"Hurry up and follow," Yuri snapped at her timid, young assistant. "We don't have all day."
"Yes, Sister Yuri," Mi-Young managed to say in between breaths as she struggled to carry two make-up bags and seven shopping bags.
"And don't even think of dropping anything," Yuri warned her sternly. "Those items cost much more than your monthly wage."
'Then at least carry one!' The small assistant felt like screaming, but she gritted her teeth and held it all in as she shifted the bags in her small hands. Had she known earlier that her 'boss' had a sudden onset of a shopping frenzy, she would have asked for some help from the driver that the company had arranged for her.
"Those clothes," Yuri said, not caring about her assistant at all as she traipsed around the shopping mall. "Make sure they're clean for later, okay? That's what I'm going to wear for the shoot."
Hearing this, Mi-Young nearly dropped the bags in surprise.
"B-But, Sister Yuri," she said meekly. "The production theme has already picked out your clothes. And the photographers-"
"I won't be wearing anything that's unflattering," Yuri said flatly. "That's all."
"Have you told the team about-"
"I don't have to."
"But won't you get into trouble?"
With an irritated air, Yuri turned to face her small assistant.
"Whose job is it to inform the production team about any changes that a model wants to make during a shoot? Is it my job? Am I the assistant? Should I just fire you?"
Mi-Young's insides began to twist into knots and she couldn't say anything else.
'Director Yang is going to kill me...' Mi-Young thought as she watched her 'boss' turn away from her. 'Why does this one prefer chaos over harmony?'
She sighed.
For the better part of the morning, Bae Yuri had decided to go to Grand Gala Square to shop for specific pieces of clothes. At first, Mi-Young had thought nothing of it. But as the clothes began to pile up, she then noticed something odd. The clothes were almost the same pieces that the production crew had picked out for her during their trial shoot. But these clothes... Mi-Young can only shake her head. They're in the most outrageous of shades!
"We also have to go to my favorite jeweler," Yuri continued. "I have some pieces that I have to pick up."
'The jeweler?' Mi-Young's uneasiness won out this time. 'Is she planning on wearing pieces of jewelry for the shoot?'
"Sister..." Mi-Young said weakly. "Are you planning on wearing jewelry for the shoot?"
Bae Yuri whirled around and glared at her.
"Well, it's just that... the shoot today focuses more on the cosmetics..."
Yuri's face was getting redder with every passing second, so Mi-Young could only clamp her lips shut and hang her head. She knew right then and there that if she dared say anything more, her model boss would tear her apart the minute they stepped out of the public's view.
"I-I'll just put these in the car," Mi-Young stammered. "You go on ahead to the jeweler's, Sister Yuri. I'll come and find you."
She bowed quickly and made her way towards the mall elevator that would take her to the parking area. Besides the fact that the shopping bags were really heavy, she felt she needed a break to clear her head.
"How in the world am I supposed to call Director Yang and inform him of what she wants?" She felt like crying at the moment.
Very soon, she reached the car.
"Oh, you guys are done?" Mi-Young heard a voice from behind her. She turned around to find the driver smoking just behind the pillar beside their car.
"Brother Wan!"
Park Kyung-Wan stubbed his cigarette and went over to the passenger side of the car to open it for the small assistant.
"Thank you..." Mi-Young nodded gratefully at him.
He smiled back and gave the assistant some space, so she could arrange the stuff she brought.
Yuri had thought it would be easier for her to keep an eye on him if he was around her, so she got him a gig at her company as her personal driver. She had insisted that she could not drive herself on some occasions, so the company allowed her to have one.
One night, she told him, "You're going to have to pull your own weight, Kyung-Wan. I don't really want to pay for your food and booze anymore." She had tossed him a suit and said, "You're going to work for me starting tomorrow."
She turned in a resume to HR that she made up herself and changed his name just a bit so as not to arouse any suspicions.
And that's how this all came about.
A few short minutes later, Mi-Young stepped away from the car and brought her cell phone out as he watched her, seemingly interested.
He saw her staring at her phone hesitantly.
"You know, your phone is not going to dial itself," he drawled. "Are you going to call Bae Yuri?"
"No, I... Someone else. Excuse me, Brother Wan," she brought the phone to her ear.
"Hello? Director Yang...? This is Mi-Young. Yes, I know," Mi-Young said hurriedly. "No, We're not going to be late, but..."
He heard her inform the person on the other end about the things that his 'sister' wanted during the photo shoot. After speaking, the small assistant waited for a response.
And came, it did. Complete with frantic screaming and God knows what else.
He saw the assistant's shoulder quaking with unbridled fear as she stood and listened to everything that was thrown at her.
And then, "I understand, Director Yang," she struggled to say. "I will let Sister Yuri know..."
Park Kyung-Wan shook his head. 'Typical of her to get others scolded in her place...' He watched as the small assistant wiped her face with a handkerchief.
"Brother Wan," she had faced him again, her eyes still a bit watery. "I think I'm going to need your help. Sister Yuri still has some things she wants to buy..."
He nodded but did not say a word.
"Well, then..." the small assistant gestured for him to follow her.
The both of them entered the mall via the elevators and went in search of Bae Yuri along the line of famous jewelry shops on the third floor.
After minutes of unfruitful search, Mi-Young began to slightly panic as she looked at her watch. "She said she'd be here somewhere," Mi-Young turned his head this way and that, feeling a bit lost.
Park Kyung-Wan knew, of course, which brands and shops his sister liked, but chose to say nothing as the two of them pretended not to know each other when they were outside the house.
"Do you want to try the shops on the other side of the mall?" Kyung-Wan said nonchalantly.
"Yeah, maybe..." Mi-Young started to wander again.
After a few more minutes, she felt like crying again.
"We still haven't found her!" She wailed. "I'm going to be killed. She's going to kill me, I just know it."
Park Kyung-Wan shook his head. "Just relax, will you? We'll find her." Though his voice was gentle, his insides were already churning with irritation.
'Just where the hell did that girl go? This panicky assistant is really starting to get on my nerves..."
Just as he thought Mi-Young would start crying again, she turned around quickly and started to walk back toward the direction he pointed to earlier.
"Oh?"
He didn't notice the assistant stopping to look at something and he nearly collided with her. Fortunately, he was able to catch himself before the unthinkable collision happened.
"Mi-Young," he said in a slightly irritated tone. "Watch where-"
"Those people..." She started to say dreamily. "They're here too?"
'Huh?' Confused, he looked over to where she was pointing. And all at once, when she saw 'who' she had been looking at, his eyes began to widen with glee.
'Boy, am I glad just to be at the right place and at the right time to see this!'