The sound of running water filled the small bathroom as Maya stood before the mirror. A toothbrush dangling loosely from her lips and reflection stared back at her. Eyes puffy, hair tangled and faint traces of last night's makeup, smudged beneath them. She almost didn't recognize herself.
There was no time for a proper check anyway before rushing out like her life depended on it. Because it indeed does. As if kicked back to life, she swiftly shook her head. Forcing the thoughts away as she cleared her mind.
In no time, steam fogged the edges of the glass, softening her features. For a moment, she wished it could blur her reality too.
But like a ticking time bomb, Jina's voice echoed through the walls of her room.
"Maya! You're going to be late!" Her voice rang from the entrance. Light, but impatient.
She stood half in the doorway, her phone pressed to her ear. And her free hand clutching a piece of toast. "Manager Han's already downstairs!"
"I'll be right out, Jina!" Came Maya's muffled response from inside the washroom.
Jina frowned. "You said that ten minutes ago!"
This time, no answer came. Just the faint sound of running water, and the soft thud of a cabinet door. With a resigned sigh, Jina grabbed her bag.
"Fine! But if you're late again, don't blame me!" she called before heading out. Leaving the door slightly ajar.
The moment Jina's footsteps faded down the hall, Maya shut off the tap. And leaned heavily against the bathroom counter. Her reflection stared back at her once again. A word of encouragement escaping her lips like a motivational speaker.
There was no more time to waste. Her reality was calling outside and she needed to go. With a nod, giving herself the boost, she headed out. Rushing to her dresser then to her dressing table.
Maya straightened, dabbing on a little foundation and lip tint. The motions were mechanical, practiced. The routine of a girl who couldn't afford to fall apart. By the time she rose to her feet, she was transformed again. Maya Kim, rising actress, model, university student, and Seoul's latest obsession.
Just then, her phone buzzed. She tilted her gaze to where it rested, picking it up.
Manager Han: "I'm waiting. We'll be late for the lecture." The text read. Without wasting another second, Maya slipped on her cap and sunglasses. Gabbed her bag, and rushed out.
---
The car ride was quiet at first as they set off. Manager Han sat in the front, scrolling through his tablet while the radio played faintly.
"You look tired," he said without looking up. "Another late -night shoot yesterday?"
Maya hesitated. "Something like that." She tried to brush it off.
He nodded absently, already moving to the next item on his list. "You have two classes today, then a meeting with the cosmetics brand at four. And a script read-through tomorrow morning. Don't forget to rest between. You have a packed schedule this week."
Maya murmured a soft, "Mm" and turned her gaze to the window.
Outside, Seoul passed in a blur of early light and glass towers. People rushed to work, cafés filled with chatter. Normal life, pulsing and ordinary. She wondered if any of them would believe that, the "Maya Kim" plastered across billboards was sitting here now, feeling hollow and unsettled.
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag. The earrings she had found missing that morning flashed in her mind again.
"How is she going to make her mother understand?" All these thoughts sent shivers down her spin.
By the time they reached campus, Maya had already tucked her worries deep behind her practiced smile.
"Text me when you're done," Manager Han said as she stepped out. "I'll be waiting at the lot."
She nodded and waved. Blending flawlessly into the flow of students crossing the courtyard. Her fame didn't go unnoticed though. Whispers followed her like perfume.
"Isn't that Maya Kim?" A female voice muttered.
"She's even prettier in real life." Another added.
"I heard she's doing a drama with Jihoon oppa!"
Maya smiled faintly and kept walking. She had grown used to the eyes, the whispers, and the subtle envy. They were part of the job. Part of the mask she wore.
.
.
.
The lecture hall was fully packed with students while others are still settling in. Maya slipped into her seat at the back. Opening her notebook, gearing herself up. Soon, lectures kicked started.
The professor's voice droned on, but her focus drifted in and out like static. She thought she git things figured. But every now and then, she caught herself staring blankly at the board. Trying to recall the man's face. But all she could see were fragments. His watch glinting in the dark, the shape of his jaw, and the way her pulse had quickened under his gaze.
