Lucy was actually in full work mode again. It was a time of events and contests. She didn't even have time to go back home for quite a few days.
So when she came back, she wasn't so surprised to find her mailbox full of mail. Thankfully, all her bills got paid directly from her bank account without her needing to approve it. But she was almost broke by hiring all those people in Korea.
Lucy rolled her eyes, remembering what had happened, and shook her head. Was she in a novel or what? Almost killing a person just because he frightened her.
Her phone rang and Lucy winced when she saw her father's name. He wasn't usually calling her. They both had their work and didn't need to contact each other that often.
"Dad?" she asked once she picked it up.
"You had thrown someone down the stairs?" he asked, and Lucy winced. But somehow, the way he asked, she knew he wasn't mad.
"It was an accident. I had headphones, and he grabbed me. I was in a foreign country. It scared me!" Lucy excused her actions like that, but it was true.
"I got a call. You should go back and apologize to the person and the company." Lucy gritted her teeth. Did they call her father directly? That was like a silent call for war, going directly to him just to make her apologize.
Lucy knew whose work it was. None of those managers. It was Hwa. He was pissed that she had rejected working for him. Because no one would reject him, right?
"Dad, I have no money to buy a ticket. I paid a lot to hire their assistants, to make sure the company had no losses. They even had signed a confidentiality contract that stated they weren't allowed to talk about their job and even tell who they were working for. Hell, even the nurse signed it for me." Lucy was desperate. She didn't want to see that narcissistic idol smirking into her face again.
"Watch your language. I knew you wouldn't leave just like that. I know you. But can you do that for me? The group is pretty influential. I will send you enough money for a month and a ticket there. Try to know why the company is so keen on getting you there," Michal said, and Lucy cried out in desperation.
"Dad! I know why. They wanted me to teach them languages to one of their idols and I rejected him," she explained.
"And why have you rejected it? What's the problem? You can teach him." Her father suddenly sounded amused, more than concerned.
"He is an idiot, dad!" Lucy exclaimed and meant it. He spoke Korean to a foreigner. He was deliberately making it hard for her when she was interpreting. And had his head stuck up in his own ass so hard it was popping back up from his neck.
"Lucie Křepelková, don't make me angry and go there to talk it out with them." He used her full Czech name, wanting to sound stern, but he was definitely holding back his laughter.
"Ok, but you are paying for my stay there. Because I'm sure he won't let me go back unless I teach him." Lucy was sure. She had no idea why he was doing it, but even that Friday, she noticed he tried to keep her there as much as he could, catching every opportunity he could.
"Thank you, Lucy," he said and hung up again. Lucy sighed and let her body fall on the bed in her room. At first, she winced, but then, when her mobile chimed with the money she got from her father, Lucy chuckled.
Well, if he wanted to be taught all those languages by her? Why don't do it properly then? A plan formed in her head as she opened her laptop and ordered a few books from the internet.
'I asked my assistant to lease you a flat. It's close to the said company. You know what to do, have fun.' Lucy was now hysterically laughing. Yes, their personalities were so similar. Her father knew what she wanted to do. And he actually didn't mind it.
Full of new vigor, Lucy really booked the closest plane tickets she could get and kept laughing for herself. She looked at the time and smirked even more. She could still play music. It wasn't that late.
Lucy had turned on the TV and blasted the music. She would actually lower the volume if anyone made any complaint, but her neighbors were chill.
'Can you please play Universe?' She got a message on Instagram from one of her neighbors. It was a young girl in her teens, now stressed because of the end of the year. Lucy laughed. Put on the song she requested and turned the volume up a bit. Just vibing into the music, trying to dance, made her day a lot better.
After a few songs, Lucy calmed down and turned the volume down again. It was enough. Enough for today. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Lucy was overwhelmed with emotions and just started crying.
It wasn't just because she was sad, depressed, or anything like that. But Lucy knew it was because of the stress, pressure, and just living life. And now when she played the music, her emotions were finally released.
'Life is a bitch, right… Thanks, I needed that release.' Knock on the door followed that message. When Lucy looked through the peephole, no one was there, but there was a pack of Lindt chocolate on the ground when she opened the door.
Lucy laughed when she grabbed it and closed the door, ready to stuff herself with sugar. But one ball was enough to make her herself again.
'Thank you, too… BTS?' she wrote back and when he got back a gif of celebrating BTS members, well, Lucy made a note on her phone.
She was going to Korea in three days. Of course, she had to reciprocate the kindness.
And Lucy thought of that girl once again three days later when she was picked up at the Incheon airport by the MSW entertainment company's representative and when she was brought to the meeting room in their building, waiting for the person who called her here.