📖 Chapter One: Arrival
By F. U. Writes ✍️
Midnight Echoes: (Love Across Borders)
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The wind in Seoul was colder than Faye Chika imagined.
Not the kind of cold that kissed your skin, but the kind that reached deep — like homesickness you could feel on your neck.
She hugged her coat tighter and glanced at the address again, her phone flickering at 3% battery.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be.
She had won the biggest opportunity of her life — an all-expense-paid internship with SE7ENLIGHT Entertainment, one of the top music labels in Korea.
It was a dream, no doubt.
But since her flight landed, things had unraveled like a badly stitched button.
Her airport pickup never showed.
Her Korean SIM wasn't working.
And now, the housing they promised her had "a minor booking glitch."
Translation?
"Wait in the lobby of the backup apartment until we call you back."
That was three hours ago.
Faye sighed and looked up at the Seoul night sky.
Glittering buildings surrounded her, shining like stars she couldn't touch.
Her breath formed little clouds as she tucked her fingers under her arms for warmth.
> "Just one more hour," she whispered to herself.
"If no one comes, I'll sleep right here on this bench."
Then she heard footsteps.
Soft, but firm — like sneakers on marble.
Her eyes, tired and heavy, turned toward the hallway.
A tall figure in a black hoodie approached slowly, face hidden by shadows and a cap.
He stopped a few feet away from her.
> "Are you locked out?"
The voice was soft. Low. Calming.
Faye blinked, her heart skipping.
He took a step closer and pushed back the hoodie slightly.
Under the dim lobby light, she saw his face — a sharp jawline, a soft dimple, dark eyes that held something deeper than fame.
She froze.
Not because she recognized him...
But because his presence felt... warm.
> "You shouldn't be sitting out here," he said.
"It's cold."
He extended an umbrella.
Even though it wasn't raining.
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To be continued... 😌