Her chest tightened. Stop it, she scolded herself silently. It's over. You'll never see him again. Just forget it.
The entire lectures stretched for about an hour. Everyone was soon rushing out. Some moving to the next lecture hall while others went their various ways.
Maya was headed to the packing lot when her friend Yuna, caught up with her half way through the hallway.
"Are you coming to the café with us?" she asked cheerfully. "You look like you could use caffeine."
Maya forced a small laugh. "Tempting, but I've got a shoot this afternoon."
"Again? Do you even sleep?" Yuna questioned.
"Rarely," she admitted, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "But that's what makeup is for."
Yuna shook her head, half in awe, half in pity. "You're insane. Don't forget you're still human, okay?"
Maya smiled, waving as she walked off towards her manager who was already in the driveway. As usually, the rest of her day continued. Nothing out of the ordinary.
...
Instinctively, Maya had began to forget everything. The night and it's aftermath of guilt. Fortunately, she was also able to cooz her mother into buying her lie of mistakingly misplacing her earring during a shoot.
Maya had a tight schedule so she woke up earlier than usual.
She rinsed her mouth and splashed her face with cold water. New day. New start, she told herself. An everyday motivation to herself. Just what she needed to get through the day.
Swiftly, she slipped into her hoodie and leggings. She strolled out the door and trod to their open kitchen. Tying her hair into a loose bun before grabbing her coffee from the counter. The bitterness burned her throat, grounding her just enough to move forward.
Jina's voice cut through the apartment. "You're up early. Miracle."
Maya forced a faint smile. "Couldn't sleep."
"That's new," Jina teased, sliding a plate of toast across the table. "Rough night?"
Maya froze for half a second, then shrugged it off. "Work stress. You know how it is."
Jina didn't press. She had learned that when Maya said work stress, it could mean anything from botched auditions to emotional exhaustion.
Maya checked the time on her phone — 8:37 AM. Her first class started in twenty minutes. She grabbed her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder.
"Tell the universe to give me a day longer than twenty-four hours," she said. Half-joking, half-praying.
Jina smirked. "You already live three lives, Kim. Don't tempt it."
Maya smiled, "See you later." She called, already out the door.
.
.
.
Days turned into weeks.
Maya's routine consumed her. Morning classes, back-to-back castings, late-night rehearsals. The busier she stayed, the easier it was to bury the questions she didn't want to face.
Her manager, Han, always pushed her harder. "Smile brighter, Maya. The campaign needs energy."
"Your social engagement's through the roof. You need to post more behind-the-scenes stuff."
"You're the new 'it girl.' Keep it up."
The next few days melted into one another. Bright lights, cameras, quick changes, compliments laced with criticism. Her popularity was rising fast, and with it came endless scrutiny. Every smile had to be perfect, every photo approved. And every gesture calibrated for charm.
But beneath the shimmer, cracks began to show.
She had been waking up with splitting headaches. Food had lost its usual appeal. And there were moments during shoots when she would feel dizzy, and her stomach turning unexpectedly.
"You okay, Maya?" her makeup artist asked one afternoon when she had gone quiet mid-prep.
"Just tired," she said quickly. "Didn't sleep well."
She brushed it off like she always did. But the feeling lingered.
---
A few weeks later
Maya sat slumped on her bed, scrolling through her phone with unfocused eyes. The dorm was quiet. Jina had gone home for the weekend. And for once, there were no early calls or shoots scheduled.
She should have been relieved. Instead, she felt off. The nausea had been constant all morning.
Intuitively, her gaze drifted toward the small calendar pinned above her desk. Thinking it might be her period. But then, she froze at what caught her attention.
Her last period… had been over six weeks ago.
She blinked, doing the math again. That couldn't be right. She had been stressed, sure. Her sleep had been erratic. But six weeks?
"No," she whispered, shaking her head as if that could undo it.
Her chest tightened as flashes of that night flickered again. The champagne, the music, the faceless man. The one she never even got the name of.
The room suddenly felt smaller, the silence too loud. In that moment, her phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor.
On an impulse, she pressed a trembling palm to her stomach.