possibility days | bbangsaz

4

It turns out to be work hours disguised as party hours; they walk through the carpet smiling for pictures and doing interviews. Hanni carries the conversation most of the time, and often, Minji's job is to just look on and seem absolutely smitten for the cameras, a hand casual on the small of Hanni's back.

The fact is, Minji doesn't even have to try, at all - it comes to them so easily, and at one point an interviewer even has to call them out on it: "You are so into each other," says the interviewer, teasing slightly, and Minji hopes her nervous laugh merely comes off as a piece of intelligent acting.

They sit side-by-side at dinner - actors from the same shows have to share the same table, and perhaps it is Hyein's way of ensuring that, had they not arrived together, they would definitely be seen together, at one point or another. Hanni takes a ton of photos at the table with their other co-stars - she's an absolute darling, and really, how is it at all possible to not be charmed?

Not possible, Minji thinks, watching Hanni just go.

*

It is by no means an exclusive, network-only event; Hyein likes inviting her other friends, too - media and advertisers, the whole lot of them, and so this is how Minji comes across Jiwon for the first time. Hanni disappears for what feels like a moment too long, and when Minji goes around the party to come looking, she finds Hanni at the advertisers table, laughing.

"Oh, speak of the devil," says Hanni, turning to her, bottle of wine in her hand. "Look Minji - they've got better wine at the sponsors' table."

"Hanni," says Minji, throat tight. She's all-too-conscious now about all these strangers looking at her and smiling.

"So you're the one," comes a voice from the table, as woman stands and extends a hand. "Kim Minji."

Minji receives the hand graciously, if a bit confusedly. What was Hanni doing at the CEO's table, anyway? "Pleased to meet you sir," she says, surveying the table carefully before rounding back to Hanni -- now talking with Jiwon.

Minji tries not to look so surprised when Hanni turns to her to introduce him. "You know Jiwon?"

Damn right, I do. "I believe we haven't met," she says instead, smiling sweetly at him. "Hello."

When Jiwon smiles back, Minji feels herself somewhat warming to him. Is this what he does? "Finally, Ms. Kim," he says. "Hanni can't stop talking about you."

"Stop flustering the girl, Jiwon," says Hanni, smiling in kind. "She just got here."

Talk is easy and pleasant and Minji is surprised to be at ease so quickly. Jiwon is soft-spoken and attentive, and when Minji speaks he actually turns his head to listen, eye on Minji's. It is quiet and unnerving, but only because she can tell this isn't the wine, at all.

Fine, so Jiwon is a magnificent piece of a man, he's practically business royalty, and he's known Hanni since they were children, because Hanni's father and Jiwon' father were once schoolboys together.

Minji doesn't quite know what to do with this information.

Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, Minji excuses herself to answer her ringing phone. As soon as Danielle's name flashes on her screen, Minji mumbles an apology and steps away from the table, already halfway into a hello.

"Look who's hitting it with the bigwigs tonight," comes Danielle's voice, her voice teasing.

"Where are you?"

"Across the hall, behind one of the camera set-ups-"

Minji looks around, squinting in the dark. She finds Danielle leaning against a column in the middle of the ballroom, just in the shadow of bulky cameras. "Lift your hand Dani, I can't see you," she says, just to be difficult.