Ivy woke up after a solid eight hours of beauty sleep, yawning lazily as she stretched in her soft bed. Slowly, she slid out and shuffled towards the bathroom, her body still heavy with sleep. It wasn't until she remembered today's interview that she snapped awake, hurrying through her shower and emerging with a towel wrapped around her hair.
Adorably dressed in a bathrobe and bunny slippers, Ivy hummed her favorite BTS song, "Yet To Come," while applying lotion. Tossing the towel onto the bed without a care, she danced toward her closet, swaying to the music still playing in her head.
"Ivy cutie, you're such a clumsy little bitch," she muttered to herself with a grin, rifling through her clothes. "Oh my, I just called myself a bitch again!" She laughed, shaking her head. "I'm so silly sometimes."
Her eyes lit up when she found her favorite dress, a pink flared gown with a matching white beret. "Yup! I found you, pretty buddy!" she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. She carefully slipped into the dress, pairing it with white Nike sneakers before tying her hair into a messy bun.
Standing in front of the mirror, Ivy twirled and smiled at her reflection, pleased with what she saw. Striking a dramatic bow toward her reflection, she spoke as if addressing the interview panel. "Thumbs up, Ivy! Let's see if you can't win this interview with just that pretty smile of yours!" She blew a kiss at the mirror, then hurried to the living room after checking the time. "One hour and thirty minutes to go," she muttered.
At 23, Ivy was a university graduate living with her grandparents after losing her parents five years ago. To help support them, she had been working part-time at a delivery store, but now, she was eager to secure a better job.
"Gramps! Good morning," Ivy called out as she spotted her grandfather lounging in his favorite chair. She bounded over and hugged him tightly.
"Xiao, how was your night?" her seventy-nine-year-old grandfather asked with a warm smile. Despite his age, he was remarkably agile, something Ivy took great pride in.
"Good morning, darling!" Grandma Xu chimed in, emerging from the kitchen with a plate of steamed buns and ginger tea. At 69, Grandma Xu was still a beauty, her youthful appearance making it hard to believe she was nearly seventy.
Ivy took the plates from her grandmother and set them on the dining table. "You two are unbelievable! You're always claiming you're not old, but you forget things all the time. Remember, I have an interview at Spring Entertainment today? For the devil CEO's secretary position?" she said, folding her arms playfully.
"Oh dear, I forgot all about that," Grandpa Xu chuckled.
"Are you late? Eat something before you go."
Grandpa Xu turned his attention to the TV. "Look at this young man they're talking about. Any woman who marries him is lucky, the most successful man in the world. Maybe even our Xiao could get lucky."
Ivy almost choked on her tea.
"Gramps! What if he's not my type? You know rich men like him want rich girls. Who knows if he's even a playboy with a cute face? And cute guys are my weakness," she muttered the last part to herself.
"Don't worry about all that. Eat something," Grandma Xu urged, but Ivy waved her off.
"I don't want to be late. Can I take some candy with me as a comforter?" Ivy asked, pouting.
"You ate all yours already?" Grandma Xu laughed.
"Oops, forgot my phone!" Ivy dashed upstairs, grabbed her phone, and came back down, kissing her grandparents goodbye. "Okay, take care, Gramps, don't forget your medicine!"
She hurried outside, caught a yellow taxi, and settled in, sighing deeply. "I hope today goes well," she whispered to herself. "Oh stars, make me lucky. I heard top artists are coming for the interview, probably just to meet the handsome CEO," she mused. At least she'd get a peek at the entertainment industry and maybe even meet her celebrity crush.
The cab ride was painfully boring, made worse by the driver's blaring old-school tunes.
"Could you lower the volume, please?" Ivy asked, her voice polite but firm.
Once the music was dialed down, Ivy dialed her best friend's number. "Hello, bestie!" came a cheerful voice from the other end.
"Hey, how's your tour?" Ivy asked.
"It's amazing! I'll be back soon. But, girl, are you nervous? Don't worry, just flash that pretty smile. Remember when you had the whole university's most handsome guy chasing you for three years just because of that smile?"
Ivy rolled her eyes, shaking her head at Pearl's endless chatter. "Pearl, can you stop? You talk too much."
"Hmph, as if! Anyway, I've got your back. You'll do great. Bye, babe!" Pearl hung up as Ivy sighed, turning her gaze to the towering Spring Entertainment building ahead.
It stood tall and proud, a symbol of success in the entertainment world. Her best friend Pearl had made it big here, and Ivy hoped to do the same.
The car pulled up in front of the company, and Ivy stepped out, nerves bubbling in her chest.
"Oh Buddha, have mercy," she whispered.
Walking up to the entrance, she forced herself to calm down. She would get this job, she had to. As she entered the lobby, she felt eyes on her, staff turning their heads to watch her. Was she really that out of place? Ivy quickly slipped into the elevator, her nerves prickling.
As the doors closed behind her, she froze.