Christy came back home in the evening, utterly exhausted.
Her grandmother was the one who opened the door, and Christy barely stepped inside before heading straight to the living room to greet her father. He was seated on the couch, eyes fixed on the television, while her mother moved about in the kitchen.
"How was your day today, Dad?" Christy asked, her voice tired.
Her father glanced at her and nodded. "Great. How was yours?"
Christy let herself fall back against the couch, her body sinking into the cushions. "Rigorous changing of outfits and postures, cancellations, starting afresh… it's exhausting," she muttered. "I'm yet to even make sense of it."
Her grandmother strolled toward her, knitting needles clicking softly in her hands. "I've seen her designs," the old woman said thoughtfully. "They look so good—"
"But so tight," Christy cut in. "Whoever wants to wear those, definitely not me."
Her grandmother immediately hushed her. "Shh… you shouldn't say things like that out loud. The walls have ears. You've only just started working. Who knows? A big agency might call you."
Christy rolled her eyes. "I wish I didn't have to work as a model," she said, her voice trembling like she was on the verge of tears.
Her back was still leaned against the couch when her father reached out and placed his hand gently over hers. "Princess, if you don't want to work as a model, then you can quit. Better opportunities will come for you."
Christy turned her head to look at him. "I don't like the job," she admitted softly, "but I'm not going to quit, Dad. I'll try."
Her father smiled and patted her hair.
Just then, her mother called from the kitchen. "Dinner is ready."
She brought the dishes to the table and looked at her family, the room filling with warmth despite Christy's lingering fatigue.
—
Christy smiled as her grandmother kissed her on the cheek before she left the house.
She boarded the bus heading toward Prime Designs, a small block shop with tailored clothes that, according to Ms. Jandi, was made to fit the trend. The moment the bus stopped, Christy stepped down and hurried inside.
The showcase glass displayed outfits carefully arranged, every piece designed to catch the eye. Christy entered with a polite smile, greeting the two workers and the customers who were browsing. She set her bag aside just as Ms. Jandi emerged from the inner room, tablet in hand.
"Christy, you're here," Jandi said.
"Yes," Christy replied, nodding. "Any new designs?"
Jandi cast a glance toward the customers at the front, three women who had come together, holding outfits against themselves as they studied their reflections. "There are always new designs," she said proudly. "We work hard here at Prime Designs, and we deserve to be paid for our hard work."
She then pulled Christy aside. "We uploaded your photos last night. There's progress, real progress."
Jandi tapped her tablet, nodding to herself. "The mini skirt and crop top hit two hundred likes just now. The mini gown with sleeveless hands reached three hundred likes and a thousand views. This is the highest engagement Prime has ever had."
Christy blinked. "Is… is that good?"
"Of course it is. They love how your body looks in the clothes. There haven't been orders yet, but you could grow the page."
Christy sighed quietly. Another round of fittings. She hadn't signed up for this.
"You have socials to share this, right?" Jandi asked, scrolling.
Christy shook her head. "No. I haven't posted my face once since I opened the app."
She took pictures, yes, but only for herself. She never had time to post, write captions, or chase engagement. Her life was more than that.
Jandi looked up, a slight frown forming. "You could have been influential by now. You look exactly like what people want to see."
"I don't want to be seen by everyone, Ms. Jandi."
"Too bad," Jandi replied flatly. "You will be seen by everyone. You're now Prime Designs' model."
She gestured toward the back. "Go into the white room. The clothes for the shoot are hanging there. Wear the purple one. The cameraman will be here soon. And loose your hair, I love it when it cascades over your shoulders."
Christy nodded and did as she was told.
The final round of shooting ended past seven. The cameraman's voice echoed through the room.
"Push your chest out a bit. Shoulders high. Smile slightly, relax."
A sharp flash burst across her face.
Click.
Captured.
Mrs. Jandi walked over as Christy released herself from the pose, her body aching to be free of the outfit. The clothes were beautiful, but painfully uncomfortable.
"You killed it today," Jandi said. "I'm going to compensate you. A few people came in just because of the clothes you modeled. Hiring you was the right decision."
She dropped some cash into Christy's palm.
Christy looked down.
Fifty dollars.
"More will come," Jandi added. "Buy yourself something on the way home."
Christy smiled, genuinely grateful. It was something, better than nothing.
Jandi tapped her shoulder. "Oh, and for your information, your pictures just hit one thousand likes."
She paused, then added casually, "Maybe your face did this."
With that, she turned away to settle payment with the cameraman.
Christy finally changed out of the clothes and left the shop, heading for the bus home.
Once seated, she pulled out her phone and searched for Prime Designs.
The page appeared instantly.
She scrolled, her breath hitching slightly as she saw herself on the screen, polished, confident, expensive. She had to admit it.
She looked good.
She scrolled through the comments.
She's super beautiful.
She killed this wear.
Christy hovered over the comment box, fingers ready to type thank you, but she stopped.
She slipped the phone back into her bag and stared out the window, watching the streetlights drift past in silence.
Was she really going to keep being a model?
When she got home, she greeted her parents, ate dinner quietly, and retreated to her room.
Christy opened her laptop.
For days, she hadn't job-hunted. She didn't want to believe modeling would be her life. She wanted a real job.
As the screen lit up, her eyes caught the red notification dot.
An email.
Her heart skipped.
She opened it.
Subject: Your job application has been reviewed.
Dear Christy,
We are glad to inform you that your certification has been reviewed, and we find you suitable for a position on the marketing board at Novara Consulting.
Please proceed to accept your interview through the link below.
Very best,
Christy froze.
This was it.
The moment she had been waiting for.
Yet… why wasn't she screaming?
Wasn't this all she had ever wanted?
Then she saw the location.
Italy.
Her chest tightened.
She couldn't leave her family behind.
Ha Eun's words echoed in her mind.
She shook her head.
She needed a job in Korea. And she would get one.
Christy closed the email and went back to browsing, marketing jobs in Korea. Link after link filled the screen.
She applied through another unfamiliar site and let herself fall back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Her laptop rested on her lap, still warm beneath her fingers.
Minutes passed.
Her eyelids grew heavy and she drifted into sleep.