While Ha Jun was busy taking care of Gun, Yeo Ri was busily running around the studio, changing into a new outfit one after another.
Click! Click! Click!
The photographer did not stop taking pictures even for a minute. It was only when the model he was photographing was told to change clothes did he pause.
"The makeup is too dark; it doesn't match the outfit. Fix it quickly!" A woman tautly said. She tapped her feet impatiently with her arms crossed.
"Y-yes!" The makeup artist flinched. She was new to the job, and the high-tension atmosphere did nothing to ease her nervousness. Quickly, she pulled the model to the side and reapplied her makeup while still standing.
"We have no time! Ten hours left until the deadline!" The woman shouted, hurrying her employees.
The woman, Eunice Lau, was the lead designer and owner of the online store of the fashion catalogue Yeo Ri was currently shooting. She was currently overseeing the shoot—which should have been done weeks earlier—and barking orders left and right.
The online store was supposed to release its new clothing line by 8 p.m. on the same day, but because of a multitude of reasons, they were extremely behind schedule. The shoot was still not done yet, and they still had to edit the pictures and upload them before the deadline. On top of that, once the orders come in, they would probably be even busier than ever.
Of course, they could've just pushed the deadline for a few more days, but the boss lady decided against it for the sake of keeping brand loyalty. And because of that, she had to make sure that everything was done perfectly.
"What's taking so long?! We don't have time to dally!"
"I-I'm sorry!" The makeup artist squeaked. Her hand trembled, causing the makeup to smudge slightly. The young woman paled. She looked as if she was about to cry as she tried her best to fix the mistake.
Although Yeo Ri was not the target for the boss-woman's ire, she still felt rattled on the inside. The woman was just too scary!
She stood still as the makeup artist did her job. After a few minutes, she was finally done. Without waiting to be told, Yeo Ri immediately stood in front of the camera and began posing. She focused on her task, making sure that she was neither too rigid nor too lax.
The cycle repeated several more times, and it was only after all the outfits were used up did everybody finally heave a sigh of relief.
It was done!
Now that another task was ticked off the to-do list, President Lau's frown eased slightly. She nodded to the staff, saying, "Good work," and flashed a small smile to the models, signalling her satisfaction.
The models, including Yeo Ri, finally allowed themselves to relax. Because they were crunching for time, they were placed in a position of being incredibly pressured to do well, else the lioness would destroy them with her sharp mouth and deadly glare.
Although the photoshoot was tough, Yeo Ri felt somewhat refreshed at the end. It was as if a burden had been lifted off her shoulders after going through the hardships.
After almost a week of avoiding publicity, she had almost forgotten how good it felt to be in front of the camera. She felt contented with herself every time she saw the shots of herself, knowing that the person in those pictures were the best version of herself.
"You did well, for a rookie," Eunice Lau complimented, a light smile on her beautiful face. Now that her brows were not drawn tightly together, her smooth, wrinkle-less face can be seen and admired clearly. "No wonder President Park only had praises when she recommended you to me," the woman said. She was pleasantly surprised to find out that the young girl turned out to be so professional despite her young age.
Yeo Ri was startled when she realised that the woman was talking to her. She bowed slightly, "Ah, yes... thank you for the opportunity," she perfunctorily replied.
"No, thank you," the woman shook her head. Then, she gestured towards her assistant, giving a silent instruction that only the two of them seemed to understand.
The assistant took out a thick brown envelope, handing it over to the younger girl.
Yeo Ri accepted it with two hands, slightly confused. Feeling the weight of the envelope, Yeo Ri curiously peered into the opening.
"—!" Yeo Ri stifled a gasp, her eyes wide.
It was her payment for the day—a whopping five thousand dollars, in cash!
She hadn't expected to receive the whole amount so quickly, and in cash, no less. With such a big amount, it would've taken at least a day or two for the money to be wired into her account, but who knew that she was going to get it in person? Yeo Ri was so shocked that she froze up for a brief moment.
"Ah... thank you!" She hurriedly bowed to the older woman, hugging the envelope close. Her face flushed with elation. Such a big amount! She almost felt insecure keeping it inside her bag. What if someone found out about it and stole it? She held onto it tightly, as if afraid it would slip out of her hands.
Eunice Lau smiled in amusement at the girl's pure reaction. "A token of sincerity," she said. "And also as an apology for disrupting your schedule so suddenly. I hope today won't be the last time you work with us."
"If there is another opportunity, I will gladly accept it," Yeo Ri replied with a polite smile. It was clear that the reason why she received such an amount was to open up pathways for future collaborations, but she did not comment on it. The future was unpredictable, and she was unsure whether she would still want to continue modelling after her contract ends.
The woman seemed to have high hopes for Yeo Ri's success. She nodded with a friendly smile, "Then I won't hesitate to call you when the time comes." She passed her business card to the girl, inwardly visualising a future project she thought the girl would be well-suited for.
"If there's nothing else you need me to do, I'll be going home," Yeo Ri excused herself, keeping a polite smile on her face the whole time.
"Alright. Get home safely," Eunice Lau bade her farewell without dawdling. Everyone was tired, and she still had some more leftover business to handle, so she allowed the crew to disperse now that the work is done.
Once the woman departed, Yeo Ri silently released the breath she was holding. Talking to the older woman was too intimidating. Her sharp eyes looked as if it could pierce through her soul. Even when she smiled, it felt as if alarm bells were ringing in her mind, loudly shouting, 'Danger! Danger!' Although she did not feel any malice from the older woman, Yeo Ri somehow instinctively felt like she should not cross the woman at any cost.
After recollecting her cool, Yeo Ri put on her face mask and happily skipped out of the building.
Unbeknownst to her, as she was walking on the sidewalk towards the subway station, a hand reached out to grab her from behind.