《Witch's Law》 1. Soojin ¡°See what I mean? Isn¡¯t she pretty?¡± ¡°Wow, she¡¯s the prettiest person I¡¯ve ever seen!¡± The cabin of a Korean Air flight headed for Tokyo, Japan. Two stewardesses are talking about a female passenger before takeoff, as the others are standing in the aisle giving safety instructions. Once all the passengers were seated, the captain made an announcement, taxied the plane down the runway and tilted its nose to the sky. Among the passengers was a baby-faced teen girl, whose eyes were strikingly pretty. Whoever saw the girl''s glossy dark brown hair, small forehead, long thick lashes, porcelain white skin, and perfectly bisymmetrical face would marvel at her beauty. However, what was most conspicuous about the girl was the look in her eyes. Her dark brown irises radiated a bright intelligence, woefully blemished by a mysterious tinge of melancholy. The girl was 17 years old and had grown up in a broken family. Just 2 years ago her mother had died from breast cancer. This was a big shock to her. The person she had loved the most¡­ She had cried and begged the doctors to save her mother, but even after the doctors carved out half of her chest, the cancer cells spread and in the end she faced an agonizing death. But, shortly after something truly absurd occurred. Just 2 months after her mother¡¯s death her father remarried, and her new stepmother entered the home. Her new stepmother was a former hairdresser with a cold, straight forward personality. After she entered the home the girl had become silent, and they fought frequently. Her stepmother¡¯s calculated hatred and ostracism made her life hell. And the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back¡­ was her stepmother¡¯s pregnancy. The girl wanted to kill her father, her stepmother, and her stepmother¡¯s child. After her step mother gave birth, her high-handedness was exacerbated, along with her father¡¯s anger and resentment. The girl was continuously beaten and verbally abused by her stepmother and treated like a complete stranger by her own father. She frequently snuck out of the home to avoid the abuse. And eventually came to the conclusion that she was done, whether she died or ended up in a coma, she didn¡¯t care. ********* The girl arrived at Narita International Airport and after making her way through customs, she grabbed her luggage and came out to the waiting room. She looked around frantically, ¡°Where is she?¡± she thought. She was looking for her grandmother, whose face she didn¡¯t even know. She had only found out she had a grandmother living in Japan just a few months ago. When she first learned about her grandmother It was a day of Heavy snow, and she was home alone, when the postman knocked on the front door. A telegraph had come from Japan: it was her grandfather¡¯s obituary. Why didn''t father tell me? Even mother had never mentioned her. What could be the reason.. The girl¡¯s father had never mentioned her extended family until she was 17. The unusual thing was even on national holidays her family wouldn¡¯t go to their relatives¡¯ houses to perform ancestral rites ceremonies. And her father would get mad every time someone brought up her grandparents, but she didn¡¯t understand why. She assumed there must have been some turmoil between them. The day her grandfather¡¯s obituary arrived she had happened to hear her stepmother and father¡¯s conversation. They said they wanted to use this chance to send her to live with her grandmother in Japan. At first, her father said she was too young and refused, but eventually he agreed. ¡°Please don¡¯t stand up for your useless daughter.¡± Hearing her stepmother¡¯s sharp words all the girl could do was swallow her tears. My idiot father¡­ she thought, as she laid under the blankets and cried with a quivering chin, before clenching her teeth together and promising to herself: I will get revenge on my stepmom one day! Her stepmother worked busily to send her to Japan as quickly as possible, with the help of her father. The two had the teamwork of athletes. A month later when the two had packed her suitcase she was defiant. ¡°Why do I have to go?¡± ¡°Why do I have to go meet a grandmother I don¡¯t even know?¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. But, it was no use, her stepmother was adamant. Before sending her away, the girl¡¯s father put a photo in her hand; it was a faded, black and white picture of her grandmother. The girl carried the photo in her hand as she wandered around the waiting room aimlessly looking for her grandmother, but couldn¡¯t find her anywhere. A strange country¡­ a language she didn¡¯t know¡­ surrounded by strange travelers¡­ The girl was terrified. Her father had clearly told her: ¡°When you get there just wait in the waiting room, your grandmother will come pick you up¡±. But an hour passed and she still didn¡¯t see her grandmother. The girl slowly started to feel uneasy. Did my dad lie to me? She wondered as she sat in the waiting room, repeatedly standing and sitting every time she saw an elderly woman enter. The girl bit her nails, and her palms began to sweat when she remembered what her father had said. ¡°This is a very old photo, so you might not recognize your grandmother. Or she might not recognize you. So take this with you, it''s your grandmother¡¯s address, just show it to someone and they will help you.¡± The girl reached in her pocket and took out the memo paper her father had given her. Her father¡¯s scrawled, Japanese handwriting¡­ It would have been nice if he had at least written a phone number. The girl knitted her brow with anxiety, she had no idea that if she didn¡¯t meet her grandmother at the airport, that she would have to go searching for her. But how could she? She couldn¡¯t communicate, and she didn¡¯t know where anything was. The girl couldn¡¯t do anything, except blindly hope her grandmother would show up. As she waited various thoughts flooded into her mind. It¡¯s clear that my father and stepmom sent me here to get rid of me! Father probably didn¡¯t even contact my grandmother. If that wasn¡¯t the case, why would she be over an hour and a half late? The girl clutched the handle of her luggage with an anxious face; she was a complete mess, a face full of tears. Several people had already come and gone from the seat next to her, when a young Japanese man came and sat next to her. In fact, the young man had been staring at the girl from the snack corner of the waiting room for quite a while. He was a pretty boy with clear white skin, thick eyelashes, and an androgynous face. As the young man sat next to the girl she pulled her luggage closer. When he looked at her and said: ¡°good evening....¡±. As soon as she met eyes with the young man, she became shy and lowered her head. The girl looked stiff and awkward. The young man looked at the girl with curiosity, and when she let go of her luggage handle and stretched her legs, the young man stood up, ran toward the entrance of the waiting room, and vaulted over the barricade. He had extraordinarily agility. A woman who had just finished going through customs was coming through the turnstile. She was a slender woman with a spring in her step, she was wearing a white trench coat, a black cardigan, and a wide-brimmed hat similar to one Audrey Hepburn would have worn. The woman looked straight out of a melodrama. She also looked rather haughty with her stylish bobbed hair, and the way she carried her head high. The young Japanese man ran up to the woman, greeted her with a hug, and kissed her. That must be his girlfriend¡­ The girl assumed. Behind the woman was a stocky man with a crew cut who seemed to be her bodyguard; he was wearing a black suit, sunglasses, and carrying the woman¡¯s luggage. The strange young man and the exotic woman linked arms affectionately and made their way out the waiting room. The girl lowered her head when the two walked by her, and raised it again to look at their back. A black limousine was waiting for the two; the driver bowed 90 degrees as the two approached, and then opened the car door for them. After the two got into the limousine the driver closed the door, and the woman¡¯s body guard unloaded her luggage into the trunk of the car. To be riding in a fancy car like that they must be rich right? I wonder what they do. The girl thought as she observed the couple. But just as the limousine was about to leave, the door opened and the young man got out in a hurry. ¡°Is he going to the bathroom?¡±. But contrary to the girl¡¯s expectations the young man came running towards her. The girl got startled and dropped her gaze, when the young man said: ¡°feel free to contact me.