About Galaxy : The Worth of Million Stars

1 Because Her Highness Loves Aloha Shirts

She encouraged me to take pride in my uniqueness.

She inspired me to embrace every inch of my body.

...And she declared that I am her entire universe.

Part: Hong Yok

At the most crucial moment in time, I'm standing here once again.

Following the conclusion of the fashion show, as all male and female models complete their walks, each designer is expected to take the stage, express their gratitude, and perhaps deliver a speech about their inspirations.

Despite my involvement in theme development, design, sample production, and coordination with all stakeholders, regardless of the extensive efforts I put in, even though two of the nine outfits in this Fall/Winter collection are my creations, I was consistently instructed to remain backstage, observing from the shadows where the spotlight never graced me.

'Never let the audience see your face, ever! Is this clear to you, Hong Yok?'

Our head designer[1] emphasized this to me on every occasion.

And everyone on our team agreed.

It's all because of the long, unsightly scar that traverses my face. This scar boldly stretches from my right temple down to my cheek, making it undeniably conspicuous.

This scar...a haunting reminder of an incident from my sixteenth year.

This scar...a nightly visitor that plagues my dreams.

This scar...viewed as peculiar by some, comical by others, and vexing by the rest.

For these reasons, I've strived at 'Kris.Tera' for three years without gaining acknowledgement or becoming a known figure in my own right.

Maybe it's preferable to be here, away from the spotlight and the scrutiny of hundreds of eyes. Public attention should rightfully be directed towards the exquisite garments being unveiled. News headlines should not revolve around the appearance of a designer whose face is considered a blemish on the entire team.

In my pursuit of my dream career, I'm willing to stay incognito here.

I place my loosely clenched fist over my chest, where my heart resides.

It's alright, Hong Yok.

At least, everyone recognizes the beauty within those clothing pieces.

Kris. Tera, the fashion house I work for, may not be large, but it enjoys a respectable reputation within the industry because its founder is a superstar and heiress of a wealthy family. She's in her early thirties. One day, dissatisfied with a media question about her rise to fame due to her family, she decided to pursue a three-year study in fashion business management abroad. Then, she established a new fashion house for women. It may sound like a fabulous story of a determined woman striving to put an end to gossip and rumors through her hard work and efforts. 

However, in reality, she didn't study fashion design, more like focusing on management. She just borrowed a fortune from her father to create her first collection. Yet, despite her superstar fame, she found herself unable to sell her clothes. Ultimately, she hired us, the designers, and other team members to complete her tasks instead.

Afterward, she continued her acting career and visited us from time to time, especially on the day of the new collection launch. Just a few minutes ago, Kris took credit for most parts of the collection on the stage, got into the car her family had prepared for her, and then left the event venue.