Fake Love : K-Pop romance [ English ]

Chapter 2.1

Lost in my thoughts, tormented by my mission, I sat at the bus stop for a long while, staring blankly ahead. I no longer felt the cold. My only concern was figuring out how I was going to embody this role. I was an actress. I had to get that into my head. I had to show everyone what I was capable of.

The honk of a bus amid the traffic noise startled me. I snapped back to the present moment. After checking the number, I realized it still wasn't the one I was waiting for. Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Han had asked me to go straight to the address of my new job after leaving the agency. I had to start right away. At the end of my shift, a fake paparazzi session would be set up in the upscale neighborhood of Cheongdam-Dong where I was supposed to meet Eliel for dinner. Just thinking about it tightened the knot in my stomach. For now, his relationship with Danbi hadn't leaked to the media, but from what I understood, it was only a matter of hours.

Part of me already regretted signing that contract. It was a role without a script, made only of improvisation. There was no rehearsing or retaking scenes if one went wrong. Demoralized, I closed my eyes and offered my face to the wind that had picked up. Up until now, the only small jobs I had managed to land were as a waitress or festival hostess. Without any degrees, the one quality I emphasized on my resume was that I spoke English well.

When I reopened my eyes, my breath caught suddenly. The giant advertising screen on the building across the street was displaying Eliel's portrait posing for a luxury clothing brand. His long black hair slicked back highlighted his perfectly pale complexion. Oh! His beauty made him almost unreal. My gaze locked on his, and I was struck first by the deep, unique melancholy emanating from his eyes. Many fans spoke of him as the most introverted member of the group, with a complex personality. Still, that hadn't stopped him from charming Danbi.

"And now it's you who's his girlfriend!" my conscience reminded me, still blaming me. I squeezed my eyes shut as hard as I could and grabbed the edge of my hat, pulling it down.

"I know! Stop it!"

When I reopened my eyes, I was relieved to see a new advertisement had replaced Eliel on the screen.

******

Arriving at the foot of the grand hotel, I couldn't help but admire the facade, my mouth slightly open. The Empire Queen Palace was a unique work of architectural art. It reached a dizzying height of almost 800 meters, making it one of the largest hotels in the world.

The interior was just as impressive. Until today, I had never stepped through the doors of this place, reserved for the wealthy and celebrities. Fascinated by everything I saw, I slowly walked through the lobby, admiring the artworks, the floral arrangements, and the stone fountain in the middle of the space. I then looked up at the high ceiling embedded with diamonds like a starry sky. The sight was magnificent!

Heading towards reception, I saw few people. Behind the polished wood counter, one of the impeccably dressed receptionists in a strict uniform gave me a distant but courteous smile. I introduced myself briefly, explaining I was here for an interview. Of course, I kept quiet about the true nature of my role. A K-pop star falling for a chambermaid was the perfect fairytale people wanted to believe. Romantic souls could only embrace this incredible love story. Mrs. Han and Mrs. Lee were truly skilled. I rolled my eyes internally.

After hanging up the phone, the hostess spoke to me in a perfectly neutral tone, her wide smile still intact:

"Mrs. Yun is expecting you in Presentation Room 12, on the lower floor. Here's the map."

The receptionist handed me a paper. A map? Really? I took a deep breath, trying to convince myself everything would go well.