Reasons

chapter one

Sometimes life can throw you a curveball you never expected. Something that changes the way you look at the world, or something that changes the very person you see when you look in the mirror.

As a professional I’d found myself in a large variety of different companies, either filling the role of stylist or makeup artist, whatever the company demanded of me at the time. But due to boredom and sometimes other circumstances, I wouldn’t stay for long. It just didn’t feel right to me.

I moved 3 years ago from Greece to Seoul along with my little brother because of some of these very same circumstances. For one the my bosses company was in the middle of filing for bankruptcy and he couldn’t afford to pay me any longer.

And so he’d recommended me to a company called BigHit Entertainent. I'm happy I’d made the decision to go. I'm even more happy that my mother didn't hold me back, because she knew what I was going through.

And that brings me to the second circumstance.

You see, my family happened to be very traditional. So traditional in fact that I was being forced by my grandmother to marry a man that I hated with just about every fiber of my being. I didn’t want any part of it. I never wanted to get married, especially not to a man like him.

The night before my wedding my mother had come to my rescue. She’d know that I’d been recommended the job in Seoul. And so my brother and I, suitcases in hand and fear and hopes held close to our hearts, had gotten in the car with my mother and made the 4 hour drive to our nearest airport.

"Mom, what about you?", I asked after being handed the airplane tickets to Seoul, Korea. She smiled gently, cupping my cheek in her palms as she used to when I was little.

"I have to stay here and look out for your sister. I know she won't behave and you know why. Arya's very fond of grandma and she's doing everything your grandmother asks of her.", she said with sadness in her voice.
"And dad?"

"He knows about this. He wasn't very fond of it, but I don't want you to live the life that I lived. You need to stay away from here.", she said and hugged my brother Yusa one last time.

"I love you both so much. Take care of each other and Daphne, you have full responsibility of you brother. Look out for him as much as you can.", she said as tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Mum!", I cried.

"I'm so proud of you. I love you pringipissa.", Mom said and we both cried as we hugged each other.

That was the last time Yusa and I saw my mother. A few months later I received an e-mail from Arya saying that mom died because of breast cancer. Only mom knew she was sick. She didn't tell anybody so we wouldn't be worried about her. It may have been one of the reasons she sent me away. Far away.

Arya wrote another few things; like how much she hated me. That I was a bad daughter and granddaughter. Well she's not a saint either.

I entered the building and made my way to the receptionist and told her I was here to see the main stylist. I gave her my name. She picked up the phone and called up to security, I’m assuming to make sure I was the person they’d cleared before to enter the building.
A few moments later she gave me a visitor card and sent me to the elevators.
Inside I pushed the 9th floor. BTS “Save me” was playing silently in the background. BigHit Entertainment were successful because of them. Everyone knew them. People across the world were talking about them. My boss told me if I made it at BHE my life would be easier. Well, we'll see won’t we?

A ding announced my arrival as the doors slowly slid open on my floor. I stepped out and a woman not much older than me approached me. I bowed and gave her my recommendation from my boss and my resume. She took it and told me to follow her. She didn’t speak at all to me as she brought me to a room which I think was a meeting room.