Choose Your Story [STRAY KIDS FF] ✔️

Trope 4 - Enemies to Lovers

"That's it for the meeting. Do you understand your job?" the older man turns to you, forming a big frown on his face.

"Yes, sir," you nod and he frowns even more.

"We need to get that story for the front cover," he says through his gritted teeth and dismisses you as his phone rings.

You have been assigned a mission - go on a 5-day cruise and write a travel experience story and beat the story of the rivaling magazine. You understand your boss's worry - the opposing travel magazine had good writers who snatched sales from your company, even though you wrote about the same things - theirs were better and sold more. Your stories did well online, you never worked on a published version so this was an opportunity you couldn't miss.

...

Standing in line to board the huge cruise ship, you fan yourself with boarding papers but notice a man entering with the rest of the VIP passengers, pulling a large suitcase with a laptop bag hanging from his shoulder. He's smiling and chatting with other rich passengers, his expensive Ray-Ban sunglasses gracing his face. You roll your eyes behind the cheap pair of plastic sunglasses and snicker at his bringht colored hair.

"He's such a show-off..." you whisper to yourself and step closer behind the chubby lady. Your line was slow while he already entered the ship with a glass of champagne in hand, which was served at the entrance for the VIP guests.

...

"Of course, they'll send him for this story..." you mutter to yourself as you put the last of your luggage in the small wardrobe. Your room is super small but, at least, it has a desk where you can put your computer and work - it really felt like a cubicle with a small bed, wardrobe, and foldable desk. At a time like now, you wished you worked for a different company...

...

At lunch, you saw him sitting at the round table and talking with people, eating steak and drinking champagne as you sat alone and ate your rice with a chicken drumstick, washing it down with plain water.

You take notes about the ship's dining room, the guests, the servers, and the food, using fancy words to describe it all.

The man in question was your "friend" from college - you studied journalism together but always had that rivalry between yourself. He had better grades - his stories were ranked above yours which made you strive to become better and someday surpass him. To be honest, you admired his skills but, at the same time, hated his talent.

He is good-looking, you crushed on him in college but didn't want those feelings to get in the way of your goal to be better.

...

Taking a stroll on the pool deck, you take more notes about the environment, the experience, and the view. Then you notice him again, basking in the sun and talking with girls in skimpy bikinis. So, you decide to do the same.

You approached the guests, introducing yourself and asking for their opinion on everything. The ship took off not long ago but you got some good reviews already. And, after writing down some good stories, you decide to let yourself relax, even though your boss told you that you're strictly on business on this ship.

Putting on your bikini and sunscreen, you go to the pool deck and find yourself a free chair. You let down your big towel and dip your feet into the pleasant water, looking at the ocean in the distance. A waiter offers you a cocktail but you decline, not wanting your boss to notice that on the cruise bill later. You get some insight from the waiter, asking him to describe his experience and the various drinks he usually serves. You got yourself more good material.