¡± and handed the girl a business card. The girl was confused and looked at the young man¡¯s face, differently from earlier, his face was serious, and his gaze was piercing. The young man ran back to the limousine and once they had left, the girl looked at the business card the young man had given her. What a weirdo. The girl thought she had really seen it all now. She contemplated if she should throw the business card away or not, but instead just stuffed it into her bag, and continued the monotonous wait for her grandmother. What should I do now? 2. Grandma The girl didn¡¯t want to, but she thought she¡¯d try calling home, so she found a payphone and made an international call, but nobody answered. She tried a couple more times, but was only met by a dial tone. Disheartened, the girl came out of the phone booth; suddenly an old woman pushed the door open and came into the waiting room. The old woman seemed to have difficulty getting around, she was limping, and her back was hunched. The old woman was looking around the waiting room with worry. The girl saw her and thought: ¡°this must be my grandmother¡±. The girl had been waiting for over two and half hours. Tears started to well up in the girl¡¯s eyes, she yelled out: ¡°GRANDMA!¡±. The old woman looked around to see where the sound had come from, when she found the girl walking towards her. The old woman grasped the girl¡¯s hand tightly with her rough hands, and asked in a thick eastern Korean dialect. ¡°You must be Soojin, my granddaughter Soojin?¡± Soojin wiped away her tears, and nodded her head. ¡°Oh my god! You¡¯re my granddaughter Soojin? Oh my baby!¡± Soojin¡¯s grandmother said in a trembling voice as she touched her granddaughter¡¯s hands and face. After their tears dried up the two held hands tight and came out of the waiting room. Soojin felt bad at the sight of her grandmother struggling to get around. It hurt her to know her grandmother had to come alone all this way to come get her. Father had said that grandmother lived alone, but did she really not have a single relative here? How could father have neglected her like this? Soojin started to resent her father more and more. Soojin and her grandmother boarded an airport bus, and headed for Tokyo. As the bus sped away from Narita International Airport Soojin watched the passing houses from the bus window. They were different from the ones in Korea, and the streets were eerily clean. Soojin turned her gaze to her grandmother, she was asleep, and holding Soojin¡¯s hand. Her hands were as rough as the bark of an oak tree. Soojin was eager to find out more about her grandmother and father¡¯s relationship; she had the thought to ask her grandmother why she parted with her father, but decided now wasn¡¯t the time. The airport bus stopped in front of a hotel located in Ikebukuro, the two got off the bus, and received their luggage from the driver. After the bus left, a taxi driver discovered the two standing in front of the hotel, and tried to load their luggage into his trunk. ¡°No no, it¡¯s okay!¡± Soojin¡¯s grandmother was surprised, and took the luggage back while shaking her hand at the driver, then took the luggage and walked to a nearby bus stop. Soojin in the confusion of the moment apologized to the taxi driver in Korean, and followed behind her grandmother. Her grandmother looked down at her and said ¡°Because it¡¯s too expensive¡±. ****** Soojin¡¯s grandmother¡¯s house was on the outskirts of Tokyo, the two had to change buses twice, and walk for nearly 10 minutes to get there from the hotel. To find her grandmother¡¯s house you had to go through a maze of back alleys. If Soojin had had to find her grandmother¡¯s house alone, she would have undoubtedly gotten lost. Her grandmother¡¯s home was a shabby 105 square foot japanese style room, with a tatami floor attached to a kitchen. On the left side of the room was a big window, with a frame that came up to Soojin¡¯s waist. Soojin¡¯s grandmother dragged her luggage inside with tenacity, and much difficulty. After putting Soojin¡¯s suitcase inside the room, Soojin''s grandmother yelled at her to come in. ¡°There we go, come on in! Come on in!¡± ¡°Is this a dream? I can¡¯t believe how much our Soojin has grown, Oh my baby!¡± After Soojin¡¯s grandma had finished hugging and kissing her granddaughter, she got up and started to prepare dinner in what scarcely resembled a kitchen. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll do it. Go rest.¡± ¡°No no, don¡¯t you move. It¡¯ll be ready soon¡± Soojin reluctantly sat back down, and looked around the room. Her grandmother¡¯s living conditions were poor, Soojin¡¯s house in Korea wasn¡¯t big, but it wasn¡¯t this bad. Her grandmother¡¯s home looked like a room just for sleeping or some kind of vagrant¡¯s house. The room gave off a musty smell, and wrinkled clothes were hanging all around. As Soojin was looking around, her eyes suddenly landed on a picture frame hanging on the wall, it was a picture of her grandfather. Her grandfather was strikingly similar to her father. Being reminded of her father, Soojin became sure of one thing: her father had abandoned her. A sudden bitter feeling came over Soojin, she looked away from the photo, plopped down on the floor with her back against the wall, and rested her chin on top of her knees. Across from her was a window, a faint yellow sunbeam was shining in. The area around her grandmother¡¯s home was quiet, besides the occasional sound of a passing bicycle, it was peaceful: no people shouting, and not a single car. ¡°Just a little bit longer! It¡¯s almost ready!¡± As Soojin¡¯s grandmother was preparing the food she kept hitting her lower back in pain. She then looked back at Soojin and said: ¡°Why does my precious granddaughter look mad? Don¡¯t worry even if it¡¯s hard at first you will get used to it.¡± And patted Soojin¡¯s back. ¡°Anyway, how are your mom and dad doing these days?¡± Soojin¡¯s grandma asked affectionately, but Soojin was confused, did she mean her mother, or her stepmother? ¡°You mean my stepmom?¡± Her grandmother eyes widened ¡°Stepmom?¡± ¡°Mom died¡­ from breast cancer.¡± ¡°Wha- are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes, she died 2 years ago. She had surgery but she didn''t last a few months..¡± Soojin¡¯s grandmother looked devastated. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this¡­¡± Soojin leaned closer to her grandmother and asked: ¡°So you really didn¡¯t know about mom¡¯s passing?¡± Her grandmother glanced at her, then covered her scornful, tearful eyes and grumbled. ¡°Your father¡­ that bastard.. No matter how much you hate your in-laws, if something like that happens you should let them know¡­¡± After some time, Soojin ate dinner, unpacked her suitcase and laid next to her grandmother for the first time. But hearing a strange sound, Soojin woke from her slumber. She looked around and saw nothing. ¡°Was I dreaming?¡± she thought, when she heard a meow from somewhere. She focused her ears. The faint sound seemed to be coming from the window, which was illuminated by the faint yellow light of the street light outside. Careful not to wake her grandmother, Soojin crawled carefully inside the darkness towards the window, and opened it. As soon as she did, a chilly air brushed across her face. Just below the window was a small flower bed, filled with nothing but weeds, and across from it was another house, squeezed close to her grandmothers. Soojin leaned out the window, and looked around when she saw a small kitten. ¡°Meow¡­ meow¡­¡± Soojin was relieved: ¡°Phew, I thought something was wrong.¡± Almost out of Soojin¡¯s reach was a round eyed kitten, curled up and crying plaintively, as if it was cold. Soojin leaned over the window sill and tried to grab the kitten, but when she did, it hissed, puffed up and jumped backwards. Soojin scoffed. ¡°You rascal, you think I can¡¯t get you?¡± Thanks to the moldy wall behind the kitten, and the enclosed space, the kitten became an easy target for Soojin. She smiled and reached out again trying to grab the kitten. This time it swiped at Soojin¡¯s hand, but it was a fruitless attempt at self defense. Soojin picked up the kitten by the scruff of his neck. ¡°I told you it was useless, didn¡¯t I? Oh my, Aren¡¯t you a cute little one?¡± Soojin whispered as she petted the back of the kitten. The kitten had white fur spotted with black, and judging from his cotton candy soft fur, must have been a baby. Soojin nuzzled the kitten to her face, when her grandmother woke up, and asked: ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± ¡°I woke up because I heard a cat crying. Grandma, look isn¡¯t it cute?¡± Soojin showed the kitten to her Grandmother. ¡°Oh shoot, put it back outside. Cats are evil.¡± ¡°evil?¡± 3. Mr. Ishii ¡°evil?¡± ¡°Yes evil, although I don¡¯t believe in all superstitions, our family doesn¡¯t deal well with animals. Because a bad taste of cat meat broke up your grandfather¡¯s family. Also, it looks like Mr. Ishii¡¯s cat, so take it back tomorrow, okay?¡± What does she mean by evil? And what the hell is this talk about cat meat? My grandfather ate cat meat and his family fell apart? Soojin tilted her head in confusion, unable to understand her grandmother¡¯s strange mumblings, and reluctantly replied: ¡°Yes grandmother.¡± After nagging her granddaughter, Soojin¡¯s grandmother laid back down and closed her eyes, only to lurch up at the rising of a sudden thought. ¡°This won¡¯t do. It might run away.