FALLEN WONDERLAND 「LEE SOO HYUK & SEO YEA JI FICTION」

28: The Resilience of Lee Soo Hyuk

Warnings: Concepts contained in this chapter are dark and mind-bending. You were warned!

Ever since he was a teenager, Lee Soo Hyuk had never dreamed of becoming a model. Although he had the looks, the charm, and the confidence to make it in the industry. So when he was offered a contract with the Nang Fashion Agency, one of the most prestigious agencies in the world, he jumped at the chance. He agreed and sign the contract without even reading it, he wanted to succeed and help his family.

At first, things were great. Lee was making a name for himself in the fashion world, walking the runway for top designers and appearing in magazines and ads. But as time went on, he began to notice the darker side of the industry. The long hours, the pressure to be thin, and the constant criticism from agents and designers. And worst of all, the Nang Fashion Agency's treatment of its models.

The agency would take a huge cut of the models' earnings, leaving them with barely enough to cover their expenses. They would force the models to work long hours without breaks or proper compensation. And if a model dared to speak up or try to leave the agency, they would be blacklisted from the industry. So if a model needed to make more money they had to start working in more shady works. Drugs, blackmails, prostitution, everything was possible when working for the Nangs.

After years of struggling in the toxic environment of the Nang Fashion Agency, Lee Soo Hyuk had finally come to a realization: he had been running towards his own destruction. But with the help of Manager Kim, he managed to cancel his contract with the agency and start anew.

Lee found himself in a completely different world, where he could focus on his acting career and take on modeling jobs on his own terms. And unlike his experience with the Nang Fashion Agency, Manager Kim built a healthy and supportive relationship with Lee. He would prioritize Lee's well-being, make sure he ate and slept properly, and even cancel jobs if he felt Lee was overworked.

It wasn't an easy journey for Lee, and he had to work through his anxieties and traumas with the help of a psychiatrist. But slowly, he was able to find his way out from the damage that the Nang Fashion Agency had caused him. He was finally able to fight back and take control of his life. However, just when things were starting to look up, everything changed in one night.

Despite his fears and reservations, Lee found himself standing before the Nang Fashion Agency once again, ready to sign another contract. He knew it was a mistake, but he felt like he had no other choice. This time, however, he was fully aware of the risks and the implications of his decision. Throughout the years, Lee had fought against the Nang Fashion Agency in his own way. He had warned new models about the agency's unethical practices and tried to expose their shady dealings. But as he looked around at the models in the lower levels of the agency, known as the D models, he realized that he had not done enough.

He felt a sense of guilt and responsibility for not doing more to help these models. And now, as he stood before the agency, he wondered what he could do differently. He should have spoken, at least to his sister. He was protecting her, spoiling her, and keeping her inside a bobble for so long that tonight he ended up putting both their lives in danger.

President Nang smirked satisfied as he watched Lee Soo Hyuk sign the contract. Lee had become one of those models who made it out and was even fighting back. President Nang made it his game to bring Lee back. He would have to reeducate him. But now that he was his again, that would happen slowly. He took the contract and gave it to Add nodding to place it away.

"Well done, Add, now leave us," President Nang ordered, and slowly his men and Add left his office. He skipped next to Lee placing his hand against his yaw and turning his face to look at him. "Welcome back Lee," he said in a low and creepy voice "I was waiting for you to return. Have you forgotten how many things you left open when you managed to leave our Agency?"