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Plus, I’ll definitely get a Mom SNS post if I land this role.

“Did they decide on casting?” I ask anxiously.

Hongjoo slowly shakes her head. “They’re going to need more time because they’re also considering another rookie actress.”

“Oh,” I say slowly, keeping my voice low because then it won’t waver as much. “I see. Well, I knew it was a long shot. It would only be my second full-length drama. I can’t expect to get such a big part so soon.”

“Yes, plus it’s not official yet! They could still choose you over Ana.”

“Ana?” It could be another Ana. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions. But Hongjoo winces, and I know I’m right. It seems the universe is dead set on pitting me against Kim Ana.

Hyeri waited impatiently in the lobby of the Bright Star building.

It was Chuseok. Which meant the trainees had the long weekend off. Most of them were going home to visit their families. The rest were international trainees or had families who lived too far away to visit on a quick weekend trip.

Hyeri’s mom and dad were still in LA, but Hyejun-oppa’s company was also giving them today off. And when she’d seen him last month, he’d promised he’d take her to Everland. She’d only been in Seoul for a few months, and she was still too nervous to go all the way out to the amusement park alone. So, she had to depend on Hyejun to take her.

She glanced at the last message exchange with Hyejun.

Hyeri:Are you coming to Bright Star today?

Hyejun:yup.

Hyejun still refused to hang out with her most of the time. But he’d promised to come on Chuseok. She’d made him pinkie swear it—even though pinkie swears were a little immature for her at the ripe old age of thirteen-almost-fourteen, but it seemed to have worked, since he was on his way.

Hyeri spotted him coming through the large revolving doors and sprinted over before he could even make it to the security desk.

“Oppa, I’m ready! We can go.”

“Hyeri? What?” He frowned at her before moving past toward the security desk.

“Oppa, what are you doing? You don’t need to go inside. I came out to meet you. Let’s go.” She started pulling on his arm.

“I don’t have time for this.”

His phone dinged and he read the message before turning away from the security desk.

Hyeri thought that meant he was finally ready to go. Then she heard a familiar voice call out behind her. “Junie! Waseo?”

Hyeri blinked in disbelief as she turned to see Minseok and Jongdae striding over.

Immediately she started to blush, shifting to hide herself halfway behind her older brother. But Hyejun didn’t seem to care about protecting her and her major crush from Minseok. He stepped forward and clasped hands with his friend, pulling him in for a one-armed hug before repeating the gesture with Jongdae.

“You ready?” Jongdae asked, slapping Hyejun on the back.

“Ye, Hyeong. Is it really okay?”

“Yeah, my uncle says that no one is using the studio today. We can record the guide track with the high-end equipment.”

“Amazing.” Hyejun grinned. “Let’s go.”

“Hey, Hyeri, I didn’t see you there,” Minseok said, the only one to acknowledge her so far. He spoke English, since her Korean wasn’t that great, and she swooned a bit over his light British accent. “Did you come to see your oppas record?”

“Huh?” She blinked up at him. He was so vibrant. Most would argue that Jongdae was more conventionally attractive, but there was just some spark in Minseok that made it so Hyeri couldn’t look away. She knew when he debuted he was going to be a huge star. “Oh, no. Oppa said he’d take me to Everland today.”

“Ugh, Riri, seriously?” Hyejun rolled his eyes.

The childish nickname made Hyeri blush. She’d asked her brother to stop using it now that they were both trainees. She glanced at Minseok to see if he was laughing at her, but he was just glancing at his phone.