BEHIND THE SCENES

chapter 121: returned favours

<OST: Start - Gaho>

"And... that's the end of the interview!" Hyejin said with a bright smile before turning to the camera. "In conclusion, you all can look forward to good chemistry between the casts! 'My Brightest Star' will start airing in mid-December, so please look forward to that! Thank you!"

Hyejin got up from her seat and bowed at the four main casts, and they bowed back.

"Cut!"

"Thank you so much for your time!" Hyejin said as she made eye contact with each one of them. "I hope to see you all again at the press conference!"

"Thank you, Ahn Hyejin gija-nim!"

"Thanks so much!"

"Thank you! See you!"

"Please edit it well!"

Hyejin smiled as she headed towards Jisoo.

"Hyejin-ssi."

Hyejin stopped short and turned around, as she heard someone calling her name from behind. Her eyes widened a little as she saw who it is.

"O-Oh-" Hyejin stammered. "Jieun-ssi! Fancy seeing you here."

Jieun found it hard to make eye contact with Hyejin. After all, they hadn't seen each other in a long, long time.

"Well-" Jieun gestured around awkwardly. "I got a job as a makeup artist here... after quitting my job at KNJ News."

"Ah... right-" Hyejin nodded slowly. "I heard about what happened."

Jieun nodded and shrugged.

"How's things been?" Hyejin asked politely. "Have you been enjoying your new job so far?"

"I... have, actually," Jieun said with a small smile. "And... you still seem to be enjoying your job as a reporter, too. I was watching you from afar earlier - you're doing a really great job."

"Oh, you were?" Hyejin let out a shy chuckle. "Well, thank you. Ah... isn't it funny how we both joined the company at around the same time, yet we're both on different paths right now?"

"Yeah, you're right." Jieun nodded in agreement. "We started on the same path, but ended up on two different paths. However, I was the one who switched paths - you, Hyejin-ssi, have been sticking to the same path from day one. It's admirable, really."

"You're admirable too, Jieun-ssi-" Hyejin said with a smile. "Pursuing what you truly enjoy... that's what is admirable. That makes both of us admirable."

"No, I couldn't possibly be compared to you," Jieun said with a regretful sigh. "Along the journey of trying to achieve my dreams, I made a lot of decisions I'm not really proud of. Meanwhile, the whole time, you did not rush things. You patiently stuck to the method that was tried-and-tested and now, you've finally reaped the fruits of labour. Hyejin-ssi, you're a really amazing person in my eyes. Because I've been through exactly the same situation you went through... I know how hard that was - yet you managed to do it."

"Ah... I'm not that great of a person you think I am, Jieun-ssi." Hyejin laughed. "Along the way, I was tempted a lot too. I wanted to rush my progress too. Many of times, when things started getting tough, I wanted to give up too. I wanted to take shortcuts. Just like you, I wanted to rush things so I could achieve my goals quicker. But I held back."