hopelessly devoted

light me up

Rosie never felt completely comfortable in the Odd Atelier offices. At first, she was an outsider and blasphemer, walking hallowed halls that housed a mission of fashion she did not practice. Even after her transformation at Jisoo's hands, she could not find ease and still cursed her nerves as she acted out her part on stage with her new costume. Even when the acting seemed to become real, the pretending was gone, and "those" clothes suddenly became "her" clothes, she felt some tiny pricking, some slight chill that constantly reminded her that to relax would mean her undoing.

This was especially true when she was at the office at night.

There was a kind of guilty joy in it. She was often alone, waiting for the Book, catching up on work she was unable to complete during the day. Occasionally she would see security making rounds and strike up a quick conversation. She could prepare for the next day so everything would run smoothly.

However, she felt deeply aware of how uncomfortable and unwelcome her presence in the office was on the nights when her boss also had to stay late.

It happened every once in awhile. The new issue needed to be perfected before it was sent to print. The proofs from the photo shoot that day would need to be critically perused. Budget crisis. Important conference call with important people that happened to be in another time zone. Rosie secretly marveled at what Jennie did for the sake of Odd Atelier. Everyone knew the dragon that patrolled her castle sizzling with wrath and fire. Who ever saw the solitary queen of ice slowly, patiently chipping away in the lonesome cold to create monuments of art and beauty?

Just as Rosie was chosen to bring the Book to the Kim household, she was also chosen to stand watch and aid the woman steadily working by the light of a lamp; Jennie said the main lights gave her a headache and would not be used. Rosie brought her tea or coffee when it was demanded, and she was often sent running to different departments to gather images and reports.

Therefore, she immediately jumped to action when she heard, "Roseanne."

She launched herself out of her chair and quickly presented herself in front of Jennie's desk, the back of her boss's head greeting her.

As the older woman gazed out the window, Rosie desperately scanned the desk in hopes of ascertaining what it was she needed. She had already refilled Jennie's coffee and gotten her a bottle of water. The mock up was sitting right there. What could she need?

She was startled when Jennie simply said, "A cigarette."

Rosie's eyes went wide with shock and confusion. Did she want one? Now? In the office? Jennie didn't even smoke.

"Now," was the stern command that shoved the assistant out of the office now burdened with the task of finding a cigarette when she herself did not smoke.

Rosie briefly considered that she was not paid enough before narrowing her gaze towards Joy's desk. Joy did not smoke. Rosie knew she didn't have enough time to leave and run to the store with Jennie simmering. Jisoo hated the habit. But Rosie remembered the smell in this very office. Joy. After her lunch break.

Joy smelled faintly of smoke after her lunch breaks with Irene.

The blonde jogged to the beauty department and easily ignored the ounce of guilt she felt searching through another person's personal belongings. Did it really count if it was a drawer in a public office space? Once she found the opened box and walked back to the office holding the cancerous little stick and the lighter that was found beside it, that small dash of guilt bloomed into an almost evil pleasure. Jennie would be satisfied she had attained it fairly quickly without running to the store. And there was something delicious about this tiny secret. Smoking was one of those dirty little things people did when they had a moment of weakness, right? It wasn't stylish anymore. Commercials played all the time demanding now was the time to quit something so unhealthy.