¡± Soojin¡¯s grandmother said, as she tied a string loosely around the kitten, and placed it into a paper box. ¡°Okay, now go to sleep¡± She said, as brushed the kitten''s hair off her clothes, and laid back down. Soojin put a couple of small blankets into the box, and watched the kitten for a while, before laying back down. The kitten cried all through the night. **** The next day, Soojin awoke to a clatter, it was the sound of her grandmother washing dishes. ¡°What are you doing grandma?¡± ¡°Oh, did you sleep well? I have to go to work now, so fix yourself something to eat.¡± ¡°Work?¡± Soojin¡¯s grandmother worked as a cleaning lady in a building near Tokyo Tower. ¡°Yeah, work. I¡¯ll be back at around 6 o''clock. When I come back I''ll bring some snacks for you. Oh, and make sure to return the kitten back to Mr. Ishii, he lives across the street.¡± Soojin¡¯s grandmother handed her a key to the house, and headed out the door. Once her grandmother had left, Soojin went back inside and opened the paper box. The kitten was curled up in the middle of the box, and as soon as Soojin opened the box the kitten got startled, it looked up at Soojin, meowed, and licked its paw to wipe its head. Soojin picked up the kitten and looked at its belly, the kitten was very skinny. ¡°Why are you so skinny? Did your owner not feed you properly? Mr. Ishii¡­ *giggle* His name is funny.¡± In no time, the morning sunshine came flowing into the Tatami room. Soojin opened the small window and looked outside. Because it had been the middle of the night when she first arrived, she hadn¡¯t been able to properly see the neighborhood. But now that the sun had risen, she could see the surrounding neighborhood clearly. When she looked out the window, just 4 to 5 meters away, she saw a large, red-eyed, black crow walking like a duck. It was the first time she had seen a crow of that size. ¡°How hideous¡­¡± she thought But It wasn¡¯t just one or two crows. All around, crows were coming and going. Soojin watched numerous crows come and go, when she heard something. She turned her eyes to where the noise was coming from. A man and a young boy were sweeping the garden of a single-story gray house. The man was short, wearing traditional Japanese geta shoes with a towel wrapped around his head, clacking with each step as he swept. And the boy looked about 6 or 7 years old, showing his buck teeth through a laugh: the boy seemed like a character from a cartoon film. Soojin observed the two for a while. Suddenly the boy saw Soojin watching him from the window, and stared at her. The man, trying to sweep under the boy''s feet, told him to move and pushed him slightly. When the boy didn¡¯t move, the man followed the boy¡¯s gaze to where Soojin was. The man stood still looking at Soojin; Soojin, noticing the two looking at her, became shy, closed the window and looked through the blinds at them. After a few seconds, the man bent down, and whispered something into the boy¡¯s ear. Soojin sat back down and resumed playing with the kitten. About an hour later, Soojin decided to take the kitten back to Mr. Ishii; his house was right across the street from her grandmother¡¯s. Mr. Ishii¡¯s house was a 2 story, tidy home, with a lush garden of bonsai trees. Soojin walked across the street and knocked on his door, but as soon as she did, a sudden realization caused her to become anxious: she didn¡¯t know how to speak Japanese. She decided to just go home, but when she turned around a man opened the door. Soojin, startled, looked at him flushed. She felt guilty as if she had stolen something from him. Mr. Ishii had a V shaped beard, that contrasted comically with his face, which was plump as a steamed bun. He looked down at the strange girl on his front porch, and asked laconically: ¡°Who are you?¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Soojin dithered, unsure how she should respond. Behind the man, Soojin caught a glimpse of a pale faced woman wearing a kimono. Soojin knew that no matter what she said the man wouldnt understand her, so she just held the kitten out towards the man. The man, not knowing the reason for the girl¡¯s actions, eyes widened. ¡°Eeeehhhh?¡± The man gave an odd look, and shook his hand at Soojin. But Soojin didn¡¯t leave, instead, she pushed the kitten towards the man again. The kitten squirmed in her hands, kicking the air. When the man looked at the kitten and shook his hand once again, Soojin tilted her head and thought: ¡®Maybe this isn¡¯t Ishii¡¯s house.¡¯ ¡°Ishii¡­ Ishii¡­¡± Soojin repeated the only thing she knew. When she did, the man¡¯s eyes widened with realization. ¡°You must be looking for my father. Wait just a minute.¡± The man threw a few words Soojin couldn¡¯t understand, and ran back into the house. ¡°Father! Father!¡± The man called in Japanese, as Soojin waited on the porch. Soon the man came out accompanied by an old man wearing a yukata. The old man, differently from the young man, had a slender face; a red mark on his right cheek and a unique single strand, long white beard. This time, Soojin held out the kitten towards the old man. The old man looked at the girl and the kitten in turn, then shook his head. Soojin pouted her lips; she was at a loss. Her grandmother had clearly said this kitten was Mr. Ishii¡¯s. And Mr. Ishii was right in front of her, but he was insisting it wasn¡¯t his. ¡°Did you come from Ryoko¡¯s house?¡± Soojin, startled by the unexpected Korean, glared at the man. ¡°Oh, You must be Ryoko¡¯s granddaughter. Am I right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Because Mr. Ishii¡¯s ancestors were Koreans, who had been hauled to Japan towards the end of the Japanese invasion of Korea, and because most of his time spent outside of studying history in university was spent in Korean, he had no trouble communicating. ¡°A few days ago, your grandmother said you were coming. My son planned to go with your grandmother, but because of urgent matters, she had to go alone. Anyway, come on in.¡± Mr. Ishii¡¯s house wasn¡¯t particularly big, but the inside was tidy, and gave a neat feeling. The rooms were mostly Tatami floors and, presumably because of the summer heat, they were all open, allowing Soojin to see inside. As Soojin followed Mr. Ishii inside, she saw the woman from earlier, fixing her makeup at the vanity table, draped in a colorful kimono. Mr. Ishii guided Soojin to the living room, Sat her on the sitting cushion, and brought the rest of the family out to greet her. Mr. Ishii told Soojin that the man with the V-shaped beard was his son, and the woman in the kimono was his daughter-in-law; her name was Mia. Mia saw Soojin and, in an enthusiastic voice, admired her beauty: ¡°Wow! She¡¯s so beautiful.¡± Mia was a woman with a gorgeous neckline, who looked as if the kimono had been invented just for her; however she also had a sneaking seductiveness. She complimented Soojin, but her side-eyeing glance gave a different feeling. Mr. Ishii asked Mia to bring some tea for their guest. Mia, at her fathers request, went off to the kitchen returning with the tea. Mia lifted the skirt of her kimono and sat on her knees, throwing a glance of curiosity Soojin¡¯s way. Mia poured tea carefully into ceramic dishes she had sat aside. Soojin wondered if this was really necessary: considering this was a fairly formal treatment. The glasses of tea were giving off a fragrant lemongrass smell. Mr. Ishii spread his palm open towards Soojin, pressing her to have a drink. Mr. Ishii looked at the kitten and told Soojin to give it to his daughter-in-law. Soojin hesitated, and attempted to hand the kitten over to Mia, but when she did the kitten clung onto Soojin¡¯s clothes as if it didn¡¯t want to leave. Soon, however, Soojin handed over the kitten, with the sound of a few threads being ripped from her clothes. Mia, embracing the kitten, headed back into the kitchen. Although this was Soojin¡¯s first time meeting Mr. Ishii, for some unknown reason, she felt at ease. ¡°How¡¯s the tea? Is it okay?¡± The tea was so bland, one would struggle to even figure what flavor it was. But Soojin nodded, as a matter of courtesy. ¡°You¡¯re still young so you may not like the taste, but you sure know how to be polite.¡± Mr. Ishii said; he had a way of speaking that seemed as if he was reading Soojin¡¯s mind. In fact, Soojin had no way of knowing what flavor the tea was, let alone the name. It seemed a sort of tea only someone with much experience could savor. Although Soojin couldn¡¯t properly taste the flavor of the tea, she found the subtle smell of it quite fragrant. ¡°It''s Korean green tea. In Japan it''s a courtesy to treat your precious guests to a glass of tea, and this tea was gifted to me by none other than your grandmother.¡± Mr. Ishii explained as he lifted his glass of tea with care. Judging from Mr. Ishii¡¯s manner of speaking, Soojin assumed his relationship with her grandmother must be a very special one. Also when her grandmother spoke of Mr. Ishii, Soojin could feel that these two had been dating in secrecy for quite a while. Soojin brought the glass of tea to her mouth, took a sip and looked at Mr. Ishii; he was looking back attentively. When their gazes met, Soojin quickly looked away. ¡°You sure look smart. But..