Fake Love : K-Pop romance [ English ]

Chapter 1.1

The large tinted windows of Building A reflected my image under the golden winter sun. Still catching my breath from my morning run, I took the opportunity to smooth down my very short bob haircut, then ran my hands over my blouse.. My heart was pounding, ready to burst out of my chest. I absolutely needed to calm down before entering the Sun Corporation agency offices. My agent was waiting for me, hopefully to finally offer me a role in a series. I was twenty years old and had been waiting for this moment for three long years. My dream of becoming a successful Korean actress was slipping further away with every failed audition.

I straightened my shoulders and sighed. I had given everything for my passion, but this time, I was ready to give it all up if I left here with nothing. My rent was overdue. I had to think about finding a full-time job to survive. I closed my eyes for a moment to steady myself, shook my head, and pushed open the heavy door of the modern, imposing building.

Sitting in the waiting room, I looked around, intimidated. There were many young candidates. Everyone was focused on their scripts. The walls were decorated with photos of celebrities under contract with the agency. Posters of successful dramas reminded us that anything was possible. As the minutes passed, I regained a bit of hope. What if today was my day...

"Are you here for the Hanmi Cosmetics commercial?"

The voice of my neighbor pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned my head toward her. The young girl with long hair and flawless pale skin smiled at me, her eyes sparkling.

"No," I muttered quietly, not wanting to disturb the candidates' concentration. "My agent called me directly."

My neighbor's smile widened.

"That's a good sign! Usually, we have to harass them to get auditions. If your agent called you, it means there's a role waiting for you."

At her words, my eyes widened, and a gentle feeling settled inside me. I wanted so badly to believe her. My neighbor continued in a low voice:

"In Seoul, the process to become an actress is so competitive. Very few manage to land secondary roles, let alone lead roles, which are reserved for established idols."

I glanced around the room before replying:

"If I don't get anything today, I'll definitely stop pursuing my dreams. It's just wasted time and energy."

My neighbor was about to respond, but an attendant approached us at that moment:

"Miss Choi Bora, Mr. Park will see you now."

I hastily gathered my things and stood up quickly. My heartbeats sped up.

"Good luck," the young girl whispered sincerely.

I smiled at her before bowing, then hurried after the attendant down the agency's endless corridors.