Sona sat in the staff cloakroom. She bowed her head and recalled her first day here. The recruitment manager greeted her warmly and briefly told her how the company was founded. From his story, she understood that she had entered a world where the dreams of young, talented people who are willing to work hard to achieve their goals and become famous idols come true. The manager gave her a short tour of the building and showed her all the dance studios where the guys practiced day and night. He showed her the director's office and the recording studio.
Sona's eyes sparkled with happiness. However, when the manager took her to the dressing room and gave her a work uniform, her good mood disappeared. She would be working as a cleaner. She would be working as a cleaner in a company where dreams come true. The irony was so striking that the girl couldn't help but laugh. Sitting in front of her locker, she laughed and cried at the same time.
"So your dream has come true," she muttered under her breath. The phone rang again. Her mother always called when she was late to work.
"Hello," she said, her voice trembling with tears.
"Sona, I made kimchi with rice..." When will you be home?"
"I'll be home soon, Mom." Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Leave dinner on the table. Rest. I'll come home and eat it. I promise..."
"I can't remember the last time I saw you. You come home when we're asleep. You leave before we wake up."
"I'm sorry, Mom. Everything will change soon; you'll see. It's time for me to go. See you at home."
"All right, I'll be waiting." The connection was lost.
Sona had already changed when she suddenly heard footsteps in the dressing room.
"Sona, you haven't left yet? Great," the manager said happily. "I have a favor to ask of you. Could you clean up the second-floor hall? Everyone has left, and there's no one else to ask. Okay?" Good. See you tomorrow." Without waiting for the girl to agree, he hurried to the exit. Sona stood rooted to the spot. With a sad sigh, she put on her work uniform over her clothes and slowly, heavily walked to carry out the manager's instructions.
There wasn't a soul in the building. Silence filled the corridors. The lamps hummed in lonely unison. Music could be heard in the distance. Apparently, someone was still working in the studio. After cleaning two rooms, Sona moved to the last one at the end of the hall. She turned on the light. On the left wall was the inscription "BigHit," and to the right of the entrance was a floor-to-ceiling mirrored wall.
"So this is where dreams come true," she said, standing in the middle of the room and looking around. The atmosphere around her was incredible. The girl hadn't felt so positive in a long time. For a moment, all her troubles and negative thoughts vanished. It was as if they had never existed.
Having fully enjoyed that energy, Sona set about cleaning. She put on her headphones, turned on her favorite music, and grabbed a mop. Sometimes, she danced to the music's rhythmic chords, swaying her hips and moving her hands awkwardly. Knowing no one could see or hear her, she sang along, pretending to be a pop star in front of the mirror. Suddenly, she froze in place. A young man with pale skin and light hair stood in the doorway, watching her.
***************
Yoongi had just returned to the hall to pick up his backpack and head back to the dormitory for some much-needed rest after a busy day. It had become even more difficult lately, as there hadn't been a single day off in his busy schedule. As he stretched his neck and walked confidently toward the training hall, he noticed a light in the room. He was surprised because he had turned off the lights when he left, and the other members had gone home long ago. He cautiously opened the door and peered inside. He heard footsteps and a voice. Finally, he saw an uninvited guest in the hall.
A young girl with long brown hair tied in a bun and wearing a work uniform was dancing wildly to music playing on her phone. She sang into the handle of a mop as if it were a microphone. The man closed the door and began to watch the girl and her dance moves. Her frenzy and sincerity made him smile, a sight that hadn't been seen on his face in a long time. This scene brought him incredible joy. Suddenly, the girl stopped when she noticed him.
Sona took off her headphones, which had been blaring loud music. She lowered her eyes to the floor, embarrassed, and hid her red cheeks.
"Hello!" she said, bowing to the boy. A few seconds later, she grabbed the mop and bucket and ran to the exit like lightning.
"Wait... No, wait! It's okay. Wait..." The boy tried to stop her, but she was too quick. She rushed past him and closed the door behind her.
She ran out into the corridor and rushed to the cloakroom. She looked back hundreds of times to make sure the boy wasn't following her. But he was nowhere to be seen. She locked herself in the cloakroom and sat down under the door, panting and coming to her senses. She felt ashamed after what had happened.
"Why did this happen to me?" she asked herself, clutching her head. But her shock grew when she realized what she looked like.
Her unkempt hair was tied in a messy bun on top of her head. She had a tired face and wasn't wearing any makeup. Oh God, her work uniform over her clothes! It couldn't have been worse. After sitting there for five minutes, Sona finally gathered the courage to leave the dressing room. She threw her coat over her shoulders and left the room, afraid of meeting the guy in the hallway. She ran to the exit, hiding her face.
Yoongi put on his jacket and slung his backpack over his shoulder. As he left the hall, he paused for a moment, remembering the lovely stranger. He smiled and turned off the light. As he walked down the corridor, he noticed someone running toward the exit. The awkward bundle on her head gave her away. The boy slowed down to watch the beauty who had dispelled the gloom of his day and made him forget his fatigue. By the time he reached the dormitory, her figure had long since disappeared into the twilight of the empty streets. Yet, for some reason, the memory of her brought him joy the entire way.
Everyone at home was already asleep. Mom had fallen asleep at the kitchen table while waiting for her daughter to come home from work. Mina was also asleep with the TV on. She had never waited for the end of the concert, which was still going on.
"Sona, you're back..." Mom's sleepy voice came from behind her.
"Yes, don't worry..."
"Then I'll go to bed. I'm so tired. It's so hard without you at the diner." She slowly went to her room.
Sona sat down to dinner. The kimchi with rice was incredibly delicious. But even that couldn't make her forget the unpleasant incident at work. She felt ashamed again. She lost her appetite. She went to wake Mina, but she was too sleepy to go back to bed. Sona decided to let her sister sleep on the couch. She covered her with a warm blanket. Suddenly, "Run" started playing on TV. The fans squealed with excitement. It was her favorite Bangtan Boys performing.
"Aren't they tired of this song yet?" she asked herself as she pointed the remote control at the TV. Something familiar caught her attention. Looking closer, she realized that she wasn't dreaming. "Oh... Oh... Could it be... Is it... Oh, no..." She pulled a sour face. It was him—the same guy who had witnessed her humiliation that day. He had a pale complexion, light hair, and that same smile.
Min Yoongi was smiling at her from the screen.