¡± Mr. Ishii didn''t finish spitting out his words, ending his sentence equivocally. Soojin looked at him. She felt there must have been something more coming after that ¡°but¡±, but Mr. Ishii didn¡¯t speak any further. Soojin looked at Mr. Ishii with a gaze that couldn¡¯t be pinpointed in a single word. Soojin declined Mr. Ishii¡¯s suggestion, that she eat breakfast with them, and came out of the house with the kitten in her arms. She came back to grandmother¡¯s house, and sat in the corner of the room with the kitten. Since it turned out this kitten wasn¡¯t Mr. Ishii¡¯s, Soojin decided to give it a name. Honestly, she was glad she could keep the kitten. ¡®Now i can raise you, oh how well this turned out¡¯ she thought. ¡°What should I name you? Hmmm.¡± Soojin spent a while considering what name would best fit this kitten. ¡°Okay, Kiki, Kiki! That¡¯s a nice name! What do you think? Do you like your new name Kiki?¡± The kitten looked up at Soojin and meowed as if answering her. ¡°Haha, okay. From now on your name is Kiki, okay?¡± The kitten meowed at Soojin once again. 4. Acting School Soojin, happy that the kitten took a liking to its new name, placed it back in the paper box. ¡°I¡¯m tired, so I''m going to rest a bit. Okay?¡± Soojin said as she tapped Kiki¡¯s nose with her finger, and laid down using her arm as a pillow. As she laid on the floor, trying to fall asleep, various thoughts began to fill her mind: such as Mia¡¯s sideways glance. On the surface she seemed to be very welcoming, but that glance seemed a bit off. It felt very much like a look of disdain. Why would she give me that sort of look? Soojin assumed it must have been because she was Korean. Soojin had heard, on several occasions, that the Japanese didn¡¯t fancy Koreans. Also, considering Japan was a country that has committed wicked acts upon the people of Korea, Soojin didn¡¯t have a good perception of the Japanese either. Soojin closed her eyes once again to go to sleep, when she heard a voice from outside. It sounded like Mia¡¯s voice. Soojin lurched up, went to the window, and looked at Mr. Ishii¡¯s house through the blinds. Mia and her husband were coming out of the house, and getting into a car that seemed much too cramped for two. Their car narrowly made its way out of the alley, and soon disappeared somewhere. Soojin, after seeing this, closed the window. **** Japan¡­ Soojin still didn¡¯t know how this country truly looked, so, deciding to go explore a bit, she embraced Kiki and went outside. As Soojin exited alleyway after alleyway, she started to wonder if this was really Tokyo; since the terribly small, old houses surprised her. Houses not even half the size of the ones in Korea lined the streets. Soojin, exploring the neighborhood, stumbled across a small park near her grandmother¡¯s house. An iron fence lined the edge of the park. There were pull-up bars, benches, and swings for the citizens to use; however, one out of the three swings was broken. Ravens were wandering around the park in groups. Soojin thought the ravens were hideous and creepy, so she dallied to a bench far from them and plopped down. Soojin sat on the wooden bench, enjoying the blanket of warmth the sun provided, as she observed the park visitors. They were mostly older people chatting away in groups of threes and twos. Soojin wrapped the string tied to Kiki around her finger and sat her on the ground. When Kiki¡¯s four legs hit the ground she looked around flustered. Soojin giggled at Kiki, and shifted her gaze to the park¡¯s right-side fence. Bicycles were lined up there. Soojin, judging from the fluorescent yellow sign that read ¡°Bicycle parking¡± on the nearby pillar, assumed that¡¯s where bikes should be parked. Soojin couldn¡¯t read the Japanese, but could deduce its meaning from the small knowledge of Chinese characters she had acquired from school in Korea. All the bicycles were the typical Japanese style with a metal basket on the back or front; however this was unique to Soojin. In Korea they didn¡¯t put these flimsy baskets on bikes. Soojin let out a sigh, when something more caught her eye. Nearby was a Japanese school boy, and a girl wearing a sailor uniform. The boy took the girl¡¯s school bag, and placed it into the bike¡¯s metal basket. The girl wrapped her arms around the boy¡¯s waist, and the two rode off. Soojin felt like she was watching some kind of circus, ¡°They¡¯ll end up crashing like that..¡± she thought. Once the two had left her sight, Soojin looked toward the other side of the park, where ravens were gathering. The ravens were pecking away at some garbage. They were all so big and dirty. Soojin contorted her face with disgust and looked around some more, when she heard some scratching on the ground. Kiki was repeatedly hopping and pushing his pawns onto the ground. ¡°You rascal!¡± Kiki seemed to have found an anthill. The ants were scattering, evading Kiki¡¯s barrage of paws. Soojin relished in Kiki¡¯s cuteness for a while, before picking her up, and standing from the bench. Soojin didn¡¯t want to go back to an empty house, but also didn¡¯t think she could roam around a strange, unfamiliar city. *** 3 years passed like a flash; Soojin was now 20 years old. The girl who didn¡¯t know a single word of Japanese could now communicate without problem. Of course, Mr. Ishii was of great help. He helped Soojin, materially and spiritually, as if he was her real father. He even made sure that Soojin was able to go to the acting classes she so wholeheartedly desired. Of course, at first, he wasn¡¯t keen on the idea of Soojin becoming an actress; but as the number of days grew larger, so did Soojin¡¯s desire. ¡°Why do you want to be an actress so bad?¡± ¡°I want to make a lot of money. If I become an actress, I can make a lot of money!¡± ¡°It might be a rougher path than you think. Many people aspire to be actors, because they uselessly admire them, but very few actually succeed, you know?¡± Mr. Ishii tried to reason with Soojin, but that advice did little to extinguish Soojin¡¯s burning desire. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°I think I''ll do some part time jobs while attending acting school. I should at least give it a shot shouldn''t I?¡± Mr. Ishii discussed this matter many times with Soojin¡¯s grandmother. Of course, her grandmother tried to stop her. ¡°In this kind of financial situation¡­¡± Despite the fact that her grandmother seldomly talked about their financial situation, Soojin still knew they weren¡¯t well off. Eventually, after much meandering, they decided to send Soojin to acting school. As a result, when Soojin turned 19 years old, she entered into an acting school in Ikebukuro. Whenever Soojin was in acting class, she was happy, but she quickly fell into narcissism. No other actress was as beautiful as her, not even close. She frequently would strip off all her clothes, and stare at her beauty in the mirror. Soojin listed off her features in her head: slender, curved waist; smooth, fair skin; perky breasts, and reddish-pink nipples. ¡°There¡¯s no other woman in this world as beautiful as me.¡± That¡¯s what Soojin believed. She would practice her expressions in the mirror, over and over. Whether the script said cry, get angry, or smile, Soojin practiced them all. Whenever she nailed an expression she felt extremely proud of herself, and when she failed, she felt like shattering the mirror and stabbing herself with the glass. Soojin had two faces, one was a frigid winter, and the other was a warm spring. During her acting classes, when her peers would call her, they would freeze from her terrifying gaze, only to be melted by the warm smile that followed. *** Around the time Soojin was starting to get a feel for acting, her grandmother¡¯s chronic illness began to worsen, and she became bedridden. One day the doctor came on a house call, and dropped a bomb of shattering truth onto the family. ¡°She¡¯ll be lucky to make it another month.¡± Soojin¡¯s grandmother was her only blood-relative in this strange country, and now she only had a month to live? Soojin was devastated: her grandmother was her everything. Of course, Mr. Ishii was also in shock. *** 15 days later. Mr. Ishii called Mia. ¡°Have a seat.¡± ¡°What is it father?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you heard the news, but Soojin is going to perform in a play at the National Theater. ¡°What! Really?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Mia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it..