Between the Pages of Her Life.

Chapter 1

"You've got this, Eun Byeol," the 16-year-old girl assured herself, gazing at the large apartment before her. "Nothing crazy has happened in the past one and a half decades, and nothing crazy is going to happen now," she repeated to herself, unaware of how absolutely wrong she was.

She stepped into the towering building, pulling out her phone to double-check the floor number her manager had texted her. After an agonizing wait, the lift doors opened and she stepped inside, finding herself sharing it with another passenger, as a little girl got in with her.

She gave a quick glance at the little girl with pigtails, then almost instantly withdrew her eyes. The girl was undeniably beautiful, and it seemed as though everyone in this world was equally gorgeous, she even found herself much more striking than in her past life, a fact that she couldn't help but be a little proud of.

As the lift began to rise, her thoughts drifted to her past, recalling the moment when she first opened her eyes to this world as a child. It seemed like such a long time ago, and yet the memories still felt fresh in her mind.

She awoke to find herself as an orphan, a change from what she had known in her previous life. Despite the tragedy of losing her parents and siblings, she couldn't deny that her current situation was a vast improvement from the dysfunctional home she had grown up in.

That was when a woman named her 'Eun Byeol', meaning "star," in reference to her unusual eye color, which was a unique combination of black, dark blue, indigo, and white dots, resembling the night sky with stars. It seemed to her that her eyes were a case of sectoral heterochromia.

Life was relatively normal after that, until middle school that is, when a man came looking for her, armed with a piece of newspaper cutting displaying a story she had written that had won her some money in a competition.

The man introduced himself as the manager of "Star Stream", an entertainment company that was well-known for producing numerous successful actors, singers, models, authors, streamers, and more.

He went on to elaborate that after seeing her story, he was convinced that she had the potential to become a great writer, and he wanted to give her an opportunity to realize her dreams. While some might view his eyes as brimming with greed as a bad thing, she believed that a certain degree of ambition was necessary in his line of work. The issue, however, was where that ambition was directed, and whether it would be used for the greater good or for the selfish pursuit of personal gain.

Eun Byeol was not overly concerned with the greater good. Her primary goal was to earn a decent living and live a peaceful life in modest surroundings. The thought of fame and fortune held little appeal, even if she possessed the writing talent to achieve them potentially. She simply wanted enough to live comfortably and support herself.

She was also aware that to secure a high-paying job, one usually needed a good education, and the orphanage she called home simply did not have the resources to send her to a good high school. She was only able to attend middle school due to a scholarship that she had received.

However, while she was willing and able to study in pursuit of a potential scholarship to a high school, she also recognized the need to generate some income to ensure that she had the means to support herself once she aged out of the orphanage at the age of 16.

So, she did what any sensible person would do, she informed the manager that she would have an answer for him by tomorrow, as she desired to consider the opportunity he had proposed, carefully.

It was after seeking advice from her friends at the orphanage, she discovered that Star Stream was not only a large company, but one that seemingly dominated the entertainment industry. Despite its humble beginnings as a simple streaming platform, it has since expanded into a powerhouse that seems to have its hands in every facet of the entertainment world.

When the man returned the next day, she offered him a list of conditions that would have to be met for her to accept his proposal. She made it clear that while the opportunity held great potential, she also had her own set of requirements that needed to be fulfilled for her to feel comfortable moving forward with the arrangement.

The terms included but were not limited to, her identity being hidden, a six-year commitment during which time she would complete high school before entering into her first year of college, and her protection from any exploitation or misconduct during her time with the company.

After carefully reviewing her conditions, the manager accepted the terms that she had laid out, and they formed a formal relationship by sealing their agreement with a handshake. With that, the terms were set, and the two of them were ready to embark on their journey together as a team.

"You know, I still haven't gotten your name," she said, pulling her hand back. She continued, "You look foreign."

"Oh, right. My name is Mike, Mike Rohave," he replied, smiling as he placed the agreement in his file.

Eun Byeol paused for a moment and then asked uncertainly, "Microwave?"

He looked embarrassed, his face turning pink as he avoided her gaze. Realizing she was right, she made another comment,

"Your parents were horrible people, no offense," she remarked bluntly.

"Yeah, I get that sometimes," he replied, with a hint of resignation in his tone.

Her trip to the past was interrupted by the ding of the elevator, indicating that her floor had arrived. Surprisingly, the little girl also stepped out of the lift with her.

Eun Byeol slowed her pace, allowing the little girl to walk ahead, partly because she wanted to give her space and partly because her violin case had become heavy from carrying it for too long.

It was then that the girl suddenly turned around to face Eun Byeol. She stared her down for a few seconds before turning around and racing to one of the three rooms available on the floor.

Eun Byeol raised her eyebrows at the little girl and shrugged before heading to her new apartment, which was opposite the girl's.

All her annoying thoughts disappeared when she entered her new apartment. Her living room looked like a child's Minecraft room where one might place an enchantment table. Bookshelves were everywhere, they were still empty. A sigh, mixed with relief and ecstasy, left her lips.

She made her way to the sofa in the middle of the room, placed her violin case on the coffee table, and then laid down,

"This is nice. I'm pretty sure nothing weird will happen," she thought to herself before drifting off to sleep.

Jinxed, she jinxed herself.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────