02 | Promises
COCO
I woke up with an ache all over my body. My head was banging like there was a party going on in it. How much had I drank?
As if the ache was not enough, SWT's music filled up the space and I groaned internally. How long will their success keep hunting me? Just how long?
The bed on which I slept stank, but my washed up idol self was too broke to get an hotel room, so I had opted for a sauna instead. Packing up my supplies, I took my bath and then proceeded to leave the sauna. My mission was to find a job at least, maybe at a restaurant. I had no qualifications to get me a more reasonable job, so a restaurant or a chicken shop was my last resort.
I had only walked a few streets when the small white sign in front of a shop caught my eye. The word "HIRING" was written in bold black letters. Tilting my head back, I read the name of the shop. MIYEON CHICKEN SHOP. Peeking through the window, there were a lot of people inside. It looked like the shop never lacked customers.
I took a large gulp and found my way inside, moseying up to the counter.
"Hello? Can I help you?"
The girl standing behind the counter looked like she was my age, or maybe just a few years older than me, but the stink eyes she gave me after blatantly looking me down made her seem a lot more older.
I bit my lips. "I saw a sign outside, that you are hiring."
She rolled her eyes, like she could not stand me. "Can you ride a scooter? We need a delivery girl right now."
"Of course! I am very good at riding scooters," I answered eagerly, my mind now only on the job and not on the fact that she looked like she might strangle me.
I tried not to wonder what is was with people and disliking me at first sight.
"Then you have your first delivery."
She did not wait for me to speak before she handed me an helmet, a box of fried chicken and a key. "The address is on the box and the delivery scooter you will take has the key number on it. My name is Miyeon. When you are back we will talk more on your payment."
I wanted to argue, but again I was desperate, so I would take whatever measly offerings Miyeon had for me for now.
I looked down at the address and my eyes almost opped out of its socket.
Fate was a bitch, I used to say. How else was I to explain the fact that I was delivering chicken to SWT studio of all places?
"Are you going to keep standing there or hurry up?" Miyeon barked and I startled.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled and scurried out of the shop.
~
The studio was just the same as I remembered, standing tall and intimidating. I remembered it because YK was one of the labels I auditioned for when I started my trainee journey and the audition had been here before it was named for SWT alone. They probably had seen my future which is why they rejected me before I could even start. They were lucky, they would have had a failed idol like me.
Thankfully, the order was not a doorstep delivery so I had to call the owner to come get it outside.
"Coco of XL?"
My head snapped up to the person who called my name, frowning when I saw a man of about my age standing outside the revolving door. He wore a grey hoodie that did little to cover his black curly hair. He walked closer to me, a smile on his face. I wondered if he was a fan. Wishful thinking.
"Coco?" He repeated on getting to my front. He did not look familiar at all.
My hold tightened on the order bag, embarrassment rushing through me at the fact that someone who knew me as an idol was seeing me this way.
"Hi," I mumbled.
He glanced down at the package on my hand. "You have my order," he stated, still smiling.
I peered at the name on it. "Alexander Wang?"
He grinned. "The one and only."
"Oh," I muttered, handing the package to him.
"You do not remember me, do you?"
He sounded amused, like it was funny that I did not know who he was.
Eyebrow creased, I raised them at him, trying to crack my brain to remember. "Do I know you?"
"I figured you would not," he said quietly like he was talking to himself, but also to me.
"I should get going," I told him as I adjusted the helmet on my head.
"Wait!" He grabbed a hold of my hand, making me jerk. "Do you want some chicken wings? I've got enough to share for two."
"As you can see, I'm working, I do not have that kind of time on my hand." I answered rather stiffly, snatching my hands away from his hold.
"You are different," he observed. "You don't sound like the Coco I know."
The official announcement had not been made which was why he probably did not know that I had been kicked off the team. I tried to suppress my frustrations, beaming at him tightly. "I'm sorry, I am just having a rough week."
"That explains it," he excused. "I'm sorry for taking your time. I hope I see you again, Coco of XL."
Now that I thought of it, no one knew which also meant this man who could be my fan or maybe not, did not know, that there was no longer Coco of XL, there was just twenty-three years old Coco Jiang who did not know what step to take next in her life, after giving up her youth for a future that will never exist. I was tired, it felt like the world had drained me for everything I had and now I had no more life to give.
"You never asked who I am." His voice stopped me from starting the engine.
"If you wanted to tell me, I would not need to ask," I reasoned and he nodded in agreement.
"I gave you my card yesterday, you do not remember because you were kind of drunk. I am Alexander Wang Jihun, one of SWT's music producer." He stretched his card to me, and politely nodded at me, before leaving while I stood stunned, staring at his retreating self like I had just seen a ghost.
~
Miyeon paid daily, that was a good thing because I needed quick cash and luck had somehow been on my side to make me find her shop, and she had sales which meant my pay was a reasonable amount per day.
"Please come again," I said to the last customer with a practiced smile. The fake smiles came effortlessly since I had spent years of my life practicing over and over again.
"Here is your pay for the day. You've worked hard and I'm glad you came when you did, I really need help with the shop," Miyeon said with a small smile on her face. She seemed to have relaxed a bit with me as I took our more deliveries and served the in-house customers.
