The morning must be started with a cup of coffee, if not it was not a perfect morning for me. I sit next to the window at the Soloist Coffee Co. while enjoying my Caffè Latte and Red Velvet Cake. I love the ambiance of this cafe, it given me a lavish leisure feeling. I read on the documents I received few days ago. Nothing is really catch me.
I got a phone call from an unknown number. At first I feel hesitated to pick up the call but since they dialled me many times, finally I pick it up.
"Hello..."
"Good morning, may I speak to Miss Kim Ai?" A soft woman's voice greets me from the other side.
"Speaking." I said.
"Yes, Miss Kim. I'm Hui Lin from Antares Studio, our studio are looking for a freelancer and we got a recommendation from the previous studio you were working with. Our studio is based in Beijing, if you are interested to work with us, I can arrange the flight for you from Malaysia to Beijing in a three working days." The woman explains it in detailed to me.
"I'm already in Beijing. It's no need for your party to arrange any flights for me. But what is the freelance job is about?" It is not a common thing for me to get contacted by overseas studio like this.
"That's great you are already in Beijing, Miss Kim. About the job, can you come to our studio today or tomorrow?" That Hui Lin woman sound very pushy.
I paused for a moment. "Okay. Give me the location, I will drop by later."
Hui Lin gives me the address and when I enter the address on my phone's navigation app, the location is exactly on the building across the street. I take my time before finally standing in front of Antares Studio's door.
I pushed on the door and the receptionist welcome me. After I informed her that I have an appointment with Miss Hui Lin, the receptionist lead me to the shooting studio at the back. The studio is very spacious. It have a various themes which are designed differently for each room. I count the number of the rooms, 15 all of them. This studio is superb!!
I followed the receptionist into the deeper part of the studio. We pass by one of the theme's room, a very tall man walked out from it in an ancient hanfu costume. I could not see his face with my short height but his long hairs catch my attention. It does make he look like he is someone who come from a hundred years ago. When he walked pass by me, I feel like I ever saw him somewhere. He have a faint smell of Magnolia's fragrance on him. That smell seem to be familiar on my sense.
"Miss Kim, Miss Hui Lin is inside. You may meet her here." The receptionist is cutting off my daydreams.
"Ahh... Thank you." I nodded at her as I see she is holding the door for me.
Hui Lin welcome me warmly. We talked about the job for an hour. She indeed voice out her mind about wanted to hired me as their full time model. I turn down the offer because I am not planning to stay long in Beijing. I just come for the materials I need for my manuscript and modelling is just for fun beside for a some pocket money.
"I'm glad you're willing to be our freelance model for this job, Miss Kim." Hui Lin shakes my hand happily.
"I do it for fun anyway." I said blatantly.
"It's a wedding photoshoot but actually its theme is 'Ghost Bride'. I'm really glad you accept it because the other models did back out when they heard about the theme." I was taken aback when I heard her words but then I found it is tempting to give it a try. Impossible for a horror story's author to back out just because of the theme is sound scary. I smiled.
Lilian nagged me that evening when she heard about the job offer I got. She was really unhappy whenever I mention something related to supernatural being. Her wary about the job I do is never changing since the day she found out that I hunt materials on scary things for my manuscript in the university.
"What a nonsense theme is that?" Lilian's voice almost deafening me. This is the fifth time she said that.
"It's just a theme like the others." My eyes focused on the magazine that covered about Antares Studio. Their works are really outstanding. It is make me more excited for the photoshoot.
"You never know if they did marry you to the ghost. Plus, I never heard about that studio before." She sit next to me on my bed. She took the magazine I was reading and close it.
"Just because you never heard of them, doesn't mean they are not exist." I feel like to give up in debating about that topic.
"How if the male model is really a ghost?" I laugh out loud at her overthinking. My friend is amusing and amazing.
I sit up and place my hands on her shoulders.
"Listen, Lili. That is just a normal photoshoot, no ghost can be captured by the camera, the model is 100% a human and all the things we watched on the drama or movie were human made. They aren't real. I never meet a real ghost after 5 years hunts materials for my writing." Lilian should never know that I meet ghost many times in my line of work. She might turn me into one if she knew it.
"I'm just worry because of that studio seem to be suspicious." She had calmed down in the end.
"The studio I was working for previously confirmed that they did recommend my name to the Antares Studio. I check with them earlier and that's why I willing to accept the offer." I tell her the truth.
"Well, if you still found them suspicious, accompany me for tomorrow's shooting. You can ask that Hui Lin woman as much questions as you want. I saw they have some collaborations with *PMO too." I yawned few times until my eyes are watery.
"Yes!!! I will. Now, go to sleep!!!" Her eyes are shining when she heard about PMO. I chuckles.
After saying goodnight, Lilian leave my room. I walked to the balcony to close the door. The night's air is freshly cold, give me a shiver. I looked at across the lake, the traditional housing area are still glamorous with lights. From my balcony, I see that man is looking at my direction again, but this time he seem to be waving at me from the tallest building that is facing my balcony. I closed the door and then the curtain hurriedly.
"Who is he? A stalker?" I asked myself. Just by that thought, I tremble in fear. I am still paranoid when thinking about a stalker. I ran away from a stalker for many years by moving from a place to a place. And if that man is the stalker, how did he find me here? I really feel unsettled that night.
[Footnote: *PMO is Peaceminusone, a brand by G-Dragon]