¡± This was extremely great news, but Mia¡¯s complexion quickly changed. Watching how her father had focused all his affection onto Soojin in the past few years, caused a pile of discontent to build inside Mia. The same was true for Soojin¡¯s entrance into the acting academy, and how her father so freely paid the $800 a month to fund it; how he affectionately called Soojin¡¯s name, and her good looks. All these things coalesced to form a stabbing jealousy inside of Mia. The true reason Mr. Ishii called Mia was because her job was related to Soojin¡¯s performance: Mia was a top planner and designer for a stage production company. Mia, who had attended a technical college for stage design and had plenty experience designing stages in America, was fairly well known in this industry. ¡°But- father¡­¡± Mia gave an incredulous look ¡°As far as i know, the cast of that play is already set in stone.¡± ¡°Then what about Soojin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about Soojin. There¡¯s no way they would let a Korean on that stage.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.. Maybe she¡¯s taking part under a fake name. Wait a minute, the president of the academy will surely know. Go get my notebook from my study.¡± Mr. Ishii unraveled the string holding his notebook shut, put on his reading glasses and called the number written inside. Mr. Ishii exchanged some words with the academy president over the phone then set the phone down, when Mia asked. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Soojin was right, the president said she will be in the next performance, and not as a mere minor role, but as a lead role!¡± ¡°Wha- really? How is this possible?¡± ¡°Father, I¡¯m sure you know, but this performance will be performed by some of the greatest actors in the business. But somehow a rookie like Soojin who hasn¡¯t even been acting for 1 year is in the lead role? Does that really make sense?¡± Of course, Mia¡¯s words weren¡¯t incorrect. ¡°And many stage design companies competed for the chance to design in this play, our company was one of them. Do you know why our company fell out of the competition? The working-level staff lobbied and worked really hard to get the stage equipment for this performance, but it fell through because of our company''s history. They said we¡¯re too inexperienced. Isn¡¯t it a bit odd Soojin would be selected for a play this competitive? Father.. do you think Soojin has a ¡®relationship¡¯ with one of the executives?¡± Mr. Ishii looked at Mia angrily ¡°What is wrong with you, Soojin is pretty much your sister, how could you make such hasty remarks about her.¡± But Mia flared up, she had to let this out. ¡°Father, We all know Soojin is extremely good-looking. So much so that I even get jealous, but this isn¡¯t a play where you can get in purely on looks. Even the seats are extremely hard to get in, they¡¯re all taken but politicians and influential businessmen, even the prime minister is going to be there. It¡¯s impossible for Soojin to have made it in without help from one of the higher ups¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking as if she really does have something with the executive.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m telling you father!¡± ¡°Enough, leave me alone.¡± Mia, in response to her father¡¯s discontent, bit her bottom lip, stomped out of the room and slammed the door. 5. Mr. Harada Soojin, after finishing her acting classes, went to visit her grandma. ¡°Oh, Soojin¡± Soojin saw her grandma struggling to get up and rushed to stop her. ¡°Don¡¯t get up, just lay down, it''s okay.¡± Soojin placed her hand on her grandmother¡¯s forehead, she had a severe fever. Soojin fetched a wet towel and placed it onto her grandmother¡¯s forehead. Her breath sounded like a balloon slowly fizzling out. She closed her eyes weakly: it appeared she had no energy to speak. Soojin, seeing her grandma like this, started to get choked up, and with a blink of her eyes a single tear fell, accompanied by a sigh. Soojin wanted her grandmother¡¯s little time left on this earth to be a beautiful, happy experience. ¡°Grandma, I have some good news for you.¡± Soojin¡¯s grandmother opened her eyes narrowly and looked up at Soojin. Soojin leaned in towards her ear, and whispered. ¡°I¡¯m gonna be in a play, I¡¯ll finally be on the big stage.¡± Soojin leaned back smiling gently at her grandmother. ¡°Wha- Stage? Big stage?¡± ¡°Yea, and you know what role I got? I got a big one! Despite everyone saying I couldn''t!¡± Soojin¡¯s grandmother, feeling extremely proud of her granddaughter, grasped her hands tight and tried to say something, but she became short of breath and started to cough. ¡°It must be hard to speak, just rest. I¡¯m gonna go change¡± Soojin rummaged through her wardrobe, and pulled out jeans and a t-shirt. She threw off her townwear, and because it was uncomfortable, her brassiere as well. Soojin stared at herself intensely in the mirror. ¡°I will succeed this time, no matter what! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.¡± Humiko, the academy president who had recommended Soojin for this play, was a very influential figure in the entertainment industry, and had been in many movies in her younger years. On the wall of the acting academy hung a large poster of Humiko¡¯s younger image. At the time the picture was taken, Humiko was a cute actress with a full chest, flawless white skin, and dimples in both cheeks. Despite how unbelievable it seemed now: that was her. Humiko typically wore flashy clothes, and thick makeup. She had a habit of putting her hand up to the corner of her mouth every time she spoke; and, contrasting with her age, her voice was faint, and high pitched, making it difficult to judge her age based on it. The fact that Humiko had an interest in Soojin was a great fortune to her. Occasionally a man wearing a fedora would come visit Humiko at the academy. Humiko called Soojin to her office. The man in the fedora was a former high-ranking executive for the NHK, and was now working in commercial broadcasting. His name was Harada. Humiko told Soojin about how Harada had graduated from Waseda University, and immediately after graduation, he joined the NHK and played a founding role in the company. Humiko also hinted at the fact that he currently had the entirety of the Japanese entertainment industry in his hands. Humiko told Soojin that she wanted to introduce her to Harada. The moment Soojin heard those words, her heart started to race. Soojin was physically mature but mentally immature. Humiko arranged a meeting with Harada, and took Soojin to the meeting place. Before the meeting Humiko was insistently telling Soojin how much of an incredible opportunity this was. Harada was seated at the hotel coffee shop. Under his khaki-colored fedora laid a scared face covered in age spots. He was also accompanied by a young man and woman. Humiko saw Harada, and as if she was meeting an old friend, locked arms with him joyfully. ¡°Come on over!¡± Humiko beckoned to Soojin, who was standing at a distance. Harada, seeing Soojin for the first time, scanned her up and down with his eyes, as did the young man and woman. Soojin hesitatingly made her way to where they stood. ¡°This is the girl I told you about.¡± Harada¡¯s gaze was keen This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°She¡¯s just as you said. I can tell at a glance!¡± Humiko pulled on Soojin¡¯s arm, leaned and whispered in her ear. ¡°You should greet Mr. Harada.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Soojin, Chong-Soojin.¡± ¡°Chong-Soojin?¡± Harada looked a bit flustered. Humiko quickly butted in. ¡°Oh, I apologize, I guess I forgot to tell you about her nationality?¡± ¡°Yes, you did.¡± Harada said with a side-eyed glance towards Humiko. ¡°She came from Korea.¡± Harada let out a sigh. ¡°Is that so?¡± Harada looked perplexed at Humiko''s words. Soojin read his expression but stayed quiet, and looked towards the young man and woman. They both looked very friendly until Soojin¡¯s nationality was mentioned, which caused their cheerful looks to make a complete 180. The young woman crossed her legs and sat snobbishly. Harada seemed to be thinking. He seemed extremely surprised by the fact Soojin was Korean, but very quickly relaxed his face and stuck his hand out towards Soojin. ¡°Nice to meet you, Soojin.¡± Because Harada had spent his entire life in the broadcasting industry, he was no less familiar with Korean actors. Because Korean blood runs deep in the Japanese sports and entertainment industry. But Harada himself was a nationalist of pure Japanese blood, who was still upset that his nation fell in World War II: who also regarded the sexual inslavement of Korean woman lightly, excusing it as wartime practice. Humiko wrinkled her face, regretting that she had needlessly mentioned Soojin¡¯s nationality. Soojin didn¡¯t expect Harada to change his attitude so quickly just because she was Korean. Should I just kick this chair out and leave? Yea, I¡¯m leaving! Who the fuck are you to hurt my pride, sons of bitches. Soojin thought, and with a disappointed face picked up her bag and began to stand up. As soon as Soojin¡¯s butt lifted off the chair, Harada started to speak. ¡°Humiko was right, you have an aura to you!¡± The corners of Humiko¡¯s mouth jumped up. ¡°See! I told you.