In an Internet Café in Korea
The clatter of keyboards and the hum of gaming headsets filled the air as the intensity of the game reached its peak.
Person 1 (???): (shouting excitedly at the screen) "FIGHT! PEEK, PEEK, WE CAN WIN THIS! WE CAN!!!"
Person 1 (???): (laughing triumphantly) "YESSSS! WAHHHH! FINALLY, I'M DIAMOND AFTER ALL THE GRINDING!"
The high-pitched notification of a phone ringing cut through the excitement. She sighed, eyes still glued to the screen.
Person 1 (???): (grumbling under her breath) "Hmm, why is she always calling me... There should be nothing wrong with the projects I left off..."
Her eyes darted to the screen and a frown appeared.
Person 1 (???): (reading aloud, the frustration building) "1000 missed calls?!? WHAT???"
She slouched back in her chair, giving the screen one last glance before rolling her eyes.
Person 1 (???): (muttering to herself, tired) "Oh, what to doooooo... Alright, I think I'm famished. I'll go eat now."
She slipped out of the café and wandered through the busy streets of Korea, the vibrant lights and neon signs all around her. A quick turn, and there it was—a small, cozy tteokbokki place with a line out the door.
Person 1 (???): (smiling with delight as she takes her first bite) "Wahhh, this tteokbokki is SO GOOD."
She savored the taste, lost in the moment, until the city's energy slowly started to pull her in different directions. Strolling further, her eyes caught sight of something—a brightly colored poster on a nearby wall.
Person 1 (???): (squinting at the poster, reading aloud) "Looking for an MUA that can work ASAP."
She paused, the wheels in her mind slowly starting to turn. A small thought popped into her head.
Person 1 (???): (mumbling to herself) "Oh, I'm a bit short on cash… Maybe I can do this job. Hmmm."
Her hand slid down to the bag slung over her shoulder, reaching inside to feel the familiar weight of her makeup kit.
Person 1 (???): (nodding to herself, a grin forming) "Yeah, I do have my kit with me... I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."
That Night
Back in her condo, she sat at her desk, the soft glow of her computer screen illuminating her face. She opened her email and quickly typed up a message.
Person 1 (???): (typing as she thought out loud) "Alright... time to apply for the job. I've got this."
The email sent, she leaned back in her chair, satisfied. She had something else to focus on now—something new to distract her from the grind. She allowed herself a moment of peace before heading to bed.
The Next Morning
Her phone rang. Again.
It's 7 AM... THE F*CK. Who's texting this early?!
Her eyes snapped open, half a groan escaping her lips as she squinted at the screen. The blinding morning light pierced her room, adding insult to injury.
ARGHHHHHHHHHHH...
She turned her head to glance at her phone, fighting the urge to toss it out of the window.
TEXT
"We found your resume, and I think you're fit for the job. Is it possible for you to do a makeup trial?"
Her eyes widened. She could barely process what she was reading.
Shocked.
"Oh, OH, OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
She rubbed her eyes, convinced she was still dreaming. The message was real. This was real.
Without thinking, she immediately tapped out a response.
TEXT
"Sure, is there a schedule?"
She threw the blanket off her body and sat up on the bed, trying to shake off the sleepiness. Her pulse raced. This was a huge opportunity, but why did it have to happen at 7 in the morning?
A few moments later, her phone buzzed again.
TEXT
"You can come tomorrow, around 7:30AM. We have special actors that will also check your work. Please be early to set up your workplace."
TEXT
"Thank you so much, I will do it!"
Her heart skipped a beat. She jumped out of bed, laughing to herself in pure excitement.
"YESSS! I can actually earn cash like this!"
She bounced around her room like a ball of energy, a wide grin plastered on her face.
She immediately rushed to her makeup kit, pulling it out of the closet with one hand and half-throwing products into her bag with the other. Brushes, foundations, palettes—everything was flung into her bag with perfect (and somewhat chaotic) precision.
"Tomorrow's gonna be BIG!" she murmured, putting everything in place with surprising speed. It was almost as if the excitement was contagious, and she couldn't contain it.
