It was a rowdy day, especially in this quiet neighborhood. It was a Monday of course and everyone would be on their way to work.
Yoon-ah was sat outside on a chair totally zoned out while watching everything and no one in particular.
A few months has passed and Seol Yoon-ah was still the same jobless graduate. Her father had already made it known to her that she didn't need to get a job at all. Her family had generations of wealth and taking care of a jobless daughter wasn't something hard to do. Her mom didn't make any input against what her dad had told her, If anything she supported him. Her brother definitely did though. She and her brother would be inheriting generations of wealth, of course she didn't have to find a job now.
She would still look for a job regardless. She wanted to do something and keeping still wouldn't curb the boredom that was beginning to encroach on her. She groaned, dragging down her hands that had been planted on her face. She stared at her pale long hands.
Looking for a job in Seoul wasn't easy and she'd been on it for the past months, four to be exact. It didn't seem like she made any progress at all.
Seol Yoon-ah slumped on the table, her forehead resting against it's cool surface as she let out a dramatic groan. She was exhausted—not from working, but from trying to work.
Months. Months of endless applications, nerve-wracking interviews, and rejection after rejection. And why? Because she was too qualified.
"Ms. Seol, your resume is impressive, but we're looking for someone who will stay long-term, and frankly, we doubt this job would challenge you."
"You studied at Oxford? Why are you applying to be a receptionist?"
"I'm sorry, but we can't offer a position that fits your credentials."
The words haunted her. It wasn't like she was trying to be the CEO! She just wanted an easy job—a simple, no-stress, clock-in-clock-out kind of deal where she could make enough to afford bubble tea without feeling guilty. Was that so much to ask?
Apparently, yes.
Her phone buzzed. A message from her mother.
Mother: Sweetheart, how's the job search? Ready to come work for the family?
Yoon-ah's fingers hovered over the keyboard. She considered lying. But she knew if she responded, her mother would take it as an opening for another 'Why Fight It? You Were Born for This' speech. Instead, she sighed and dropped her phone onto the table while glaring at her untouched iced coffee.
She was about to wallow in self-pity when a sudden presence loomed nearby.
Perhaps she shouldn't look for an easy job but actually take things seriously and look for a job befitting her. She had been taking things the wrong way.
Yoon-ah looked up—and immediately froze.
It was her.
The Scary Lady.
Every neighborhood had that one person. The one who always seemed to be watching, who never smiled, who carried an air of quiet mystery. She was that person. Always dressed in neutral tones, always carrying a tiny white Pomeranian with a perfectly tied pink bow tie. Yoon-ah had spoken to her the day she came back from England. The woman had a terrifying resting face. No way she could forget.
So why was she standing outside staring at her? An inexplicable and odd behavior.
The woman studied her, sharp eyes unreadable. Then, in a deep, no-nonsense voice, she said, "You're unemployed, aren't you?"
Yoon-ah choked on her drink. "W-what?"
The woman gestured vaguely at her defeated posture, her unbrushed hair that was in a messy bun and the pile of rejection emails open on her laptop screen. "It's obvious."
Yoon-ah gawked. "I—I'm just… between opportunities."
The woman ignored her attempt at dignity. "Galaxy Corporation is hiring. You should try your luck."
Yoon-ah blinked. "Galaxy Corporation? The Galaxy Corporation? The one that owns half the country?"
The woman gave a single, slow nod.
"How do you know that?" Yoon-ah asked, squinting suspiciously.
The woman raised an eyebrow. "I know things."
Okay. That was cryptic. Weird too.
Yoon-ah hesitated. "And… you think they'll hire me?"
The woman shrugged. "Maybe."
"Maybe?"
The woman turned to leave, her tiny Pomeranian giving Yoon-ah a silent look of encouragement (or judgment, she wasn't sure).
"Try your luck," the woman repeated before walking away, her tiny dog's pink bow tie bouncing with every step. "Let's go Prince"
Yoon-ah stared after her.
Had she just… received career advice from this strange Lady?
She wasn't sure if this was a sign of hope… or a final act of desperation.
Slowly the idea of managing her father's department store sounded nice to her. She knew if she asked he would agree. "But no!" She gritted out.
"Galaxy corporations right? I'll do it!" She huffed.
Immediately she stood up, packed her hair into a messy bun and went straight out of the compound, her outfit the very essence of a jobless youth; a (designers) tracksuit and (designers) flip flops. A very beautiful and jobless youth of course.
She'd decided she'd find something to eat from the convenience store. Her parents were out of the country and her brother was probably in school for practice. He was an athlete after all. Her brother would probably come home late.