I collected the envelope with a grateful nod. "Thank you."
"I sure hope to see you tommorow?" She suggested.
"I'll be here," I responded politely. I had nothing to do after all, and I really needed cash to get myself a place to stay before I begin thinking of what next to do with my life.
"Okay, bye."
My walk back to the sauna was a slow one. I purposely made it so, humming a tune that had popped into my head while doing the delivery rounds. I tried not to think of how upside down things had become for me. I remember my Mother always telling me to focus on the positive sides of situations.
I wished she was here now, perhaps the pain I felt would have been more bearable.
"I think it is fate that we keep meeting like this."
He appeared suddenly out of nowhere, and my first instinct was to throw a punch at him, which I did.
"Hello?" He winced.
"It's you!" I exclaimed when I finally saw his face. It was him, the man from SWT studio and one of the producers of SWT music. I had done my research during my free time today, and I had realized it was him alright. Alexander Wang Jihun, he was one of the best producers in the K-pop industry. Somehow I had also recalled bits and pieces of our meeting the night I was drunk.
"It's me, in flesh and you just almost knocked out my front teeth. You pack a good punch for a lady, you know," he stated.
I blinked, staring at him with wide eyes. "I thought you were a thug, or a drunk man," I defended.
"Fair enough," he agreed. "I barely see ladies these days who can take care of themselves, you did well."
Taking care of myself was no new thing, I had fended for myself since I was twelve and self defense was one of what had helped me. I only ever knew how to take care of myself and not rely on other people. Perhaps that was why the girls could not get along with me, I was independent while they leaned on each other, mostly picking at each of their faults while I cleaned up after the messes they caused.
Short of words, I began walking away. He followed closely,
"Where are you going? I could give you a ride," he offered.
"No. Thank you, my place is not far from here," I said. Lies. As if I had a place to stay.
"Are you sure?" He pressed. "It is no hassle at all, I promise you. I just want to help."
My first instinct was to ask him why? Why he wanted to help someone like me but I decided against it, instead I opted to give him a polite answer. "My place is not far from here really. I can walk."
"Then let me walk with you," he insisted.
"No."
"I insist."
I let out an exasperated breath, he was beginning to get annoying. "Is this how you pester helpless girls?" I shot at him angrily.
He paused, seemingly surprised at my outburst. "I am not that kind of person," he defended. "I am only trying to help."
"And I told you I did not want your help. Was that difficult to understand?" I was almost yelling, realizing that I stood right in front of him, while he looked down at me with a lazy smirk.
I was not a short woman, but Alexander Wang easily towered over my 5'9 height, dwarfing me. "Is it because you are a singer?" He questioned. "You make pretty noises even when your eyes are blazing with anger. Melodious noises to say the least."
My mouth ran dry at his comment, at the fact that he was the first person in years to compliment my voice. It was intriguing that he found me fascinating.
"What do you want from me?"
"Do people approach you only because they want something from you?"
I scoffed dryly. It was funny how that was the same question I had asked Ryan Oppa when he almost quit being our manager because of his family issues. I had gone to plead with him, and he asked what I wanted from him.
"Do they only ever take from you?"
"Why else would people approach me?" I returned back a question. "Swear on your life that you do not want something from me," I challenged.
He clicked his tongue. "I can't."
"Right, because you are like them all."
I whirled around and started to walk away from him for the second time that night..
"No, wait!"
Perhaps it was the urgency in his tone, or maybe I was just desperate for attention that I would willingly give ear to whoever gave it to me, but I turned, meeting his gaze.
"What?"
"Don't you think we should start on a clean slate? Introductions first, isn't that how it works?" he suggested.
"I know who you are," I hissed.
"Alexander Wang Jihun is my name," he pressed on stubbornly. "I am a music producer." He stretched his palm for an handshake, and I looked down at them before allowing my stare travel back to his face which now held a blank look.
Deciding to play along, I received his handshake."Coco Ashley Jiang. Former member and leader of XL. Nice to make your acquaintance."
He did not look surprised, it was like he already knew of my fallout. As soon as Alexander's hands clasped mine, he grinned widely. "Now this is you, Coco."
I had no idea what he meant by that, I only cocked my head to a side as if waiting for him to release me. He did, and I instantly felt somewhat cold at the loss of warmth from his hands.
"Your hands were warm," I commented without thinking. I usually do not speak out my intrusive thoughts, but something about Alexander made me speak up.
"Do you want to hold me again?" He joked.
"No!" I objected firmly, raising my hands in defense.
"Then you should get going. Since you insisted on walking alone, I'll leave you be," he said as he pulled on his hoodie cap over his head. It was like something had shifted between us, there was no strain like this morning or drunkenness like the night before. There was just him and I, mock meeting for the first time.
"Goodnight, Alexander."
"We will meet again, Coco," he promised.
I learned to believe his promises, after that night.
The moonlight stretched across the horizon, giving light to the buzzling night of Seoul city while the two stood under the stars. Fate was amazing in her works, because it so happened that these two would become such a huge part of each other, or so fate spoke.
...