________________________________________________________________________________________
THE NEXT MORNING
The shrill ring of her alarm sliced through the silence. Jovy shot up in bed, eyes wide and pupils still adjusting to the light. 7:30 AM.
"THE F*CK! I'M LATE!!" she screamed, practically leaping out of bed.
Her phone buzzed beside her on the nightstand, but she didn't have time to check it.
She fumbled around in her room, throwing clothes onto her body with the kind of energy only a panicked person could have. One arm through a sleeve, a half-buttoned shirt, and she was already rushing to the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face, still in a daze.
"I can't believe this. How did I sleep through my alarm?" she muttered to herself, barely having time to process the situation. Her makeup kit was a few feet away, and her phone buzzed again, but there was no time to check it now.
7:40 AM. She grabbed her kit, shoved her ring light into her bag, and hurried out the door.
She dashed down the stairs, nearly tripping over her own feet, and jumped into her car. The engine roared to life as she sped off toward the makeup job, every second counting.
She pulled into the building's parking lot with barely a minute to spare. Her hands shook as she grabbed her kit and ring light from the backseat, a wave of panic still clinging to her.
"Okay, calm down. You've got this," she whispered to herself.
The doors opened with a soft whoosh as she rushed inside, her heart pounding in her chest. She glanced around quickly and caught sight of her name written neatly on a table—"Jovy".
"Oh, thank god. I'm stationed here." She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. The setup was small, but it was a start. A chance to prove herself.
Just as she was getting her bearings, an assistant approached her.
"Are you here for the makeup test?" the assistant asked, with a smile that seemed both welcoming and professional.
"Ah, yes! I'm Jovy," she replied, trying to stay calm despite her rushing.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Ah Min-Yoo, one of the assistants of Head MUA Eun-Bin," the assistant introduced herself with a warm nod. "You should set up your makeup station. You'll be working with two models—one man and one woman."
"Good luck with your work, and fighting!" Min-Yoo said brightly, giving her a thumbs-up before walking off.
Jovy nodded back, trying not to let her nerves show.
"Thank you so much!" She bowed respectfully before turning back to her station.
Her hands moved quickly to set up her station—brushes, foundations, powders, and palettes—arranged with a sense of urgency. She was racing against the clock, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts as she desperately tried to focus. The ring light went up first, its bright halo illuminating her small station.
She could hear the other makeup artists chatting as they set up, greeting each other with professional smiles. Jovy was too frazzled to even look at them. All she could think about was how she had almost ruined everything by waking up late.
As the models began to trickle in, Jovy's nerves settled a little. It wasn't perfect, but she had everything she needed. She adjusted her makeup station, forcing her hands to stop shaking.
"Focus. Just focus. You've got this," she reminded herself as she glanced around to check if anyone had noticed her rushed setup.
She took one last deep breath, knowing this was her shot.
"Let's do this," she whispered, ready to prove herself.
The test was about to begin, and everyone had been given two models each. As she surveyed the room, she noticed many experienced makeup artists and well-known influencers.
Then, a stunning woman walked in, carrying a stack of portfolios. She was accompanied by a man who followed closely behind her.
The room fell silent, everyone struck with awe and surprise.
(AN: Aside from her, of course. She doesn't care at all.)
"Wow, he's really handsome. He must be famous," Jovi murmured to herself.
"He's not just famous, HE IS SUPER FAMOUS! That's Mr. Park!" the makeup artist exclaimed, turning to Jovi.
"Really? My bad. I guess I'm not online as much these days," Jovi responded, a little embarrassed.
"Yeah, and Miss Shane is the top MUA in her field. Every artist wants her to do their makeup. Her team is a huge name in the industry; they're always booked for K-dramas and shows," the makeup artist added.
"He's not just famous, HE IS SUPER FAMOUS!!! THAT'S MR. PARK!" the makeup artist exclaimed to Jovi.
"Really?" Jovi responded, a little surprised. "My bad, I guess I'm not on the internet much these days."
