Way Back Home

Just One Day

Just give me one day.
Even if it's in my dreams,
just one day

Chaerin shut off the TV. The 2016 MAMA award show wasn't quite finished yet but she had to get to work. A restaurant bar could not tend itself.

Since Chaerin left Yoongi, the years had not been particularly kind, but they hadn't been particularly nasty to her either.

Soon after she went to visit her mother in Daegu Prison, Chaerin had returned to Seoul. She found a new job and a little apartment in a somewhat decent part of the city. She'd quit her waitressing job at the old restaurant so Yoongi wouldn't be tempted to track her down, but her new job was remarkably similar.

The restaurant she now worked in was a bit fancier, in the sense that there were nice tablecloths on the tables, classy live music, and a fully stocked bar—which Chaerin was in charge of.

She now made liquor-heavy drinks for people wearing large diamonds and expensive suits. But Chaerin couldn't find it in herself to complain about it. The job was actually fun on occasion and it payed well, not to mention that rich people tend to overtip, which was a major benefit.

But she hadn't achieved her dream yet.

She wasn't an actress.

At least not yet.

Seoul Star Talent—the agency that Chaerin signed with—had provided her with a great agent. Youjin was a fairly young guy who had impeccable organizational skills and a knack for talking people into things they might not necessarily want to do. He'd used this talent of his to schedule Chaerin auditions for major films and a myriad of new dramas, despite the fact that she was an actress who had never gotten a role before. It was amazing that the casting crews even let her into the room with that serious lack of experience, but that was the magic of Youjin.

Chaerin went to every single audition that she was booked for and poured her heart out into the scripts. But so far no one had hired her. Youjin assured her that it was just because film companies were hesitant to hire first time actors. He constantly encouraged her to attend more auditions, which she did. And when she came back with another rejection, he assured her that it was alright and that things would get better soon. Youjin was great. He was more of a friend than a manager to Chaerin, which she appreciated, since friends were a commodity that she sorely lacked nowadays.

One part she'd just recently auditioned for was a starring role in a new drama called Setting Sun. The show sounded incredible and sample script she'd received was a work of art. Chaerin really hoped that she would get the part, but she knew that it wasn't likely, so she kept going to more casting sessions. But secretly she was holding out hope that she'd get the role in Setting Sun. She knew it was a long shot but she couldn't help being hopeful, it was all she had to hold on to.

It was a bit discouraging that after five years she still hadn't managed to get an acting job—not even a lousy commercial. But Chaerin knew that everything would come in due time. She was chasing her dream and that sometimes takes a while, but she wasn't giving up any time soon.

Besides, even though her own dream hadn't played out yet, Yoongi's had, and that was incredible.

Although she kept her distance, Chaerin had followed Yoongi's progress over the years. She'd watched the videos posted online that showed the BTS boys training and rehearsing and just hanging out. She witnessed their debut and marveled at the fact that they'd actually gotten Yoongi to dance. She bought every album they released, both to support their music and to just hear Yoongi's voice again. After a long and tiring day, when she came home and desperately needed her best friend, Chaerin would turn on their music, turn the volume up, and just listen to the soothing hum of Yoongi's voice. She watched every music video and laughed a little at the silly outfits they wore in the early days. She watched the Bangtan Bombs and grew to love every member of BTS, not just Yoongi. Chaerin thought it was a bit silly, because she knew they'd never meet, but she sometimes wondered if Yoongi's new friends would like her at all. She hoped they would. And after all of this, tonight she had watched as Yoongi and the boys of BTS received an award that they hard worked so hard for. They deserved it. He deserved it.