The Accidental Star

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

JI CHANG WOOK

" It's not here, " I growled on the phone as I pulled the drawers on his office table open. " Are you sure you left it here? "

" I'm certain, " Daniel confirmed on the other line. " Just keep on checking, I might have buried it underneath a pile of papers. "

" I've checked your drawers three times, " I snapped. " There's no sign of may passport anywhere. "

I glanced at my watch and saw that I have exactly one hour and forty three minutes before my chartered flight will depart.

That is if I can find my passport on time, I thought in annoyance as I shuffled through the throngs of paper inside Daniel's disorganized drawers.

" I've checked again, but I found nothing, " I said through gritted teeth. " Think where you left it, Daniel. "

I had asked Daniel to pick up my passport from the embassy yesterday because I was busy with a shoot. And now it looked like he lost it.

" I'm walking to my car now, " Daniel was saying and I could hear his car alarm in the background. " It could be here. "

" It better be, " I said in resignation as I closed all his drawers and slumped on his office chair.

It was a Sunday afternoon and I was supposed to be on my way to the hangar.But seven minutes after leaving home, I realized that my passport was missing. I couldn't recall Daniel handing it to me yesterday and so twenty five minutes later, I was in the Spotlight office ransacking Daniel's office table, where he remembered leaving my passport.

I heard my manager mutter random things to himself on the other line. I could hear several scratching sound in the background and then after a few more minutes, Daniel finally had some good news.

" Found it! " He exclaimed. " I found it underneath the passenger seat. It must have fallen off yesterday. I was so certain I left in in my office drawer. "

I sighed in relief with the news. " You apparently didn't, " I told him and then pushed myself off the chair. " I'll be there in a few minutes. I'll call you when I'm outside your house. "

I quickly ended the call and locked Daniel's office before heading to the elevator hall. I glanced at my watch again as I waited for the lift to open.

I knew that I was on a charter flight and of course, the jet plane wouldn't depart without me onboard. But I didn't want any delay. I wanted to take off on the scheduled time and be on my way.

I quickly jumped in the lift when it opened. I skimmed through my mobile apps and checked my email. Daniel emailed me the flight's tail number and I wanted to take a screen shot and save it to fasten my check-in time.

The elevator door opened before I could find Daniel's email. The slow internet connection inside the lift didn't help in finding it faster.

I quickly typed the name of the private jet company and several emails coming from Daniel with the same blank heading popped on my screen.

Very convenient, I groaned silently as I started walking towards the main door. I opened one mail and quickly read what was inside. When it wasn't what I was looking for, I quickly pressed the back button and went on filtering the emails.

I was just about to click another mail open when I crashed against something pushing me to ground and sent my mobile phone flying.

" What the-?" I cried out and ungracefully landed on my butt on the cold hard floor.

I watched as my brand new mobile phone landed on the floor with a soft thud. I was grateful that I listened to Daniel and got a silicon cover to protect it. It, fortunately, didn't shatter into pieces.