"Yeah, and Miss Shane is the top MUA in her field. Every artist wants her to do their makeup. Her team is huge in the industry—they're always booked for K-dramas and shows," the makeup artist continued, explaining to Jovi.
Jovi, however, didn't find it all that interesting.
"I've heard that every time she does these tests, she's looking to recruit a potential MUA to work with her... SIDE BY SIDE," another artist added, speaking excitedly.
Everybody in the room continued chatting while Jovi quietly observed, feeling a bit confused. In reality, she was just here for the job and some quick cash.
The man, Mr. Park, looked oddly familiar, but Jovi couldn't quite place him. She kept her gaze on the astonishing group of people in the room.
"Thank you all so much for coming to the test. Both Mr. Park and I will be judging your skills. After this, I'll see if I can recruit someone to work with me on Mr. Park's upcoming drama," MUA Shane explained.
Jovi murmured quietly to herself, "Ah, so it's for a drama."
"We'll give you three different scenes, and you'll need to create three looks that best fit each scene. On your makeup station, there's a file with the details for you to review," MUA Shane continued.
"You'll have one hour to come up with ideas for the three scenes. Each look will be done within one hour, and the models will proceed to a photoshoot where we'll check each look. Good luck," she finished.
Jovi nodded, listening intently, though her mind was still trying to piece everything together.
"Fighting!!!" Mr. Park cheered, excited to judge.
"Your timer starts now," Shane instructed.
Jovy grabbed the file, scanning the categories.
"Love scene, wedding... and... sex scene?" she murmured, shocked.
Determined, she quickly formulated her ideas.
"Ah! I know!" she thought, finding her inspiration.
The timer went off, and the models were called for the photoshoot. Afterward, each artist explained their looks. Jovy, however, was distracted, playing a mobile game until the assistant called her name.
"Miss Jovy? Are you here?"
"Yes, yes! I'm coming!" she said, tucking her phone away and rushing in.
Standing before the judges, she tried to stay composed.
"Your work is amazing," Shane complimented.
"I agree," Mr. Park added.
"How did you come up with the looks?" Shane asked.
"Thank you! For the love scene, I wanted a fresh, glowing look. Soft smokey eyes, a peachy gloss for the lips, and a blush that gives a flushed effect."
"For the guy, I kept it clean but added a touch of color."
The judges nodded.
"For the wedding look, I focused on enhancing the woman's features, making her the most beautiful in front of the camera."
"For the guy, a clean look with a hint of plum blush and lip gloss."
Shane nodded. "She looks like she's about to get married."
Mr. Park commented, "The guy looks like he could be the next viral leading man."
"Now, for the sex scene..." Jovy hesitated.
"Care to explain?" Mr. Park asked, curious.
"Well... no one really cares how you look in a sex scene," Jovy replied. "You're either messy or barefaced, and they'll probably cut it out anyway."
The judges chuckled, amused by her answer.
Mr. Park laughed, "I've never met a makeup artist like this."
Shane agreed, shaking her head in amusement.
The scene shifted back to the group of MUAs.
"Thank you all for your work today," Shane said. "You did amazing. Please clap for yourselves."
She smiled, then added, "After reviewing all of your work, I've found one person who will join my team. Jovy."
The room erupted in applause.
Jovy's eyes widened. "OMG, THANK YOU SO MUCH!" she exclaimed, bouncing with happiness and shock. She bowed repeatedly, as if it was the most surreal moment of her life.
Mr. Park grinned and raised a hand, halting the applause. "Congratulations, Jovy, but I have a better offer."
Everyone in the room froze, confused.
Shane raised an eyebrow. "What's that?" she asked, clearly puzzled.
With a confident smirk, Mr. Park leaned forward. "How about you work for me... as an exclusive makeup artist?"
A heavy silence hung in the air. You could almost hear the collective breath being held.
Jovy's jaw dropped, eyes nearly popping out of her head. "HUH?!?!??!??!?!?!?!!?!??!" she shouted, her voice higher than normal as she stumbled back in shock.
The room burst into laughter, with even Shane and Mr. Park barely holding back their amusement.
-End-