just three years later.

Areum sighed at herself. Once the clock struck 3:00 PM, she headed to work, dragging along the raincloud of worries over her head.

...

"Areum! I've told you, so many times, focus on the East side of the diner! If you keep scrambling, you'll just slow down!" Blue scowled at her.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just panicking," Areum gasped, taking the platters of food away from the kitchen.

"Don't apologize. Just focus!"

Areum nodded, balancing the platters on her arms and lightly running across the restaurant.

Clack. Clack. Clack. As the hours ticked by, each platter landed on the tables without a single mistake. And as the seconds passed by, Areum's vision became a little blurrier.

Her head burned and pulsed in pain, but she could do nothing except for taking some medication to fight it off. There were still 3 more hours left of her shift. Just three more hours, and she'd be able to go home and sleep. There was nothing to fear. There was nothing she should have been worried about.

"Areum! Slow down a little. You're going to trip at this rate!" Blue scolded, pointing a condescending finger at her.

Areum sighed. "I know, I know. I'm just trying to get done as soon as possible."

Blue huffed. "There's a reason we hired more people, for your information. Just slow down! You'll be fine!"

Areum tried to slow down. She tried.

The voices of her mom and sister kept ringing inside of her head. Kept pushing her to work harder, get a bonus, earn more money, for the sake of their survival. So her feet kept swinging her from table to table much too fast. It was a miracle she didn't spill any drinks, but her legs began to ache quickly.