The House

Chapter 2

"WHAT? You applied to a production editor internship without our consent!" I closed my eyes, and it started.

I nodded staring intently at the goopy concoction of spinach, peas, and carrots mingling with rice on my plate.

"We spoke about this Chaeyoung, why don't you understand. This isn't going to help you in the future. We aren't trying to hurt you, but you understand where we are coming from."

"I do Mom, but I made it in, from five thousand applicants only three students were chosen and I was one of them!"

My Mom sighed looking to my father, inviting him into the conversation. He was still quiet. His head leaning on his crossed palms and a contemplating look on his face. The room stayed silent, until he cleared his throat.

"Look, I'll make a deal with you. Like your mother and I, you are beyond stubborn. And we don't want to become the 'Villains'" He had air quoted, "In your story. So, you can go to this internship and take a gap year before college to pursue your passions, BUT if you don't "Make-it" as in you can't earn enough to prove you can fend for yourself in the future, comfortably,"

That was a key word, I'd need to make as much or more than an accountant,

"then you forget about this ornery determination you have and go into accounting and use your mathematical talents in that."

I didn't think about it twice, I said yes and was on the first flight to sunny California, working on my first production and that too with Kash Arroya, one of the greatest minds in direction in today's time. The weeks had buzzed past me as I took care of getting an apartment close to site and buying food/setting my clothes up. I was lucky enough to have my parents financing me during this little arrangement we made, but it was all just hitting me now, as I stood there completely disoriented from the movements around me.

"You seem lost." I turned to see a tall girl with black hair, she held a coffee cup in hand that she elegantly stirred with a wooden swizzle stick. I looked at her tag.

Chou Tzuyu
Intern

"Is it that obvious?"

She smiled, "I'm Tzuyu, guess we're in this together... Chaeyoung."

"Wow, you seem like you do have an idea of what is going on here."

"Not much, but I've heard confidence is a big key in 'Faking it' "

"True, tru-"

"QUIET ON SET!"

I looked up wide eyed to see the lights dim and hear the snapping of the slate board. Tzuyu and I pushed in front of the crowd to the set to see the artist and my eyes widened.

It was Angel Asylum... I WAS HELPING SHOOT A MUSIC VIDEO FOR ANGEL ASYLUM!!!!

"Who is that?" Tzuyu whispered at me,

"That's Angel Asylum an underground band, they make soft RnB and rap songs with super deep lyrics."

"Somebody sounds like a fan,"

"What? No, pfttt my friend Dahyun is just a big fan."

"Oh okay," Tzuyu raised her eyebrows clearly not convinced but she let it go.

"PEOPLE WHAT DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND ABOUT QUIET ON SET?!"

I looked at Tzuyu, squeezing my lips together and widening my eyes, which was reciprocated with a silent "shhh"

The music started and it was their new single "Critique" It was a song about how we should block out the haters and build confidence and love for ourselves because people always have something to say.

I closed my eyes taking in the lyrics and melody. They sat on stools in different high rise stages. In the far left was the main bass guitarist... Sana, on the right was the pianist/midi controller Momo, and in the middle the main singer Mina with her electric guitar. I breathed in deeply, they were so amazing, a chill ran down my spine and I had to look away to compose myself.

I watched them play the same section over and over and their perfection and dedication to their craft was astounding, and it took all of me to not bounce around during their set. I found a way to stand behind Kash Arroya for a moment and saw the way the camera lenses had been stacked to add brightness to the scene but also allow them to look soft and fuzzy. The wide shot with a rotating camera added such depth to the scene that there I was bursting with energy. It felt like for once I was right where I was exactly supposed to be.

They finished for the first few scenes a few hours later during lunch break when they removed their instruments and spun in their chairs to converse. It was then that Tzuyu yanked me to the food table, she started grabbing napkins and forks.

"What are you doing Tzuyu?" I asked rubbing my now hurting wrist,

"Well you don't expect the food to walk over to the artists do you?"

"What? We're giving them lunch?!"

"We're the interns. It's what we do while the stage and lights are being set up. Now come on." Tzuyu shoved a salad box in my hands and dragged me to the artists.

"Hello, My name is Tzuyu and this is Chaeyoung, we are here to bring you lunch."

"Oh Thank You." Momo spoke.

"No worries." Tzuyu gave a box to Mina and one to Momo.

Yet while giving the salad to Sana my head wouldn't lift from my black converse. Sana gave me a sweet smile, and angled her head trying to look me in the eye, to which I gave back a quick glance and jutted out the salad box and began walking back.

"Chaeyoung," I froze and spun around to see Sana reaching out for me.

"Y-yes." I mentally slapped myself for the stumble and gave a tight lipped smile.

"Can we get some water?"

"Yes, of course."

Author's corner:

Like promised here is the second chapter to The House, just Chaeyoung meeting her favorite band and getting comfortable on set on her first day.

Love you all
Thanks for supporting me

-Vika

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