There were loud bustling sounds that were coming from various people arranging stuff and managing things, which was like a movie set. Between the movie set, the calm figure sits waiting for her to start the scene. Even through the layers of powder and foundation, Yoon Se-rin could feel the heat pressing against her skin. "Ready!" The director's voice echoed across the studio, and as soon as the voice was heard, the staff moved like clockwork. Makeup artists rushed to Se-rin and started dabbing makeup on her cheek. Someone gave her a bottle of water, someone adjusted the hem of her dress, and someone else fixed her hair. Everyone was careful with her.
The director said, "Se-rin ssi, last scene." Se-rin smiled. The perfect smile—she has practiced it for years, along with soft eyes and gentle lip movements, just enough to look real and never enough to look tired. Her smile was also known as "The Nation's Sweetheart Smile." Cameras rolled, her co-stars delivered lines, and their voices were thick with heartbreak. She stepped forward, and tears started forming right on cue. "Even if the world forgets you," she whispered, "I won't." The director yelled. "Cut!" There was silence, and then applause filled the set. This was the wrap for the day. Everyone kept approaching her, telling her she did an amazing job. Se-rin bowed repeatedly to everyone, telling them thank you and to go home safely. She kept smiling the entire time, and by the time she reached her van, her cheeks were hurting.
As soon as she entered the van, the smile disappeared, her lips fell flat, and her shoulders dropped like a switch turned off. If anyone standing outside saw her right now, they would say that her eyes have lost the shine. In the front seat of the car sat her best friend of over 20 years and her agent, Kim Hae-in. Hae-in started the car, and it is now on the road. Hae-in saw in the mirror that Se-rin looked more tired than usual, and she said, "Tough day today; you did good holding up." Se-rin kept looking out the tinted window. The city lights streak past like smears of gold. Se-rin nodded and said, "Mm." That was all she said.
After some time, the car suddenly stopped in front of the most expensive tower in Seoul. As Se-rin entered, there was a marble lobby, and she entered a private elevator, and along the way, there was very tight security, all of them bowing deeply. For Se-rin, it looked luxurious, but deep inside it was hollow. They reached the luxurious penthouse, and inside the penthouse, the silence was even heavier. Hae-in tossed her bag on the couch, rolled up her sleeves, and looked at Se-rin and told her, "Sit on the sofa. I will cook something for you." Se-Rin said, "You don't have to..." and before she could finish the sentence, Hae-in interrupted and said, "I know; I am still doing it." Se-rin never argued with her because she knew how stubborn Hae-in was, so she just let her do whatever she wanted. She sat on the dining table playing with her phone.
The kitchen started filling with various types of noises; there was oil sizzling with steam rising, a knife against the cutting board, and a delicious smell started filling the entire area. Hae-in brought a bowl and a dish and put them in front of Se-rin and said, "Stop playing with your phone and finish everything." Se-rin looked at her and said, "Yes, Mom." Hae-in laughed and said, "Don't even start," and she sat down to eat as well. Se-rin now smiled, a real smile, not like the fake one that she did earlier on the set. They ate and talked, and there was peace; there were no phones, no scripts, no staff, and nothing, just quiet and delicious food. After finishing up, Hae-in checked her watch and said, "I've got to stop by the agency; there are some issues with the contract. I will solve it and then go home from there." She left now that Se-rin was all alone again. In the huge silent house, she started doing the dishes, and once they were complete, she decided to take a shower and call it a night.
She went inside the shower under the flowing water; the steam started to fog up the mirror, and she stood there longer than usual. It looked like she was washing something off, perhaps her makeup, the fake smiles, or the different voices, or perhaps it was the expectations, but when she looked in the mirror again, all she could see was a blurry image. She wiped the steam off, and she saw that it was still herself even after washing everything off, or that's what she thought. She was still tired, still hollow. She changed into a loose hoodie and lay on her huge bed to sleep. Everything on the bed was luxurious and perfect, but sleep didn't want to come; 2 minutes passed, now 5 minutes, which turned to 1 hour. She stood up, changed her clothes, took her car keys, and went straight to the garage.
Various thoughts were popping in her head while she sat in her car for about 10 minutes, thoughts like interviews, online comments, what if her next drama fails, what if they replace her, and what if everyone forgets her. She shook all the thoughts off and started driving the car. While driving, she noticed that the city at night feels different; it was quieter, there were no fans, and there wasn't a single camera in sight. It was just her; no one would recognize her inside a mask and a cap. She drove till she saw familiar trees; it was a park just on the edge of the city. It was open at night, and there were no people there. She discovered it while returning home from a shoot nearby one day. She parked the car and started her run, which helped her clear her mind. Slowly she finished lap after lap. After some time sweat started forming, and she started to feel her mind clear. She stopped and sat on a bench with water in her hand. While sitting, she noticed a faint golden light coming from an alleyway far from the corner of the street.
She thought to herself that it's 2AM; why would there be a light like that coming? Despite not wanting to, she felt herself getting drawn closer to that golden light. She walked closer and closer; each step echoed softly, and as she reached the alleyway, she could smell roasted coffee beans. She turned at the corner and stopped there; tucked between old brick buildings was a small cafe. It has a wooden door with wide windows and plants hanging by the entrance, and inside was warm amber light, tables and shelves, along with steam rising from somewhere behind the counter. She could see all of this from the window, and it looked alive, like it was a totally different place than she was used to. It was kind of a place where people would sit together, talk for long, and laugh. She looked up and saw the name of the cafe, Five Leaves Cafe. She said, "What is this place?" As she was about to open the door, the door flung open from inside. A tall figure stepped out; he had broad shoulders with a dark hoodie, which looked like the cafe's uniform. Se-rin looked at him for a bit longer; she saw he had quiet eyes, and he looked like a normal man. He was not flashy, not handsome in a celebrity way. Se-rin could see that he looked like a tree that wouldn't even move in a storm. Their eyes met; for a second, neither of them spoke. Warm light from inside the cafe spilled between them, and for the first time that day, or maybe in months, Yoon Se-rin felt strangely calm. The man studied her silently, and with careful observation, he said in a low, gentle voice, "We are still open." Those three simple words felt warmer to her than anything she had heard all day.