¡± Humiko bringing Soojin and recommending her to Harada was a precise calculation. She knew that if Soojin debuted and made it big, many people would ask where she attended acting school. Undoubtedly resulting in a constant stream of customers. Soojin¡¯s beauty was leagues above all the other actor¡¯s Humiko had seen in her life, and she had never seen someone who could make a role come alive like her. If it was a sad scene she would explode into tears, and if it was a happy scene she would shine like the summer sun. She was an extremely talented girl. Humiko was sure that if Soojin just had a little support, she could become a top star. The young man and woman accompanying Harada were idols strategically raised by him. The woman¡¯s name was Aya, and the man¡¯s name was Komuro. Aya had a tiny face, slightly tanned skin, and small red lips: she was the stereotypical Japanese woman. ¡°Wait a second, I think I''ve seen this young woman on TV.¡± Humiko said, while pointing at Aya. ¡°She came to me 6 months ago, asking for me to help her, and now she just made her debut. Aya, what do you think of Soojin? You think that body and face can make it?¡± Aya shrugged her shoulders at Harada''s question. ¡°And what I really like about Aya is that she does as she¡¯s told. Aya, do you have the most recent photo collection?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Harada.¡± Aya searched through her bag, which was printed with a popular cartoon character, pulled out a hardcover photo album and placed it on the table. It was a nude photo collection of her. The title was ¡°Temptation¡±, and the cover was of Aya nude, looking back with bleary eyes. Harada complimented her body and handed the album to Humiko. Humiko flipped open the first page. She stared at the photo of Aya completely nude without a strand of clothing, and praised her. ¡°They came out well.¡± Aya seemed to enjoy the praise, brushing her hair over her ear in a pompous manner. ¡°But, isn¡¯t this a bit revealing for a newbie? I mean look at her butt. I used to have a body like that. Anyway it¡¯s overall a good pictorial, the camera angle and lighting are great.¡± Humiko put the album down, and continued. ¡°You think Soojin will have a chance to make one? If you release a pictorial of Soojin it¡¯ll sell like hot cakes!¡± Aya pouted her lips pompously. ¡°Well, there¡¯s only one way we can find out. But before that, we have to see if she¡¯s really a good actor.¡± ¡°Mr. Harada, I can guarantee it. I¡¯ve been watching her for a while, she¡¯s the real deal.¡± Soojin¡¯s face reddened at Humiko¡¯s praise. Harada looked at his watch, and tapped Komuro¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s time to go film, you two go ahead.¡± Shortly after Komuro and Aya left, Harada told Soojin to go outside so he could talk to Humiko in private. Once Soojin was outside the hotel, Harada spoke. ¡°Alright, now that it is just us two lets get into more detail. You know if I just say the word, her debut will be a piece of cake?¡± ¡°Yes sir, that¡¯s why I bought her.¡± 6. Camera Test ¡°I''m sure you know as well, but top stars aren¡¯t built purely off talent. They also need a sturdy backing. She¡¯ll have to do a lot of work behind the scenes. She¡¯ll have to make connections, whether it be directors, writers, or reporters. She¡¯ll need to get friendly with all of them.¡± ¡°I agree, sir.¡± ¡°I''m actually starting to take quite a liking to her.¡± ¡°Really?" ¡°Since you¡¯ve brought her here, how about a camera test?¡± Humiko, ecstatic from Harada¡¯s expected positive reaction, smiled and blurted out. ¡°Sounds good!¡± Harada extinguished his cigarette, smiled, looked up to Humiko and said. ¡°I¡¯ll call the studio, so let''s head that way.¡± The conversation ended, and the two followed Harada to his Broadcasting station near Tokyo Tower. During the ride, in Harada¡¯s high class, black sedan, Harada suggested giving Soojin a Japanese name. After rolling her mind for a bit, Humiko came up with the name: Haruko. ¡°Alright, from now on her name is Haruko, and she¡¯s the daughter of my distant relative.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t forget. From this point on, nobody can know that she¡¯s Korean, that¡¯s my condition. If you break that condition, I can¡¯t guarantee her success. Do I make myself clear? Also don¡¯t worry about Aya and Komuro, I¡¯ll make sure they stay quiet." Losing her Korean identity didn¡¯t affect Soojin much, she had sweated out the love for her home country long ago, through unbearable sorrow and misfortune. The black sedan arrived at J Broadcasting Station, and a security guard with a cap saluted to Harada. The three stepped out of the sedan and quickly headed inside, and stepped into the elevator. As soon as the elevator doors opened to the 7th floor, the clamor of employees could be heard. They were running back and forth busily, carrying cameras, lightning fixtures, and scripts. Pasted thickly on the walls of the hallway were various program pamphlets, photos of celebrities, play posters and drama schedules. As Harada walked through the hallway, all the employees who spotted him gave deep bows. ¡°Right this way.¡± Harada led Soojin and Humiko to his office, sat the two on the couch, went to his desk, opened the drawer and pulled out a cigar. He put the cigar in his mouth and called for a photographer. Soon a photographer wearing a vest with many pockets and horn-rimmed glasses and long sideburns came in, scratching his head. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Have this girl do a camera test.¡± The photographer looked over to Soojin, and was startled from her beauty. He quickly shook it off and bowed to Harada. ¡°Yes, boss.¡± ¡°Oh, and do it in Studio A7, I¡¯ll come over that way soon.¡± A7 was the studio where Aya¡¯s nude photos were taken. ¡°Yes, boss¡± Soojin followed the photographer to the room. Harada flipped through his business cards, while puffing his cigar. ¡°A7? I want to see it too.¡± ¡°Once everything is ready we¡¯ll go.¡± *** Inside of the A7 studio. Soojin, sat at the vanity table, surrounded by experienced looking female staff, helping her with her makeup. Once her makeup was finished, she sat on a couch watching the photographers and assistants prepare the set, as she waited. The photographer adjusted the aperture of the lens, while the assistants adjusted the ceiling and spotlights. Once everything seemed ready, the photographer beckoned Soojin. Soojin went and stood against the backdrop. ¡°Ms. Haruko, try a confident pose.¡± The lights shifted to focus on her, making a mechanical noise. Soojin was stunned by their unbearable brightness. Opposite from Soojin was a soundproof glass wall. Behind it Humiko and Harada watched. They could see inside the studio, but Soojin couldn¡¯t see them. Harada hit the mic button and ordered to the photographer: ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± Chainsmoker Harada¡¯s cigar didn¡¯t leave his fingers for a second. He took another puff and belted, filling the room with smoke. ¡°Is it your first time watching this type of shoot?¡± Harada asked to humiko, as he watched Soojin with a penetrating gaze. ¡°No sir, we do them a lot at the academy.¡± ¡°She seems nervous.¡± ¡°Maybe because it¡¯s her first time.¡± But Soojin Soon became used to the studio''s atmosphere, and followed the orders the photographer was giving her. ¡°Bring her a script.¡± A few scripts arrived per Harada¡¯s request. Soojin read the scripts. Sad acting, happy acting, crazy bitch acting, gleeful acting etc. Soojin summoned every ounce of her acting ability and put it on full display. Harada and Humiko watched in awe. ¡°Wow, she¡¯s a prodigy¡­ seriously amazing.¡± Harada had never seen someone who could memorize a script just by reading it once. A craggy grin bloomed across his face. ¡°How is this possible? She¡¯s a natural!¡± ¡°What did I tell you? She¡¯s the real deal!¡± After the script reading ended, one of the assistants brought a swimsuit. ¡°Change into this.¡± Soojin received the swimsuit and went into the changing room. Soojin looked at herself in the mirror. The white bikini was tiny, without reserve. ¡®They want me to wear this? I¡¯m not miss Korea, why do I need a bikini? This is just a camera test. Is this really necessary?¡¯. Soojin thought when she heard a shout from outside. ¡°Come on out!¡± The photographer and assistants all swallowed when they saw Soojin come out in the white bikini. Soojin had an entrancing body. This photographer had taken photos of countless female celebrities, but he thought Soojin¡¯s looks were truly unique. The photographer was at a loss the entire shoot. On the other side of the soundproof glass, Harada gave a thumbs up. ¡°The more I see of her, the better she gets!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr Harada. Just as I told you.¡± ¡°She truly is just as you said.¡± Harada pressed the mic button. ¡°Good job. Bring the tape to my office.¡± *** 7. Guardian Soojin entered Harada¡¯s office. Humiko ran up to her and grasped her hand. ¡°You did so well. It¡¯s gonna turn out great!