seoul fashion week was an enjoyable week for chorong. she's worked as a model for a few brands over the years, so it didn't leave a bad taste in her mouth to be returning. chorong opted to go out and celebrate the conclusion of a successful week, which landed her at a rooftop bar. bars and clubs are starting to appear to be chorong's new normal. before, these were places she rarely visited due to how busy she was with other things, but now that she was taking a step back from working for the past few months, she has been catching up on experiences she had been missing out on. nightlife had turned out to be way more fun than she remembered. she rarely remembers any time spent in establishments like this, but she can guess it wasn't that fun because she was too concerned with her image and didn't let go. now, letting go was all she wanted to do.
tonight, chorong was a little more dressed up ( she'd just blame it on the spirit of seoul fashion week if anyone asked ) normally she did her best to blend in and not stand out enough for people to easily recognize her, even going as far as styling her hair to hide as much of her face as she could. even that was ditched tonight, her hair tied up exposing her features. no certainty about the direction the night was heading, the actress sat alone contemplating her future. did she want to remain active? was she just having doubts about the company? or did she want to explore down a new avenue? she was almost too entangled in her own thoughts to notice the new presence standing next to her.
a waiter with a shot glass.
she's no stranger to getting sent drinks but rarely was it a shot. intrigued, she picked up the glass and discreetly looked around to see if she can spot the sender. only one person was looking in her general direction, so she turned her head towards them as well. once she sees who sent it, the actress immediately recognized who it was and wanted to laugh. one, because she had no clue if she had ever actually talked to william, and two, she has to stop meeting people when alcohol is involved. she cannot possibly be leaving a good impression on those she talks to after having a few drinks. but what could she do now, especially after william's gracious invitation to a conversation?
chorong picks up the glass and carries it with her over to the spot by william. "was my 'i'm not happy' vibe coming off too strong tonight?" the truth disguised as a joke. it wasn't like she was sitting by herself with the biggest smile anyone has ever seen, and she was aware of that. "thank you. you're william, right?" she drinks the shot shortly after, having gotten tired of holding the glass. she does watch a few variety shows in her spare time, and she's certain she'd placed the face in front of her to the right show. she hadn't had that much to drink to start mixing up people. "how long have you been here? i thought i would've noticed you before you noticed me."
while he's not exactly working right now, william never misses an opportunity to network with other industry professionals. it never hurts to make new friends, and after all, there's solidarity in being high-profile. no one else will ever truly know what it's like to be a celebrity, other than another celebrity. there's a firm understanding of image maintenance, of secrecy, and of the nuances when it comes to the lifestyles of the rich, and famous. they're very specific experiences that your average john and jane won't grasp. that's not a statement meant to look down on them at all. hell, if anything, william's envious of them. so much so that, he almost yearns for the sensation of being a nobody back in california, but only sometimes.
sure, he adores the attention that his career path gives him, but there are many downsides that come along with it, too. "normal people" won't ever comprehend how isolating being a public figure can be. they'll never understand the immense levels of pressure; the endless scrutiny; the lack of honest camaraderie. he, and others like him, can only find that level of recognition in those who've also nosedived into the murky waters of fame. so, regardless of whether or not he's had a legitimate conversation with chorong before, he considers them family on some level, and as she starts to speak to him, he grins from ear-to-ear; showing her immediate respect.
"oh, honey..." he begins, shaking his head. "okay, maybe i did sense that you were in desperate need of a little sparkle in your life, but honestly?" william pauses for dramatic effect, straightening his posture. "you could have the sourest expression on your face, and somehow, you'd still come across as graceful. it's honestly very impressive."
hoping his compliment is received well, he raises his own shot glass to her in a silent cheers, then downs its contents in one swift gulp; reveling in the pleasant burn alcohol leaves behind. "yes, i'm william, but please, call me will." his grin grows a little wider as he bows his head in her direction, offering her respect as he's her junior.
"mm, i've been here for roughly half an hour? the night's still young for me; figured it'd be nice to unwind with a drink after the hustle and bustle of last week. did you have a good time? at fashion week, i mean." hopefully bringing up their latest shared event isn't seen as 'business talk.' he'd hate that. in order to prevent that from happening, he decides to be a little facetious.
"some of the music performances were a little lackluster, not gonna lie, but i loved basically everything else? managed to get a lot of phone numbers..." with that, he winks playfully in chorong's direction and laughs; impish.

















