𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐔𝐒 • SeongSang

ONE.

16th of January, 1957

Park Seonghwa was the type of boy parents had always told their children to be more like. He always plastered a kind smile on his face, took off his hat in front of those who were respected and gave an approving nod to those who respected him. He was seen as a clever, generous, polite man.

And he knew that very well. So he did what was told. He laughed along with jokes that weren't funny. Smiled at people he hated. Cheated his way through life yet he was still living the most successful life.

He lit the cigarette between his lips staring at the beggar across the street. The man was shivering under the thin fabric of his shirt, his fists were scraping against the ground begging passagers for empathy.
''Pathetic.'' Seonghwa whispered. He hated beggars, he figured that a man should work for money and not pick it up along the streets.
The man turned around tightening his coat around his waist and opened the door in front of him. The hot air of the room hit him as he handed his coat and hat to the servant. Across the bar sat a tall man, one elbow placed on the bar with a beer in his other hand. He stroked his fingers against his thick hair and glanced at the man entering the café. 

''Seonghwa, I've been waiting for you to come. Where were you?'' His small eyes looked up to him questioning.
The latter let out a light chuckle and sat down on a chair next to him.
''I'm sorry, Mingi. I was helping the beggar across the street.'' Seonghwa lied with a smile.
As if he'd ever help someone like that.
''You should stop being so nice all the time, it's going to make me look bad.''
''I can't help it.'' The older laughed earning a soft slap on his shoulder from his friend.
''Yeah, whatever, your wife came by last night, she thought you were at my place, she was looking for you. Where were you yesterday, mate?''
The raven haired mentally swore at himself, before smiling back at the taller.
''I've been preparing some stuff for her.''
''Man, if I were a woman I would've taken you already.'' Mingi said stomping his friend's waist.

Mingi was a long time friend of Seonghwa, a man who looked like stone but actually had a heart made of gold, the two met in college and sticked together for the rest of their lives. The older had always appreciated the latter's energetic and positive nature. They always introduced each other as best friends although they both knew that their friendship was based on sweet  lies. They were close but at the same time they barely knew each other. All of the stories they told each other were nothing more than a sugar coated version of their actually lives. But to Seonghwa it was perfect, he didn't need anyone to know what was hiding behind his facade, he just needed someone to have fun with, someone who made him feel approved, someone who didn't understand him but still followed him no matter what.
Someone exactly like Mingi.

The rest of the night was filled with laughter and alcohol. After a few very long drinks, the two parted their ways and headed home.

Snow had started to decorate the streets, the yellow lights of the street lanters were toning its white colour, it was peaceful to look at, a sight that made Seonghwa forget everything that had happened before, the things he'd lost and gained.
His head slowly started to feel lighter as all his memories started to fade away. For one second, it felt like an angel had lifted up the weight off his shoulders that he'd been carrying as long as he could remember.
He never did it too often, but for the first time this year he felt the corners of his lips genuinely curl up. It wasn't exactly defined with happiness, but more as a pause, a very quiet and peaceful pause in his life, a pause big enough to make him smile for a second.

•

He opened the gate of his garden only to see his wife staring over the sight of the mountains. According to her, Hollywood was the best at night, and she never skipped the spectacle once.

And although Seonghwa thought that she was bullshitting, he'd always found it quite spectacular to see her long legs leaning over each other while a cigarette was resting between her mouth.
But he still didn't mind, to glance over Hollywood a few times thinking of what he'd accomplished.

Seonghwa's father had always told him that success was only to be found in America, so his family scraped their last bits of money together and sent him on a boat to New York. And that's where his success story started. He'd become a big movie producers, finding long lines of young actresses waiting to play in one of his movies. And only the best, could ever meet him. He was a man with many appointments running for him. What many called being busy, was success to Seonghwa.

''You're late, again.''
''I was with Mingi.''
''It's fine, I'm glad you're home now.'' She said putting down her tea.
Seonghwa watched the hot steam rose up and fade away in the air as she slowly leaned forward.
"Wooyoung called me." She spoke.
"Oh." The man rested his arms on the fence of his garden watching the street lanterns decorating the city.
"You have to meet him, Seonghwa."
"I don't want to."
"He's your only hope. I planned an appointment for you with him tomorrow."
"What?!" Seonghwa's soft eyes turned into two thin lines, his dark hair had fallen for his eyes when and a grin was plastered his face. He chuckled lowly before replacing it with a cold glare.

The producer would rather jump off a building, or eat his own socks than meeting that bastard again. With his smirking eyes and sly giggles, his womanising attitude, his brown hair slicked back complimenting that annoying face of his.

Park Seongwha hated  that man with a passion.

The tall man walked down the garden and grabbed the collar of his wife's long dress.
"Why do you always to this stuff, you stupid woman!"
Her eyes widened as he slipped out the words.
She smacked her hand against his face and pushed two fingertips on his chin.
"I'm doing this for you, this is your only hope. Don't ruin your life because of some dumb past events."

•

Seonghwa looked in the mirror. His hair was neatly parted on the right side of his head, he was wearing a long suit with two leather black shoes underneath.
He put on his tie slightly loosening it up knowing it would irritate  Wooyoung and smirked at the thought.

He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his drawer and stared back at the young actress behind him.
Marie was a beautiful girl. She had thick brown hair that was slightly darker at the roots. Mesmerising black eyes with thin eyebrows making them look big. Plump lips that were always coated in red lipstick and beautiful curves spread over her body.

When Seonghwa first saw her, he already knew the type of girl she was. A girl who wanted to been seen for her talent but truly only reached the top of the industry with looks. And although he didn't care about her that much, he still had to take out his frustrations somewhere now and then.

She tied up the last button of her jacket and smiled.
"I'm leaving."
"Okay."
Despite her earlier words, she was still standing at the corner of the room. The raven haired looked back at her questioning and almost rolled his eyes when he saw her tapping his cheeks.
He shot her a forced smile and pressed his lips on her face.

When he saw her shadow disappearing in the hallway he wiped his mouth and groaned at the mirror.

"Time for hell."

Honestly, an American setting fits well for this book and despite that, I will still put a bit many asian characters in here. So welcome to the first inaccuracy! :) thank you for reading this, I'm sorry for putting you through hell. The first chap is boring but trust me, it'll get dramatic, that doesn't mean it'll get good, but it'll get dramatic.