¡± Harada and Humiko went on to discuss Soojin¡¯s debut, when Harada made a shocking suggestion. ¡°There¡¯s really no need to discuss it. Let¡¯s push her out there as soon as possible.¡± Harada wanted Soojin to debut in the national theater¡¯s most recent play. Humiko was thrilled. ¡°Oh my god! Can you really make that happen?¡± ¡°I can see she has what it takes, so why waste time with puny supporting roles?¡± Harada suggested they have dinner. The three rode in Harada¡¯s car to an upscale restaurant in Ginza. Afterwards they headed to a bar that Harada frequented. A hostess draped in a kimono locked arms with Harada, and with a honeyed smile, escorted them to a VIP room. Once everyone had been seated, the hostess looked at Soojin curiously. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°She¡¯s gonna be the next big actress. I¡¯m making sure she debuts in the upcoming play at the national theater. Isn¡¯t she pretty?¡± The hostess, hearing Harada''s explanation, approached Soojin examining her from all angles. The hostess was in awe. ¡°Wow.. She¡¯s beautiful. If she worked here business would be booming. Where did you find a treasure like her?¡± Harada laughed and took a sip from his glass. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of stealing her. She¡¯s all ours.¡± The hostess gave Harada a hit on his chest, and a side glance. ¡°You greedy man!¡± The two laughed off the joke. Soojin smiled along, peering over her glass as she sipped water. She saw the other hostesses, stood behind Harada, staring at her. Their eyes full of envy. ¡°She¡¯ll be a huge star soon, so get a good look, and an autograph while you have the chance.¡± Harada said proudly, looking back at the hostesses. Soojin didn¡¯t mind Harada¡¯s excessive gestures, in fact, she actually liked it. She ardently wanted to become that big star he kept speaking of. The top of the table where they sat, was filled with appetizers and glasses of alcohol. One of the nearby hostesses refilled Harada¡¯s glass, he then lifted it up and said. ¡°Let¡¯s have a cheers. To Haruko!¡± ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°We shall!¡± ¡°Haruko, from now on I¡¯ll take care of you. I¡¯ll make you into the biggest star Japan has ever seen. Cheers! To Haruko!¡± The three clinked their glasses together. Harada downed the shot glass with pleasure, and placed it back onto the table with a thud. Humiko did the same. But Soojin hesitated. However mature she looked, this was Soojin¡¯s first time drinking. She closed her eyes, gulped down the alcohol, and began to cough loudly. She quickly placed the glass onto the table, and bent over, her eyes watering violently. Why would someone drink shit this strong? She thought. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Hahahahah!¡± Harada laughed hysterically at the slumped over Soojin. He filled Soojin¡¯s half empty glass back to full. Soojin quickly composed herself, and said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve never drank before.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Harada asked, surprised. ¡°Yea..¡± ¡°You¡¯re really not like the kids these days. By the time they¡¯re in middle school they¡¯ve at least tried it. If you don¡¯t want to drink, have some food instead.¡± ¡°Is alcohol supposed to taste this bad?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste bad, It¡¯s just because it¡¯s your first time. You have to get used to it.¡± ¡°So, since this is your first time drinking. What about your first time having sex?¡± Harada¡¯s question hit Soojin like a thunderbolt from the blue. She froze for a moment, and started to have a cold sweat. He continued. ¡°Was it in middle school? Or high school?¡± Soojin shook her head at Harada''s mischievous question. ¡°No way¡­. A girl this pretty has never had a boyfriend? I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°I came to Japan when I was 17. I never really had time for a boyfriend¡­¡± Humiko and Harada looked at each other, then looked back to Soojin, both asking simultaneously. ¡°Not a single one?¡± ¡°Yea, I''ve never had one.¡± Harda became absorbed in his thoughts. If I sleep with her tonight that means I¡¯ll be her first time? Harada quickly downed two more glasses. But taking a woman¡¯s virginity is burdensome. And a man never forgets his first time, so it must be amplified for a woman. Harada called Humiko aside. ¡°I¡¯m kinda worried about her. I like her, but a 20 year old girl who hasn¡¯t been with a guy? Are you serious? If this is the case I might just have to send her back.¡± ¡°Mr. Harada, please you have to keep our promise. Please let her debut.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a man of my word, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°I believe you sir.¡± ¡°Could she be lying? You know, about being a virgin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. She seems genuine. I mean she hasn¡¯t even drank before. She really seems to still have a lot to learn.¡± Harada had to turn his back on the hot night he was anticipating with Soojin, which would act as her right of passage into the industry. He knew there would be many more chances later, but he still found it a bit unfortunate. After sending off Soojin and Humiko, Harada called Aya, who was partying at a club, and told her to meet him at his home. He loved her tan body, and how she used her vast experience with men to her advantage. *** Humiko and Harada worked a very busy schedule to make sure Soojin¡¯s debut would go through. The national play that Soojin would perform in, just as Mia and Mr. Ishii assumed, was certainly not a role someone with only one year of acting experience could get; however she had help behind the scenes to get her there. When Mia saw Soojin¡¯s name on the cast list she was baffled. A newbie making it into the national play.. What could she possibly have done to make it in? *** The kitten Kiki, which Soojin had first found at the edge of her window, grew up and gave birth to a litter of ten kittens. A few of them died shortly after birth. Soojin kept two of the kittens and gave the rest to her neighbors. Soojin raised Kiki and the two kittens, but around the time her grandma became bed-ridden, Kiki started to lose her fur, and have difficulty walking. *** Soojin awoke to an earthquake at dawn. The earthquake wasn¡¯t that severe. The tatami room¡¯s lights and floor shook a bit, but soon calmed. Because earthquakes were frequent in Japan, Soojin was used to them by now. Soojin searched for her grandmother in the darkness. Her grandmother was lying next to her. She looked peaceful. Soojin grabbed her hand, it was ice cold. Why are her hands so cold? During her time being ill her hands were never cold like this. Strange thoughts flooded Soojin¡¯s mind. Soojin placed her ear onto her grandmother¡¯s chest. No¡­ Soojin jerked out of the covers at an ominous thought, and quickly turned on the light. Soojin saw her grandmother¡¯s face, and started to tremble. Her grandmother had passed away. Soojin, struck by fear, shook her grandmother with trembling hands. ¡°Grandma! No! It can¡¯t be! You¡¯re not dead! Right? Grandma! Wake up! Wake up! Please wake up!¡± 8. His Return Soojin¡¯s grandmother¡¯s funeral was small, and lonely. The only mourners were Mr. Ishii, his family, a few neighbors, and a pastor Soojin¡¯s grandmother had been friends with. Shortly after the funeral, Soojin¡¯s grandmother was cremated and her ashes were taken to a charnel house. Because her grandmother¡¯s death had been in the days leading up to the national play, Soojin had to go to practice right after the funeral ended. Soojin first lost her mother, and now her grandmother. The only place she had left to lean on now was Mr. Ishii. Thankfully he treated Soojin like his own daughter. Although her grandmother had passed away, Soojin believed her spirit would be watching her at the national play. She wanted to make her grandmother proud, so she sold all her time into practice. The news of the national play spread like wildfire. Soojin¡¯s beauty was all over the daily newspaper, and television. She quickly became the hot topic everyone was talking about. Her photo was surrounded by the various other actors¡¯, and underneath her new name: Haruko. The headlines read: ¡°How the next generation¡¯s huge star¡ªHaruko¡ª pushed aside all actors to make her spot in the national play.¡± Before the national play had even opened requests for interviews were already flooding in. Humiko and Harada refused most of them. When it came to interviews, they first had to figure out if this person was an ally or an enemy. Only then, would they permit an interview, strategically limiting them to only 10 minutes. Finally the day of the national play was upon Soojin. All the VIP seats were already reserved. Soojin asked Harada to prepare a few VIP seats for Mr. Ishii and his family, and one for her grandmother. Soojin laid a beautiful daffodil bouquet in her grandmother¡¯s seat. She chose daffodils for their meaning of ¡°A new beginning.¡± Mia was shocked by the fact that Soojin prepared seats for them. Mia, seeing the prime minister just a few seats away, started to feel like a true VIP. Her heart fluttered. She worked for a stage setting company, but this was the first time she had ever sat in the VIP seats of the national play. Soojin was extremely nervous waiting for the play to start. She sat backstage with her hand on her chest, repeating abdominal breathing exercises to ease her nerves. However, when the play started, Soojin put her heart and soul into her performance. The story was of two star-crossed lovers. A profligate man, and the woman¡ªSoojin¡ªwho loved him. The story ended with the man murdering the woman. Soojin immersed herself into the role, exhausting herself, and when the play ended, the entire audience gave a standing ovation. Soojin¡¯s performance was so great even Mia, who normally was jealous of Soojin, started to cry. Mr. Ishii wiped his swelling tears with his handkerchief. When Soojin returned to the backstage room, Humiko handed her a large bouquet; her eyes crimson red from crying. ¡°You know how long it¡¯s been since I¡¯ve cried like this? You did amazing!¡± Just as had been expected, paparazzi pushed Humiko, shooting their flashes at Soojin. Countless cameras filled the waiting room, all trying to get footage of Soojin. The commotion of flashes and yelling drained the room of oxygen, making it hard to breathe. Harada and security barely managed to push the paparazzi out of the waiting room and close the door. ¡°If they¡¯re doing this I think they liked it.. Haruko, you¡¯re a treasure.¡± Harada hugged Soojin so tight she thought her lungs were going to explode. Reporters, and fans asking for autographs could be heard outside. This is what being a star is like! Soojing thought. Shortly later, staff informed Soojin that there would be a press conference. Harada called security, and with their help opened the door from Soojin¡¯s waiting room. As they pushed their way through the crowd of fans and reporters, Soojin saw Mr. Ishii holding a wonderful bouquet. She shouted to Harada. ¡°Wait a second!¡± Soojin received the bouquet from Mr. Ishii. ¡°Thank you for coming, really. You¡¯ve been so much help.. How could I ever repay you..¡± Before Soojin could finish she was escorted away. The smiling and waving Mr. Ishii quickly faded into the crowd. The bouquet was ripped and torn by the bumping and brushing of the crowd, leaving a trail of flower petals. When Soojin arrived at the press conference, all the other top stars were already seated. Harada and Humiko gave Soojin two thumbs up, before sending her up to the stage. Soojin sat in the middle of the other top stars, this seat was unimaginable for an experienced actor, let alone a newcomer. If it wasn¡¯t for the influential Mr. Harada, Soojin wouldn¡¯t have even dared to dream of being in this position. As Soojin sat around the other actors, she could feel the sharp, jealous eyes of a few. They knew she had help from Mr. Harada. Their gaze stabbed her like daggers, but she wouldn''t yield. Soojin stealthily taunted the jealous actors by lifting her head high, and flashing a radiant smile. A subtle tension flowed through the group. As various reporters asked questions, the VIPs and other journalists listened with intense attention. Soojin introduced herself, just as Harada and Humiko had told her to. Age 20, The daughter of Mr. Harada¡¯s distant relative, how she took acting classes from a young age, and first got a taste of acting from Humiko¡¯s acting school in Tokyo. One reporter asked a more specific question. ¡°So, Ms. Haruko, you¡¯ve been acting for 3 years?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been 3 years. But I¡¯ve been acting since I was born, so it¡¯s more like 20 years. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. The whole room laughed at her witty joke. ¡°In the press release it says you¡¯re the daughter of one of Mr. Harada¡¯s relatives. Is this true?¡± ¡°Yes, a distant relative.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you must have had a lot of support from the start.¡± ¡°I guess that is so, yes. I won¡¯t deny that I did. I accept the fact that since someone close to me is in the broadcasting industry, others may see it as unfair.¡± Loud typing from the journalists followed Soojin¡¯s answer. ¡°Is this your first time performing in a play? Have you appeared in any other works?¡± ¡°Yes, actually this is my first time making an appearance. I¡¯m very honored to be able to perform on a stage this big.¡± The reports threw many questions to the other actors as well, and after 1 hour the press conference ended. After the press conference ended, Soojin was in a sticky sweat. She thought of it as a right of passage. But she had a bit of a sore conscience. Mr. Harada¡¯s distant relative? Soojin smirked to herself. A celebration dinner was prepared for Soojin at the hotel, but before going, she headed back to the national theater because she started to think of her grandmother. Presumably because the play was over, all the lights were off, and the theater was dim. Soojin pressed the light switches at the entrance and the theater lit up. She ran to the seat she had prepared for her grandmother. The daffodil bouquet was still there. Soojin picked up the bouquet. ¡°Grandma, how did I do today? I know you¡¯re watching so I did my best.¡± Soojin sniffled and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. ¡°Grandma, from now on I''m starting a new life, here in Japan. You want your granddaughter to do that, right?¡± Soojin mumbled, as if her grandma was really there in front of her. Soojin knew if her grandma was still alive, she would be so proud, and pat her head like she always used to. Soojin¡¯s eyes started to tear up again. But, suddenly she heard footsteps in the theater. Tip-tap! Tip-tap! The sound of shoes echoed off the wooden floor. Soojin turned to the direction of the noise. A tall man was walking towards her. Soojin surprised asked: ¡°Hello.. Who are you?¡± The strange man was wearing a stylish suit, and carrying a large bouquet of roses. ¡°Ms. Haruko? Right?¡± The man asked hesitantly. Soojin didn¡¯t recognize the man, treating him as a stranger. Looking at him close, he looked like a man, but also a woman. A very androgynous face. Ghost white skin, dark eyelashes, and a fierce gaze. The voice he used to ask the question was of a sweet tone. ¡°Do you remember me?¡± What is this guy talking about? ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ who are you?¡± Soojin asked back, with her guard up. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve never seen this person before.. Is he some kind of stalker? ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken I..¡± The man started to speak but stopped suddenly. Soojin looked at his face closely. He looks faintly familiar, I don¡¯t know where, but I¡¯ve seen him somewhere. A moment of tight silence flowed between them. The man held out the rose bouquet to Soojin. Is he a fan? Soojin received the bouquet. ¡°Thank you.¡± A light breeze flowing in through the open door nearby rustled the rose petals lightly. A deep rose scent permeated the surroundings. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, we¡¯ve met before.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Soojin dug into her memory, but there was nothing. ¡°It must have been 3 years ago¡­ at the airport. I think I gave you my business card.¡± Soojin tilted her head and tried to remember. airport¡­ the man who sat next to me staring.. Soojin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh! I think I remember, at the airport with that woman.¡± The man smiled lightly. ¡°Ah, I was right, it was you.¡± Soojin finally managed to remember him. How he stared at her, how he jumped the turnstile, kissed that woman, and drove off in a fancy limousine. After that day she had forgotten him for a long time. Of course it didn¡¯t seem worth remembering. But how could he remember her for so long, after just that short moment? Soojin looked at him surprised, when he started to speak. ¡°I waited awfully long for you to contact me. But in the end you never did. You might not believe it, but after that day i went looking for you at the airport, i know it sounds stupid¡­¡± He paused for a moment, and then continued. ¡°Just a few days ago, I read a story about you in the newspaper. I was so surprised when I saw your photo. I can¡¯t believe I found you.. Oh, I watched your performance today. I¡¯ve never seen a performance like that, it was truly special.¡± The man requested Soojin to have dinner with him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I already have plans, I can contact you later.¡± The two parted ways from the theater. Soojin made her way out of the theater, and found Humiko looking for her. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you, where were you? Everyone is waiting, let''s go¡± Soojin carried her grandmother¡¯s bouquet, and the rose bouquet the man had given her, as she ran to the car. She sat in the back seat, absorbed in thought as she lightly felt the petals of the roses. ***